This practice is a great way to find calm during stressful moments or to start your day with a sense of stability and presence.
Grounding is a powerful way to reconnect with your body, the earth, and the present moment. This practice will help calm your mind, settle your energy, and create a sense of stability.
A wonderful meditation to explore various breathwork techniques that will support your transition from summer to fall with the breath of grounding, the breath of letting go, and the breath of balance (alternate nostril breathing).
Take a moment to notice the changes around you as summer fades and fall begins. Feel the cooler air on your skin, the sound of leaves rustling in the breeze, the shifting light of the season. Imagine these changes as a gentle invitation from nature to slow down, to turn inward, and to embrace the season of transition.
The body is always breathing for us. How often do you notice it? I mean really notice it with conscious effort? Sometimes our thought patterns can keep us away from noticing the breath. There isn’t enough space to focus – or so we think – but perhaps this space is exactly what we need to declutter the mind. If you feel that you have been ruminating or observing thought patterns, perhaps negative ones or thoughts that don’t serve you well – offer this pause in your day. Come back to this breathwork practice whenever you need to center yourself and bring your focus away from those thoughts and on to your breath.
Quite simply this breathwork practice can be done anywhere at any time. Your practice is to be able to still the mind within moments of closing your eyes. When you feel you are STUCK on a particular thought – perhaps something happened in your day or your life that you just can’t let go of – you keep thinking up different situations and scenarios or try to make sense of an event that occurred. As much as you try you just can’t seem to navigate away from the thoughts.
There is a method called STOP – where you notice the intrusive thoughts and tell yourself mentally – STOP as soon as you become aware. While this method can be successful – sometimes it is hard to STOP and that might be abrupt – instead this gentle practice is a PAUSE – knowing you can return to those thoughts should you NEED or want…
Let’s begin. Simply close your eyes and become witness to the thoughts you have had recently. Are these thought patterns circulating? Are you clinging? Do you feel within your heart that you wish you could let them go? Now imagine within your mind that these thoughts are playing like a video on a screen – you consciously PAUSE the view.
With your eyes closed take 3 slow and steady deep breaths. Breathing consciously in through the nose – only feeling the fullness of your breath – all of your awareness is on the breath – now pause once you find the top of your inhale – stay for a moment – feel the discomfort swirling in your chest. As you exhale feel the breath leaving your body, relaxing you into the moment. Pause when you reach the bottom of your exhale – squeezing out the breath through your nostrils until your belly squeezes in tightly and you can’t let out any more air. Now pause at the bottom of the exhale. Hold. Keeping feeling the pause – what does the sensation create in the body?
Continue with this full breath cycle for 2 more rounds.
Notice what the body feels like on the pause between breaths. Notice how you feel when your full awareness is on every stage of the breath. Full awareness on the breath leaves little room for thoughts to circulate. The more you practice this whenever you become conscious of the thoughts present the more you can anchor yourself into the moment.
Use this simple breathwork practice whenever you need – PAUSE, take 3 full complete rounds of breath.
Sometimes it helps to tell yourself to PAUSE. Take the breaths you need. Perhaps you follow this over and over until you feel lighter and lighter. Until those circulating thoughts have lost momentum. Continue with this practice for as long as you need.
You can’t control what goes on in your external world and even though you may “think” you can’t let go of a thought – it is possible – even if for a moment.
May this breath work practice lead you to find a pause in your day, for letting go of that which does not serve you, and bring yourself to find peace.
The Ocean Breath Work Practice is a guided meditation technique aimed at inducing relaxation and a sense of calm by synchronizing breath with the imagery and rhythm of ocean waves.
Allow your body to settle into a restful position. Invite in a few rounds of deep breathing. Allow the breath to return to its natural state. Notice the fullness of your breath as it expands to your body’s capacity. Notice the steadiness of your breathing as it flows in and out.
Now, we'll begin the Ocean Breath technique. Inhale deeply through your nose, filling your lungs completely. As you exhale, imagine the sound of ocean waves gently rolling onto the shore. Imagine linking your breath with the cadence of the ocean waves.
Once you've filled your lungs, exhale through your nose with a slight constriction in the back of your throat, creating a soft, audible sound similar to the sound of ocean waves receding back into the sea. This is often described as a gentle "haaaah" sound.
Continue with this pattern, inhaling deeply through your nose, and exhaling with the oceanic sound through your nose. Feel the rhythm of your breath, like the ebb and flow of the tide.
As you breathe, allow any tension or stress to melt away with each exhale, releasing it back into the metaphorical ocean. With each inhale, invite in a sense of calm and relaxation, like the soothing embrace of the sea. Settle into the effortless rhythm moving through your body.
Continue this Ocean Breath practice for several more rounds, allowing yourself to sink deeper into relaxation with each breath.
If your mind starts to wander, gently guide your focus back to the sensation of your breath and the rhythmic sound of the ocean breath.
Take a few more moments to breathe in this way, feeling the gentle rhythm of your breath connecting you to the vastness and tranquility of the ocean.
When you feel ready, slowly release the Ocean Breath technique and return to your natural breathing pattern. Take a moment to notice how you feel, perhaps more relaxed, centered, and present.
Remember, you can return to this Ocean Breath practice whenever you need to find a moment of calm and connection throughout your day. Draw on the inspiration of the water element of nature. Find rest in this moment.
In this guided breath work practice, you will be led to become aware of the emotion of anger. Noticing what is going on inside, what emotions are present, and what you are feeling.
A variety of breath work techniques that help to cool the body and calm the body.
The practice:
Inhale for 5
Forcefully exhale quickly
Visualization practice
Feeling into the emotion. Sighing it out. Become present of anger and focusing on letting go.
Become aware of your anger. What is going on inside? What are you feeling?
In 5.4.3.2.1.
Forcefully out
Take it in
Let it go
Breathe in for 3
Out
Sigh it out
Allow yourself to feel the emotion present
What makes you angry? What makes you upset
Take a deep breath in and cleansing sigh out
Release your frustrations
Imagine them dissolving
Visualize a glass jar that holds every frustration, every negative encounter, every disappointment that made you upset, and now take a deep breath in and imagine holding on to that glass jar and rising it up over your head, as you visualize take your arms up above you and as you exhale imagine slamming it down and watching it shatter into a million pieces, becoming dust.
Take another breath in and as you forcefully breathe out imagine blowing all of that dust away from you, like star dust going back out into the night sky
Dissolving, disappearing, releasing, letting go.
Feel into the emotion, and let it go
Feel the breath come in and squeeze every out.
Notice all the ways in which you hold on to things from your past, notice what emotions are present and take a clean sweeping breath in and consciously sigh it out, the more you become consciously present to what you are feeling, becoming aware of it, identifying the cause, and allowing yourself to let go the more you can intentionally release the anger present, even if it is still present.
Anger is often an unwanted emotion that can be felt in all areas of the body, a tight chest, a constricted throat, even signs of a headache, fatigue, and the feeling of being annoyed, restless, and irritated can all stem from the anger you carry with you.
Use your breath as a tool to release what is present. Actively and consciously sighing it out.
Breathing it in as you visualize it and forcefully exhaling.
Imagine your breath as water and the anger that has built up within is fire, each breath in fills the water up and each breath out disperses it on the flames, cooling the anger a bit at a time.
Continue to breathe in this way.
Knowing that anger can live in the body, it secretly stores itself away in the cells, in the tissues, and find a place to create tension and tightness, take a mental scan in your body and see if you can sense into these areas like a heat mat. Observing areas such as the hips, the shoulders, the neck, the back.
Breathe in through your nose, exhale quickly out your mouth.
Now breathe in through the nose, this time exhale out through the nose.
Again, breathing in through your nose – long slow inhale, forceful exhale out your mouth.
Once more in through your nose – quick forceful breath out the nose.
With every breath out allow your body to feel grounded in the space you occupy. Allow the shoulders to relax, the breath becomes more and more relaxed with each focus.
Whatever you are experiencing, let it rise to the surface, become present of your thoughts, with acceptance and surrender see if you can imagine it being released with each exhale. Even if the sensation, the feeling of anger is still present, it’s okay let yourself be as you are, knowing in time your energy will shift and your emotions will change. This too is temporary.
Find calmness beneath the storm. Whatever arises will arise.
Bhramari pranayama translates to humming bee breath. It’s a simple breathwork practice that utilizes sound by humming on the exhalation.
This sound and exhale emphasis helps to calm your nerves by stimulating your vagus nerve which has a direct impact on regulating your parasympathetic nervous system correlating to rest and digestion, slowing your heart rate, and reducing blood pressure.
The practice:
Find a comfortable position - soften into your body finding a relaxed posture
Close your eyes
Inhale drawing the breath in through your nose
Exhale with your mouth sealed and hum as you slowly release
This is a very short breath work practice that you can do anytime you are looking to find more calm. It takes just a few minutes. The 4-7-8 breathing technique involves breathing in for 4 seconds, holding the breath for 7 seconds, and exhaling for 8 seconds through the mouth. Breathing techniques such as this are designed to bring the body into a state of deep relaxation. By holding the breath for a long period of time you can supply the body with a larger supply of oxygen. In return, this produces a relaxing effect on the body and mind and can help people fall asleep more easily or find a state of calm to reduce feelings of anxiety or stress.
The Practice:
1. Inhale through your nose-count for 4
2. Hold your breath for 7
3. Exhale through your mouth-count for 8
4. Repeat several times
Let’s cultivate a deep restorative breath in a mindful way.
Various breath work techniques have been shown to help balance the autonomic stress-response system, relieve anxiety and other symptoms of stress, and improve sleep. In this breath work practice we will focus on a long, slow, and steady inhale and a complete exhale. When we breathe in the way were designed – by breathing horizontally, expanding the belly out in every direction on the inhale and by reversing that process, narrowing it all back contracting inwards on the exhale – we are engaging diaphragmatic breathing and other breathing muscles in the process.
Use this daily restorative breath work practice to find a quiet mind, feel centered, balanced, and more connected to the vitality of your life.
Let’s begin
Start by laying on your back, put one hand on your belly and the other on your heart
Start to take your next breath in through your mouth to take in as much oxygen as you can
Notice if your inhale allows your belly to rise – the breathing should come from your belly and not from your heart space
Without exhaling, take in another inhale to completely fill your lungs feeling your chest expand now allowing the hand on the heart to feel the expansion.
Once you have reached the top of your inhale hold for a moment feeling the breath swirling around in your body
Exhale out of your mouth for as long as it took you to inhale for the first two breaths, so if you took 3 counts for that first inhale and 3 for that second inhale, release for a balanced breath of 6, slow and controlled.
Once the breath has been completely released begin again.
Breathing in through your mouth – imagine you are breathing through a straw feel the belly rise, breathe in taking in the rest of the air, feel the heart lift, then exhale like you are breathing out of the straw taking the same combined amount of time. Squeezing out that last bit of breath.
Now we will do this same exercise by breathing in and out of the nose only. Keeping your lips sealed take in as much air through your nose, let your belly expand, breathe in some more, feeling the chest rise, then slowly out through the nose, you can even create a slight constriction in the back of your throat to create that controlled exhale.
We will continue with way of breathing for a few rounds until it becomes more steady, natural, and relaxed. Creating a restorative breath.
Allow your body to relax into stillness. Start to feel the pace of the breath now without controlling it, notice how long and steady and deep each inhale is and each exhale becomes. As the breath begins to relax so too does your body and in return your mind.
Observe your body from head to toe and pay attention to any areas in your body that you feel you are unable to completely relax. Repeat this mantra to yourself “I allow my body to relax” “I allow my body to completely relax” If you notice a space within your body that has tension or gripping send your awareness there and repeat the mantra focusing specifically on that area “I invite my hips to relax” “I invite my shoulders to relax” … if your body is without tension then just repeat this mantra silently “I am completely relaxed” “I am completely relaxed within my whole body”.
By cultivating this deep awareness within the body and tuning in to a long steady slow breath we can relax the body with intention. The more you settle the more you be able to sink a little deeper, letting yourself float into a state of pure calm and relaxation.
Stay as long as you need resting your awareness on your breath.
When you are ready to come out you can gently float the eyelids open or blink them softly and invite gentle movements into your body, curling to rest on one side. Giving yourself this time, this space, this sense of peace and deep relaxation to carry throughout your day.
May you be healthy, may you be well, may you find complete relaxation for vitality.
Namaste.
Through the 'physiological sigh' breathwork technique, you can quickly reduce your stress and anxiety within minutes.
This simple breath work practice is a 'physiological sigh method' consisting of a breathing pattern of two inhales through the nose followed by an extended exhale through the mouth.
The first breath through the nose is almost to capacity, followed by one more quick nasal inhale that further pop open the air sacks in the lungs. This is followed by an extended exhale. Just one to three cycles of this breathing technique can make a noticeable difference in reducing your stress. It’s as simple as that, and it takes only a few seconds.
When you find yourself dwelling about the past or stressing about the future, life has a way of pressing the pause button that distracts you from living in the now. Your breath is a powerful tool that can anchor you into the here and now and only takes a few minutes to reconnect. Slow down and release your anxiety with this breath work practice.
Find a comfortable position seated in a chair and settle into your body. Allow your gaze to soften or gently close your eyes. Take notice of the sensations you feel within your body. Relax into the comfort of just being here practicing the art of living in the now. When you find your mind drifting during this practice, continue to focus back on the sensation of the breath flowing in and out of your body. Start by appreciating the now you are in at this very moment. Realize you don’t need to be anywhere else, or doing anything else, you are exactly where you need to be. You don’t have to do anything but focus on your breathing.
Begin to notice the feeling in your feet. As your feet are resting on the floor, feel grounded, supported, and held by the earth. Imagine bringing fresh new energy up through the feet and into your legs, moving fresh clean energy into the body, all the way up your spine, in and out of your lungs, whirling up your body, all the way into your head. As you begin to regulate your breathing by focusing on the natural rhythm and without effort, notice if you can tune inwards.
Begin to take a conscious inhale, fully filling up your lungs through your nose, pausing as you completely expand and then slowly and deliberately exhale out of your nose. Trying to match your inhale completely to your exhale.
Begin again, breathing slowly and very deeply through your nose, pausing until you can’t sip in any more air and then exhaling out of your nose to release.
Breathe in again, this time counting for a count of 6, pausing for 1, and then exhaling for a count of 8. Again, if you find your mind wandering this breath work practice is particularly helpful because you need to focus not only on the sensation of breathing but also on the count of breathing.
Take a few more rounds in your own time breathing in for a count of 6, inhaling all the way through your nose, pausing for a count of 1, and then exhaling slowly and deeply out of your nose for a count of 8. I will watch the time and let you know when it is ready to release the counting of breathing.
Allow your mind to return to noticing the natural breath – without force or counting – just allow your body to naturally breathe in its own way.
Take one final inhale as you fill up all the way through your nose and on your exhale sigh it all out of your mouth making an ‘ahhhh’ sound. At any point during your day if you find your mind drifting to what happened in the past or worried about the future – return to this breath work practice. Settle your mind and let your anxiety subside.
Shift your mindset with this powerful breath work practice using alternate nostril breathing. This is useful especially when you have an active mind. Settle into the awareness of conscious breathing.
Find a comfortable seated position. Allow your palms to rest softly in your lap. Bring your awareness to your breath as you take a big inhale through your nose and fill up your lungs entirely, on your exhale gently release and sigh it all out of your mouth. Repeat this a couple of more times, breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Rest your left hand in your lap as you bring your right hand up towards your face.
Rest your pointer finger and middle finger between your brows.
Gently use your thumb to close your right nostril.
Inhale through your left nostril – slowly and deeply.
Using your ring finger gently close the left nostril and release your thumb to exhale out of your right nostril, again, slowly and deeply.
Begin again breathing in through your right nostril, as you maintain a gentle closing of the left nostril. Breathe in completely sipping in a bit more air through your nose and then close your right nostril with your thumb and breathe out slowly through your left nostril.
Continue this pattern of breathing for at least 10 more cycles.
Breathing in through your left, exhaling out your right
Breathing in through your right, exhaling through your left
Try to maintain balance between the breath on both sides. If it helps you can count on each side to make sure you match your inhale and exhale. Try counting for 5 and see if that feels comfortable within your body.
Use this practice whenever you are feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or just in need of some calming relaxation.
For more information on Alternate Nostril Breathing visit the Deepak Chopra site:
https://chopra.com/articles/nadi-shodhana-how-to-practice-alternate-nostril-breathing
Use this breath work practice as a tool to simply tune into your natural breath. Sometimes life gets the best of us and we forget to breathe. We forget to connect to ourselves and we get swept up moment by moment without truly feeling present. Allow this breath work to bring you back to yourself. By noticing the natural rhythm of our breath we find that stillness and our awareness increases. Fine tuning this space creates calm.
Begin by actively breathing in through your nose and filling in as much air as you possibly can. Then sip in a bit more air. Pause at the top. Holding for a count of 3. Exhale to release it all out of your nose slowly and deeply, expelling every list bit of breath. Pause at the bottom for a count of 1. Breathe in again filling in as much air as you can. This time exhale out of your mouth and sigh to let it all out and create an ahhh sound as you complete the release of oxygen from your body. Repeat this in your own time for a couple of more breath cycles. Breathing in all the way, exhaling out your nose, pausing and then breathing in completely and exhaling out of your mouth sighing it all out.
Once you have completed these long steady breaths. Release the focus on the active breathing and just let your body breathe as it naturally occurs. Let the counting go. Let the force go. Just let your awareness settle on how your body takes in air. Maybe your breathing is shallow. Maybe it’s deep. Maybe there isn’t a pattern to it. Just follow it. As it comes and as it goes. Use this focus to pull you deeper into yourself. Let your breath guide you to how you are feeling in this moment. If thoughts arise, gently release them and observe the natural in flow and out flow of breathing. Stay here in this natural rhythm for a few more minutes.
Use this practice to guide your focus to your breath which will anchor you into the present moment and help clear your mind. Begin standing. Widen your legs so they are in a wide-v shape. Only go out as far as comfortable. Take a deep inhale and as you exhale slowly start to hinge at your hips until your hands are touching the floor. If you are unable to touch, then just let your arms dangle. Alternatively, you can clasp both elbows so that your arms are locked together. Take another inhale and as you exhale sway gently upside down from side to side. Moving slowly from one leg to the other. Find a gentle rhythm as you continue to sway and try to match your breath to this movement. Repeat this several times.
If you can press your palms on the floor or even fingertips if you can and gently inch your feet closer together until they are hip distance apart, find a gentle bend in your knees, and begin to unstack the vertebrae one at a time until you gently rise, your head should come up last. Make sure to continue to breathe and do not rush coming up.
Take a big inhale as you raise your arms up over your head and then exhale bring them down by your sides. Now on your inhale begin to sway from side to side finding a gentle release in your lower back as you sway your arms from left to right keeping your feet planted and knees slightly bent.
Release the swaying and bring your palms together at heart center. Breathe in deeply through your nose, filling up with as much air as you can and then hold for a count of 5. As you exhale, slowly breathe out of your mouth through pursed lips as if you were blowing out of a straw. Repeat this again – breathing in through your nose, holding for a count of 5, and exhaling through your lips.
Allow your mind to clear as you continue focusing on your breath. Repeat this a couple of more times.
Some days life can feel pretty hectic. You find yourself moving in a fast paced throughout your day and may be in need to slow down and relax. Use this breath work practice to release any stress and tension in the body and mind. Start by finding a comfortable sitting position. Allow your eyes to gently close. Begin to settle your attention on your natural breathing – noticing the body breathing just as it is.
Take a deep inhale through your nose, filling up your belly, pause at the top, and then exhale slowly and deeply out of your mouth. Repeat this several times. Breathing in fully through your nose, pausing, and exhaling out your mouth. Notice as you exhale if you find yourself lightening up a bit, if your shoulders naturally go down and back, if your mind begins to settle. On your next inhale sip in a bit more air at the top and then hold for a count of 3, on your exhale make an ahhh sound as you breathe out your mouth. Feel the tension melting away slowly and deeply. Repeat this ahh sound for each exhale for the next few rounds.
Gently ease your breath without force to it’s natural rhythm. Begin to notice how every inhale feels coming through your body and finding this same awareness as you exhale.
Now begin to breathe in with intention and as you inhale raise your arms up over your head, exhale out of your nose very slowly out of your nose as you gently hinge at your waste and begin to fold over your legs, resting your palms on the floor. Use your next inhale to bring you back to seated as you float your arms up over head and exhaling your arms down into a prayer position in front of your heart. Begin this sequence again. Inhaling ever so slowly as you raise your arms up over head, exhaling finding a gentle release as you fold forward. Inhaling to come back through center arms over head and exhaling down through prayer. Once more in your own time repeat this breath work.
Now begin to take a body scan. Noticing any areas of tension or tightness. Locate a spot of discomfort and breathe in deeply through your nose and as you exhale visualize sending ease to that area. Taking long, steady, slow breaths in and out of the nose focusing on any areas of discomfort. If there are other areas you may move your focus to those areas breathing fully and deeply for a few rounds of breath.
Finally, take one final inhale through your nose, filling up all of the spaces in your body, and exhaling making an ahhh sound releasing every last drop of tension and stress from your body, mind, and breath. As you go about your day, know that the opportunity for this breath work practice is always there for you to take to find a gentle release to relax and reduce stress.
If you have troubles falling asleep or staying asleep, use this breath work practice to calm the mind and body. Find a comfortable resting position either by laying on your bed or supporting yourself with pillows, bolsters, or blankets.
While you are laying comfortably begin to notice the sensations of your breathing.
Begin to take a big, long deep breath in through your nose – inhaling filling up your lungs until your belly expands, and then on your exhale gently releasing out of your nose very slowly. Completely exhale until the last bit of breath is squeezed from your body. Pause after your exhale for a count of 3. Holding for One. Two. Three. Begin again, slowly breathing in through your nose filling up your lungs completely, exhaling out your nose expelling every last bit of air.
Continue focusing on this long-deep rhythmic breath. Remembering with each full exhale to hold at the bottom for a count of 3. Without force or counting, just allow your belly to fully expand and release with each breath. As you continue breathing here, notice your body softening. If your head is resting on your pillow, let it sink a bit deeper. Each breath pulling you into a more relaxed state.
Now that you have found a rhythm with your breath – inhaling and exhaling at a very slow and steady pace, notice your body softening and relaxing. Repeat with each breath. I am calm. I am still. I am completely relaxed. If thoughts begin to return to your mind, gently ease them away with your next breath.
Continuing to breathe here for a few more cycles. Release the long slow breaths and allow your breath to return to normal. Without force or control just notice how the breath flows naturally through you.
Observe if you have any tension in the body and send your next breath there to relax. Repeat again to yourself I am calm. I am still. I am completely relaxed. If you have one available place an eye mask or eye pillow over your eyes, you can also use a small towel. Feel the weight of the eye mask as you continue to focus on your natural breath. Feel it’s weight, the heaviness over your tired eyelids.
Feel the comfort and sensation of ease with each breath that follows – luring you into a more completely relaxed state.
When in need of a natural pick me up use this energetic breath work practice to restore depleted energy. We all have experienced times in the day when our energy drops. Sometimes it occurs around a specific time of the day, not having enough sleep, or can simply be from overexerting ourselves. The breath is naturally occurring in the body, however, sometimes the breath can become shallow leading to decreased oxygen. This is one of the reasons why you will yawn, it is a signal to breathe deeply and receive more oxygen.
Follow this breath work practice whenever you need to take a break and revive your energy.
Find a comfortable position. You can start seated or standing. Allow your eyes to soften or if you prefer, keep a soft gaze. Become aware of your natural breath. Begin to deepen your breathing. On your next inhale breathe deeply and on your exhale sigh it all out your mouth. Breathing again in through your nose and then exhaling. One more time breathing in through your nose and exhaling releasing it all with an open mouth ahhh sound.
On the next set of breaths breathe in through your nose while you raise your arms up to the sky and then exhaling to twist to the left, breathing out your mouth. Breathing in again coming back through center, raising your arms above your head, exhaling and twisting to the right. Coming back through center bringing your arms above you, inhale deeply through your nose and then on your exhale slowly breathe out your nose as you press your palms together bringing them back through heart center.
For the next set of breaths breathe in quickly through your nose for a count of two and then release – exhaling out your nose for a count of two. Repeat this rhythmic breath breathing in for a count of 2 and out for a count of 2. Continue here for several breath cycles.
For this last exercise – breathe in deeply for a count of 6. Pause for a count of 4 and then exhale for a count of 6. Repeating this several times in your own time.
Allow your breathing to return to a normal flow. Without trying to change it in anyway, just observing as it flows in and out.
Open your eyes and take one more big deep breath as you inhale your arms above you and then exhaling to press your palms together, resting at heart center. Allow your focus to rest on your palms. Begin to rub your palms together creating heat within your hands. Notice the energy you feel here. As you rub your palms together for several seconds feel the energy within your body. Release your palms and place them upwards – feeling the vibration of the energy within you radiating. Imagine a bright sun shining down on you bringing you warmth and energy you need.
May this energetic breath practice give you the energy you need throughout your day. Always know breath practice is a tool you have within you that does not require anything but your time and focus.
Namaste!
Listen to the podcast below for a guided breath work practice.
Follow this calming breath work practice whenever you need a break to find stillness and ease.
Allow yourself the time and space you need to rest and reflect. Take a break throughout your day and use this practice to find your center. This breath work practice will help you relax and reduce stress.
Come into a comfortable position. Gently close your eyes. Simply turn your attention to your breath. Breathing in through your nose for a count of 3. Exhaling out your mouth for a count of 3. Notice if you feel any tension in your body. Fill up this space with breath, softening and expanding. Continue to breath here. Find your natural breath. Feel yourself settling into your body, into this moment. Relaxing and allowing things to be.
Slowly letting go. Tapping into the stillness that generates inner calm.
Coming back to the breath. Inhaling slowly and deeply, this time for a count of 4. Pausing at the top and sipping in a bit more for a count of 1. Slowly exhaling out your nose for a count of 6. Pause for a count of one at the bottom.
Taking this time to turn inwards. Gathering your attention into your center. If thoughts naturally arise allow them to come and go. Imagining your mind as the blue sky and your thoughts as clouds. With each thought that comes and goes the sky is blue and expansive behind. Notice the space between clouds. With each breath imagine the clouds dissolving into the blue background.
Noticing your natural breath as you find calm within. Begin to deepen your breath as we breath in slowly for a count of 4 and exhaling deeply for a count of 8.
It’s easy to get caught up in the day to day. When we take the time to pause and focus on our breath we can generate a place of calm from within. Breath work naturally relaxes the nervous system, making you feel more at ease.
Gently allow your focus to come back to the sensations you feel in your body. Notice how you feel compared to when you started this practice. Slowly blink your eyes open. Know that you have this practice to come back to at any time. Use the calming breath to refocus your mind. Gradually building onto the breath to deepen and slow it down. Focusing on the exhale to become twice as long as the inhale will bring your body and mind to feel calmer, more relaxed, and at peace.
Listen to the podcast below for an audible experience
The breath is a powerful tool to anchor you into the present moment, to pull you into stillness, and to balance out your energy and emotions. Use this breath practice when you want to reset and feel more balanced.
Begin to notice your natural breath as it occurs. Do not try and force your breathing in any way. As you focus on your breath let any thoughts dissolve. Softening the body with each breath. Inhaling slowly through your nose, exhaling gently out of your nose. Now take notice of the length of your inhale and see if you can gradually begin to match it to your exhale. You can begin by counting for a total of 4 as you inhale and counting for 4 as you exhale. With each breath add one count to the inhale and equalize it with the exhale. Breathing in for 5, letting it all go for 5. Continue with this breath pattern until you have reached 8. With smooth long inhales and slow and steady exhales. Continue this breathing for another minute. By practicing this way of breathing you start to take the focus off of your thoughts and on the counting of your breath. As your breathing becomes more balanced, so too does your mind. Your body is renewed with fresh clean energy – calming your nervous system and allowing a feeling of bliss to take over.
Try this practice whenever you feel a bit off in your day, when you want to pause and collect yourself, or simply to improve your health and well-being.
