Welcome to Meditation Rocks!
I'm Lucy.
Now this is a breath technique that I've actually created.
I'm very proud of myself.
So it's exclusive to Meditation Rocks!
But it builds on the foundations of other techniques that we have used before.
It's called 999.
Go and get yourself somewhere comfortable and we'll begin.
So I've been looking for a breath exercise or technique that I can give to you that you can call on in an emergency or if you feel like you're beginning to get a little bit anxious.
And we all have those moments where we just want to use our breath to help ground us.
But maybe we're breathing fairly shallowly at the start or in that moment and it might be a big ask to go for something like the 4-7-8 technique or even a 4-4-4 box breath technique.
So this exercise is to use in an emergency,
999.
Hopefully it's easy to remember.
And it assumes you're starting it in a shallow breath place.
The first breath for example is to a beat of 1.
So hopefully you're going to find this useful.
This is part of our adjustment theme for April as we begin to readjust to whatever the new normal looks like for you.
Perhaps we're in situations that we haven't been in for a while or facing situations that may make us feel a little anxious or excited in a positive sense.
And we might call upon this 999 breath to help ground us,
To calm us and get us back feeling good.
So as always get yourself somewhere comfortable.
You might be in a chair or even in bed.
And I'm just going to explain very quickly what the technique involves.
So we're going to be starting by breathing in to a count of 1.
We're going to be holding the breath for 2 and then breathing out for a count of 3.
So you've got that double length exhale inhale or more than double length exhale to inhale which we look for in the relaxation response.
So 1-2-3 and then we go back to the inhale with 4-5-6.
Back to the inhale we try 7-8-9.
We're going to take a little time to build up to 7-8-9 because that's quite a big ask.
And if you're doing this out in the wild or in your own self practice you stay doing 1-2-3 for as long as you like and only make that jump to 4-5-6 if and when you feel ready.
And then of course the 7-8-9 when we feel we have that capacity in the lungs in the body and the mind to jump to that 7-8-9 technique.
Now once we've got to 9 we're going to try and balance the breath the yuzhai breath with the 9.
So inhale for 9 exhale for 9.
And then it will be completely up to you whether you add a 9 beat pause because that's a big ask but it might be something you want to work for.
So our final step will be 9-9-9 hence the name.
Okay so any point you bail out and you just do what you're happy with keep going on the numbers that you're working on.
I will take you through from 1-2-3 to 9-9-9 and you can practice this in your own time.
Easy to remember it's something you can practice on the bus or in a cafe even with your eyes open.
It's the breath that's useful it's the breath that's going to make a difference to how you feel within your body and mind.
So it's not so much about closing the eyes if you don't want to.
Shall we get started?
Enough chat Lucy.
Okay get yourself comfortable into your posture you might have your eyes open your eyes closed you might be sitting you might be lying you might even be walking and we'll begin.
So just start then with our 1-2-3 technique.
So we're going to be breathing in and out through the nose for this.
If you want to take a few sighs at first just to release any tension but otherwise we'll close the mouth and breathe in when you're ready to a count of 1.
We hold the breath for 2 we exhale for 3.
1-2-3.
So just keep going with this for the first few moments breathing in for 1 pause for 2 breathe out for 3.
As always when you're breathing out try and soften any tension the muscles relax.
So 1-2-3.
And counting focuses the mind inwards.
So remember you can stay on 1-2-3 if this feels right for you.
If you want to move to 4-5-6 and we can do that now so we'll be breathing in for a count of 1-2-3-4 holding breath 1-2-3-4-5 exhale for 6.
1-2-3-4-5-6 so in for 4 hold for 5 out for 6.
Do not worry if the hold takes a few moments to come or maybe you'll just do 4 and 6 but if you can breathe in for 4 hold for 5 out for 6.
In for 4 hold for 5 out for 6.
So remember you can stay on this level the previous level perhaps you want to come with me to 7-8-9 so we breathe in for 7 we hold for 8 exhale for 9 but do what feels right for you.
So breathing in for 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 hold 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 exhale 9 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9.
So you just find a rhythm that works for you 7-8-9.
So if you want to you can move with me to 9-9-9.
Breathing in for 9 holding for 9 breathing out for 9 I won't count but you try and work with this technique if you can.
Breathing in for 9 hold for 9 out for 9.
And just notice how you start to feel now that your breaths are perhaps longer than when you started.
And the final step would be to go 9-9 with our Yuzhai breath removing the pause.
Just taking a moment to rebalance the breath in for 9 and out for 9.
And just notice how you feel.
But remember at any point if the breath is not comfortable for you then you just find a rhythm that works.
This can be something that you practice,
Take with you,
Have with you at any time.
So finishing the breath that you're on and then allowing your breath just to return to a comfortable rhythm and flow.
Maybe beginning to find a little bit of movement wiggling fingers and toes and bringing your hands together and giving your hands a little bit of a rub to create some warmth.
And hovering the hands over your eyes,
Blink your eyes open inside your hands and bring your hands down in your own time.
And I hope that's a useful technique for you,
It's something I've created with all the other techniques in mind that we've done before.
And I think hopefully it's easy to remember and you can call upon it whenever you choose.
I hope you have a lovely rest of your day and I'll speak to you soon.
