Calming Breath

This guided restorative breath practice will help to slow down your heart rate and calm your nervous system. We will practice gradually increasing the length of each exhale while maintaining a consistent and shorter inhale breath.

Transcript

And welcome.

This is a short mindfulness practice designed to help you slow down.

Start just by finding comfort in your space.

Whether you're seated or lying down,

See if you can create a little more length through your spine,

Broaden through your chest,

Soften through your face,

Your shoulders,

Your belly and hips.

Draw your awareness to the contents.

Start to just notice,

To watch your thoughts as they arise.

See if you can start to slow down the thinking mind.

Then draw your awareness to your physical body.

Notice any sensations that are present here.

See if you can invite a little warmth and softness in.

Then draw your awareness to your emotional experience right now.

Notice any emotions that are here or maybe have been here today.

Just let them know that they are welcome.

Then draw your awareness to your breath.

Without changing it,

Just watch it.

Notice it without judgment.

Then start to slow it down,

Lengthening each inhale and lengthening each exhale.

I'm going to guide us through a measured breath practice that will get progressively slower on the exhale.

Before we begin,

It will include a 4 count breath in and a 4 count breath out,

And then a 4 count breath in and a 5 count breath out,

Adding a count to each exhale until we reach an exhale of 10 counts.

Breathe in through your nose,

4,

3,

2,

1.

Breathe out,

1.

Breathe in,

4,

3,

2,

1.

And out,

5,

4,

3,

2,

1.

In,

4,

3,

1.

Out,

6,

5,

4,

1.

Out,

8,

7,

6,

5,

4.

In,

4,

3,

2,

1.

Out,

9,

8,

7,

6,

5,

4,

10,

9,

8,

7,

6.

And then open mouth,

Exhale,

Release,

Let it go.

Just take a moment to observe the stillness and the silence.

As you're ready,

Find some small movements and open your eyes.