The Benefits of Breathing
One Breath Can Change Everything
“Breathing in, I calm my body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment, I know this is the only moment.”
— Thich Nhat Hanh
It has become one of the simplest—and deepest—truths I know.
Everything changes when we remember to breathe.
Over the years, as a counselor, coach, and companion on the healing journey, I’ve noticed something fascinating.
People who are overwhelmed often aren’t really breathing.
They’re sipping air.
Holding their breath.
Gasping.
Living from one hurried inhale to the next.
Their bodies are simply responding to what their nervous systems believe:
“Something isn’t safe.”
One of the women who first taught me this was a client I’ll call Jean.
Life had become almost unbearably difficult.
As we sat together, I gently said,
“Breathe, Jean…breathe.”
Not because breathing would solve everything.
But because it would allow her body, her mind, and her heart to remember that she was here, in this moment…and safe enough to take one slow breath.
That simple invitation became one of the foundations of my work.
Then, years later, life became my teacher.
As I sat beside my husband’s bed during the final hours of his life, I watched him take his last sacred breath.
In that quiet, holy moment, I found myself making a promise.
I would spend the rest of my life honoring the breath and sharing its quiet healing wisdom with others.
Today, I know something I couldn’t have fully understood back then.
Our breath is always waiting for us.
No matter how frightened…
how overwhelmed…
or how busy life becomes…
our next breath is always an invitation to begin again.
A Practice I Return to Again and Again
One of the breathing practices that has served me personally—and that I have shared with hundreds of women over the years—is 4-7-8 Breathing, I learned from Dr. Andrew Weil.
I love its beautiful simplicity.
The gentle counting gives the mind something kind to focus on while the body gradually settles into a calmer rhythm.
Here’s how I practice it:
- Sit comfortably with your shoulders relaxed.
- Allow a soft smile to rest on your face.
- Breathe in quietly through your nose for 4 counts.
- Gently hold your breath for 7 counts.
- Slowly exhale through your mouth for 8 counts, letting your shoulders soften as you breathe out.
Repeat this cycle four times.
There is no need to force the breath.
Simply let it become slower, quieter, and more relaxed.
Often, by the second or third round, I notice my thoughts beginning to soften as well.
Every Breath Says…
Sometimes while I practice, I quietly repeat:
Breathing in…I receive calm.
Breathing out…I release what I no longer need.
Or simply…
Inhale…Peace
Exhale…Calm
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Just this breath.
A Loving Invitation
You don’t need to wait until life feels overwhelming.
Practice while life is ordinary.
Practice while walking through the garden.
Practice while waiting at a stoplight.
Practice while washing dishes.
Practice before sleep.
Little by little, your nervous system begins to recognize this slower rhythm as home.
One breath.
Then another.
Then another.
Before long, breathing becomes not simply something you do…
but a way you live.
May every breath remind you that you are here.
That you are safe.
That this moment is enough.
With love,
Anna
