“ It's not how long you hold your breath that matters, it's how long you can make that one breath last.” -Phillip Mishoe

Introduction:

Learn about Phillip's journey of harnessing the power of the breath to relax, surrender, and immerse himself completely in his freediving practice.

I encourage you to listen to the podcast; here are my biggest takeaways:

1. The Water Is The Most Honest Teacher

This is a reflection on my own experience with diving; the water reacts exactly in proportion to what you're giving it. I was trying to push my way through the experience and had a very difficult time just sitting and being in the water. This ended up showing me that I have a serious block in letting go completely and surrendering to something much more powerful than me.

2. We Have No Idea What Our Bodies Are Capable Of

You know those diaphragmatic contractions you get when you hold your breath for 30 seconds? That's your body simply letting you know you've got 3 or 4 minutes of oxygen inside. We place very conservative bounds on what we allow ourselves to do, whether we know it or not.

3. We Don't Know What It Feels To Be 100% Relaxed

Until you dive to at least 20 feet down and lose your sense of what's up and down, and the water is so murky you can't see your hand in front of your face, and you realize that if you let go of the rope you will most likely die, you haven't truly found out if you are someone who panics or stays calm in high-stress moments. This freediving certification was a slap in the face for me; I realize I hold a lot of tension in my body.