Five In Five Out For Calm And Coherence

Five seconds in through the nose, five seconds out, with no holding at either end. That works out at six breaths a minute, which sits close to the resonance rate for most adults. It is the pace at which heart rate and breath fall into step and the baroreflex works most efficiently, and it is the tempo most often used in coherent breathing and heart rate variability training.
You are counted in at the start and then left with long stretches of silence, so the practice has room to settle instead of being talked through. Keep the breath small and easy. If you find yourself gulping air, you have taken too much.
Suitable for beginners and a good daily anchor for experienced practitioners. Sit or lie down, breathe through the nose, and stop counting if you feel lightheaded at any point.

Transcript

So to begin, Just find a seat or lie down if that's easier today. Either way is fine. You can let your eyes close if that's comfortable or just soften the gaze. And closing the mouth we'll breathe through the nose the whole way through. Before we start counting our breaths today. Just let yourself breathe. With nothing to fix. Just noticing what the breath is doing on its own. Today we're going to be breathing at six breaths a minute. So it'll be five seconds on our inhale, Five seconds on our exhale. No holding or pausing. The red just turns around and comes back. Nothing forced, If you find yourself gulping for air, You've gone too big. Really, This should feel easy. So letting the next exhale finish and we'll begin together. Breathing in 2, 3, 4, 5 and out 2, 3, 4, 5. In 2, 3, 4, 5 and out 2, 3, 4, 5. In 2, 3, 4, 5 and out 2, 3, 4, 5. In, Two, Three, Four, Five, And out, Two, Three, Four, Five. And out. And out. And out. And out. Continuing at this pace. Now your shoulders to relax. The breath doesn't need your shoulders involved. Really simply, Just staying with the same rhythm, Nothing to add. You lose the count or your mind wanders, No problem. Let's pick it up on the next inhale. Breathing in for five. And out. Revive. Notice where the breath is landing now. Maybe lower. To be softer. Allowing your exhale to be relaxed, Not pushing the breath away, Just allowing the exhale to leave the body. Anytime the mind wanders, Just bringing it back to the count in for five. Out for five, Let it be easy. All in hell. Easy exhales. Again, Noticing where the breath is landing now. Again, Maybe lower. Softer. Stay with that rhythm. And now coming into your last six breaths, In for five, Out for five. And that's the last counted breath. Letting the count go now. And just letting the breath find its own rhythm again. Notice what's different. The race and depth of the breath. Maybe the noise level in your head. Whenever you're ready, Generally starting to open the eyes if they've been closed. This has been six breaths a minute. And that's where the body tunes itself. So you can come back to this practice. Anytime you need it.