Time Required
5 minutes daily for at least a week (though evidence suggests that mindfulness increases the more you practice it).
How to Do It
The most basic way to do mindful breathing is to focus your attention on your breath, the inhale and exhale. You can do this while standing, but ideally you’ll be sitting or even lying in a comfortable position. Your eyes may be open or closed, or you can maintain a soft gaze, with your eyes partially closed but not focusing on anything in particular. It can help to set aside a designated time for this exercise, but it can also help to practice it when you’re feeling particularly stressed or anxious. Experts believe a regular practice of mindful breathing can make it easier to do in difficult situations.
Sometimes, especially when trying to calm yourself in a stressful moment, it might help to start by taking an exaggerated breath: a deep inhale through your nostrils (3 seconds), hold your breath (2 seconds), and a long exhale through your mouth (4 seconds). Otherwise, observe each breath without trying to adjust it; it may help to focus on the rise and fall of your chest or the sensation through your nostrils. As you do so, you may find that your mind wanders, distracted by thoughts or bodily sensations. That’s OK. You can notice that this is happening and try to gently bring your attention back to your breath.
To provide even more structure, and help you lead this practice for others, below are steps for a short guided meditation. You can listen to audio of this guided meditation, produced by UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC), in the player below; if it doesn't play, you can find it here or download it from MARC's website.
- Please find a relaxed, comfortable position. You could be seated on a chair or on the floor on a cushion. Try to keep your back upright, but not too tight. Hands resting wherever they’re comfortable. Tongue on the roof of your mouth or wherever it’s comfortable.
- Notice and invite your body to relax. Let yourself relax and become curious about your body seated here—the sensations it experiences, the touch, the connection with the floor or the chair. Do your best to relax any areas of tightness or tension. Breathe.
- Tune into the rhythm of your breath. You can feel the natural flow of breath—in, out. You don’t need to do anything to your breath. Not long, not short, but natural. Notice where you feel your breath in your body. It might be in your abdomen. It may be in your chest or throat or in your nostrils. See if you can feel the sensations of breath, one breath at a time. When one breath ends, the next breath begins. If you are not able to notice the breath in all areas of the body, that is OK. We are more connected to certain areas of the body than others, at different times of the day.
- Now as you do this, you might notice that your mind may start to wander. You may start thinking about other things. If this happens, it is not a problem. It's very natural. Try to notice that your mind has wandered. You can say “thinking” or “wandering” in your head softly. And then gently redirect your attention right back to the breathing.
- Stay here for five to seven minutes. Notice your breath, in silence. From time to time, you’ll get lost in thought, then return to your breath.
- After a few minutes, once again notice your body, your whole body, seated here. Let yourself relax even more deeply and then, if it is available, please offer yourself some appreciation for doing this practice today.
Why You Should Try It
Stress, anger, and anxiety can impair not only our health but our judgment and skills of attention. One way to help deal with these difficult feelings is the practice of “mindfulness,” the ability to pay careful attention to what you're thinking, feeling, and sensing in the present moment without judging those thoughts and feelings as good or bad. Countless studies link mindfulness to better health, lower anxiety, and greater resilience to stress.
But how do you cultivate mindfulness? A basic method is to focus your attention on your own breathing—a practice called, quite simply, “mindful breathing.” After setting aside time to practice mindful breathing, you may find it easier to focus attention on your breath in your daily life—an important skill to help you deal with stress, anxiety, and negative emotions, cool yourself down when your temper flares, and sharpen your skills of concentration.
Why It Works
Mindfulness gives us distance from our thoughts and feelings, which can help us tolerate and work through unpleasant feelings rather than becoming overwhelmed by them. Mindful breathing in particular is helpful because it gives us an anchor—our breath—on which we can focus when we find ourselves carried away by a stressful thought. Mindful breathing can also help us stay “present” in the moment, rather than being distracted by regrets in the past or worries about the future.
Evidence That It Works
Arch, J. J., & Craske, M. G. (2006). Mechanisms of mindfulness: Emotion regulation following a focused breathing induction. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44(12), 1849-1858.
Americans who completed a 15-minute focused breathing exercise (similar to Mindful Breathing) reported less negative emotion in response to negative images, compared with people who didn’t complete the exercise. These results suggest that focused breathing helped improve people’s ability to regulate their emotions.
Who Has Tried the Practice?
The participants in the above study were mostly female and Asian or white. Additional research has engaged members of other groups:
- Chinese adults decreased in anxiety, depression, anger, fatigue, and stress biomarkers after five days of 20-minute meditations that included exercises similar to Mindful Breathing and the Body Scan.
- Japanese university students who practiced this exercise and the Body Scan for five to 10 minutes at least once a day for a week ruminated less on anger immediately after the intervention and four weeks later.
- Malaysian palliative caregivers significantly decreased in stress biomarkers after only 20 minutes of Mindful Breathing.
Mindful Breathing is one of the mindfulness practices included in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). Developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn and based on Buddhist teachings, MBSR is a six- to 10-week program that teaches various mindfulness techniques through weekly sessions and homework assignments. Research suggests that MBSR benefits the mental health of various groups, including the following:
- People in different cultures and countries, such as bilingual Latin-American families, university students in China, disadvantaged families in Hong Kong, low-income cyclo drivers in Vietnam, males with generalized anxiety disorder in Iran, Indigenous people in the Republic of Congo, and Aboriginal Australians.
- Women around the world, including pregnant women in China, rural women in India who experienced still-birth, at-risk women in Iran, Muslim women college students in the United Arab Emirates, American survivors of intimate partner violence, and socioeconomically disadvantaged Black women with post-traumatic stress disorder.
- People with certain diseases, such as New Zealanders with rheumatoid arthritis, male patients with heart disease in India, patients with diabetes in South Korea, cancer patients in Canada, breast cancer survivors in China, and HIV-positive individuals in Toronto, San Francisco, Iran, and South Africa.
More research is needed to explore whether, and how, the impact of this practice extends to other groups and cultures.
Keep in Mind
The suitability of this meditation may vary depending on your culture or other life circumstances. For example, while Filipino survivors of Typhoon Haiyan improved in self-efficacy and coping after a day mindfulness training that included Mindful Breathing, those who were displaced from their homes returned to familiar coping methods (like prayer and community support) shortly after being introduced to Mindful Breathing.
A study on American inmates suggests that Mindful Breathing is useful regardless of religious affiliation. But adapting this meditation to include religious beliefs may also be beneficial. For example, Christian university students who participated in a six- to eight-week Christian mindfulness program that incorporated beliefs about God into Mindful Breathing felt less stressed compared to those who did not participate, regardless of ethnicity.
For MBSR in general, a 2015 study found that the program “improved depressive symptoms regardless of affiliation with a religion, sense of spiritually, … sex, or age.” However, other studies suggest that MBSR may not benefit everyone equally:
- When MBSR was administered in Massachusetts correctional facilities, male prisoners experienced less mental health improvement than female prisoners.
- MBSR may not be beneficial in all cultural contexts. For Haitian mental health practitioners and teachers, MBSR contradicted some of their cultural worldviews and everyday practices. Brazilian medical students who participated in MBSR experienced no significant changes in mental health or quality of life.
Sources
Diana Winston, Ph.D., UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center
References
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Bowen, S., Bergman, A. L., & Witkiewitz, K. (2015). Engagement in Buddhist meditation practices among non-Buddhists: Associations with religious identity and practice. Mindfulness, 6(6), 1456–1461.
Fogarty, F. A., Booth, R. J., Lee, A. C., Dalbeth, N., & Consedine, N. S. (2019). Mindfulness-based stress reduction with individuals who have rheumatoid arthritis: Evaluating depression and anxiety as mediators of change in disease activity. Mindfulness, 10(7), 1328–1338.
Gallegos, A. M., Heffner, K. L., Cerulli, C., Luck, P., McGuinness, S., & Pigeon, W. R. (2020). Effects of mindfulness training on posttraumatic stress symptoms from a community-based pilot clinical trial among survivors of intimate partner violence. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 12(8), 859–868.
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Greeson, J. M., Smoski, M. J., Suarez, E. C., Brantley, J. G., Ekblad, A. G., Lynch, T. R., & Wolever, R. Q. (2015). Decreased symptoms of depression after mindfulness-based stress reduction: Potential moderating effects of religiosity, spirituality, trait mindfulness, sex, and age. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 21(3), 166–174.
Hechanova, M. R., Docena Pierce, S., Alampay Liane Peña, Avegale, A., Porio Emma, E., Melgar, I. E., & Berger, R. (2018). Evaluation of a resilience intervention for Filipino displaced survivors of Super Typhoon Haiyan. Disaster Prevention and Management, 27(3), 346–359.
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Hirano, M., & Yukawa, S. (2013). The impact of mindfulness meditation on anger. Japanese Journal of Psychology, 84(2), 93–102.
Ho, R. T. H., Lo, H. H. M., Fong, T. C. T., & Choi, C. W. (2020). Effects of a mindfulness-based intervention on diurnal cortisol pattern in disadvantaged families: A randomized controlled trial. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 117, 7.
Hoffman, D. M. (2019). Mindfulness and the cultural psychology of personhood: Challenges of self, other, and moral orientation in Haiti. Culture & Psychology, 25(3), 302–323.
Jung, H. Y., Lee, H., & Park, J. (2015). Comparison of the effects of Korean mindfulness-based stress reduction, walking, and patient education in diabetes mellitus. Nursing & Health Sciences, 17(4), 516–525.
Kabat-Zinn, J., De Torrijos, F., Skillings, A. H., Blacker, M., Mumford, G. T., Alvares, D. L., & Rosal, M. C. (2016). Delivery and effectiveness of a dual language (English/Spanish) Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program in the inner city - A seven-year experience: 1992-1999. Mindfulness & Compassion, 1(1), 2–13.
Kabat-Zinn, J., & Hanh, T. N. (2009). Full catastrophe living: Using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain, and illness. Delta.
Lavrencic, L. M., Donovan, T., Moffatt, L., Keiller, T., Allan, W., Delbaere, K., & Radford, K. (2021). Ngarraanga giinganay (‘thinking peacefully’): Co-design and pilot study of a culturally-grounded mindfulness-based stress reduction program with older First Nations Australians. Evaluation and Program Planning, 87, 12.
Le, T. N. (2017). Cultural considerations in a phenomenological study of mindfulness with Vietnamese youth and cyclo drivers. International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation, 6(4), 246–260.
Li, J., & Qin, X. (2021). Efficacy of mindfulness‐based stress reduction on fear of emotions and related cognitive behavioral processes in Chinese university students: A randomized controlled trial. Psychology in the Schools, 1–17.
Majid, S. A., Seghatoleslam, T., Homan, H. A., Akhvast, A., & Habil, H. (2012). Effect of mindfulness based stress management on reduction of generalized anxiety disorder. Iranian Journal of Public Health, 41(10), 24–28.
McIntyre, T., Elkonin, D., de Kooker, M., & Magidson, J. F. (2018). The application of mindfulness for individuals living with HIV in South Africa: A hybrid effectiveness-implementation pilot study. Mindfulness, 9(3), 871–883.
Neto, A. D., Lucchetti, A. L. G., Ezequiel, O. S., & Lucchetti, G. (2020). Effects of a required large-group mindfulness meditation course on first-year medical students’ mental health and quality of life: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 35(3), 672–678.
Parswani, M. J., Sharma, M. P., & Iyengar, S. S. (2013). Mindfulness-based stress reduction program in coronary heart disease: A randomized control trial. International Journal of Yoga, 6(2), 111.
Roberts, L. R., & Montgomery, S. B. (2016). Mindfulness-based intervention for perinatal grief in rural India: Improved mental health at 12 months follow-up. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 37(12), 942–951.
Samuelson, M., Carmody, J., Kabat-Zinn, J., & Bratt, M. A. (2007). Mindfulness-based stress reduction in Massachusetts correctional facilities. The Prison Journal, 87(2), 254–268.
SeyedAlinaghi, S., Jam, S., Foroughi, M., Imani, A., Mohraz, M., Djavid, G. E., & Black, D. S. (2012). Randomized controlled trial of mindfulness-based stress reduction delivered to human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients in Iran: effects on CD4⁺ T lymphocyte count and medical and psychological symptoms. Psychosomatic Medicine, 74(6), 620–627.
Speca, M., Carlson, L. E., Goodey, E., & Angen, M. (2000). A randomized, wait-list controlled clinical trial: The effect of a mindfulness meditation-based stress reduction program on mood and symptoms of stress in cancer outpatients. Psychosomatic Medicine, 62(5), 613–622.
Tan, S. B., Ching, H. C., Chia, Y. L., Yee, A., Ng, C. G., bin Hasan, M. S., . . . Lam, C. L. (2020). The effect of 20-minute mindful breathing on the perception of suffering and changes in bispectral index score (BIS) in palliative care informal caregivers: A randomized controlled study. American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine, 37(8), 606–612.
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Quick Description
Mindful Breathing can increase our awareness and reduce our tendency to ruminate. Are you attuned to the present moment? Take our Mindfulness quiz to find out:
Comments
and Reviews
Anne Merrill
It feels so quick and yet like it was forever.
Rebecca Baldwin
Annoying.
Ted Maker
These practices work. They are not habits yet, but I'll keep plugging. I would like to learn more about why active listening works. Thanks
Robert E. Brown
I've practiced meditating for several years, so this was not a new experience for me. I find that extending the breathing to 20-30 minutes, on an empty stomach, seated with hand on thighs palms upward, enables me to separate myself from my surroundings and concentrate. A feeling of lightness and bliss takes over.
Lori Krishnan
Feels good as you are doing it. Doesn't carry over into the rest of my day as much as I wish it did, but perhaps with more consistent practice, it would.
kelly hunsaker
It was good. Use breathing practice routinely
Thomas A Wilson
The texts need to explain how to move on to the next week in detail. Otherwise it was awesome I only wish there were more choices than two for guided meditations.
Thomas A Wilson
The texts need to explain how to move on to the next week in detail. Otherwise it was awesome I only wish there were more choices than two for guided meditations.
Thomas Beech
This is very helpful. I’ve done this for years and find it to be a good way to interrupt the pace of the day and start fresh. Also really good at letting go of stress and tension. The audio guidance was excellent. Thank you.
Thomas A Wilson
It was excellent however now that I have finished for the last three days I've received a message that says I can share my experience then start my new week how ever neither happens.
Rosemarie Russo
Good
Susan Ramiro
The first time I practiced this exercise I was focused on following the audio instruction. I needed a timer so I decided to use the verbal instruction. When the bell rang, it seemed less than 5 minutes from the time I started mindful breathing. I think that as I get acquainted with the practice I can do it better.
Susan Ramiro
The first time I practiced this exercise I was focused on following the audio instruction. I needed a timer so I decided to use the verbal instruction. When the bell rang, it seemed less than 5 minutes from the time I started mindful breathing. I think that as I get acquainted with the practice I can do it better.
Susan Young
Good
Susan Young
Good
Susan Young
Good
Rikki louise Vitt
My experience with mindful breathing was very peaceful. I felt more awake and more peaceful.
Bambi Pimental
Mindful breathing works for me to be still, be quiet, quiet the mind and just listen. It's a great mood changer and helps to bring calmness, stillness and relaxation to pause, then re-evaluate what's next and how to go about it, with a better mood.
Rikki louise Vitt
Somehow, my last entry disappeared before I was done. So, I just completed a 5 minute mindful breathing experience. I felt relaxed and surprised that my mood had improved considerably. I feel grounded and now have a positive outlook on life. It is much easier to experience the present when I don't have a worry headache about the future or concerned about the past and am looking forward to experiencing the now. Life is good at this moment. Thank you.
Archit Basu Roy
first of all Thank you for that kind of platform you provide for social media .?. It is great thought and amazing experience .. ?????
Alyce S. Miller
Relaxing, peaceful
Alyce S. Miller
It was calming and enabled me to get more deeply in touch with feelings I wasn't aware I had. Very Worthwhile
Mary Lou Benard
Meditation using mindful breathing provides a relaxing and refreshing daily recharge.
Mary Lou Benard
I have been meditating using mindful breathing for some time. I find it relaxing and refreshing.
Deirdre Gonsalves
I do mindful breathing most mornings and throughout the day when I need to center myself or de-escalate from feeling anxious. I this it's great that this is included in the practice.
legacy
good
Alyce S. Miller
Good. ?
colleen wilson
I've been asthmatic most of my life and focusing on my breath often brings up an uneasiness, a feeling I may not be breathing correctly. Seemed like I needed to reassure and comfort myself a few times.
Mireya Rodriguez Penagos
It is very usefull. Whenever I feel like I need a little space for me, I practice the mindfull breathing and I can relax and rest for a little while.
Rikki louise Vitt
Enjoying the practice. Had a shorter practice. Now I time myself for 5 minutes am and pm. I use the 478 breathing cycle. Thank you.
Rhonda Dunnington
Excellent
Rhonda Dunnington
Eye opening!
Mireya Rodriguez Penagos
At first is difficult to concentrate in one´s breathing but with the practice of it, I was able to put my attention on the breathing.
Diane Ruddell
I was already using the calm app for guided meditation most days, this was a nice addition
Maria Neirotti
Nice, too short
Maria Neirotti
Nice, too short
Shawn Talbott
Fine
Mary Claire ONeal
I find that mindful breathing is always helpful. I'm a HeartMath Certified Trainer/Coach, and mindful breathing does help reset the nervous system, body and mind. I do have a flow of thought that I have to keep letting go of one thought at a time, but it's a part of the process. And the awareness that the thoughts are there is an important step. Some days it's easier than others (less thoughts), but the mindful, slow breathing is always helpful for me and does reset, balance, and bring one more into the present moment.
Adrián Ramos
In Buddhism Mindful breathing is a common practice. It tends to get me relaxed. It is really useful when you notice some stress or tension on your body. If you get sleepy as me I recommend doing it in a well illuminated room or better yet outside with sunlight. You can also choose an object that you like (it can be anything, a flower, a tree, a figure, a candle, etc.) to stare while you're focusing on your breath.
Joanne Shea
I love this practice. It is hard not to have your mind wonder.
Peggy Sheldon-Scurlock
I appreciated the guidance offered during this practice. both verbal and written - thank you.
Sandy Louthian
I love the graphics on my Apple watch showing the inhaling and exhaling with kind of a flower pattern to guide you for inhaling and exhaling. How beautiful and calming.
Angela vaz Ulhôa
Muito boa!
Linda Ann Ward
My experience with the practice Mindful Breathing was very helpful. I felt more relaxed.
Olga
Cool
Angelica Pimentel Gil
My experience was very relaxing although it's easy for me to get my mind distracted but as the practice suggested I returned focusing on my breathing.
Donna Rose Houchen
It’s OK but not as fulfilling as the other practices, in my opinion.
Donna Fontenot
Relaxing and motivating.
Karen Jones
I got distracted
Karen Jones
Good
Deborah Su Clauson
It was relaxing, took me out of my morning rush. I look forward to doing it in the evening.
noeleen Donachie
5 minutes of kindness to myself has helped me become focused and calm. before i start my next piece of work thank you
Gerry Coffey
It is going well, 5 minutes is a nice short time to focus on breathing. It is easy to stretch it into a longer prectise.
Karen Wertman
I have done lots of different mediation practices and regularly do a 15 minute or longer sit in the morning. This 5 minutes was such a nice, relaxing evening break. 5 minutes is so easy. Not demanding. I like the idea that a very short mindfulness meditation can be helpful. It feels like being kind to myself instead of the demands of a longer or more “serious” meditation practice. .
Lynn
Thoughtful excellent use of time, felt like a healthy practice.
douglas safford
great have been doing this for years
douglas safford
very good have been dpoing this on and off for years
Roland Darroll
Great
Colleen Forst
Ok
Alicia Ortego
If you want you can add some breathing techniques for kids. There are lots in my book https://aliciaortego.com/breathing-is-my-superpower/
Alicia Ortego
Thanks for these tips and great advice. I wish you'd put some techniques for kids as well. I have written a book on breathing techniques for kids. If you wish, you can check it out here https://aliciaortego.com/breathing-is-my-superpower/ . I will be grateful for your feedback.
Karottu George
It is quite calming. But, when I did deep breathing instead of natural breathing, the body and mind became calmer than when I did natural breathing.
nandi
no change
Gabriela Díaz de León Ocaña
This practice is conforting and calming. It always makes me come "home" and feel at ease. I had always practiced it without step 6, and now I discovered that this is in fact a very important step for bringing a lot of serf compasion which has make me feel so wondeful! Than you.
Diana Young
relaxing, after doing it few times, it is getting easier to return my wondering mind back to focusing on breath
Cyndy Rineer
Had trouble letting all other thoughts go.
Trina moore
I really couldn't connect with it I'm sure as I do it more oh, I will learn more
Jayadeep Chellath
Breathing gently is a response of yourself when you understand that you are a peaceful soul. Instead of focusing on your response which is quit breathing, you should recognise the peaceful loving self controling your body and mind. When you are suffering from anxiety depression or restlessness it Will be deficult to be yourself. So if you find yourself restless just tell yourself I am a peaceful soul and if you do not experience Peace it is temporary situation in the life.
Sarah Kennedy
Thank you. It was lovely.
Carol-Anne
I use to find meditating very difficult and stress about my mind wandering. Now with more practice doing it daily I find I am more relaxed and now able to let my thoughts go past when I bring my mind back to the breath. Now I am finding meditation a pleasure to have quiet time and de-stress and can finally say I am enjoying it. Thank you.
josephine
Great experience, very relaxing
virgo8girl@gmail.com
Can I start this practice with 5 minutes? Will I get any benefit from just 5 minutes? Sitting still for 15 minutes straight is very difficult for me. Please advise. Thanks!
Amber Lester
I did well. I'm on hold with the part about most of the thoughts and the rapid being that of joy. it was nice. Neded.
vallefloresl@gmail.com
A very good practice in order to calm down my mind.
Lara
This is one of the best happiness practices ever. It can be done literally anywhere, at any time, and the results can become obvious within seconds. It was difficult the first couple of times, but it got much easier with practice.
Catherine Hubert
I need to hide to do this at work every few minutes
Michele J. Bernal
This is easy to do and doesn't take much time. Worth trying (more than once), at least.
Андрей Гончаров
Согласен с автором. Работает 100%. Манипуляции с дыханием приносят максимум пользы на количество приложенных усилий. Может быть поэтому пранаяму и цигун так ценят, причём далеко не только в Индии и Китае.
denise frey
This simple practice can add so much to the daily experience of life. Taking time to notice & be aware is like magic. It is a vital skill in your coping toolbox.
Eileen DiBlasio
I find it difficult to do. My mind goes to all the things I should be doing.
Hilda Magaly Dietsch Espejo
Clear and straightforward
Marisa O
very well
Tanya Gunn
My intention is to practice mindfulness daily but when life gets very busy or I have health issues I sometimes miss a day or two. When I practice daily without missing, I am more at ease with myself, peaceful, and challenges are less challenging.
Ronda Tamerlane
Ive used mindful breathing for a long time. My biggest problem is making it a daily practice and remembering to use it when stressed.
Sarah Martin
I enjoyed it. The process was peaceful and I feel lighter afterwards.
María Elena González Rivera
It was easier than I thought; even though mi mind wandered I was able to refocus on my breathing 😊
Pamela Zwehl-Burke
I lived as a Christian Scientist during my childhood and early adulthood; I was encouraged to deny awareness of and connection to my body, Through a long and ever more fruitful involvement in Buddhism, I have little by little turned towards my body and an awareness of breathing and waking and sensing and being present for its life in time and space. Mindful breathing is a wonderful experience, as is daily meditation. The guiding voice in this presentation is very good.
Kristyn Barrett
Although my mind wandered quite a bit, the 5 minutes went by quickly and I felt more relaxed.
Jenbli Miranda
It's my first day of practice and I feel relaxed already.
Ashwani Dahiya
Gets you the best sleep ever 😊
Anne Shaw
I have enjoyed doing this practice for the last three days and feel very peaceful at the end.
Doug DeNunzio
The greatest of how my life can be overcoming breathing posture in the right position and mentality in general.
Cyndi Glassauer
I found that the small of my back hurt so I relaxed Into the cushion on the chair back. The I felt I started to slump so I placed my hands behind my back and clasped my hands. This helps greatly and I felt fine. I was able to stay focused well on my back by counting to 3 while inhaling and counting to 4+ while exhaling. This structure was really helpful. Then I noticed tears were coming down my cheeks, not from sadness, just from breathing this way. I remembered a memory from years ago when I told voice lessons that when I did deep breathing, the same thing happened, my eyes watered and tears came. I just let them come and relaxed at the memory. I always felt so de-stressed and empowered at the end of my voice lessons and I felt it was due to the deep breathing.
Stella
This was the perfect length for me as I haven't been practising mindfulness for very long. I really liked the narrator's voice which was soothing and supportive. Thank you so much!
John
One of my Favs. It's perfect to start with if you have never meditated before. Although you may not feel you are doing it correctly at first, stick with it. Check out other videos or blogs about Mindfulness. I got hooked by listening to some talks by Jon Kabat-Zinn. I find his voice to be relaxing, which is great for guided meditations (great for beginners too).
Sam Tim-Billy
It felt good to take time during the day to breath deeply and relax. Loved this practice. Often my days are so busy they can be a blurr and taking time to be mindful today made me notice things I did not before.
isiah hulsey
unsure if im doing this right and if it really works
Sarita
The commitment to focus on breathing for 15 mins each day was helpful, but I didn't like this particular meditation.; I didn't like the voice or the instructions. I have practiced deep three-part breathing for many years, so this was an opportunity to make it more habitual.
Jeanne Berrong
Excellent! As a teacher in the throes of online teaching, once again I had not found the time to sit today, so the invitation to practice and the length of the sit was perfect! I felt such relief afterwards-- and it was a pleasant surprise to hear Diana Winston's voice!
Flora Cabean
it was a good exercise to help get refocused and simply slow down and regroup.
Joey
Great post
Amanda Schaer
This is a great exercise to do whenever you are feeling overwhelmed, anger, stressed, frustrated, or annoyed. The breathing really helps to regulate whatever emotion you are feeling and bring it back to a more neutral, positive feeling. If you feel yourself drifting off into other things on your mind try to focus on the feeling of your breathing and sound it makes going in and out. It might also help to envision the air going into your body and out. When you put all your focus on these things it is hard to think about other things going on and it makes the process much more beneficial. I love this exercise and I would recommend it!
Greg
Oh, I'm sorry, THANK YOU!
Greg
This was nice. I try just about every guided meditation I can find on the internet and this and its presenter is one of the best. Great pace, great compassion in the voice without patronizing. Done beautifully!
Megan McCarver
Comment: Love, love love ; Review: Crystal kind and loving guidance delivered with organic pacing laced with a true sense of devotion and source. Thank you for the experience.
Isolde de Groen
Very good, relaxing, nice voice to listen too.
♡ A/A ♡
Very nice. Especially when you have little or no time due to exams.
PositivePsychlopedia
Very relaxing
The Greater Good Toolkit
Made in collaboration with Holstee, this tookit includes 30 science-based practices for a meaningful life.
The Greater Good Toolkit
Made in collaboration with Holstee, this tookit includes 30 science-based practices for a meaningful life.