Michael Townsend Williams - Do Breathe - Calm your mind. Find focus

Michael Townsend Williams

Published by The Do Book Company 2015
Works in Progress Publishing Ltd
thedobook.co

Text Michael Townsend Williams 2015
Photography Jonathan Cherry
Photography p36, 58, 90 Mickey Smith
Photography p21 Wilf Whitty
Lettering James Victore p3, 44, 119

The right of Michael Townsend Williams to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

All rights reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced to a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher. Requests for permission should be sent to: info@thedobook.co

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

eISBN 978-1-907974-23-6
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2

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Cover design by James Victore
Book designed and set by Ratiotype

Printed and bound by Livonia Print on Munken, an FSC-certified paper

The information in this book has been compiled by way of general guidance in relation to the specific subject addressed, but is not a substitute and not to be relied on for medical, healthcare, pharmaceutical or other professional advice on specific circumstances and in specific locations. If you have any medical concerns about doing any of the breathing or physical exercises in the book, please consult with your doctor or physician first. The author and publishers disclaim, as far as the laws allow, any liability arising directly or indirectly from the use, or misuse, of the information contained in this book.

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Do Breathe
Calm your mind. Find focus. Get stuff done
Michael Townsend Williams

Do Disrupt
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Mark Shayler

Do Grow
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Do Improvise
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Do Lead
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Do Protect
Legal advice for startups
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Do Purpose
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Do Sourdough
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Do Story
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As I danced to the sound of Stings Every Breath You Take in Marleys bar, Kuala Lumpur, tears ran down my face. My 31-year-old brother Jonathan had accidentally fallen from the balcony of his 15th-floor apartment and died on impact. A day later I was there to sort out his affairs with my cousin Nigel. We spent the night with Jonathans friends and colleagues in a daze of despair and disorientation. Little did I know this tragic event would send my life on such a different trajectory.

Up until then I worked in advertising. I wasnt a flashy adman. More of a drunk one. A production guy who got things done while managing an alcohol addiction that imperfectly masked a life out of control. When shit happens we wake up. Life is short. I realised I hated the rut I was in and wanted out. But how?

I had no idea what I wanted to do. Addiction drives out hobbies and interests until the only thing left is the addiction and maybe, if youre lucky, a long-suffering partner. As I sobered up both literally and from the grieving process one love rose to the surface. Yoga. It had always been my way of handling stress and depression and had become a place of refuge.

When, unexpectedly, I stepped into the role of a teacher on a family holiday at Monkton Wyld Court, a community near Lyme Regis in Dorset, I lit a candle, an incense stick and a place inside my heart. I had found my calling, or had my calling found me?

Since 2002 I have continued to teach yoga in places like the National Portrait Gallery, the National Gallery and Tate Britain, as well as classes locally.

I have run workshops and retreats. And from my love of yoga came my awareness of the power of breathing.

Awareness of our breath connects us to the way we move, the way we think and the way we feel. The way we breathe reflects the way we live. Animals that breathe quickly die early. Animals that breathe slowly live longer. And we could all slow down a bit more, couldnt we?

If I had to limit my advice on healthier living to just one tip, it would be simply to learn how to breathe correctly.

Dr Andrew Weil

Everything that exists has a rhythm. From the light pulsing from distant planets to the beating of our hearts, everything in nature is connected.

Our breath is perhaps the greatest connector of all. It connects us to our planet. When we breathe out, plants breathe in. Our breath connects our bodies with our minds when we slow down, we think better.

Breathing creates the platform on which everything else health, happiness, cognitive ability and elevated performance, success and influence is built.

Dr Alan Watkins

Do Breathe is divided into three parts. The first part, Prepare, is designed to prepare you both mentally and physically with the foundations for a better life. It is sub-divided into three chapters: Breathe, Organise and Courage.

The second part, Practise, will get your mind and body moving in practical ways that will support you moment by moment, day by day. Within this section I discuss Mindfulness, Energy and Focus.

Finally, part three: Perform. This section of three chapters, Flow, Habits and Welldoing, will help you manage the ups and downs of your life better and create meaningful change.

So, are you ready to breathe yourself better?

When you arise in the morning think what a precious privilege it is to be alive; to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.

Marcus Aurelius

The Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote this while on the battlefield around ad 170. He believed a clear mind allowed us to live in harmony with logos a sense of universal order. For some ancient philosophers, this harmony was divine, for others, a principle of order and knowledge. Either way I find it amusing that the word logo, which was part of my everyday life in advertising for many years, has its origins in philosophy and self-enquiry.