Namaste Yogis and Yoginis,

Several years ago, on a retreat I lead at Kripalu Center in Lenox, Massachusetts, an extremely diverse group of students gathered for our opening orientation. They arrived from all over the globe, ages spanning from 25 to 72, and occupations ranging from artist to government official. Yoga experience varied from beginner to advanced. Style preferences differed from gentle to athletic and everything in between.

As you may imagine, many sat in our opening session wondering, “How do I fit in here?"

But what quickly happened, what always happens in my 20 years of experience of leading retreats, is those who can’t imagine ‘connecting’ with others on this first night, ultimately feel sad say goodbye and leave the sweet sense of belonging that they cultivated in a such short time. (In fact, friendships made on retreats are often cherished for years.)

How does this happen so quickly? The connection? That calm, nourishing feeling of belonging.

The truth is, it’s not only about the people you are with. It’s mostly about YOU. When you slow down enough to relax and breathe deeply you begin to grow more present and at ease. You feel more like 'yourself'. This inevitably softens you to others and the world around you; making you more apt to feel open and approachable. Literally.

How? Deep rhythmic breathing quells our Stress Response (sympathetic nervous system) and initiates the Relaxation Response (parasympathetic nervous system). This creates a neurological, physiological, and biological shift that actually encourages us to think and behave in a more friendly and compassionate way. As we move from this 'Fight and Flight' mode to 'Rest and Digest' we activate the part of the brain and release hormones that help us feel safe enough to stop armoring and protecting ourselves and create connection and attachment.

In addition to helping us feel more social, the practice of mindful breathing encourages us to be more present with our selves and others, which is good for all of our relationships. Here's how. Since the breath is only happening in the NOW moment, when we slow down to become aware of our breath, we can step out of the virtual reality of 'habitual thinking’ (rewinding, anticipating, judging, and qualifying) and into the actual living 'now' moment, as it's happening.

The breath is the metronome of now. Like surfing ocean waves, we can surf the flow of breath, the present wave, as it's happening. Arriving in each fresh moment, over and over again.

“There is one way of breathing that is shameful and constricted.
Then, there’s another way:
A breath of love that takes you all the way to infinity.” - Rumi

All humanity shares the air, the breath; it is neither yours nor mine. This one ocean of breath flows in and out through each of us.

Each breath you take in was some one else's exhale. Each breath you release will be another's inhale. Each individual wave of breath, that rises and falls in and out of each person, is ultimately sourced from a singular ocean of breath. One source of infinite energy. And when we experience this fully, it enhances our feeling of belonging, connection, and oneness.

The more intimate we are with our breath in this way, the less separate, 'other than' and isolated we feel. As Albert Einstein shares:

“He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest — a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely but striving for such achievement is, in itself, a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security.”

The best news is that conscious breathing is the perfect portable practice; you can practice anywhere, any time. You don’t need to go on a retreat or to your yoga studio, temple, church, the woods, or special garden. Your peace is only a breath a way, where ever you are now.

So this May issue of Yogalicious and all my blogs this month are dedicated to helping you to center yourself in the ‘flow’ of the breath, moment by moment!

With love,
Jillian

TOOLS TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH NOW

Learn basic easy practices to connect with you 'best breath' | Yoga Journal

Learn more about the stress response and yogic breathing philosophy | HuffingtonPost

“Are you looking for me? I am in the next seat.
My shoulder is against yours.
You will not find me in stupas, not in Indian shrine rooms nor synagogues, nor in cathedrals:
Not in masses, nor kirtan, not in legs winding around your own neck, nor in eating nothing but vegetables.
When you really look for me, you will see me instantly... You will find me in the tiniest house of time.
Kabir says: Student, tell me, what is God?
He is the breath inside of breath.”

— The Kabir Book, translated by Robert Bly

NEW! Local Teaching Schedule at Yogaworks SoHo, NYC

Wednesdays: Open Flow - 10:30-11:45am
Wednesdays: Semi-Private Restorative Series! - 12:00-12:55pm

Upcoming 4 class series:

Blooming Into Spring: May 6, 13, 20, 27
Expanding Into Summer: June 3, 10, 17, 24
Students can register for a four class series or a single drop-in class (space dependent). Each series will be progressively sequenced to help you cultivate balance and harmony with the season and cycle of nature.