Uneven box breath (4 · 4 · 6 · 2) for a break at

How it works

The pattern is a square — 4, 4, 6, 2 — and you trace it with your breath. It works with other people in the house. You do not need silence. We'll stay close to sensations rather than ideas.

Why it can help

The rhythm is deliberately unremarkable. Unremarkable is easier to keep up when your hands are shaking.

The pattern, in seconds

Phase	Length	Starts at
Inhale	4s	0s
Hold	4s	4s
Exhale	6s	8s
Hold again	2s	14s

One round is 16 seconds. At the default 8 rounds this practice runs 128 seconds — about 2 minutes — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.

Good for

when you are tired but cannot afford to be
in the two minutes after a difficult phone call
when you have five minutes and no idea where to start

Tips

Sit upright. Your lungs work better when you are not folded in half.
The counts are a guide. If a number feels too long, shorten every side by one.
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.