The Spirited Life

Breathing is now on my list of favourite pastimes. That sounds rather absurd, I know; but ever since I hurt my foot and have been forced to curtail my frequent walks, I've had to find another way of enjoying what I have, and what is. The act of breathing, which is part of the autonomic nervous system and therefore involuntary, also works in tandem with the conscious mind. I love that part. Since I'm breathing anyway, and can control it, I might as well enjoy it, right? I find myself more sedentary than I would normally choose to be, and so I am forced to get as much enjoyment out of my indisposition as possible. Apart from the usual stuff like reading and writing etc., I don't want to lose touch with my body. I can't do a lot of calisthenics, but I still breathe.
Getting in touch with the breath is the basis of meditation, which I'm not entirely unfamiliar with. However, I never brought the wonderful lessons and feelings of breathing meditation to ordinary life. Even as I sit here and type out these words, I'm deliberately paying attention to my breath. Talk about multi-tasking! I joke, of course, because my conscious breathing actually makes me feel as if I'm doing less, not more. By slowing down I'm able to focus more. Every time I finish a sentence with a period, I stop and take a deep breath. (Pause to breathe.) It's wonderful. It makes me feel better. It calms me, soothes me. It clears my mind, and makes me appreciate the beauty and wonder of something I do all the time anyway. What's not to like?
If I'm in conversation with friends, I can still breathe consciously while they're talking, and thus listen with more intention and patience, because I'm clear-headed and focussed. Reading, listening to music, or watching a movie have become physically beneficial as well. No more couch potato.
Spiritus is the Latin word for breath, breathing, or life. A spirited person is full of life. Until I discovered the joy of conscious breathing, I was frequently dispirited by my indisposition. And I can't say enough about taking deep breaths when you're upset or losing your cool. The fact is, breathing is good for you. To quote a favourite acting vocal coach of mine, "if you don't breathe, you're dead." One can go for a few weeks without eating, a few days without water, but only minutes without breathing. (Pause now to enjoy a slow, deep breath. Nice, eh?)
It's too bad I had to injure myself in order to appreciate the most basic, automatic act of living. I thought my background in theatre and music had taught me just how important breathing is. I didn't think I took it for granted. And I never thought I could look forward to walking and breathing at the same time as much as I do now. I'll let you know how it goes. I have a feeling it will be truly spiritual.
- G. P.