Breath To Reduce Overwhelm

This gentle breath practice is designed to support steadiness during moments of overwhelm or internal agitation. It works with a calm rhythm and a slightly longer exhale to encourage settling without stimulation. There is no effortful control of the breath. Suitable for use when things feel too much and you need grounding rather than activation.

Transcript

Overwhelm often comes from the system being unsettled and pulled in too many directions at once.

Today we use a steady,

Downward moving breath to help you feel more grounded.

So when you feel ready,

Find a comfortable seated or lying position.

You could place one hand on the lower belly if that feels okay for you today.

And just begin by noticing your natural breath.

No effort.

When you feel ready,

Ease into a slightly longer exhale.

Inhaling softly,

Exhaling slowly,

A gentle downward flow.

As you continue to breathe,

Imagine the exhale traveling down through the body,

Through the ribs,

The belly,

Towards the pelvis and the legs.

Weighted,

Grounded and steady.

Keep the inhale easy.

Allow the exhale to carry the weight downwards each time.

If your mind feels busy,

Let it be busy.

You don't need to silence anything.

You're simply offering your system a steadier breath rhythm to follow.

Take three more slow breaths here.

Inhaling gently,

Exhaling softly and downward.

Allow the breath to return to normal.

And take a moment to notice how you feel.

Notice any shift,

Even a small one.

Thank yourself for showing up for this practice today.