Finding Inspiration In An Unconventional Place
Yesterday, I was confronted with a mis-spent youth
Like most kids growing up, I loved sugar and the root canal treatment I had to get yesterday was coming for a while.
I won’t gore you with the details because I’m sure you’ve been there just as much as I have.
What I would prefer to do instead is share the realisation I had while all my dignity had gone out the window.
There aren’t many other places to turn to in those moments of deep surrender except within. So, as the drills were drilling and the suction pipes were sucking, I closed my eyes and tried to relax my body which was as rigid as concrete.
I teach breathwork for a living and have been doing so for about 5 years. So, I trust my breath with my life, especially when times get tough like they did yesterday.
I also know it’s the back door to the nervous system, the heart, and the brain so in order to relax the breath must be deep and slow.
This allowed me to relax even though my teeth were being yanked from pillar to post and the fluorescent lights were burning a hole in my retinas.
Initially, I lost control. My thoughts were scattered, my body was uncomfortable, and my breath was sharp and shallow. Many times, I even held my breath.
Then I caught myself in the first real break and reassessed my options.
To really relax, I started bringing awareness to all the parts of my body that were tense. I gave each of them my fullest attention and exhaled deeper. When each part of my body was relaxed, I remembered my Vipassana training.
Vipassana translates to seeing reality as it is so even though my teeth were being tugged around I went into the sensations of my experience.
I did this by asking three questions:
Where is the pain located?
Where is the centre of my pain?
What sensations can I feel?
By locating the pain, I became curious. Once I was curious, I tried to find the centre of the pain.
This might sound funny to you (even morbid) but going into the centre of the pain helps it expand and dissipate. With awareness and focused attention, it even softens.
Sensations are funny like that. Extreme cold can feel hot. Hot can feel itchy. Itchiness can feel spiky. And spikiness can feel painful.
The reverse is also true. Pain can feel spiky. Spiky can feel itchy. Itchy can feel hot and hot can feel cold.
As I was beginning to philosophise a little too much for a dentist’s chair, the suction pipes momentarily blocked my throat. Swallowing felt like I’d never done it before, especially with my face filled with numbing cream. All I had was my nose to breathe through and I clung to it with my life.
Then something magical happened, the dentist said, “Okay sir, we’re done.” And that was that.
Sometimes, insights come in the most unexpected ways and in the most unconventional places.
However, as the breath travels everywhere we go from birth until death, it’s a helpful ally that can be relied upon when we need it most.
It’s in these moments where I feel extremely grateful for my training, for without it, I don’t know what I’d do.
P.S. My new book - The Joy of Breathing - shares more anecdotes like these along with lots of breathing exercises that can support you in daily life.
Here is my first official review:
"This book has been a very pleasant surprise. I started reading it quite skeptical, "I know most of what is written in the index, after 30 years of breathing techniques"... Instead I found myself immersed in 55 simple (not easy) dense pages written with passion and competence. It accompanied me with a breath of its own."
If you’re curious, check it out :)