The Practice: Learning to Breathe
Finding Calm in the Chaos
Learning to pause, learning to stop, learning to breathe isn’t instinctual, it has come with practice.
Learning to breathe was one of the first practices taught to me, in a moment that felt chaotic, when my feet had left the ground and my mind was caught in yesterday.
It felt unnatural at first.
I could feel my body’s resistance. Its reluctance to let go of tension, to pause long enough to notice the breath.
I felt as though all eyes were upon me, mocking me as I struggled to take a deep breath in that moment.
Breathing was something I believed should be automatic, something we should already know how to do.
Yet it was clearly something I was struggling with.
My breath had become short.
Shallow.
Taxing.
As I was guided through the practice of breathing, I slowly felt the tension leave my body.
My lungs filled deeper.
My heartbeat slowed.
My feet touched the ground.
My mind returned to the safety of the present moment.
Learning to breathe has become my anchor. A skill I have learned through practice, and one I return to often.
The simple yet powerful technique I was introduced to is designed to regulate the nervous system, bringing a sense of calm and connection to the present.
Unlike what I would instinctively do, I begin by closing my eyes and taking a full inhale.
Then, with a deep breath out, fully emptying the lungs, I follow this simple pattern:
Exhale deeply to start
Inhale for four counts
Hold for four counts
Exhale for six counts
I repeat this cycle five to eight times, before returning to my natural breath and slowly opening my eyes.
This rhythmic pattern engages the parasympathetic nervous system, helping to override stress responses and bring the body back into balance.
With each breath, the nervous system begins to calm.
The body feels more grounded.
Space is created between emotion and reaction, allowing clarity to emerge.
The more I practice, the more natural it becomes.
Breath is my anchor.
- Michelle Valerie
This is a practice I return to.
Again, and again.
This reflection is part of The Practice — small practices that emerged from The Pause.
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