Dandelion breathing

How to do it

1. Breathe in through your nose while the dandelion fills out.
2. Purse your lips as if you are about to blow on it.
3. Breathe out slowly and steadily. Watch the seeds lift and drift away.
4. Let the next breath come on its own as new seeds grow back.

Why it can help

Making the out-breath longer than the in-breath is one of the simplest ways to cue the body’s calming response. Breathing out through pursed lips naturally slows the exhale, and the drifting seeds give you something soft to watch. Some people like to picture a worry riding away on each seed.

• Rest a hand on your belly and feel it fall as the seeds blow away.
• For children: see if they can blow gently enough to keep the seeds floating for the whole breath.