Ep. 2: Learning to Listen to Your Breath

Dr. Ward invites us to study our breath as we encounter the news, noticing how it changes based on the story. By paying kind attention to our respiratory system, we can learn how to calm our breathing in the very moment that we experience a shift. With time and practice, we can learn to let go of stories that harm us.

Go deeper:
In a notebook, write down a few lines that describe the characteristics of your breath as you consume the news. Was the breath long or short?...fast or slow?...excited or flat?...hot or cold?...violent or peaceful? Use this journaling exercise as a way to begin recognizing and naming the different types of breath so that over time you intuitively know when it is time to change the channel.

Notes:

• Titration: Consciously controlling what you receive and consume. To make sure you do not take in more than you can handle. This is a common reference in chemistry and regulating practice in psychology.
• The news stories mentioned in this episode took place during January 2023. The teachings and underlying principles behind the stories are universal.