Breathing exercise · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3
Gentle box breathing: 5 rounds for a reset, when your attention is scattered
A a smaller square, for when four counts feels long pattern, counted for you on screen.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
Count to 3 on the way in, 3 at the top, 3 on the way out, 3 at the bottom. Repeat. Scattered attention is the raw material, not an obstacle. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
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 | 3s | 0s |
| Hold | 3s | 3s |
| Exhale | 3s | 6s |
| Hold again | 3s | 9s |
One round is 12 seconds. At the default 5 rounds this practice runs 60 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
- in a hospital corridor, waiting for news
- when you wake at 3am and the room feels too quiet
Tips
- Try the same pattern at a different time of day and see whether it feels different.
- Two minutes done properly beats ten minutes done while checking your phone.
- Holding your breath is optional in every exercise here. You can always breathe through instead.
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 4-8 breathing for a cold morning, when you are on your own, Quick 2-1-2-1 breath (2 · 1 · 2 · 1) for a cold morning, after a long day or Tight box breathing exercise for a big decision — when you are waiting for something.