Max Strom’s, “A Life Worth Breathing” is another book that changed the way I practice yoga and live my life. Max Strom taught my first yoga teacher training in 2014-2015. Max focuses heavily on the breath and teaches that yoga is a breathing practice with postures. For me, the breath was the most challenging part of yoga. Not the shallow breathing at the top of the lungs, but rather, the deep and full inhales and exhales. As a yoga student, I discovered that I was not able to take deep inhales and exhales without my breath getting stuck in my throat.

Similarly, public speaking was very difficult. My throat would close up and I couldn’t get the words out. I often unconsciously held my breath when feeling scared or anxious. I learned Ujjayi breathing during Max’s teacher training and took this breath with me to every yoga class and practiced it both on and off my yoga mat for over a year. Breathing literally changed my life. I experience first hand, every day, that breath connects us to our body, our mind, and to the present moment. When we are connected to ourselves and the present, we are more in tune to what is happening right here, right now, this moment. Focusing on the breath helps us to be more responsive and less reactive.

When we are less reactive, our relationships improve. The breath is an amazing tool. It is free and accessible anytime day or night. Our breath gives us the power to go from fight, flight/freeze to rest and digest; bringing inner wisdom and clarity to our lives. Our breath is our greatest tool - already inside of us to heal and transform. Can you make it a life worth breathing?