Pause: Take One Conscious Breath
In last week’s blog, I shared a little about a workshop I recently attended at Esalen Institute that focused on the Tibetan Buddhist perspective on how to take a graceful exit from this world. The teacher, Andrew Holecek, talked about how preparing for a good death is as much about how to live well as it is about how to die well. An essential key is getting better at letting go, because everything we experience has a beginning and ending—every breath, every feeling, every day, every life.
Andrew often emphasized the importance of slowing down. He said that much of our suffering can be attributed to how our minds work so quickly, mostly on autopilot, which allows our habitual patterns to keep creating the same reality over and over again. The solution can be found in learning to pause, which gives us the opportunity to bring our awareness back to the present moment and gain some control over our automatic impulses.
To support the habit of pausing, today I'm sharing a lovely practice Andrew taught that I’ve grown to love and greatly appreciate: a micro-meditation that simply involves being 100% present for just one breath. Because Andrew is a Buddhist practitioner whose training included a continuous three-year meditation retreat—and he also does a dark cave solo meditation for 30 days every year!—I found it remarkable that one of his favorite practices takes just 10 to 15 seconds.
Here’s all you do:
Bring your full attention to your inhalation for one long, slow, full belly-breath.
Bring your full attention to your slow exhalation while letting out an audible sigh.
Breathe naturally while you “rest in the peace” for a few seconds.
During the workshop, Andrew had the participants take these breaths together frequently. It felt wonderfully calming, and a remarkably quick and effective way to re-anchor ourselves in the present moment. Andrew encourages people to do this practice often—anywhere, anytime. It’s perfect for occasions when we’re waiting in line or at a stop sign, in the middle of a tough conversation, or whenever we feel a stress response starting to build.
If you’re inspired to give it a try, I hope you find it as enjoyable and beneficial as I do. It’s truly amazing how just one breath can reset our mental and emotional state—and we don’t need to stop at just one!
