Breathing exercise · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2
Beginner box breathing for a hospital waiting room, when you only have a few minutes
Simple counts — 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Four equal sides: 2 in, 2 held, 2 out, 2 held. Nothing else to remember. A few minutes is the whole requirement. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
The holds are brief. Long enough to notice, short enough to be unremarkable.
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
- after an argument, before you decide what to say next
- when the afternoon has gone flat
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
Tips
- Keep your feet flat on the floor. It helps more than it sounds like it should.
- If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
- Never push through a hold. Coming out of it early is always the right call.
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.