Ocean Breath Meditation

Living in Venice, California in the 1960s, Vija Celmins would walk along the pier towards the horizon and take photos of the endless waves. She then created meticulously detailed drawings of the ocean's surface that captured both its stillness and movement. Using her drawings as visual reference, she created lithographs like Untitled.

Practice a calming meditation inspired by the ocean and Celmins's print.

Ujjayi breath (Sanskrit for "victorious" breath) is also referred to as "ocean breath" as the inhale and exhale sounds like ocean waves rolling in and out.

• Sit comfortably, bring awareness to the back of your throat and start to breathe in and out through your nose.
• Take a deep breath in through your nose while gently constricting your throat for an audible breath. (Tip: Imagine sipping through a straw but with your mouth closed.)
• Take a deep breath out through your nose while gently constricting your throat for an audible breath. (Tip: To practice, you can open your mouth to exhale "Haah" and then midway through your exhale, close your mouth−this is the audible ocean breath.)
• View the waves in "Untitled" and repeat.
• Close your eyes, and let the waves and the sound of your breath simultaneously calm and invigorate you.