Apnea / Breathing Techniques

In case you haven't figured this out already, I love poetry. However, I was just invited to a poetry reading with just most of my  peer acquaintances and kinda feel like throwing up.

I participated in a poetry reading once and it felt like standing up naked in front of a bunch of strangers; not that I'd actually know what that's like, but the only thing more terrifying I can imagine is doing the same thing but in front of a large group of acquaintances.

Writing is like breathing, but it's hard to breathe naturally under long-term anxiety. When I was a kid I'd sometimes have a hard time breathing. Literally. I saw a speech therapist as a child because inconsistent, shallow breaths fragmented, sentences and even words at. Times. It was caused by anxiety, and the therapist taught me breathing techniques and exercises. Time and time again speech therapists, counsellors, music teachers and cross country coaches taught and retaught me breathing techniques.

Now whether it is for diving or flute or moments like these where maybe it's been a really rough week but I really want to just get over it with a positive attitude, I have to remember the same thing in order to move forward: breathe.

Apnea / Breathing techniques

Some people prefer to read

But for some to write is to breathe,

Some here have a beautiful voices when they comment and speak.

But I will speak here and my voice will shake

And consider every nuance a mistake,

Keep my eyes open tonight and take away sleep,

Be my apnea and tomorrow leave me weak,

    From breathing like a freediver going 50-feet deep

Because I can't breathe

But then I remember breathing techniques

From speaking school, therapy.

Learning to play winds musically,

And running to find eternity.

As we are running so we have to breathe

Laboured although it may be

In this this world it can feel we can’t breathe,

But we have book with breathing techniques.

(And I’ll bet you know the book I mean)

But how do we run there if we feel like we can't even breathe?

We have brothers who face this, though hard to see.

Brothers and sisters like you and me,

Strangled by trials, illness, anxiety.

Moses and Jonah felt how we feel,

Breathe to run to the tower for the life that is real.

Still standing here now it's hard to breathe,

But many here most likely know what I mean.

But with some practice freediving isn't all bad,

Open eyes catch light

Under surf rolling rad,

The colours, life, art with mind's eye to see

So while you're here remember to marvel at the deep.

With any pressure in your ears even if you feel like a plain blue,

Remember even Dory made something special of "I spy something blue."

So make the most of this good gift we could never earn,

But make mindful practice with other breathing techniques to learn.

Take a mindful breath,

Try not to overthink,

Enough to rise again

And flow you won’t sink.

Let's marvel at the diversity, all the exotic fish,

(But not quite like Jonah's, or one on a dish)

Do accept this gift happily

And even with apnea, flow swimmingly.

Well the poem is here now. Guess this mean's I'm going.