You are about to interview for a job you really want. You are about to speak in front of a group of people for the first time since school. You are about to go on stage and sing in that open mic night you’ve dreamed about. You might notice a tightness in your throat or chest, shortness of breath, flushed face, increased heart rate, sweating or shakiness. You only have a few minutes: what should you do?

There may be no such thing as a magic wand when working with anxiety or self-esteem. But this Centering Exercise is as close as I’ve found. I have used it with hundreds of clients and it almost always lowers anxiety and boosts self-esteem in a measurable way. It also serves as an easy introduction to meditation and mindfulness. You can use this exercise before you give a class presentation, or a heartfelt talk to your partner. I use it a dozen times a day before I speak with clients, before I sit down to write - any time I want to be fully present. This skill combines mindfulness, meditation, somatic experiencing, visualization and affirmations. AND it only takes about six minutes - it’s powerful!

If I could give just one tool to each person I work with, this would be it.

How to Center With Nine Breaths

Close your eyes, set both feet on the floor, and place your hand on your heart. Bring your awareness to your body. Notice the weight of your body on the couch cushions, the contact of your feet to the floor, notice the feel of your clothing against your skin, any sounds in the room.
In just a moment, we will take nine slow breaths: three breaths counting, three breaths using affirmations and visualizations, and three breaths stating intentions.
First Set of Three Breaths - Counting: breathe in through your nose on a slow count of four, pause at the top of your breath for a count of two, breathe out through your mouth on a count of four, hold at the bottom for two beats. Do this three times, and pause.
Second Set of Three Breaths - Affirmations: with the same timing as above, take in a slow breath, visualize drawing healing golden Light into your body while holding the words Loving Kindness in your heart, as you release the breath, visualize filling the room around you with this Light while holding the word Compassion in your heart. Repeat for three breaths.
Third Set of Three Breaths - Intentions: Still using the same timing of long, slow breathing, at the top of your inhale say out loud, “I center myself within myself.” Consciously move energy from your head to your heart. Another slow breath in and say, “I invoke my Inner Wisdom.” Another deep breath in, “I ask for Spirit’s assistance.” Invite the Divine into your practice.
Pause for a moment before you open your eyes and notice any change in your energy.

You can very easily expand this exercise by adding more breaths; I regularly do three sets of ten breaths each. Mindfulness, being present in the moment, compassion, loving kindness all come easier with practice, but this is more than just a skill or technique. Through this practice, we can get out of our head, set aside our ego-self, attune to our Genuine Self, come into alignment with Spirit, see the Sacred in each person we meet, gain wisdom and rise in consciousness.

Practice is the key to using this skill effectively. It would be ideal if you practiced this 100 times before you needed it in a stressful situation. I center each day before seeing clients, or making an important phone call, holding a child or beginning my prayers & meditations. It dials in my sacred frequency and connects me, in my small way, to the flow of Divine Love.

Not a bad way to spend six minutes.

“When the breath wanders the mind is unsteady.
But when the breath is calmed, the mind too will be still.”
~Hatha Yoga Pradipika