Find a quiet place and take five to ten minutes. Sit upright, either cross-legged on the floor or in a chair, and you’re ready to go:
Breathe in and out
Consciously breathe in for five seconds and out again for five seconds. To keep your mind on it, count the seconds internally with each breath. Don’t let there be a pause; the breath should continue to flow evenly.
Focus
Focus on the rising and falling of the abdominal wall. Or on the cool air flowing in, the warm air flowing out. Allow thoughts that arise to move on, such as placing them on a cloud without evaluating them.
Effect
The steady breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, that part of the autonomic nervous system that calms and relieves stress.