REVERENCE WITHIN: FINDING REVERENCE IN THE BREATH
Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor. -Brooke
The Reverence is the third stage of my course, Awaken by the Ritual, and it is the one that is the most difficult to articulate and convey because to have reverence for oneself is an experience.
Once we begin to understand that we are whole, that all of ourselves is perfect: that there is beauty in our light and in our shadows, we can begin to seek gratitude for what is, for who we are.
Reverence is about gratitude and respect for ourselves and we get to this state by becoming present. And how does one become present? Through Daily Practice; by connecting to the breath.
Daily Practice or meditation is when the mind becomes totally clean and receptive, and Infinity talks to you. Meditating on the breath gives you a sense of the beauty of life and the beauty of your own self.
Daily distractions, tasks, commitments, appointments, meetings… these are all things in our lives that push us away from ourselves. On the other hand, the breath is what allows you to turn inward. When we practice pranayama, breath work, our mind becomes clear and strong. It gives you the power to do things, to live life, to accomplish tasks, be straight-forward, be truthful; it reminds you of your value. It establishes a strong mental foundation and you begin to see yourself as a divine, beautiful, infinite Soul.
In meditation the world begins to fall away and when we pause and focus on the breath entering the nose, travelling down to the lungs, in the moment where you feel the abdomen expand, rise and fall, we actually experience Reverence. It is through the body, observing the breath travelling within us that we begin to understand Infinity; the totality of the sacred, of the Divine that is us. In that moment of stillness, we are allowed a moment in our busy lives to see and experience how incredibly vast we are. Through observing our breath, we are following the prana - the life force.
We all have loved ones no longer with us, and in recognizing that, we are reminded how precious our breath is. You earned this life though Universal blessing and you have earned this human body, which is worshipped by many. And through this body you can understand Infinity, and with reverence, self-practice, gratitude, and understanding, you can see the totality of the Divine. You find you. Your breath is life and in your breath, is where you find reverence.
In the breath, have acknowledgement, bless yourself.
So, what is self reverence? It is simply having respect for yourself, valuing oneself - in order to value oneself, we have to treat ourselves as something valuable. Reverence is essential if we want to be an independent individual and have strong self worth. This is why a whole section of Awaken by The Ritual is dedicated to Reverence and helping you to cultivate it through daily practice, the practice of welcoming yourself in the present moment.
We are about to embark on a new 40-day journey in my online course, Awaken by the Ritual with new meditations to dive into. These are beginner friendly and suited for experienced meditators as well. I invite you to join us, to learn to connect to yourself, to learn to connect to your breath and begin to cultivate and recognize the Reverence within you.