Sometimes in life, it can be important to stop to take a breath. Throughout your life, you constantly breathe, but much of this activity is controlled by the autonomic nervous system of the physical body and goes on unnoticed. The act of taking a breath is a conscious decision to step in and control your breathing. This can be extended to observe all sensations around your breath.
So how can consciously taking a breath be so helpful? Well, the first and most important aspect is that it provides a focus for your mind. If you have been having trouble with erratic thoughts or rampant emotions, focusing your mind in this way can be a simple but effective means to create a pause. When you have paused the mind and given it an alternative focus, you have the opportunity to step in and break the pattern of thoughts or emotions which are impacting your life, then make a conscious choice rather than continuing to react with the passive intellect.
You will also find that if you take a deep and purposeful breath, the act of your deep breathing activates your parasympathetic nervous system. This contrasts with the sympathetic nervous system’s activation, associated with the fight-or-flight response. By consciously engaging with deep breathing, you can access a powerful tool for self-regulation, steering away from the stress-inducing patterns of the modern world.
When approached with intention and mindfulness, your breathing becomes a means to achieve relaxation, infusing the mind with a calm clarity that is conducive to optimal cognitive function. Your brain is a large consumer of oxygen within your body – on the physical level it is then clear to see how conscious breathing opens channels for increased oxygen intake, leading to improved mental clarity.
Conscious breathing extends beyond the cognitive realm, reaching into the emotional and psychological domains. It becomes a tool for breaking free from the ruminations of the passive intellect, offering a pathway to emotional balance and mental resilience. Stopping to consciously take a breath. can be extremely beneficial for your well-being.