The Power of a Collective Pause

Explore how students are using simple mindful breathing practices to navigate stress, stay grounded, and support their classmates.

Summary: Classrooms often are confronted with difficult topics that can leave students overwhelmed and anxious. In this episode of The Science of Happiness, we highlight how college student Evelyn Mata brought calm to herself and peers during an Immigration Studies class through simple collective breathing practices.

How to Do Box Breathing:

1. Sit comfortably: Find a quiet spot and focus on your breath, keeping a relaxed posture.
2. Inhale (4 counts): Breathe in slowly through your nose, letting the air fill your belly and chest. Keep the pace steady, not strained for a count of four.
3. Hold (4 counts): Pause gently at the top of the inhale. This isn’t a tense hold, just a moment of stillness to let the body register calm. Hold your breath for four slow counts.
4. Exhale (4 counts): Release the breath through your nose or mouth in a smooth, even flow. Imagine tension leaving the body as the breath moves out for a count of four, emptying your lungs.
5. Hold (4 counts): Let yourself rest briefly in the empty space before the next inhale. This completes the “box.”
6. Repeat: Continue this cycle for several minutes, or for 3-4 rounds, until you feel calmer. Stop sooner if you feel lightheaded; return to natural breathing when you’re done.

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.

Today’s Guests:

EVELYN MATA is an undergraduate student at UC Berkeley, studying Psychology and Public Policy.

DR. PABLO GONZALEZ is a professor in the Ethnic Studies department at UC Berkeley.

Learn more about Pablo here: https://ethnicstudies.berkeley.edu/people/pablo-gonzalez

Related The Science of Happiness episodes:

Breathe Away Anxiety (Cyclic Sighing): https://tinyurl.com/3u7vsrr5

How To Tune Out The Noise: https://tinyurl.com/4hhekjuh

What To Do When Stress Takes Over: https://tinyurl.com/mskvfmv4

Related Happiness Breaks:

Make Uncertainty Part of the Process: https://tinyurl.com/234u5ds7

A Meditation for When You Feel Uneasy: https://tinyurl.com/4x27ut3p

A Mindful Breath Meditation, With Dacher Keltner: https://tinyurl.com/mr9d22kr

Tell us about your experience with this practice. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or follow on Instagram @HappinessPod.

Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap

Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/4wz4vbc3