The United States Navy SEALs, officially known as the Navy Sea, Air, and Land Teams, are the elite special operations force within the U.S. Navy. Established in 1962, SEAL teams are organized, trained, and equipped to conduct various special operations missions across diverse environments such as maritime, jungle, urban, arctic, mountainous, and desert terrains. Their primary functions include conducting small-unit special operation missions, capturing, or killing high-level targets, gathering intelligence behind enemy lines, sabotage, demolition, and hydro-graphic reconnaissance, training, and advising friendly militaries or other forces.
SEALs undergo rigorous selection and training processes that mold raw recruits into seasoned operators capable of executing complex missions under extreme conditions. Their demanding training includes Basic Underwater Demolition-SEAL (BUD/S), which lasts six months and is considered one of the toughest military trainings globally. Overall, Navy SEALs represent the pinnacle of special operations capability within the U.S. military, combining exceptional physical fitness, mental fortitude, technical expertise, and versatility across diverse operational environments. Their unwavering commitment to mission success and unyielding resilience make them indispensable assets in addressing complex security challenges faced by the nation and its allies worldwide.
US Navy SEALs also face the most stressful situations a human being can ever imagine. Do you know one of the main techniques they use to deal with high levels of stress? The Sama Vritti Pranayama. Sama Vritti, or “box breathing,” gets its name from the Sanskrit for “same” (sama) and “flow” or “wave” (vritti) and brings the breath into a more relaxed and focused state.
Box breathing, also known as Sama Vritti Pranayama, is an ancient yoga practice that has gained immense popularity among Navy SEALs seeking stress reduction and heightened focus. This simple breathing technique offers numerous benefits for mental clarity, emotional balance, and physical relaxation.
How Box Breathing Works
Box breathing involves four equal phases of breathing, each lasting four seconds, which creates a rhythmic pattern resembling the shape of a box or square. Start by exhaling fully through your mouth, followed by slowly inhaling through your nose while counting silently to four. Hold your breath while counting to four, then slowly exhale through your mouth while counting to four again. Finally, hold your breath once more before repeating the cycle.
Benefits of Box Breathing
Box breathing offers several advantages, such as reducing anxiety and stress levels by lowering cortisol production. It also promotes mental clarity, enhances focus, lowers blood pressure, and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps counteract the effects of chronic stress. Additionally, box breathing improves lung function and oxygen flow, strengthening overall respiratory health.
Adopting Navy Seals' Approach
The Navy SEALs employ box breathing to maintain calmness and composure during high-pressure situations. By integrating this technique into their daily routines, these elite military personnel enhance their mental and emotional resilience, ensuring optimal performance under stressful conditions.
Sama Vritti Pranayama is for Everyone
Regardless of profession or lifestyle, box breathing can be adopted by anyone seeking stress relief and mental clarity. Practicing box breathing several times a day, especially during stressful moments, helps cultivate mindfulness and self-awareness, ultimately improving overall well-being and quality of life.
Embrace Box Breathing Today
Integrating box breathing into your daily routine can significantly improve stress management, mental well-being, and overall health. Practice this simple yet potent technique whenever you feel overwhelmed, anxious, or stressed, and reap the benefits of calmness, clarity, and focus.
A certified qualified yoga instructor can help you to become familiar with the steadiness of the rhythm, the four-part pattern, the postures that you should adopt, the shape of the breath, the sound or absence thereof, the awareness that should be cultivated for such practice.