This is a simple breathing practice for moments when you're feeling overwhelmed,
Stressed,
Or anxious.
Start by finding a comfortable position,
Either sitting up or lying down.
If you're lying down,
You might like to prop yourself up with a slightly reclined rather than flat.
This can be especially supportive when you're feeling anxious,
As lying completely flat can sometimes make the sensations feel a little more intense.
When you're ready,
Close your eyes or soften your gaze,
Gently dropping the shoulders,
Unclench the jaw,
Soften the space between the eyebrows.
Let's begin.
Take a slow breath in through your nose,
Hold at the top for a moment,
And exhale through your mouth,
Slow and controlled.
Again,
Breathing in through the nose,
Holding gently at the top,
And exhaling slowly through your mouth.
One more time,
Inhaling through the nose,
Hold,
Exhale through the mouth.
Good.
Now let the breath drop a little lower,
Breathing into the belly on the inhale,
Feeling it expand,
And on the exhale,
Letting the breath lengthen just slightly.
Inhaling through the nose,
Belly expanding,
Hold,
Exhale through the mouth,
Slow and steady.
Again,
Inhale through the nose,
Hold,
Exhale through the mouth,
Keeping the breath steady,
Letting each exhale be a little longer than the last.
Inhale,
Hold,
Exhale.
Inhaling through the nose,
Hold,
Exhale through the mouth.
Inhale,
Hold,
Exhale.
Inhale,
Hold,
Exhale.
Inhale,
Hold,
Exhale.
Inhale,
Hold,
Exhale.
Two more breaths.
Inhale through the nose,
Hold,
Exhale through the mouth.
And again,
Inhale,
Hold,
Exhale.
When you're ready,
Bring your awareness back into your body,
Gently moving your fingers or your toes.
And if your eyes are closed,
Slowly opening them.
And remember,
You can return to this practice anytime you need to breathe through moments of anxiety or overwhelm.
