OUR STORY
“Pathmaker, there is no path. We make the path by walking.”
“Caminante, no hay camino….Se hace camino al andar.”
– Antonio Machado
OUR NAME
At Second Breath, we believe that we are not alone but part of a Divine and interconnected mystery and that we are called to be fully present in the world, as it is.
Unfortunately, “being fully present” is often easier said that done. We can find ourselves moving from one moment to the next without much awareness. In this preoccupied state we become disconnected from ourselves and each other. We miss out on the fullness of life that is possible when we’re present – in our bodies, hearts and minds – to what’s arising each moment. Instead of life feeling spacious and meaningful, our experience can become dominated by feelings of constriction, anxiety and stress.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Through spiritual practice we can become more present – to ourselves and the world.
The name Second Breath describes this shift. If, with our first breath, we automatically react to a situation; the second breath provides an opportunity to pause, reflect, connect, and respond.
The shift beyond mere intellectual understanding of God, faith, and love to actually experiencing them with mind, heart, and body, helps us move from fear to love; from braced to open; from anxious to trusting.
Spiritual practice creates the spaciousness necessary for a second breath to occur. And the second breath is a gateway into the present moment.
In this presence, we are able to cultivate a deeper relationship with the Divine. And through this deeper relationship with the Divine, we are changed.
This change will not always make life easy, but it will improve our days in observable ways. This change will not always provide clarity in direction, but it will open doors and bring back vibrancy to possibilities. This change will never make us perfect, but it will enable more moments where we are the selves we have been longing to be. This change will not solve the world’s problems, but it will make the healing of this world more possible.
OUR PATH
In 2023, Second Breath Center started conducting oral histories with community members, facilitators, and spiritual practitioners past and present; people who studied with, taught at, or in some other way left their mark on the Center at Fisher House, the former Servant Leadership School.
We’re finding that each person we talk to knows at least one other person we need to talk to: “Have you met…? You absolutely need to talk to…” With each conversation, we’re learning some new and previously dormant parts of our community’s collective history. In these conversations, we also are learning about the spiritual journeys of the people who made us and others who may be an important part of shaping this next evolution with us.
This process is much like a pilgrimage walked for the first time. We take each step in trust, even if we can’t see what’s around the next bend. Sometimes we come upon unexpected vistas, providing the clarity of the birds’ eye view. Other times, we find ourselves in the darkness of deep brush.
Still, we walk in trust that what needs to be revealed will be.
For as long as we’re hearing, “Have you met…?” – we aim to continue listening. As we see themes and a fuller picture emerging, we will reflect back to all what we’ve learned about our path and where it might take us moving forward.
Each of our voices, one of a chorus, in full song.
OUR CORE TENETS
We trust that there is wisdom and divine within all of us and create the space to build on the insights of one another.
Earn the trust of those around through the embodiment of integrity.
To create a more loving world we must bridge across lines of difference and invite broadening perspectives.