Sit still in a chair listening to soft music, or outside listening to the wind in the treetops. As you listen, gently let your attention flow out of your ears as you easily exhale. Repeat for a minute, then do the same thing through your eyes, letting your attention go outward on the breath, slowly and gently. Repeat this through the nostrils, the mouth, then sit quietly just listening to the music with your whole body.

Now allow your attention to sink into your chest. Feel where your heart center is (at the point where the breastbone and ribs join) and breathe out through it, letting your attention go with the breath. Continue gently for another minute, then sit quietly, aware of your body.

This exercise consciously links respiration and the nervous system, helping to promote their smooth integration. Feeling your awareness as it flows out on your breath gives you a powerful sense of being at harmony with nature.

Adapted from Ageless Body, Timeless Mind, by Deepak Chopra (Harmony Books, 2007).