Your breath shows where space wants to open up.

Let the breath sink gently towards your lower belly and feel how your belly softly expands with every inhale. This simple, body-oriented way of breathing helps bring your attention out of your head and back into your body. Take your time and let the rhythm slow down by itself, without making the breath bigger than feels comfortable.

Breathe in comfortably and let the exhale last a little longer than the inhale. A longer exhale can be an invitation to release tension and shift from activity to rest. Keep it effortless: as soon as you need to gasp for air, make the difference between inhale and exhale smaller.

Breathe in an even, slow rhythm in which the inhale and exhale are roughly the same length. The predictable cadence can help bring attention, breath and body into alignment. This technique suits a calm start to the day, a meditation or a moment when you want to refocus.

Divide your breath into four equal parts: inhale slowly, hold briefly, exhale slowly and wait briefly again. Think of four counts per part, for example, but always choose a pace that stays relaxed. The clear structure makes this technique useful for focus and for preparing for a tense moment.

In connected breathing, inhale and exhale flow into each other without a pause. This can make the experience more intense and bring tension, emotions or old patterns to the surface. Especially when trauma plays a role, practise this form preferably under careful, trauma-sensitive guidance and never by pushing through your limits.