Equal Breathing
Inhale, hold, exhale and hold for the same count. Known outside yoga as box breathing, and taught to soldiers, divers and surgeons for the same reason it is taught here.
Meaning of the name
Equal movement. Sama is equal, vṛtti is a turning or a wave — the same wave, repeated without variation.
How to practise
- 1
Sit comfortably with the spine upright and the hands in Gyan Mudra.
- 2
Inhale through the nose for a count of four.
- 3
Hold gently for four — a pause, not a grip.
- 4
Exhale for four, then rest empty for four.
- 5
Continue for ten rounds. Increase the count only when four is entirely effortless.
Benefits
- Steadies the mind quickly — usually within four or five rounds
- Reduces acute stress and helps regain composure under pressure
- Improves focus before demanding work
- Balances the two nostrils and the two sides of the nervous system
- Requires no counting aid, no props and no privacy
What happens in the nervous system
Breathing at roughly six breaths a minute brings the respiratory rhythm into phase with the baroreflex, producing what researchers call resonance frequency breathing. Heart rate variability rises sharply at this rate. It is the most robustly evidenced effect in the whole field of breath research.