Part 5: Finding Strength in Silence: The Importance of the Calm After the Storm
Part 5: Finding Strength in Silence: The Importance of the Calm After the Storm
The 5-Second Cadence Breath, with its deliberate rhythm of 5 seconds in and 5 seconds out, is a breathing exercise that harmonizes with the symbolic significance of the number 5, often associated with grace. Inhaling for a count of 5 allows for a generous oxygen intake, promoting a sense of vitality and energy. The subsequent exhale, also spanning 5 seconds, encourages a gradual release of tension and stress. The number 5, considered a symbol of grace in various cultural and spiritual traditions, adds a layer of intention to this breathing cadence. Practicing this rhythmic breath aligns with the concept of grace, bringing a balance of poise and serenity to the mind and body. Whether integrated into a mindfulness routine or used as a quick reset throughout the day, the 5-Second Cadence Breath offers a graceful and intentional approach to cultivating a calm and centered state of being.
Remember:
As you read through these guided meditations, there will be breaks to go through your breath cadences. Use the chart as a reference to start. Once you are comfortable, perform the breath cadences with your eyes closed to promote the visualization of your dream coming true.
Ensure you are comfortable reading this meditation series to get the most out of it.
Today's chapter is all about the calm after the storm. We previously talked about planting your dream and then protecting your peace.
After protecting your peace, we were preparing for the storm, and then we weathered the storm.
Now, we will talk about the calm after the storm. The breath cadence we will use for today will be a five-second in, five-second out-breath, which symbolizes the number of grace.
You'll need a lot of grace to get through the storms in your life.
Before you start to read, I want you to find a quiet place to sit. Sit with your chest up, chin up, and lengthen your spine.
You can be in a cross-leg position, or you can be seated in a chair.
We're going to perform that 5-second breath for three rounds.
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BREATH #1
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INHALE (Through your nose)
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5 |
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EXHALE (Out your mouth) |
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5 |
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BREATH #1
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INHALE (Through your nose)
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5 |
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EXHALE (Out your mouth) |
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5 |
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BREATH #2
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INHALE (Through your nose)
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EXHALE (Out your mouth) |
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Let's talk about the calm after the storm.
Once a storm passes over you and you've already weathered it, your mind, spirit, and body are exhausted. To stay strong amid a storm, you must be able to refortify yourself, your mind, thoughts, and emotions, and as you're getting through that storm, everything is tightened up and stressful, and it is often hard to find peace.
Prepare for your next breath.
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INHALE (Through your nose)
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EXHALE (Out your mouth) |
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Let your mind relax.
This mindset you're in right now is the calm after the storm in your life that can manifest the moment after you receive the promotion.
This mindset can also show up in that quiet time after an argument with family, right after you've bought your house, or when you received that acceptance letter at school.
Right before the breakthrough, everything seems to get silent.
That's the calm after the storm.
The beauty of the calm after the storm is that it's a powerful peace.
What I mean by a powerful peace is that although it's quiet, much stuff is getting ready to happen.
This peace will give A lot of strength; that's why silence is powerful.
Prepare for your next breath.
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INHALE (Through your nose)
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5 |
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EXHALE (Out your mouth) |
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Now, that intense silence, powerful peace, and calmness after the storm have gone away and given you the ability to refocus.
At the beginning of this book, we discussed planting your dream and protecting your peace, then prepping for the storm and then weathering the storm.
Now, in this calmness after the storm, you should have a clear vision of your goal.
You should have a clear sight.
Remember that sign that said coming soon?
Imagine that spot in the dirt where you planted the sign that said coming soon, and underneath that was your dream, getting ready to blossom.
I want you to refocus on that.
Get that visual of the sign on the stick planted in the dirt.
Imagine that sign is shaking now because that storm has already come through.
It's already showered with water.
As it's shaking, the stick begins to crack.
The sign falls off, the stick drops to the ground, and you start to see that little sprout from the dirt.
If you do any gardening, the biggest win you can ever get is to see that one little sprout pop up after all that patience and time put in to grow that seed.
The visual of that sprout means that all of the work underneath the soil was being done.
All the faith you had in that seed is now coming true.
Prepare for your next breath.
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INHALE (Through your nose)
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5 |
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EXHALE (Out your mouth) |
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As you relax and focus on that little sprout with the two little leaves on it and that one branch in the middle, as small as it is, you already know how much force it needs to grow.
That's what that calm before or after the storm is.
It's enjoying what you've been through and realizing that everything you've been through was for a reason.
And that reason is that tiny little sprout that just popped up.
No matter how little progress you make toward your dream, any progress is good.
As you sit here and you enjoy what you've been through.
Focus on the grace you have received to get through these adverse events in your life.
Negative friends, family, bosses, getting through a pandemic, switching jobs, financial woes, and anything else negative in your life.
You can sit here and enjoy anything that's been bogging you down that you have been through being released.
That's what the calm after the storm is.
It's that moment of reflection, that powerful peace, and that strong silence to sit back and say, I've been through enough, and I've been through the worst of it, and I'm stronger for it, and I'm ready to go out and do more.
We will do one last inhale for five and exhale for five.
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INHALE (Through your nose)
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EXHALE (Out your mouth) |
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Relax and enjoy the calm after the storm.
- How would you describe the breath cadence used in this episode to symbolize grace?
- Why is finding a quiet position and limiting noise significant during the calm after the storm?
- What are some ways to refortify your mind, control your thoughts, and control your emotions after weathering a storm?
- How would you define the calm after the storm in your own life? Can you think of any specific examples?
- What does the speaker mean by "powerful peace" during the calm after the storm?
- How does the calm after the storm allow you to refocus on your goals?
- Can you visualize the sign planted in the dirt and the sprout that pops up after the storm? How does this visual represent progress toward your dream?
- What does it mean to enjoy what you've been through during the calm after the storm? How can this mindset help you move forward?
- How do you interpret "any progress is good" when pursuing your dreams?
- How can reflecting on the calm after the storm help you realize your strength and readiness to take on new challenges?
Write the answers to these questions on a piece of paper and save them.