Actually! Since you were at the wellness center, maybe you would know about this! I struggle with meditative breathing. If I actually take four-second breaths I am gasping for oxygen after a minute. My sinuses are more or less permanently congested, and I can't do *two* seconds indefinitely. I hear "slow down" but also "breathe naturally and don't artificially take big breaths", and I don't know which is better to do (or start w/) if I can't do both. And healthy people are like "just do it"...?
I feel you, the breathing part of is it hard for me because I can never take long enough breaths to match the guide and my chronic bronchitis gets in the way too. It just takes practice, and also remember to go at your own pace and not worry too much about catching up to anyone else. Your body has its own rhythm and that’s what’s important. There is no “should” and there is no bad meditation.
I usually start with in 1-2-3 and slow out on 4-5-6-7 in again on 8-9-10 and then go with whatever pace my body wants.
And I find (when I can even notice it) that when I do actually start slip into the gap whether for restful awareness (for a quick and gentle recharge) or an actual goal-oriented meditation session, my breathing becomes faster and sounds like the waves at the beach. That’s when I feel the most benefit, it feels like all my cells are glowing deep inside. Though often I find that when I become aware of this I tense up and for some reason want to correct it, but it’s gotten easier to just notice it, and let it be, and then I feel REALLY good after.
