478 Breathing Guided Meditation

If your heart's going too fast right now, or your thoughts are, this is

one of the quickest ways I know to bring things down.

It's called 4-7-8 breathing.

You breathe in for four, hold for seven, and breathe out for eight.

That long breath out is what does most of the work.

It tells your nervous system it can stand down.

Sit comfortably with your back fairly straight, or lie down.

Close your eyes if you like.

Now rest the tip of your tongue on the ridge just behind your top

front teeth.

Keep it there the whole time.

You'll breathe out around it, which makes a soft whoosh.

If you feel lightheaded at any point, just go back to normal breathing.

That's completely fine.

Four rounds is plenty when you're starting out.

First, breathe all the way out through your mouth.

Whoosh.

Empty.

Close your mouth.

Breathe in quietly through your nose.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Hold.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Six.

Seven.

Whoosh out through the mouth.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Six.

Seven.

Eight.

Again.

In through the nose.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Hold.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Six.

Seven.

And out.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Six.

Seven.

Eight.

Now let your breath go back to normal.

Don't count anything.

Just breathe however your body wants to.

Notice what's changed, if anything.

Maybe your shoulders have come down.

Maybe your hands feel warmer, or heavier.

Some people get a little tingly in the fingers or That's face.

normal, and it fades.

The hold might have felt long.

Most people find seven a bit of a stretch at first.

it If was too much, count a little faster next time.

The ratio matters more than the speed.

And if your mind wandered off during the counting, that's normal.

The counting gives it something to hold onto.

You just come back to the next number.

Two more rounds.

A little slower this time.

Tongue behind the teeth.

Breathe out fully first.

Whoosh.

In through the nose.

One...

Two...

Three...

Four.

Hold.

One...

Two...

Three...

Four...

Five...

Six...

Seven.

Out through the One...

mouth.

Two...

Three...

Four...

Five...

Six...

Seven...

Eight.

Last one.

One...

In...

Two...

Three...

Four.

Hold...

One...

Two...

Three...

Four...

Five...

Six...

Seven.

And out...

One...

Two...

Three...

Four...

Five...

Six...

Seven...

Eight.

Let go of the counting now.

Let your tongue relax.

Let the breath be natural and easy.

Feel your heart.

It's probably beating slower than when we started.

Your body might feel softer now, heavier wherever it's resting.

Let your face go slack.

Your belly rise and fall on its own.

There's nothing left to count and nothing to get right.

Just rest here for a little while

and let the calm settle all the way in.

You can use this anywhere.

Before a hard conversation.

In bed when you can't switch off.

Nobody even has to know you're doing it.

It gets easier with practice, so try it once a day for a while,

even on the days you feel fine.

way That it's ready when you really need it.

Take one easy breath in...

And let it go.

Wiggle

your fingers.

Roll your shoulders slowly.

When you're ready, open your eyes.

Take your time getting up.

Your body just did something good for itself,

so there's no need to rush it.