Breathing in
Birth
Creation
Universe
Beauty
Purity
Unfolding
Embracing
Filling in
Wholeness
Breathing out
Relaxing
Quietening
Surrendering
Letting go
Dissolving
Disappearing
Loneliness
Death
Silence
Between both
Awareness
Attention
Presence
Lucidity
Clarity
Resting
Non-acting
Formless
Absolute
Breathing is the teacher
Breathing is the teaching
Observing is the knower
Observing is the knowing
Oh Divine Breath
Please guide us
To where we can not
To where we have not
To where we are not
* * *
Inspired by:
WATCHING THE BREATH
by Maa
My eyelids close, and inward turns my gaze
The body now adopts a tranquil pose
Filled up with thoughts, my mind is in a haze
Those tendencies I’m trying to oppose
My hands are resting on my covered knees
A cotton-scarf descends until my feet
Through open window enters soothing breeze
Within me different sensations meet
I focus my attention on the flow
Of air which gently penetrates my nose
This exercise makes relaxation grow
While air through humid nostrils outward blows
When I breathe in, the air to me feels cool
While breathing out, some warmth can be perceived
Observing one’s own breath can be a tool
With which one’s consciousness may be retrieved
One nostril is more open and more free
And slightly clogged the other breathing hole
The ventilation won’t work equally
One nostril does not well fulfil its role
But I stay focused on the tidal waves
Of vital breath that freely come and go
Their rhythm on my calming mind engraves
And makes the subtle vital currents flow
Oh breath of life I humbly give you praise
Without your grace, there is no life on Earth
Observing you will one’s awareness raise
You are a jewel of unspoken worth
Author notes
Watching the breath by Maa :
http://allpoetry.com/poem/2358165
maa's permission:
it would be great if you would write a poem in response to one of my poems and post it together with mine ...
In a list
A contest entry
- Add, Answer, Adjust, Appeal by CarolDesjarlais.
800 points, ended December 10, 2006, 5 entries
Honorable winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - SACRED BREATH by maa.
555 points, ended April 6, 2007, 18 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 8 of 8
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thank you for a poem which corresponds perfectly to the subject of "sacred breath" ... although this contest suggests free inspiration, only very few poets have actually written about breath and breathing itself ... nice to see that although this is not a fresh write, it responds so well to this challenge ...
maa
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Excellent
It's wonderful that you have both posted these. I am a great believer in these principles. The importance of correct (that doesn't seem the right word?) breathing becomes more obvious when we take the time to meditate or do some Yoga or other excercise, especially that involving mind/body/spirit together.
It often sounds silly to those doing these things for the first time, as breathing is often thought of as something that happens whether you think about it or not, and of course that is true. However, when we learn to acknowlege and properly use each breath, we become aware of magnificent changes - in Yoga for instance, when breathing properly and at the right time, the body becomes much more flexible almost instantly! It's a wonderful feeling... a kind of added boost to the life-force within us
It is great that you have both brought this to the attention of people. Hopefully you will have encouraged someone to try this, who wouldn't have done so before...
Much Love and Laughter,
Chrissie
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thank you, dear chrissie, for your detailed message. yes, breathing is a great teacher that we often forget! thank you for sharing here with us your own experience. with love (and laughter, why not!!!).
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A lesson to learn
He who knows how to breathe knows how to live.
he who knows how to control breath can control anger,stress,sympatheric nervoussystem, activate parasympathetic system.Breath is the secret of achieving control on the vagus nerve.
Thanks for teaching all this psycho-somatic secret
Hemant -
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breathing as a teacher
yes, it is really true. and also, the breathing out is a teaching of how to die. each expiration is a complete letting go of all our pretentions and attachments, a kind of dying.
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These poems are great... Both of them, wisdom rings...
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Nicely done
while one speaks to the breath and meditatin, the other takes us deeper into the act. Well done, both of you, of course. -
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many thanks!
many thanks, dear shewolfnative, for your appreciation and honorable mention. and also thank you for this opportunity to pay homage to the breathing, that we sometimes forget, but which does not forget us.
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