On Breathwork
There’s a reason Ill never go viral or appease the algorithm gods into a large account. Well a few I suppose; mainly I just dont care enough about being a big account. But the technical reason is that I find it physically impossible to stick to one topic. Ultimately this post comes back to self-care and doing the inner work so we can actualize our purpose and dreams.
A few years back I did meditation teacher training, I taught enough classes to fulfill my practicum and then needed some time to integrate the learning into my own life and practice. (also pandemic) We did learn breathwork and I taught a few light breathwork sessions. There are many contraindications and I was fresh.
Yesterday I did a deep dive breathwork session. The last time I did this was pre-pandemic, pre teacher training and I recall getting mdma high on my own breath. It was life changing, not because of the high but because of the release. In breathwork sessions like these we simulate a sympathetic stress response in our bodies, and reach altered states of consciousness where we’re able to access and move stuck energy, memories or emotions and gain insight we might not otherwise. Complete the stress cycle and release the energy.
Originally started when LSD and other mind altering drugs were banned mid century. Well to be clear breathing goes back even farther *badum ting* 🥁😂Many ancient cultures and shamanic practices use breath, but this type of hyper-breathing as a therapeutic session roots into the 60’s and Stan Grof’s Holotropic Breathwork. People have re-experienced their own births. It goes deep.
Point is, sometimes we need to go deeper. Even as a “trained meditator” whatever that is, I still avoid the work. Avoid feeling the feelings. Don’t take the time to physically acknowledge what’s present to be able to release it. There is no way around them, the only way is through. Check in on your practices, do you have any? Are you doing them? Breath by James Nestor is a fabulous easy-to-read book if you want to dive deeper on this topic and all things going well Ill be breathing with some of you soon! 😉