Meditation Doesn’t Have To Be Hard. Try Finger Breathing!

Team StoryWeavers|October 30, 2020, 11:08 IST| 8

Finger Breathing banner

“Remember to breathe. It is, after all, the secret of life.” 

When we get stressed out due to exams, grades, problems with friends, and negative thoughts in general, elders around us often ask us to meditate by closing our eyes and taking deep breaths. It makes us feel better most of the time. However, there are times when we wish it was easier or more fun.

That’s why we have finger breathing! A cooler and more fun way of meditating! 

A paper published in the journal of Thinking Skills and Creativity suggests that regular meditation can improve mental abilities such as learning and memory, enhance health, increase longevity, and boost self-confidence and relationships with others. Impressive, right?

Let’s learn more about finger breathing. 

A Step-By-Step Guide To Finger Breathing

Step 1:  Stretch out your left hand. Ensure that you have space between your fingers. Just like a star!

Step 2: Get the pointer finger of the right hand ready. 

Step 3: Place the pointer finger of your right hand at the bottom of your left-hand thumb. 

Finger breathing image 1

Step 4: Slide your pointer finger up the thumb as you breathe in through your nose. 

Step 5: Reach the tip of your thumb and hold your breath for a second. No longer than that.

Step 6: Slide your pointer finger down the thumb as you breathe out through your nose. 

Step 7: Hold your breath for a second when you reach the space between your thumb and index finger. 

Finger breathing image 2

Step 8: Repeat from Step 4 to Step 7 until you cover all the fingers. 

Tip: If you don’t like sliding your index finger up and down your hand, download this finger breathing printable here and use that instead. 

Download the finger breathing poster here.

Are you excited to try this out? Let us know in the comments. 

Reference:

Fisher, R. (2006). Still thinking: The case for meditation with children. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 1(2), 146-151.  DOI: 10.1016/j.tsc.2006.06.004

About the Author


“Me-kha-la!” That happens at least once when she introduces herself to new people. She wholeheartedly believes in the quote by Arthur Rubinstein that says – “if you love life, life will love you back”. She is an organizational psychologist and psychometrician. She was a class teacher of 36 adorable girls for two years, grades 2 & 3, as a part of the Teach For India Fellowship. These little girls have a special place in her heart, and when she writes for children, she writes for them!