Breathing plays a dual role in self-regulation. It is a source of feedback to the conscious subject on the state of the organism (indicator role) and it offers a small but important possibility to influence the mind and body (regulator role). Since actively regulating the breath may disturb its indicator role, a passive attentional state is important, in which the subject allows body and mind to harmonize with spontaneous breathing. On the basis of experience with eastern and western methods, a method of breath relaxation for stress management has been developed and was tested within a cardiac rehabilitation program.