May 17, 2023

Hello Rick and Maria,

Welcome to Day 07 of Bijou's Be Well Bundle video series!

“Take a deep breath. Inhale peace. Exhale happiness.” – A.D. Posey

“Breath is the finest gift of nature. Be grateful for the gift.” - Amit Ray

Breathing, it is simple, right? Most of the time we do not even think about it. It is so easy, automatic, and so powerful. Our amazing bodies take over 20,000 breaths a day without any thought or effort. But in moments of stress or anxiety or fear, what does our body subconsciously do? It alters our breath. Breath can become irregular, rapid, and shallow.

Many people find the Zentangle Method at stressful moments of their life, whether it be illness, loss, caregiving, or the myriad of other moments that happen in our lives. Practicing the Zentangle Method gives our minds a moment to breathe, a moment away from those racing thoughts, a moment of relaxation.

Our wise friend Bijou likes to remind us to take conscious breaths, to connect to our body through breathing, to exhale deeply and inhale fully. He knows that just a few moments of mindful breathing can lower blood pressure and heart rate, reduce levels of stress hormones, and connect us to the present moment.

Bijou encourages us to practice taking a few conscious breaths before we pick up our pen and find Comfort in our art. And maybe a few more as we take a moment of Gratitude and Appreciation. And maybe a few more as we Relax and put down our Deliberate Strokes, remembering to Savor the moment.

Reward yourself throughout the day with a few mindful breaths, you deserve it.

Enjoy!

Be well, be you,

Bijou

Bijou's Be Well Bundle - Day 07

The videos in the Bijou's Be Well Bundle series will be released every day through May 31, 2023. You can view all of the videos in this series here (after their release).