In this practice,
We are going to exhale for longer than we inhale.
It's called a down-regulation breath work practice.
It's beneficial for the nervous system because it activates the parasympathetic nervous system,
Which is responsible for promoting relaxation and recovery.
So you can use this after a stressful event,
Or before sleep,
Or just in your daily practice to teach your body safety and regulation.
I'm going to walk you through it.
We're going to start with a few simple equal breaths,
And then you're going to focus on really inhaling a little more quickly to fill up your whole body,
All the capacity of your lungs,
Within four counts.
And then you're going to gently restrict the breath as you exhale,
So you're going to control it.
And you're really going to focus on influencing it and slowing it down,
Exhaling for six.
Please make sure you're in a comfortable position.
You can either be seated,
Leaning back.
If you're on the floor,
Lean against a wall or a couch.
You can even just lay in bed.
Make sure that you're comfortable in your body.
Make sure that you're in a safe space where you can close your eyes.
And let's begin.
So let's just start by taking a few breaths in and out through your nose.
So inhale.
And exhale.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Inhale.
Just notice any tension in the body.
And exhale.
Just create a little space by breathing right into that area.
And again,
Breathe in.
And breathe out.
Relax your body.
Soften the body.
Exhale.
Relax your belly and your tongue and your jaw.
And breathe in.
Breathe out.
Exhale.
So just notice what's there.
Notice if it was difficult to breathe slowly and slowly.
And all good.
Even if this is a difficult practice,
Just come back to it again and again.
Your body will learn.
You will start to understand how to influence your breath,
How to slow it down.
We're going to now inhale for four counts.
So I'm going to count.
You're going to inhale,
And it's going to feel like a little fast.
You're going to breathe in and really fill up your lungs and feel the breath filling up all the way to the top of the lungs,
Towards the throat and chest,
All the way,
Starting in the belly.
So you're going to really focus on breathing in and expanding your chest.
And as you breathe out,
I want you to focus on softening the shoulders,
Softening the body.
And the air is going to come seeping out.
You're going to,
Again,
Kind of restrict it in your throat,
Controlling it to come out,
And slowing it down so that it matches the count of six.
Let's begin.
Breathe in.
2,
3,
4.
Breathe out.
2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Inhale.
2,
3,
4.
Exhale.
2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Inhale.
2,
3,
4.
Exhale.
2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Inhale.
2,
3,
4.
Exhale.
2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Inhale.
2,
3,
4.
Exhale.
Slow it down.
3,
4,
5,
6.
Inhale.
2,
3,
4.
Exhale.
2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Inhale.
2,
3,
4.
Exhale.
2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Inhale.
2,
3,
4.
Exhale.
2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
A little bit different.
Breathe in.
2,
3,
4.
Hold the breath.
Hold the breath in.
Hold it in.
Just for another moment,
Hold it in.
Maybe inhale a little more air.
Open your mouth.
Exhale.
Release.
2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Breathe in.
And breathe out.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Just feeling the body,
Feeling the breath.
Keep on breathing.
Breathe in.
Notice the state of your body,
The state of your mind.
Keep breathing in and out through your nose.
Just releasing the control of the breath.
Let it passively float in and out at the tip of your nose.
Notice any new space.
Notice what's shifted,
What stayed the same.
All good.
Everything is okay.
Maybe you can sense your heart beating.
And feel free to repeat this practice as many times throughout the day as feels good.
And if you feel like you're in a state now where you want to just stay with your eyes closed and meditate for a bit,
This practice is a beautiful introduction to that.
And if and when you feel ready to move,
Gently make some subtle movements with your body.
Maybe roll your shoulders,
Stretch out,
And slowly open your eyes and come back into your body to gently move.
Take your time.
And enjoy a new sense of peace and regulation.
