How To Breathe-A Book By Ashley Neese
“The Forgiveness Breath practice is like graduate school for emotional and relational intelligence. It’s slightly more evolved cousin to the Gratitude Breath (page 75) and is a key building block in our personal and spiritual development.”
How many times have you found yourself saying “I’ll never forgive you or they don’t deserve my forgiveness” I remember saying those same two phrases and trust me when I say, I said them a lot! I struggled with forgiving people and it was hard for me to see that forgiving them wasn’t actually for their benefit but indeed mine. Forgiving ourselves is also a benefit for our own health. Studies have shown that people who hold onto unforgiveness & resentment often have issues with their health, such as elevated heart rate, headaches, digestive problems & unwanted elevated hormone levels. The Forgiveness Breath is just one technique I use to help me focus when I’m having a difficult time with unforgiveness.
Lying down, Five Minutes
- Find a comfortable position lying down.
- Set your intention.
- Breathe in and out through the nose for a minute to settle in.
- When ready, take a long, gentle breath in through the nose.
- On the exhale, say out loud one thing you forgive yourself for. (or who you forgive)
- Repeat this practice for several minutes until you feel finished.
- Rest for a minute.
- Close your practice.
- Journal.
To learn more about forgiveness visit our Wellness Center virtually or in person.
Lisa Bartels
Peer Recovery Specialist/Administrative Assistant