Mandi on Mindfulness: Leaf Breathing

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Mindfulness offerings continue:  For some of us, we fit into the stream of spiritual personality that feels most aligned, most in communion with the Lord when we are connected to nature. This personality type falls into Franciscan spirituality.  I teach a lot on this in my spiritual personality course, but this is a simple suggestion to try sometime.  I mean: SIMPLE. Use this graphic, or find a leaf in your yard or on your walk...in the spirit of practicing governing your breath to serve you when you feel undone, work on connecting pacing your breath as you trace a leaf up one side and down the other as the graphic offers.  I would set a timer and stick with it for 2 minutes.

This slowing breath on purpose and with intention not only is a beautiful prayer, it also creates that chemical shift in your brain that moves you from “fight or flight and panic” to “rest and digest and be at ease”.  It is so important that we pick up and use these little “built in the system” secrets that the Lord planted in our minds.  We can partner with the way he created us, and this intentional breathing  stirs up a different cocktail of chemicals in your brain for that poise you for listening to His Voice.


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