Meditation · Anxiety
Ten Slow Breaths
Aya Fujimoto · 5 min
5:00
remaining
What to do, minute by minute
1. Settle in
0:00–1:00Sit or lie down somewhere you won't be disturbed. Let your shoulders drop, close your eyes or soften your gaze, and take three slow breaths.
2. Follow the breath
1:00–2:00Breathe in for a count of four, out for a count of six. Let the out-breath be longer than the in-breath — that's what calms the nervous system.
3. Scan and release
2:00–3:00Move your attention slowly from your jaw to your shoulders, hands, belly and legs. Wherever you find tension, breathe into it and let it go.
4. Rest in stillness
3:00–4:00Stop steering. Let thoughts come and go like passing traffic — when you notice you've wandered off, that noticing is the practice. Return to the breath.
5. Come back gently
4:00–5:00Deepen your breath, wiggle your fingers and toes, and open your eyes slowly. Carry a little of this quiet into whatever comes next.
A short reset for the middle of a busy day.
Read the full script
Pause where you are.
Let your hands rest somewhere comfortable. If it feels safe, close your eyes. Or soften your gaze toward a still point nearby.
Feel the support beneath you. Notice where your feet meet the floor. Let your shoulders drop a little. Unclench your jaw. Allow your tongue to rest.
There is nothing to solve for the next few minutes.
Begin by noticing your breathing as it is. You do not need to deepen it yet. Feel the inhale arrive. Feel the exhale leave.
Now take ten slow breaths.
On the first breath, inhale gently through your nose. Let the breath move down into your chest and belly. Exhale slowly. Feel your body settle into its support.
Second breath. Breathe in without straining. Breathe out a little longer. Soften the muscles around your eyes.
Third breath. Notice the coolness of the inhale. Notice the warmth of the exhale. Let your shoulders become heavy.
Fourth breath. Allow your belly to expand as you breathe in. Let it ease back as you breathe out. Release any effort you do not need.
Fifth breath. You are halfway through. Inhale slowly. Exhale fully, without pushing. Feel your feet steady on the floor.
Sixth breath. Your mind may be busy. That is normal. When thoughts pull you away, gently return to the physical feeling of breathing.
Seventh breath. Feel the ribs widen on the inhale. Feel them soften inward on the exhale. Unclench your hands.
Eighth breath. Let the inhale be smooth and easy. Let the exhale carry away a little tension from your forehead, jaw, and neck.
Ninth breath. Notice the whole body breathing. Chest rising. Belly moving. Back gently expanding. Then everything softening again.
Tenth breath. Take in only as much air as feels comfortable. Pause for a moment at the top. Then breathe out slowly, all the way to the natural end.
Let your breathing return to its own rhythm.
Notice what is here now. Perhaps there is more space. Perhaps the anxiety is still present. You do not need to force it away. Simply feel your feet, your seat, and the steady movement of breath.
Listen to the sounds around you. Notice the temperature of the air on your skin.
Gently move your fingers. Roll your shoulders once. If your eyes are closed, let them open slowly.
Carry one unhurried breath with you as you return to the rest of your day.