Breathwork: Calming the Mind

Allow the rhythmic pattern of box breathing to steady your mind and heart as Whitney guides you through each breath, inspiring you to find your own pace and settle into God's presence and peace. 

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Hi, this is Whitney and you're listening to Exploring Peace Meditations. Today. I invite you into a seated, comfortable posture, A posture in which you can purposefully practice some deep breathing. The tool we will use today to calm our minds is often called box breathing. Whether or not you've practiced this before, allow yourself to arrive, to be present and listen now to Philippians 4, 6, and 7. Listen now to Philippians 4, 6 and 7. Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Let us center in that word today as we breathe, pray and meditate together. Allow a deep breath to enter in through your nose and then exhale out of your mouth. Repeat that, and this time on purpose. As you exhale, visualize releasing any worries or concerns with your heart.

Speaker 1: 2:03

As we begin our box breathing, I invite you to inhale slowly and deeply through your nose, allowing the air to fill your lungs, expand your chest, hold this breath and then begin to exhale, pause. Now I'll invite you to count your breaths. If your count needs to be faster or slower than mine, that's perfectly fine. I'll prompt you with the first round with a count and then you'll find your own rhythm. So inhale for a count of 1, 2, 3, 4. Hold 1, 2, 3, 4. Exhale 1, 2, 3, 4. Exhale 1, 2, 3, 4. Pause 1, 2, 3, 4. Repeat this box breathing at your pace. Inhale for a count of four. Exhale for a count of four and pause for a count of four. And repeat Inhale, hold, exhale, pause. If it helps you to visualize tracing the outline of a box, so you inhale across the top of the box, then you hold the breath, going down the side of the box, then you exhale, coming back across the bottom of the box and then you pause up the side of the box. Box breathing slowly and steadily. Stay in the quiet. Follow your count.

Speaker 1: 4:36

Thank you, loving God. We thank you for the magnificent gift of breath, the gift of life and the gift of your peace that calms our minds and our hearts, and the gift of your peace that calms our minds and our hearts as we move from this time of breathwork and meditation. Help us carry this sense of calm from this moment into the rest of our day. May your peace guard our hearts, our minds, our our thoughts and our actions. That we may be instruments of your peace, love and light in the world. In the name of Christ, who is our peace, amen. When you're ready, you'll bring awareness back into your space, wiggle your fingers and toes, notice how your body and mind feel in this moment. When you're ready, slowly open your eyes, take one last deep breath and thank God for this time of stillness and renewal. I thank God for you that we get to explore the gift of God's peace together, to connect beyond this time. No-transcript no-transcript.