Breathwork, Meditation and Mindfulness

Water Breath

When you breathe 4-6 breaths per minute, it has an adaptogenic effect on your nervous system. If you're up, it will bring you down; if you're down, it will bring you up. You can practice Water Breath standing, seated, lying down, and even while driving. Like drinking a glass of water, it's always safe, always appropriate, and always healthful.

Balanced Breathing: 4-6 breaths per minute

  • Practice any time, day or night

  • Use before high-stress meetings or presentations

  • Use if you're feeling sluggish midday

  • Use during all yoga practices and low-intensity exercise

How to Practice:

  • Inhale through your nose 1-2-3-4

  • Exhale through your nose 4-3-2-1

  • Repeat for at least 10 rounds (approx 5 min)

  • Practice anytime, anywhere

Whiskey Breath

When you reduce your breath below 4 breaths per minutes, it triggers a strong parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system response, reduces your heart rate, reduces activity in skeletal muscles, and improves digestion. This type of breathing is great after meals, in the evening, and most-commonly, right before bed. This practice should be done seated or lying down, and never while driving or doing anything standing or active. It's extremely common for students to fall asleep while using Whiskey Breath, so it should be used with care, only when appropriate.

Down-Regulating Breath: < 4 breaths per minute

  • Use primarily before bed

  • Can be used (with care) to reduce intense stress or anxiety

  • After eating, this breathing pattern can aid in digestion

How to Practice:

  • Sit down or lie down in bed

  • Inhale through your nose 1-2-3-4

  • Hold: 1-2-3-4

  • Exhale through your nose 4-3-2-1

  • Hold: 4-3-2-1

  • Repeat for at least 10 rounds (approx 10 min)

  • Practice only while seated or lying down (never while driving)

Coffee Breath

When you breathe at the rate of 20 breaths per minute or more, it stimulates your sympathetic nervous system which is ideal before exercise, before busy or task-related work, and also in the morning. Rapid breathing reduces CO2 in the bloodstream which leads to constriction of your breathing passageways and veins, so it should be practiced briefly, with care, and only at appropriate times. Never practice while driving.

Up-Regulating: > 20 breaths per minute

  • Use first thing in the morning

  • Use just before yoga or exercise

How to Practice:

  • Sit down on the floor or in a chair

  • Exhale sharply through your nose as if sneezing

  • Keep your face, neck, shoulders and chest still while you sneeze the air out

  • After you force the air out, relax and let the partial inhale happen all on its own

  • Repeat for 20 rounds

  • Rest

  • Repeat for 20 rounds

  • Rest

  • Repeat a third time