Draft
The breath that breathes itself
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The breath keeps going whether you watch it or not. In, out, all day, without a single instruction from you.
In yoga, simply watching the breath without changing it is an old way of letting the mind settle. Some people find that a few minutes of watching slows everything down a little.
Where does yours go when no one is steering it?
What you'll need
- A few quiet minutes
- Somewhere to sit or lie down
- Nothing to change about the breath
Method
Sit or lie down and let the breath carry on exactly as it is. Don't lengthen it or deepen it.
Rest your attention where you feel it most clearly. The nostrils, the chest, or the belly. Watch each breath arrive and leave.
Give it a few minutes a day for a week or two, and notice whether the breath shifts on its own as you watch, and where your attention wanders off to.