"A 10 minute vacation for the soul."
“Today I practice mindful breathing.”
A Note about today’s photo: Most of the nature photos you see here are taken where I live. The path on the right side of today’s photo is a path I walk daily, actually several times. This was taken at sunset. Sometimes I go down the slight hill to the water’s edge. This is why I live here.
The wisest one-word sentence? Breathe. – Terri Guillemets
“Breathing is meditation; life is a meditation. You have to breathe in order to live, so breathing is how you get in touch with the sacred space of your heart.” – Willow Smith
“When I breathe in and breath out. I always go into my blessed center.”
Source: https://properaffirmations.com/breathing-affirmations
Meditation is not complicated. We make it that way. This is best basic teaching I have seen. Just follow the breath.
“Breathe deeply, until sweet air extinguishes the burn of fear in your lungs and every breath is a beautiful refusal to become anything less than infinite.” – D. Antoinette Foy
“I take time to breathe and relax.” — Source: https://refectandrespond.com
When Espirational was daily I had gone to having monthly themes. But finding daily quotes to fit themes without being taken out of context was becoming burdensome. So, we went to twice weekly posts with no set topic or theme. Then I added the Friday affirmation because I needed it and thought you might too.
But this month we are exploring the theme of Breath. This theme was given to me in a dream which I believe came from Spirit. And when Spirit talks, I listen.
Have you ever stopped to realize that the first thing we do when we enter this world and the last thing we do when we leave it is breathe? The breath sustains us and keeps up alive. It also connects us to Spirit.
But we become so used to breathing that sometimes we don’t even realize that we are doing it. And sometimes we don’t do a very good job of it. Bob says that when we first met my breath was so shallow, he wasn’t always sure I was breathing.
This month we are going to explore the breath, so sit back and just breathe.
I try to stay away from posting things that are controversial or will cause angry responses. But the time has come to stop being silent and to speak up against the anger and violence (often in the name of religion) in this country.
I am not proud of being an American right now. I also do not want to call myself a “Christian.” Not that I am ashamed of the name of the Christ, but I am ashamed of what is being done by some who call themselves “Christians.”
I do not understand how anyone can be both “pro-life” and pro-gun. But to me being “pro-life” is more than being anti-abortion. How can we not be as outraged over the massacre of innocent children at school where they should be safe as many are over abortion? How can we have no consideration for of the quality of life of abused children, people with disabilities and those of advanced years? How can we look the other way as politicians have mocked those of us who are “different”? How have we become so comfortable as a nation with “assisted suicide?” How can we be so quick to judge those who have ethnic backgrounds and beliefs that are different than our own, often to the point of denying their right to be Americans?
I think it’s time to start re-reading the Gospels and consider what it means to follow Jesus. Jesus was not a conquering warrior, he was also not the “great exception.” He was the “great example” who came to teach us how to live on this earth.
I am extremely sad over the events of the last few days. More mass shootings, Facebook posts calling for the murder of a public figure (this one hit close to home for me as some of those posters were neighbors), and people who care more about their guns than their children.
As difficult and sad as these times are we must not give in to the hatred and violence, especially in the name of God. We must keep our tempers in check, but it is time to stand up.
God is light, God is love, God is all.
espirational.com