Five or ten breaths to arrive where you are

Sometimes you sit down to create, but part of your attention is still with the day you’ve just had. A conversation keeps replaying, your thoughts move ahead to tomorrow, or you find yourself rushing before you’ve even begun.

In Cohera’s Recentre panel, you can choose five or ten breaths. You can take a moment to notice yourself before deciding what needs your attention next.

Give yourself a moment to arrive

Choose five or ten breaths according to the space you want to make. There is no better option and no particular feeling you need to reach by the end.

As you follow the guidance, you might notice the contact of your feet with the floor or the support of the chair beneath you. Let the breathing stay comfortable; you can stop if the exercise doesn’t feel right for you.

Your thoughts may keep moving. You haven’t done anything wrong. When you notice you’ve wandered, you can gently return your attention to the next breath.

Bring your intention into the pause

If your weekly intention feels helpful, you can hold it in mind during this time. You don’t have to work through a problem or find an answer.

For example:

• Acceptance: acknowledge that the day has happened as it has, even if parts were difficult.
• Love: offer yourself a moment of care without needing to earn it.
• Peace: allow a little space before responding to what comes next.

You may prefer simply to notice your body. The pause can be worthwhile without adding anything else to it.

Choose what comes after

When the breathing ends, notice how you are now. You might feel ready to begin, want a longer break or realise that something else needs your care first. You may also feel much the same.

If a thought has become clearer, you could leave a few words in your Journal. If you want to return to your work, you can do that without turning the pause into another task to complete.

Five or ten breaths can be a small space in a full day. Let it be a moment to meet yourself where you are.