One of the first steps to developing the fertile soil in which we can plant seeds (in the form of tools) that help us self-regulate is getting to know one of the most mysterious and ever-present aspects of our beings: THE BREATH. Getting in touch with and exploring our breath begins to build an awareness of our internal worlds. The breath, as I have written in previous posts, is the connection between the mind and body and anchors us in time and space. As humans, we all experience the array of emotions from elation and cool to extreme sadness and anger. However, to begin to recognize these emotions before they explode into regrettable reactions, we must build a connection with our breath – we can then begin to cultivate metacognition. Metacognition is an awareness of the state of our mind, which encompasses our thoughts and our feelings among many other aspects of our minds that are in constant flux – it is an awareness of our internal world and its moment-to-moment fluctuations.

Our first exercise is called “What is the breath?”. Because it is developed for all ages, you may find it helpful to personalize the exercise to one that matches you (based on age, music, etc) and create one for yourself! Becuase of the tone I use (on purpose), this exercise is great for young students! Adults will benefit from it as well!