Honor the Inhale

Our culture is one of rushing, hurrying, hustling, grinding. The emphasis is on production as a way of being, perhaps even as a justification for our own existence. In this context, slowing down is an act of quiet rebellion. Simultaneously, so many of us are not just craving deceleration, but actively desperate for the shift to a different experience of time, space and self.

One of my yoga teachers uses the metaphor of the breath to describe our lives. The variation in productivity, activity and energy is as natural as the breath itself. We have to pause and inhale. And while the inhale may be shorter than the exhale, its absolute necessity is incontrovertible. We owe ourselves the inhale.

For many people slowing down brings anxiety. Isn’t there something I’m supposed to be doing right now? I characterize the fidgety distress that accompanies idleness is a symptom of withdrawal from over-doing, over-working and over-thinking. You aren’t meant to spend your life in a state of constant action, consumption and production. Constant activity can lead to over-stimulation, with its attendant symptoms of irritability, anxiety and groundlessness.

So, how do we honor the inhale? Time each day cultivating awareness of the internal experience is step one. For many people, childhood and adolescence were times when they were required to conform to the demands of adults and institutions, leaving them without a felt sense of their own preferences, emotions, and energy level. Cultivating that awareness requires a practice of mindfulness and commitment to regular time with yourself. This can look many different ways - for some people it is a long walk without the distraction of music, podcasts or audiobooks. For others it is a formal meditation practice. For others it is yoga or other somatic practices. For several months my practice was walking in the early morning. At one point I went through a month when most days, I would start crying when I was walking in the morning. I would think, “Here is comes again - my daily weep before my day starts.” Without the quiet of the walk I wouldn’t have been aware of the sorrow that was dwelling inside of me, and which ultimately resolved on its own. Mindfulness changes how we process emotions. The inhale yields an awareness that is pure opportunity - our chance to meet ourselves without judgement and walk with integrity in our lives.

So take the pause, notice the discomfort but realize that it doesn’t mean that anything is wrong, and take the first step into the quiet time that is your birthright.