It’s been a wild and wooly last few weeks, and my plans for January definitely involve going back to basics in terms of self-care. For me, this means asana and pranayama, but also some raja yoga – taking the time to study my mind body and learn more about how to work with it. Because I’m a reader, I’m always looking for books on the subject. Last week, on a visit to Coalesce Bookstore in Morro Bay, I was lucky to find a copy of Domonick Wegesin’s 2021 work, Breathe in Calm: Yogic Breathing and Mindfulness Tools for Instant Anxiety Relief. Brought to the public by New Harbinger Publications, this small tome of 179 pages deserves a place in every yogi’s library. As a life textbook or refresher course, it’s a lovely gift to the world.
Perhaps my favorite part of belonging to the yoga community is that I have the chance to meet kindred souls, whether in person, onscreen, or in print. I haven’t previously heard of Domonick Wegesin, but his biography is available on the Internet (and linked to this article should you want to read more about him). We share a background in high school teaching and an interest in cognitive science, as well as membership in Yoga Alliance. Wegesin has also studied mindfulness directly with Jon Kabat-Zinn; combined with his Psychology doctorate, this makes him well-qualified to write about the intersection of anxiety disorder, mindfulness, and yoga.
Breathe in Calm is divided into seven section, each of which showcases a mental tool to combat anxiety. Having studied yoga and mindfulness myself, I’ve used these practices before, but the genius of this book lies in the way that Wegesin specifically applies them to working with the anxious mind. Each section is a quick read but a motherlode of practice ideas; it would take months for a newcomer to really investigate all of the ideas presented here.
Thankfully, Breathe in Calm is grounded in scientific truth. Wegesin demonstrates his understanding of ‘complementary medicine’ by not trying to compete with psychiatry; instead, he presents these tactics as ways in which to take care of oneself on a daily basis. The book’s introduction gives a succinct explain of how the anxious brain works, including a pithy paragraph describing the role of the amygdala and its ‘fight or flight’ mechanism; this is bookended by a final chapter discussing the complementary ‘tend and befriend system and the vagus nerve. Wegesin shows the scientific connection between the body and mind, using his knowledge of pranayama and mindfulness to influence both.
The seven tools — observing, breathing, grounding, accepting, choosing, storytelling, and practicing kindness — are again everyday experiences. One of the curses of anxiety is the way it forces us out of our bodies into the realm of dark fantasy; as Wegesin explains, the way through lies in our connection to the mundane. I’ve worked with anxiety disorder for many years, but I still find help in taking the time to simply ask myself where today’s symptoms are manifesting — it’s a slightly different explanation each time. Judicious observation of the body allows us to work with it using our breath and connection to the earth; equally intelligent awareness of the mind begins with investigation of where we are at the moment before considering what we can and can’t change.
If I had any criticism of this book, it would be that it’s too short. For a beginning meditator or yoga practitioner, this isn’t a problem but rather the reverse. For those of us who have spent time working with pranayama and meditation, the information can appear rudimentary. However, since everyone benefits from ‘beginner’s mind’, this isn’t a problem as much as it is a recognition that learning isn’t a straight line – review is important, and in this area Breathe in Calm shines for veterans as well as for newbies.
I first read through the book quickly, exactly in the way that Wegesin warns against; however, I’m planning to use each chapter as one way to structure my meditation practice over the next few months. There’s important, down-to-earth, useful information here, and I’m thrilled to have found this small volume when I did.
A final request: I’ve linked the Amazon information so as to make the book easily accessible to everyone. However, I would ask that you consider purchasing this tome from an independent bookseller. Small businesses, which have been hurt by the pandemic, are the lifeblood of every community. Please consider this when you decide where to spend your money!
Yoga Cielo Stellato 