WHAT IS BREATHWORK?

Have you ever noticed how your breathing changes when you are stressed, anxious, or angry? How it becomes shallow, rapid, or irregular? And how this affects your mood, energy, and well-being?

Breathing is not only essential for life, but also for health, happiness, and harmony. It is the link between your body and mind, and the key to unlocking your full potential. By learning how to breathe consciously and intentionally, you can transform your life in many ways.

Breathwork is a powerful practice that uses various breathing techniques to create positive changes in your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual levels.

 It can help you:

• Release stress and tension

• Calm your mind and emotions

• Boost your immune system and vitality

• Heal trauma and pain

• Increase your creativity and intuition

• Connect with your true self and purpose

• And more!

Breathwork works by activating your natural healing abilities, and stimulating the flow of energy in your body. It also helps you access altered states of consciousness, where you can experience deep insights, visions, and revelations.

Breathwork can be done in different ways, depending on your goals and preferences. 

Some of the most common types of breathwork are:

• Holotropic Breathwork: This is a form of breathwork that uses fast and deep breathing, along with music and bodywork, to induce a non-ordinary state of consciousness. It is designed to facilitate self-exploration, healing, and transformation.

• Rebirthing Breathwork: This is a form of breathwork that uses circular and connected breathing, along with affirmations and relaxation, to release negative emotions and beliefs that are stored in the subconscious mind. It is based on the idea that our birth trauma affects our personality and behavior.

• Transformational Breathwork: This is a form of breathwork that uses diaphragmatic breathing, along with sound, movement, and coaching, to clear physical and emotional blockages and enhance personal growth. It is focused on improving the quality and quantity of the breath.

There have been tests showing that people breathe about 20,000 times a  day, yet most of us are neither breathing properly nor deep enough.  We’re taking shallow breaths that causes depression as well as anxiety.  

No one’s telling us to breathe from our belly outside of a yoga class.  Yet, belly breathing promotes peace and immediately calms us down as we  invite more oxygen into our body. It also connects us to our truth. 

Our  answers lie within, we just need to gain access to them. Taking full  complete breaths actually changes you on a physiological level by  creating a new balance between consciousness and unconsciousness, while  restoring balance in the sympathetic (fight/flight) and the  parasympathetic (relax / heal) nervous systems. 

This breathing exercise  releases oxytocin while managing and calming cortisol. Breathing from  the belly unlocks blocked energy and other stresses, allowing you to  open up space for solutions, inspiration, and hope. 

The benefits of this  simple and safe practice are many and are often immediate.

Some benefits of Breathwork…

• helps improve the functioning of all organs, as the body oxygenates and the diaphragm massages the stomach, small intestine, liver, pancreas and heart. It improves memory and digestion, fatigue is reduced, and promotes better sleep.

• facilitates the detoxification process by stimulating the lymphatic system as it releases carbon monoxide, which is important to fully release. Breathing allows for 70% of toxins to be cleansed from the body (the other 30% is released through bladder and bowels.) 

• boosts immunity by raising the pH to an alkaline state, increasing the body’s ability to kill bacteria.

• improves physical endurance and performance because the inhaled oxygen is given access to the deepest parts of the lungs, namely to the alveoli, which helps fuel the muscles. When muscles have insufficient oxygen, lactic acid builds up, creating cramps and temporary muscle soreness.
• increases energy due to the activation of the Parasympathetic Nervous System which helps relax the over-stressed adrenal glands. Oxygen provides 90% of the body’s energy.

• reduces stress and induces calm because the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) is stimulated in an intentional and controlled way for a certain amount of time while breathing through the mouth, followed by a deliberate activation of the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) activation by breathing naturally through the nose for at least 10 minutes.

• brings clarity, focus and/or relaxation as the brain shuts off during the session and emotions are released. Carbon dioxide levels in the bloodstream drop, reducing the oxygen flow to the brain. The frontal part (analytical, intellectual) of the brain is put on standby to give way to the work of the subconscious mind. This is called Transient Hyper-Frontality. People may experience euphoria, a feeling of being invincible, a reduced state of discomfort, and even a loss in sense of time - physiologically similar to "runner's high".

A typical breathwork session lasts about an hour and a half, and consists of three parts:

• Pre-talk: This is where we discuss your goals, expectations, and any questions you may have. We also establish rapport and trust, and explain how breathwork works and what to expect.

• Breathing: This is where we guide you through a specific breathing technique, using verbal instructions, music, touch, or other tools. You will lie down comfortably on a mat or a bed, and breathe deeply and rhythmically for about an hour.

• Integration: This is where we help you process and integrate your experience, using reflection, sharing, journaling, or other methods. You will also receive feedback and suggestions for further practice.

Breathwork is done fully dressed, lying down on your back while loud  music is playing to help motivate, relax and release anything that’s  stuck. It’s powerful and often profound. It can start to feel  challenging in the beginning, but after a while it almost feels as if  you’re drunk on your own energy.  

This voluntary hyperventilation  through the mouth modifies the blood flow and lowers carbon dioxide and  can lead to an intense physical and emotional release. It’s normal to  feel unusual physical sensations such as tingling, dizziness, shivering,  or cramping; and unconscious crying or laughing may occur. Some people  may experience tetany, cramps or muscle spasms in the hands, feet or  face, related to blocked energies, from anger to past traumas. 

This also  might be due to an over-energized exhale, or a deficiency in magnesium,  potassium or sodium in your body. I make sure to remind my students  that they can stop the active breathing through the mouth and go back to  a natural nose breath at any time. Breathing from the belly releases  blocked energy. It is an intense physical, mental and emotional  experience. Emotions then move freely, creating a path for the mind.

 For  an effective session, it’s advised to do at least 18-minutes. With one  breath, one simple invitation to be present and mindful, everything gets  transformed.

Breathwork is for you if you want to release stress, increase physical and mental endurance and/or just simply live better. 

I’ve had students ages 14 to 82 take my classes. 

However, Breathwork is not advised for certain people : Two-Stage Breathwork can lead to an intense physical and emotional release. This technique can be compared to a high intensity workout. 

If your doctor has advised you not to engage in this type of activity, or if you have health problems that could be exacerbated by this intense breathing practice, it is advised that you DO NOT ATTEMPT Breathwork. 

Contact me directly, so I can give you a modified breathing technique to do. After talking, we might realize that you can do it, but you just have to slow down and I'll be there to watch you. If in doubt, consult your doctor.

If you do try this breathing technique and experience heart palpitations, dizziness, nausea, or tingling in your lips, all you have to do is stop the Breathwork through your mouth and go back to nasal breathing. 

It’s pretty easy to get off the ride, just make sure you listen to your body.

Please consult your doctor or speak to me ahead of time if you have any of the following…

• History of cardiovascular disease, including angina or heart attack, high blood pressure, glaucoma, retinal detachment, severe case of osteoporosis.
• Significant recent physical injuries or surgery.
• Severe mental illness, seizure disorders or if you’re using major medications.
• Personal or family history of aneurysms.
• Pregnant.
• Asthma. Bring inhaler.

It is an active breathing process that combines an ancient two-stage breath technique with upbeat  positive music to help strengthen the body and calm and steady the mind.  The first breath is in the lower diaphragm or in the belly, the second  breath is at the top of the diaphragm or high chest.

Box breathing,  also referred to as square breathing, is a deep breathing technique that  can help you slow down your breathing. It works by distracting your  mind as you count to four, calming your nervous system, and decreasing  stress in your body.

This is a more advanced technique. When you inhale, your abdominal  muscles are relaxed. When you exhale, engage your core to help push the  air out of your body. This breathing technique may take some practice. Once achieved, it helps to provide a sense of steadiness. 

If you practice the breath of fire 5 to 15 minutes every day,  it is the best way to keep the blood purified. (Start with 3 minutes  and work calmly until 5, then 10-15 minutes) 31 minutes of breath of  fire every day will regulate the pituitary gland.

Pranayama is the practice of breath regulation.  It's a main component of yoga, an exercise for physical and mental  wellness. In Sanskrit, “prana” means life energy and “yama” means  control. The practice of pranayama involves breathing exercises and  patterns.

There are various techniques that can cure anxiety and stress. Shitali pranayama,  which is a cooling form of pranyama, is great for calming the mind and  body, resulting in lower hypertension and relaxed nerves.

Scientific studies have proven that Wim Hof Breathing makes your blood more alkaline (less acidic) and causes hypoxia,  which is “a form of stress at the cellular level.” 

This is a positive  stressor in this case and can help the body deal with other negative  stressors better in the long term in everyday life.

       If you are interested in breathwork and want to find out how it can help you, why not book a free consultation with us today? You can call us at (850-687-9511) or fill out the contact form to schedule your appointment. 

We are looking forward to hearing from you and helping you breathe better!

  ***   I suggest you don’t eat for 2 hours before session  ***

If  you eat before breathwork, the blood will be diverted to the stomach for  digestion and prevents you from dropping into these  non-ordinary-states.

 I also suggest limiting fluids to avoid needing to  go to the bathroom during the session.