Breathing fully and freely allows us to feel fully and freely, which in turn empowers us to live fully and freely.
What is Breathwork?
Breathwork comprises various practices which encompass regulating the way that one breathes, particularly in order to promote mental, emotional and physical health.
(Oxford English Dictionary)
Breath is life. From the moment that we take our very first life-giving breath, until the moment that life leaves the body, our breath is a constant, faithful and trusted companion that acts as a bridge between the physical, mental, emotional, relational and spiritual aspects of our being.
Breathing is completely automatic and can also be brought completely under our control, offering us a wonderful opportunity to balance the body-mind system, self-regulate and enhance performance in all aspects of our lives.
Breathwork is both an art and a science, utilising a wide range of tools and techniques for the purposes of awareness, regulation, resilience, integration and transformation.
Benefits of Breathwork
Body
Breathe fully and freely
Most of us are using only a third of our respiratory capacity, meaning that our cells are not getting the oxygen that we require for optimal health. Our breath is our link with life, but we rarely pay much attention to the quality of how we breathe. Breathwork can be used to remove restrictive holding patterns and improve and expand our breathing, bringing a number of physical benefits including:
More energy and vitality
Increased respiratory capacity
Greater sense of embodiment
Relief from muscular tension
Reduces inflammation
Strengthened immunity and faster recovery
Enhanced cardiac function and circulation
Rebalanced nervous system
Better posture
Improved digestion and relief from IBS and constipation
Increased metabolism
Supporting detoxification by stimulating the lymphatic system
Better sleep
Mind & Emotions
Feel fully and freely
When used in specific ways, breathwork enables us to become aware of and address any limiting or self-sabotaging beliefs, habits, behaviours and patterns. Perhaps more importantly, through the felt-experience of the breath we are able to integrate unprocessed emotions that are often inaccessible through the more conventional talking therapies. The mental and emotional benefits include:
Reduced stress and anxiety
Relief from burnout, overwhelm or depression
More resilience
Profound levels of relaxation
A sense of peace and calm
Increased clarity and focus
Overcoming addictions
Clearing past traumas and other negative life experiences
Self-acceptance and compassion
Supporting recovery from bereavement
More balance and harmony
Improved self-esteem
Increased levels of positivity and overall enjoyment of life
And Beyond…
Live fully and freely
By opening and expanding the breath, we are also increasing our capacity for living our fullest potential and connecting with self, others and the planet. By incorporating breathwork into your life, you can experience some of the following benefits:
Expanded awareness
Greater sense of freedom
Personal growth
Creating new neural pathways
More presence
Improved relationships
Access to a state of flow
Experiencing non-ordinary states of consciousness / self-transcendence
More creativity
Deeper connection with inner wisdom
Greater sense of meaning and purpose
Fuller expression of love and joy
Increased capacity for sensual pleasure
Enhanced meditation or yoga practices
What I offer
The breathwork sessions that I offer, whether as one-to-one sessions, workshops or longer retreats, combine psychoeducation and experiential exercises and can be highly individualised and tailored according to each client’s specific needs and goals. I draw from an extensive toolkit of research-based breathing techniques, depending on whether you are looking to harness the power of the breath to increase self-awareness, improve physical or mental performance, better equip yourself to manage stress and anxiety, free yourself from cultural conditioning and parental programming, integrate unprocessed emotional trauma, or explore non-ordinary states of consciousness.
Contact me to discuss your needs via the form below, or email me at lifeandbreath.coach@gmail.com
Contact me.
If you would like to learn more about how I can support you though coaching, breathwork or a combination of the two, please get in touch via the contact form below, or email me at lifeandbreath.coach@gmail.com
Breaking free from the chains that bind the breath can often be more effective than wilfully trying to change the breath through manipulation or force. It is a process of undoing, of identifying and releasing your specific holding patterns and allowing the now-liberated natural breath to emerge.