Welcome to today's practice.
Find a comfortable position.
You can sit upright if you're doing this during the day,
Or lie down on your back if you're in bed.
Let your hands rest somewhere comfortable.
On your belly,
On your chest,
Or simply by your sides.
Allow your eyes to close,
And take a moment to arrive.
Notice the surface beneath you,
The temperature of the air,
And the sands around you.
There's nowhere else to be but right here,
Right now.
And begin by simply noticing the breath as it is.
Don't try to change it,
Just observe.
Notice the air entering through your nose.
Notice the gentle rise of your belly or chest.
Notice the release as you exhale.
Just watching,
Just feeling.
Now we gently guide the breath into a coherent rhythm.
We're going to breathe in for five counts,
And out for five counts.
There's no need to rush.
Let the breath be smooth and easy.
And I'll count for you.
So breathing in,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Breathing out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
In,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Breathing out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
In,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
And out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
And continue at your own pace for now.
Five in,
And five out.
Find your own rhythm.
Smooth and steady.
Equal inhale,
Equal exhale.
If your mind wanders,
Gently return to the count.
Five in,
Five out.
Notice how this rhythm starts to feel natural.
Your body remembering how to breathe with ease.
Let's do a few more counted breaths together.
So joining me on the exhale.
And breathing in,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
In,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
And out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
In,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
And out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Good.
Continue on your own.
One more minute of coherent breathing.
Steady,
Smooth.
Five and five.
Beautiful.
Now we're going to shift the pattern slightly.
We'll move the inhale to a four count,
And we'll extend the exhale to a six count.
This longer exhale activates your vagus nerve more deeply,
So you may notice an even greater sense of calm.
So let's begin.
Breathing in,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Breathing out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
In,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Breathing out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
In,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
And continue in this rhythm by yourself.
Four in,
Six out.
Let each exhale be a release,
Letting go of the day,
Letting go of any tension.
If six feels comfortable,
You can try extending to seven or eight.
Find what feels right for your body.
So in,
Two,
Three,
Four.
And out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
In,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
And again,
Continue at your own pace.
Inhale for four,
And exhale as long as it feels comfortable.
Each exhale pressing the brake pedal of your nervous system.
Each exhale inviting your body to rest.
So taking one more minute here.
Four in,
And long exhale out.
Now let your breath return to its natural rhythm.
No counting,
No control.
Just easy,
Effortless breathing.
Notice how you feel.
Perhaps a little calmer,
A little softer,
A little more ready for rest.
If you're in bed,
You can let the natural breath carry you towards sleep.
If you're sitting,
Take a moment before you open your eyes.
Wiggle your fingers and toes.
And when you're ready,
Gently open your eyes.
Well done.
Take a moment of gratitude here for the time you've given yourself for this practice.
See you tomorrow.
