Written by Barb Ryan, LMT, CSD
I have an easy practice that you can do for 4 minutes in the morning and 4 minutes in the evening to bolster your overall well-being. It’ not a quick hit. It is a cumulative practice and so simple. It’s called the 4-7-8 breath and I learned it from Dr. Andrew Weil, our country’s most famous integrative health physician. He is a western-trained Medical Doctor and has studied healing practices around the world and he incorporates the best of them all into his practice. This breath is one of his personal favorites and mine.
It is very simple and can be done anywhere. While learning, sit with your back straight and feet on the floor. Once you’ve mastered the practice, you can vary your position.
Click here to watch a video of Dr. Weil extolling of Dr. Weil extolling the benefits and demonstrating the practice. I’m including the instructions below for those who prefer to read all about it.
4-7-8 Breath Instructions:
Place the tip of your tongue where the two front teeth meet the roof of your mouth and keep it there throughout the practice. It helps to purse your lips while you exhale to move air around you tongue. Let’s begin:
- Exhale completely through your mouth with an audible “whoosh.”
- Close you mouth and inhale quietyly through your nose while counting to 4 in your mind.
- Hold your breath and count to 7 in your mind.
- Exhale completely through your mouth with the audible “whoosh” while counting to 8 in your mind.
- Repeat for 3 more cycles for a total for 4 complete breaths.
If you have trouble holding your breath, speed up your counting overall. It’s the ratio of 4:7:8 that matters most.
This breath is a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system and it gains strength with repetition and practice. Do it at least twice a day. Do not do more than four breath cycles at one time. And, feel the well-being abound.\
Click here to learn more about Barb Ryan and her Myofascial Release practice at Bhakti Wellness Center