Breath – It’s not just a key to life on earth, it’s key to meditation, relaxation and connecting with “spirit.” Now, some people get freaked out when they see the word spirit but it just means getting in touch with that deepest part of you.

For some, it could mean getting in touch with your right brain. For others, it could mean getting in touch with your spiritual self. You choose. For me, I use it to mean the way I feel when I breath deeply for several minutes and reach a certain brain wave that puts me in a meditative state. That’s the state just this side of sleeping.

When you breathe, you’re filling your body with oxygen. You may have heard that most people don’t breathe properly, they breathe shallowly, not giving their body and brain enough oxygen. For many of us, when we get stressed or angry or upset, we can even stop breathing altogether for a time. Less oxygen leads to more stress and a cycle begins. Muscles can get tense and then stiff and knotted which further restricts the flow of oxygen. It’s a vicious cycle.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that it’s totally within your control to change that and elevate you level of consciousness, awareness and ability to focus and relax at the same time. All you have to do is remind yourself to breathe. That’s it. That’s all there is. Write yourself a note and stick it anywhere you need a reminder, maybe those places where you go every day, like the bathroom or your car or on your computer monitor.

Now for reaching that “spirit” state. That takes a bit more. You need to have a bit of time and maybe a space where you can be alone for a while and where you won’t have too many distractions.

To begin, wear some comfortable clothes. Get into a comfortable position, but not one where you would easily fall asleep. If you want to, close your eyes, consciously relax your muscles. If you find this difficult, start with your toes (or the top of your head) and work your way up. You might need to flex or tighten your muscles before you can let them relax. Focus on your toes, flex them, then stretch them and let them relax. Move on to your feet, your ankles, your calves, knees, thighs and so on. Work your way up (or down) to the top of your head. All the while, focus on maintaining a nice steady breathing pace.

Once you’ve relaxed to the best of your ability, continue to breathe, don’t force your breath, just allow yourself to breath in and out slowly and gently. Try counting in to the count of four and out to the count of four. If a thought comes into your mind, just notice it, acknowledge that it’s there, and let it float away. As you relax and breathe, your brainwaves will eventually beging to shift and slow and you’ll enter a meditative state. You’ll know it when you get there. You won’t have a feeling of anxiety or stress and you’ll feel light and maybe even happy or joyful.

Keep doing this on a regular basis and you’ll get used to the process. Once you’ve got it down, you’ll be able to do it wherever you are and whenever you need to. It’s a beautiful way to stay calm and centered and to stay connected with that part of you that lies beyond our five senses.