Breath · Secular practice
4-7-8 breath
In for four. Hold for seven. Out for eight.
Four in, seven held, eight out — a long exhale with a hold before it. Often used as a wind-down before sleep. An exercise, not a remedy.
This text was written for Japa. It is not a traditional formula, and no tradition teaches it as one.
The count shown here is Japa's suggestion, not a rule of the tradition. Follow the form and number you were taught.
Free paced breathing
Breathe along, right here.
4 in, 7 held, 8 out — the ring grows as you breathe in and settles as you breathe out. It runs in your browser, saves nothing and stops when you leave the tab.
Ready when you are
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A paced breathing exercise, offered as something to do — not a treatment, and not medical advice. Stop if it makes you lightheaded, and ask a clinician about anything to do with your health or your breathing.
What the words say
Inhale for four counts, hold for seven, and exhale for eight. The exhale is twice as long as the inhale; the counts describe a ratio, not a requirement to force or prolong the breath.
Where it comes from
Popularised in the 1990s by Andrew Weil, who presents it as an adaptation of prāṇāyāma. The ratio is modern and the attribution to any older tradition should be taken loosely.
How it is practised
Start with four comfortable cycles, then return to natural breathing. Stop if you feel lightheaded. Not medical advice — ask a clinician first if you have a heart or respiratory condition, or are pregnant.
References
- Andrew Weil, Balanced Living Annual 2010, 4-7-8 breathing instructions
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