Why is breathing always used for Mindfulness?

Mindful Hypnosis

Why do we focus on our breathing when it comes to mindfulness? You can’t escape breathing.

It is mindboggling how often we breathe. We might as well be mindful of doing so.

Think of these mind-boggling statistics

• You breathe about 16 breaths a minute.
• 23, 000 breaths a minute
• 8.5 million breaths a year.

Say WHAT? I told you it was mindboggling!

Breaths are part of our Autonomic nervous system, which means it does it on its own. This is good because if we had to focus on it, we would get nothing done!

BUT when you do focus on it intentionally, it will activate certain places in our brain that increase our attention and our body awareness.

Focusing on our breathing regulates our nervous system which can calm us down and make us feel better.

The anchor

There are a few reasons, but mainly it is what we call an anchor. It’s part of you. You can’t live without it. Because it has the ability to be automatic, and something we can control, it allows us to settle into it.

Breathing is always with us. It doesn't go anywhere. You can't escape it, you definitely need it.

We're always chasing things.

We're trying to move towards something that we want to obtain whether it be a better job or a better life, or we're trying to move away from something like pain or hurt.

Breathing is something that always pulls you back into the present moment.

Again, it is an anchor and it brings us directly into the now. It also brings us into what I like to call body awareness.

When you become more aware of your body, you're not in your head.

You're also not just focusing on your breathing. Instead, you are focusing on the “art” of breathing. The in and out movement.

You become more aware of your chest rising and falling, and the subtle movements of your body as you breathe. You become more interoceptive- aware of your internal body.

This helps to make you more mindful.

It also helps you to navigate the space you are in and the connection to your external world.

You become more aware of the subtle changes in your body which are important for your health and wellbeing.

Want to know more about how to integrate your breathing with your mindfulness practice AND get a nice breathing meditation?

Grab the Breathe video and audio below.

Take a deep breath in and exhale

So, before I go, listen closely and remember this ONE one thing.

Your future is a thought, your past has passed, but your now is always here.

Be mindful-one minute at a time.

Hugs, Cheryl

• One Minute of Mindfulness -Shownotes
• Breathe Audio and video for you do download for free.
• Cheryl J Reynolds Coaching for stress, overthinking, or to develop a Mindfulness Practice.