Upper back

Sama Vritti: Box Breathing

Equal-length breathing phases create balance in your nervous system, improving your ability to self-regulate and find a calm, focused state during and after practice.

How to do it

1. 1

   Sit or lie somewhere you can stay comfortable

   Let the spine be long and the shoulders soft. Nothing in this practice needs effort from the body.

2. 2

   Breathe in for a count of four

   Let the breath in be smooth and unhurried rather than big. The count sets the shape; it is not a target to beat.

3. 3

   Hold for four, breathe out for four, hold for four

   All four parts are the same length, which is what gives this practice its steadiness. Keep the throat and jaw soft during the pauses.

4. 4

   Continue the cycle for 3 to 4 minutes

   If four is a struggle, drop to three or two and keep all four parts equal. If holding the breath feels uncomfortable, remove the holds and simply breathe in and out for an equal count.

What to watch for

Choosing a count that leaves you gasping at the end of the exhale or rushing the next breath in. The rhythm should feel comfortably repeatable for several minutes, so shorten the count as soon as you find yourself chasing it.

Ways to adjust it

• Remove holds if uncomfortable
• Shorten ratio
• 4:4 only without retention

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.

From the clinically authored Vinys movement library.