Outer Chaos, Inner Calm: A Conversation with Anthony Abbagnano on Breath, Belonging, and How We Stay Grounded in Turbulent Times

mmchureau
11 minutes ago
3 min read

What do we do when the world feels like it’s spinning off its axis? War, polarization, climate catastrophe, uncertainty—none of it is theoretical anymore. Whether we’re witnessing the horrors in real-time through headlines, reels, or lived experience, or grappling with chaos closer to home, with grief, addiction, anxiety, loneliness, we’re all being asked, over and over again, to find our footing.

In this week’s episode of The Fully Mindful, I had the honor of speaking with Anthony Abbagnano, founder of Alchemy of Breath and author of Outer Chaos, Inner Calm (released June 2025). And truly, there couldn’t be a more timely conversation.

“In times of chaos, we do not need more answers. We need presence.”

This message landed deeply. Isn't that what most of us are actually longing for, not another strategy or some supposed cure-all five-step plan, but a way to return to ourselves and to one another?

Breath as a Radical Act of Belonging

One of the most powerful takeaways from my conversation with Anthony is the simple, almost revolutionary idea that breathing with awareness is enough. That we can begin to transform our relationship to fear, disconnection, and overwhelm by choosing to breathe with intention.

He shared how the breath is not just a regulation tool, but a relational one—a way to reconnect with our bodies, our values, our sense of possibility, and with each other. That when we do this in community, breath becomes an act of belonging.

In the book, he writes:

“There is a moment in the breath when the chaos cannot follow you.”

That moment—that sacred pause—is something we can all access, even in the thick of heartbreak or confusion.

Writing Our Way to the Truth: The Autobiography Practice

Another powerful invitation in Outer Chaos, Inner Calm is to write your own autobiography—not as a literary exercise, but as a deeply reflective and healing one. Anthony suggests that writing our story, from our own perspective and at our own pace, can help surface patterns, pain, and even power we didn’t know was there. And while this is a personal practice, doing it in the context of community support (without necessarily sharing) allows for a holding environment that can deepen safety and clarity.

It’s a slow, conscious act of self-witnessing—one that brings into view the truths we may have hidden from ourselves or tried to outrun. In a world that moves fast, this kind of long-form presence is a radical reclamation.

Chaos Is the Catalyst

What struck me most about Outer Chaos, Inner Calm is how Anthony doesn’t ask us to flee chaos—but rather, to alchemize it. To listen for what’s being asked of us in the discomfort.

Whether we’re facing the collapse of systems or the unravelling of personal identity, if we’re willing to stay present, there is an invitation underneath, an invitation to evolve.

Anthony’s story, and his path through breathwork, is a testament to that truth. He reminds us that chaos is not the end—it’s the threshold.

Anchors for Hard Times

Here are a few of the grounded practices Anthony explores in Outer Chaos, Inner Calm that feel especially resonant right now:

Breathe consciously, even if just for a few minutes. Slow, circular breathing helps move us from reaction into reflection.
Acknowledge your pain, but don’t identify with it. Let your feelings speak, but not steer.
Return to community. Even virtual spaces can offer belonging. Find your people—and if you can’t, become that person for someone else.
Ask better questions. Not “What’s wrong with me?” but “What is this moment asking of me?”
Allow pauses. Stillness isn’t passive—it’s fertile.

Final Thoughts

This interview reminded me that clarity, peace, and even purpose are not found outside the storm—but at its center, if we’re willing to breathe into it.

So whether you’re struggling with global despair or personal upheaval, I hope you’ll listen to this episode. And I hope it gives you a moment of pause, of reflection, of remembering your inner calm.

Because in the words of Anthony Abbagnano: