Breathing Presence, Breathing Life

I’d like to revisit one of the most important foundations of this journey.

We’ve all heard the invitation to take the conscious breath – often and deeply. During the first 15 years or so of Crimson Circle, Norma Delaney – the ‘Doctor of Breath’ – guided the breathing during countless events, workshops, Shouds, and in her own practice. When she stepped back, Linda took up the role, gently breathing with Shaumbra to keep this essential thread alive. But conscious breath is literally the key to everything, far beyond events with Adamus and friends.

I wrote a story about this many years ago (here), and I’d like to share a condensed version now:

I’ve never forgotten that moment. Because now, more than ever, the world needs steady breathers – those who choose presence over panic, and softness over fear.

So, back to here and now. Why focus on the breath? Aren’t we breathing simply by virtue of being a human on the planet? Yes. And often… no.

Let’s play with this for a moment. 

As babies, we instinctively knew how to breathe, but then life happened and most of us, me included, started feeling less than safe. The body tenses up when it feels anxious or insecure, so our breathing became shallower, tighter, guarded. We got used to breathing deep enough to stay alive, but shallow enough to dull the ache. 

I once spent time with a woman suffering from advanced cancer. She was in pain and hoping for a miracle. Sitting next to her I said, “Let’s take a deep breath.” She gulped some air, raising her shoulders and pulling in her abdomen. That’s what “deep breath” meant to her – the human reflex to withdraw, suck it in, contract – and it’s very common. Like the pitcher’s windup, the sprinter’s taut muscles, or the gasp before a fall, it’s the body’s unconscious readiness for defense.

Imagine if we could interrupt that age-old vigilance and open up to the breath of comfort, coherence, integration – to life itself? Would it be worth the bother? From deep personal experience, my answer is a resounding “Yes!” because the wondrous breath of life is the key to everything. 

It’s not about fixing because nothing is broken, and it’s not about studying some new technique or method. Rather it’s about relaxing and opening to profound trust, because deep breathing awakens things you haven’t felt in a while. At first, uncomfortable sensations might arise — forgotten memories, old emotions, unnamable fears – things that got buried because they were hard to feel. But allowing ourselves to feel these things also opens the door to the good stuff like joy, curiosity, love, and aliveness, because a good deep breath is simply the breath of life. 

✨AI Generated

Let’s try something. 

It’s common to expect that a deep breath requires your chest to expand and your shoulders to lift to make room for the air. But consider this: The diaphragm draws the breath in, and it’s designed to move downward into the abdominal cavity, thereby making space for the lungs to fill. But to do this effectively, the belly has to relax, open, expand – and that’s not always a welcome feeling. 

Let’s try it again – gently, effortlessly, no need to control anything.

The mind’s distractions will start popping up right away – things to do, questions, doubts and debates. This happens for a couple of reasons. First, breathing is just too simple to satisfy the mind. I could give you more details like how to count your breaths, whether to breathe through your nose or mouth, or anything else to keep your mind busy. But that’s not the point. It’s not about technique. Second, the abdominal area holds a lot of “stuff” we’ve tucked away, and deep belly breathing is like lifting the covers and poking at the forgotten goblins hiding there. The mind’s defenses are well-practiced, but underneath, deep within the conscious breath, is where our treasures lie.

It takes courage to deeply breathe life into a body where “death” has lain for eons – the death of hope, trust, safety – because part of being human is loss. It’s much easier to breathe shallow and safe and ready to run. Yet, like most things that change our lives, the simplicity of the breath is the most direct and practical path to where we really want to be – in safety, integration, sovereignty, and – especially now – in presence. Because, as we know, feeling our feelings is the only way they balance and resolve. And breathing deeply bypasses all the detours. 

Breathing gets you INTO your body, which is not always a comfortable place to be. But I promise you, that discomfort will fade as you truly make the body your home, deeply inhabiting your biology instead of withdrawing from it and all the scary stuff of life. Being in your body is also like being at home when new potentials come knocking at your door – abundance, health, opportunities, ideas – everything. You’ve got to be home to answer the door and let them in. How to be home? When you breathe, simply let your belly expand instead of your chest. 

If that’s still a challenge, think about it like this. The lungs must enlarge to accommodate the lifegiving air you’re bringing in. If the diaphragm expands downward, there is plenty of room. But if your body is holding tight and the belly can’t soften, then the chest must try to make room, compressing the heart and raising the shoulders. Meaning things get more crowded and tense inside the deeper you try to breathe (another reason it might not feel good). So, let’s do it again. 

✨AI Generated

This kind of deep-breathing presence is the foundation of sentience, awareness, and true embodiment. It takes you out of the mind and into your core. It calms the thoughts and nurtures the Self. Yes, it awakens stuff that might be hiding in the recesses – old fears, shames, doubts and questions – but in the light of presence they transform until only the wisdom remains.

So, hands on your tummy, shoulders relaxed…

If you’re still not convinced that deep, conscious breathing is important, Ask Merlin about it. Go to Ask Merlin and type in something like “Why is breathing so important?” The answer will come, specifically for you… breathe it in.

Above all, let the breath be your companion — your anchor in chaos, your friend in stillness, your song in the silence.

With every inhale, life returns. 

With every exhale, you come home – to your Self.