Take 5 Breathing Technique
When we stay mindfully in the present, we can reduce anxiety. When we move our awareness and thoughts to right here, right now and not tomorrow, yesterday or somewhere else in the universe we can feel calm. We are not anxious for tomorrow; we are not regretful of yesterday; we are not jealous of others somewhere else.
This week’s Wellness Wednesday provides a short and effective breathing exercise called Take 5 Breathing that can help anyone reach that place of calm in the present.
Try this:
As a class, group or family watch the following video explaining the Take 5 Breathing technique:
Take 5 Breathing: A Breathing Exercise for Kids (1:42)
Follow along with the video’s instructions or follow the instructions below:
- Spread out one of your hands and fingers just like a star with your palm facing towards you. Pretend that the pointer finger of the other hand is a pencil and that you are going to trace an outline of your hand.
- Starting at the bottom of your thumb on the outside of your hand, slide your point finger up your thumb and pause at the top. Then slide your finger down the other side. Now slide your pointer finger up your second finger, pause, and slide down the other side.
- Continue tracing your fingers like this. Up, pause, down, pause. Notice how it feels. Keep tracing until you have reached the outside of your pinky.
- Now add some breathing. Breathe in through your nose slowly when your finger is moving up. Breathe out through your mouth as your finger moves down. If you are struggling to breathe through your nose, pretend you are smelling an amazing flower and then sighing because it smells good.
- Repeat.
Ask yourself, there is no wrong answer:
- Do you feel calmer now?
- Do you think this could help you in other situations where you need to be calm and present?
Connecting to Our Faith
“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence.” - St. Teresa of Calcutta
Further Learning
Mobile App:
thinkFull by mindyourmind - "powered by a rich library of life tips for relieving stress, solving problems and living well in general."
Children’s Book:
Moody Cow Meditates by Kerry Lee MacLean
Employees of LDCSB checkout WorkLifeHealth from EAP Provider Morneau Sheppell
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