Breathing For Relaxation And Stress Relief

This is a meditation on breath using a technique called Square Breathing. We start with breathing naturally. Then inserting pauses between the inhales and exhales. First, we breathe in for four counts pause, pause for 1 count and breathe out for four counts, pause for 1 count. We repeat this cycle x 4 times. Then the pause increases to 2 counts, cycle repeats x 4. Then 3 counts and 4 repetitions and finally, pause for 4 counts and repeat the cycle 4 times. We walk back the pauses.

Transcript

Sit in a comfortable position. Keep your spine relaxed but straight, Maintaining the natural curve of your spine. Soften your face that's spot between your eyebrows. Relax your jaw. Perhaps patting your lips slightly or taking your tongue and allowing it to rest just above your front teeth. You have the option of keeping your eyes open, Closed or partially open. If they're open, Keep them focused lightly to a spot in front of you. You can stack your palms and hold them at your low belly or place them facing upward on your thighs. Take a big inhale through your nose. Open your mouth and exhale it all out. Do that a few more times. Take long inhales through your nose and dump it out through your mouth, Slowly or quickly, Making any sound that feels spontaneous and natural to you in this moment. And now observe your natural breath without manipulating, Regulating. Just a natural breath as it moves in and out of your nostrils. Perhaps you're aware of the rise and fall of your abdomen and chest. We will now do a breathing technique called square breathing. We will inhale for four counts, Pause for one count, Exhale for four counts, Pause for one count. We will repeat this entire cycle for four times. After that, We will increase the pauses between inhale and exhale to two counts and repeat the whole cycle four times. Then we will increase the pause to three counts between the inhalations and exhalations and repeat the whole cycle for four times. Finally, We will increase the pause between inhales and exhales to four counts, Which means we will inhale for four, Pause for four, Exhale for four, Hold for four and repeat the entire cycle for four times. And then we will walk back in reverse. We will decrease the pauses to three counts, Repeat the circle three times, Then we will decrease the pauses to two counts and repeat the cycle two times. Finally, We will decrease the pause to one count, Repeating that cycle one time. And finally, We will let go of the counting and just stay with our natural breath. So let's get started. Inhale 1234 pause. Exhale 4321 pause. Breathe in 1234 pause. Exhale 4321 pause. Moving to the next round. Inhale 1234 pause for 12. Exhale 4321 pause 12. Inhale 1234 pause for 12. Exhale 4321 pause for 12. Inhale 1234 pause for 12. Exhale 4321 pause 12. Last time, Inhale 1234 pause 12. Exhale 4321 pause for 12. Increasing the count, Breathe in 1234 pause for 123. Exhale 4321 pause 123. Breathe in 1234 pause 123. Exhale 4321 pause 123. Inhale 1234 pause 123. Exhale 4321 pause 123. Breathe in 1234 pause 123. Exhale 4321 pause 123. Changing count, Inhale for 1234 pause 1234. Exhale 4321 pause 1234. Inhale 1234 pause 1234. Exhale 4321 pause 1234. Breathe in 1234 pause 1234. Exhale 4321 pause 1234. Last time 1234 hold 1234. Exhale 4321 hold 1234. Decreasing 1234 pause 123. Exhale 4321 pause 123. Inhale 1234 pause 123. Exhale 4321 pause 123. Last time, Inhale 1234 pause 123. Exhale 4321 pause 123. Decreasing the count this time, Breathe in 1234 hold 12. Exhale 4321 pause 12. Breathe in 1234 pause 12. Exhale 4321 pause 12. Big inhale 1234 pause for 1. Exhale 4321 pause for 1. Big inhale. Big exhale. Let go of the counting and stay with your natural breath. Exhale 4321 pause 123. Exhale 4321 pause 123. Exhale 4321 pause 123. Exhale 4321 pause 123. Thank you for joining me in your square breathing practice. This practice can be used anytime you need a few moments of relaxation or just want to ground yourself in the present moment. I hope that you and I can practice together again soon. Thank you.