Good morning,
It's Dani here,
And welcome to your mindful morning practice.
Today we will focus on box breathing to start our day with a sense of calm and clarity.
Find a comfortable seated position with your spine upright,
But not too rigid,
And your hands resting gently on your knees or in your lap.
Close your eyes if that feels comfortable for you,
Or keep a soft downward gaze.
Let's begin by taking a few deep breaths together.
Inhale through your nose,
And exhale slowly through your mouth.
Feel your body settle,
And rest your focus on the breath.
Now we will practice box breathing,
A powerful technique to help you center your mind and body.
Box breathing consists of four equal parts.
Inhaling,
Holding the breath,
Exhaling,
And holding the breath again.
Each part will last for four seconds.
Let's start together.
Inhale deeply through your nose.
Hold your breath.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale slowly through your nose.
Hold again.
Inhale.
Hold.
Exhale.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Continue this pattern at your own pace.
As you breathe,
Feel the rise and fall of your chest,
And the stillness during the holds.
Let any thoughts that arise simply pass by.
Without judgment,
Bring your attention back to the breath and the count.
Inhale.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Imagine that with each inhale,
You are filling your body with fresh,
Energizing air.
And with each exhale,
You are releasing any tension or stress.
Inhale.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
A few more rounds at your own pace.
Last round.
Inhale.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Now gradually let go of the counting and return to a natural,
Comfortable breath.
Take a moment to notice how you feel,
How your mind and body feel.
Maybe it's something.
Maybe it's nothing.
And that's okay.
As you prepare to transition from this practice to the rest of your day,
Set an intention to carry this sense of mindfulness and calm with you.
When you encounter challenges or stressful moments,
Remember that you can always return to your breath.
Take one final deep breath in through your nose.
Open mouth,
Exhale.
When you feel ready,
Bring your awareness back to the space around you.
And slowly open your eyes.
Thank you for joining me this morning.
Wishing you a lovely day ahead.
