I found this root clinging to the conglomerate rock at Nitmiluk. Near Katherine in the Northern Territory. It’s how I imagine many of us feel as we read with horror what’s unfolding around us. Clinging on for survival.
I just wrote a long piece about what’s happening around me and then deleted it.
I have had some beautiful letters thanking me for my writing lately and the suggestions I make. So I have myself my own advice. Stay Positive Len. No need to go down the rabbit hole of what should and shouldn’t be done. How we should and shouldn’t behave.
So today I thought I’d mention how to breathe. There are many techniques. Did you know? So the one I thought I’d mention is the one we use help when we are trying to be mindful. When I need to focus. When I need to settle myself. Sometimes I do this out in Mother Nature at other times I do it laying on my bed or the floor. I don’t do it for long, perhaps ten minutes or twenty if I am listening to a guided meditation.
When we breath in, breathe in through the nose. Long deep and slowly.
When we breathe out, do it through your mouth with some force and strength.
When we breathe in, full the bottom of your lungs first, with your stomach extending at first, your chest filling with the fresh air last.
Big deep long slow breathes.
When you exhale do it from the bottom of your lungs first. Your stomach contracts first and lastly your chest contracts too pushing out the last of the oxygen depleted air.
I pause a little on the out. I like to pause a bit longer when my lungs are full.
I then like to feel the healthy energy coming into my body and feel it flooding through me. The peace comes in. Nature’s strength comes in and supports me.
Feeling relaxed and grounded. I think I need to do this more often at the moment. Have some spare time? What a wonderful gift to give yourself today.
Nitmiluk, taken on large format film. Processing these digitally is do much easier than in the darkroom. How quickly things change. Processing it on my phone. Wow. Seems so long ago. Before the birth of my son, just. Photograph and text copyright © Len Metcalf 2020