An anchor grounds a ship through the surge of a storm.
An anchor keeps a vessel from drifting in the ebb and flow of a current.
An anchor enables a crew to rest in the midst of a journey.
There are many kinds of anchors – the stockless anchor, the norhill anchor, the grapnel anchor, the herreshoff anchor. But perhaps the most important anchor is the anchor of our breath.
We breathe about 20,000 times a day, each breath keeping us alive. But each breath can also become our emotional anchor if we notice the miracle unfolding each time we inhale and exhale.
As Thích Nhất Hanh observes, “Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, [and] unites your body to your mind.”
When life feels overwhelming, doubt knocks on your door, grief grabs hold of your heart, stop and drop the anchor of one, long, slow breath. It’s how we can ground ourselves, keep from drifting, and find a moment to rest in the midst of our journey.
———
If you have been forwarded this email and would like to join a community of people pondering how to feel better in their lives you can subscribe and receive a daily email here.
On Emotions 