Expensive: 1 - 5 minutes
When:
- If you feel restless or anxious.
- As preparation for a difficult task.
Introduction
Breathing plays a major role in how you can regulate yourself. A calm, even breathing helps you organize your mind, relax your body, and improve your focus and concentration.
Do this exercise when you are restless or as a preparation for a complex task. At the bottom of this page you will also find a video with an explanation.
This is how you do the exercise
The exercise you see in the video below goes as follows:
The square breathing – also known as box breathing or box breathing named – consists of four equal parts. You give each phase of your breathing equal space and attention.
Sit or stand upright. Take a moment to feel how you are sitting.
Take a deep breath in and exhale through your mouth.
- Breathe in 4 deep breaths (flatter your rib cage), hold your breath for 4 breaths, and exhale in four breaths. Hold your breath for 4 more breaths.
- Repeat the square breathing 4 times.
In particular, holding your breath can cause unnecessary tension in your face. Try to relax your face and jaw. - Take a deep breath in and out again. Feel the effect for a moment afterwards.
Training equanimity
By giving each part of your breathing the same attention, you practice equanimity: beyond good or bad. The short breaks help you maintain contact with yourself, the other person, or the task you are facing.
Expressive variant
If you enjoy adding movement and creativity, you can also make this exercise visual. By drawing, you can shape your breathing on paper and record your deeper breathing.
Print a page with squares or start by sketching a group of squares on a piece of paper with a pen, pencil, or any other material of your choice.
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Slowly move the side of the square while breathing in to the 4th count; hold 4 counts and then move the next side of the square while breathing out and count again to 4; finally, hold 4 counts.- Repeat this as often as you like.
- Then go on to the next square on the page and repeat these steps.
If you like it, you can change the color for each square. That makes for a colorful and fun arrangement. Follow your own needs!
Background
This exercise was shared by Auke Smit. Auke shares it via her social media accounts (@YouBlossom) tools to inspire people to use creative self-expression in their recovery. Her work is based on her personal experience of healing. complex trauma and her expertise as a visual therapist.
