Breathing Room

Breathing

Shape breathing

Trace a star, a lazy 8 or a hand, one breath at a time.

Shape

In 4, hold 1, out 4 · 2 minutes

How to do it

  1. Choose a shape. The star and the hand are great for kids; the lazy 8 suits anyone.
  2. Follow the dot with your eyes, or trace along the screen with a finger.
  3. Breathe in as the line goes up and breathe out as it comes down.
  4. For five finger breathing, trace your own hand as well: up a finger on the in-breath, down on the out-breath.

Why it can help

Tracing a shape links the breath to something you can see and feel, which helps when the mind is too busy to count. Moving a finger along a path adds a gentle bit of touch and focus. It is a favorite in classrooms and therapy rooms because it is easy to explain and easy to remember.

  • Each pass builds the whole shape, so a full star is five slow breaths.
  • Hold up your own hand next to the screen and trace it at the same time.