steady breath for quiet night

About this practice

Use this before bed when the house is still. A guided session of about 12 minutes, suited to beginners. Nothing is recorded and no account is needed.

What happens, minute by minute

1. 0:00Sit where you can feel the floor beneath you.
2. 0:30Close your eyes gently, as if lowering a curtain.
3. 1:00Place one hand on the edge of your knee.
4. 1:30Notice the weight of your shoulders as they settle.
5. 2:00Take a slow inhale through the nose, counting to four.
6. 2:30Feel the breath fill the space behind your ribs.
7. 3:00Exhale through the mouth, letting the sound soften.
8. 3:30Count to four as you draw the air in again.
9. 4:00Hold the breath for a moment, just two beats.
10. 4:30Release the air in three gentle pulses.
11. 5:00Imagine the kettle on the stove, steam rising slowly.
12. 5:30Observe the rise and fall of your chest like a tide.
13. 6:00Shift your focus to the quiet space between breaths.
14. 6:30Breathe in through the left nostril, then the right.
15. 7:00Pause for a beat and notice any sensation.
16. 7:30Return to a natural rhythm, no counting needed.
17. 8:00Listen to the soft sigh of your own breath.
18. 8:30Watch the breath as if watching rain on a window.
19. 9:00Allow any tension in your jaw to soften.
20. 9:30Gently bring attention back if the mind wanders.
21. 10:00Now, take three breaths that are a little deeper.
22. 10:30When you feel ready, let the breath settle.
23. 11:00Slowly open your eyes, keeping the calm.
24. 11:30Carry this steady breathing into the rest of your night.

Meditation is a practice, not a treatment. If you are dealing with ongoing distress, please also reach out to a professional.