Round-Wave Breath

Round-Wave Breath: Tool 88 - Client Exercise taken from page 186 in the Somatic Psychotherapy Toolbox by Manuela Mischke-Reeds, MA, LMFT

PURPOSE

Breathing like a rounded wave is a quality of breath that initiates the parasympathetic response towards relaxation and rest. This practice teaches the client to actively bring their breath to a quieter space.

Because this exercise induces the parasympathetic breath towards calming, this is a breath you can teach your clients when they need to learn how to calm themselves.

INSTRUCTIONS

• Notice the quality of your breath now.

• Inhale naturally.

• At the top of the inhale, imagine the breath having a rounded quality, almost as if the inhale rolls over into the exhale.

• You can imagine water going over a stone when you have the top breath rounding. Or a gentle wave cresting. You want to focus on the rounding quality of water.

• Focus on the smooth quality of this breath and how it rolls from the inhale into the exhale; let your exhale come to its natural ending.

• Do four to five breaths, then pause and notice any change. You are looking for parasympathetic cues, such as a deeper inhale in the chest or a slowed exhale.

• If necessary, do another round.