“Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts.” Thick Nhat Hanh
So much of our life is propelled forward by sheer force of desire for more. We yearn for more education; material possessions, exciting experiences, higher status, bigger, better, chasing, racing forward - "whoever dies with the most toys wins" was long ago embedded in our collective unconscious. Shortly after we realized there was an "I", a separate and unique entity, we got the message that in order to be a whole person we had to accumulate things. With this notion of "I" we became separated from the world around us and for most of us this happened by the time we entered elementary school. The irony is this notion of desire that separates us is a function of the mind attached solely to ego. Our ego in essence serves three masters, the external world, the super-ego and the id. If there were a simple path connecting the internal and external world with the result being true wholeness in body, mind and spirit would you try it for a moment?
There is a simple path! A bridge to wholeness that is already a part of who and what you are. It's called the breath. Sounds too simple, doesn't it? So what's the catch? In order to build a bridge we have to do so with intention and attention to detail. As we pay attention or become mindful of the breath a bridge forms. The breath is one of the only bodily functions that can be done consciously or unconsciously. You breathe whether you are paying attention to the breath or not. When we become mindful of the breath we can gain awareness of the internal and external world. We connect to ourselves in body, mind and spirit. This connection is what wholeness is all about.
Meditation can often occur in solitude. We sit in a quiet, safe place, turn our hearts and minds inward. Ego dissolves, we know longer serve three masters. The beauty of this practice is we no longer feel separated from others. It's a natural way to transform our lives so that we can feel that sense of being a part of the mystery of oneness. A unity of self that permeates and radiates around us.
Pay attention to your breathing...be mindful of the mystery of life. Meditation is a natural way to focus our attention and intention in the present moment. The breath is the bridge to now.
