Breathe Into the Fire

Ah, the extraordinary rewards from an hour of heavy breathing! No, it’s not what you may be thinking.

In the early 1990s, I took a Rebirthing course, once a week over a ten-week period. Among the many gifts I received from total immersion in these workshops was the ‘birth’ a powerful transformational song which I called “Breathe Into the Fire”.

(Listen to the Song Clip – Breathe Into The Fire) (Song #4)

Rebirthing is a holistic technique involving conscious circular rhythm breathing exercises which allows individuals to re-experience memories from the past, bringing them to surface awareness for health and clearing. The process opens the energy channels in the body and accelerates the flow of creativity and intuition. The rhythmic breathing (for about an hour) brings up anything that blocks the free expression of love.

Our sessions, led by expert facilitators, Grace Lea and Kelly Tobey, were always done in couples. Andrea von Schoening was my most courageous Rebirthing partner. She taught me to stop resisting and completely surrender to the process. Thank you Andrea! ‘Letting go’ continues to be my life lesson. Feeling both exhausted and euphoric after each intense breathing session, we would enjoy nutritious treats and herbal tea. Then we would debrief. It was during one of these sharings that I intuited the lyrics and melody of Breathe Into the Fire. The power in the song riveted all of us.

At first, only the first two verses were given to me. Two weeks later, I attended a Women in Leadership Retreat in Victoria, BC, hosted by Rhonda Johnson. En route to the coast, I wrote the remaining lyrics for Breathe Into the Fire on post notes. No sooner had I arrived, but I was asked to sing this song for a woman going through an emotional process. This is the most requested song that I have written and I am in awe when I listen to people tell me stories about their transformational process while listening to the rhythm, melody and lyrics. Singing this song is all about surrender which means that when I sing Breathe, I need to stand in my center, open, trust, let go and above all, allow my voice to be completely supported on breath.

I’m a night person, probably from all my years in theater. In the late evening I come alive with creativity. Therefore, when I had to sing Breathe Into the Fire for an early morning Synergy Breakfast, hosted by the wonderful Susan Letourneau, I was a bit hesitant. This involved the necessity of going to sleep at least by midnight, arising at 4 AM, doing some resonance exercises while driving to the city and then performing in full voice about 8 AM. Well guess what? I rose to the occasion. Thanks for challenging me to surrender Susan! Sometimes I really feel as if I am being ‘sung through’. I definitely shine best when I get out of my own way!

All my preconceived ideas about not being able to sing Breathe until I am in complete vocal shape, went out the window again when I was asked to sing in Tucson, Arizona at the 5-day World Congress led by Patti Cota Robles, President of The New Age Studies for Humanity’s Purpose. After a long plane trip from Alberta with many delays, I arrived just before the opening. Patti asked me to begin the program with Breathe Into the Fire! Not only was I asked to sing it once, but 4 times over the five days. Breathe became the theme for this gathering of global ‘lightworkers’ dedicated to assisting with the healing of beloved Gaia and all her people.

Breathe into the center of the fire
Let the rhythm lead you on
Breathe until you give what you require
And breathe, until the ache is gone

Breathe right through the dream of the illusion
Breathe, don’t judge what’s right or wrong
Breathe until the breath releases fusion
And breathe, until the ache is gone

In last weeks blog, I wrote about the 5 KEYS I use for singers or speakers to assist in developing The Power of Your Voice – the Real YOU. The First Key, the foundation, is learning proper breath support. Then with an open throat, relaxed jaw and placing the voice in the resonance cavities, you just become the sound. My experience when I sing Breathe Into the Fire is like a kundalini awakening as all the chakras from the base of my spine to the crown open fully and naturally.

Recently, my dear friend, Rev. Nadene Rogers, from the JOY of Life Center, read a poem which she received by e-mail, called “She Let Go” by Rev. Safire Rose. The message really resonated with me. I then shared the piece with another dear friend, Laura Simonson, who asked if she could put it on Facebook. For those of you who missed seeing the post, here it is. You can replace the word, ‘she’ with ‘he’ or ‘they’ – it matters not as the words are for all of us. To the gifted writer, I am forever grateful.

She let go. Without a thought or a word, she let go.

She let go of the fear. She let go of the judgments. She let go of her need to control outcomes. She let go of the confluence of opinions swarming around her head. She let go of the committee of indecision within her. She let go of all the ‘right’ reasons. Wholly and completely, without hesitation or worry, she just let go.

She didn’t ask anyone for advice. She didn’t read a book on how to let go … she didn’t search the scriptures. She just let go. She let go of all the memories that held her back. She let go of all the anxiety that kept her from moving forward. She let go of all the planning and all of the calculations about how to do it just right.

She didn’t promise to let go. She didn’t journal about it. She didn’t write the projected date in her Day-Timer. She made no public announcement and put no ad in the paper. She didn’t check the weather report or read her daily horoscope. She just let go.

She didn’t analyze whether she should let go. She didn’t call her friends to discuss the matter. She didn’t do a five-step Spiritual Mind Treatment. She didn’t call the prayer line. She didn’t search the internet. She didn’t utter one word. She just let go.

No one was around when it happened. There was no applause or congratulations. No one thanked her or praised her. No one noticed a thing. Like a leaf falling from a tree, she just let go.

There was no effort. There was no struggle. It wasn’t good and it wasn’t bad. It was what it was and it is just that.

In the space of letting go, a small smile came over her face. A light breeze blew through her.

 And the sun and the moon shone forevermore.

There comes a time in your life when the call of your heart is stronger than your resistance and you know that, no matter what it takes, you will follow your destiny.

Together, let’s remember Who We Are as we surrender to the Power, Love and Peace of each moment.

Breathe into the Knowingness within you
Breathe, surrender, give up the fight
Breathe and feel the Love that’s always in you
And breathe, ‘till you become the Light

Breathe and remember Who You Are
Breathe, surrender to Who You Are
Breathe through the center of Who You Are
Breathe, surrender

Breathe, breathe, breathe into the fire…
Breathe, breathe, breathe into the fire…
Breathe, breathe, breathe into the fire…

To listen to a clip of “Breathe Into the Fire” – Click Here (Song #4)  If you would like to download the whole song for 99 cents – Click Here

P.S. I would love you to visit my brand new From Spirit to Story to Song Website Home for more fun and inspirational stories.

While you are there, download my song and FREE Gift for you, “Give Yourself Love”.

© Judy Armstrong 2013