Pause & Reset Your Anxious Breath

Pause to reset and re-pattern your breath using an array of techniques that encourage more ease for the inhale, fullness of the breath and a softness to return to. Can be practiced seated at your desk, or laying down during lunch-break, whatever suits you in the moment of need - mid-task, or mid-day, the opportunities to return to breath and pause, are endless! Each technique goes for 3 rounds but you're welcome to lengthen this to 5 rounds or more - my intention is that you will learn this practice off by heart and be able to tap into it on your own, without the audio, whenever you need!

Note: Full yogic breath is utilised in this practice. Counts are as follows: 8 count inhale (4 counts into belly, 2 into midsection, 2 into upper torso) and 8 count exhale (6 counts from upper & midsection, 2 counts from belly).

Transcript

And finding just 5% more ease here in your seats or laying down,

Maybe resting your hands on your belly or in your lap,

Lengthening through the spine just a little more,

Softening through the belly,

Relaxing the shoulders down and unclenching the jaw.

And you gift yourself these five minutes of breath and pause.

Everything else can wait.

Starting by emptying the breath,

Emptying the lungs of every last bit of air on your exhale and letting the inhale be passive and natural.

You can make any sound that you like as you exhale and breathe out and we'll do this three times together.

Continuing at your own pace for another two more.

Slowly emptying the breath,

Letting go and letting the inhale be natural and soft.

Belly is soft.

Coming back into a natural breath,

Maybe doing a few more rounds of emptying breath if you need to and when you're ready,

Shifting into the full yogic breath pattern.

Breathing in for a total count of eight,

Moving through the belly into the middle and then the upper parts of the torso.

And then exhaling for a total count of eight,

Starting from the upper parts of the torso and moving all the way down,

Emptying the last drop of air from the belly.

So take a natural breath in and out here.

As you're ready,

Inhale into the belly for two,

Three,

Four,

Then middle six,

Upper eight.

Exhale from the upper two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Belly softens eight.

Inhale belly two,

Three,

Four,

Middle six,

Upper eight.

Exhale from the upper two,

Three,

Four,

Five,

Six,

Belly draws in eight.

Inhale belly,

Middle,

Upper,

Exhale from the upper all the way back down.

Belly draws in and then inhale into the belly,

Allow the breath wave to move all the way up through the middle torso and then into the upper parts of the torso without strain,

Letting the breath flow all the way back out,

Emptying from the upper parts all the way down,

Belly drawing back in at the final moment.

Staying with this pattern if you like,

Releasing the counts and taking another few breaths here.

And softening the belly,

Re-relaxing the shoulders.

And then either staying with this pattern or just coming back into a natural breath and shifting into a longer exhale.

The inhale will be for the count of four and the exhale for the count of six.

Taking a natural breath in and out here.

And then as you're ready,

Inhale for four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Exhale for six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Inhale for three,

Two,

One.

Exhale six,

Five,

Four,

Three,

Two,

One.

Inhale for,

Exhale six.

Inhale,

Exhale.

Inhale slowly.

Exhale when you're ready.

I'm taking a few more slow,

Smooth breaths here,

Long breaths out.

And then taking your time to come back into your day or maybe gifting yourself just another few breaths here.

And whatever you do,

Go slowly.

Thanks.