Blog
Breathwork is the active form of consciously working your breath to bypass the mind and enter a different state of awareness. This is what most people seek when meditating, and breathwork takes you to that place very quickly. The practice gives the brain’s executive functioning something to focus on, so you can bypass the mental level of consciousness and drop into a deeper state of consciousness, where healing, spirit, and love reside. Unlock the extraordinary potential of your breath, a force that is frequently disregarded. Discover the transforming power of conscious breathing by delving into its history, from ancient traditions to current science, and then putting that power to work for you. This trip will show you how practicing mindful breathing may improve your health, lower your stress levels, and strengthen your connection to the essential energy that flows through life.
There are many types of breathwork techniques, and each form of breath has a unique purpose and creates a different effect.
As you breathe, you will become aware of thoughts, feelings, memories, and patterns that are not aligned with love and self-love. Even though many of us have processed childhood, beliefs, and patterns in psychiatry, therapy, coaching, or healing, breathwork offers an opportunity to release any energy that has been unconsciously residing in the body or energetic system. Once those energies are released, there is more space for your inherent life force to flow through you.
There are little-to-no rules when it comes to establishing your own breathwork routine: You can practice in person with a teacher (in a group or solo setting), tune into a digital session, or guide yourself through a breath sequence from home or in the middle of your workday.
How is breathwork different from meditation or yoga?
Breathing practices are on the rise, and here’s a reason why: unlike meditation, where we are aware of our mental chatter, breathwork allows us to disconnect from the mind and reconnect with our body and energy. From this elevated state of awareness, we are able to heal, grow, and expand.
While meditation is an extremely useful form of self-reflection because it allows us to see the pace, substance, and truth of our thoughts, it also keeps us stuck in our minds, while many people are seeking to get out of their own heads. Meditation is a slow and steady practice that, over a period of time, will shift our perspective. But many people are seeking relief now, and meditation does not bring the relief they are looking for. Breathwork, on the other hand, can be easier to drop into when you are seeking more immediate feedback. It’s a great tool to pull out when you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or off-centred.
Who can benefit from breathwork?
Anyone seeking better health, stress reduction, and emotional balance can benefit from breathwork.
Individuals from all areas of life may benefit from engaging in breathwork in a broad variety of ways. Those who are looking to reduce stress, enhance their mental and emotional well-being, and raise their self-awareness can benefit tremendously from engaging in this activity. Breathwork activities have the potential to provide individuals suffering from anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress with some kind of relief. It is a technique that performers and athletes use to enhance their physical performance and reduce their anxiety before a competition.
People who suffer from chronic pain or troubles with their respiratory system may also find relief and an improvement in their quality of life. Breathwork is a practice that many people who are interested in spiritual development and self-exploration resort to in order to enter altered levels of consciousness and get a deeper knowledge of who they are. In its most basic form, breathwork is a flexible practice that has the potential to improve the lives of many people.
There is a widespread misunderstanding that those who are having difficulty or suffering are the only ones who can benefit from the healing arts. And certainly, practicing breathwork may be quite beneficial for a variety of conditions, including stress, tension, feeling overwhelmed, anxiety, despair, fear, sorrow, sadness, rage, traumatic experiences, sleeplessness, and so on. Breathwork, on the other hand, is nourishing for someone who is doing well and feels ready for the next opening—the next layer of love, serenity, gratitude, clarity, and connection—and can benefit someone who is already doing well.
Doing breathwork with a teacher? Here’s what to expect.
There are different ways that breathwork can be facilitated based on the guide who is leading you. (If you are new to breathwork and want to connect with a teacher to get started, look for a practitioner who has completed all levels of the training, who has been guiding others and has experience, and who has a presence that makes you feel comfortable.)
Your experience will vary depending on the type of breathwork your practitioner is teaching, but no matter what, you can expect to actively breathe throughout the session. As you’re breathing, your teacher might speak to you about the journey. You may follow their guidance or have your own unique experience. Trust that the breath will take you to where you need to go for the deepest level of healing available to you at that time.
HOW TO PRACTICE THE WIMHOF METHOD BREATHWORK! (example)
What it is:
A controlled breathing exercise developed by Wim Hof and included in the Wim Hof Method. There are brief periods of breath retention (breath holding) and brief periods of hyperventilation.
What to expect:
This is a controlled hyperventilation exercise, so you can expect physical, mental, and emotional sensations normally associated with hyperventilation, like light-headedness and tingling in the hands and feet. It is also possible that you could faint during the exercise; it is absolutely vital that you practice this exercise in a safe place in case you do faint. It is normal to feel intense emotions or end up crying or laughing during the breathwork. Afterward, you may feel energized, awakened, or euphoric.
Where and when to do it:
In the morning, before breakfast. (Hof advises doing this breathwork on an empty stomach.) Make sure you’re somewhere safe and in a comfortable position, in a seat or on the floor, where you would be okay if you were to fall. Never practice this exercise in the water, while driving, or in any other situation where fainting could put you in danger.
How to do it:
Hyperventilation. Sitting or lying down in a comfortable, safe place, begin to breathe consciously. Slowly breathe from your belly, making your breaths deeper until each one fills your lungs completely. When you exhale, don’t force it—just let the air go. Fall into a steady rhythm, keeping track of your breaths until you reach thirty or forty breaths.
Breath retention. After the final exhale, refrain from breathing back in. Hold your breath as long as you can. It’s not unusual to reach somewhere between one and three minutes, and as you practice, you can expect your breath-retention time to get longer. When the urge to breathe gets uncomfortable, take one more deep breath and hold it for another ten to fifteen seconds.
Repetition. Repeat the hyperventilation-and-breath-retention cycle for a total of three or four rounds.
What to keep in mind: This exercise should feel strenuous but never too uncomfortable. It should be done without forcing anything. If it becomes too hard or unpleasant, simply stop the exercise and try again later—it gets easier with practice.
There are three reasons why breathwork is so powerful!
- You’ll tap into your inner knowing.
The first benefit of breathwork is that the innate wisdom of your breath and life force knows exactly where to go for the level of healing that is available for you at any given time. As the breath opens meridians and channels and aligns your body with its inherent and universal energy, healing happens. There is no need to think, process, or figure anything out after a session. Knowing you can receive clarity and peace without thinking is revelatory.
- You’ll feel empowered.
In a breathwork session, you do not need to imbibe an external substance, so there is an inner empowerment that comes from you. Your breath can become the source of answers to questions, insights to challenges, freedom from feeling stuck, and downloads to what’s next for you, your life, and your work in the world.
- You’ll gain a new perspective on life’s challenges.
Breathwork supports so many of the challenges everyone experiences. It reduces stress and creates feelings of openness, love, peace, gratitude, clarity, communication, and connection. Breathwork also helps release trauma or mental, physical, and emotional blocks, as well as anxiety, depression, fear, grief, and anger. Last, it can help people receive insights from ancestors and loved ones who have transitioned, as well as downloads about work, creativity, finances, relationships, or health conditions.
In Conclusion!
We have explored the profound impact of breathing on our health and well-being, shedding light on the often neglected aspect of over breathing. By understanding the breathing reflex and its role in maintaining a delicate balance of CO2 in our bodies, we have uncovered the key to unlocking our innate healing abilities. Over breathing can have far-reaching effects, disrupting metabolic, endocrine, and psychophysiological systems and creating a complex web of symptoms. The interplay between these systems makes addressing both physical and psychological aspects essential for restoring harmony.
The breathing reflex awareness exercise offers a simple yet potent method to break free from the vicious cycle of imbalance. Embracing the pause and cultivating self-awareness, we can gradually shift towards a more balanced respiration and find relief amidst life’s challenges. This journey of breathing better and living better is an ongoing exploration, where each conscious breath becomes a powerful tool for restoring harmony and unleashing our extraordinary potential. As we integrate mindful breathing into our daily routines and embrace a holistic lifestyle, we cultivate transformative wellness in both body and mind.
Together, we can share our experiences and insights, inspiring others to embark on this journey of self-discovery and well-being. Let us create a community that celebrates the importance of breathing and collectively elevates our well-being. So take a moment now to pause, to breathe with intention and gratitude, and to embrace the simplicity and wisdom within each breath. You hold the power—the magical ability to unlock the true essence of life, hidden in the pause.
“With each breath, breathe better, and truly live better”