Welcome to First This, a short mindfulness practice and message for any time.

I'm Catherine Nikolai, and I'm glad you're taking this time today.

Our practice today is the next in our breath school series.

So you'll want to sit or lie in any position in which you can breathe easily.

Give your chest and abdomen space to comfortably expand, whatever that looks like for your body.

We'll start with a big breath in through your nose and out through your mouth.

Nice. Do it again. All the way in.

And all the way out.

Good.

As always, when you are doing breath work, if you feel at any time that you should stop, you just will.

So this technique is very gentle and excellent for soothing you, for calming.

Let's start just by breathing naturally through the nose

and noticing the place in your body

where your breath is easiest to feel.

Okay. where your breath is easiest to feel. For years, I focused only on my nostrils,

then noticed it was so much more accessible to feel my breath at my belly.

So see that you don't get caught up in any idea of should, just what works best for you.

Breath comes and goes at its natural pace and you are attending to it.

Just through the nose, in and out. And out. Now keep that relaxed,

Now keep that relaxed, natural pace, breath in, breath out.

And this time, breathe in, and after you exhale,

just count one, two.

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