All too often, we forget that each moment of life, pleasant or unpleasant, is a miracle. Indeed, the breath we’re taking right now is a miracle.
It’s pretty easy to get caught up in the dramas we create in our minds, isn’t it? If the drama is exciting, we feel alive. If it’s dull and boring, we may feel depressed.
This drama can pull us away from the simple truth that our existence in this moment is an absolute miracle. Think of all the things that had to happen just the way they did, since the beginning of time, for you to be alive in this moment. Think of the nearly infinite processes that are occurring in this moment allowing you to live. The sunlight, our atmosphere, and thousands of processes in your own body are all absolutely necessary for you to be alive in this moment.
Although I think it is very helpful to reflect in this way from time to time, we can’t be thinking about these things all the time, right? We have things to do!
Fortunately, there is a miracle that is always happening, wherever we are, in all activities – the breath. And, luckily for us, we don’t need to think about the breath to be in touch with the fact that it is a life-sustaining miracle. All we need to do is be aware of it. In fact, becoming aware of the breath actually enhances our engagement in the present moment.
Simply being aware of the fact that we are breathing, we can become aware in a deep way, beyond thought, of the miracle of being alive in this present moment. We see our personal drama in perspective and are freed from its grip. Our mind and body become united and whole, and we are present for ourselves and those around us.
Surely, the mind will doubt that there can be any value to simply being aware of the fact that the body is breathing. Nevertheless, I invite you to practice awareness of breathing and see for yourself how powerful such a simple act can be.
You might just find yourself smiling – aware in a subtle, intuitive way, that this moment is indeed a miracle.
This breath is a miracle.
image credit – http://centerspacepilates.com/2012/06/explore-breathing/
Your post reminds me of a movie I recently saw. I wasn’t a fan of the movie, but the final 2 minutes made the whole 2+ hours worth seeing and may have “changed my life”. The movie is “About Time”. I won’t spoil it except to say, the moral is to live every moment to it’s fullest.
Thanks Amy! Should I just watch the last 2 minutes then?