Week Three: The Breath of Life.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bK-s16P1bl0?si=KFPatfZhVEBP6BXI" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Breath is life. It’s the first thing we do when we’re born and the last thing we do when we die. Everything in between? Carried on the rhythm of inhale and exhale. Breath is more than oxygen—it’s connection. It links body and spirit, heaven and earth. It’s the rhythm we try to find in anthems and diddies (not that Diddy).
In my tradition, breath has always been sacred. The Hebrew word ruach means both “breath” and “spirit.” God breathed life into Adam, animating mere dust into humanity. In Buddhism, breath is the anchor of mindfulness. It’s how we stay present, how we remember that life unfolds one moment at a time. Our Indigenous American friends honor breath as the vital force that connects us to all living things, a reminder of the shared air we breathe with trees, animals, and ancestors.
And yet, how often do we forget to breathe? Modern life makes us shallow breathers, caught in the panic of to-do lists, deadlines, and existential dread. Like a fledgling kid behind his first drum set, we lose the rhythm. But what if we paused, tuned in, and let our breath guide us?
Your breath is your teacher, your anchor, your prayer. It reminds you that you’re alive, here, now. It doesn’t matter what chaos is unfolding—your breath is always with you, steady and reliable. When you focus on it, everything else fades, and you return to what matters most: presence.
Challenge: Practice conscious breathing every day this week. Set aside 5-10 minutes to sit and simply observe your breath. If your mind wanders, gently bring it back to the rise and fall of your chest. At the end of each session, journal what you noticed. Did your thoughts quiet down? Did your body feel different? Document your discoveries and celebrate this reconnection to the rhythm of life.
“The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” — Job 33:4
