Box Breathing
A box is a container of things
In box breathing, you contain and control your breath to gather your energy and regulate your nervous system. Photo of a square cardboard box by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash.
In my work leading mindbody classes for pain patients, I frequently teach a simple breath practice called “box breathing” to transmute feelings of distress and nervous system dysregulation.
One “round” of box breathing is a single and complete breath (a full inhalation and exhalation) cycle.
Breathe in four seconds.
Hold that breath in for four seconds.
Breathe out for four seconds.
Hold your breath out for four seconds.
Repeat the four steps above four times (or more) to take control of your breath and your life force. Take note: Holding the breath is tied to survival instincts in the brain and nervous system, which means breath holding can feel “alarming” and stressful. The breath function of the body is both automatic and thought-free as well as responsive to our commands and our energy. Breath is tied directly to survival in the nervous system, and having trouble breathing is a classic sign of agitation and distress. Because breath cycles are happening just under conscious awareness, it makes sense that breathing can go unnoticed throughout the day. So, when you pay attention to breathing, you can direct it and so direct your energy into a useful state. It can be a moment of reclaiming power. Breath practice can give you a sense of control that is both emotional and physical. This means breathing can strengthen the connection between body and mind.
As you try to do four complete rounds of box breathing, remember to go through the steps gently and with curiosity. Try it for one round, see what happens, and then build up to four. Stay with yourself and your experience as you patiently tap into your good intention to care for yourself.
Do Breath Practice to Change Your State
Breath practice can shift your focus from pain and distressing thoughts to other things that are also happening inside of you.
When you do breath practices, you are doing something powerful. You are practicing self-control and self-regulation, both of which are forms of self-mastery. Each time you do breath practice, you are creating real bodily memories of shifting states. Feeling the relief of shifting your mental and bodily state can motivate you to do it more often as a form of self-soothing and self-regulation. Breath practice is like a mini-meditation that takes a little time and effort. In a world where a lot of us are “doom scrolling” and paying attention to many things and nothing at once, it can be hard to focus on the one thing right in front of us, like our own breathing or another person’s words and energy.
Breath practice, like many mindbody practices, can train you to sustain your focus and manage distractions. Being able to sustain your focus is the reward of consistent practice, and it is also the key to mastering your own mind.
Shift Away from Pain and Distress
Managing an ongoing pain condition every day is stressful, and it can be destabilizing for your life and scatter your energy. Box breathing, which some yoga practitioners call “equal” or “square” breathing, is a simple breath practice that gives you a way to shift the state of your nervous system. Once you complete a few rounds box breathing, your mind feels clear, and the body starts to feel calm. Use breath practice to strengthen your attention skills so that you can focus your mind and stay relaxed as you move and act. The more regularly you enter states of relaxation, the better you can manage stress and pain situations. Personally, my favorite times to do box breathing is when handling the stress of driving in rush hour traffic or working my way through a mountain of dirty dishes. Ordinary life can be stressful, and “real life is in the dishes,” as author and journalist, Anna Quindlen once said. When you add health challenges into the mix, you basically have great motivation to do breath practice so you can manage your situation better. Doing a few rounds of box breathing is a way to handle stress and create a shift.
Potential Energetic and Thought Shifts
The breath practice is called “box breathing” or “square breathing,” because the pattern is based on the number four. Like a square box or a picture frame that has four sides, the breathing pattern calls attention to clear parts of the breath, the beginning, the middle, the end, and then the next breath. It is interesting to think of each breath cycle containing these four parts. Simply bringing attention to these four parts can be like taking a step back from the energies and situations you are dealing with and becoming more conscious of the moment. Then, something interesting can happen when you watch and name your energy: you take control and step through the challenges as if they were an open gate.. The number four is also about stability and having a solid and balanced foundation.
Here is a simple illustration that describes how the energies might shift.
Part one. When you first breathe in, you are making a decision. Decision has power. A conscious breath is a decision.
Part two. Then there is a little pause, which is the second part of the breath cycle. This is when you can take stock of the energy, the thoughts, the feelings. The automatic thoughts causing the havoc and stress might not be helpful to you, and they may go something like this: “Oh, man. Not again. Too many dishes. Too much pain. I hate this! When does it stop?” The very words can feel hard and tense. Just look without blame and judgment and feel how such thoughts can feel like pressure and discomfort inside.
Part three. Then you breathe out, which is the third part. This is a letting go and a conscious creation of space. You can add the energy of “letting go” of thoughts and memories as you feel yourself breathing out. The “letting go” thoughts that have helped me: “Not me. Not anymore. These thoughts and feelings and experiences are not me, not my life! The past is over. Right now, I am totally new.”
Part four. Finally, there is last pause in the cycle, just before you breathe in again to start a new cycle. This is part four. This is the time to recognize what you are dealing with and to channel the energies of forgiveness and starting over. The accompanying thoughts can be something like: “Ah. Okay. I see. I will be kind to myself here. I can keep going, start over and be okay.”
Then, you shift the energy of the moment! Even a tiny shift can be enough to help you get moving again and back in the game. Shift happens! It is a kind of miracle.
The Best Breath Practice
The best breath practice is the one you will do. As with many breath practices, a little practice is enough to encourage a shift in state. Be gentle but also firm and consistent when you do breath practice: stay with yourself and your experience. Be gentle.
Four reasons why I like box breathing:
Box breathing is easy to remember, and so you can do it while you are doing other things. Remember the number four: Four seconds to breathe in. Four seconds to hold. Four seconds to breathe out. Four seconds to hold empty. Do it four times. Pause. Repeat. You can do box breathing while doing ordinary things like folding laundry. A simple task can become a mediation.
A few rounds of box breathing are effective in creating balance in body and mind. The acts of focusing on breath, counting and holding breath in and holding breath out require attention and concentration. The exercise will bring you right to the center of the present moment where you are, and you can tell yourself: “I am right here,” with or without these exact words. Box breathing is balancing in that it makes you relaxed and alert at the same time.
Holding the breath in and holding the breath out are good for both reintroducing a sense of control and will power, and also balancing carbon dioxide and oxygen levels in your system, which can become unbalanced when breathing rapidly or shallowly (as when muscles are tense or when you are stressed or anxious). When the gases are out of balance, you can feel a sense of tingling in your limbs or even dizziness. Aim to sip the air through the nose, hold it in gently and let it out gently as well. “Gentle” effort feels almost effortless.
It feels amazing when you stop doing the exercise. When you stop doing box breathing, you can scan your body and mind to see if there is a shift. Letting go of the breathing pattern can make you appreciate the return to your own personal breathing rhythm and energy. That moment can feel like coming home. It can feel like gratitude and relief: “I am okay. Life is okay.”
A few rounds of box breathing, as with any breath practice, can be a moment of self-care and a part of self-regulation. Emotionally, it can feel like a moment of safety and grounding to help you get a grip on what is going on for you in mind and body. Coming back to yourself is totally worth it!