Breathing To Calm Body & Mind

Your body and mind need the breath more than ever when you are in a stress response. This meditation guides you to calmness and quiet by activating your parasympathetic nervous system through breathing. This is one of three meditations in the Shifting Anxiety Series.

Transcript

Sitting down in a comfortable seated position,

Gently rest your eyes closed to allow yourself to focus on your breath and relax.

Allow your breath to flow into your lungs so you can feel your diaphragm near your belly moving.

Without forcing the breath,

Allow yourself to breathe deeply like this.

And if you find it comfortable,

Breathe in and out through your nose.

For now,

Breathe in for 3 counts and out for 3 counts.

You may count gently in your mind,

Watching the breath in for 3 and watching it out for 3.

In for 3 and out for 3.

Your whole breath is 6 counts.

This even breathing technique creates regularity in your nervous system function.

You can deepen relaxation by extending the period of relaxed nervous activity within each breath cycle.

We do this next while keeping the whole breath count of 6.

On your next exhale,

Adjust your breathing slightly by slowing and extending the exhalation to 4 counts and then inhaling for 2 counts.

Out for 4 counts.

In for 2 and out for 4.

In for 2 and out for 4.

Continue this breathing and if your mind starts to wander,

Just bring it back to counting the breath.

In for 2 and out for 4.

I'll let you know when 2 minutes is up.

If you want to,

You may thank your body and your mind.

Taking a deep breath in to energize your body now,

Coming back into the room and you may open your eyes.

Reviews

This was wonderful, thank you! A simple but beautiful practice which really helped calm me down.

It really works to relax me quickly! Thank you 😄