Breath as Call and Response

Because every inhale is an invitation, and every exhale is love returning.

There’s a way I like to think about the breath: as a call and response.

Every inhale is a call — an invitation to connection, to spaciousness, to the energy of now. It is the moment where we open ourselves to the universe, to source, to all of creation. What we take in on the inhale is not just air. It’s presence. It’s a reminder that we are not alone.

Every exhale is a response — a softening, a release. What is activated in the body, what is ready to move, is given permission to leave. Sometimes it’s tension. Sometimes it’s an old story, maybe even something carried in our DNA. A parent’s words. A stuck feeling. A younger version of ourselves that never got to be seen.

With the exhale, it comes up to be acknowledged — and then to be met by the fresh energy of now, that neutral, loving awareness that receives everything without judgment.

This is how I practice with myself, and how I often guide clients in session. The breath becomes a relationship. The inhale brings in something greater than us. The exhale allows whatever is inside to be held and dissolved in that greater presence.

Often, when we breathe this way, parts of us that have been hidden will rise to the surface. A tender inner child. A wounded self. A memory. And in those moments, I sometimes invite clients to imagine cradling that part of themselves in their arms. Inhaling, you are not alone. Exhaling, you are loved just as you are.

The breath is infinite in its generosity. It wants to love all of us — especially the parts we think are unworthy of love. Each inhale reconnects us with endless source energy, with the higher self that is beyond the body. Each exhale brings us home to ourselves, to the truth that even our heaviest feelings are welcome.

Breath as call and response. Breath as relationship. Breath as love itself, moving through us again and again.

---

🌿 Science Spotlight

Research shows that slow, intentional breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping the body release tension and increasing feelings of safety and connection.

💫 If this touched you, you can find more reflections and practices on TikTok @somaticliving and Instagram at @somatic.living and on youtube @Somatic-Living-Channel
💫 To explore breath and presence more deeply, reach out about booking a 1:1 or group session with me just by replying to this newsletter

---