Belly Breathing

Summary

Belly breathing is presented as a grounding self-care practice that may help soothe anxious, frustrated, overwhelmed, worried, or sad feelings. The exercise focuses on noticing the abdomen rise and fall with each breath, and approaching the practice with patience rather than self-judgment.

Practice

1. Choose a comfortable position. Sit or stand tall, or lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat. Lying down may make the feeling of grounding more noticeable.

2. Settle your posture. Root through your seat or feet, lengthen your spine, relax your shoulders, and lift the crown of your head. Keep your eyes open if you need to stay engaged with your surroundings; otherwise, close them if comfortable.

3. Choose a hand position, if helpful. Try palms down for anxiety, palms up for feeling stuck, or fingertips together with palms apart for anger. You can rest your hands on your abdomen, hold them nearby, or place them wherever feels comfortable.

4. Follow the breath. Inhale as your belly rises and expands; exhale gently as it draws back toward your spine. You can picture a balloon expanding on the inhale and releasing air on the exhale.

5. Keep the breath continuous. If comfortable, make your inhale and exhale roughly equal in length. Let your breath remain natural and steady.

6. Return without judgment. If distracting or negative thoughts arise, treat that as normal. Gently bring your attention back to your body, your breath, and the present moment.

7. Use the practice when needed. You can do it during a challenging moment without leaving the situation, or set aside time for it as part of a daily self-care routine.

8. Close gently. Let your breathing return to normal, bring your hands to your heart or together in front of it, bow your head, and take a moment to thank yourself.

Presenter: Steff Gallante.