Breath of Life:- Benefits

Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

GENESIS 2:7

The Image is taken from http://ibibleverses.christianpost.com

The Lord God created a man from the dust of the earth and made that lump of earth alive by his breath!!!!! 
What a significant event in the creation of the world and its inhabitants!!!!!

And how much of attention do we pay to this involuntary process that begins with the creator breathing his life into us. 

The creator knew how forgetful his created being was going to be and hence thankfully made this process involuntary. Imagine what would happen if he did not make this process involuntary. 
I have recently been meditating on this Gift of Breath that was so easily bestowed upon us and have realized how this simple process of In-inhalation also called as Inspiration brings rich benefits if focused upon correctly. It can lead to a transformation from a disturbed or dis-ease state of being to a state of well being always, every minute, every second of our life. 

Some well known scientific facts of the process of inspiration (in-halation) and expiration (ex-halation):-
Inspiration begins when we take 'in' air through our nostrils expanding our diaphragm (filling our lungs) as a result our stomach also expands to accommodate the lungs which are filled to its capacity.  
Expiration involves the expanded stomach to now push the lungs to expel the toxins in the form of carbon dioxide thereby contracting the space that was expanded. 

1) Focused or Diaphragmatic breathing leads to gentle massage of the internal organs especially the liver leading to better functionality of these internal organs. 

2) As the lungs are filled to their capacity while breathing, more oxygen is taken in leading to better circulation to various parts of the body especially the heart and brain. This improves clarity of thought and enhances the ability to make decisions. 

3) The gentle massage to the internal organs leads to the pancreas regulating the sugar levels. 

4) Expulsion of the toxins from the body leads to stimulation of the digestive organs, improved metabolism and thereby a surge in energy. 

5) Improves movement due to the availability of the oxygen to help build and repair the muscles and joints mobility.


If this process alone brings to life to all our internal organs then why is it that we are far from experiencing the abundance of life that is intended for us. 

TASTE AND SEE HOW GOOD THE LORD'S PEACE CAN BE..................

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." 

 Its been a long time now since the New year that I have been meditating on what the
 Saviour meant when he spoke about Peace to the faithful gathered around him.

Why was I struggling to get that Peace. After going through a very painful 
experience early this New Year, I have longggggggggggged for that peace. 
Why couldn't I get that peace which he gave so freely.

-That peace which St. Paul says surpasses all understanding.
In other words the peace of Christ which holds its reign on all thoughts 
and keeps everything else captive during all times.

So, I began my journey in search of peace........ started reading the bible even 
more voraciously, meditating on his words even more forcibly and started 
praising and singing his name as loudly I could (thankfully within the 
confinements of my mind).
Often I would reflect on the episode of Jesus calming the sea and wondered
 why he didn't calm the storms which were ravaging in my mind all the time.

Aha and then came the day when he rewarded me......... and rewarded me 
richly indeed that his peace has been filling my heart every day since.


I had been sick for a whole week with an upset stomach. So my husband 
decided to take me to a local mall for a breath of  fresh air only for us to
 be blown over completely (we are still blown over by that experience).
 We walked into this huge mall and made our way to this fascinating store 
which we visit very often...... sometimes we just browse through the stuff and
 deliberate whether we need something and sometimes we pick up something we like.
Everything is sold at a premium price and the board that follows you across 
that fantastic store is 'If you accidentally drop anything, you pay for that damaged
 piece as well.
So,  I make sure that i am tagging along my husband and panicking every time his
 hand stretches to hold any of the delicate glittering glassware or articles in the 
store. I know how powerful the law of gravity(especially in my hands) is and 
 hence have no questions in my mind to prove its existence.
I kept constantly nagging my husband "Please don't pick up". Please keep it back".
We decided we needed soup spoons and so we picked them up. My husband
 had the spoons safely ensconced in his very sturdy hands and was striding 
confidently to the counter to ask the manager to bill them for us. I was 
striding behind him as confidently as I could and would have reached the 
counter within seconds but -
I (Eve) saw this lovely box with cookie cutters inside. I picked up the 
forbidden fruit instead of asking for assistance. My husband (Adam) was
 not interested in what was glistening in my hand. He asked me to  put it 
back and follow him. Since I didn't want to replicate the garden of Eden
 experience. I promptly put the article back on the shelf to happily trot 
behind my husband.
so much for obedience....... so much for it.  I had barely turned to follow 
my husband when lo behold         a thundering crash..... the temptation 
that I had got momentarily enticed with ..... had decided to fall!!!!!!!!!!!
Who was the serpent in this frame if you ask me - IT WAS MY OVERSIZE BAG!!!!!

All of a sudden I felt  the ground beneath my feet tremble (rock and roll!).........
a sea of people gathered around me. I lifted my eyes (shock embedded within) 
and.................
saw (gulp,gulp) the storm on my husband's face.
(Trivia:- Believe me  my husband has never looked as handsome as he did on that day,)
 I could see different colors blending and a dark red tinge spreading all over his face.
          I looked down to see two store helps gathering that miserable piece to
ascertain the damage caused by my (OVERSIZE)Bag (the serpent).
People around me whispering (at such times, the internal audio works very 
efficiently, otherwise I can be quite deaf)- that piece is very expensive!!!!!!!
 they will have to pay for it now!!!!!!.

Inside of me I was crying (sniff) -Where are thou My Lord? I am in the 
eye of the storm.............  My boat is sinking...... (boooooooohooooooooo)

In the midst of this tumultuous situation (inside and outside of me). 
A sudden infilling of ..............Peace, Serenity!!!!!!
The store helps continued with their scrutiny of the piece and could find
only a small chip on the lid of the box with other things being intact.  They
 pointed it out to me and  I reached to take that chipped box in my hand once again,
(My wacky sense of humor surfacing in full blast. My mind was playing with
the idea of setting up a cooking making venture..... Naming the venture:- 
Mel the Cookie-Man,,,,,,, Cookies of different sizes were floating in front of my eyes.......)

Suddenly I heard Him.......Yes i heard him whisper.... What did I hear him say-

                                         "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do
 not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and
do not be afraid.

 I took the chipped piece and asked for the price. I walked to stand next to my
husband, whose face revealed that the Storm in him had not abated (gulp gulp).

At the counter the manager came to bill us for the purchase we had decided 
to make and also looked at the fallen piece carefully...... She was still inspecting
 the piece when my attention was diverted to the right side of the counter. 
Something was glittering there!!!!!!!! I turned to look and saw colored soup spoons!!!!!!
Though I am not a kid but something about color always captures my attention. 
I love color in all forms especially the bright colors - pink, blue, red, orange, etc.
all colors! (Now you know why I found my stormy husband so captivating to
 look at...... that day)

As, I reached out to grab the colored soup spoons, the manager watching my
 delight struck a conversation with me. "These are break -resistant M'am".
 I smiled at her and looked at the ones we had picked up earlier and she smiled
 and said, "Those are not."
My husband who usually deliberates a lot weighing the pros and cons, didn't 
take long to weigh anything this time. (He was burning red hot coals inside
you see!!- what color aha!).
Before I could even turn and look at him with inquiring eyes I heard him say,
 "We will take the break resistant ones even though they look like the ones kids
 eat their cereals with."
So, I decided I wanted all four spoons in different colors. Unfortunately they had
 only three colors in the size we wanted (there was a red soup spoon but it was 
very tiny).

Time for the Bill now......
The manager started marking a bill for the purchase we had made. She examined
the chip on the box (the fallen box) and said that it was a small chip and we need
 not pay for it.

I turned to see my stormy red husband and what do I see!!! His color is changing
 once again from the lovely dark red to his natural shade of brown.
A song starts playing in my head - "Raindrops are falling on my head... plop plop....
(this is incidentally what plays whenever my Shirley and I are having an intense
 discussion on the phone, she will suddenly go on hold and both of us will be hearing-
 Raindrops are falling on my head).

The manager goes on to say that people usually fight and refuse to pay and we were
 very sweetly agreeing to pay for the piece. She thanks us and we thank her back. 
So we walk out of the store with our (colored) break- proof soup spoons and with a 
big glow on my husband's face (color change without any facial).

As we are leaving the mall, my husband (who has now come back to his original
 self) shares with me that he was wondering all the while what we were going to 
do with that chipped box of cookie cutters. I very gleefully start elucidating some 
of the wacky ideas that had surfaced in my mind during the time I should have 
covered myself in fig leaves........

But from that day I have only been able to count my blessings constantly. 
I have not stopped thanking God for my Agape Family who have been with
 me in prayer and spirit whenever I have asked for assistance and even when 
I have not asked for any assistance. I truly believe its only because each of you
 that I am able to be in a state of gratitude today. Thank you each one- Shirley, 
Tecy, Tara, Divina,   Elizabeth, Jeevan,Sylvester, Saveen (anybody part of Agape-
 in case I have missed out anyone) for being a part of my life.

Even my Husband who has extensively traveled and lived all over the earth says 
he has never experienced something as wonderful as this. He said (in his own words)-
"This truly is a Miracle and we have only the Lord to thank for this experience."

P.s:- The next day was Sunday and the Gospel reading was :-

    Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you
as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Healing Meditation:- PSALM 23: The Lord is My Shepherd

                                

I take time to prepare myself for this re-treat..... into myself. I sit in silence..... I keep my eyes open and gently allow......the wheels of my thoughts which are running in all directions to slow down.......all memories that are coming to the surface....... I slowly, very very slowly  take my focus off them......... I turn inward........looking into myself..... I create this time and space for meeting with the Lord.
This time is important for me .....because its MY time with my Lord...... 

If any memory comes or any thought arises during this time of preparation, I gently release my attention from it........... and bring it back to the present.........my breath!

I breathe in and feel the flow of fresh air........into my being..... I follow this breathe which is really the Breathe of life....... .......So, often in my day to day activities I forget that it was the Father God who breathed this life......... into me.
Today, I take this chance to let the breathe flow into all my inward parts........ the parts that were knit by the Father God and made alive with his breath.........

I see him with the eyes of my soul.......... a shepherd..........someone who takes care of me always...... at all times........ 

I tell my mind, my body and my spirit to be one to receive him completely ........in my consciousness.

Slowly as I breathe in, I say - The Lord

and as I breathe out, I say- Is MY shepherd

As I breathe- The Lord......in,  I feel..... as though I am breathing his presence in my life..... and............ as I breathe out I release his presence to people around me....... people in my life...

I breathe in - his stillness............and I breathe out - his stillness........    As I breathe in everything within me is still 

and as I breathe out everything around me is................ also still..... 

I breathe in - his love...........and I breathe out - his love....... His love spreads into this world.....

I breathe in - his compassion..... and I breathe out- his compassion..... his compassion envelopes the world......

I breathe in- his understanding...... and I breathe out- his understanding.... his thoughts are reflected on this earth....

I breathe in- his light.......and I breathe out- his light........ his light dispels all darkness.....

As I continue breathing in.....he infuses me with his radiance and it only increases with each breath......

You Lord are the Jewel of my being......a power house of joy.... happiness and bliss.....

                       The Lord is My Shepherd.............                         the Shepherd of my soul.......