A Breath For Finding Balance

Welcome to your breath-based practice.

Today we're using Samavritti Pranayama,

Equal breathing.

Find a comfortable seated position or stand quietly.

Allow the body to settle and drop into stillness for a moment.

Begin to notice your natural breath without changing it.

What does it feel like to breathe right now?

Then gently start to count.

Inhale and exhale for four.

Inhale for four.

And exhale for four.

If four feels a little too much or too little,

Adjust it so that both sides of the breath feel even and steady.

In yoga philosophy,

Balance in the breath can reflect balance in the mind.

When the inhale and exhale are equal,

The nervous system begins to settle naturally.

Stay with this for a few rounds,

Allowing the breath to be smooth without any rough edges.

This is a practice of samatha equanimity.

Not forcing calm,

But creating the conditions for it.

Carry this sense of balance with you as you move throughout your day.