Do this for 3 to 5 minutes when you are in a stressful situation and need quick relief, or when feeling panicky. It is also effective if you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back asleep. It is called Double Inhale Breathing.
- Breathe in through your nose, a slightly larger than normal breath, in a not forced but deliberate way, pause for about half second, then take a second short inhale.
- Very slowly breathe out through your mouth. Imaging there is a small straw between your lips and you are exhaling through it. The exhalation should take 30 to 45 seconds. Notice the calm the exhale brings to your body.
You can practice this technique sitting at your desk or in a chair at home, watching a timer to get a sense of how slowly 30 plus seconds feels. A couple of practice tries with a timer and you will know what it feels like to the exhale that slowly. Just do the practice a few times until you get the hang of it.
- Repeat the double inhale and slow exhale 5 times, or for 4 or 5 minutes, whichever feels comfortable..
Contact DeepDharma if you have any questions about this meditation.