" Breathwork is an enormous piece of what I call: The Medicine Inside. Your breath is always available and accessible to you in all moments. It's a truly beautiful gift that we all have. Beyond the physical benefits, breath takes us to another level emotionally, mentally and spiritually. For me, the most important aspect of breath is the return to me" - Erica Benedicto 

So, what is Breathwork exactly?

Breathwork is a general term for "a variety of techniques that allow conscious control of the breath in order to enhance and elevate physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being and overall health." To me, breathwork is a form of active meditation. Evolutionary, the breath is something that speeds up and shallows involuntarily when we're in the sympathetic nervous system, 'fight or flight' mode. When we slow breath and consciously breathe deeper and to our full lung capacity, it places us into the parasympathetic nervous system, our calm, connect, rest and digest mode. 

You all know how good it feels to take a long, deep breath, well breathwork is based on that simple principle. But how often, in the midst of our busy days, do you sit with your breath and consciously slow and deepen the breath? This simple act places our mind and body into a calm and more relaxed state. When we are stressed or our mind is anxious or worried, our breath is found and felt in the upper part of our chest. We forget, we are unable to focus, we ruminate and just go into autopilot. But when we stop and mindfully control the breath we can reach all the way down to the diaphragm, deep into the belly, which will allow for a fuller, slower and m ore present human experience. We gain clarity and creativity, we open and allow. We get a glimpse into our consciousness and often our soul. Breathwork and conscious breathing brings you to you, back to yourself and the now moment. 

Why is breathwork so effective and what happens to your physical body during breathwork?

If you want to truly understand why breathwork is so powerful, you have to start! It's hard to put into words how powerful this connection to self to become. The effectiveness is in the exchange that occurs, the physiological effect. When we get a full inhale, we take in essential oxygen that invigorates our cells, our organs, all the systems, our entire body and exhale carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a weak acid and when too much builds up, it places extra stress  on our nervous system, keeping us in that fight or flight mode. Breath is our life force, the universal force! Dr. Kunso of Yale University stated "There are so many evidence-based studies done on pranayama, full deep belly breathing, its benefits include boosting the immune system, heart health, decreasing blood pressure, asthma, anxiety, and improving brain function." On a deeper level, because our inside world colors our outside one, when we are in a calm and peaceful state and our body feels fully relaxed, our lens and perspective change. It's both a biological and a spiritual shift and with the right breath we gain a more expansive view of all the goodness that life has to offer. 

This week we are going to explore some basic breathwork techniques for beginners! We will dive into some techniques that we can easily apply to our daily lives to help relieve tension, stress, and even reduce chronic pain. Breathwork helps move stuck energy in the body. People tend to feel tingly sensations moving throughout the body during a breath session. Be aware that it is normal for emotions such as fear, sadness and resistance to surface. Through breathwork we will learn to release. We will use Breathwork is a tool for healing! It get's you out of your head and connected to your body - as we connect to our breath the mind begins to relax, endorphins are released, and your heart will begin to open up. 

Journal Prompt:

I want you all to be conscious and mindful of your intentions as we explore the mindful practice of breathwork. 

Today take a moment to make an entry into your journal about your relationship with breath.

What are your feelings, worries, or concerns surrounding trying a breathwork practice?

Join me tomorrow for our first video guided Mindful Breathwork technique!

Much love,

Katie