Episode 22: The Importance of Breathing

Michelle begins by asking Ron why they are talking about breathing in conjunction with the story in your head.

• Ron initially says he thinks of breathing as just that, breathing. You don’t notice it unless prompted by somebody asking you to notice it.
• Michelle then asks if Ron ever notices his breathing in other situations, such as during exercise or before going on stage to give a presentation.
• Ron describes how he has noticed his breathing in each of those situations. He thinks back to a visit with Monty Roberts and where they learned about the power and importance of breathing, and how it can affect our performance.

Ron then asks Michelle what she took away from that meeting and what she learned about how her breathing can affect other people.

• Michelle details a story of how, when helping her elderly neighbors, one of whom had fallen, she purposefully slowed her breathing which then helped them become more relaxed as well.
• After seeing the impact it had in that situation, she says how much she started to notice her breathing in other situations as well.

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Ron thinks back to when he was working with groups in the past, and there is a large amount of tension in the room, he always looks for a space to use humor to break the tension.

• Ron explains how this little break of humor allows everyone to reset, re-center, and feel a little bit calmer.
• Ron then ponders whether breathing creates calmness, or if calmness creates breathing, or do they always run together?
• Ron says how it is occurring to him as an ethic to monitor one’s own breathing.

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This reminds Michelle of how in tense work situations she would always say, “I’ll let you know when to panic,” but of course that moment never comes.

• She continues, pointing out that in the situation with her elderly neighbors, she didn’t need to do that. Changing her breathing was enough.

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Ron reflects back to his conversation with Monty, and how initially he was very tense, but that dissipated very quickly.

• He realized after the fact that Monty was creating that space of calmness for him, and helped him feel at ease. He then thinks about his own stand and whether it is part of it to be in control of his own breathing, be intentional with his own breathing, and to notice where other people are so he can shape his own breathing to help intentionally create spaces.
• Michelle reflects back to her conversation with Monty, and what he did to help her feel calm in a tense situation.

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Ron then describes why and how he creates breathing as a story, and just how important it is to create the story of breathing for ourselves and for others around us.

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Michelle reflects on how a large part of her yoga classes are focused around breathing.

• After discussions with her husband, she realizes that breathing is a tool that you will always have with you, regardless of where you go, or what else you’ve forgotten to bring along.

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Ron questions Michelle whether breathing is a “line,” and whether they can toss a “line” just by breathing.

• Michelle says that it is, and says it is a discovery and a new creation for her.
• Ron agrees and then describes his stand on breathing.
• Michelle says she agrees with Ron’s stand, and then adds her own piece on how to implement it.

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Ron then wraps up by asking if anyone listening has anything they have noticed about breathing to get in contact with them via email.

• Ron@macklinconnection.com  
• Michelle@macklinconnection.com