Learn how to breathe. I’m talking about real, conscious breathing. It’s said that prana, or breath, is our connection to the divine, to the Universe, to the Earth. It’s our force that circulates in and out of us constantly, and thereby is connected to the Oneness around us. But it is through conscious breath – thinking about breathing in, and breathing out, either through a certain count such as in for 5, hold for 5 and out for 5, repeatedly, that we learn to control and quiet our mind. Conscious breath is how we can quiet our mind to a point where we are no longer controlled by our mind – but rather we can control it. The mind in this way can become our force, our tool, and we can use it to the ends we choose to use it. If that is in the service of others, then that is great, and it is in conscious service to others. Once we have control of our minds, we can use it to expand, to reach, to learn, to touch, to help others. We can use it to create, to imagine, to grow in endless possibilities. But it is only once we have it in our control.
If we, instead, let it control us, then our mind is very strong as well. It is very strong at making us bend to its will. And this is when we fall into the traps of hurt, frustration, deceit, anger, guilt, and loneliness. This is when we snap at those we love, this is when we yell and fight and maybe when we sometimes physically act out, which is not what we wanted to do. It is in these moments when our mind controls us rather than us controlling our minds, that we act in ways that we later regret, or we say things that we do not mean and unintentionally hurt those we love most. Rather, once we learn to breathe consciously, we are able to direct the mind in a way that is action out of love, out of warmth, out of comfort, and in the service of others. Since we are all connected, this is also in the service of ourselves (and, since we are all connected, when we hurt others, we also hurt ourselves).
This is the beauty of meditation as a Mother. In meditation, you control your breathing, and control your mind, and reach points of bliss and calm. In meditation, you reach points of seeing beyond what you thought you could see. You reach points of feeling and experience, beyond which you thought you could feel or experience. In a state of total peace and calm, you can fly. You can soar to the highest mountains, and swim in the deepest of waters. You can sing with the birds and you can twirl with the flowers and the breeze. Nothing can hold you down because you are free. Completely free.
When you are free, serving and doing your duty as a Mother is not a chore. It’s not a burden or pain. It is giving fully from the heart. It is giving wholly and completely of yourself to your children, to those you love, to those you care for around you. And it is not heavy or hard – it is possible. You are free, yet you are grounded. You are as tall as the tallest trees, yet you have roots that go deeper and deeper into the Earth. You are strong, but you can sway with the wind and the rain – you are flexible. You go through the seasons and you weather all the changes, but it is because you can. You were made this way. You were given this gift to be able to give. You were chosen to be a Mother because you are fierce, but you are Love.
And it all comes back to breathing. In for 5, holding for 5, and out for 5. You can soar, you just have to believe in your ability to breathe.
