15-Minute Receiving Breath, Held By Mother Earth

A 15-minute breathwork practice for anyone who has forgotten they're allowed to take up this much space.

This guided journey moves through two rounds of connected breath — first releasing what you've been gripping, then opening to receive. From there, you'll turn inward and quietly ask yourself what you most need to receive from yourself right now, holding that question gently, with no pressure to find an answer.

Throughout, you're invited to feel Mother Earth rising up to hold you, so you never have to hold yourself up alone.

No experience with breathwork is needed. Find a comfortable place to lie down or sit, and let yourself be guided. This is a practice of bringing the volume down — coming back, again and again, to the present moment and the breath.

Transcript

Hi. I'm Hillary, And I'm so glad you're here. This is the receiving breath. A practice for anyone who has forgotten that you're allowed to take up this much space. 15 minutes. Just for you. Find a place to lie down or sit comfortably. Somewhere you won't be disturbed. Whenever you're ready. Let your eyes close. Bring one hand to your heart and one hand to your belly. Feel Mother Earth beneath you. SOLID Ancient. Unhurried. She has been holding things far heavier than you for a very long time. Just notice where your breath is right now. Is it shallow, High in your chest? Or is it deep and down in your belly? There's no need to change anything yet. Just notice. You are allowed to take a moment before you begin. Just keep breathing gently however your body wants to breathe No counting. No changing anything. Just being here. With yourself. For a moment. When you feel ready. We'll begin the first round of breath. Let's just start with a gentle connected breath. In through the nose, Belly first, Then chest. Out through the mouth with a slow, Soft sigh. We'll use a count to help the body find the rhythm. Breathing in for four and out for six with no pause in between. The longer exhale is what tells your nervous system it's safe to let go. And we begin breathing in 2, 3, 4 and out 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Again in 2, 3, 4 and out 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 In through the nose, Belly, Then chest. Out through the mouth, Letting it go. And as you take these breaths. Notice if anything tightens. Is their resistance. Tension. Place that doesn't want to open yet. If you find it. Don't breathe against it. Breathe into it. Let the breath go straight to that place, Gently. Like you're visiting it rather than fixing it. If your mind begins to wander off somewhere. That's alright. Just come back. Back to this moment. Back to the breath. This is a practice of bringing the volume down. With every exhale, Let something drain down and out of you into the earth. Maybe it's an outcome. A worry. The need to do this perfectly. Let her take it. She knows what to do with it. In 2, 3, 4 Out 2 3 4 5 6 If you're not collapsing, You are choosing to put something down just for a minute and trusting the ground to hold it. Now let's take two more breaths. In two, Three, Four, Out two, Three, Four, Five, Six. Again, Two, Three, Four, And out two, Three, Four, Five, Six. Now let your breath return to normal. No more counting. Just let it settle into whatever rhythm it wants. Now shift your focus to the inhale. So on this next round of breaths, Each breath in is an act of receiving. It's life rising up through the earth and into you without you having to earn it. So on this round we'll flip the count we'll breathe in for six hold for two and out for four The longer inhale and the hold gives you more room to actually receive before you let it go. And here we go, Breathing in two, Three, Four, Five, Six. Hold one, Two, And out two, Three, Four. Again, In two, Three, Four, Five, Six. Hold one, Two, Out two, 2, 3, 4. Again in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Hold 1, 2. Out 2, 3, 4. Continuing this count Breathing in slowly and fully Imagine warmth rising up from below, Through the ground, Into your spine, Filling your chest, Your belly, Your hands. With each inhale I receive. Each exhale, I allow. I receive. I allow. Feel yourself receiving on the inhale and allow on the exhale. Feel the difference between grasping for air and simply opening to let the earth pour into you. Breathe in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Hold 1, 2. Out 2, 3, 4. Continue this for two more breaths. Now let your breath return to its natural rhythm. No more counting here. Just let it move the way it wants to move. Just being. Turn your attention inward. Quietly ask yourself, What do I most need to receive from myself right now? Hold that question the way you'd hold a seed. With open hands. No rush to make it grow. You don't need to search for the answer. Just breathe, See what comes. Maybe it's a word. A feeling. A sense of something even as silence. Whatever arrives is enough. Let it surface like something rising from deep soil. Receive it without picking it apart just receive. Now let everything settle Feel Mother Earth rising up to hold you. Meeting your back. Your hips. Backs of your legs. You don't have to hold yourself up. She's got you. Bring both hands back to your heart. Take one long, Full breath in. Take up all the space of it. Hold it at the top. Fill it, Fill you. And let it go slowly. And you did not have to go anywhere special for that. You just had to open.