Welcome to this short pranayama practice of Samavritti,
Also known as equal breathing or four-part breath.
This is the perfect practice for any time that you start to feel anxious or stressed and want to come back to your breath for a moment.
To begin,
Find a comfortable seated position.
You may be sitting cross-legged or kneeling on a cushion or the floor,
Or you may choose to sit on the couch or in a chair with your spine against the backrest and your feet flat on the floor.
Take a moment now to grow tall,
Reaching the crown of your head towards the ceiling or sky.
Then draw your bottom ribs in as you lengthen your shoulder blades down your back.
Your hands can rest gently wherever they're comfortable,
Perhaps on your thighs or in your lap.
Now soften your gaze to a point just in front of you,
Or if you're comfortable doing so,
Gently close down your eyes.
Draw your attention to your breath.
With your lips gently sealed,
Breathe in and out through your nose.
Feel the cool air passing through your nostrils as you inhale and the warmer air flowing out as you exhale.
Notice where the breath travels through your body.
Perhaps you feel it high up in your chest and your collarbones lift as you breathe in.
Perhaps your ribcage expands with your inhale and contracts with your exhale.
Maybe you're breathing deep into your belly and you can feel your belly grow as you breathe in and then you feel it release as you breathe out.
Just notice however your breath is feeling at this very moment.
I will now guide you through the pranayama practice of Samavritti,
Or equal breath.
After a few rounds with my voice guiding,
I'll fall silent and you'll be able to continue with the breathing pattern on your own,
Either counting to four in your mind or perhaps using a four syllable mantra for each part of the breath cycle.
My voice will come back in at the end of the practice to guide you back to your natural breath.
Now exhale fully to begin,
Emptying your lungs completely.
Then inhale two,
Three,
Four,
Hold at the top,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale two,
Three,
Four.
Hold at the bottom,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Inhale two,
Three,
Four.
Hold two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale two,
Three,
Four.
Hold two,
Three,
Four.
Inhale two,
Three,
Four.
Hold two,
Three,
Four.
Exhale two,
Three,
Four.
Hold two,
Three,
Four.
Inhale hold.
Exhale hold.
Inhale hold.
Exhale hold.
Inhale hold.
Exhale hold.
Hold.
After your next four-count exhale,
You can let go of the practice,
Allowing your breath to return to its normal rhythm in and out through your nostrils.
Now focus your attention back to the feeling of your breath,
The cool air on your nostrils as you inhale.
How does your breath feel in your body now compared to the feeling when you first sat down?
Do you feel more space around your heart?
Is there lightness across your shoulders and neck?
Has your breath moved from your upper chest to deeper in your belly?
Take a moment to notice any changes in your physical body and how you feel in this present moment.
Now let go of the breath completely and,
Keeping your eyes closed or your gaze soft,
Slowly bring your attention back to your surroundings.
Listen for any sounds you can hear.
Feel the parts of your body that are in contact with the ground or the seat you're on.
Feel the air on your exposed skin or notice the way your clothes feel against your skin.
When you feel grounded and ready,
Present in the space,
You can begin to blink your eyes open.
You're ready to move on with your day,
Connected to your breath and connected to the present moment,
Knowing that this practice is here for you anytime you need to come back to it.
Thank you.
