Meditation · Anxiety

The Long Exhale

Aya Fujimoto · 8 min

8:00

remaining

What to do, minute by minute

1. Settle in
0:00–1:36
Sit 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
1:36–3:12
Breathe 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
3:12–4:48
Move 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
4:48–6:24
Stop 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
6:24–8:00
Deepen your breath, wiggle your fingers and toes, and open your eyes slowly. Carry a little of this quiet into whatever comes next.

Lengthening the out-breath to tell the nervous system it is safe.

Breathe in for a count of four. Breathe out for a count of eight, unhurried, no forcing at the end. The out-breath is where the body downshifts. Ten rounds is plenty. Then let the breath do whatever it wants.