The art of slowing it down is an art So why don't you follow along with me This is going to be very easy,
It's going to be parasympathetic,
Meaning it's going to calm you down.
So breathe with me,
I will guide you through it,
And if you're ready let's go.
Start with a big inhale slowly from the belly,
From the root from the base of the belly,
Inhale all the way through your nose hold exhale through pursed lips as if you're blowing through a straw Let's do that again,
And this time when you exhale I want you to drop your shoulders and also exhale with a audible sigh,
And that sigh will act as a signal to the brain,
To the body that you wish to calm down.
Are you ready?
All the way to the top,
Hold,
Exhale with a sigh drop your shoulders as you do so Let's do it one more time exhale with a sigh,
Drop your shoulders as you do so Ok good Now you might like to close your eyes for the next bit,
It's up to you you're in a safe place the breathing will be smooth and I want you to focus first of all on breathing through nose only,
If you can don't worry if you can't every inhale I want you to breathe from the belly and what I mean is every inhale your stomach moves out every exhale your stomach moves back in and that breath will follow from the base of your stomach up into the chest and back down again We're going to breathe in a 4-4 rhythm and I will guide you I want you to retain that breath through the nose exhale either through the nose or the mouth whatever feels most comfortable Are you ready?
In 2 3 4 Out 2 3 4 And in 2 3 4 And out 2 3 4 And in 2 3 4 And out 2 3 4 And in 2 3 4 And out 2 3 4 Keep it cyclical In 2 3 4 And out 2 3 4 Nice and smooth In 2 3 4 And out 2 3 4 And in 2 3 4 And out 2 3 4 Now slow it down In 2 3 4 And out 2 3 4 And in 2 3 4 And out 2 3 4 And in 2 3 4 And out 2 3 4 And in 2 3 4 And out 2 3 4 And in 2 3 4 And out 2 3 4 And in 2 3 4 And out 2 3 4 And in 2 3 4 And out 2 3 4 And in 2 3 4 And out 2 3 4 And now what I want you to do is keep breathing nice and slow And I want you to feel as if you no longer need to breath as deep as you were So I want you to make it slightly shallower breath Still breathing with your stomach from the root Up through the chest but less oxygen is going in And less carbon dioxide is going out But it has to be comfortable Just consciously make that breath shallower by moving your stomach less I want you to get to a point where it just feels comfortable Less air going in,
Less air going out Still keeping it smooth,
No pause at either end of the inhale or the exhale Okay,
You've just slowed down your breathing and therefore you've acted on your nervous system,
You've turned on that parasympathetic part of the nervous system You've calmed yourself down And it feels better doesn't it?
And when we breath less we become calm If we are calm we are already breathing less Okay,
You've just slowed down your breathing and you've acted on your nervous system You've turned on that parasympathetic part of the inhale and now you're breathing less Okay,
You've just slowed down your breathing and now you're breathing less
