Do you know how to breathe? By this I mean deep breathing through your nose, the kind that can pull down your diaphragm, anchor your pelvis, replenish your adrenals, and oxygenate your brain.
We are born knowing how to breathe properly. But modern life causes us to lose our grasp on this. As a result, we wind up breathing in a way that disconnects us from our bodies, our center, and thereby the mental clarity we need to move forward in the world in a way that satisfies us.
An unconscious, dysfunctional manner of breathing can affect your vagus nerve and is a hidden cause of anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, stress, and more. It is also the reason that breath-based practices such as meditation and yoga can have such a profound impact on your holistic health.
Most of you live with this imbalance. However, it makes healing, restful sleep, digestion, detoxification, and emotional regulation very difficult.
Those who work with me are often surprised when we wind up beginning with something fundamental. No, it’s not which vitamins to take or where to go for acupuncture. It’s more basic: We begin with breathwork and/or meditation.
I’m as guilty as anyone. Although I teach breathing, a highly demanding eighteen-month family crisis pushed me out of my rhythm. I was aware that my breath had become shallow, but was too busy to address it. UNTIL I began to experience physical symptoms that I never had before. Because I’ve been trained to respect my body when it speaks with warning signs, I knew that I needed to get in front of this.
Back to my meditation pillow I went, sitting for deep breathing and daily meditation (I must confess that I had become lax with my meditation as well). It didn’t take long before my symptoms subsided and I began to feel more balanced.
This month, I’m reminding you to view your breath as a doorway because it’s critical. With only a few minutes a day, the simple, ancient technique of deep breathing can awaken energy, sharpen focus, and bring your nervous system back into the balance it requires in order to self-heal. When you train your breath to behave as nature intended your body softens, your mind steadies, and your spirit begins to align with them. In this harried world of “do, do, do,” we all need to soften.
To refresh your memory on the many benefits of breathing and how to do it, read my previous article https://www.spiritualityhealth.com/benefits-of-nose-breathing
The life enhancing breath right under your nose could be the very thing you’ve been looking for (and likely missing) while looking at external solutions for your holistic health issues.
Learn to breathe properly. You will be amazed to see how powerful this is. 😉
It’s easy to get sucked into the values of our social circle and not realize it. As we get older, we tend to think more about quality of life — not just how we stack up against others, but how satisfying that life is for us.
For many of us, a high-quality life means living in alignment with our own values and beliefs, not pressured to be part of a tribe or please others with our material possessions, appearance, or achievements. Instead, the focus is on our own well-being and satisfaction as well as making the world a better place in some way. I think of this as empowered living.
What that life will look like for each individual is different. But one thing I’ve seen in my career — first in private banking, now as a holistic life coach — is that most people who step into empowered living tend to have a core foundation of attributes already in place:
Holistic Health – Being free of mental, physical, or emotional dis-ease makes it much easier to show up fully for life. When one aspect of us is out of balance, the others will usually eventually feel it too. Pay attention to your health. Feel out of synch—physically drained, emotionally off, or mentally scattered?
Take action to restore balance, because your health is the foundation that supports your life. Protect it with a vengeance.
Financial Stability – Money isn’t everything, but chronic financial stress can destroy your quality of life. When we’re constantly worried about our finances, our nervous system remains in overdrive. Prolonged financial stress is linked to a myriad of chronic diseases including high blood pressure, digestive and thyroid issues, sleep problems, a weakened immune system, and mental health. Sound like you?
Aim to live within your means or adjust your lifestyle in order to enjoy a greater sense of peace.
Meaning – Living a meaningful life through purposeful action is your best chance at fulfillment. Meaning can come through family, work, faith, serving others, pursuing a passion, or contributing to anything larger than yourself. Research reveals that those who help others experience less depression, greater calm, less pain, and better overall health. What inspired you as a child?
Consider engaging in your passions to help you experience the magic that is meant for you in this life.
Self-Forgiveness – We often judge ourselves more harshly than we do others. We get stuck and can’t evolve when we hold on to perceived mistakes, old narratives, regret, guilt, and shame. Forgive yourself as you would any loved one, neighbor, or colleague. Still stuck on something from the past?
Accept where you were at in the past, know that you did your best, fully release it, and step forward into re-creation.
The subtle messaging of our culture may lead us to believe that we need more than these attributes to be eligible to live in an empowered way. But if you find yourself unencumbered by any constraints inherent in the above and have the right mindset, you have the potential to elevate the quality of your life. THIS is a great way to live!
These last weeks of August often have us thinking about actions we would like to take once the more active energy of fall comes in. Should you want to address any of the above areas, I’m here for you. 😉
Spiritual and yogic traditions propose that your body has seven main energy centers, referred to in Sanskrit as chakras. When looking to fine-tune your holistic health, you will want to consider the state of your chakra system.
The word chakra translates to “wheel.” These vortices of energy are often depicted as spinning wheels running from the base to the crown of your spine. Each wheel is associated with specific expressions, indications, and biological associations.
Our work together occasionally calls on us to balance one or more of your chakras. The energetic state of each chakra is reflected by the velocity of its spin. Chakras can be open, resulting in a swift spin, or blocked, resulting in little to no spin. These wheels need to flow freely in order for you to experience the mental, physical, and emotional balance required for well-being.
The events of 2025 continue to signal that our structures (i.e. financial, political, educational, social, etc.) are evolving. In order to be able to thrive through the chaotic energy that transitions can cause, you will want to ensure that your chakras are tuned-up.
This month, I invite you to review the state of your chakras. Your chakra system, with its corresponding expressions, indications, and biological associations, is summarized below.
CROWN #7 (Top of Head)
Expression: Spiritual Connection, Enlightenment, Wisdom
Open: Clear, Loving, Peaceful
Blocked: Fearful, Lack of Boundaries, Lack of Purpose
Biological Association: Brain, Nervous System
THIRD EYE #6 (Between Eyebrows)
Expression: Intuition, Imagination, Psychic Ability
Open: Intuitive, Creative, Perceptive
Blocked: Lack of Vision, Confusion, Overthinking
Biological Association: Pituitary Gland, Pineal Gland
THROAT #5 (Throat)
Expression: Communication, Self-expression, Creativity
Open: Communicative, Diplomatic, Imaginative
Blocked: Critical, Gossipy, Harsh
Biological Association: Thyroid Gland, Vocal Chords
HEART #4 (Chest)
Expression: Love, Compassion, Emotional Well-being
Open: Compassionate, Forgiving, Loving
Blocked: Jealous, Co-dependent, Grieving
Biological Association: Heart, Lungs
SOLAR PLEXUS #3 (Upper Abdomen)
Expression: Self-esteem, Confidence, Personal Power
Open: Empowered, Motivated, Confident
Blocked: Low Self-Esteem, Lack of Motivation, Indecisiveness
Biological Association: Stomach, Liver, Gallbladder, Pancreas, Spleen
SACRAL #2 (Lower Abdomen)
Expression: Creativity, Emotions, Sensuality
Open: Passionate, Joyful, Creative
Blocked: Low Vitality, Fear of Intimacy, Lack of Creativity
Biological Association: Sex Organs, Reproductive Organs
ROOT #1 (Base of Spine)
Expression: Stability, Grounding
Open: Grounded, Secure, Confident
Blocked: Fearful, Financial Worries, Untrusting
Biological Association: Spine, Kidneys, Bladder, Large Intestine
Do you get a sense that one or more of your chakras could benefit from a tune-up?
Root chakra blockages connected with fear and security are especially common, particularly during periods of transition. A blockage in any one chakra will affect energy flow to the others and eventually your holistic health. Don’t let this happen to you.
If needed, I can help you to identify where your energy flow may be improved as well as support you in opening up any restriction.
Remember: Everything is about energy, including you.
