Breath to Brain, How to Never Fail, and Putting Others at Ease
Published April 13, 2026
Reading Time: 1 min 33 sec
I hope the next 29-ish breaths are the most nourishing of your day.
4 THOUGHTS
1. How Breathing Influences Your Brain
“We, therefore, propose that an individual’s respiratory rhythm serves a fundamental, intrinsic role that modulates the topography and dynamics of the whole brain.”
A new video explainer is up on another great study on how our breathing affects our brains. Check it out below:
Watch the breath-to-brain explainer here.
2. Obsession, Depression, and Optimal Performance
“Remember, depression is obsession with the past, anxiety is obsession about the future, and optimal performance is obsession about the present.”
— Brian Cain, The 10 Pillars of Mental Performance Mastery
Of course, this isn’t meant in the clinical sense. But the concept is powerful and applies perfectly to our contemplative practices.
3. Helping Everyone Else Relax Too
“Pressure is contagious, but so is good will. Just one person slowing down, one person not putting others under pressure, helps everyone else to relax too.”
— Eknath Easwaran, Take Your Time
I’ve shared this one more times than I can remember, but it’s always a welcome reminder: our practice can directly help others by putting them at ease through our patience and presence.
4. How to Never Fail
“On the other hand, you cannot fail to be where you already are. So you cannot ‘fail’ in your meditation practice if you are willing to be with things as they are.”
— Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., Full Catastrophe Living
A perfect reminder that we can’t really “fail” in meditation. And I think it applies more broadly to life in general: when we’re willing to be with things as they are, there’s no failure.
1 QUOTE
“Loving-kindness meditation supports clear seeing by strengthening the intention to be accepting and compassionate—it does not paper over our real feelings of the moment with false positive sentiments.”
— Ronald Siegel, PsyD
1 GOOD BOOK
The Mindfulness Solution: Everyday Practices for Everyday Problems
Siegel writes clearly and with clinical warmth about using mindfulness for everyday psychological suffering. My favorite topics from the book were the pain feedback loop, the suffering equation, and his writing on loving-kindness. Definitely worth the read.
Get the Book HereIn good breath,
Nick Heath, T1D, PhD
“Breathing is the compound interest of health & wellness.”
P.S. Very relatable
← Previous Edition
3 Lessons, 5 Regrets, and My Favorite Breathing Exercise of All
Next Edition →
Humming Benefits, Safe in the Storm, and the Only Practice that Matters
The Anxious Person’s Breath Manual
Want a complete research-based breathing system for anxiety? The Anxious Person’s Breath Manual synthesizes 454 studies into one practical guide.
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