Breath in Performance

Well, I have had an incredible breakthrough over the last few months, and that is with my breath. And I’ve read all the books, and my acting teachers have told me about breath, and I was like, yeah, yeah, I’m meditating, I’m relaxed, but it wasn’t until I was sitting there pre-show one night with my meditation music going and I rubbed the back of my neck (which felt like a rock) and I FINALLY got it. And I am sooo surprised—it is like the gift that keeps on giving back. I was on the mic again Friday, trying to relax through the performance, and I was just trying to be there, and WALLAH! I had the moment I had been waiting for! You know, I didn’t have to dig for the moment, mug for the moment or beg for the moment and it just came, and I still can’t tell you how amazed I am with how well it works. So…my question to my fellow performers out there is: what is your experience with breath and performance?