#Conscious Breathing

Finding Life in the Pause Between Breaths

After creating a sliver of space, the next step is what that space allows: a different kind of action. The pause is where impulse loses its monopoly. A sharp remark can be withheld, panic can soften, compassion can re-enter the frame—not because circumstances changed, but because the person did. This is why the “rest” can be the most important thing: it is the hinge between stimulus and response. Viktor Frankl later framed a similar idea in *Man’s Search for Meaning* (1946), describing a space in which one can choose one’s attitude. Hillesum’s breath-pause is a daily, bodily way of entering that space. [...]

Cultivating Calm: Conscious Breathing Amid Emotional Turbulence

Given the fast-paced, unpredictable nature of modern life, cultivating an anchor becomes all the more essential. Practicing conscious breathing during moments of emotional upheaval—like before a difficult conversation or after an unexpected event—equips us with resilience. As we learn to witness feelings come and go like clouds, anchored by calm, intentional breathing, we foster a sense of stability that endures regardless of our external circumstances. [...]