Can you breathe a box? The wonder of box breathing (Breathing Better Part I)
I recently wrote a general piece about my journey towards practicing real breathwork and how building a serious practice can be beneficial for health and stress relief in general. In that same spirit, I want to break down a breathing technique commonly known as box breathing, and perhaps shed some light on its utility and potential benefits.
So what is box breathing?
Box breathing is a specific deep breathwork technique that has been around for quite some time. In fact, in the yogi tradition it’s known as Sama Vritti Pranayama. But don’t let the long name scare you away. It’s not a difficult technique to learn and can quite easily assimilate into a morning routine, or used whenever you feel stress levels starting to eek up uncomfortably. Many professionals in high-stress jobs use this unique breathwork style as it tends to provide a fast and effective way to regain some calm.
So how does box breathing work?
As its name suggests, the key is to make something similar to a box with your breath — that is, you breathe in and out with a four-square schema. For beginners, best to find a comfortable place to sit or even lie down if that’s more relaxing. Close your eyes, slowly breathe in through your nose to a count of four, filling your lungs…
