What’s the most natural thing we all do every day, without even thinking? The Answer: Breathe.

Wherever we are, whatever we are doing, awake, asleep, or somewhere in between, the breath is there, subtly moving inside our body. Yet, we probably don’t give it much thought.

In fact, most of the time, we humans are busy thinking: planning, learning, scrutinizing life. All interesting stuff … but sometimes that relentless mental activity can bring us to overwhelm. Which is where the breath comes in.

Conscious breathing is a practice which encourages us simply to switch our attention from thinking, to feeling. And because the breath is always with us, it provides an ideal focus for our attention. By switching where we place our awareness, even for one minute, we can change the way we feel, and the way our brain functions. How amazing is that?

There are different regions in the brain and the central nervous system which get activated when we focus on the simple, natural flow of our breath. Because there is a fundamental link between how we breathe and how we feel. By paying attention to our breath for a short period of time, we might actually change the pace of our breathing too, which helps even more with bringing us a sense of calm.

Have you ever noticed that when you feel stressed or upset, your breathing pattern also changes? A short, shallow, rapid breath accompanies our moments of stress, fear and anxiety. Whereas a longer, slower breath indicates we are feeling more relaxed.

As you move through your day, taking a pause at regular intervals to notice your breath, is as good a way as any of creating a sense of space. These moments of checking in with our breath can improve our physical and mental health, bringing a greater sense of clarity and peace.

If you would like to follow a guided conscious breathing practice I have a new IGTV video out this week which you can access on my IGTV .

If you visit the resources page there are some free meditations to listen to there as well, including one that focusses on the breath.

I love hearing your stories about how conscious breathing helps you, or if you have any questions for me, just get in touch; I always read and respond to every message.

Om Shanti (Peace) Chinmayi