So, you pop out of the womb at birth, and the first priority of your life is to take that all-important first breath. Then, for the next 80 plus years (if you’re lucky), you pretty much take breathing for granted. Our ability to breathe goes on auto-pilot, and we don’t think about it much until we start gasping for air after walking up a huge flight of stairs, see an incredibly gorgeous person who takes our breath away (I love that feeling), or—gasp!—have to speak in front of an audience. I have to admit (because this is a week of confessions) that I have always been guilty of ignoring my breath.

When I started practicing yoga, I knew that breathing was an important part of the practice. I always figured that the concentrated deep breathing for over an hour had to be responsible for the awesome way I felt after class. It wasn’t until this past year that I got totally turned on to the amazing benefits that can come through a regular practice of breathing. Exercises for breathing and, in particular, breath meditation have helped me reduce stress, gain mental alertness, heal areas of pain throughout my body, and can even get me high. Breathing has so inspired me that I decided to create my very own breathing theme song (well, it’s more of a song parody sung to the tune of “I’m a Believer”). Spoiler alert: This is going to be cheesy…but fun!

I’m a Breath Believer

I thought breath was something we did just to stay alive

Meant for keeping blood pumping through my veins

Breath has always done its job

That’s the way it is

I never knew it could bring me so much more!

Then I started to breathe and meditate, and now I’m a believer

Not a trace of stress in my bones

I’m in love, I’m a breath believer!

I couldn’t do my asanas without her if I tried.

I thought breath was more or less a given thing

Seems the more I focus on it, the more I get

It’s keeping me grounded

Gives me a natural high

It brings relief to all my aches and pains.

Then I started to breathe and meditate; now I’m a believer

Not a trace of stress in my bones

I’m in love, I’m a breath believer!

I couldn’t do my asanas without her if I tried.

I have to give a shout-out to the genius of Neil Diamond, who wrote the song, “I’m a Believer,” that went on to become an international hit for The Monkees and has been covered by bands like Smash Mouth and Eddie Murphy to name a few.

The confessional booth is still open. Are you a breath believer? Let me know when you started to fall in love with your breathing.