Breathing Space

For me, observing breathing is not as much a goal in itself, as it as a very helpful tool to remain aware of the present moment. Realizing THAT breathing is going on here and now, makes a moment dear to me. It has a pacifying effect on me to have access to such a direct sense of being. It calms me. Therefore noticing what happens with my breathing when an emotion comes up, is more beneficial to my ability to stay present with my feelings, than it might be distracting from them. More attention to breathing seems to give more space for breathing, which in turn seems to give more space for emotions. To remember to pay attention to breathing in the face of a powerful emotion, comes easiest to me when I check in with my breathing regularly anyway.