For this practice,
You can be seated or standing.
Just bring your awareness to your breath and start to count it.
As you exhale,
Two,
Three.
Then inhale,
Two,
Three.
Exhale,
Two,
Three.
Inhale,
Two,
Three.
Exhale,
Two,
Three.
Inhale,
Two,
Three.
And just keep going at your own pace.
If this is too fast,
You can go slower,
Taking a count of four.
If it's too slow,
You can go a bit faster,
Taking a count of two.
Whichever works for you best at this moment.
You can place your hands on your belly or on your chest to help you to feel your breath as you're breathing,
As you're counting.
Giving your brain and your body and your mind something to do.
As you focus on your breath,
You can feel your breath,
You're counting your breath.
So that your mind can stay occupied with something else instead of the overwhelm or the anxiety you might be experiencing in this moment.
Notice how you breathe,
Counting your breath.
And just really focusing on this for a moment.
If you notice a pause during your breath after the exhale or after the inhale,
You can add that to your count as well.
Don't worry if it doesn't happen,
But if it does,
You might be able to use that as well.
So it would go something like this.
Exhale,
Two,
Three.
Pause,
Two,
Three.
Inhale,
Two,
Three.
Exhale,
Two,
Three.
Pause,
Two,
Three.
Inhale,
Two,
Three.
See how that works for you,
How that feels.
If it makes you calmer or if it makes you more anxious.
And if it makes you more anxious,
See if you can make it in such a way that it doesn't do so.
So really feel and sense and try what works best for you in moments like these.
