Eight minutes, four segments. Only four full cycles, which is the standard dose. Resist the urge to add more.
Setting up
1 min 30[matter-of-fact — the caveat is the important part of this segment, so give it room]
This is 4-7-8 breathing. Four counts in through the nose, seven holding, eight out through the mouth. We'll do four full cycles, which is the usual dose.
The seven-count hold is the hard part, and it isn't for everyone. If it feels like a struggle, halve everything — two in, three and a half held, four out. The ratio is what matters, not the numbers. If you feel lightheaded at any point, stop and breathe normally. [pause for 10 seconds]
Sit upright, feet flat. Rest the tip of your tongue just behind your top front teeth and leave it there throughout — the out-breath goes around it.
The out-breath is through the mouth with a soft whoosh, like this. [demonstrate one audible out-breath, then pause 5 seconds]
Emptying first
45 sec[a full exhale before cycle one, or the first in-breath has nowhere to go]
Before we start, empty completely. Breathe all the way out through the mouth — further than feels natural, until there's nothing left. [pause for one long out-breath]
Good. That's the starting position for every cycle.
The four cycles
4 min[count every beat aloud for all four cycles; one beat per second throughout, no acceleration on the hold]
Cycle one. In through the nose. Two. Three. Four.
Hold. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven.
And out through the mouth. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. [pause 5 seconds before the next cycle — they need a normal breath in between]
Cycle two. In. Two. Three. Four. Hold. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Out. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. [pause 5 seconds]
Cycle three. Same again, and let the shoulders drop on the way out this time. [count the full cycle aloud, then pause 5 seconds]
And cycle four, the last one. [count the full cycle aloud]
Letting it go
1 min 45[the comedown matters after breath holds — don't cut straight to the close]
That's four. Now stop counting entirely and let the breath go back to whatever it wants to be. [pause for 25 seconds]
Notice how it's running compared to when we started. You don't need to conclude anything from it. [pause for 20 seconds, then lift the voice]
Open your eyes if they were closed. Four cycles is the whole practice — you can run it yourself before a difficult phone call, and nobody will notice you doing it.