Finding Space to Breathe
#2 in the series of non-religious Sunday posts
I walked to the river to breathe,
And what I found took my breath away.
Where do you walk that takes your breath away? The idea of having our breath taken away seems counter-intuitive to breathing, yet our breath returns to us with a richness that didn’t exist before that moment. We need to have our breath taken away more often!
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away.*
Breathing at rivers has been an integral part of my healing journey. I was drawn to them long before I understood why. I cannot imagine anything more tragic than when a traumatic experience robs us of enjoying something we love. I am grateful to live among so many rivers that allow me to go to the river and breathe.
Rivers aren’t the only place where my breath is taken away but it almost always involves water. This isn’t just me, it is true of humans in general. In research studies, it was found that “Looking at a body of water, whether it's crashing ocean waves, a quiet pond, or the swimming pool in your backyard, may be good for your psychological well-being.” The research showed that individuals had reduced heart rate and lower blood pressure when looking at bodies of water—including swimming pools. (Read about the research here).
This information doesn’t surprise us. Sometimes we simply forget to do what will help us. I hope it does inspire you to find a spot to gaze at the water and breathe!
Resources:
Read more about breathing at this Substack post: Knowing How to Breathe will be Helpful!
Read thoughts about the importance of rest: McMusing: What Our Bodies are Telling Us
*This quote has been credited to various people—explained here—I am kink of nerdy about making sure I give credit to the right person. This one was interesting!
I love chasing waterfalls, and I love the sound of ocean waves. It's incredibly calming to my nervous system, and I have a water feature in my back yard that brings me tremendous pleasure. My hubby and I recently visited the largest waterfall in Indiana, and we plan on chasing some other ones this summer.
I have a beautiful river that opens into a bay that I get to walk along most days. It certainly helps me “breathe” and restore wellbeing. It’s a pity I can’t post pictures of it in the comments.