Zibby Mag

By Shonda Moralis

In the last months of my father’s life, I spent hours sitting at the edge of his hospital bed, holding his hand, watching him sleep, allowing my thoughts to drift and various emotions to emerge. Taking in the quiet, witnessing the rising and falling of his barrel-like rib cage, placing my hand gently over his heart.

Inhale, exhale. Rising, falling. Let go, let go.

Only now does it occur to me that this was a joint sacred meditation.

As I sat savoring the connection, I was transported back to the birth of my son nine years earlier. In the quiet of the hospital at night, I gazed for hours at the beautiful face of my healthy newborn, in awe of each rise and fall of his small chest.

Inhale, exhale. Rising, falling. Welcome, welcome. (Thank you, thank you.)

Throughout the seasons of life, the breath remains a constant. It anchors us, calms us, helps us ride the waves of intense grief, love, awe, and joy.

Connecting to the breath allows us to feel deeply without losing ourselves completely. It enables us to integrate our experiences and to head out into the world a bit more vulnerable, yet more compassionate and profoundly changed.

There are seasons in life when we push and grow, purposefully living and completely immersed. Other seasons call for a radical slowing down, perhaps even a screeching halt to simply be, feel, and take in what life has brought our way. This is not so easy, of course, but wholly worthwhile and empowering in the compassionate, gritty resilience it creates.

Leaning heavily into the mindfulness tools I have practiced over the years allows me to sit with all of the emotionally charged thoughts and memories as I grieve my dad.

I let the tears flow when the lump in my throat arrives. I do my best to sleep when the exhaustion hits. I laugh heartily with wet eyes when recalling a sweet memory. I notice my energy return as the seasons turn. Once again I shift my gaze outward into the life that calls to me to engage, love, teach, and learn.

Inhale, exhale. Rising, falling. Grateful, humble, strong.

Mindful empowerment in action is transformative. I’m on a mission to share it with the world. Here’s how to get started with a brief one-minute meditation:

Pause and become aware of body sensations. Do you notice tightness anywhere? Are your shoulders raised up toward your ears? Is your brow furrowed? Can you soften those areas?

Now relax the belly, noticing it rise and fall as the breath naturally comes and goes. Count it rising three times. If your mind wanders (which happens to everyone), simply return your attention to the breath and begin again. Each time your mind wanders, gently bring it back to the sensations of breathing in the belly.

May this simple practice anchor you throughout the constantly evolving seasons of life.

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Shonda Moralis is a mindfulness and empowerment mentor on a mission to help high-achieving women unleash their superpowers without burning out in the process. She is the founder of Breathe Mama Breathe (R)evolution, the group coaching program for moms ready to unapologetically reclaim their time, energy, and purpose in motherhood, and The Bea Hive, her monthly online membership for ambitious women.

A therapist (gone rogue), she is the author of the award-winning Breathe, Mama, Breathe: 5-Minute Mindfulness for Busy Moms and Breathe, Empower, Achieve: 5-Minute Mindfulness for Women Who Do It All. Moralis lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two kids, loves to play outside, endeavors to practice what she preaches, and is perennially fascinated by what makes people tick.