Breathing exercise · 6 · 6
Coherent 6-6 breathing for heated moments, when you need something unremarkable
A six and six, the slower end of coherent breathing pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Equal breathing: 6 seconds in, 6 seconds out, no holds at all. Nothing dramatic happens here, and that is deliberate. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
There is no hold and no ratio to remember, so it is very hard to get wrong.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 6s | 0s |
| Exhale | 6s | 6s |
One round is 12 seconds. At the default 10 rounds this practice runs 120 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when you have read the same paragraph three times
- when the weather has been grey for a week
- at the kitchen table, with a cup of tea going cold
Tips
- Do it before you need it once, so that it is familiar when you do.
- If you have a cold or a blocked nose, skip the holds and breathe through your mouth.
- No holds means no buildup. The rhythm does all the work.
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 breath (4 · 4 · 4 · 4) for anxious moments, when your attention is scattered, 4-6 breath (4 · 6) for deep focus, when you are cold and want to be warm or 3-6 breathing exercise for Friday evening — when you are too tired to try hard.