Pillar one · Relaxing
4·3·6
The exhale runs longer than the inhale, and that ratio is what does the work. Use it when box breathing isn't enough.
Watch
The pattern
- 01Sitting or lying down. Take one foundational breath first: in through the nose, hold it, sigh it out.
- 02Inhale 4 seconds through the nose, deep into the belly.
- 03Hold 3 seconds.
- 04Exhale 6 seconds through the nose, slow.
- 05Start again without pausing at the bottom.
The counts are a starting point, not a rule. Lengthen all three as you settle: 5, 7, 10. Shorten them if 4, 3, 6 is a stretch: 3, 2, 5 is easier coming out of a workout or when you are already wound up. Build back up from there.
If 6 seconds runs out early, shorten the whole pattern and keep the exhale the longest part of it.
How it lands
Easy to keep going, which is the whole point. It is the one you can run for ten minutes without it turning into a job, and the long exhale does the rest.
What it does
- The exhale runs longest, which is what settles you
- Easy enough to keep running for a long stretch
- Settles the fight-or-flight response
- Works sitting or lying down
- Lowers blood pressure and brings inflammation down
The rest of this pillar
- 3-10 minutes Foundational breath The fastest way down. Base for everything else.
- 3-10 minutes Box breathing Quiets the mind. Used under pressure.
- 5-10+ minutes Turtle breath Deep relaxation and sleep.
- 3-10 minutes Nadi Shodhana Evens out both sides. Settles without sedating.
- 3-10 minutes Full-fill Stacked breaths and a hold. Goes deeper than one round.
- 5-10 minutes Cleansing breath Golden light in, smoke out. Puts the day down.
- 1-5 minutes Qi Gong breathing Standing, slow, with a travelling picture.