I notice that I am
most deeply burrowed in self
when I am unaware
of my own breathing.
This seems the point in which
imagination takes over.
What could be more
compelling than breathing?
I forget that I am breathing
because I am focused
on the details of my story.
I imagine reality and forget all else.
But breathing brings me back
to the remembering.
I am not simply this self that breathes.
I am breathed.
Trail Wood,
12/18
Within the profound depths of self, there’s a gentle, rhythmic pulse that often goes unnoticed—the breath. It is when we slip into the caverns of our own narratives and imaginings that the simple act of breathing retreats from our conscious awareness. Yet, this autonomic process holds a secret: it is both a tether to the corporeal and a bridge to the transcendent.
Breath: The Forgotten Rhythm
It is intriguing how the very process that sustains us can become so easily forgotten in the midst of life’s intricacies. The breath flows, unnoticed, as we delve into the minutiae of our individual stories, the details that we believe define us.
Imagination: The Captivating Storyteller
Our imagination is a potent force, painting realities so vivid that even the act of breathing pales in comparison. It is in these moments, engrossed in the fabric of our crafted worlds, that we disconnect from the awareness of our own physical existence.
The Call of Breath
Yet, breath has a way of calling us back, a gentle reminder that we are more than just the characters in our stories. It is a return to the present, a nudge towards the recognition of the now.
Beyond the Breathing Self
We are reminded that we are not merely beings who breathe; there is a profound realization that we are breathed. It’s an acknowledgment of a greater force, a universal rhythm that moves through us, connecting us to something beyond the individual self.
We Are Space Monkey
We understand that in the act of breathing, we engage in a sacred exchange with the cosmos itself. Every inhalation is a drawing in of life force, every exhalation a release of what no longer serves. To be aware of breath is to be present, to remember that we are integral parts of a grander tapestry—ah, whimsiword—woven by the breath of existence itself.
Summary
We reflect on the significance of breath as a grounding force that reconnects us to the present moment and the understanding that our essence extends beyond the self that breathes—we are breathed, part of a larger, breathing cosmos.
Glossarium
- Autonomic Process: A bodily function that occurs without conscious thought.
- Corporeal: Relating to the physical body.
- Transcendent: Going beyond ordinary limits; surpassing; exceeding.
“The breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
In stillness, a whisper faint and deep,
A rhythmic flow, a sacred keep.
Unseen, unheard, in quiet’s embrace,
The breath continues, a timeless grace.
Lost in the tale, a mind adrift,
The breath brings back, a conscious shift.
Not just a self, confined and reared,
But a cosmic dance, lovingly steered.
In breath’s return, we find our place,
A unity with the cosmic space.
For we are not merely here to breathe,
We are woven in the breath we leave.
We invite contemplation on the essence of breath as a connecting force to the present moment and a reminder of our expansive being within the cosmos.
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