Bec, my GP actually advised against me doing this. But in time with a back ground CD it took a lot of pratice to learn and not "lose it". My starting point that helped was not worry about counts and all. I just worked on not "chest breathing". Worked on my "belly breathing". Lay back and make sure my tummy rises, not how fast or slow. But make sure my belly rose and not my chest. The rest fell in place after a few weeks or so and did after I stopped stressing over it. Just don't worry how fast or slow, just see if the belly rises. Do that part first and then work on the holding. But it really becomes almost unnaturally slow when you get used to making your belly rise instead of chest and can at times do wonders. Rememeber no counting, just is the belly breathing... Not the chest. And try not to panic when it slows as you relax, the point is to slow, and well, it can freak us out. It takes practice like the rest. But you learn to accept it and not feel like you cannot breathe (which can happen like me), again a back ground CD helps a LOT to distract to allow you to breathe this way.

SP, I know you are working on this so I hope this bit of hands on experience helps you.