Restorative Breathwork : Soothing The Nervous System

This gentle guided breathwork practice uses a combination of counted breathing patterns to help activate the parasympathetic nervous system which allows you to feel a deeper sense of relaxation. This can be done any time of the day to help release any stress you may be holding in the body, it can also be used before bed to help prepare for sleep, or before further meditation practice. This track includes delta waves and is best used with headphones to experience maximum benefits.

Transcript

Welcome to this guided breath practice to help you slow down and soothe the nervous system.

One of the most effective ways to cultivate a sense of calm and safety in the body is through the breath.

We cannot think our way into a calmer state of being but we can breathe our way there.

Often a resistance to slowing down can come from this belief that our worth is tied to how busy and productive we are.

Knowing that we have to earn rest,

That it isn't safe to slow down.

And without even realising we can end up running on adrenaline and we get to the end of our day wondering why we feel so exhausted or so wired.

Rest is productive.

Rest allows your body to recover,

To repair.

You can use this practice any time of day,

Whenever you need a moment to come back into the body,

A moment to slow down.

Start by finding a comfortable place to sit or lie down.

We will be using a series of different breath patterns that activate the parasympathetic nervous system,

Also known as our rest and digest.

The more we can activate this branch of our nervous system,

The more we can receive deeper levels of healing both physically and mentally.

When you're ready,

Closing down your eyes or softening your gaze.

And take a moment to feel into the surface beneath you,

Supporting you,

Holding you.

There is nothing to do and nowhere to be but right here.

And as you arrive into this practice,

Noticing maybe any resistance that might be present as you allow yourself to take this rest.

Noticing any sensations in the body.

Just noticing.

Not judging.

There is no right or wrong.

Beginning to bring awareness to your breath without changing it.

Noticing where you feel the breath.

Perhaps through your nose,

In your chest,

In your belly.

And let's begin by taking a nice slow deep breath in through the nose.

Sighing out through the mouth.

This first breath pattern,

We will be breathing in through the nose for a count of four seconds.

Out through the nose for a count of six seconds and holding the breath for four seconds.

Let's begin in three,

Two,

One.

Breathing in two,

Three,

Four.

Out two,

Three,

Four.

Five,

Six.

Hold two,

Three,

Four.

In two,

Three,

Four.

Out two,

Three,

Four.

Five,

Six.

Hold two,

Three,

Four.

In two,

Three,

Four.

Out out out.

2 3 4 out 2 3 4 5 6 hold 2 3 4 in 2 3 4 out 2 3 4 5 6 hold in 2 3 4 out 2 3 4 5 6 hold 2 3 4 in 2 3 4 out 2 3 4 in 2 3 4 out 2 2 3 4 in 2 3 4 5 6 hold 2 3 4 in 2 3 4 out 2 3 4 5 6 hold 2 3 4 in 2 3 4 out 2 3 4 5 6 hold 2 3 4 in 2 3 4 out 2 3 4 5 6 hold 2 3 4 in 2 3 4 out 2 3 4 5 6 hold 2 3 4 in 2 3 4 out 2 3 4 5 6 hold 2 3 4 Coming back to your normal breath for a moment and this time we will breathe in through the nose for a count of 4 seconds and out through the mouth for a count of 8 seconds and hold the breath for a count of 6 seconds beginning in 3 2 1 breathe in 2 3 4 out 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 hold 2 3 4 5 6 in 2 3 4 out 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 hold 2 3 4 5 6 in 2 3 4 out 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 hold 2 3 4 5 6 in 2 3 4 out 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 hold 2 3 4 5 6 in 2 3 4 out 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 hold 2 3 4 5 6 in 2 3 4 out 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 hold 2 3 4 5 6 in 2 3 4 out 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 hold 2 3 4 5 6 in 2 3 4 out 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 hold 2 3 4 5 6 in 2 3 4 out 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 hold 2 3 4 5 6 Returning now to your normal breath.

And we'll move into our final breath pattern where we will breathe in through the nose expanding the belly for a count of 5 seconds and blowing out through the mouth for a count of 10 seconds making sure to release that exhale as slowly as possible.

Beginning in 3 2 1 inhale 2 3 4 5 exhale 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 in 2 3 4 5 out 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 in 2 3 4 5 out 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 in 2 3 4 5 out 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 in 2 3 4 5 out 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 in 2 3 4 5 out 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 in 2 3 4 5 out 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 in 2 3 4 5 out 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 And now coming back to your normal breath.

Breathing in a way that your body wants to breathe.

And noticing how your body feels now.

After this breath practice.

Taking time now to sit or lie here as long as you need.

You can return to this practice anytime you need a moment of rest or a moment to soothe your system.

Sending you much love and healing.

Thank you for listening.

Thank you for listening.

Reviews

I absolutely love this practice! It has become my ultimate go-to breathwork meditation for calming my nervous system.

My favorite nightcap . Love the pace, the combo counting and music 🧠🧠💚

Truly excellent! Kirsty's breathworks are such high quality. I'm very grateful for this guidance.

I really struggle lately to find a good breathing meditation to add to my bookmarks. Today I found one thanks to you.
This session has soothing music that is combined with your beautiful voice and very interesting breathing techniques (which are not hard to follow though).
A perfect combination, thank you.

Thank you for this beautiful calm breath practice. Your continued count help me return when I had lost focus. I will return to this again. I feel a sense of peace now. 🙏✨

I woke up really anxious this morning, the clear & gentle Scottish accented guidance of breathing patterns was exactly what I needed. My mind & body are much more relaxed & balances. Thankyou!

This was lovely, thank you Kirsty. New breath patterns I haven’t done before! ✨❤️

I started the practice wound up tight like a coiled spring. By the end I had melted into jelly, all the tension gone from my body. Thank you so much. I have been running on adrenaline for too long.

I was feeling very anxious but this practice soothed me in a way I didn't think possible. Than you so much for providing this wonderful experience!

Very regulated, but quite effective. I almost dozed off beginning of the third set, which is impressive considering how stressed I've been today. And I do love a Scots accent 😸

Interesting trying different breath patterns. Aware that I am still bracing my body as I breathe.
Thank you for another great track, Kirsty!

Unbelievable! That was amazing for me… with every breath and step I was only focused on me! That was great! Thanks! That I will practice more often…

Great, thank you 🙏🏼 my nervous system feels much better.

Loved the multiple versions of breathing exercises.

Really love your meditations and breathwork. I found your voice very soothing.
I have struggled with stress for some time now. And I really find your exercises to be helping a fair bit.
Thank you.

Wonderful practice! I was really overstimulated but felt a lot calmer after this exercise. Thank you 🙏🏼

Wow. I loved this so much. I usually have a really hard time focusin on meditations and breathing exercises even tho I do multiple of them daily, but you succeeded to made me focus really good for every breathing part from start to end. Your counting was so comforting and felt to safe I wanted to cry lol.

One question tho, if you maybe know the answer, if not it’s ok cuz with severe ME/CFS im not surprised at anything 😅 But with every deep breathing exercise, like after this one, I’m left with a very shallow breathing and huge air hunger (that also occurs in my illness anyway but somehow I experience it even more after breathing exercises). Do you happen to know a reason behind this or is it just my illness again? Wouldnt be surprised if was 😅I’ve done alooooooot of deep breathing and regurarly breathe diaphram breathing, so my cells receive more air. But still, after deep breathing exercises the air hunger is crazy 😭

Excellent breath work meditation. Well paced with clear instructions. I've tried quite a few guided meditations over recent weeks and this is one of the best. It's no nonsense and to the point.
Thank you.

It was very good for relaxation and turning off from stress

Excellent breathing exercice. It was so interesting to observe and compare the difference between my normal breathing before and after this session. Chalk and cheese!