Box Breathing And Becoming Present

This short breathing practice is to re-center and remain calm when feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or overstimulated by external events. It involves quickly tuning inward and feeling present in our bodies, followed by a short box breathing technique, and closing with a brief mindful breathing.

Transcript

Welcome.

This meditation is for remaining calm and becoming centered when we're feeling stressed,

Overwhelmed or overstimulated.

Find a place where you can be undisturbed for several minutes.

Sit in a chair,

Placing your feet firmly on the floor and resting your hands in your lap.

Your fingers may be touching.

Immediately become aware of where your body is in space.

Notice your feet on the floor.

Notice the feeling of your hips in your chair.

If your chair has a back,

Feel how your back feels against that chair.

And notice how your hands feel as they rest in your lap.

Now tune inward,

Breathing in and out through your nose if that's available to you.

We're going to practice a simple box breathing technique.

If you feel overwhelmed or uncomfortable doing this exercise,

Stop immediately and allow your breathing to return to normal.

When we begin,

The box breath is inhaling for a count of four,

Holding our breath for four,

Exhaling for a count of four,

Holding for four and then inhaling again.

I will lead us through one round together and you'll continue after on your own,

Adjusting the length of the breath as is appropriate for you.

So inhale through the nose,

One,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Hold,

One,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Exhale one,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Hold,

One,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Begin the inhale again,

Counting on your own.

Now relax your breath,

Allowing it to go back to normal,

Finding that gentle rhythm,

Breathing in and out through your nose.

Once again,

Feeling the chair beneath you,

Your feet on the floor,

Your hips in your chair,

Your hands resting in your lap,

Being fully present,

Noticing the gentle breath as you inhale and exhale,

Taking a moment here to quiet your mind and rest in this space.

When you're ready,

Gently open your eyes.

Thank you for joining me.