Sama Vritti (Equal Breathing)

What Sama Vritti means

Sama means equal or even, and vritti means movement or fluctuation. In Sama Vritti the inhale and the exhale are the same length, creating a steady, even rhythm. It is often the first counted breath taught in pranayama, before ratios with a longer exhale or a pause are introduced.

Choosing your count

• Start with 4 in and 4 out through the nose
• Lengthen to 5 or 6 only when it feels effortless
• Five or six seconds each way gives about six breaths a minute, often called coherent or resonance breathing
• If you gasp between rounds, the count is too long: go back down

Sama Vritti vs box breathing

Sama Vritti has two equal parts: in and out. Box breathing adds a pause after each, making four equal parts. Sama Vritti is gentler and suits beginners or anyone who finds breath holds uncomfortable; box breathing is Sama Vritti with breath retention (kumbhaka).

What research says

Breathing at about six breaths a minute, which a slow Sama Vritti count naturally produces, is linked in many studies with higher heart rate variability and a calmer nervous system. The research is on slow, even breathing in general rather than on Sama Vritti by name, but it supports what many practitioners feel: an even, unhurried breath steadies the mind.