Breathing exercise · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3
Gentle box breathing: 6 rounds for a hard conversation, when you are doing this for the first time
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
Four equal sides: 3 in, 3 held, 3 out, 3 held. Nothing else to remember. If this is your first go, stay with the plainest version of the instructions. Simple things first: contact, weight, temperature.
Why it can help
It is a small, closed loop. Small closed loops are comforting when everything else is open-ended.
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 6 rounds this practice runs 72 seconds — about 1 minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
- when the weather has been grey for a week
- when you are the only person awake in the house
Tips
- Rest for a few seconds between rounds if the pattern feels demanding.
- If your mind wanders to counting the rounds left, that is normal. Come back to the numbers.
- 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 Coherent 5-5 breathing for a big decision, when you are on your own, 4-6 breathing: 8 rounds for Friday evening, when you need something unremarkable or 4-8 breathing for the hours after people leave, when you have tried everything else.