Hello,
It's Alice here and welcome to this guided practice of coherent breathing.
This technique is a simple way to bring balance to a stressed out nervous system.
We'll be making our inhale and exhale the same length and aiming to breathe smoothly and calmly with no pauses or gaps.
We'll be building up slowly by starting with a count of four in and four out,
Moving gradually up to a count of six in and six out.
We'll be breathing through the nose for both the inhale and the exhale.
This way of breathing can help reduce blood pressure,
Slow your heart rate and signal to the brain that it can relax.
So it's beneficial for both your mental and physical health,
Whatever state you're currently in.
Let's begin.
Bring yourself into a comfortable position,
Either sitting or lying down.
If you're sitting,
You could plant your feet on the floor and have something to support your back.
Take a full breath in now and then a full sigh out.
And do that a couple more times.
A couple more times.
Let your shoulders drop down,
Soften your forehead,
Soften your jaw.
And I invite you now to simply begin to notice your natural breath,
Not trying to change anything.
Notice your belly or chest rising,
Your breath flowing in and out.
And if you're able to breathe easily in and out through your nose,
Then begin to do that now,
Gently closing your lips.
And we'll start by breathing into a count of four.
So inhaling through the nose and exhaling.
Exhaling through the nose.
So to prepare,
Take a full breath in now and an emptying breath out.
And we'll begin.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Exhale.
And now inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Now inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Exhale.
And now you have this rhythm.
Continue breathing at your own pace to this even count for around a minute more.
Allow the counting to drop away now and return to your normal breathing.
And remember that as you slow your breathing down and balance it out,
You're sending a cue of calm to your nervous system.
Notice now how you feel in your body.
Notice the quality of your mind.
And maybe you sense that you're a little more relaxed or your mind is quieter.
Notice it all and bring that feeling with you as you move into whatever you're doing next.
Thank you so much for joining me.
