Back to the present

The facilitator leads the group through the protocol, reading and then performing the entire selected exercise.

This tool proposes three different exercises that can be performed independently of each other, according to the needs and desires of the participants.

In every  case, designate a facilitator who will explain the exercise and take charge of the time.

• Sit comfortably in a circle. Each person with both feet on the ground, legs uncrossed, back straight, to allow the column of air to descend from the nostrils to the belly.

• Inhale through the nose for about 5 seconds, then exhale through the nose for about 5 seconds, holding these cycles for a set time. Each person adapts the number of seconds to make the exercise comfortable and suited to her own body.

• With a certain amount of training, it is possible to gradually lengthen the inhalation and exhalation times, thus slowing down the heart rate. You can also add full lung and empty lung retention times, but this should always be done gradually, respecting your own abilities.

Set a timer to suit your needs (between 3 and 10 minutes), close your eyes, become aware of your breathing and leave your body motionless for the set time. During meditation, you can :

• Place both hands on the solar plexus (at chest level, where the ribs meet).

• Exhale through the mouth and inhale through the nose.

• Note the difference in temperature between the air coming in and the air going out.

• Observe the thoughts that arise and let them pass, then return to your breath without judgment, as many times as necessary.

Concentrate on one or more parts of your body, for example those in contact with the ground.

When the timer sounds, return quietly to yourself, take a few deep breaths, open your eyes and return to your seat, taking your time.

• Lie on your back or sit down in a comfortable position.

  Take the time to identify the points of contact between your body and the support (floor or chair).

• Focus your attention on the different parts of your body in the following order: start with your extremities (hands or feet) and work your way up to your head.

• Take the time to concentrate on each part of the body, staying there for ten seconds or so, to get a good feel for body sensations, the position of the part concerned, and the points of contact with the fabric of the clothes and the floor.

• You can ask the facilitator to guide the body scan using a script.

• Observe the thoughts that arise and let them pass, then return to your body without judgment, as many times as necessary.

“Respiratory control techniques help improve heart rate variability to tend toward an ideal state of equilibrium called cardiac coherence.”

These exercises were tested during a two-week residency with a collective of 15 people aged between 10 and 45, before the check-in. This time allowed each person to be present as an individual and not just as a function within the group, which made the check-ins  even more effective during events that were more complex for the group to manage.