Breathwork
Energy
Four counts in, four counts out. A short practice for when you need something quickly.
A powerful energy booster for when you only have a few minutes. This is one of the breathing techniques I use myself most often between two appointments, when there’s simply no time for a longer break. This Kundalini Yoga exercise relaxes and energizes at the same time, and can also help when you feel overwhelmed by emotions.
Try doing it a few times a day at strategic moments: before work or a meeting, on the drive home, or whenever that familiar after-lunch dip sets in.
How to do it
- Sit with a straight spine, legs crossed if possible. Relax your shoulders.
- Start by taking a few deep breaths.
- Bring your palms together at the heart center, fingers pointing up. Press your hands firmly together.
- Focus at the third eye, the brow point, with eyelids lightly closed.
- Inhale, breaking the breath into 4 equal parts, filling the lungs completely on the fourth.
- Exhale the same way, releasing the breath in 4 equal parts, emptying the lungs on the fourth. On each part of both inhale and exhale, draw the navel point toward the spine.
- One full breath cycle (in and out) takes about 7 to 8 seconds.
- Continue for 2 to 3 minutes.
If your mind feels restless or confused, you can add the mantra “Sa Ta Na Ma” mentally on both the inhale and the exhale.
Sa = infinity · Ta = life · Na = death · Ma = rebirth
To finish
- Inhale deeply, press your palms together firmly for 10 to 15 seconds. Build tension throughout your whole body by pressing as hard as you can, holding as long as feels comfortable.
- Exhale powerfully.
- Repeat: inhale, hold, press.
- Exhale, relax, and let the tension in your body dissolve.
- If you feel you need to rest, lie on your back with eyes closed and relax for 2 to 5 minutes.
- Take a few deep breaths, stretch, and you’re ready for what’s next.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 4-4 breathing technique?
A Kundalini Yoga exercise where you build the inhale and exhale in 4 equal parts, combined with anjali mudra (palms together at the heart), meant to quickly relax and energize.
How long does the practice take?
Usually 2 to 3 minutes, followed by a closing round of a deep inhale and firmly pressing the palms together.
When is the best time to use this technique?
Whenever you need a quick boost of energy or focus: before work or a meeting, on the drive home, or during that familiar after-lunch dip.
Can I add a mantra to this breath?
Yes, if your mind feels restless or confused, you can add “Sa Ta Na Ma” mentally on both the inhale and the exhale.
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Ilse-Marie Sobering is the founder of House of InnerPower and the creator of the InnerPower Method: LAND • ADEM • VOEL (Land, Breathe, Feel), a cyclical practice of returning to yourself again and again. She has studied yoga philosophy and Eastern philosophy for more than 25 years, and has worked professionally since 2015 as an E-RYT 500 yoga and Yoga Nidra teacher, mindfulness and breathwork coach, Ayurveda practitioner and EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) practitioner. In Spain, where she lived for seven years, she taught trainings, teacher trainings and retreats at various locations in the Málaga region, including near Periana, Nerja and Frigiliana. She now works from the Netherlands, teaching trainings and speaking in the Netherlands, in Spain and online. Within the method she works with Yin Yoga, Yoga Nidra, breathwork, meditation, Qigong and somatic work, complemented with elements from her hypnotherapy training. She teaches teacher trainings, continuing education and company training, for people living with long-term stress and for professionals who want to deepen the way they guide others.
