This is a mindfulness meditation designed to balance oxygen and carbon dioxide in your body using breathing techniques which will aid in reducing stress.
Physiologically,
When our body experiences stress,
Our breathing gets shorter and moves into the upper chest.
This causes too much carbon dioxide to come into our bodies and not enough oxygen.
This breathing technique will expel excess carbon dioxide so more room is made to bring in oxygen.
This will then slow down your heart rate and decrease stress.
Start by getting yourself into a comfortable position either seated or lying down.
Close your eyes.
Bring your awareness to your breath.
Don't try to change anything about it,
Just notice it.
Place your right hand on your belly and your left hand over your heart.
Take a couple of deep breaths and notice the natural movements of your hands over your belly and heart.
On the next breath in,
Breathe in through your nostrils slowly to the count of four.
Breathe in 1,
2,
3,
4.
When you reach four,
Hold for one second and then breathe out through your nostrils to the count of five.
1,
2,
3,
4,
5.
Releasing all the air in your lungs.
Breathe in 1,
2,
3,
4.
Hold.
Breathe out 1,
2,
3,
4,
5.
Now do this a few times on your own.
On your next breath in,
Bring your attention to your right hand on your belly.
Start to inflate your belly by breathing in through your nose to the count of four.
Visualize the breath moving up slowly to your lower ribs,
Feeling the ribs expanding slightly.
Then slowly bringing the breath up to the upper chest.
Once at the top,
Hold.
Take another sip of breath at the top,
Visualizing the breath moving to the top of your head.
Then start to breathe out,
Feeling the left hand on your heart starting to deflate.
Gradually coming to the mid-lower ribs,
Then to the belly,
Slowly deflating your belly until bringing your belly button in towards the direction of the back of your ribs.
Repeat this on your own a few times.
4 seconds in,
5 seconds out,
Slowly and steady.
On your next breath in,
Inhale to the count of three.
Exhale to the count of five out.
Breathe in 1,
2,
3,
Hold.
Breathe out 1,
2,
3,
4,
5.
Do this on your own for a few breaths.
After you have done this a few times,
Bring your breath back to your natural breathing.
Don't force anything,
Just breathe.
I will now leave you to breathe on your own for a couple of minutes.
If you get distracted,
That's okay.
Just gently bring your attention back to your breath.
Once you hear this sound,
It will be time to come back into your body.
Breathe in 1,
2,
3,
Hold.
Breathe in 1,
2,
3,
Hold.
Breathe in 1,
2,
3,
Hold.
Breathe in 1,
2,
3,
Hold.
Breathe in 1,
2,
3,
Hold.
Breathe in 1,
2,
3,
Hold.
Breathe in 1,
2,
3,
Hold.
Breathe in 1,
2,
3,
Hold.
Bring your awareness back to your surroundings.
Notice the ground below you,
The clothes touching your skin.
Notice any sounds.
Wiggle your toes and your fingers.
Move your head back and forth slowly.
And bring yourself back into your body.
Make a memory in your mind about how this exercise made you feel at any time during your day when you get stressed out,
Come back to this feeling.
When you are ready,
Open your eyes and slowly go about your day.
.
.
