Another insightful saying from the book Everyday Psychology, by Dr Steve Edwards.
‘A stream of unconsciousness is only a careless name for what, when scrutinized, reveals itself to consist chiefly in the stream of my breathing.’ — William James
Dr Edwards comments: This saying is characteristic of William James’s insightful yet functional practical and pragmatic approach to psychology and philosophy. James is to have suffered from periods of depression which he overcame by believing in free will. He is said to have said that his first act of free will was to believe in free will. In a sense, breath is the spirit of life. In relaxation, a good technique is to breathe through one’s belly to the thought: ‘The air breathes me.’