Breathing Exercise

[Guest guest]

I think there are many variations of the breathing exercise that you

can play around with -its quite fun. When I go to the Gym and go

into the sauna I realise that after a very short while my mind

starts saying -'God it's hot, its too hot for me, I have to get out

of here - I can't stay any longer' So now I try to pratise listening

to all the objections playing in my mind and try to stay a little

longer -expanding into the heat and the discomfort and almost

becoming one with it. Of course I do eventually have to come out -

but Its just another example of 'sitting with' whatever in that

moment.

At the moment I am stuck indoors with my daughter all week as she

has been sick -once again Radio Frustrated has begun its daily

news, 'I can't get on with anything...I'm bored being stuck in...Etc

etc. Through observing my thoughts not only do I realise that I am

being self centred and negative, but I am missing valuable time in

which to move in a valued direction, ie Spending qaulity time with

my daughter, and making the best of whatever cards life hands you.

Another thought occured to me this week. I am sure you have all

heard about the terrible abduction of Madeleine Mcann in Portugal -

maybe not if you are in US or Australia but here in Europe its a

big, big story. It Occured to me that the parents are practising

ACT - they have said that they are not listening to all the negative

thoughts about what may have happened to madeleine but istead are

focusing all that energy on a valued action -finding their little

girl. How easy it would for them to give in to despair and fear -

but they have remained fantastically strong. I don't know the

outcome of this story - all I know is if they can do it in the most

nightmarish of situations then maybe there is hope for us all. I

pray to God they find their little girl.