Respiration

By Jill Craig

Fall 2008
Edited by Jill Craig

I've recently started meditating. The overarching goal of meditation, in all of its forms, is to reach a peaceful physical and mental state. Most of this is done through focus, relaxation, and, most importantly, deep breathing. We breathe in and out thousands of times each day, but when I was instructed to stop, step away from the despairing rut that my life had become, and pay attention to the air entering and leaving my body, I was lost. Indeed, the journey from today's rapidly shifting political, environmental, and economic landscape towards a more quiet and stable setting is a long and arduous one. Every time I begin to travel towards my meditative headspace, I take a deep breath in and realize my mantra: I can change. As I exhale, I offer the other side of that mantra to the world around me: You can change. I repeat this process - the move towards quiet, the breathing, the mantras - over and over each day. Little by little I've learned to step away from everyday worries and remember that the future, while it may be hiding out of sight, just around the bend, still waits for me on the road ahead. The writings featured in this issue of SWELL offer insight into the process of change, the power of transformation, and the potential of growth. I hope they give you the perspective and enlightenment that they gave me.