Hello.
Namaste.
Today we are going to practice a pranayama technique called samavriti or
box breath.
It is one of the most well known and basic forms of pranayama and has become
quite popular as a modern breathwork technique.
It is used by military and special forces
and professionals all over the world.
This pranayama technique is a restoration of balance
between your parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system and has numerous clinical benefits
such as lowering your blood pressure,
Your heart rate,
It helps you reduce sweat,
Muscle
cramps.
It also helps reduce involuntary muscle twitches.
It enhances the digestive process.
It enhances function of your immune system,
Promotes better quality of sleep.
Personally,
I have experienced the health benefits for emotional well-being such as anxiety,
Panic
attacks,
PTSD and depression.
So the concept with samavriti is a box,
4-4-4-4.
So I will
guide you through this breathwork technique and then will encourage you to practice this
throughout the week until you become familiar with this practice as an option to turn to
in times that you may need one of the benefits that I just mentioned.
So finding a comfortable
seat in a chair,
Perhaps on a cushion or block.
You may lie down,
But I do like to encourage
this practice from a seated position.
And once you have found your comfortable position,
You may bring the hands down to your lap.
Maybe your right hand is being held by your
left,
Your left hand or left side of the body symbolizing your divine feminine and your
right side representing your divine masculine.
So as we aim to breathe to regulate ourselves,
Maybe our feminine nature holds our masculine energy.
Closing down the eyes if that feels
safe and just becoming aware of your breath.
Bringing your focus inward,
Inhaling and exhaling
out the nostrils and just taking notes on where your breath is at in this moment.
See
if you can associate your breath with your heart rate.
Not having a story with this question,
Just being curious,
Being an observer of the self.
On your next exhale,
Completely release
all the air in the body.
We'll begin to inhale for 4,
3,
2,
1.
Hold for 4,
3,
2,
1.
Exhale for
4,
3,
2,
1.
Hold for 4,
3,
2,
1.
Inhale for 4,
3,
2,
1.
Hold.
Exhale.
Hold.
Inhale.
Hold.
Exhale.
Hold.
Inhale.
Hold.
Continue with this box breath,
Seeing if you can continue
an embodied and relaxed position.
As we tap in to an even count of our breath,
We ask our nervous
system to become even,
To be centered.
Continue these box breaths for a few more moments,
Bringing
into focus your center as we square each breath.
Take one more round of Samavriti,
Returning back to your normal breathing pattern,
And now bringing your attention back to your
breath and to your relationship with your heart rate and to your entire body.
Does it
feel any different than your check-in before this practice?
Do you feel the echoes of this
pranayama in your body,
Your mind,
And your spirit?
Thank you for practicing with me today.
Remember,
You can always come back to the breath.
Thank you for joining all the sounds around me
from Costa Rica.
I wish you a beautiful rest of your day or evening.
Pura Vida,
Pure life,
And Namaste.
