Breathing Styles Ideas Novels & Stories

I’m begging You. Fix whatever is broken in me that turns everyone away from me. Cut. Cut. Cut. I cut and release my demons, or they will take over and control me. Control me to where I can’t breathe or even live. And I can’t breathe right now. It hurts to draw breath into my lungs and panic sets in.

He grabbed onto my shoulders and we both locked eyes. "Just breathe Diana," He pursed his lips and inhaled deeply, encouraging me to do the same. I nodded and joined in the same breathing pattern, taking in the oxygen slowly and releasing it at a steady pace. A minute past. I pursed my lips, allowing for more air to escape. My mind solely focused on my breaths. There was silence. My lungs moved steadily to Damian's breathing. Taking in the air. And out. Repeating the same pattern over. Taking in the air.

Balin followed behind him. “Close your eyes, young Rave. Begin the breathing. Balin placed his fingers lightly on Rave’s cheek. Leesa watched as Rave began a series of long, slow breaths through his nose. With each breath, the inhale and exhale grew slightly longer. When each seemed to Leesa to last an impossibly long time, Rave began to shorten his breaths, just as gradually as he had lengthened them. The breathing exercise lasted for several minutes. Finally, Balin removed his fingers from Rave’s cheek. He motioned for Leesa to join them.

“Stop fighting me and breathe.” But I couldn’t stop fighting. I couldn’t let him see me like this. I couldn’t risk him asking questions I didn’t know how to answer. I pushed against him again, weaker this time. “Please, I just need to…” “Breathe.” His voice dropped lower, that commanding tone that had pulled me back from panic attacks before. “In through your nose. Now.” My body obeyed before my mind could protest. Air trickled in shakily. “Good. Hold it. Count to four with me. One. Two. Three. Four.”

“Don’t listen to him. He’ll smother you with his need. Focus on me. Breathe with me.” She gasped, her body convulsing, her nails scraping bloody lines into the floor. My grip tightened. “I said breathe.” My voice dropped lower, each word carrying weight. “In. Out. Match me.” I exaggerated a breath, slow, deep, filling my chest, then releasing it steadily. Her trembling lips tried to follow, shaky, broken, but each time she faltered I repeated it, relentless, until the ragged edge of her gasps began to sync faintly with mine.

My fingers hook into her waistband, and I yank her jeans and underwear down in one desperate motion, tossing them somewhere behind me without ceremony. I look. Nothing. No baby. But … something definitely looks different down there. “Is he there?” Mel pants anxiously. “No!” I say quickly. “Breathe … just breathe … like in the classes.” I take a dramatic inhale. “IN … two … three … four …” Then exhale. “OUT … two … three … four …” I try again. “In … two … three … four …” My head starts spinning. Okay. This breathing crap is NOT working. Maybe I’m doing it wrong. I try again. Still dizzy.

“Right now, we need to teach your body that there’s no danger anymore. There are breathing techniques, grounding, and presence exercises I’d like to show you. Would you like me to teach you one?” I nodded slightly. “Close your eyes,” she said, her voice calm, unhurried. “We’ll do it together. Inhale through your nose, counting slowly: one… two… three… four…” I filled my lungs carefully, feeling the cool air travel down and expand my chest. “Now hold: one… two… three… four…” My body protested slightly, but I didn’t run. I stayed. “Exhale through your mouth, slow: one… two… three… four…”

"Let's take a deep breath together.” He did it and I practiced with him. "Good. Now, tell me five things you can see." My eyes darted around. “I…I can see you, the dumbbells, white walls, a water bottle and…and my memories.” Julian's hands tightened. "Tell me five things you can hear.” At that point, my breathing was returning to normal. I had no idea that such a method existed. "Your voice, mine, my heartbeat, the hum of the AC. I…I can't hear anything else.”

I hope he didn’t notice me gawking at him. Once everyone finds their own thing to do and work on, I crawl into my tent and do some deep breathing exercises. It’s something my parents taught my siblings and I to do. It’s good for your heart because in order to live you must breathe. We focused on the breath of life. My legs are crossed and my hands lay on my the sides of my knees with my palms facing upwards as I breathe and take in my new environment. I left the door flap to my tent open so every now and then a small light breeze comes to cool me down.

The two-way yes that made my skin a home. I sit on a bench and breathe in fours like he taught me when my nerves spiked before a scene. In for four. Hold for four. Out for four. Hold for four. The edges of me stop vibrating. It feels like cheating that his voice works even when he isn’t here to speak.