Welcome to first this, a short mindfulness practice and message for any time.

I'm Catherine Nicolai. Let's get settled in, okay?

If you're sitting today, sit in a way that keeps your chest open and allows you to breathe deeply.

And if you're lying down, maybe lay on a bolster or a long cushion under your spine to open your chest.

We'll be doing some breathing exercises today.

And as always, if it feels at any point like you should stop you just will

now breathe in through your nose and sigh one more time fill it all the way up.

And let it go.

Good.

We're going to revisit a way of breathing today that I think is both soothing and energizing.

And not many things can do both, right?

A lot of things that wake us up can also agitate us, and lots of stuff that calms us down can sort of sedate us. But this gives us a balanced dose of both. So let's spend the first minute or so just tuning into your natural breath.

You don't need to change it at all. Just witness it. I inhale and I'm aware that I'm inhaling.

I exhale and I know it.

Redirect to this as many times as needed. Thank you. Now still paying calm attention and breathing just through the nose.

Start to breathe down deep into the bottoms of your lungs.

For right now, just those bottom lobes.

You'll know you're getting there if you feel the belly expand, maybe the bottom ribs on the back kind of flare.

Right beneath your lungs there's this dome-shaped muscle, right, your diaphragm. And when you breathe down deep,

your lungs depress the diaphragm,

which in turn pushes your belly forward to make space.

And when you exhale, the lungs empty,

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