Most people are very unaware of their breath. Though breathing is one thing we do all day, every day, it tends to fall into the background; the body breathing on its own, usually shallow and into the chest. The fact that we are always breathing, however, can bring us comfort. If you view the breath as an old friend, like someone who is always there for you when you need them, it can open up a whole new practice.

Especially when beginning yoga, it can be difficult to pay attention to the breath. It is common to hold the breath, or to get caught up in breathing “correctly.” The breath then becomes a source of frustration rather than a source of ease and release. This is usually the result of getting caught up in thoughts, and not simply feeling the breath.

If you find this happens to you, remember your breath as an old friend; one you've known all your life; one you feel completely at ease with. Don't worry too much about getting anything right. This will come with practice. Find ease in your breath first, especially in those moments when you most get caught up in frustration — no easy task, to be sure, but a noble goal. Over time, you could even let your frustration be a cue for your breath. For example, each time you find yourself holding your breath in a difficult asana, let the very next thing you do be to come back to a nice, even breath — even if it means softening the pose a bit.

Over time it will begin to feel natural to find ease with the breath during practice. Next is where the real magic happens. Once you become comfortable finding ease with your breath, like the comfort you find with an old friend, you will begin to seek this ease in moments of difficulty in life. Here is the fruit of the practice. When you encounter frustration in life, come back to your old friend, the breath. Let your breath come to the forefront of a difficult situation, and notice how it changes how you feel, or even your perception of the situation.