Villoma (Staggered) Breathing | Calm Your Nervous System

Viloma breathing is a pranayama practice where the breaths are staggered: first we will stagger the exhalations and then the inhalations. This practice helps to move the nervous system out of 'fight or flight' and into 'rest and repair', and allows you to cultivate calmness, clarity and focus. Tosca the cat joins us to remind us not to take it too seriously.

Please be aware that as the practice involves breath retention it is not suitable when there is high blood pressure or any heart or lung conditions. Please listen to your body as you practice: if you begin to feel short of breath or light-headed, return to normal breathing.

Background music by Relaxing Time

Transcript

Welcome to your practice. Make sure that you're sitting comfortably to begin. Straighten your spine and take any support that you need to make your body comfortable so that you won't be distracted by any physical discomfort as you focus on your breath. And when you're ready, Close your eyes and bring your awareness to your breathing. Notice how your breath is flowing today. Is it fast or is it slow? Is it shallow or deep? Follow your breath as it flows into your body, Into your lungs. And follow the breath back out again. Notice how the breath naturally moves. Does it go more into your chest? More into your belly? Does it flow to another place? To begin with, Just one. We're going to do some staggered breathing and we'll begin by staggering the exhalation. So now take a long, Full, Deep breath out. As you exhale, Feel all of the old air leaving your lungs. And take a deep breath in, Filling your lungs completely. And now as you exhale, Breathe out for a moment and pause and hold the breath. Breathe out a little more and pause. Exhale and pause. Exhale and pause. Continue breathing out and pausing until you reach the end of the exhalation. And take a long, Full, Complete inhalation. We'll stagger the exhalation again. Exhale and pause. Exhale and pause. Exhale and pause. Exhale and pause. Continue until you complete the exhalation and then take another long, Smooth inhalation. Continue breathing like this in your own time. Pausing several times on the exhalations and taking long, Full, Smooth inhalations. After your next exhalation, Bring the breathing back to normal. Take some normal breaths to observe any after effects from the staggered exhalations. Now we're going to stagger the inhalations. So take another deep exhalation, Feeling all of the old air leaving your lungs. And now inhale for a moment and pause. Inhale a little more and pause. Inhale and pause. Inhale and pause. Continue pausing during your inhalation until your lungs are full. And then exhale completely with a long, Smooth exhalation. Inhaling again and pause. Inhale and pause. Inhale and pause. Inhale and pause. Continue inhaling and pausing until your lungs are full. And exhale completely. Continue staggering your inhalations and taking long, Complete exhalations. And after your next exhalation, Bring the breathing back to normal. And take some breaths to observe, To enjoy the benefits of that breathing practice. And when you're ready, Slowly open your eyes. Thank you for breathing with me today.