Breathing exercise · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2
Beginner box breath (2 · 2 · 2 · 2) for a long wait, if you are doing this instead of scrolling
A 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 rhythm — the easiest version of the square.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
The pattern is a square — 2, 2, 2, 2 — and you trace it with your breath. Choosing this over scrolling counts as a good decision, even a small one. Nothing abstract for the next few minutes.
Why it can help
The square gives you a way to notice when you have drifted: you lose count, and that tells you where your attention went.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 2s | 0s |
| Hold | 2s | 2s |
| Exhale | 2s | 4s |
| Hold again | 2s | 6s |
One round is 8 seconds. At the default 12 rounds this practice runs 96 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you are tired but cannot afford to be
- when the weather has been grey for a week
- when your hands are cold and your chest is tight
Tips
- If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
- A shorter pattern done consistently beats a longer one done once.
- A hold should feel like a pause, not like running out of air.
Please note
If holding your breath makes you dizzy or uncomfortable, skip the holds entirely and breathe slowly and evenly instead. Never push through lightheadedness. If you are pregnant, or manage a heart, blood pressure or lung condition, check with a doctor before doing breath holds.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try 3-6 breathing for bedtime, when you are on your own, 3-6 breathing: 8 rounds for the commute, when you have just finished work or 6-2-6-2 breathing — 6 · 2 · 6 · 2 — for Monday morning, if you have done this a hundred times.