Just Breathe

Once a month I have a massage.

I learned the hard way about the benefits of massage therapy almost fifteen years ago. My neck was so stiff I couldn't turn my head, my hips were out of alignment, and my anxiety level was at an all-time high. I noticed a difference after my first session with a therapist, and over the next several months I found that massage was good for my body, mind, and spirit. Massage therapy became part of my health maintenance plan.

I have been seeing my current massage therapist for ten years. We know a lot about each other, and she knows my body as well as I do. We start each session with a conversation about what's new and how my body has been feeling.

On Friday I told her my shoulders were stiff and my lower back ached.

She asked about my breathing.

I told her that I caught myself holding my breath.

She said that when we deny our bodies oxygen things get stuck and energy can't flow. Her suggestion was to get the energy moving again. By the time she was finished, my shoulders felt better and my back didn't hurt.

I took a few deep breaths and felt my entire body relax.

My task since the massage has been to keep my breath flowing and the energy moving. It's easiest to do before I go to sleep at night and when I wake up in the morning. I lay in bed and focus on breathing in and out. The challenge is to continue the process throughout the day, and the reward is to feel better all over.

At the top of my to-do list this week-end has been a simple thing that makes a big difference ~ remember to breathe.

This experience reminded me of one of my favorite songs of 2004,
Breathe (2 AM) by Anna Nalick. The chorus has been running through my mind:

Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable
And life's like an hourglass glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button, girl
So cradle your head in your hands
And breathe...just breathe.