What Is Breathwork?

DID YOU KNOW…

That your ability to control your breath is actually your hidden superpower?

Your breath gives you control over your state of mind and your body’s chemistry—giving you access to your experience in a way most people never realize is possible.

Breathwork is a practice you can utilize RIGHT NOW to overcome trauma, develop yourself, and live both a happier and healthier life.

BREATHWORK IS AN UMBRELLA TERM…

When people say breathwork they could be referring to a myriad of different controlled breathing practices that have the power to improve your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

All breathwork is a modern form of pranayama—a practice with a long history on the Indian subcontinent. In pranayama, the breath is used as a tool to calm the mind, regulate the body’s energy, and improve physical and mental well-being.

As breathwork has gained popularity, scientists have been studying the practice as a form of alternative therapy for treating physical, mental, and emotional issues. 

WE’VE ALL DONE SOME FORM OF BREATHWORK BEFORE.

You’ve probably taken a deep breath before to calm yourself down—this is a form of basic breathwork.

Breathwork isn’t one single technique, but a range of practices that each have different effects on the body-mind. Some examples are slow and deep breathing, alternate nostril breathing, and even holding one’s breath for short periods of time. 

The technique I teach is called circular breathwork. It’s a specific type of breathwork that involves breathing through the mouth in a circular pattern. 

A common misconception of this technique is that it is a form of hyperventilation. This could not be farther from the truth. With breathwork, we actually try to take in as much oxygen as we can. It’s a deliberate and intentional practice that is used to influence your body’s chemistry and achieve certain physical benefits, such as increased energy and reduced stress, as well as mental benefits such as increased focus and reduced anxiety. 

There have been several studies that indicate breathwork is the opposite of hyperventilation and that the two practices have different physiological effects.

Circular breathwork is an advanced breathwork technique that should be performed under the guidance of an experienced teacher, at least the first few times. This is especially true if you have pre-existing medical conditions. 

My goal is to guide you through this experience enough that you can practice it on your own.

HOW DOES BREATHWORK HEAL?

When you do breathwork, you control and use your breath to affect your physical, mental, and emotional body. This allows you to tap into different states of consciousness and into the body’s natural healing abilities.

Here’s what happens to your body during controlled breathing:

  • Your cells receive a higher amount of oxygen, which can help reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety. 

  • Your nervous system responds to the breathwork by activating the relaxation response and reducing feelings of stress and anxiety. Studies show that breathwork gives you the ability to tap into your parasympathetic nervous system. These practices can reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety. 

  • Your brain produces more alpha waves, which are associated with feelings of calm and relaxation. 

  • You think less and tap into your intuition with the help of transient hypofrontality. This is a temporary reduction in activity in the frontal regions of the brain, which are associated with higher-level cognitive processes such as attention, decision-making, and self-awareness. 

  • Your ego dissolves by reducing activity in certain areas of the brain.  One of the areas that has less activity is the frontal cortex a.k.a. the “default mode network.” The DMN is a network of brain regions that is highly active when the brain is at rest and not engaged in any specific task. It has been associated with a number of cognitive processes, including self-referential thinking, mind-wandering, and the sense of self. By reducing activity in the DMN, breathwork may be able to promote a temporary state of “ego-dissolution” in which the sense of self is diminished and the individual is less likely to be attached to their thoughts and feelings. 

Controlled breathing practices, such as circular breathwork, can regulate the nervous system, release emotions, reduce stress, and improve physical health. Or in simple terms—breathwork can quiet your inner critic, calm the monkey mind, balance your mood, and promote a deep sense of inner peace.

OKAY, BUT WHAT DOES IT ACTUALLY FEEL LIKE?

Here’s EXACTLY what you can expect from a breathwork session with me:

The breathwork technique is performed lying down on your back in a comfortable position. It’s best to keep your back straight so you can inhale deeply. Do not use a pillow under your head unless you really need it, as this can obstruct the throat and make it difficult to breathe into your belly.

We begin breathing, which involves only three phases. I explain everything in detail during class, but basically, it’s this: two breaths in, one breath out. 

The first breath goes into the belly. The second breath in your chest. Then you let it go without pushing the air out. 

During the session with me, music plays in the background to help motivate, relax, and help you release anything that’s stuck while I verbally guide you through the process. 

Focusing on doing the technique correctly is important the first few times, which is why you need me to guide you as you get accustomed to this type of breathwork. If you correct your mistakes early on, you will very quickly develop a correct, safe, and effective technique.

Of course, you don’t want to obsess over getting everything perfect either. When you notice critical thoughts coming in, just know that it’s your mind resisting transformation. 

After about 10-15 minutes of circular breathing, the breath starts to guide you. That’s when you may have some life-changing experiences. By the end of the session, you are left feeling full of love, gratitude, joy, and peace.

Circular breathwork is powerful and profound, but it can feel a bit challenging in the beginning. Hopefully, you’ve done harder things than laying on the floor breathing! If so, you’ll be just fine and do a great job.

As with anything you do to heal, there might be some resistance. But if you push through the barriers and resistance just once, this breathwork technique will break you out of your same old cycle and clear out stress, anxiety, anger, depression, and just about any other unwanted negative emotion. 

You will know it’s working the first time you do it because how you’ll feel afterward is undeniable.

WHAT WILL YOU EXPERIENCE DURING BREATHWORK?

Breathwork is an amazing experience, but there can also be some discomfort as your body gets used to it. During a circular breathwork session, you might get some of these symptoms (most people get freaked out the first time they get them, but I can assure you these are completely normal and harmless): 

  • A tingly sensation in your hands, feet, and face

  • Dizziness, light-headedness

  • Muscle tightness in the hands and jaw. This is called “tetany” and mostly happens to beginners and people who have a calcium, magnesium, or iron deficiency. It’s not dangerous and goes away once you resume normal breathing.

  • Altered states and intense emotional release

If you do experience these symptoms, you have two options:

  1. Push through the discomfort. This is hard to do when your mind is full of resistance, but it’s also very rewarding because you get all the benefits and also build resilience. Just tell yourself “shut up and breathe” until your mind lets go of fear/panic. This is what I do every time I practice breathwork.

  2. Slow down your breathing and rebalance- you are in control. You can always pace yourself during this practice. Take a deep slow breath through your nose and exhale slowly until you feel ready to start circular breathing again. 

ARE THERE ANY CONTRAINDICATIONS FOR DOING CIRCULAR BREATHWORK?

Like most types of therapy, breathwork isn’t appropriate for everyone. It’s recommended that you consult with your healthcare provider (including any mental health provider), and also let me, your teacher, know about any health concerns before participating in a breathwork session. 

Breathwork can result in an intense physical and emotional release. Therefore, it is not advised for persons with a history of cardiovascular disease, including angina or heart attack, high blood pressure, glaucoma, retinal detachment, osteoporosis, any significant recent physical injuries or surgeries. 

Breathwork is not advised for persons with severe mental illness or seizure disorders or for persons using major medications. It is also unsuitable for anyone with a personal or family history of aneurysms. 

Pregnant women are advised against practicing breathwork without first consulting and getting approval from their primary care physician. 

Persons with asthma should bring their inhaler and consult with their primary care physician and the breathwork facilitator before their first session.

Here are the common contraindications for breathwork:

  • Cardiovascular problems

  • High or abnormal blood pressure

  • History of aneurysms

  • Epilepsy or history of seizures

  • Anyone on heavy medication

  • Severe psychiatric symptoms, particularly psychosis or paranoia

  • Bipolar depression

  • Osteoporosis

  • Recent surgery

  • Glaucoma

  • Pregnancy

  • An active addiction

  • Any person with mental illness who isn’t in treatment or lacks adequate support

Additionally, those who have experienced recent trauma or are in a highly emotional or sensitive state may not be appropriate candidates for breathwork. 

Breathwork sessions can sometimes bring up intense emotions and memories, which can be overwhelming and difficult to process without proper support. Make sure you are ready to face the difficult feelings that may come up and that you have a solid support network to help you process these feelings after the session is over.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF CIRCULAR BREATHING?

The physical benefits of doing this kind of breathing alone are worth integrating into your wellness routine. According to studies, circular breathing has the following benefits for your overall health: 

  • Massive stress relief and deep relaxation: Circular breathing has been shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for promoting relaxation and reducing stress. 

  • Improves mood, and reduces anxiety and depression: Circular breathing has been shown to increase levels of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals, which can help to improve mood and overall well-being. 

  • Enhances breathing function and immune function: Circular breathing has been shown to have a positive impact on the immune system by increasing the flow of oxygen and energy throughout the body. 

  • Relief from physical pain: Circular breathing has been shown to increase levels of endorphins, which can help reduce pain and promote well-being. 

  • Improves sleep and increases energy levels: Circular breathing has been shown to help regulate the body’s sleep-wake cycle and improve sleep quality.

But these are just the physical benefits of circular breathwork. There’s also a long list of spiritual and mental benefits that science isn’t currently researching but are just as important. Circular breathwork can result in a variety of benefits:

  • Emotional regulation

  • Manifesting greater abundance

  • Deep healing of wounds, grief, and traumas

  • Access to expanded states of consciousness, including higher guidance and clarity

  • Transcendence of the mind and emotions; awakening to the truth of who you really are

  • Mystical revelations

  • Greater self-love and more loving relationships

  • Increased connection to source

  • Overwhelming feelings of joy

  • Deep inner peace

  • Feelings of connectedness and oneness

You have so much to gain from this practice, whether you seek health benefits, spiritual benefits, or both!