A Love Letter to the Body: The Web of Intelligence That Breathes Us

Dearest Body,

You are not an object. Not a machine. Not a collection of separate parts.

You are a living, breathing ecosystem. A vast, self-organizing symphony of intelligence. A bridge between the infinite and the tangible, a vessel through which spirit meets earth, where breath meets bone, where pulse meets presence.

You are not something I have.

You are something I am.

And yet, how often do I forget to bow at your altar? How often do I mistake you for an enemy, a project, a thing to fix? When all along, you have been here, weaving my experience with breathtaking precision, pulsing with the quiet hum of knowing.

Let me return to you now. Let me remember.

Your Skin: The Permeable Threshold

Skin, You are the riverbank where self meets world. A woven membrane, neither fortress nor weakness, but a threshold—alive, listening, speaking in shivers, in warmth, in the electric spark of touch. You do not separate me from life; you translate it, drinking in sunlight, whispering wind’s caress, mapping the textures of belonging. You are the book of my existence, every scar and freckle a story, every wrinkle a poem of time’s embrace.

Your Fascia: The Web of Wholeness

Fascia, You are the unseen fabric that holds me together, spiraling through me in liquid light. You do not pull or push—you communicate. A vast network of whispering threads, weaving sensation into structure, movement into meaning. You feel before I think. You listen before I speak. You are the deep intelligence beneath my awareness, responding to the subtlest of shifts, adapting in real-time. You do not just connect me; you remind me that I was never separate to begin with.

Your Bones: The Resonant Pillars of Being

Bones, Beneath the flesh, you hum with an ancient wisdom. You are not rigid, not lifeless—you are a tuning fork, vibrating with the deep song of the earth. Within you, the marrow of life renews itself, weaving the blood that carries my existence forward. You are structure and fluidity entwined, spirals within spirals, the shape of strength that is not resistance, but resonance

Your Muscles: The Currents of Motion

Muscles, You are the tide that moves me, the silent force that turns thought into action, desire into reach, instinct into embrace. You do not simply contract and release—you respond, shaping yourself around my patterns, my habits, my emotions stored in layers of tension and surrender. You are not just strength; you are the language of movement itself, the ever-adapting river of my becoming.

Your Nervous System: The Lightning Thread of Awareness

Nervous System, You are mycelial in nature—branching, sensing, transmitting, shaping my reality in waves of electricity. Every thought, every feeling, every subconscious whisper is carried through your web, translating the world into experience, sensation into meaning. You are not just the sum of my past—you are the doorway to my future, capable of rewiring, rewilding, reclaiming new pathways of being.

Your Circulatory System: The River of Life’s Pulse

Oh, heart, relentless in your devotion. You beat not just to keep me alive but to remind me—I am here. I am here. I am here. Blood moves through me in spirals, Fibonacci currents mapping the rhythm of creation itself. A thousand branching rivers, delivering oxygen, nutrients, energy, carrying the pulse of breath through every cell. Movement is life. Circulation is vitality. Stagnation is an illusion—everything within me is always in motion.

Your Breath and Respiratory System: The Bridge Between Seen and Unseen

Breath, You are the first thing I ever did. The last thing I ever will. And every moment in between, you remind me that life is not something to hold onto—it is something to be received and released, again and again. You are the quiet tide that never ceases, the invisible thread tethering me to all that breathes. Inhale—I take in the world. Exhale—I offer myself back. You are the pulse of presence, the rhythm of belonging.

Your Digestive System: The Alchemy of Nourishment

Digestive System, You take in the world and turn it into me. This is no small thing. You are the alchemist, the wise discernment of what serves and what must be released. You do not just metabolize food—you metabolize life. Experiences, emotions, unspoken truths—they all pass through you, waiting to be digested, integrated, transmuted. You remind me that healing is not just about what I take in, but what I let go of.

Your Endocrine System: The Subtle Orchestrator of Balance

Endocrine System, You are the keeper of cycles, the unseen hand adjusting my inner tides, regulating, harmonizing, sending forth the chemistry of wakefulness, of rest, of longing, of love. You do not demand balance—you remind me that balance is a dance, a rhythm, a constant conversation between what is needed and what is unfolding.

Your Lymphatic System: The River of Cleansing

Lymphatic System, You move without force, without pressure, without demand. You clear, you cleanse, you make space for renewal. Healing is not about adding—it is about allowing, about trusting that flow itself is medicine. You whisper: Let it go. Let it move through. You are not meant to hold everything.

Your Reproductive System: The Wellspring of Creation

Whether or not I create life through you, you are creation itself. You are the deep pulse of generative energy, the sacred space of renewal, the intelligence of cycles. You remind me that my body is not just a place where life happens—it is where life is made. Whether in the form of birth, of art, of movement, of love, you are the expression of creation unfolding through me.

Your Urinary System: The Art of Release

Urinary System, Through you, I learn the rhythm of surrender. I take in, I transform, I release. Again and again. I do not need to grip, to hoard, to hold onto what no longer serves me. You remind me that clearing is a necessary part of creation, that space must be made for newness to arrive.

A Love Beyond Flesh

Oh, Body—you are not broken. You are not a problem to be solved, not a burden to be managed, not an enemy to be controlled.

You are a process. A movement. A story of adaptation, resilience, and profound intelligence.

You are breath and water, fascia and fire, structure and softness, electric and ancient, wise beyond words.

And so I promise—
To listen.
To honor.
To trust the language you speak.
To love you not for how you appear, but for how you hold me,
How you carry me,
How you are me.

In reverence,
Me

Breathwork and Balance: How Your Breath Impacts Your Body and the Art of True Relaxation

Breathwork and Balance: How Your Breath Impacts Your Body and the Art of True Relaxation

Breathing is the most natural thing we do—so automatic that we rarely stop to think about how it shapes our body and well-being. Yet, it holds immense power to heal, transform, and restore us. What many don’t realize, however, is that the way we breathe directly affects the muscles attached to the ribs, known as accessory breathing muscles, which often end up doing more work than they’re designed to do.

Let me start by saying that breathwork has been one of the most profound tools in my own healing journey. From traditional yogic pranayama to dynamic, psychedelic-inspired techniques, breathing has helped me unlock parts of myself I didn’t even know were there. It’s incredible. But one pivotal moment changed how I view breathwork: I was working with a family member who was deeply dedicated to daily breathwork. While their commitment was inspiring, I discovered that many of their accessory breathing muscles—like the scalenes, pecs, and serratus anterior—were painfully tight and overworked. Their muscles were essentially stuck in "fight mode," unable to relax.

At the same time, I’ve also noticed how unconscious breath-holding plays an equally disruptive role in the body. Breath-holding often happens when the mind becomes entranced—whether we’re lost in thought, scrolling on a phone, or caught up in stress or anxiety. This pattern of holding the breath can create dysfunction in the muscles, leading to rigidity and pain, and it mirrors a state of stagnation in the mind and spirit. When the breath stops, it’s as though time stops with it. Energy ceases to flow, and a sense of disconnect takes root.

The good news? When we can train ourselves to breathe steadily and regularly, without holding the breath, life changes profoundly. A steady breath creates a steady mind. It anchors us in the present moment and reconnects us to our body, our emotions, and our sense of spirit.

How Breath Affects Your Accessory Breathing Muscles

When we breathe deeply, especially during intense practices or stress, accessory breathing muscles work alongside the diaphragm to expand and stabilize the ribcage. These include:

• Scalenes (neck): Lift the ribs during inhalation but can cause neck pain when overused.

• Pectoralis Major and Minor (chest): Elevate the ribs but often lead to tightness and rounded shoulders.

• Serratus Anterior (side of ribs): Expands the ribcage but can become fatigued with shallow or overactive breathing.

• Rhomboids (upper back): Assist with stability but get overworked in poor posture.

• Quadratus Lumborum (QL) (lower back): Stabilizes the 12th rib but tightens when the diaphragm isn’t doing its job.

• Intercostals (between ribs): Allow rib expansion but can grow sore from breath-holding or shallow breathing.

The diaphragm, your primary breathing muscle, should carry the majority of the load. But when breath patterns become shallow, held, or overly forced, the accessory muscles step in to compensate. Over time, this compensation creates patterns of chronic tightness, restricted mobility, and even postural imbalances.

When Breath Becomes Imbalanced

Breathwork is powerful, but without recovery and relaxation, or with improper breath patterns, it can lead to problems:

• Excessive Breathing: Intense breathwork without rest can overwork accessory muscles, leading to hypertonic, tender, and fatigued muscles.

• Unconscious Breath-Holding: This habitual pattern creates rigidity in the muscles, particularly the scalenes, pecs, and intercostals, leading to dysfunction, pain, and a sense of stagnation in the body and mind.

• Shallow Breathing: Relying on chest breathing places strain on the upper body and can contribute to feelings of constriction, both physically and emotionally.

Breath is the flow of life. When we force it excessively or block it entirely, we lose the natural rhythm that keeps us aligned and balanced.

What True Relaxation Feels Like

Relaxation isn’t just collapsing on the couch or zoning out—it’s a skill. It’s about creating space for your body to release tension and your mind to quiet.

Imagine your body as a snow globe. When you’re constantly doing, moving, or pushing—whether it’s through breathwork, work, or stress—the snow swirls chaotically. True relaxation is like setting the snow globe down. Over time, the snow settles, and clarity emerges. That’s the gift of letting go.

Balancing Breathwork with Surrender Practices

To prevent overworking your accessory breathing muscles and to reap the full benefits of breathwork, you must balance intensity with rest. Here are some restorative practices that can help:

• Regular Massage: Releases tension in muscles like the QL, scalenes, and pecs.

• Restorative Yoga: Poses like supported fish and reclined bound angle gently open the chest and ribcage.

• Yoga Nidra: Guides the body into deep relaxation while maintaining awareness.

• Epsom Salt Baths: Relax tight muscles and reduce inflammation with magnesium-rich baths.

• Sauna or Steam Room: Heat therapies promote muscle relaxation and improve circulation, making it easier for overworked accessory muscles to release tension.

Final Reflections: Balance Is the Key

Breathwork has the potential to transform your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being, as it has mine. However, one of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that balance is everything. Excessive breathing can tax your muscles and overheat your system, while unconscious breath-holding can create stagnation, pain, and disconnection from yourself. Your accessory muscles—those that help you breathe—aren’t meant to carry the full load, and your body needs space to recover and integrate.

If you haven’t explored breathwork yet, you’re truly missing out. It’s life-changing. And if you’re curious about restorative yoga, how to build a steady, mindful breath, or how to balance your breathwork practice with relaxation, I’d love to connect with you! Reach out to me anytime—I’d be thrilled to help you explore these incredible practices and find the balance between effort and ease.

Let your breath guide you, but don’t forget to pause, relax, and let the snow settle. Your body, mind, and spirit will thank you. Let’s breathe and restore together!