--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I began my mindfulness exercises and…" description: "\"“I began my mindfulness exercises and focused on how the water felt against my skin, how my toes felt as I raised my feet and they came into contact wi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/123/john-marrs-21428_fitness_i-began-my-mindfulness-exercises-and-foc_1244591.jpg" --- # I began my mindfulness exercises and focused on how the… ![“I began my mindfulness exercises and focused on how the water felt against my skin, how my toes felt as I raised my feet and they came into contact with the bubbles on the surface, and the pressure of the tub against my back. I focused on my breathing and allowed it to become slower and deeper…” quote by John Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/123/john-marrs-21428_fitness_i-began-my-mindfulness-exercises-and-foc_1244591.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/123/john-marrs-21428_fitness_i-began-my-mindfulness-exercises-and-foc_1244591.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/123/john-marrs-21428_fitness_i-began-my-mindfulness-exercises-and-foc_1244591.jpg) > ““I began my mindfulness exercises and focused on how the water felt against my skin, how my toes felt as I raised my feet and they came into contact with the bubbles on the surface, and the pressure of the tub against my back. I focused on my breathing and allowed it to become slower and deeper, letting my tummy rise and fall instead of my back and shoulders. Then, as I was at my most relaxed, I pushed my bum forward, opened my mouth, slipped my head underwater and took the biggest gulp of water I could until it flooded my lungs. My brain’s immediate reaction was to force myself to the surface and cough the water out, but I fought hard against it and remained underneath, thrashing about like a fish caught in a net.”” [John Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marrs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage describes deep mindfulness and confronting instinctive survival urges, illustrating how deliberate breath control can override panic. **In simple terms:** Mindfulness can help you stay calm under extreme stress. Key Takeaway Use breath to control fear responses. Themes mindfulness self‑control body awareness overcoming fear Mood calm determined Type self‑help inspirational When to use this quote - stressful situations - public speaking - sports - therapy - meditation Key Concepts psychology physiology Questions to Reflect On - What limits do you set when practicing intense mindfulness? - How can you safely explore discomfort? A Different Perspective Pushing limits can cause physical harm; not suitable for everyone. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breathing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Rise and fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rise-and-fall/) ## Related quotes > [I've always said that I think one of the best and cheapest ways to become healthier and happier is through mindfulness exercises like meditation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/i-ve-always-said-that-i-think-one-of-the-best-and-cheapest-ways-to/) [Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/) > [“The blond boy in the red trunks is holding your head underwater because he is trying to kill you, and you deserve it, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-siken/the-blond-boy-in-the-red-trunks-is-holding-your-head-underwater/) [Richard Siken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-siken/) > [“Mindfulness exercises produce literal changes in the brain’s connections, significantly affecting how well a person interacts with other people and adapts to difficult situations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-siegel/mindfulness-exercises-produce-literal-changes-in-the-brain-s/) [Daniel J. Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-siegel/) > [What do you miss about being alive?" The sound of my mom singing, a little off-key. The way my dad went to all my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/what-do-you-miss-about-being-alive-the-sound-of-my-mom-singing-a/) [Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/) > [“Practicing mindful, focused breathing, even for ten minutes a day, reduces stress and promotes relaxation. Slow, deep, rhythmic breathing causes a reflex stimulation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-j-scott/practicing-mindful-focused-breathing-even-for-ten-minutes-a-day/) [S.J. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-j-scott/) > [“When she needed to rest, she closed her eyes, refused to let her mind think, and instead focused on her breathing. She first forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/when-she-needed-to-rest-she-closed-her-eyes-refused-to-let-her-mind/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [I have seen the rise and fall of Nazi tyranny, the subsequent cold war and the nuclear nightmare that for fifty years haunted the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-have-seen-the-rise-and-fall-of-nazi-tyranny-the-subsequent-cold-war/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The media was completely influential in the rise and fall of Bonnie and Clyde.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holliday-grainger/the-media-was-completely-influential-in-the-rise-and-fall-of-bonnie/) [Holliday Grainger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holliday-grainger/) > [“I'd watch his smooth chest rise and fall with each steady breath, I'd watch the pulsating of his stomach when he laughed, and I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-newell/i-d-watch-his-smooth-chest-rise-and-fall-with-each-steady-breath-i-d/) [Ashley Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-newell/) > [Absolutely, you rise and fall based on your creative team. I have continuity across different films that I've done. I was even fortunate enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-meledandri/absolutely-you-rise-and-fall-based-on-your-creative-team-i-have/) [Christopher Meledandri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-meledandri/) > [“You don't know me from the wind you never will, you never did I'm the little jew who wrote the Bible. I've seen the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/you-don-t-know-me-from-the-wind-you-never-will-you-never-did-i-m-the/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Trafton, by the way, has taken a lesson from Lewis and written a delightful children’s tale, The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic (see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer-2/trafton-by-the-way-has-taken-a-lesson-from-lewis-and-written-a/) [J.I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer-2/) > [ There's a fantastic, thousand-page book by David Thomson about \[David O. Selznick\]. 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And by their design, moments don' last.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marrs/but-the-greatest-moments-of-your-life-are-exactly-that-just-moments/) [John Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marrs/) > [“Holly was right. To anyone who ever gave you confidence – you owe them a lot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marrs/holly-was-right-to-anyone-who-ever-gave-you-confidence-you-owe-them-a/) [John Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marrs/) > [“The next generation won't know what it's like to date spontaneously. They'll all be matched in a laboratory or by an app." ... "Whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marrs/the-next-generation-won-t-know-what-it-s-like-to-date-spontaneously/) [John Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marrs/) > [“I questioned what was missing in my father’s make-up that rendered him unable to keep hold of Doreen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marrs/i-questioned-what-was-missing-in-my-father-s-make-up-that-rendered/) [John Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marrs/) > [“There are some things one can only achieve by a deliberate leap in the opposite direction.’ —Franz Kafka ‘Life”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marrs/there-are-some-things-one-can-only-achieve-by-a-deliberate-leap-in/) [John Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marrs/) > [“I no longer had any choice in what to do next. I knew I had to go and see the only person who could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marrs/i-no-longer-had-any-choice-in-what-to-do-next-i-knew-i-had-to-go-and/) [John Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marrs/) > [“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.’ —Muhammad Ali”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marrs/service-to-others-is-the-rent-you-pay-for-your-room-here-on-earth/) [John Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marrs/) > [“Life always waits for some crisis to occur before revealing itself at its most brilliant.’ —Paulo Coelho”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marrs/life-always-waits-for-some-crisis-to-occur-before-revealing-itself-at-2/) [John Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marrs/) > [“Ryan’s grin disappeared and he leaned in to whisper in my ear. ‘If I were you, I’d go home and check on Effie as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marrs/ryan-s-grin-disappeared-and-he-leaned-in-to-whisper-in-my-ear-if-i/) [John Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marrs/) > [“It was better to remain on my island than drown in somebody else’s sea. 7”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marrs/it-was-better-to-remain-on-my-island-than-drown-in-somebody-else-s/) [John Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marrs/) > [“Just because no one creed, religion or class stood prouder than any other didn’t mean a whole nation was lacking in essence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marrs/just-because-no-one-creed-religion-or-class-stood-prouder-than-any/) [John Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marrs/) > [“there was a fine line between being a tourist and being a traveller.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marrs/there-was-a-fine-line-between-being-a-tourist-and-being-a-traveller/) [John Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marrs/) > [“But that’s what love is, Simon. It’s never giving up on the person you’ve given your heart to. It’s having faith that no matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marrs/but-that-s-what-love-is-simon-it-s-never-giving-up-on-the-person-you/) [John Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marrs/) > [“Despite her maturity, Mary was easily hoodwinked; that’s the problem with those who only ever see the good in people. I found it easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marrs/despite-her-maturity-mary-was-easily-hoodwinked-that-s-the-problem/) [John Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marrs/) > [“Three sessions later she dismissed her therapist as ‘a dick’ and never returned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marrs/three-sessions-later-she-dismissed-her-therapist-as-a-dick-and-never/) [John Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marrs/) [Explore all 28 John Marrs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marrs/) ## More Breathing quotes > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [“As long as we’re breathing, we have a chance to start over and build a stable future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ha-campbell/as-long-as-we-re-breathing-we-have-a-chance-to-start-over-and-build-a/) [Kim Ha Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ha-campbell/) > [People don't think much about breathing. Of all the things we take for granted, breathing has to be number one - even though it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/people-don-t-think-much-about-breathing-of-all-the-things-we-take-for/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [I wish," Jared began, and stopped, breathing in. "Do you remember how you used to believe I wasn't real? Sometimes I wish that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/i-wish-jared-began-and-stopped-breathing-in-do-you-remember-how-you/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [The still affection of the heart Became an outward breathing type, That into stillness past again, And left a want unknown before; Although the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-still-affection-of-the-heart-became-an-outward-breathing-type/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [Breathing is give(carbon dioxide) and take(oxygen), such is life, find balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-williams/breathing-is-give-carbon-dioxide-and-take-oxygen-such-is-life-find/) Marcel Williams > [I'll probably be writing as long as I'm breathing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kristofferson/i-ll-probably-be-writing-as-long-as-i-m-breathing/) [Kris Kristofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kristofferson/) > [For me writing is like breathing. I could not live without breathing and I could not live without writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/for-me-writing-is-like-breathing-i-could-not-live-without-breathing/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [I’m in, Cat. I’d never leave you. Especially when you’ve got death breathing down your neck.” “Very funny,” I retorted, since Bones was inches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/i-m-in-cat-i-d-never-leave-you-especially-when-you-ve-got-death/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [Splutter, splutter. Yes - we're off - we're rising. But why start off with an engine like that? But it smooths out now, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/splutter-splutter-yes-we-re-off-we-re-rising-but-why-start-off-with/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [He’d moved toward me again. His hands released mine and moved to my waist, and I noticed I wasn’t the only one breathing heavily.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/he-d-moved-toward-me-again-his-hands-released-mine-and-moved-to-my/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [My worry is that opera will become an historic art form as opposed to a living, breathing thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-fleming/my-worry-is-that-opera-will-become-an-historic-art-form-as-opposed-to/) [Renee Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-fleming/) > [I'm really fascinated and you know I've been wondering about that usage of language, various breathing techniques and why in these practices language is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-acker/i-m-really-fascinated-and-you-know-i-ve-been-wondering-about-that/) [Kathy Acker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-acker/) > [I’m exactly right for you, Bella. It would have been effortless for us — comfortable, easy as breathing. I was the natural path your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-m-exactly-right-for-you-bella-it-would-have-been-effortless-for-us/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) [Browse all 1,666 Breathing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I began my mindfulness exercises and focused on how the water felt against my skin, how my toes felt as I raised my feet and they came into contact with the bubbles on the surface, and the pressure of the tub against my back. I focused on my breathing and allowed it to become slower and deeper, letting my tummy rise and fall instead of my back and shoulders. Then, as I was at my most relaxed, I pushed my bum forward, opened my mouth, slipped my head underwater and took the biggest gulp of water I could until it flooded my lungs. 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