Welcome everyone to this box breathing meditation.
So box breathing is a very powerful but simple and safe relaxation technique that is aiming to return your breath to its natural rhythm.
So to sometimes it's even called resetting your breath or square breathing.
It is very easy to do,
Quick to learn and it can be a highly effective technique to release stress and anxiety,
To relax the body and to improve focus and concentration.
So before we start,
I'm just giving you a quick explanation about how that box breathing technique works.
So what you're doing is you're basically creating a box or a square with your inhales and your exhales and withholding the breath in between.
So I will count for you.
So we will inhale and exhale out through the nose.
So inhaling for a count of four and then you'll hold the breath in for a count of four and then exhaling for a count of four and then will hold empty for a count of four.
And then it starts again,
Inhaling for a count of four.
And I will guide you through it.
So you will just have to follow my instructions.
If this feels a little challenging for you to start with a count of four,
Of course,
Feel free to count for yourself to a count of three or two to start.
And then once you get more used to this technique and it feels a little easier to lengthen the breath a little longer,
You may choose to count to five or to six,
Whatever is most comfortable for you.
OK,
So let's begin.
Find a comfortable seat either on a chair or you can sit on the floor or on a sofa on your bed,
Wherever you can sit comfortably in a quiet space where you won't get disturbed.
If you prefer to lay down,
You can also lay down on your back,
Maybe having your knees bent or bringing a roll towel,
Pillows or something under your knees if you have your legs extended.
So that your pelvis and your lower back feel supported and neutral.
All right.
So when you have your position,
Allow your eyes to close and take a moment here as you turn your gaze inward to relax your entire body from the crown of your head all the way down through the tip of your toes.
So relax your facial muscles,
Your forehead,
Your eyebrows,
Relaxing the skin around the corners of your eyes and your lips.
Let your jaw soften,
Relax the tongue in your mouth.
And soften your shoulders,
Just letting the shoulder blades rest on your ribcage without pulling your shoulders down.
Just let gravity do its job.
Chest is soft and open.
Let your belly muscles relax all the way down through the hips,
The legs,
The ankles,
The feet.
Relax all 10 toes,
All 10 fingers.
And then start to observe your natural breath.
So we're not trying to change the breath yet.
So just let your breath flow naturally,
Ideally in and out through your nose.
And I like to put one hand on my belly and one hand on my chest,
Just as a way to feel the movement of the breath in my body.
It helps me to connect with my breath a little better.
So feel free to do that as well.
Just feel how your breath is moving the body under your hands.
So on your inhale you feel your belly lift and your chest lift.
And on an exhale there is a gentle contraction and release.
And as you continue observing the breath,
Notice where you feel your breath the most at the moment.
Notice how the breath enters and leaves your body.
And you feel the temperature of the air in your nostrils as you inhale and as you exhale.
And then we'll start with our boxed breath.
So first take one more deep inhale and a deep exhale.
And then we'll start.
We'll take an inhale through the nose for one,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold the breath for four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Exhale out the nose.
Three,
Two,
One.
Stay empty for four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Begin again.
Inhale.
Three,
Two,
One.
Hold.
Three,
Two,
One.
Exhale for three,
Two,
One.
Hold the breath.
Two,
One.
Inhale.
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Hold.
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Exhale.
Emptying the lungs all the way.
Two,
One.
Stay empty.
Three,
Two,
One.
And filling up the lungs again.
Lengthening the breath all the way up into the chest.
Hold for four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Empty out completely all the way down into the belly.
And then hold empty.
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Inhale.
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Hold.
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Empty.
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Stay empty.
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Inhale.
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Stay full.
Two,
One.
Exhale.
Three,
Two,
One.
Hold.
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Last round.
Inhale again.
Three,
Two,
One.
Stay full.
Three,
Two,
One.
Release the breath.
Three,
Two,
One.
Hold.
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Now just let that go and allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm.
In and out through the nose without any control of your breath.
And just notice how you're feeling.
How your body feels.
Maybe a little more relaxed.
How your mind feels.
Hopefully you feel a little more present.
Right now,
Right here.
How your breath feels.
Maybe it flows a little freer,
A little more balanced.
And then you can allow your chin to drop towards your chest.
And slowly allow your eyes to open back up.
Thank you very much for practicing with me today.
Have a wonderful rest of your day and I'll see you next time.
