REGARDING INSPIRATION

I was “inspired” by a Sunday morning #SpiritChat on Twitter (October 6, 2019), “The Transformative Energy of Words.”  When the chat ended, this idea for a blog popped into my mind. Of all the topics that have been the focus of these chats for the past several years, few have resonated with me more than this one. Why?

One reason for being “inspired” is the word.  Inspire means literally to breathe in and you can take it from there. When we are inspired, we are likely to be transformed. We know that breath is our life force and if you have ever been short of breath or your breathing has been compromised by an illness, breath becomes more conscious and not taken for granted.  Most of the time breathing is automatic and unconscious.

Here js a partial list of the benefits of conscious, deep breathing exercises.

Lowers heart rate and blood pressure…

Oxygen delivery improves…

Increases energy level…

Helps relax and lower the harmful effects of the stress hormone cortisol…

Increases release of endorphins…

Improves posture. …

Reduces inflammation. …

Detoxifies the body. …

Stimulates lymphatic system. …

Improves digestion…

There are numerous techniques which are available for deep and conscious breathing and you can choose those which work best for you.

The Latin verb spirare, meaning “breathe,” is the source for numerous words and their meanings.

• Aspire means literally “breathe on”; breathing heavily with the exertion of aspiring to a goal. The modern sense of aspire is “try to be or do something,” and the noun aspirant refers to a candidate or contestant.
• To conspire means literally “breathe together”) as in a plot or plan or to scheme with others. Plotters are also called conspirators, and conspiracy is a synonym for plot. Usually negative, conspire can be positive.
• Expire means “breathe out” but usually connotes the end of an offer or of a product’s shelf life; the noun form is expiration. (In Latin, expirare also meant “die,” and this sense carried over into English, although it is now rare. The term now in vogue instead of die or expire seems to be “passed” as in passed away.
• Perspire, meaning “breathe through,” is associated with the production of sweat; the noun form is perspiration. The verb respire (literally, “breathe again”) is rare, but the noun form respiration, which refers to the breathing cycle of inhaling oxygen into the body and exhaling carbon dioxide, is common.
• Transpire, which literally means “breathe (or evaporate) across,” refers to evaporation of water from leaves (a process called transpiration) but has, by extension, come to mean “become known” as well as “happen” or “occur,” now the predominant senses of the word.
• The word spirit has multiple meanings: the essential principle of something, and to denote courage, enthusiasm, or vigor. For many spirit is an essential dimension to the whole person – physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual.

We use words to communicate, to share our thoughts and feelings, to describe our experiences.  Words are powerful tools, used to build up or to tear down.  There are words that are loving, compassionate and constructive and there are words that are hateful, derogatory and destructive.   What I tell my students is, “Be sure your mind is engaged before starting your mouth.”  I could add for the writing class, “Be sure your brain is in gear before beginning to type.” The advantage in writing is that we can go back and edit our words.  In speaking, once the words are out, we cannot get them back.

What are the words that inspire and transform your energy?  Do you have a word for the year?   A word of the week or day?  Who inspires you with their words?   If you look closely, you’ll notice the energy of inspiration is all around. From the rising sun to a flock of birds in formation; in the forest, mountains, ocean and desert; from our favorite authors to our own reflections. The places, people and things from which we can draw inspiration are infinite. The best part is that every day is a chance to capture this energy—to seek out the possibilities and then use that inspired energy to help sustain and improve life as we know it.