Box Breathing | Calm, Balance & Focus

Restore calm, balance and focus with this guided Box Breathing practice. You’ll complete 16 rounds using an even rhythm: inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4 and hold for 4. The practice concludes with an optional breath hold, followed by a few quiet moments to experience the sense of balance created by the breath. This steady, symmetrical breathing technique can help settle the nervous system, quieten a busy mind and bring you back to a more centred state. To begin with the guided settling: 1:00. To begin directly with the breathwork: 3:06. CONTRAINDICATIONS: Avoid the breath holds if you are pregnant or have uncontrolled high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems, a respiratory condition, epilepsy, or any medical concern affected by breath retention. Stop and return to normal breathing if you feel dizzy, uncomfortable or anxious. Practise seated or lying down - never while driving or in water.

Transcript

Hello and welcome. My name is Christian and I'm going to take you through box breathing today. This technique is a fantastic technique at helping you bring yourself into balance both physically, Mentally and emotionally, But also helping you achieve a feeling of deep calm and relaxation. We're going to use the count of four for this technique today. You can alter this when you're doing your own practice, But 4 is what we'll be using for each side of an equal box. So one side will be inhaling, Which you'll inhale through the nose to a count of four. We're then going to hold those inflated lungs to a count of four. Are then going to exhale, Emptying the lungs to a count of four. And then you're going to hold the empty lungs to a counterforce. So you inhale 4, Hold 4, Exhale 4, Hold 4 and then repeat. If you're not sure whether you can do this practice then just read the contraindications. You may find that you're not able to do the breath hold and if that's the case just remove it. Just inhaling and exhaling in a balanced breath technique. But if you are going to join me for the box breath. I invite you now to start to close the eyes or have a soft gaze. Take the chance to relax your face and jaw. Be placing a big artificial smile on the face so you feel the whole face contract. And relax it while you're in the bottom jaw. Just releasing any tension that may be there unwittingly. So when you're happy, You can eventually bring your lips back together. Tip of the tongue and the roof of the mouth. Which will encourage the bottom jaw to hang within the closed mouth. Just take some time to get comfortable. You can do this either seated. Old line. Choose a posture which is going to be most effective for you, So you can concentrate on the breath and nothing else. We're going to do a nice long round of this practice, Culminating in a breath hold at the end, For those who'd like. Before we do. We're just going to settle into our space. Going to settle into ourselves. We're going to start the process of connecting and feeling. Just follow the next gentle breath into the centre of you. Like dropping a stone into still water which is used. Follow the ripples out. Into every corner of your being. Feeling. And observing. I was engaging with anything. Let the thoughts float on by. Immersion. Into the distant. And the physical sensations gently hold your awareness enough just to give you that feeling of being present. And connected. When you're ready, I invite you to exhale, Emptying the lungs as quickly as you can. Inhale. One. Pole. Exhale 1 three. Hold one. Inhale. Three. Fall. Ho! Three. Exhale. Three. Cool. Home. Inhale. One. Too. Three. Oh. Home. Exile. One. Three. Inhale, One. Three. Home. To free. Boom. Exhale. One, Two, Three. Three. Oh. Hold. Inhale. Too. Three. Fall. Hold. Poem. Exhale 1, 2, 3. Too. Three. Oh. Hold. Three. Inhale. Three. Phone. Home. Exhale. Three. Paul. Hold one. Too. Three. And how. One. To. . . Three. Oh. Poll. Free. Excel. Oh. Home. Inhale. Fall. Home. Three. Excel free. For home. Too. Three. Inhale. One. To 3. Fall. Home. Exhale. Oh. Hold one. Too. In hell. Fall. Poll. Exhale. For. . . Poll. Too. Three. Inhale. Three. Fall. Excel. Three. Fall. Hold. 3. Inhale. Three. Oh. Oh. Excel 1 Three. Fall. Home. Too. Inhale. One. To three. Oh. Hold one. Three. XO 1 to you. Full. Hold. Too. Inhale. Fall. Ho! Free. Exo. Three. Fall. Hold one. Three. In how. Oh. Hold 1. Three. Excel 1 Oh. Home. One. Three. Last round. Inhale. One. Four, Hold, One. Four, Exhale, One. To fall. Hold one. 2. When you're ready just release the breath. And take the biggest inhale you can manage and hold it. Will inflate those lungs. Draw the chin into the spine, Engage the pelvic floor. As you hold the breath, Squeezing the pelvic floor, Drawing the chin in to create that energy lock. Just relax your arms and shoulders. Eyes closed for a soft gaze and feel. Notice how the sensations slowly start to build. Yet even with this feeling of growing pressure to release. A feeling of calm. And presence. Eventually we'll all reach a point we can hold no more and there's no rush for those with a big breath hold. When you do, With an open mouth and a cathartic sigh, Just let it all go. Smiling when you do release. Particularly if you've held to a limit of your breath hold. That first inhale will be sweet. Making it so much easier to smile with genuine gratitude. Feeling how good it is to smile. Lightness on your face. The richness of those simple breaths as they flow effortlessly. And the feelings of peace and calm and balance now wash through you. And over you. Savor this time. Savour these effortless breaths. So in a moment when you return. . . You can bring with you the feeling of balance and calm. When you're ready, Slowly flicker your eyes open. And go forth into the rest of your day. With a feeling of balance and calm and inner peace. Namaste. Please take your time. Thank you so much for joining me and I look forward to seeing you all again soon.

Reviews

Superb! Love a Box Breathing practice and this was the perfect tempo. Thank you…yet another one saved!
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