“This simple act of weaving breath, narration, and action can transform us physiologically, psychologically, and spiritually. Physiologically, Breath, Word, and Deed reverses our fight-or-flight feedback loop. When we addicts amp ourselves up on ambition, we trigger a regularly scheduled release of cortisol and adrenaline. These stress hormones give us a better buzz than a hipster-brewed latte. They inspire us to accelerate our speed, increase our output, boost our confidence, enlarge our dreams, and then send these juiced-up dreams once more through our nervous system, triggering an even greater surge of fight-or-flight.” B. Shalva
Read the article, learn the technique and try it. We hope it will help that busy-ness addiction a little. It is paywalled, though you can get a few articles free if you set up an account. Here is it essence of the technique in case setting up and account, or using a paywall remover site online, is not an option for you.
Once we’ve wedded consciousness with breath, we move on to the next stage of Breath, Word, and Deed. Paired with each inhalation and exhalation, we begin to recite a succinct play-by-play of each action we perform. When I practice Breath, Word, and Deed during a typically red-faced, vein-popping workout at the gym, I inhale and think to myself, “I am lowering the bench-press bar.” I then exhale and think to myself, “I am raising the bench-press bar.” Again, inhaling, I think, “I am lowering the bench-press bar.” Exhaling, I think, “I am raising the bench-press bar.” If, after a few repetitions, I change activities, if I put down the bar and grab a drink of water, I simply adjust my narration. Inhaling, I think, “I am putting down the bench-press bar.” Exhaling, I think, “I am sitting up.” Inhaling, “I am grabbing my water bottle.” Exhaling, “I am drinking water.”
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This Daily Stillness has been recycled from previously published ones:
• #tds493 Breath, Word, and Deed (Nov 4, 2016)
• #tds1170 Breath, Word, and Deed (Sep 12, 2018)
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