Take a slow deep breath. Savor the feeling of oxygen flowing into your lungs. Relax and let it flow out, easily, effortlessly. Give yourself another breath, becoming aware of the flow of life force that comes with it, opening yourself to being embodied and present. Relax, let go, and the old air flows out, carrying old energies with it. Breathing in again, as the prana opens your lungs, opens your body and being, notice any tension or tightness, let the fresh breath open that too. Let it expand and give it up, to flow out with the old breath.
With each in-breath welcome the flow of universal life force, supporting your being. With each out breath release what is done, complete, used up. This is the most fundamental rhythm of being human, a rhythm of two parts. If you are holding old things, its hard to breath in new ones. Feel into what you are holding in your lungs, in your body, what is it hard to breath into or to let go of? No story, just the feeling.
Some old things are hard to release, they may be bound in fear or grief; they may trigger coughing or sneezing, or a long yawn. They are, however, old and ready to go when you release them. With every breath you can release the old to make room for the new. This is good to practice mindfully. Trusting that the universe will help you to create the new. That new breath is not something you have to create yourself, but just open to, and receive. When the old breath is done, let go and receive more.
At the beginning of the year we take time for breathing on a larger scale. Releasing last year so we can open to the coming one. Celebrate what you have done, learned, how you have grown, or what you have lost. Honor and love what has been, but let it go so you can be present with Spirit, co-creating the new year to come. Breath out and release, so you can breath in and create.
This year change is, perhaps, even more a transition. You have been clearing and releasing old patterns and ways of being, so that new ones can come out of Self and Spirit. Whatever it takes to let go, do it, but mainly keep breathing, stay present and let the rhythm of breath and life naturally clear what is complete. As Abraham says: be grateful for what you have, and enthusiastic about what is to come. As you are grateful for a beautiful sunrise, you can’t hold onto it, but you can hold to gratitude, enthusiasm, beauty and inspiration, and carry them forward into the new day.
Breathe deep, feel what you feel, and let it all flow. Reach into your knowing that Spirit supports you in this, as in all things. Cough if you have to, but keep on breathing, creating space for the deep parts of your soul to embody and express. The world’s out-breath has passed for now, and the new in-breath is carrying us forward, into the new day and the new year. In words, or in song, breathe your dreams into a choir of creation.
(© 1/2013)
