Ocean Breath

Ocean Breath (Ujjayi Pranayama) is a simple breathing technique of slightly constricting the back of the throat, deepening and lengthening the inhalations and exhalations. This creates a sound like ocean waves. This technique calms the body's fight-or-flight response and promotes relaxation. This technique can be practiced at any time but it can also be used as relief in a moment of stress or anxiety, to calm and balance the mind and nervous system.

Transcript

Welcome to this ocean breath meditation.

The ocean breath is a breathing technique that helps us to tune into the body when we're feeling stressed or anxious.

It works by slightly constricting the back of the throat as you breathe in and out,

And the noise of the in-breath and the out-breath mimics the sound of ocean waves,

Which brings instant calming relief.

So sitting up tall with your shoulders relaxed and your spine straight and gently closing your eyes.

We're just going to start by becoming aware of the breath.

There's no need to try and change the breath in any way.

We're just noticing the breath,

Breathing in and out through the nostrils.

And now bring your awareness to your throat and just begin to tone the back of your throat by slightly constricting the muscles.

And as you do this,

You should hear a soft hissing sound like the ocean waves as you breathe in and out with the throat slightly constricted.

And you can put your hands over your ears to accentuate the sound.

And now begin to visualize a beautiful beach on a warm sunny day.

It might be a real beach or an imaginary one.

You can choose to make this beach exactly how you'd like it to look.

And now visualize yourself sitting on the warm,

Soft sand,

Feeling the sand under your bare feet.

You are watching the waves gently lapping on the shore.

Just watching the waves as they gently come in and gently go out.

Gently come in and gently go out.

And you begin to time your breaths with the waves,

Breathing in as they gently come in and breathing out as they ebb away.

Then pause and wait for the next wave and the next breath to come.

And it will always come.

And if your mind wanders,

Just gently bring it back to the beach and the waves and the breath.

Breathing in and out with the waves and waiting,

Waiting for the next wave and the next breath to come.

Reviews

Very calming and centering. Great visualisation and directions