Hi,
I'm Stuart Sandeman,
Founder of BreathPod and author of Breathe In,
Breathe Out.
I help empower people make positive change in their life through the power of breathing.
It's amazing that something so simple and accessible as breathing has the ability to change the way you think and feel.
This is because how you breathe triggers your nervous system.
So your breathing can impact your energy levels,
How much stress you're under,
And can even be the key to managing your emotions and letting go of trauma.
So today,
I want to show you how you can simply open your breath and slow things down to help you relax and find calm.
So this is something you can go back to any time you need to switch off.
To find a comfortable position,
You can be seated or lying down,
Close down your eyes or bring them to a soft gaze to bring your attention inwards.
And just stop and pause here for a moment to notice how you feel.
How does your body feel?
Do you need to fix your posture,
Maybe roll your shoulders back or loosen your neck?
This could be impacting your breathing.
Or do you need to loosen your belt or clothes to let your breathing flow?
And as you pause here,
What's happening in your mind today?
Just letting any judgments and opinions of your mind be the judgments and opinions of your mind.
You exist behind them.
So now check with your breathing.
How's that flowing today?
Now I'd like you to place your hands on your lower belly.
So palms on your lower ribs and fingers resting just below your belly button.
Now take a deep but gentle breath into your nose using your diaphragm,
Your primary breathing muscle.
So really feel your breath expand into your hands on your belly before any movement on your chest.
And don't just force your stomach out.
The rise in your lower belly is the displacement of air and organs downwards,
Moving your belly outwards.
Good,
Now a slow breath out through your mouth.
Let your shoulders relax away from your ears.
Let your mind ease on that out breath.
It's your out breath that helps you switch off.
Good,
Let's go again.
So breathe in through your nose and feel your breath expand into your hands on your belly.
Good and short pause at the top.
And slow breath out through your mouth.
Let your shoulders drop and relax even more.
Good,
Let's go again.
Take a gentle breath into your nose,
Feel your breath expand into your hands on your belly.
Short pause before a relaxed breath out through your mouth,
Letting go of any tension in your body and your mind.
Good,
So now I'd like you to drop your awareness from your head into your heart.
See if you can feel your heartbeat in your chest.
See if you can notice the pulse your heart sends throughout your body.
Just tuning in to your heart.
And as you feel your heartbeat,
I'd like you to thank your heart for beating.
Thank you heart for beating.
Thank you breath for breathing and bringing life into my body.
And as you continue to feel your heartbeat,
I'd like you to ask your heart what would make today great?
What would make today great?
A simple question that can create a positive intention for the day is the perfect combination with breath work.
So what would make today great?
Maybe a feeling you wish to have,
Maybe someone you'd love to meet,
Anything at all.
What would make today great?
Let that form as a picture in your mind or a feeling in your body.
What would make today great?
Let's take another deep breath in,
Feel your belly rise and slow breath out.
Good.
Now I want to consciously think about opening up the sections of our breath.
So as you breathe in,
I want to see if you can send your breath to the base of your spine.
That's right,
Breathe in,
But breathe deep into the base of your spine.
See how low and grounded you can send your breath.
Nice,
And pause at the top.
Now slow breath out through your mouth,
Relax your face.
Good.
And again,
This time breathe into the base of your spine.
And now open your breath into your pubic bone as well.
So we're opening from the root up,
Pause at the top with a full breath and slow breath out through your mouth,
Relax your whole body.
Good.
And again,
This time opening up a little further.
So breathe into the base of your spine,
Your pubic bone,
And now your hips really feel your breath expand into those areas.
Get a slight pause at the top and slow breath out through your mouth,
Relax your body,
Let your mind ease.
Good job.
Let's keep opening your breath a little bit further now by keeping that nice,
Rooted,
Grounded breath in your core.
So breathe in,
Expand into the base of your spine,
Your pubic bone,
Your hips,
And now your belly button.
Really open and expand.
Nice job.
And breathe out through your mouth,
Relax and let go.
Let's keep going.
We're going to expand a little bit further now.
So breathe into the base of your spine,
Your pubic bone,
Your hips,
Belly button,
And now feel your side ribs expand too.
Short pause at the top and breathe out.
Slow and relax through your mouth,
Relax your shoulders,
Your face,
Your jaw.
Good.
Let's keep going.
So breathe in,
Expand your breath into the base of your spine,
Your pubic bone,
Your hips,
Your belly button,
Your side ribs,
And now your midsection too.
Lovely,
Deep,
Rooted,
Grounded breath.
Pause at the top and slow breath out through your mouth,
Relax to the fullest,
Your shoulders,
Your face,
Even behind your eyes.
Let's keep going.
So breathe in to the base of your spine,
Your pubic bone,
Your hips,
Your belly button,
Side ribs,
Midsection.
Now feel a slight expansion in your back too,
And pause.
Good slow breath out through your mouth.
Use that out breath to really find your calm.
Let's go again.
This time we're going to go all the way up to the chest.
So full breath in now,
Mindfully expanding your breath.
Let's go.
Again,
Base of your spine,
And your pubic bone,
Your hips,
Your belly button,
Side ribs,
Midsection,
Slight expansion into your back,
And now up into your chest too.
Good job and slow breath out through your mouth,
Relax your foreheads,
Letting go of any tension and strain.
And again,
Full breath in through your nose,
Really feeling your breath expand into these areas.
So base of your spine,
Pubic bone,
Your hips,
Belly button,
Side ribs,
Midsection,
Your back,
And up into your chest,
That final little expansion.
Pause at the top,
And slow breath out through your mouth,
Relax your whole body.
Let it become heavy and relaxed.
Let's go for three more.
So breathe in,
Open those sections like a wave from the base of your spine,
Pubic bone,
Hips,
Belly button,
Side ribs,
Midsection,
Your back,
And your chest too.
Pause at the top,
And slow breath out through your mouth,
Relax your whole body.
And again,
Breathe in like a wave,
Opening up those sections,
Base of your spine,
Pubic bone,
Hips,
Belly button,
Side ribs,
Midsection,
Back,
And chest too.
And slow breath out through your mouth,
Relax your whole body.
Good.
Last one,
It's all you this time.
So opening up like a wave,
Let's go.
Pause at the top.
And slow breath out through your mouth,
Relax your whole body,
Letting your mind ease,
Sinking into stillness.
And now let your breathing come back to a natural rhythm.
Just notice how your body feels,
Notice how your mind feels.
Notice the space you've created today in your breath.
And I'd like you to drop from the awareness of your mind back into your heart,
Feeling your heartbeat again.
And to close our session as you feel your heartbeat and your breath breathe.
I'd like you to think of one thing that you're grateful for today,
Anything at all.
You'd be the people in your life,
Those things you take for granted,
Anything at all.
What am I grateful for today?
And don't just say it in your mind,
Feel it in your body.
What am I grateful for today?
And let's take one final breath in together to close our practice.
So breathe in through your nose,
Belly rise.
Stop and pause at the top,
Maybe even smile.
And slow breath out through your mouth.
And now slowly,
Slowly coming back into your space,
Wiggling your toes,
Your fingers,
Listening your neck,
Maybe having a stretch.
When you're ready,
You can open your eyes.
So thank you so much for joining me today.
I hope you're feeling calm.
And thank yourself for taking the time to open up your breath and relax your mind.
And remember,
This is something you can come back to as part of a daily practice.
