Breathwork to Slow Down

Your breath will bring you home again and again.

Breath is always the way.

Inhale through your nose and open your mouth to audibly exhale.

Breathe and feel it all slow down.

Slowness is balance.

Give yourself permission to get as comfortable as possible for this session,

Either in a seated position,

On the floor or a couch,

Or maybe lie down with your back flat on the ground or a bed.

To begin,

Conduct a soft,

Non-judgmental check-in.

Is your breath short or is it long in this moment?

Where can you sense your breath most easily moving in your body?

How does it feel to be here breathing right now?

Are there areas in your body where breath flows freely?

Do any spaces seem blocked or achy and disconnected from breath?

Begin to lengthen your exhalations.

Notice slower exhales traveling down your spine.

We will shift the focus to inhaling for four and exhaling for five.

I personally love the simplicity of this style because counting is a perfect anchor,

Simple and steady.

Counting keeps the mind and ego on task and focused.

If my pacing doesn't serve you today,

Please choose a different interval,

Making sure the exhale is a bit longer.

Sometimes working with breath can induce minor stress,

So if you feel you need a cleansing breath anywhere along the way,

Or if you need to move around a bit,

Do whatever you need and then try to return to the practice with me.

Gently through your nose,

Let's inhale for four.

One,

Two,

Three,

Four.

And a long exhale through your nose for five.

One,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five.

Again,

Inhale.

One,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Slowly exhale for one,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five.

Inhale one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Exhale one,

Two,

Three,

Four,

Five.

Counting to yourself,

Inhale.

Calmly exhaling.

Inhale.

Exhale.

The mind's job is to simply focus on the counting.

When your breath is slower,

Your heart rate slows.

The parasympathetic nervous system is activated,

The rest-digest comfort branch of the nervous system.

Finish about three more rounds on your own,

Inhaling for four and exhaling for five.

Let your breath return to normal now.

Let that practice fade away.

I know there's so much to observe when we slow down.

It can seem like too much at times.

Slowing down doesn't always feel good,

Yet gradually relaxing the desire to control or the habit of worry is possible.

Slower breaths may lead to slower reactions and less tension and long-lasting changes.

You are allowed to take it slow.

Breathe and feel it all slow down.

As we finish up,

Notice how the practice of slowing your exhale has impacted you physically,

Mentally,

And emotionally.

What type of slowness can you incorporate daily or weekly moving forward?

I wish you well as you continue practicing out in life.

Let's connect again soon.