I always thought the art of meditation was common knowledge; taking a few minutes every day to focus on our b r e a t h i n g. We can stir up much ado over little things that they seem big and out of reach. How many of you know people who b r e a t h e? How many of those b r e a t h i n g people you know are ever aware that they are b r e a t h i n g? How often are you aware that you are b r e a t h i n g? If you do a workout you may be aware that you are b r e a t h i n g, and b r e a t h i n g hard and exerting yourself and sweating and panting. What I’m talking about here is just b r e a t h i n g. Sitting quietly and comfortably and b r e a t h i n g. Generally, there is no effort involved in b r e a t h i n g. We do not consciously exert ourselves or pant or sweat while b r e a t h i n g. We make so much of this idea of meditation and b r e a t h i n g. It’s not mystical. It’s common sense.

Laymen may think ‘oh my, if science says it’s so then it must be true.’ Take science with a grain of salt. I grew up when science declared Pluto a planet. A typical statistical random sampled scientific question just tells us what something is or isn’t. For example, you have a nice green granny smith apple. Using hypothesis testing you state ‘this apple is red’. You calculate the data and it tells you ‘no, this apple is not red’ ; it is null. Results don’t say the apple is green nor that it is even an apple. It just says the apple is not red. Science is a beautiful thing but common sense reigns supreme. So, how does this relate to b r e a t h i n g?

Once you know, you can’t not Know. When we take time to focus on our b r e a t h i n g our lives improve. We don’t need our doctors to tell us to b r e a t h e. Focused b r e a t h i n g is beneficial; you will be hearing that exact prescription soon enough. The art of meditation can be simply that – b r e a t h i n g… b r e a t h i n g… b r e a t h i n g… Modern imaging is proving the brain changes affected by a meditation practice. If you are waiting for science to tell you that adopting a meditation practice offers limitless possibility then enjoy your time. You may as well b r e a t h e in the interim. Through meditation, like love, the resulting mindfulness you feel offers clarity and vision. Quit asking and start Knowing. Science may catch up – someday. It’s only natural.

limitless possibility