Again yoga. Again life-changing, or at least day-changing. I’m sure the instructor was speaking about our practice that day when she offered, “Every breath is a chance to begin again,” but it pertains to so much more that my practice that day.
Every day is a new beginning, if I remember to start anew. Every breath can be too.
Every breath can be a reawakening, a shedding of the past (even it it’s just the past minute), and a moment to re-ground myself in the present. In the sunshine outside. In the joy of being alive.
Every breath can be a reminder to be where I am and – excuse the pun – breathe in the day. Every breath can be an opportunity to let go of whatever thought, emotion, or yoga pose I’m caught up in and be – just be.
If anger or shame is swelling inside of me, every breath is a chance to let it flow through and past me. If I’m feeling regret for what I did or didn’t do, what I said or didn’t say, every breath is a chance to do it differently from now on. If I’m caught up in worry or fear or stress, every breath is a chance to breathe in love and breathe out and release. If I can’t move my body into a yoga pose (and there are many times I can’t move my body into a yoga pose, even with decades of practice), every breath is a chance to try again and to let whatever pose I “achieve” be just fine.
Every breath is a chance to begin again. And again. And again.
And to notice and relish, and love and enjoy. And begin.
I’d love to hear your thoughts, and please share this post with others if it resonates with you!
Lisa. Do you know where the original statement Every breath is a chance to start again comes from. I’d like to use it in something I’m writing and want to quote it appropriately. I use it all the time with clients and learned it from some basic Zen training
Hi Pam,
Unfortunately I don’t know. It was in Al-Anon that I learned “you can start your day over any time you want to,” and it was a yoga instructor who reminded me about the breath. Wish I could be more help!