10 Zen Seconds, Breathe It Out, and the Power of Recreation

1. Breathe It Out: A Simple and Effective Technique

“It is so important to Breathe It Out. This is the one exercise that I ask all my clients to rely on as an in-the-moment go-to strategy…Here it is in its simplicity: Breathe through your nose, breathe slower (which means less), exhale fully, and loosen your shoulders. Do it for a minute, or even ten seconds—it will help.”

- Dr. Dana Sinclair, Dialed In

That’s about as simple as it gets for quick results. As Dr. Sinclair also says, “One cycle of this breathing can be enough to settle you…It literally only takes seconds.” Give it a try and see how you feel 👏

2. Ten Zen Seconds

The ending of the above passage reminded me of the book Ten Zen Seconds, and this excellent (and similar) passage from it:

“When you consciously decide to breathe more slowly and deeply, you alert your body to the fact that you want it to behave differently. You are not just changing your breathing pattern, you are making a full-body announcement that you are entering into a different relationship with your mind and your body.”

- Eric Maisel, Ten Zen Seconds

3. How Meditation Gives You More Energy

“A swami in India was once asked by a student about the phenomenal level of his energy. ‘You hardly sleep,’ she said. ‘Where does this boundless flow of energy come from?’

‘Just imagine,’ he replied, ‘how much energy you would have if you didn’t worry, or complain, or judge, or defend, or resist!’”

- Natural Meditation

Ha! That’s a great parable for how meditation energizes us. Even if we only slightly reduced how much time we spend on worrying, resisting, and complaining, think of how much energy we’d gain.

4. The Power of Recreation

I heard someone say that instead of pronouncing it “rec-re-a-tion,” we might think of it as “re-creation.” While technically different words, it’s a great metaphor. Every time we do something just for fun, we’re “re-creating” ourselves—restoring and renewing who we are. A perfect reminder that play and leisure are essential in living mindfully 🙏

"It is a very enjoyable thing to be oneself, to stop acting. Only after considerable progress in meditation do we discover what consummate actors we are."

— — Eknath Easwaran

52 Ways to Walk by Annabel Streets

I loved this book. It’s a perfect blend of science and practical wisdom on all aspects of walking. Several chapters even discuss the benefits of controlled, nasal breathing while out on a stroll. It’s definitely an excellent read if you enjoy a good walk.

In good breath,

Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”

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P.S. advanced meditation technique

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