Breathing exercise · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2
Beginner box breath (2 · 2 · 2 · 2) for the hours after people leave, if you are fitting this around other people
Simple counts — 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 2, hold 2, out for 2, hold 2. The shape stays the same every round. It is designed to fit around other people’s schedules. Stay with what you can actually feel.
Why it can help
This is a composure exercise more than a calming one. It gives you something to do while a feeling passes.
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 6 rounds this practice runs 48 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
- when your hands are cold and your chest is tight
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
Tips
- The counts are a guide. If a number feels too long, shorten every side by one.
- Do it before you need it once, so that it is familiar when you do.
- 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 Box breathing, Slow box breathing — 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 — for the early months, if you are sceptical about all of this or 3-5-7 breath (3 · 5 · 7) for days when everything is too much, when you are doing this for the first time.