Lesson 3: Balloon Technique Exercise
The Balloon Technique
The balloon technique is a personal favorite and is enjoyed by many. It works well because it trains the body to breathe into the abdomen as well as provides a distraction for the mind, beginning to refocus it from scattered thoughts.
Giving a calming color to the balloon like blue, purple, or green strengthens the connection to the balloon and allows the brain to better picture the balloon in the abdomen.
Avoid high-intensity colors to reduce stress and anxiety when practicing this technique.
- Put your right hand on your abdomen.
- Begin to bring your attention and awareness to your breath. As you inhale through the nose (pause) and exhale through the nose (pause).
- Bringing all of your attention and awareness to your breath, allowing your body to relax as you focus on your inhale (pause) and your exhale. Giving your body permission to relax.
- On your next inhale, imagine you have a blue balloon inside of your abdomen.
- As you inhale, the balloon inflates.
- As you exhale, the balloon deflates.
Repeat this again. (2nd time)
- Inhaling through the nose, the blue balloon inflates.
- Exhaling through the nose, the blue balloon deflates.
(3rd time) Repeat.
- Inhaling through the nose, the blue balloon inflates.
- Exhaling through the nose, the blue balloon deflates.
(4th time) Repeat.
- Inhaling through the nose, as the balloon expands a little more than the last time.
- Exhaling through the nose, as the balloon contracts; releasing all of the air, fully relaxing as you exhale.
(5th time) Repeat.
- Inhaling through the nose, the blue balloon inflates.
- Exhaling through the nose, the blue balloon deflates. Releasing all of the air, fully letting go
When you are ready, bring your attention and awareness back to the room you are sitting or lying in. When you are ready, wiggle your fingers and toes. With a soft smile on your lips, whenever you are ready you open your eyes. Continuing to feel calm and at peace within.
**It is important to use words such as expand and contract, inflate and deflate.
DO NOT USE phrases such as “the balloon blows up more this time,” or other negative sentences. Blowing up a balloon is not relaxing, so it shifts the mind into a negative connotation.