I am integrating breathwork in all my services: the Qigong Flow practices and our sound journey sessions (private and groups). As a certified Conscious Connected Breath facilitator I am using this technique in private sessions and when appropriate in sound journeys.
Breathwork is a core modality in Yoga and Qigong practices. It is the bridge between the physical body and the mind. As we focus on the breath it allows us to be in the present moment, quiet the mind and be centered, and The basic purpose of the breathwork is to build and strengthen the neural pathway that relaxes our thinking mind completely and directs the spotlight of our attention inward. In other words, it stops our “monkey mind” jumping from one thought to another one.
So yes, breathwork is a very effective technique to release stress and anxiety, support mental clarity, and sharpen focus.
Yoga and Qigong practices use different breathing exercises depending on what needs to be achieved: from an energizing Yang breath, bringing in more oxygen and stimulating the nervous system (sympathetic nervous system), to a Yin smooth and slow breath calming the nervous system (parasympathetic nervous system) and the one balancing both.. Other breathing exercises can target our digestive system, igniting our digestive “fire”, others such as purging breath focus on releasing emotions and toxicity, others will help with allergies, or help to absorb oxygen more efficiently into the cells, tissues and muscles, improve Qi (life force energy) circulation, strengthen our immune system, overall work on our life force energy (Qi).
Breath is also the bridge between the internal Qi and external Qi, so we can work on the auric field or magnetic field.
On the scientific side, breathwork affects mood by elevating levels of a brain chemical called GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid) which is associated with better mood and decreased anxiety.
I am now offering private sessions of conscious Connected breath which includes a sound journey. The CCB method is similar to the circular breathing, Holotropic breath, Shamanic breath, and Transformative Breath.
This is such an important benefit from the Conscious Connected Breath (CCB) that it deserves more attention. When we repress emotions and certain memories as a way to protect us from painful feelings, we are NOT processing them and it can show up as an illness. this technique of breathwork allows us to connect with these emotions in a healthy and safe way, coming from our heart and not our head as it bypasses the left part of the brain (thinking mind) and connects with the right side of the brain, our feminine, intuitive and creative mind.
CCB allows us to see things from a higher perspective, connecting to our True self, our inner intelligence. Naturally, our attention tends to be directed outward, toward the details of the problems that we are trying to solve. While this pattern of attention is necessary when solving problems analytically, it actually prevents us from detecting the connections that lead to insights and intuition. When you start doing breathwork on a regular basis, you will have more access to this inner intelligence that can produce the answers to the questions that our thinking minds cannot resolve through analysis.
Breath is the gateway between the conscious mind and subconscious mind. It is a tool to access a greater state of consciousness as it allows us to tap into our subconscious mind where all thoughts, beliefs and emotions are stored.