Calm English [STILL] - 02

ENWelcome to Your English Toolbox.

ENThis is Calm English...

ENSTILL.

ENI am Peter.

ENLast time, we traveled through your body... and gave each part its English name.

ENIf you were there, welcome back.

ENIf this is your first time... you are in exactly the right place.

ENBefore we begin — the same small request as always.

ENPlease do not listen to this episode while driving.

ENFind a quiet moment.

ENA closed door.

ENHeadphones, if you have them.

ENNow... a question.

ENHow many words do you know for "breathe"?

ENMost people say: one.

ENBreathe.

ENThat is the only word they have.

ENToday you are going to have twelve.

ENAnd each one is going to change how your body feels.

ENYou can sit for this one.

ENOr lie down — both work.

ENIf you sit... let your back be tall, but soft.

ENRest your hands anywhere they want to be.

ENAnd close your eyes.

ENOne thing before we start.

ENIf at any moment you feel dizzy... simply breathe normally.

ENThat is not a mistake.

ENThat is your body talking to you.

ENListen to it.

ENAlways.

ENHere is your first word.

ENBreathe in through your nose... slowly.

ENThat movement has a name.

ENINHALE.

ENInhale.

ENNow breathe out... even more slowly.

ENThat is the second word.

ENEXHALE.

ENInhale... exhale.

ENIn... and out.

ENNow, inhale again.

ENBut this time, feel your chest and your belly grow.

ENThey EXPAND.

ENExpand — to become bigger, to open, to take up space.

ENYou are allowed to take up space.

ENAnd when you breathe out... you RELEASE.

ENRelease — to let go of what you were holding.

ENThe air.

ENThe tension.

ENThe day.

ENRelease it all with the exhale.

ENNow, something subtle.

ENBreathe in... and before you breathe out... notice it.

ENThat tiny moment of stillness between the two.

ENThat is a PAUSE.

ENThe pause.

ENIt was always there.

ENYou just never visited it before.

ENA pause can be short... or you can make it longer.

ENBreathe in... and HOLD.

ENKeep the air inside... gently.

ENNo force.

ENAnd now release.

ENHold — to keep something with you, on purpose.

ENTwo more words about how you breathe.

ENThe first is DEPTH.

ENTo breathe with depth means to breathe deep and low.

ENNot shallow.

ENNot fast. Not up in the shoulders.

ENDown... where the breath has room.

ENThe second is CAPACITY.

ENYour capacity is the full amount your lungs can hold.

ENMost of the day, you use a small part of it.

ENRight now... you are using all of it.

ENYour full capacity.

ENNow listen to your breathing for a moment.

ENIn... and out... in... and out.

ENIt has a pattern.

ENA music.

ENThat is your RHYTHM.

ENYour rhythm.

ENNot mine.

ENNot anyone else's.

ENYour own pace.

ENThe next word is beautiful... and difficult.

ENSURRENDER.

ENSurrender means: stop controlling.

ENLet it happen.

ENTry it with one exhale.

ENBreathe in...

ENand now surrender to the exhale.

ENDon't push the air out.

ENJust... let it leave.

ENTwo final words.

ENSoft ones.

ENDRIFT.

ENTo drift is to move slowly... without direction... like a small boat on calm water.

ENLet your attention drift with the breath.

ENAnd SETTLE.

ENTo settle is to slowly come to rest... like dust in a quiet room.

ENFeel your body settle... a little more with every cycle.

ENThat is all twelve.

ENAnd you did not study a single one.

ENYou breathed them.

ENNow I want to give you something to take with you.

ENA technique.

ENIt is called four... seven... eight.

ENIt is very old, and very simple.

ENYou inhale through your nose... for four seconds.

ENYou hold... for seven.

ENAnd you exhale through your mouth... slowly... for eight.

ENInhale — expand — hold — surrender — exhale — release.

ENThat is the whole technique.

ENPeople use it to calm the body before sleep... before an exam... before a difficult conversation in English.

ENWe will do four cycles together.

ENIf seven seconds feels too long, hold for less.

ENYour rhythm.

ENYour capacity.

ENLet's begin.

ENFirst, exhale everything you have.

ENNow — inhale through the nose.

ENHold... gently.

ENAnd exhale through the mouth... slowly... all the way.

ENThat was one cycle.

ENThree more.

ENInhale.

ENHold.

ENExhale... surrender.

ENYou are doing beautifully.

ENAgain — inhale... expand.

ENHold... keep it gently.

ENExhale... release the day.

ENLast one.

ENInhale... with depth.

ENHold.

ENAnd exhale... let everything settle.

ENNow... breathe normally.

ENAnd just notice.

ENHow does your body feel... compared to ten minutes ago?

ENYou don't need to answer.

ENYou already know.

ENThe twelve words.

ENListen one last time... and feel each one.

ENInhale.

ENExhale.

ENExpand.

ENRelease.

ENPause.

ENHold.

ENDepth.

ENCapacity.

ENRhythm.

ENSurrender.

ENDrift.

ENSettle.

ENYou arrived with one word for breathing.

ENYou leave with twelve.

ENAnd a technique that will be with you... for the rest of your life.

ENCome back to this episode whenever you need it.

ENIt will work every time.

ENThis was Calm English...

ENSTILL.

ENI am Peter.

ENAnd now you know... breathing was never just one word.

ENIt was a whole language.

ENAnd it lives inside you.

ENThank you for breathing with me today.

ENGoodbye, friends.