Last Leaves of Autumn

 Breath connects the universe with our innermost processes and vice-versa. ~ Ilse Middendorf

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
The last leaves 
of Autumn
Sit 
On bare branches,
Resting for a while
On the way home
To Mother
Earth.

Breath Meditation
Waves of cool moist air
Flow into me.
Birds shout for joy
From every direction.
Every cell 
Joins in the celebration
Of another day.

Gathering and Dispersing

 "Relaxation means releasing all concern and tension, and letting the natural order of life through one's being." ~ Donald Curtis

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Yellow.
Tiny birds dart
Left, right, up, down,
Gathering and dispersing.
Leaves surrender
Falling to the ground
A symphony of chatter
Against a soft gray
Morning.

Breath Meditation
Breath opens and fills me,
Reaching up and down
My spine,
Into my feet, hands 
And head.
I settle back into
Nature
Where everything is happening
In the present moment.

Leaves carried by Mother Earth

To be sensitive is to be alive. Vanda Scaravelli

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Autumn leaves
Poised like scuplture
Each in their own gesture
Carried by 
Mother Earth.

Breath Meditation
Breath grows 
From its seed,
The center of existence
Of humanity
Of me.
A new power
Awakens,
Peaceful and effortless.
My body surrenders
To the constant rhythm
Of filling and emptying,
Life's energetic 
Essence expands in the moments of 
Resting silence.

Fiery Orange Leaves

Since the heart and breath are mutually dependent, the circulation of light must be united with rhythm of breathing. The Secret of the Golden Flower

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Golden sun turns
Dark red and yellow leaves
Into fiery orange brilliance
Against the blue
Serene morning sky.













Breath Meditation
Mind and breath join
Resting inward.
The looming tasks 
Of the day
Dissolve
Like pieces of paper
Falling away.
Breath by breath
Each cell begins to
Dance
In quiet and joyful
Freedom.

Early Autumn

 The breath is the intelligence of the body. ~ T.K.V. Desikachar

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Leaves turning red
Slender fingerlits take 
The autumn sun
Downward
Slowly transforming
Shimmering
Into a new
Season.

Breath Meditation
Coming home to my breath
Thoughts, concerns
And self-discipline
Yield into
Just Breathe.
Breath ripples like 
A river of velvet
Melting tension.
Bracing softens into
Joyful space.

August is Ripe

The universe provides nourishment and breathing is our way of absorbing it ~ Heiner Fruehauf

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
August is ripe 
Tomatoes
From seed to flower to
Fruit
Nourished by summer heat
Day after day
Every cell is sweet, full
And juicy.

Breath Meditation
Sun glimmmering on 
Closed eyelids,
MyBreath awakens in
Anticipation
Readied for the
Tasks of the day.
Resting in that millisecond
In between breaths,
Head and heart settle back 
Connecting to my pelvis, legs
And roots.
I become a rich and full
Cell 
Held with together with life 
By mother earth.

Oleander

True Breathing is like a flower blooming. If we hold our breath, the bud never opens. ~ Chungliang Al Huang

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Oleander
Each summer reach
A little higher.
Season after season
Bright red flowers
Bloom.
An offering to sky
whether it is dark or grey
Or blue.

Breath Meditation
My breath large and full
Seeps inward during the rest.
I feel a layer of tension
Holding me in, like a chrysalis.
MyBreath, smaller and soft now
Meanders like a river.
Neck, jaw, shoulders release
My body ponders how to grow and be free.
Feet extend. 
Legs reach like roots
Into the earth. 
My center is released and free to grow.
I extend upward
To flower,
Like an Oleander.

Green Tomatoes

When the body and mind are free of tension, inhalation creates an expansion of inner space throughout the whole body, as the lungs expand to take in air. On a psycho-spiritual level, inhalation creates a space to exist.


Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Green tomatoes,
Glistening in the morning
Sun.
Ripening
Growing
Maturing and
Enjoying every
Moment.

Breath Meditation
Lungs dance
Warming Up
Taking up space
Slowly, hesitantly.
Jaw and shoulders release
Mind surrenders.
A breath
Gaining permission
Expands
Matures.
Leading with
No mind
Becoming part of
Every mind
True leadership
is born.

Rustling Leaves

"Breath for health happens in the here and now. To breathe for health, you must be right here, right now." Robert Fried, PhD

Three Deep Breaths
Something Beautiful
Rustling leaves
The sound of 
A cool summer breeze
Leaves refreshed and vitalized are
Joyfully dancing.

  

Breath Meditation
Cool air brushes 
Across my arms 
And face
Breath enters 
Every pore
I feel a desire
To awaken
Beyond limiting thoughts
Into infinite 
Being.

Abundant Lillies

"By using conscious breathing in all your pursuits, you will improve nearly every aspect of your life. "
Perfect Breathing by Don Cambell and Al Lee
 
Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Abundant Lilies
Fertile
Flowing
What once was one
Is now many.

Breath Meditation
Muscles ready to achieve
My breath listens
Awake to a new season.
Planning dissolves
Into connection with
A gentle breeze
And a deep and resonant tone.
Inhaling and Exhaling,
My heart can open
To true purpose.

Single White Flower

There is a momentary still point after exhalation. This is a place of basic trust. Nothing has to be willed or controlled. One is carried by the earth and the universe, open to the air that naturally nourishes us.

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
A single white flower
Opens
Into the morning wind
And rain.
A confident resilience
Infuses
Delicate soft petals.














Breath Meditation
Skin moves with
Inhale
Expanding, making
Space,
And then floating
back to center
As my breath releases
Outward into the universe.
What is true 
Remains
In the silence.

Smooth Amber

A study found evidence that the daily practice of meditation thickened the parts of the brain's cerebral cortex responsible for decision making, attention, and memory. See Article: http://bit.ly/9CFUU6

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Soft morning light
Gives
A sheen
to smooth amber bark.
An owl hoots in
Low tones 
While small birds chatter
Above

Breath Meditation
Cool moist air
Inspires.
I stand on 
Mother earth
Alive.
My mind yields
To the joy of
breathing.
Letting go of
Effort,
I join
With the trees, birds,
And others awakening
on this day.

Light on the Grass

Breath variability including long pauses with no breathing, is possibly associated with higher blood pressure.

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Lines of light
On the grass
A Springtime feeling
Of green and yellow.










Breath Meditation
My body yields,
Shoulders drop
To a deeper
Quiet state.
My breath soothes
My heart
Gives permission
To relax
Expand and
Connect through
Love.

Tomato Flowers

Researchers have found that not breathing, or apnea, can lead to stress related diseases that involve the heart and the immune system. See the article: http://huff.to/9LfRrv

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Tomato flowers
From seed to plant
Stem and leaf
A flower is born
That will become a
Fruit.

Breath Meditation
Life calls for Equanimity
Can my breath help me
Hold all the people in
Conflict
My face softens
With each inhale, exhale.
Breath and presence 
Flowing to my heart.
My heart togehter with 
Truth guides the way
In the silence.

3 Roses

"The yogic practice of regulating and channeling one's breath, can provide a bridge between the individual self and the universal soul." Leslie Peters Yoga Journal article - http://bit.ly/aANOtd

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Three Roses
Like three 
Sisters
Blooming together
An annual
Reunion.

Breath Meditation
A large thrashing inner wave
Followed by smaller
more gentle waves.
Email fades into the distance
As I float
Carried by a benevolent
Sea
Of one breath 
Following another.

Mindfulness and Education

Many teachers report that students who practice mindfulness are calmer and accomplish more. Mindfulness starts by becoming aware of the breath. http://bit.ly/aXydYH

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Light permeates
An orchid
Delicate veins
Taking in the
Sun.

Breath Meditation
Body walls
Moved by 
Breath
Like sails in the
Wind
Letting go of 
What needs to be
Done.
Trusting what is happening
Now.

Every breath is a unique expression of life. Art, dance, music and poetry come into form as personal creativity and spirit emerge.

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Morning light
Sparkles
On red maple leaves.










Breath Meditation
Trust.
Calm Breath
Knows where to let go.
Connection with something
That feels pure,
Essential.

Research shows that the simple process of focusing on the breath in a relaxed manner, in a way that teaches you to regulate your emotions by raising one's awareness of mental processes as they're happening... can lead to better more efficient performance on an intended task. Science Daily http://bit.ly/bZQ35k

Breathing Together

Breathing together and connecting with others enriches our lives. Researchers find that when we feel close and connected with others, we can experience greater energy, vitality, clarity and a greater sense of value and dignity. See article http://bit.ly/9RcXrE

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Blue Sky
The sound of birds
Singing early morning
Songs
To each other
The trees, the flowers
And to me.

Breath Meditation
Cool air
Breathes in
My body
Breathing with 
A birds song
A sunny day
Those who are sleeping

And those who are awake.
 

Mindfulness training, emphasizing focused attention on the breath and mindful movement, is shown to help the military manage stress reactions and increase resilience. See article: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/179294.php

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Many plants
Abundant and resilient
Constantly growing
Downward, upward
And outward
During the darkness
And the light.

Breath Meditation
Anger, tense muscles
Fight.
Breathing suspends
Judgement
And has a broader vision.
My body relaxes
And fully breathes now
I find a new kind of power
Heart open and connected
And strong.

Mother and Child

A new program is applying mindfulness meditation to childbirth and parenting. See article: www.osher.ucsf.edu/pdfs/article_MindfulBirth.pdf

Three Deep Breaths 

Something Beautiful
Michelle and Ilyssa
Heart to heart
Comforting and 
Comforted
Resting.












Breath Meditation
I am the mother
And I am the child,
Breathing and 
Listening.
I am nature's breath 
Free and spontaneous. 
I am listening, comforting,
Giving permission 
To be.

Meditating at the ICU

A new study published in Pain offers support for the benefits of yoga-style breathing and meditation to help control chronic pain. See article:  http://www.physorg.com/news189951566.html

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Lorrie breathing
Sharp painful waves
Becoming soft undulating
Waves
Restful peace
in the 
Intensive Care Unit.

Breath Meditation
Breath streams into my 
Heart.
A small painful place
Expands.
Fear of loss 
And sadness
Become love and 
Compassion

Dancing Leaves

Breath affects our body and mind. The air that we breathe is precious. Check out the American Lung Association's Healthy Air http://www.lungusa.org/healthy-air/

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Tiny leaves dance
Moved by a gentle breeze.
Air caressing
Nourishing
And playing with
Every cell and vein.











Breath Meditation
Air is caressing and nourishing
My lungs,
My body
My Breath
Gratitude
In this moment
Replaces worry.


.

Each breath contains an inhale, a transition, an exhale, and a pause before the next breath begins. Breath moves a lot like an ocean wave, swelling, flowing and dissolving.

Three Deep Breaths
  
Something Beautiful
Red abundance 

Every year
Rose upon rose
Flourishing
Expanding
Expressing
Without abandon.

Breath Meditation
Wave upon wave
Reaches my inner shore
Outside a machine
Saws and hums
The temptation to contract
Yields
As my breath flows
To the world around me
Now I hear the children playing,
And feel the sun on my shoulders.

morning light

Breath connects the mind and body, thought and nature. Breath is a vehicle for mind and heart to reach all.

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Morning light
Enters a tree
A few leaves
Basque in the sun
Awaken now
While others
Wait patiently.

Breath Meditation
Just breath
In, out, rest
Parts of my body
Awaken
Touched by the
Illuminating wave of
My breath.
In the momentary silence
I am one with all that is
Connected, belonging
Releasing into 
A smile.

"While meditating on the breath, one can also be mindful of the mind. This includes, according to the Buddha, first of all to fully experience the mind (to be in full contact with the various states of the mind, not to be distracted); secondly, to increase the joy of one's mind, thirdly to focus the mind and fourthly to liberate the mind."  excerpt from a teaching by Lama Lhundrup


Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
The Moon welcomes
The Sun.
The cool wet grass
Welcomes my feet.
The birds and trees
Welcome my being.
My lungs take in
The fresh air
A gradual and delicate
Collaboration by all
To embrace a new
Day.

Breath Meditation
My breath takes me
To the Earth
To rest my feet
On her belly
Soothing the worry
Holding the concern.
My breathing body
Accepts all.
Faster spontaneous breaths
Allow the conflict.
Compassionate acceptance
Helps me become
Like the sun and the moon,
Welcoming.

We breathe an average of 20,000 times a day and as many as 800 trillion times over an 80 year lifespan. Every breath is a unique expression of life, a moment of living identity.

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
A dancer poised
Unmoved by the 
Rising sun,
Clouds imperceptibly
Float by.
We turn
Ever so slowly
Delicately balanced on
Mother Earth.














Breath Meditation
Breath, like a 
Dimmer switch
Floats downward
Quieting brain.
Face and jaw release,
Shoulders melting
Energy cascades
Through my body
Into Mother Earth.
She carries me.
Naked, without thought
Or pretense,
I greet this day.

Cool Air

Another world is possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing. 
Arundhati Roy

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Pink Azaleas
Fiery, subtle
Soft 
A community of
Color 
That only Spring
Can bring
A celebration,
Even on a cloudy
Day










Breath Meditation
Cool air
The breath of the earth
Rhythmically undulates
along my skin
Awakening me
To breathe.
Waves,
Gentle wind,
Rustling leaves
The delicious scent
of
Freshness
Inspires fully.
Tensions, thoughts,
A separate self
Dissovle
Into Joy and
Fullness

New Growth

We breathe an average of 22,000 times a day. The essence of life resides in the breath, along with our whole life story, moment by moment.

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
New growth
Illuminated by the rising
Sun.
Bright green
Basking in morning 
Yellows and Pinks.
A soft glow
Of love
Touches every
Leaf and branch
As the blanket of
Night
Peels off
Into the light
Of day.

Breath Meditation
Breath
Like a soft river 
Flows
Touches and awakens
Muscles relax
Head clears
Presence arrives

Glistening Tulip

The way we breathe is the way we live. Breathing fully is our birthright.

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
The glistening tulip
Held by the cool moist air
Inspires.
It's tiny pores
Breathe in
Life.
Our air,
So precious to all of life,
Nourishes a flower who
Cannot live without it.
A tulip celebrates
This pristine moment
We breathe together
As one.














Breath Meditation
Morning air
Breathes me
To a birds song.
The boundaries of being separate
Dissolve.
I am the tulip in the garden
The new leaves on a tree
Loving the clean air.
Full deep breaths happen
Effortlessly
I don't have to think about it.
It is natural to breathe.

Colors at Dawn

Breath is connected to the air that we breathe. Becoming more aware of breathing can bring more awareness to the importance of good air quality. The air that we breathe travels in streams (like the jet stream). Pollution anywhere on the the planet affects us all and makes it hard to breathe and live.


Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Morning light
Paints the sky.
Orange, yellow, pink and gray
Beckon
Bare feet on the cool 
Earth
And the song of birds
Joyously awakening
To a new day

Breath Meditation
The cool air
Awakens the contours of
My body and flows
Deep into my lungs.
A true breath
Of morning.
Without walls
In open space
Freshness fills
My being
Without effort
I am filled with breath
And joy.

Pink Rhododendron

For breath is life, and if you breathe well, you will live long on earth. Sanskrit Proverb


Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
First bloom
Bursts open from a plant 
In the earth
Not yet a year.
Low to the ground
Brilliant petals of pink
Cluster together to 
A boquet
An offering 
Waiting to be seen.

Breath Meditation
My breath, swirling light
Reaching inward to
The recessess of 
A deep wound.
The doors, open now
by love.
She can receive and breathe.
Quiet and dark
A child
Longing to be known
By those who
Value life
Sits
Receiving what was meant 
To be.
In the stillness of a breath
I am embraced.

Blooming Trees

Adults breath between 12 and 20 breaths per minute at rest.  However, recent research has shown that 10 or fewer slower, deeper breaths per minute is best for overall health.

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Blooming, becoming
Flowering,
Each tree is
Free to express,
And open outward
Displaying it's own unique 
Pattern of flowers

Breath Meditation
Shoulders tight and 
Mind held
Become evident
With closed eyes
And flowing breath.
Waves of body tension
Melt in the pause between breaths
A life source
Awakens
There is support now.

Bright Green Buds

"Breathing–I know that I am breathing in; breathing–I know that I am breathing out." If you do that with a little concentration, then you will be able to really be there, because in our daily life our mind and our body are rarely together. Our body might be there, but our mind is somewhere else. Maybe you are lost in regrets about the past, maybe in worries about the future, or else you are preoccupied with your plans, with anger or with jealousy. And so your mind is not really there with your body.
The moment you begin to practice mindful breathing, your body and your mind begin to come together with one another. It takes only 10 to 20 seconds to accomplish this miracle called oneness of body and mind.” Thich Nat Hahn

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Bright green buds
Unfold
On smooth slender branches
New growth
Emerges 
A celebration
Of Spring.

Breath Meditation
The right side of my body
Breathes
While the left side is
In the dark.
The back door of my heart
Opens between shoulder blade
And spine.
In the letting go,
I find a new center.
Joy returns.

White and Gray Clouds

The essence of life resides in the breath along with our whole life story, moment by moment. Breathing can indicate how we feel and think as well as point us to deep essential truths.

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Clouds
A wide brush stroke of 
White displays itself
Between clouds of 
Dark gray
There is blue sky
For a moment
A promise of light

Breath Meditation
Smoothe and soft
Flowing streams of breath
Calm my mind 
And body.
The importance of 
Many things to do
Yields to a greater flow
I become a raft
On a journey,
supported by a
Great river.

Dorje

Our lungs are essentially, a network of connected tubes that bring oxygen from the air into our blood, nourishing the trillions of cells that make up our bodies. The lungs also clena the blood of carbon dioxide waste created when cells use oxygen. We breathe in and out some 22,000 times per day, processing about 300 cubic feet of air.  National Geographic


Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Dorje
Sitting on bench
Watching and participating
In the morning.
It is quiet now
A time of 
Being.

Breath Meditation
Tired and foggy,
My breath is thin.
Presence flows 
Downward to the
Soles of my feet
Longing for the contact of
Earth
Wet grass 
Vitality.
My breath
now grows into
Fullness

Sprouts of Life

Quiet, smoothe and flowing breathing leads to a calm and alive mind and heart

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Bright green
Sprouts of
Life
Spread all over the
Earth
Reaching upward
On a journey to
Someday become a
Flower
The Buddha sits
Quietly

Breath Meditation
Quiet and smoothe
Each inhale and exhale
Grow and dissolve
One wave after
Another
The wind is
Soft

The Moon and The Lavender Sky

Breath is a universal force that unites all living organisms. Everything that is alive, is said, to breathe.
 
Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
The moon and the 
Lavender sky
Quiet tones of
Dusk
A prelude
To nocturn.
Softly hold
A floating
Moon

Breath Meditation
In this moment of stillness
The busy of hours of day
Continue
My breath is a river
Of love
Soothing compassion
Releasing tension
Natures reminder 
Of rest.

A Dancer In the Rain

Deep Breathing is recommened in clinics throughout the world as a way to relieve stress and better cope with health challenges.


Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
A dancer in the rain
Open to the 
Downpour of rain.
Tiny rivers streaming
on soft and shiny metal.
Inside,
I am greeting with
The warm hug
of a loved one.












Breath Mediation
Breath travels down
Like an inner river
Through the bone marrow
Down my legs

To my toes.
In the still point
I arrive deep within.
Blood cells flow like an abundant 
Stream
moved by each  
Inhale and exhale.
Each breath takes me 
Into a state of deep nourishment.
Somehow knowing 
And balancing
My being.

'Especially good times to meditate are dawn, dusk, noon and midnight. At these times, the gravitational pull of the sun works in harmony with the natural polarity of the body.' John Novak


Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Dawn
Silence and darkness
Gently yield
To the light
Of a rose colored sky.
Trees leaves birds
Acknowlege the winter
Sun

Breath Mediation
Days of writing on the computer
Welcome a 
Breathing moment.
Head out and forward
Settles back
Into wholeness. 
My breathing body
Remembers
And welcomes nourishment.

The Eye of the Storm

There is a division of Feng-Shui which addresses the breath of nature. Nature is looked upon as a living breathing organism. Breath enters into every stem and fiber.


Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
The eye of the storm
An interlude of 
Stillness
Before the torrents 
Of rain and wind
Return.
Pools of water
Gather and reflect
An open sky.
And then,
A single drop of water
From the heavens
Gently begins a
New rain.

Breath Meditation
My breath is a river 
That collects impressions
Momentary memory
I am the trees
The sky
The water.

A Dance of Circles in the Rain

Scientists in the UK can watch mother nature breathing.  Earth observation scientists at the University of Leicester have been able to measure from space for the first time, signals showing the amount of carbon dioxide taken up by plants.

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Raindrops
Waves in the water
A dance of circles 
Expanding outward,
And then
Disappearing.
A symphony of
Delicate percussion
Creating a resevior 
Of reflection

Breath Meditation
It is hard to breathe indoors.
There is a longing
To be outside.
Now, every cell can
Breathe. 
Fresh and vibrant
Amist the roar of
Downpouring rain,
There is a celebration 
Of grass and trees
Of skin and body
Of being alive.

Yellow flowers in the rain

'Just as a thread links the kite-flier to his kite, breath is said to link the mind with the universal life force.'
Shameem Akthar

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Yellow flowers in the rain
The mustard flower
Radiates the color of
The sun
Showing me that
If I look far enough
There is always
A bright spot.
Filling a field
Many flowers bloom
Like it is Spring
In Janaury.

Breath Meditation
My breath soothes
A quiet inner landscape. 
There are no fires
To put out
My breath
Flows like a stream

Moving inside and
All around 
caressing
bones, cells, soul. 
Enjoying peace.

Tulip Beginnings

When the rhythm of the breath is in balance, there is trust in the present moment.


Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Tulip beginnings
Hints of Spring
Small and tiny
On a gray and cold morning

It's leaves make a pathwayFor a flower 
Who will declare Springtime.

Breath Meditation
My breath
Alone 
Is tired.
My breath, opening my mind
And body

To a greater universe
A hard working will
Idles
My breath
Softens
Letting go
Being held.

There are 600 million alveoli in our lungs. The alveoli are the tiny air sacs where the blood can pick up oxygen and distribute it throughout the body.


Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Water Glistening on Wood
The sun needs water
To shine and glisten.
The water needs wood
To be a surface 
On which to rest.
A front porch
Can hold within it
Experiences of lifetime.
Pathways of life
Are preserved in the wood,
Water holds the universe,
And the sun has traveled 
Light years to be here

In this moment.

Breath Meditation
The sun touches my face and eyelids.
There is an empty sadness inside
Dark and alone.
In the pause between breaths
A small inner light
Reveals itself
And knows no shame.
Radiant, breathing in and out
Inner and outer
Become one.

A Silhouette

While sitting, one must always keep the emotions calm and the energy concentrated. How can the emotions remain calm and balanced ?  By the breath.  Secret of the Golden Flower


Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful 
A Silhouette of leaves

The morning sun
Illuminates
Green shinny surfaces

Contours in light and dark

A silhouette of leaves
Dancing together
Shadow and light
Subtle and bold
In perfect 
Relationship.

Breath Meditation
My inhale is bold 
Like the sun
My exhale trails 
Into the delicate rest
Each rest

Is like a momentary 
Reflection
Of what has been
And what is becoming.

Patch of Blue

Since the heart and breath are mutually dependent, the circulation of light must be united with the rhythm of breathing.  The Secret of the Golden Flower


Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
A patch of blue sky
After days of gray.

For a moment
The heavens open
And shed new light.

Breath Meditation
The muscles in my chest
Soften
I surrender in the pause
Letting the wave caress 
The shore of my being
Now my breath
Can really be 
Full, without effort,
Enjoyable.

Eucalyptus Tree

The decision must be carried out with a collected heart, and not seeking success: success will then come of itself. The Secret of the Golden Flower


Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Eucaplytus tree
On gray foggy morning
The trunk of the
Eucaplytus shows its

Colors and form,
The subtlety and softness
of brown, orange and off
White hues and textures
Often, it is the greens Yellows and reds against
A bright blue sky
That can often draw my attention
But today, I am reminded of
A beauty that is constant
Year round.












Breath Meditation
New muscles awaken
Lifting my ribcage on the right
Allowing a deeper breath
It may have taken 
Half a century
To heal a wound so deep.
But here and now,
Nature says it's time
To open.

The Song of the Birds

In yogic breathing, the body becomes the instrument. The ears and mind are continually listening and fine tuning the sound of the breath. An unsteady and choppy breath can indicate an unsteady nervous system and mind. A sound that is too loud can indicate internal conflict and tension. In a yogic breathing practice called Ujjayi, one practices breathing in a constant, smoothe manner which is free of tension.

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Four birds in a tree
With many more 
All around.
A roaring symphony of
Chirps and tweets.
To the unfamiliar
It may seem like noise
But for those who know
Many languages
It is poetry.

Breath Meditation
The sound of my inner breath
Smoothe and constant
Quiets my mind.
Muscles relax
Into a soft smile
All over.
I am the in the swell of 
An ocean wave
Flowing in this moment
To the next
Arriving at the shore
That greets me.

Berries for the Birds

The air we breathe moves as part of the Earth's atmosphere. Air moves when there are temperature or pressure differences. The movement of air, or breath, does not follow a straight line, but rather moves in spirals.

Three Deep Breaths

Something Beautiful
Dark berries
Mana for the Robin.
Many birds gloriously singing
While they feast 
And fly
From one bunch of berries
To the next.
There is no conflict
Plenty for
All.

Breath Meditation
Air
Warmed by the indoors
Has only a hint
Of cool moistness.
An essence arrives
Deep in my body
That has travelled
The world over
Letting me know
I am one
With everything.