Improve mind control with a breathing excercise

[benos]

The excercise will take about 5 minutes. Repeating the exercise as often as possible throughout the day will increase your ability to stay focused during any task.

Using the following method, the goal is to breath 100 breaths, without losing the count.

Go to where you wont' be distracted, and sit down with your back up straight. Lay your hands comfortably in your lap, and leave your eyes open but not focused on anything.

Counting Method

Breath in and out from your belly. (Google belly breathing if you are not familiar with it.)

For each inhalation, count from 1, to 10. When you get to 10, start over at 1.

The count on for each exhalation corresponds to which set of 10 you are on.

For example, for your first 10 breaths: Inhale, count 1; exhale, count 1. Next breath: Inhale, count 2; exhale, count 1. Inhale, count 3; exhale, count 1. And so on until you get to 10 breaths.

Next, or second set of 10 breaths: Inhale, count 1; exhale, count 2. Inhale, count 2; exhale, count 2. Inhale, count 3; exhale, count 2.

Third set of 10 breaths: Inhale, count 1; exhale, count 3. Inhale, count 2; exhale, count 3. Inhale, count 3; exhale, count 3. Inhale, count 4; exhale, count 3.

And so on until you get to 100 breaths.

If you lose the count, calmly, without judging yourself, resume the count at the last count you can remember.

Additional considerations

Say the numbers in your mind as softly as possible.

Hear each number in your head for the duration of each breath.

Be simultaneously aware of the number, and the feeling of each breath.

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[stick]

Its not as easy as it sounds. I need to work on it more.

[Jay870]

5 minutes? Unless I'm hyperventilating it seems like it take at leat 30.

[practical_man]

Simple but not easy. Interesting technique. Some relaxation benefit too.

[benos]

5 minutes? Unless I'm hyperventilating it seems like it take at leat 30.

I just made a run... at about 15 breaths a minutes... more like 6 - 7 minutes.

[Xander]

Great stuff. Breathing techniques and relaxation was a big part in overcoming my hyperventilation and panic attacks before. I still practice them everyday as much as I can. Even whilst on the front of my laptop or driving.

[benos]

The trick it is to count like your life depended on not losing the count.

[BoyGlock]

I tend to lose the count whenever my mind wanders to the preceding or following number

[benos]

Yea, the wandering will git ya every time.

[BoyGlock]

My focus also wanes at about 7 reps. I have to exert a bit of effort to maintain focus 8-10.

[BoyGlock]

I do it at 13 min. Is it too slow? I didnt google belly breathing. Just do w/ my normal pace. Rested sitting slow deliberate.

[benos]

I do it at 13 min. Is it too slow?

Too slow is not a factor. Just keeping a knowing mind is the goal.

[a matt]

I need something like this, that will work between "MAKE READY & BEEP". Lol

[benos]

Try this twist...

For example, for your first 10 breaths: Inhale, count 1; exhale, count 1. Next breath: Inhale, count 2; exhale, count 1. Inhale, count 3; exhale, count 1.

As you hear each inhale and each exhale number in your mind, also visualize seeing each number in your mind. And here's the twist... For each inhalation, visualize seeing the number in in cursive-type font, and for each exhalation, visualize seeing the number in block letters.

[benos]

Anyone regularly working with this?

[SonOfSpartans]

I will chime in and say I have not been working on this. I read it and tried it. It is another good exercise.

When I work on breathing and my mind I tend to revert to other forms learned years ago.

[Flatland Shooter]

I guess I missed this back in October.

I'm going to give this a try. Thanks for following up on this Brian.

[benos]

Additional considerations

Hear each number in your head for the duration of each breath.

If you really get down and into that, you will begin to see:

"What is important is to understand the operation of your mind."

-Krishnamurti

[cam1]

What is the purpose of leaving the eyes open? I do find it more difficult to leave the eyes open as opposed to closed.

Is that by leaving the eyes open you are more likely to wander with your thoughts?

[cam1]

Great exercise. I will be working on this as often as possible. But next time I will inform the wife what I'm doing. It is very difficult to stay focused while your wife is saying, "what are you doing and why won't you talk to me". " Are you OK".

Q.define a knowing mind?

Thanks

[benos]

What is the purpose of leaving the eyes open? I do find it more difficult to leave the eyes open as opposed to closed.

Is that by leaving the eyes open you are more likely to wander with your thoughts?

No, not so much as you will tend to fall asleep / get drowsy with your eyes closed.

Let your eyelids drop a little bit, and don't focus on anything.

[GetAwayDriva]

Ok so this may be an unintended use of this exercise, but when I can't seem to fall asleep, I will do this exercise with my eyes closed lying in bed. I may get to 70 or so, but it will eventually put me to sleep!

[benos]

Ok so this may be an unintended use of this exercise, but when I can't seem to fall asleep, I will do this exercise with my eyes closed lying in bed. I may get to 70 or so, but it will eventually put me to sleep!

That works for that too!

[Willz]

I'm going to try this.

[boomerhc9]

I've been doing this at my weekly steel matches here in town, and it's deffinitely helped with my first stage jitters. I've cut my overall time by an average of 30 seconds per match, over previous years.