Just Breathe

I was talking to a student who is dealing with constant depression. We got to talking about coping strategies and we kept coming back to breathing. We tried to zero in on why it's so important and how it can be used. We talked about tonglen and it's benefits. But even more simply, we remebered that the breath is the common thread, the only thing we share in life. So why not use it as a tool for relaxation? Breathing is a simple yet deceptively powerful technique that can be used for relaxation. When practiced on a daily basis, it will also change your relationship with your thoughts. This can aid in emotional regulation by helping you "see" the true nature of your thinking mind, which is: Your mind has a mind of its own and not all your thoughts are helpful or even true. In addition, as you meditate and become distracted by thoughts, you will practice letting go of them, which will also help with emotional regulation. After all, it is frequently the inability to let go of certain patterns of thinking that fuels anxiety, depression and anger.