BreathingwithDreamsIhaveaquestionforyou.‘Doyouknowhowtobreathe?’Okay,Iknowwhatyouarethinkingnow,“Girl,areyoukiddingme?Everybodyknowshowtobreathe.”Actually,ifIwereyousittingdowninthereoneyearago,Iwouldthink,“Howdidshemakeittothefinal?”Alright,seriouslyspeaking,whatIamtalkingaboutis“theartofbreathing”,andit’saboutbreathinginaYogaway:peacefullyandalwaysundercontrol.Whatitrevealsistherealessenceofperseverance,“Inordertoachieve,sometimes,youneedtowait.”Andwhenitcomestothingsyoureallywantinlife,itisashardasitcouldpossiblybe.Forme,singingisalifething.WhenIamsingingonthestage,Ifeelwhole-heartedlyinvolved,andtheself-fulfillmentitrendersisinexplicablythrilling.ButwithalltherealisticproblemsIneedtofaceinlife,allthoseIwantseemtoofartobetrue-sofarthatIamterrifiedthatIwillnevereverbeabletogetthereandthatgraduallyIwillbecarriedawaybythecurrentsandtorrentsoflife.I’vebeendrownedintothisambivalenceforsolong.Now,witharefinedperspectivetowardsself-realization,Iamwaiting,inagracefulposture,andknowingthatIamgoingtogetthere.Andonthis,Ishouldsay,IoweYogaathank-you.Istillremember,aboutoneyearago,IattendedaYogacoursefortheveryfirsttime.Andtotellyouthetruth,Iwentthereforanicefigure.However,afterpracticingforsometime,Idiscoveredthattherewasanineffableinner-strengthburgeoningsneakilyinmewhileItotallyfocused.Inordernottoletgothissignificantpower,IstartedtopictureallIwantedinmymindwhileIwasfullyconcentrating,forIbelievethewingsofimaginationcouldmakethingspossible.Ilearnedtobreathewithmydreams,shapingtheeagernessintothiselegantgestureofpersisting.Andnow,ifyouaskmewhatexactlyis“theartofbreathing”,Iwouldsayitisindeed“theartofliving”.Itcombinesthesearchofbalance,thegraceofpatience,andtheawarenessofappreciation.Soeventhoughfeelingsaretiedupwithliferoutines,IcouldstillholdontothatfreeEGOwhichIhavealwaysadored:thegirlwhoissingingunderthespotlight,withallherheartandsoul;thegirlwhoisperseveringwithallshebelievesinandalwaysfeelsgratefulforwhathasbeenbestowedonher.Thatgirlisnowstandingrighthereinfrontofyo