My Best Breathing Advice Ever, or...
How I Learned About Breathing from a
Chocolate Bar
Chocolate Bar
A couple of years
ago, in the middle of a ridiculously long day of teaching private lessons in a
tiny practice room, I decided to use my afternoon break to clear my mind and
refresh my spirit. I headed to World
Market for an Artist’s Date (a date where you have a little adventure all by
yourself!). Immediately after walking in
the front doors, the array of colors and beautiful objects on the store shelves
began lifting my mood.
Desiring a treat and
a caffeine boost for the lessons ahead, I headed to the back of the store to
explore the selection of gourmet chocolate. I took my time and searched for a
beautiful cocoa experience. Little did I know, deciding to pamper myself
in the middle of that very stressful day would lead me to the best lesson about
breathing that I’ve ever learned.
I paid for my oh so
indulgent, dark chocolate black Hawaiian salt burnt sugar caramel bar and headed back to my
car. That particular day, the sun
was shining on one of the most beautiful afternoons I had seen in a long
time. I was still tired, but quite happy
it was a nice day and that I still had time to eat some of my chocolate before
heading back to teach. Once in my car, I
turned on the air conditioner for comfort and took the chocolate bar out to
give it another look.
After enjoying the picture of the gorgeous smear of burnt sugar caramel on the front, I
turned the chocolate bar package over and loved what I found. I saw a picture
of an elegant, educated, creative woman accompanied by instructions for how to enjoy the chocolate. How intriguing!
Since I love learning even more than I love chocolate, I eagerly read her
inspiring words (above).
She told me to take three ujjayi breaths.
A quick Wikipedia search told me that ujjayi describes a diaphragmatic
breath which fills the lower belly, rises to the rib cage and then to the lower
chest and throat. I made a mental note to remember this term for both me and my
flute students and then proceeded to enjoy my own personal, three Ujjayi breaths.
From the back of the chocolate bar package, Katrina Markoff (founder of Vosges
chocolate) told me to See. I took my time and really looked at the chocolate. I saw the rich brown color, the charming illustration engraved
in one square and the beautiful inscription on the other. She told
me to Smell. I rubbed my thumb on the chocolate bar and couldn't
believe how well her instructions worked! Instead of just a
predictable chocolate smell, I inhaled a salty, sweet, complex and aromatic
experience. I Snapped the chocolate bar and heard the soft
break of hard exterior and soft, caramel interior. Then...
Pure magic. The taste was out of this world lovely. Taking the
pictures as I learned my chocolate bar lesson and appreciated it through all my
senses only made the experience come more alive for me. Suddenly, I wasn't tired anymore. I felt the warmth of the sun on my face, my energy soared and I became excited by thoughts of the music filled afternoon ahead of me.
Many years ago, I
noticed that a high school student of mine had this phrase written at the top
of her music, “Never underestimate the physical, spiritual and psychological
benefits of a good breath.” Delighted, I asked her where she had gotten the
advice. She smiled and said, “I got it
from you!” I was quite pleased that I had made an impact on her and pretty
amused that I had completely forgotten speaking the words. Though I was the teacher, I relearned the breathing lesson that day because
of my student’s willingness to embrace it.
On the day I learned
about breathing from the back of a chocolate bar, I experienced an even greater
and more meaningful synthesis of every bit of breathing advice I’ve ever given
or received. When we breathe, we wake up.
When we breathe fully and with our whole bodies, our senses become
heightened. As flutists we need our
breath for so much more than just the obvious acoustical reasons. We need it to help us See, Hear, Be and Sing (through those silver tubes of ours).
Happy Practicing!
Terri Sánchez
