Breathing exercises from Learning to BREATHE, (Broderick, 2018)

People may always tell you to not stress out, but never tell you how. Simply taking a moment to breathe may help. When feeling stressed or anxious, take a moment to try one or more of these breathing exercises:

1. Holding the world. Stand in a stable position, feet hip-width apart and toes facing forward. Unlock your knees very slightly and take a deep, full breath. Now bring your arms into a circle in front of you, as if you were holding the world. Let your fingers come close together but without touching. Hold the posture, become aware of your breath, and mindfully notice any sensations in your shoulders and in your hands and fingers. After a short period, slowly move your hands down to your sides.

2. Forward bend/rag doll. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Slowly and mindfully bend over at the hips and let your arms hang in front, perhaps swaying from side to side like a rag doll. Your fingers might touch the floor. Stay in this position for a brief period and notice the sensations of breathing. Come up very slowly to a standing position. Be mindful of your breath as you straighten up with intention.

3. Wake up your body. Start from a standing position. Using your right hand, make a soft fist or use the tips of your fingers to tap from the top of your left shoulder all the way down your arm and hand. Keep tapping from your left side at your waist down the left side of your leg. Now use your left hand to repeat this process on your right side. When you are done, take a few minutes to feel your body. You can also stop between left-and-right– side tapping to sense any difference between the left and right sides.

4. Tree in the wind. Stand with your feet slightly apart and your arms at your sides. Begin to rock slowly from front to back on your feet while keeping your balance. Move from side to side. Slowly move in a circle as you maintain balance; vary the speed and direction of movement as much as you want, all the while keeping a centered balance. Now, try this with your hands in the air to vary the movements.

5. Crescent. From a standing position, slowly and mindfully extend your arms toward the ceiling. Keep your arms straight overhead while slowly bending from your waist to the right. Your arms stretch to the right side, making a crescent shape. Hold this position, feeling the stretch and noticing the breath in your body. Repeat on the left side.

6. Step up and reach. Begin from a standing position and tune in to your breath. Take a step forward with your right foot as far as is comfortable. Your right knee should be directly over your right foot, and your left leg is extended behind you. Lift your left heel up and balance on the toes of your left foot. Reach your arms up overhead and look up. Hold this position and tune in to the breath. Come back to a standing posture and now step out on your left foot. Now, let’s repeat this process.

7. Bell ringer. Stand and breathe to get balanced. On the in-breath, clasp your hands together above your head as if you were grasping a heavy rope, and on the out-breath, imagine pulling the rope down to the floor, slowly and mindfully. The motion involves clasping your hands above your head and bringing them down as far as you can, bending at the waist. Repeat at different speeds. Notice the muscles used in this movement. Feel the sensations in your body. 

Movement for practice from Learning to BREATHE, (Broderick 2018)