Sept 26, 2023 —This card has long been one of my personal favorites; I find the art and message both just very soothing. I keep it on my desk to read when things get too hectic, or when the frustrating WiFi goes out, or when I need to, well, just catch my breath!
Its “send-ability” is something I appreciate, too. This card is so versatile that I could even give it to my neighbor friend Jeff who went through all the awful prep for a colonoscopy scheduled for last Wednesday … except the procedure was actually scheduled for Friday, so he had to go through the whole rigamarole again a day later! “Breathe” was definitely called for to calm that man. 😆
Contributing Cardie Toni Hoepf emailed us a few weeks back, “I want to mention the card I am sending out today. I just learned that a college roommate was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (very treatable!). Of course, this called for a card. I pulled my supply out and right there on the top was the perfect card. I had recently purchased the Breathe card and thought, ‘What a simple and lovely card to send to support my friend!’ Leave it to Cardthartic to once again have the card that fits!’” A week later, Toni followed up to say, “The friend I sent the Breathe card to just emailed me, ‘Thank you so much for your wonderful card! I LOVE that it’s beautiful and SO simple and its message spot-on!”
Come to find out, the whole subject of breathing is spot-on. According to this article from Shondaland, “80 percent of the population have a breathing dysfunction and have developed poor techniques throughout the years. That can range from breathing through the mouth, breathing through the upper chest and neck muscles, having altered breathing rhythm and rate, or keeping the body in a stress state for long periods of time.”
According to the Global Wellness Institute, “When you change your breath, you can experience better sleep, elevated athletic performance, clearer cognition, and better mood and energy. Being able to change our breath is an incredible tool that humans have. We have the power to breathe in ways that will calm, balance or boost the nervous system, depending on what you need at any given moment.”
Cardie Coordinator Emma can attest to that. She attended a three-day “Three-part Breathing” workshop at the Omega Institute several years ago and learned that practicing better breathing can help us process emotions, lower anxiety levels, improve mental clarity as well as sleep quality. CEO Ana recently sent me this podcast on the topic. And though you might want to skip the amped-up intro, in it you’ll hear from researcher and journalist Jim Nestor, who literally wrote the book on the subject; his New York Times best-seller Breath is a deep dive into the ins and outs of breathing.
Our Cardie Yoga classes often begin with great breathing exercises. If you care to join us, it’s MWF 2-3 PM ET via zoom; only instructor Paola is on camera, and if you just care to listen, that’s perfectly fine. Email [email protected] with the subject line “Cardie Yoga” and Emma will add you to our invite list.
Until then, there’s a lovely little quote below pulled from my Sugarboo box of 365 Gathered Truths. Breathe it in!
Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative
Sept 26, 2023 —This card has long been one of my personal favorites; I find the art and message both just very soothing. I keep it on my desk to read when things get too hectic, or when the frustrating WiFi goes out, or when I need to, well, just catch my breath!
Its “send-ability” is something I appreciate, too. This card is so versatile that I could even give it to my neighbor friend Jeff who went through all the awful prep for a colonoscopy scheduled for last Wednesday … except the procedure was actually scheduled for Friday, so he had to go through the whole rigamarole again a day later! “Breathe” was definitely called for to calm that man. 😆
Contributing Cardie Toni Hoepf emailed us a few weeks back, “I want to mention the card I am sending out today. I just learned that a college roommate was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (very treatable!). Of course, this called for a card. I pulled my supply out and right there on the top was the perfect card. I had recently purchased the Breathe card and thought, ‘What a simple and lovely card to send to support my friend!’ Leave it to Cardthartic to once again have the card that fits!’” A week later, Toni followed up to say, “The friend I sent the Breathe card to just emailed me, ‘Thank you so much for your wonderful card! I LOVE that it’s beautiful and SO simple and its message spot-on!”
Come to find out, the whole subject of breathing is spot-on. According to this article from Shondaland, “80 percent of the population have a breathing dysfunction and have developed poor techniques throughout the years. That can range from breathing through the mouth, breathing through the upper chest and neck muscles, having altered breathing rhythm and rate, or keeping the body in a stress state for long periods of time.”
According to the Global Wellness Institute, “When you change your breath, you can experience better sleep, elevated athletic performance, clearer cognition, and better mood and energy. Being able to change our breath is an incredible tool that humans have. We have the power to breathe in ways that will calm, balance or boost the nervous system, depending on what you need at any given moment.”
Cardie Coordinator Emma can attest to that. She attended a three-day “Three-part Breathing” workshop at the Omega Institute several years ago and learned that practicing better breathing can help us process emotions, lower anxiety levels, improve mental clarity as well as sleep quality. CEO Ana recently sent me this podcast on the topic. And though you might want to skip the amped-up intro, in it you’ll hear from researcher and journalist Jim Nestor, who literally wrote the book on the subject; his New York Times best-seller Breath is a deep dive into the ins and outs of breathing.
Our Cardie Yoga classes often begin with great breathing exercises. If you care to join us, it’s MWF 2-3 PM ET via zoom; only instructor Paola is on camera, and if you just care to listen, that’s perfectly fine. Email [email protected] with the subject line “Cardie Yoga” and Emma will add you to our invite list.
Until then, there’s a lovely little quote below pulled from my Sugarboo box of 365 Gathered Truths. Breathe it in!
Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative
Thank you!
You’re welcome, and thank You, Rosemarie, for reminding us of how powerful a simple “Thank you!” can be. Much appreciated.
Cardies, I encourage anyone who is interested, to join the wonderful Cardie Yoga classes. The breathing techniques Jodee wrote about are always incorporated in the class. Since I’ve been attending, those exercises have helped me enormously. Plus, it’s just a lot of fun! Due to a medical procedure I’ve had to miss the last 2 weeks & I’m so excited to be back tomorrow.
Ah, thanks, Mad! I’ve always loved the meaning of “Namaste,” which I’ve come to know as, “The light in me honors the light in you,” and you are exceptionally good at helping us shine that light brighter and broader. We love that and so much about you, Madeline.