Diaphragmatic Breathing Guide

This brief guide is meant to introduce beginners to the foundational practice of diaphragmatic breathing. This slower breathing pattern can promote a sense of stillness, and relaxation. Just 5 minutes long, diaphragmatic breathing exercise like these can help return the body to a calmer state.

Transcript

This is a guide for diaphragmatic breathing. Begin by sitting or lying down in a relaxed position, Keeping your feet flat on the floor, Your back supported, You can close your eyes if you feel comfortable, Or simply allow your gaze to fall into your lap. I invite you to place one hand on your chest and the other hand on your abdomen. This will help you feel the movement of your breath. On your next inhalation, Take it slow, A slow, Deep breath in through your nose, Feeling the abdomen rise as the breath travels deeper into the lungs, Feeling your hand on your stomach rise, Noticing what it feels like to take this deeper breath. On your next inhalation, Just pausing for a moment, Holding the breath for a count of 3, 1, 2, 3, And exhaling slowly through the mouth, Feeling your abdomen fall as the air leaves your lungs, Perhaps noticing the slight pause before you take that next inhalation. And taking a few more breaths just like this, Inhaling through the nose, It can sometimes help to imagine the breath flowing to the throat, Through the chest, Into the abdomen, Aware of the hand rising and falling with the breath. Exhaling slowly through the mouth, No rush, And no striving to make the breath any longer than it needs to be, Pausing, Breathing, Allowing your attention and your awareness to be right here in this moment as you breathe. And now, Bringing your attention back to perhaps the sounds in the room, Noticing the floor beneath your feet, The support underneath you, Or against your back, And just allowing the breath to be natural now. If you've had your eyes closed, Perhaps fluttering them open, Allowing light in, Reorienting to the room, And as you end this practice, Knowing that you can always return to this stillness and this awareness through the breath.