MEDITATION STRATEGY #2:
5×5 BOX MEDITATION
To begin, close your eyes and imagine a square or a box in front of you.
There are four parts to the breath in this drill:
- The inhale
- The pause between the inhale and exhale
- The exhale
- The pause between the exhale and your next inhale
You’re going to hit each of those for five seconds, making a 5×5 box. We’ll take five 5×5 box breaths.
You must be in control of yourself before you can control your performance.
So here we go…. Beginning with an inhale… 3, 2, 1.
Inhale: 2, 3, 4, 5
Hold: 2, 3, 4, 5
Exhale: 2, 3, 4, 5
Hold: 2, 3, 4, 5
Inhale: 2, 3, 4, 5
Hold: 2, 3, 4, 5
Exhale: 2, 3, 4, 5
Hold: 2, 3, 4, 5
Inhale: 2, 3, 4, 5
Hold: 2, 3, 4, 5
Exhale: 2, 3, 4, 5
Hold: 2, 3, 4, 5
Inhale: 2, 3, 4, 5
Hold: 2, 3, 4, 5
Exhale: 2, 3, 4, 5
Hold: 2, 3, 4, 5
Inhale: 2, 3, 4, 5
Hold: 2, 3, 4, 5
Exhale: 2, 3, 4, 5
Hold: 2, 3, 4, 5
Now please open your eyes, as this concludes our meditation practice.
Again, we only did this for five 5×5 box breaths; you could do this for as many as you wish or as long as you like. I suggest starting with five and working up to ten breaths without losing focus as part of your morning routine.
Whether you’re doing the 6-2-8 or doing the 5×5 box meditation, the focus is on staying engaged with your breath and staying in the present.
The more you do the meditations, the better you will be at developing a present-moment focus and at developing self-control and awareness.
THE 5×5 BOX MEDITATION
There are four parts to the 5×5 box meditation. There is the (#1) inhale, the (#2) hold between the inhale and exhale, (#3) the exhale, and the (#4) hold between the exhale and your next inhale.
You’re going to hit each of those for five seconds, making a 5×5 box. We’ll take three 5×5 breaths or more in this meditation.
THE 5×5 BOX MEDITATION SCRIPT
I learned about the 5×5 box breathing meditation from my friend and former US Navy SEAL Sean Haggerty. He said that he used this exercise during Hell Week and on missions when he would need to laser in his focus and self-control. If it worked for a Navy SEAL, it will work for you.
As with the 6-2-8, I want to give you a script so that you can have that to follow.
Let’s begin with an inhale in 3, 2, 1:
Inhale, 2, 3, 4, 5, hold, 2, 3, 4, 5, exhale, 2, 3, 4, 5, hold, 2, 3, 4, 5
Inhale, 2, 3, 4, 5, hold, 2, 3, 4, 5, exhale, 2, 3, 4, 5, hold, 2, 3, 4, 5
Inhale, 2, 3, 4, 5, hold, 2, 3, 4, 5, exhale, 2, 3, 4, 5, hold, 2, 3, 4, 5
Inhale, 2, 3, 4, 5, hold, 2, 3, 4, 5, exhale, 2, 3, 4, 5, hold, 2, 3, 4, 5
Inhale, 2, 3, 4, 5, hold, 2, 3, 4, 5, exhale, 2, 3, 4, 5, hold, 2, 3, 4, 5
Whether you’re doing the 6-2-8 or you’re doing the 5×5 box, you are working to develop a better present-moment focus. This is like lifting weights for your focus and self-control. And let me remind you that you must be in control of yourself before you can be in control of your performance.
I recommend doing one of these meditations for three minutes, three days a week or more in week one, and then work to add a minute each week up to 10 minutes max. You will notice that you will be developing a present-moment focus, a stronger sense of awareness and deeper self-control skills.
I’d suggest tracking and measuring your meditation practice in your Way of Life app so that you can become consistent in your execution.
Here is a Mental Performance Daily Podcast where I discuss the 5×5 Box Meditation.
