For this meditation,
We will practice square breathing or box breathing.
This is a practice that can reset our natural breath rhythms as well as giving our nervous system a little reset.
It has the ability to calm the mind,
To increase clarity and focus and allow your whole being to relax.
We will do our square breathing to a count of four.
So how it goes is we'll inhale to a count of four,
Hold for a count of four,
Exhale to a count of four and hold at the bottom for a count of four.
And if holding your breath for that long gives you any feelings of tension or anxiety,
You can reduce your count to three.
And if you feel comfortable and it feels natural to increase your count,
You can use five or six or more.
For the majority of us,
Four will be a good place to start.
So that's what we will practice in this meditation.
We will breathe for 10 rounds and I'll talk you through the whole thing.
So go ahead and close your eyes and turn your gaze inward.
Welcome your body into this space by taking any movements that feel good.
Settle into a position where your spine is straight and upright,
Shoulders are rolled back and down.
Your facial muscles are relaxed.
Welcome your mind into this space by taking some deep breaths and letting the dust settle.
Give yourself permission to rest in total awareness of your breath and just allow yourself to be curious as to what might happen when you concentrate on your breathing in this way.
Just notice what shifts,
What moves,
And what feels more clear.
We'll take one more cleansing breath together.
So wherever you are,
Emptying your lungs all the way and then inhale all the way,
Filling your lungs and exhale,
Let it go.
Then we'll begin by inhaling four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Hold four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Exhale four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Hold for four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Inhale four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Hold four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Exhale four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Hold four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Inhale four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Hold four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Exhale four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Hold four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Inhale,
Relax your shoulders,
Relax your jaw,
Two and one,
Hold four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Exhale four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Hold four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Inhale four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Hold four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Exhale four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Hold four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Inhale four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Hold four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Exhale four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Hold four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Inhale four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Hold four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Exhale four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Hold four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Inhale four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Hold four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Exhale four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Hold four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Inhale four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Hold four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Exhale four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Hold four,
Three,
Two,
Last time,
Inhale four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Hold four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Exhale four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Hold four,
Three,
Two,
One,
Resume your normal breathing.
