How Anita Cardinal Learned to Breathe

By Laura Mushumanski

(ANNews) – The first thing we two-legged humans learn to do when we are born into the physical world is breathe, but somehow along the way, we forgot how. Breathing is a lifeforce that connects us intimately with the plant world. As we breathe in oxygen that the plants gift us, we engage in a marriage of reciprocal relationships by releasing carbon dioxide for plants to utilize along with sunlight and water for photosynthesis and create sugars to sustain all life on Mother Earth.

The breath is so important with everything we do in life because it sustains life. Our bodies respond positively to breathing in rhythmic deep belly breaths – the heartbeat, nervous system and our thoughts can be regulated by the breath. So outwardly it affects how we think and how we are able to challenge ourselves in a good way – these challenges can be met with grace.

“I get to do this. It’s such a blessing,” said Anita Cardinal, an ultramarathon runner and founder of Indigenous Runner YEG. She shared that everything she has done in her life is an honour and blessing that gives her nourishment to share her gifts with community. “I am grateful and thankful, to grow old,” she added. “I get to grow old. I get to do all these things; life is just so short. There is something in us that calls us, and every single one of us – we have something that calls us to do certain things, and a lot of the time life gets in the way. If we follow that voice [instead of ignoring it] our lives are truly full. It is hard work though, but it is worth it. I know that when I leave this world, I won’t live with regret.”

Growing up on her reservation, Woodland Cree Nation, and being a young mom at 17 years old, Cardinal’s way out of poverty and to move forward in this world as an Indigenous person was through education – an understanding that her father instilled in her at a young age.

Through education, Cardinal eventually became a lawyer. And after learning that Cardinal’s mother was a victim of forced sterilization, her learning journey went full circle. Anita assisted the representative plaintiff, her mother, for the Alberta class action on forced sterilization on Indigenous women.

“It was a profound moment; I will never forget it,” said Cardinal describing the first time she heard her mother share her own experiences with forced sterilization with Indigenous women in Alberta. “It felt like the floor just fell out from under me. Here my mother, wished she had another child – and she couldn’t. She would say, ‘back in those days women didn’t have a choice.’ At that moment I realized it wasn’t [that] women didn’t have a choice, it was Indigenous women. She never knew this. To sit down and talk to her about this was one of those moments in your life that you will never forget. I went into the firm that I worked at [and suggested] that we start something if my mother was willing. Within two hours we were given a go ahead to do it.”

It has been a 30-year journey for Anita to become a lawyer, and somehow along the way, she had to teach herself how to keep breathing. The saving grace that Cardinal leaned towards was running – that has taught her about balance and connection to the land. Running became a place of refuge and ceremony for her. “When you run, you have to come face to face with the best you and the worst you in a short amount of time,” she said. “This is controlled suffering and a way to heal from trauma.”

Cardinal currently works closely with Child Family Services, with a goal of, “I just want [the children] to live in a world that’s better to them,” by taking up space, “in a big, beautiful way.” In doing so, Cardinal has created a safe space for herself to continue to find courage to take on challenges whether its running ultramarathons or in her law practice, with the perseverance to keep going despite the times that doubt is knocking on her front door.

Indigenous Runner hosts Orange Shirt Day Run on September 30^th in Edmonton and Saskatoon in honour, healing & solidarity.