THE BREATH, Practice One
by Jill Gerken, CADC

A Practice in Mindfulness and Relaxation while in Others' Company
 

There are many simple ways to use the breath and awareness when being with others. Actually it is wonderful to practice these simple attentions and actions with colleagues, clients, family members, friends and the variety of people we see face-to-face and talk with on the telephone.

You could call this Mindfulness Practice, Empathy Training and/or Compassion. In my breathwork practice we call this "sitting". It is a simple way of creating a safe and professional set and setting, a way of active listening and participating in a co-creative process of Recovery, Self-Discovery, and Trust Building.

 

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Jill Gerken, CADC is an addiction counselor and Eupsychia-certified practitioner of Integrative Breathwork and Psychospiritual Integration. She is in private practice in Santa Rose, California. Write Jill.

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Take a few minutes alone before taking the next call, appointment or engaging your next visitor. Let your Self sit back comfortably. If standing is your only option, let your arms drop easily at your side, stand with your feet slightly apart and see if you feel balanced and okay on your feet. Take several breaths all the way in and all the way out. Let your body relax and feel your shoulders and hands relaxing, feel the trunk of your body relaxed and centered. Breathe into your own body and let it relax and let go for 2-5 minutes, longer if you can. Imagine letting go of the outcome of your upcoming appointment and breathing into that idea several times. Now you have bought your Self some breathing room and believe it or not, you did the same for the next person, place or thing you interact with.

As you shake hands, hug or greet your client or visitor, let your Self breathe into the moment that you make that initial contact. Those breaths offer breathing space into all of the work that you are about to undertake together.

Throughout your meeting or session, notice your own breath and take several focused breaths as you go. Also it is a real help to the process and a gift to your client, to notice the pattern of their breathing and then let your Self fall into that same rhythm. It is a simple way of supporting a period of silence or being more in touch with where your client is in the moment. It can help you both stay on track more easily and can amazingly stretch time in a session without needing to use more clock time or energy.

As you identify the breathing pattern of your clients, you can help them begin to notice those patterns and then teach them ways the breath may help. I suggest taking this slowly and using some humor as you note and mention the changes that you and they begin to observe during your sessions. Encourage them to use the breath, but never force the breath, let it flow naturally and easily. Hopefully, they will become more and more aware on their own, in their everyday activities and interactions. Building awareness of the breath is also building awareness of emotions, body sensations, thougt patterns and Our conscious contacts with Our Higher Power.

BREATHING IS INSPIRATION. IT ENCOURAGES OUR CREATIVE ENERGIES TOWARD HEALING AND LIFE.

 
   

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© 2000-2002Jill Gerken/The Center for Change & A Breathing Room. All rights reserved.