**Hello Kind Mindful Steemians!**

NOW, I attend to my best friend, **BREATH**, to Get Out And Stay Out Of An Emotional Hole. Yes😊, that is my answer to  [**ecoTrain Question Of The Week: How Do You Get Out And Stay Out Of An Emotional Hole?**](https://steemit.com/ecotrain/@ecotrain/ecotrain-question-of-the-week-how-do-you-get-out-and-stay-out-of-an-emotional-hole). Breath - amazing thing, isn’t it? The first thing we do as we are born and the last thing we do at the end of our life. And amazingly, breath can tell us about the state of our body and mind; and working with breath can modulate both physiological functions and psychological affects. But I must emphasize that I have come to know this friend (Breath) just few years ago despite it being constant companion sleep or awake. I had been overlooking this wonderful friend, breath, for many years but now breath is one of my best friend. 
![image.png](https://files.steempeak.com/file/steempeak/bewithbreath/sTUxReJv-image.png) 

So, YES, I **NOW** attend to breath during ups and downs of the life. However, I stumbled upon or learnt (if we can call that) many different techniques or solutions (?) over the years. 

**Friends and movies during teenage years**
Recalling my memories, I remember going out friends or  talking to friends used to be quite effective way during my teenage years. Or going out for movies. While going out with friends or watching movies were always nice, they particularly played significant role when we were feeling down and also when we had great news. I have been very lucky to have so many great friends in my life who have shaped my life in some way or the other. So, I pay my gratitude to all my friends - "You have enriched my life in such a way that I have no words.....THANK YOU."

**Drinking and smoking in 20s**
Then during Uni years, although friends and movies were still a way out of the emotional black hole, **alcohol, cigarettes etc." played dominant role. May be social influence and social learning or may be I was just exploring stuff as you do in your twenties. Or may be I'm just trying to boost my dopamine level to feel good. Again, drinking and smoking (mostly with friends) was part of both emotional dimension - we drank and smoke when we had smiley face and also when we had sad moments. Or may be drinking was just norm but it seem to take me out of emotional black hole or at least so I thought. 

**Trialling in 30s**
So, I'm a bit grown up man now ain't I? Have to bit of soul searching, reflection and all that. So, I had been reading lots of Osho's book. And his technique of thought watching was quite helpful particularly at the times of sadness, anger, jealousy, hurt and all those nasty things. To broaden my horizon I also read Tony Robin's *‘Awaken the giant within’*, Stephen Covey's *‘7 Habits of highly effective people’* and so on. Many of their guidance was significantly helpful. Particularly Tony Robins *[Hour of Power]*(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1rIcFV9Gws) (involves breathworks and some NLP) was significantly helpful. 

**And “NOW”**
Having practiced meditation (mainly Vipasanna but also some others) for a decade I NOW attend to breath when unpleasant emotion arises reminding myself that *'everything that arises within mind and body will pass away'* ~ Buddha.  As many of us know and science tell us too that our breath has direct connection to our emotions, be that anger, hatred, hurt, fear or excitement and so on. And there are many scientific evidence (but as Eckhart Tolle says *‘Don't quote the evidence Be the evidence’*) linking breath with emotion as well as many physical and mental health. 

And I have come to know that when you watch your breath SO **attentively** being aware of it's arising and passing away (or inhalation and exhalation) you come into the NOW. And in the NOW there is no space for what has happened and what is to come - **YOU ARE HERE IN THE NOW**. Space and energy for negative emotions suddenly disappears when you are ONE with breath. But yes, sometimes the emotion can be so overwhelming that it can be very hard to notice breath. If the storm is strong then I tend to do alternate nostrils breathing for 10-15 minutes and then focus on natural breath and observe it as it goes in and as it comes out. And if it's hurricane then I practice "AUM" chanting first then move to alternate breathing and then move to focus on natural breathing.....and wallah...you are suddenly in the amazing joyful place! No wonder then, I have my #steemit ID as @bewtihbreath.

And, Yes, [**Loneliness can be a Myth when “Breath” is your best friend!**](https://steemit.com/meditation/@bewithbreath/loneliness-can-be-a-myth-when-breath-is-your-best-friend) - as I mentioned in my previous post. And to make breath our best friend please join us at our SGM (Steemit Group Meditation) in [Meditation Hall](https://discord.gg/AfQSqMb) at **Wednesdays 8:30pm and Saturdays 6pm (both London Time)**. Look forward to meditating together and befriend the breath. 


![FDB0FA941A40402CA5733C6D760DD9A4.jpeg](https://files.steempeak.com/file/steempeak/bewithbreath/HFpzOao3-FDB0FA94-1A40-402C-A573-3C6D760DD9A4.jpeg)![B11DCCF1093F44D7B12EC8AD439B5882.jpeg](https://files.steempeak.com/file/steempeak/bewithbreath/x38rWg0E-B11DCCF1-093F-44D7-B12E-C8AD439B5882.jpeg)![13458A1C5087420789DF92DB9968485F.gif](https://files.steempeak.com/file/steempeak/bewithbreath/NPum5w7C-13458A1C-5087-4207-89DF-92DB9968485F.gif)

https://files.steempeak.com/file/steempeak/naturalmedicine/Pnq9Bi00-MindfulLife.gif

**With Peace Love & Joy** 🕉❤️😊
*Let’s grow together in wisdom through #meditation* 🧘🏼‍♂️🧘🏼‍♀️