Spirit, Breath, Wind

Spirit, breath, and wind is spiritbreathwind. One. The same.

Spirit is breath. Breath is wind.

Where there is breath, there is wind, there is spirit.

No wind, no breath, no spirit.

No spirit, no breath, no wind.

Inspired, we breathe in wind and spirit and become alive.

Our breath is the wind and spirit in our nostrils, mouth, lungs, blood and cells. We inhale and breathe it in. We exhale and return it to inhale it again.

We know not the birth of spiritbreathwind. We know not where it comes from. We know not where it goes or how long it will be. It is a mystery.

Spiritbreathwind is invisible to our eye. We see, hear and feel its affects: Leaves speak rustled words and dance in the wind that rustles our clothes and hair. It has done so since long before we began walking the earth and will do so long after we're gone. It needs us not and yet on it our lives depend.

Sometimes it howls. Sometimes it's unnoticed it's so still. Other times it's gentle, refreshing and inspires a smile. At still other times it's warm, thick, and sultry too. Not just the wind. Our spirit and breathe too.

When we breathe out our last breath, we breath out our spirit into the wind never to breathe it in again. We expire.

7 Simple Practices for Being Mindful of Spirit:

1. To be mindful is to attend to. Choose to kindly attend to your own and other's spirit. Set your intention: Breathe in; breathe out and say, "I kindly attend to my own and other's spirit." Return to this intention several times during the day.

2. To be spirited is to be alive. Our aliveness can vary from hour to hour and day to day. How spirited, how alive do you feel right now? Be mindful of your spiritedness several times throughout the day.

3. Pay attention to the connection between how you breathe and how spirited you feel. How do you feel after only allowing shallow breaths? How do you feel when you allow full, deep breaths to flow in and out?

4. Spirit means wind. The next time you're outside kindly attend to the wind. Hear it. See its effects in the trees. Feel it on your skin. Smell it. How is the wind today?

5. When you're outside feel the wind flow into your lungs. Feel it withdraw. The wind flows in and fills your lungs; it withdraws and empties your lungs. It breathes and animates you. Let the wind do what it does. Smile to the wind. Love it as it is and let it breathe you. How does this feel?

6. Spirit means breath. Smile and kindly attend to your breath. Breathe in, breathe out. Accept your breath as it is. Let your breath be as it is, however it is. Simply observe it, be aware of it without judging it good or bad, right or wrong. Let your breath be as it is. Love it as it is. Do this for three minutes and see how you feel.

7. When you're with another person, be mindful of his or her breath. Gaze into his or her eyes. Gently smile and listen closely. Breathe in when the other person breathes out and out when the other person breathes in. How does it feel? Breathe in and out when the other person breathes in and out. How does it feel? How are the two ways of attuning to the other's spirit different?

What I believe about spirit

I believe in spirit. Spirit is that which animates, makes alive. I live because of spirit. All that lives lives because of spirit. Spirit is life.

I believe that spirit is of this world rather than an other world. Spirit is as this-worldly as our breath. Spirit is natural rather than supernatural, as natural as the wind.

That I believe in spirit means that I not only believe that spirit exists but I also trust it. I rely on spirit for my life. Spirit is my life.

I believe that everything I encounter is spirited, animated, alive: the sun, moon, planets and stars; the wind, lightning, and clouds; birds and bugs; trees, flowers and shrubs; rivers, streams, and springs; animals on land and in the seas; even Earth herself and her stones. We're all alive.

I value spirit and believe that spirit is worth my close, sustained attention.

I believe that spirits are both alike and different. We are all spirits and yet each one is unique.

I believe that life is richer and healthier for all when we pay close attention to spirit.

I believe that spirit has been and still is neglected and undervalued in Western cultures.

I believe the obstacles to increasing our experience, love, knowledge, wisdom, and mastery of spirit can be overcome.

I believe that overcoming obstacles to spirit and being more mindful of spirit will significantly improve life for everyone.