Listen now on your favorite streaming platform as you read along: https://ffm.to/exhale1.o
Welcome to your new breathing practice. With these recordings, and others that have already been released, you’ll be able to create your own breathing adventure by combining tracks in a unique playlist customized especially for you. Create a playlist that helps you relax, get focused, or energize yourself based on the needs of your body at that time. All you have to do is plug in, play, focus, and breathe.
The breath is a form of active meditation, if you’ve had problems staying focused while trying to meditate in the past the breath is the tool to help focus your mind internally and create space for relaxation.
Each breath is labeled by a number denoting the length of the inhale and the exhale in seconds. The first number is how long to inhale for and the second number is how many seconds to exhale for. In the recording the first tone is played for the corresponding duration followed by a second tone of another pitch, this is one breath cycle. Next the track repeats the cycle for approximately five minutes.
A breath cycle is the duration for an inhale and exhale to be completed. The notes being played are A4, at 440 Hz, then D4. If you’d like other notes, sounds, durations, or variations of these tracks, drop a message to Jenna Citrus on a social media platform or use the contact form at jennacitrus.com/about
Any of the balanced breath tracks can be used for square breathing if you choose a hold instead of a change in ventilation. To create the box breath pick a comfortable track length and every time the piano is played hold your breath at the top of the inhale and the bottom of the exhale. Like this: key is played, inhale, next key is played, hold with air retained in your lungs, next key is played, exhale, next key is played, hold at the bottom of your breath with empty lungs, then repeat.
To practice Triangle Breathing, pick a balanced breath, inhaling when the piano strikes and exhaling when the piano strikes again. You can choose to hold your breath at the top of the inhale for the duration of one note for an energizing breath, or hold at the bottom of the exhale for a calming breath practice. The audiobook that accompanies this recording will explain in more detail how to practice different types of breaths and how to utilize them.
The breaths are adaptable for any type of even or extended breath practice you may choose to use with them such as Alternate Nostril Breathing, Ocean Breath (also known as Ujjayi), or any other breath practices that would benefit from a meditative tone to help you keep track of time.
Not all breaths are safe or appropriate for all people at all times, please be sure you have some prior knowledge of breathwork before using these different types of breaths. For example, the shorter 1:1 blaneced breath could be used as a guide for Breath of Fire or breathing for an extended length of time like the 10:10 balanced breath may be difficult for beginners to achieve and should be worked up to. These are examples to breathe along with at your own discretion. Remember not to practice any new or advanced techniques while operating machinery, while near water, or doing anything that a temporary loss of consciousness may cause harm. With that scary bit out of the way, breathwork is safe, easy to do, and accessible from any location where you can breathe.
The book Bunny Luna, Lior Allay, and Jenna Citrus have been working on together will empower you with the knowledge of which breaths are the best for you to practice and at what time. If you are new to breathwork, a 5:5 balanced breath is a great goal to work up to for lengthening your breath cycle and bringing your respiratory rate down to six breaths per minute.
Work with these tracks in your own custom playlist to create your own guided breathwork session.
Relax, enjoy, and breathe easy.
As your training and knowledge about the breath progresses, you’ll learn what breath is best for certain moods or situations you are trying to create or overcome. For example if you are feeling anxious at the dentist’s office, try utilizing an extended exhale to calm your system.
Here’s a fun suggestion, when the audiobook version of Exhale comes out be sure to read it to gain a deeper understanding of what the breath is, how it affects us, and the best breath practices for altering mood, temperature, and physical states.
This album is a practice tool to accompany the breathwork and meditation book called Exhale. Keep an eye out for it publishing in the coming months on Audible. But in the meantime check out jennacitrus.com for more breathing, healing, and mediation tracks along with creativity and inspiration.
Find which breaths resonate best with you and create your own playlist for breathwork practices. Breathe easy!
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