The urge to breathe comes mainly from rising carbon dioxide in your body,
Not a lack of oxygen.
Practicing gentle breath holds on a regular basis helps train your body to stay calm as that urge builds.
This is known as CO2 tolerance.
Over time,
This can support calmer,
More efficient breathing.
As we practice each hold,
Invite your body and mind to settle into the stillness between breaths.
We'll do a series of breath holds starting with a three second hold and gradually increasing up to nine seconds.
We'll then come back down again to three seconds and return to our natural breath.
Between every hold,
We'll take two natural breaths.
If a hold ever feels like too much,
Take a few easeful breaths and come back when you're ready.
You can save this practice and come back to it anytime.
Let's ground with two breaths together.
Breathe in through your nose.
Release through your mouth.
Inhale,
Fill your belly,
Fill your ribs.
Exhale,
Let everything soften.
Notice your natural breath,
Its rhythm and texture.
Let your attention land on your breath.
The sound,
The feeling,
The sensations.
And from here,
Breathe in and out through the nose.
After your next exhale,
Pause.
Stay empty and still for a moment.
Keep your body soft.
And then let the next inhale arrive on its own.
Now let's breathe to my count,
Beginning with a hold of three seconds.
Take a breath in.
Take a breath out.
And hold three.
1.
Inhale,
Fill your belly and ribs.
Exhale,
Relax your shoulders.
One more inhale.
And exhale.
Now in.
And out.
And hold.
4.
.
.
3.
.
.
2.
.
.
1.
.
.
Inhale and expand.
Exhale and soften.
Inhale.
And exhale.
Out.
Hold 5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Take two natural breaths here.
And we'll go again,
In.
And out.
Hold 6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Two natural breaths.
Keep your shoulders soft.
Out.
Hold 7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Easeful breaths here.
Relax your face.
And in.
And out.
Hold 8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Two breaths to recover.
Out.
Hold.
9,
8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Take two more easy breaths.
That will begin to come back down to three seconds.
Out.
Hold,
8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1,
2 breaths.
Find that ease in your body.
Out.
Hold 7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Natural breaths.
Out.
Hold 6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Two natural breaths.
Out.
Hold 5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Out.
Hold 4.
.
.
3.
.
.
2.
.
.
1.
.
.
Out Hold 3,
2,
1.
Release the count and come back to your easeful,
Natural breath.
Let your body breathe at its own pace.
And just find your rhythm here.
Find your connection to balance.
Take a moment to check in and see how you feel.
Let's close with a breath together.
In through the nose.
Release through the mouth.
Thank you for practicing with me.
