Attention and breathing will let you grow.

A few weeks ago we did a breathing exercise: "Breathe in deeply and be aware of that breath, hold that breath a little while. Feel the tension of this feeling of fullness inside your body and the weight on your shoulders, feel the space that you are trying to take. Exhale completely and keep there as well a brief halt. Feel the emptiness and the burden which slipped off from your shoulders. The space that this gives you ... "

Growing do you do primarily through attention and breathing for yourself and not by outward appearance and show off what you 'have'. Lessons are needed to learn from, so you can grow internally.

If you think about it and stop for a moment, these lessons are handed to every human being, often automatically. And to get to that tranquility/peace and this consciousness, again, breathing a fantastic handhold.

An example?

• If you breathe (inhale) between 4-6 times per minute you are at rest (in control).
• Is your breathing between 7 to 15 times per minute than you still are 'in control' but starting to be 'stressed'. 
• At 16 to 20 times per minute you are out of balance / controlle and stressed. 
• At more than 20 times per minute breathing you're completely out of control '

So back to the lessons in order to grow.
While thinking, I got a little help from a text I received from a good friend from Kerkrade (the Netherlands).

You might get absolutely nothing of what you like or want but you will get everything you need to learn and grow. To point this out; Wisdom you will get, for example by solving problems that come your way. Courage and strength to overcome obstacles. Love by people on your path with issues/questions which you can help them with. Favours by chances and opportuneties you'll get to see and undertake them.
And now that I'm talking about breathing and lessons in order to grow ... Last monday, I heard (and published) a beautiful statement:

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,

but by the moments that take our breath away."

I never used to get into this. That really is a 'woolen socks' (Hippie) thing? Everything else was more important. Meanwhile I also changed my mind and especially my feelings about it!

Frans Captijn
Host / Catalyst / Talenteer at Captijn Insight

Captijn Insight: “Catalyst in your process to new sustainable flow. Whether you are an individual, couple, team or an organization.” 

www.captijninsight.com

captijninsight@gmail.com

If you really look you’ll see and enjoy more.

I was inspired by one of my former teachers, Michiel Kuijpers, for the blog this week. He put some beautiful pictures on Facebook, including one from the all burgeoning of spring while "jogging" in the Amsterdam forest.

Our latest program theme was "mindfulness and awareness, and also there you look and enjoy more.

 The Buddha taught:

• When you see, just see, 
• When you hear, just hear, 
• When you smell, just smell,
•  When you taste, just taste, 
• When you touch, just touch,
•  When you know, just know.

That may sound very noble in the western world. And yet ...

What is meant is that you are aware of seeing as you look and your attention is not distracted by other things. In short, take the time to look. Or take the time to be aware of just listening.

When was the last time you were on your back just to look at the clouds? Maybe your youth will even  come back into your memory. With conscious looking you will see more, you also wake up your creativity. What was it you saw in those beautiful clouds?

Even with jogging you often run pass. Michiel stopped for a moment to take a picture of the scene. Photography isn’t such a bad hobby (or profession)  just like paint or drawing, for example. You put focus on things, take different views, see more of the image and make it more complete. You re-discover. Provide a visual of something what already was there long before, but you never took the time to see and enjoy.

If you run towards your goal you can’t enjoy enough of what your journey towards it,has to bring you, and sometimes, even before you reach that goal you are often already working on the next milestone and are you hardly (conscious) happy where you finally have (or were already back) arrived.

For years I’ve done that myself. Our time here in Thailand is a big eye-opener in which we are able to share our experiences with others.

Wishing you this year that you will have more time to lreally ook. Sure you will enjoy more by seeing even more. 

Frans Captijn
Host / Catalyst / Talenteer at Captijn Insight

Captijn Insight: “Catalyst in your process to new sustainable flow. Whether you are an individual, couple, team or an organization.” 

www.captijninsight.com

captijninsight@gmail.com