Welcome to this simple but effective breathing technique,
Sometimes called the rectangular breath.
It's perfect to help calm your mind and down regulate your nervous system.
It's great for moments when you're feeling stressed,
Anxious or overwhelmed or if you simply want to create a sense of ease and grounding.
It can be practiced sitting or lying down and it can also be practiced as you go about your day,
Whether it's driving or walking through the supermarket.
Just be sure to keep your eyes open.
We'll be using a 4-8 breathing count,
Breathing in and out through the nose.
Inhaling for 4 counts and exhaling for 8.
The extended exhale helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous system,
Which is the body's natural rest and digest state.
So take a moment to get comfortable.
You can sit upright with your feet on the ground or lie down if that feels better for you.
Close your eyes or soften your gaze and let your hands rest wherever feels natural.
When you're ready,
Let's begin.
In 3,
2,
1.
Breathing in for 4,
2,
3,
4.
Exhale 2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8.
Inhale 2,
3,
4.
Exhale 2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8.
Inhale 2,
3,
4.
Exhale 2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8.
Inhale 2,
3,
4.
Exhale 2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8.
Inhale 2,
3,
4.
Exhale 2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8.
Inhale 2,
3,
4.
Exhale 2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8.
You can continue to breathe in this way by yourself.
And you can also adjust the count,
Making it shorter or longer to suit your capacity,
Making sure that the exhale is longer than the inhale and breathing through the nose nice and slowly.
As you get comfortable with this practice and this count,
You can begin to work on the smoothness of the breath,
The quality of the breath.
You can let the breath really be an anchor for your awareness,
Beginning to notice where does the breath begin and where does the breath end,
Following the flow from inner to outer,
In through the nasal cavity,
Touching the throat,
The lungs,
Sensing the lungs expanding as you breathe in and contracting as you release the air all the way back into the outer world.
Letting your awareness really sink into the depths of the body,
Its functions and its sensations.
With the breath as a tool and an anchor,
We can really take a break from the activities of the mind to let our body regulate and pause in the busyness of life.
When you're ready,
You can release the practice and it's always good to take some time,
Remaining with your eyes closed,
To notice the effects of the practice.
Notice how your breath is now,
Notice how your body feels in this moment and give yourself the permission to stay here for as long as you like,
Sinking deeper into the body.
I hope you've enjoyed this practice and I look forward to sharing more soon.
