Making adjustments to the way we breathe can have a positive effect on our health and wellbeing; calming the nervous system and bringing a sense of peace and calm.
Zen breath counting is just one of the many different ways of practicing breathwork.
It's easy to do, you can practice it anywhere, any time and is particularly effective if:
🍃 you're having trouble getting to sleep
🍃 feeling anxious
🍃 before a meeting where you know you'll need to speak
🍃 you're preparing to meditate
🍃 and while you're carrying out a facial steam
The Zen breath counting cards I gave away at Saturday's Stroud Farmers' Market were really popular with customers, so I thought I'd add them here for everyone to benefit from.
How to practice Zen breath counting:
Take a few deep breaths.
Then let your breath fall to a natural rhythm, without trying to influence either the depth or speed.
1.Inhale, then as you exhale, silently count `one’ to yourself.
2. Inhale and exhale again, counting `two’ on the exhale.
3. Repeat, counting `three.’
4. Continue until you reach `five’ then begin a new cycle, starting again with `one’ on the next exhalation.
5. Repeat the cycle as many times as you like, or if you're facial steaming, until the water starts to cool.
If you try it, let me know how it makes you feel 🍃
