Lower back and neck
Arriving with the Breath
A gentle, guided arrival that simply invites you to notice your breath without changing it: the calmest possible way to begin.
How to do it
- 1
Get comfortable in any supported position
Lying, reclined, or sitting with a back rest. This is the least demanding thing in the library and it should feel that way.
- 2
Notice the breath you are already breathing
Do not change its depth, pace or pattern. The whole practice is observation, not technique.
- 3
Pick one place where you feel it most clearly
The nostrils, the chest, the belly, or the sound of it. One place is easier to stay with than all of them.
- 4
When your attention wanders, bring it back without comment
Wandering is not a mistake and there is nothing to correct. Coming back is the practice.
- 5
Continue for about a minute
Long enough to arrive. This is usually a way into a session rather than the session itself.
What to watch for
For some people, paying close attention to the breath increases anxiety rather than easing it. If that is your experience, this practice is not the right opener for you: leave it out and start with gentle movement instead.
Other ways to do this movement
Every version below is the same movement set up differently, so one of them usually suits.
Before you try it
Move within a range that stays comfortable. Stop if this brings on sharp pain, dizziness, or symptoms that travel down an arm or a leg, and speak to a clinician before repeating it.
Also part of sessions for
Each of those explains what the condition is, what the published guidance recommends, and where this movement fits.
One movement is a start. A session is the thing.
A few questions about your body and how it is today, and Vinys builds a session around it, including which movements to leave out.
Start your first sessionFrom the clinically authored Vinys movement library.