Ad Breath December

Embracing the Oubatori Spirit: Mindset Breath December

Author

A Rostant
December 15, 2023

Oubatori is a concept that mirrors the way flowers bloom in their own time and unique ways. Oubaitori is spelled “桜梅桃李” in Japanese. Each character represents a different flower: cherry, apricot, peach, and plum.

In December, this season of reflection and renewal, let's draw inspiration from the oubatori philosophy and weave it into the fabric of our breathwork practice.

Mindset Breath. Emphasis on encouraging and affirming the distinctive beauty and potential within each person's journey, including your own.

“When you go out into the woods, and you look at trees, you see all these different trees. And some of them are bent, and some of them are straight, and some of them are evergreens, and some of them are whatever. And you look at the tree and you allow it. You see why it is the way it is. You sort of understand that it didn’t get enough light, and so it turned that way. And you don’t get all emotional about it. You just allow it. You appreciate the tree.

The minute you get near humans, you lose all that. And you are constantly saying ‘You are too this, or I’m too this.’ That judgment mind comes in. And so I practice turning people into trees. Which means appreciating them just the way they are.” 

Ram Dass

Why bother with comparison? Cherry, apricot, peach, and plum blossoms - each grows and reaches their potential in their own time and own way.

Breathe, Be, Belong: Nurturing Our Inner Gardens

Just as flowers unfold at their own pace, so do we. We can commit to practices that honour the individual rhythms within us.

Three principles to cultivate oubaitori:

  1. Cultivate appreciation.

    • Appreciate diversity and uniqueness.

    • Practice noticing unique talents in yourself and others without judgment.

  2. Focus on cultivating your potential.

    • Set specific learning goals based on your abilities and interests. Draw a mindmap or outline incremental steps to achieve them.

    • Keep a journal - mind dump, free write, write down things you appreciate and reflect on insights.

    • Treat yourself kindly.

  3. Find inspiration in achievement.

    • Take time to celebrate your wins. When others succeed, recognize their effort.

    • If it applies, let your process be informed by other’s wins as you work toward your aims.

A Gift of Breath: December Discount on Private Sessions

To honour the spirit of Oubatori, I'm offering a special December discount on private breathwork sessions. Treat yourself or a loved one to the gift of transformative breath – a present that unfolds uniquely for each recipient. Through our sessions, we'll create a sacred space for self-discovery and growth, allowing each participant to bloom in their own time, guided by the wisdom of their breath.

In Praise of Patience and Growth

As we wrap up this year, let's carry the spirit of Oubatori with us into the new one. May we continue to honour the beauty of our individual journeys, trusting that, like flowers, we are all unfolding in our own time.

Thank you for being part of this breathwork community. May your December be filled with peace, joy, and the gentle bloom of self-discovery.

Exhale. Inhale. Exhale…

Best,

Alyssa