Welcome to this guided breathing practice.
The breath is a powerful bridge between mind and body.
It's a tool that is always with us,
A direct line to our inner self.
Through the simple act of breathing,
We can anchor ourselves in the present moment,
Calming the mind and nurturing the body.
The beauty of the breath lies in its simplicity.
It's something we often take for granted,
Yet it holds the profound ability to connect us deeply to our own essence,
Bringing balance,
Peace,
And clarity.
This practice focuses on the 4-7-8 breath,
A simple but effective technique that can help regulate your nervous system.
By slowing down your breath,
You can bring a sense of calm to your mind and body.
This breath is particularly useful when you're feeling anxious,
Stressed,
Or need to ground yourself.
The 4-7-8 breath is a four-part breathing technique.
You'll inhale through your nose for a count of four,
Hold the breath for a count of seven,
And then exhale through your mouth for a count of eight.
We'll repeat this cycle together a few times so you can settle into a state of relaxation.
Before we begin,
Find a comfortable position.
You can be sitting or lying down,
Ensuring that your spine is straight.
You can close your eyes if you feel comfortable doing so.
Take a moment to notice your natural breath.
No need to change anything yet,
Just observe.
Let's begin our first round.
I'll guide you through three cycles of 4-7-8 breathing.
First,
Fully exhale to empty your lungs.
Now,
Inhale through your nose for a count of four.
Hold your breath for a count of seven.
Now,
Exhale slowly and fully through your mouth for a count of eight.
Breathing in for four.
Breathing in for four.
Pausing for seven.
Now,
Exhale for eight.
Again,
Breathing in for four.
Holding your breath for seven.
Now,
Exhale slowly through your mouth for eight.
Let's take a moment to check in with yourself.
How do you feel?
Notice any shifts in your body or mind.
And remember,
There's no right or wrong way to feel.
Just observe with kindness and curiosity.
We'll now move into our second round,
Guiding you through four cycles.
Begin with a full exhale.
Then inhale for four.
Pause for seven.
And exhale for eight.
Pause for seven.
And exhale for eight.
Inhale for four.
Pause for seven.
Exhale for eight.
Again,
Breathing in for four.
Pause seven.
Exhale eight.
You're doing great.
Now,
Keep going on your own.
Inhaling for four,
Pausing for seven,
And exhaling through your mouth for eight.
With each breath,
Imagine releasing any tension or stress that you're holding on to.
Visualize your breath leaving your body,
Carrying away any worries,
And leaving you with a sense of peace and calm.
If your mind wanders,
Gently bring it back to the rhythm of your breath.
The simplicity of this practice lies in its consistency.
And one more breath.
And breathing in.
Breathing out,
Let it go.
And we'll take one more final round together.
We'll complete five cycles of the four,
Seven,
Eight breath.
When you're ready,
Take a full exhale out.
Now,
Inhale for four.
Pause for seven.
Exhale for eight.
Exhale for eight.
Inhale for four.
Pause seven.
Exhale eight.
Inhale for four.
Exhale for eight.
Pause seven.
Exhale out your mouth for eight.
Inhale for four.
Pause seven.
Exhale eight.
Inhale four.
Pause seven.
Exhale for eight.
And taking a breath in,
Filling up your lungs,
And exhale,
Letting it go.
Coming back to your natural breath.
Take one last moment to check in with yourself.
How do you feel now compared to when we first started?
Notice any sense of calm,
Relaxation,
Or clarity that might have come up.
As we conclude this practice,
Remember that you can return to this breath anytime you need to calm your mind and body.
To end,
I'll leave you with a quote.
Breath is the finest gift of nature.
Be grateful for this wonderful gift.
Thank you for practicing with me today.
I hope to practice with you again and hope you take this calm with you as you move forward through your day.
