Box Breathing: 7 Minute Daily Practice "Day 2"

Welcome to today's meditation.

In today's meditation you're going to practice the box breathing exercise,

Also known as the square breathing exercise.

You're going to count your breath,

Breathing in for four counts,

Hold the breath for four counts,

Exhale four counts and hold the breath for four counts.

You will find that this exercise is hugely relaxing and it is known for relaxing and calming your nervous system in just a few minutes.

So I love that I'm sharing this exercise with you today so that you can have this one up your sleeve to use throughout the day.

Go ahead and get comfortable and close your eyes.

Take a deep breath all the way down into your belly,

Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth to start.

Just centering yourself here now.

Let's do a couple more like that.

Deep breath in,

Exhale,

Letting go of all of the stuff you don't need to take with you on your inward journey today.

Feeling the belly expand as you inhale and fall as you exhale.

And then when you're ready allowing the breath to flow in and out of your nose throughout this practice.

Let's do the square breathing together.

We're going to count to four,

Four times.

Four as you inhale and then hold for four.

Exhale four and hold four.

I'll start but feel free to do it at your own pace,

Whatever feels good to you.

As you count you will notice your entire nervous system relax and calm.

Breathing in one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Hold one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Exhale one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Hold one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Breathing in one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Hold one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Exhale one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Hold one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

In your own time,

Breathing in,

Hold the breath for.

Exhale four,

Hold the breath for.

Just try it at your own pace here.

I'll be quiet for a moment.

Breathing in one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Hold one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Exhale one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Hold one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

In your own time,

Breathing in,

Holding.

Exhale.

Breathing in one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Hold one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Exhale one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

Hold two.

Hold one,

Two,

Three,

Four.

For the next minute,

Just in your own time,

Keep counting.

Four as you inhale,

Hold for four.

Exhale four and hold four.

Then letting go of the counting now.

Just allowing yourself to be here in the present moment.

Just observing your breath and the pace of your own breath.

Notice how you're feeling in this moment.

Maybe you're noticing that your shoulders have dropped,

That you feel calmer or more relaxed or more grounded.

Just notice.

And then when you're ready,

You can go ahead and take a deep breath in,

Sealing this practice.

And slowly and in your own time,

Coming back to the space you're in and opening your eyes.

Welcome back.

Thank you for meditating with me today.