Deep Breathing Meditation For Beginners

When we breathe deeply, we utilize our lungs to their full potential and increase the level of oxygen that we're taking into the body. Deep breathing moves us out of the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight mode) and into the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and repair mode) and is a well-known technique for reducing feelings of anxiety. It is said that it is impossible to feel deep levels of anxiety and stress whilst breathing slowly and deeply.

This is a simple deep-breathing meditation to help you to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety and to bring your mind to a place of calmness.

Photo by Valda Karpovich

Transcript

This is a simple deep breathing meditation to help you to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety and to bring your mind to a place of calmness.

To begin with,

Make sure that you're in a quiet place for your meditation where you will not be disturbed for the next few minutes and make sure that you are sitting comfortably.

You might like to sit on a chair or on the floor but make sure that your spine is straight and that your body feels comfortable.

If you would like to support any part of your body with cushions or blankets take all the support you need,

Perhaps supporting your thighs if you're sitting cross-legged or sitting onto a cushion or a folded blanket.

You might also like to support your back by sitting against a wall and perhaps taking a cushion behind your back.

Or if you prefer,

You can also do this meditation lying down.

Once you've found your comfortable position,

Close your eyes and begin to watch your breath.

Follow the air flowing into your lungs as you inhale and watch your chest expanding and follow the breath back out again,

Watch your chest relaxing and contracting as you exhale.

For these next few breaths,

Follow the flow of the breath as closely as you can watching the air flow into the lungs and back out again.

Now take your hands to your lower abdomen.

As you breathe in,

Send the breath into your lower abdomen.

Feel your belly rising underneath your hands as you inhale and as you exhale,

Feel your belly sinking again.

Take some more deep breaths like this,

Inhaling into the lower abdomen feeling the belly rising and exhaling to feel the belly sinking.

Continue to breathe deeply into the lower abdomen.

If you find that you start to think about other things that your mind gets distracted,

That's okay.

It's completely normal.

But if you do notice that you've drifted away,

Very gently bring your awareness back to your breath and continue to breathe deeply.

We're going to follow the breath for one more minute.

Keep breathing deeply.

And now very gently prepare yourself to end the meditation.

Release your hands away from your abdomen and bring your breathing back to normal.

And just take a few breaths here to observe how you are feeling.

Observe how your body is feeling.

Notice your mind and your thoughts.

Observe any effects of the meditation.

And when you are ready,

Slowly open your eyes and return to your day.