Breathing and the Senses

Yes. Breathing. Everyone breathes. If you stop you die. It is vital.

But how much of your attention is devoted to that something which keeps you alive?

Have you noticed how you breathe?

How do you breathe? Yes, that’s it, how do you breathe?

Up in your chest?

Are your shoulders tense or relaxed?

And is your jaw tense or relaxed? In order to relax your jaw all you need to do is stop clenching your teeth.

How is your forehead? Is it smooth or tense?

And your mouth, and your lips? Are they smooth or tense?

And your hands, are they shaking or are they relaxed?

Are the muscles in your body tense or relaxed?

Is your belly contracted or is it floating with your breath?

Conscious breath is your greatest treasure. It is through it that you can very simply discover yourself. You can finally find silence. You can finally find balance. You can finally develop compassion, total acceptance of all of your parts. You can finally feel present in your life.

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Practical Exercise:

Note: This and all of the other exercises included in this section (the body, vision, hearing, smell, taste) are available in an audio version (Portuguese only for now), so that you can dive into this experience of awakening of the senses in a more complete way, not having to open your eyes to read what follows. Please access www.inpassioncoaching.com, click on the InPassion Creations button and on the item named CDs you will find the link for the free download of this audio version (Fluxo da Abundância). Thank you.

Exercise:

Either sit or lie down, whatever feels more comfortable for you, keeping your belly up in either case. Relax your belly. Inhale and exhale through the nose, leaving the diaphragm relaxed and letting your belly float up and down, as you inhale and exhale. Don’t try to control your breath, let it flow softly and profoundly, at its own pace, letting the body relax by itself. As you breathe, feel your body. Each part of your body. And just stay that way, nothing else to do but breathe calmly and deeply. Feel comfortable within yourself.

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We now dive directly into the awakening of the senses. Put aside at least one hour for all of these exercises and make sure that no one will distract you. Choose a place where you feel calm and comfortable. This moment is just for you.

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THE BODY

This body which has been yours since you were born and shall be until you die is your Safe Space, your Sacred Space, your Temple. Let’s start by welcoming it in gratitude, respect and acceptance.

How do you feel your body?

How do you see it? Good, bad or more or less? Specify what you feel.

Touch your hands. Feel your skin. Feel your hair. Feel your clothes.

What do you like most to feel on your skin?

What do you like most to feel on your hands?

What don’t you like to feel on your skin, on your body?

Move in a way that makes you feel totally comfortable. Either sitting or standing up, do some movements that relax you now.

Notes:

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VISION

Do you usually observe the places you pass by?

Do you take more notice of the things or of the people?

Do you see well, badly or more or less?

What do you like to see?

What don’t you like to see?

And when you close your eyes, what do you see? How do you feel with your eyes closed?

Move with your eyes closed. How do you feel?

Notes:

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HEARING

How do you hear? Well, badly or more or less?

Close your eyes and listen. What do you hear? Identify all of the sounds.

Which sounds do you like?

Which sounds don’t you like?

Listen to a text and write what you felt as you heard.

You can do the same with part of a film or a song lyrics. Write what you feel.

Notes:

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SMELL

Do you usually pay attention to scents?

Close your eyes and identify the scents around you right now.

Which scents do you like right now?

Which scents don’t you like right now? And generally what do you like to smell and what don’t you like to smell?

Try and imagine scents that you like and smell them now and then do the same with scents you don’t like.

Identify things that don’t have a scent and give them a scent. Use your sensitivity.

Give a feeling to scents that occur to you now.

Give a feeling to scents which you remember now.

With your eyes closed, breathing through your nose, letting your belly expand and relax with each breath, let your own fragrance reveal itself to you.