Relaxation Meditation

Begin by bringing gentle awareness to your breath, focusing on the inhale and allowing the exhale to linger naturally, without force. Exhaling more slowly than you inhale promotes relaxation because the nervous system, heart, and brain are closely wired together. During an inhale, heart rate naturally increases; during an exhale, it slows down.

When the exhale is longer, the heart spends more time in this slowing phase, lowering overall heart rate and increasing heart rate variability (HRV), a key marker of nervous system resilience and emotional regulation.

A slower exhale also allows carbon dioxide levels to rise slightly into a safe range, calming chemoreceptors in the brainstem and reducing panic or air-hunger signals. This sends a message of safety to the nervous system by activating the vagus nerve, stabilizing breathing chemistry, and reducing threat signaling in the brain—especially helpful for individuals with anxiety or trauma histories.

Transcript

Your spine is upright,

But not rigid.

Close your eyes gently.

Just take a moment here to settle into your space.

Let's begin by bringing your attention to your breath,

Nose,

And exhale through your mouth.

Expand fully and then exhale,

Releasing the breath slowly through your mouth.

Allowing the chest and belly to fully expand and exhale deeply,

Allowing your chest,

Your belly to fully expand.

And then slowly exhale,

Feeling any tense breath to find its natural rhythm.

Notice the sensation of the breath as it enters.

What moment?

Is it your chest that's moving or your belly?

There's no rules here.

We're just bringing awareness to the breath.

This pattern on your own.

Inhale would be how did focusing on your breath impact your breathing?