The Meditative Music Of Breath

Meditating, in its simplest form, is the act of engaging in contemplation. There are countless professionals in the field, who can lead you through any number of mind-body scenarios and connections, but there is no expert more able to attune to the power within each of our bodies than ourselves. Music Week acts as a bridge, connecting our outer selves to our inner drumbeat, gently reminding us to listen to our ‘soul voice’ for daily guidance, as well as serving as ‘support’ for life’s many challenges. When we learn to use the movements of our breath within our bodies as the meditative instruments they came equipped to be, our sense of self, as well as our abilities to manifest the things we want, become an open and welcoming path that will continue to unfold for as long as we are willing to breathe freely within that awareness. 

Breathing is largely accepted as an involuntary act, and its rhythm is often taken for granted until a problem arises (we become ill, poor ventilation, etc). We seek help when our involuntary breath is compromised, because it indicates a potentially serious issue. Breath is what we need to live and it is important that we keep those passages clear so that we can ingest our ‘baseline’ of oxygen. Our involuntary breathing function is, quite literally, ‘the least we can do’ with our breath–there is so much more available than just keeping us alive! Ideally, this realization prompts thoughts and ideas that invite us to explore what happens within our bodies when we choose to become the intentional conductor of our breath, even for short bursts of time. We can see and feel how breath moves through the various systems in our bodies. We easily identify the areas where we could use an energetic ‘tune’-up so that we can ‘clear the air’. When we bring active breath into our stale spaces, we breathe new life into our unfulfilled ideas and intentions, while preparing ourselves to activate new ones. Our intentions become more clear and we are closer to that ‘on a roll’ feeling with each breath/body ‘jam session’.

Playing around with our breath as we engage different parts of our bodies is one of the first ways to experience the energies of this symphonic skill set. When that openness is generated for and within ourselves, the power of possibilities becomes more prescient. Our journey through our musical past becomes a magical reprise as we revisit the soulful experiences that tie us to music, as well as the idea that we are connected to something bigger than ourselves. The instruments and lyrics of our favorite artists become part of us at a deep, soul-centered level as we identify with the sounds and sentiments that they produce. We lean into the voices that lead us in the directions that we’d like to go, and whatever our mood may be, there is a type of music to back it up and support our feelings. The freedom of imagination that comes from listening to music while using our breath with intention at the same time, can transport us back in time, into the future, and into our own world of ideal thinking. This type of ‘practiced daydreaming’ is gaining momentum as we strive for ways to remain calm in the face of a rapidly-changing world, and most importantly, to feel like an active part of the process.

As the language of the soul voice becomes more mainstream (especially since early 2020), these concepts are finding their way into the conversation about what exactly ‘common sense’ is. It has changed the narrative about who gets to determine who has it and who doesn’t. We are ‘discovering’ the tools that have been in place all along to aid our human journey.  Post-pandemic awareness, this inward focus has become subject matter for our positive headlines, social media posts, and expert advice as we all look for ways to ‘feel better’ than we do right now.  

The top Google searches for the last few years appear to have been mainlined straight from the soul vein. This shift in collective perspective from Ego Building to Soul Balance has brought soulful insights into our daily lives and it’s really exciting to see the human race making a slow, but collective shift to requesting our own inner guidance and being able to clearly hear that beautiful voice that reminds us that every single thing is exactly as it is supposed to be–always. Our brains have long been hailed as the preferred driving factor for our decisions, with our hearts showing up to make its case on appeals. We have been openly discussing ways to balance the head/heart space for more informed choices, which has been awesome practice for identifying the voice of the soul since it likes to hang out around our heart energies, in case we decide to give it a listen. Previous generations were ‘trained’ to view such ponderings as frivolous, at best, but they were attuned to the business of building ego. We have only recently begun the process of tearing down the mental ego constructs and replacing them with more soulful expressions, and if we’ve paid any attention to generational changes, we can see that these things take a lot of time and energy :)

We have the luxury, if not the obligation, to be working these distant melodies into our conscious awareness. The mind-body connection cannot be underestimated as we move forward in time, leaving tired constructs and concepts behind as we forge the fertile ground that exists when our minds and bodies work together to achieve our goals and ideals. Breathing keeps these connections active and alive inside of us, while at the same time illuminating those energies from within. Regular breathing efforts produce an illuminated soul, and often people recognize a comforting and/or glowing energy coming from the intentional breather. It’s quite palpable, and reminds us of the beauty in the world.

We are never as free as we are when we are using our imagination, breathing with intention and moving our bodies to a rhythm. The well-worn phrase “dance like nobody’s watching” has a permanent home in the space of Our Raw Material as we encourage you to dance while nobody’s watching…every chance you get. Pay attention to how your body feels after each spontaneous session. Observe how different types of music create unique movements for you and get excited when you clear your body of the tension that builds up when we aren’t moving and breathing. If you feel more connected to anything (or everything) after this practice, honor those feelings. Be present with your soul self and be ready to listen to it’s very personal song, which has always been meant just for you… At this moment in time, our circumstances set the stage to hear it and sing/play along, as we tap into the manifesting auditorium that awaits each of us as we find balance for our soul and ego within the deep and abiding rhythms that emanate from our souls.