How Breathwork Absolutely Changed My Life
Have you ever been in a dark place in your life? You know, the place where everything is fine but the world around you seems dull and lifeless? Where you should be happy but you’re not. You don’t feel emotions as deeply as you should. And you’ve tried everything, but nothing seems to help. Sound familiar? It does to me too.
Last year I was in that place in my life when I lost my mother. I struggled with unresolved traumas and grief and it was deeply affecting my mental health. Seeing a therapist consistently helped me, but it wasn’t getting to the root of my grief and trauma.
A few months ago, I was talking to my friend about it when she mentioned breathwork. She said it helped her move through her emotional traumas and asked me to give it a try. I was curious, so I asked for more details. She said she would breathe for 45 minutes and sometimes she would sob and shake. And every time she felt like her tension and mental blockages dissolved at the end.
I was very skeptical to try it at first, but she wasn’t the first to express the benefits of breathwork to me. And what if this was the modality that finally helped me? I was very intrigued so I started digging deeper.
What is Breathwork Therapy?
Breathwork is a form of active meditation where you focus on a specific breathing pattern for a set amount of time. Like mindfulness meditation, you focus on feeling grounded and present with your breath. And when your mind wanders off into thoughts you come back to your breath. By breathing more deeply and dynamically, you can also improve your body’s oxygenation.
There are different types of breathwork you can try out and it can be daunting to find a starting point. I was very overwhelmed by all the options and scared to try it on my own.
So, my friend introduced me to her coach, Jenn Mansell. Jenn is a Toronto-based Breathwork facilitator and Somatic Coach.
Jenn facilitates private and group Conscious Connected Breathwork sessions. And she offered to talk to me about it. So I called her and asked all the burning questions I had: what is the technique called? How do you do breathwork? What are the benefits? Is there any training involved? How do I start? She was very patient with me as she answered my questions.
What is Conscious Connected Breathwork?
Conscious Connected Breathwork evolved from a technique called Rebirthing Breathwork by Leonard Orr. Breathwork has been around since the 1970s. It focuses on helping people move through their traumas and unresolved emotions. It also helps people reduce stress and helps regulate their nervous system.
In Conscious Connected Breathwork there are no pauses between your inhales and exhales. You breathe deeply into your diaphragm and take in as much oxygen as possible but your exhale is passive. You let go of your breath gently as you connect it to your next inhale. This creates an energetic circle with your breathing pattern. It is very simple and very effective.
How To Do Breathwork?
Music is an important part of breathwork therapy. Focusing on the tempo helps you go deeper into the experience. It also acts as an anchoring point for the breathing technique.
There are three parts to this practice: the build-up, the peak and the end. You build up by breathing faster and deeper until you reach the peak. Then you start to slow your breathing as you approach the end. This is the point where you have moments of clarity and tension release.
People also speak of experiencing altered states of consciousness [1]. Some people feel euphoria, ecstatic joy and have breakthroughs. And others shake, sob and move through deep and dark emotions that held them back. And some people emerge on the other side simply feeling, lighter, clear-headed and focused.
After hearing all that, I explained my skepticism to Jenn about trying it on my own. So she invited me to a group session she was hosting online every Friday night.
How Breathwork Changed My Life
So I joined the online Breathwork class with Jenn one Friday. And the beginning was brutal!
Even with Jenn’s voice guiding me I found myself tossing, turning and extremely unfocused. I tried making excuses to get out of it, then I kept fighting the urge to get up and check on something. Have you watched the movie Eat, Pray, Love? I felt like I was in that meditation scene where Liz struggles to quiet her mind and finally gives up on meditating. I did not want to be Liz, so I focused.
Once I settled in the rhythm of the breathing pattern, I noticed subtle changes in my body. There was a soft tingling on my face; then it rippled all over my skin. So I started breathing even deeper. Then waves of energy started coursing through me and my body started buzzing. Suddenly, the breathing pattern came naturally to me and I no longer wanted to stop. I could feel every cell in my body wake up as the tension and resistance started to melt away.
As we approached the peak, idle memories from my childhood rushed in. Like watching the sunset from our tiny apartment, playing with my friends, hearing my mother singing in the kitchen, and Sunday morning cartoons with cereal.
And Then The Breakthrough Happened…
As I slowed down my breathing after the peak, I suddenly felt myself thinking about my mother. Memories from the day of her funeral flooded back in. I remembered my grief — how much I struggled to process it, the pain I felt at that loss and I started to well up.
I hadn’t cried about my mother since her passing, so the tears were very welcome. More memories of her started to flood back in. Then my tears turned into heavy sobbing and shaking, my body was peeling the layers of my grief and letting go of it ounce by ounce.
After the session, my body felt lighter, my tension had all melted away. My mind felt still, and I felt more deeply relaxed than I had felt for a very long time. So I decided to join again next Friday and every week since I have had a profound experience.
And All I Did Was Breathe!
I know what you’re thinking! How can a simple breathing technique dramatically change someone as a person? I felt the same way when my friend first told me about her experience.
But I kept going back week after week, and within a couple of months, I had worked through all of my grief. Something I did not feel was possible for me to experience for a long time. On top of that, I had more energy and felt motivated to make changes in my lifestyle. I felt more grounded, I started working out, eating healthier, and pursuing my hobbies again.
So How Does Breathwork Benefit Your Body?
You will have your own unique experience with breathwork, everyone does. I have experienced these benefits in my life after doing breathwork consistently for a couple of months.
- Enhanced Self-awareness
- Lowered Stress Levels [2]
- Boost In Self-confidence [3]
- Improved Mood
- Improved Sleep Patterns
- Increased Lung Capacity
- Improved Cognitive Functions [4]
So How Do You Start A Breathwork Practice?
Do you feel like you are holding onto heavy emotions and trauma? Are you ready to get on with your life by releasing and letting it go? If so then starting a breathwork practice is for you and I highly recommend you give it a try.
I urge that you reach out to a professional breathwork facilitator when you are ready. And if you don’t know where to start, I welcome you to join Jenn Mansell’s breathwork sessions on Fridays at 7 pm. It is a brilliant starting point for anyone who wants to try this out before committing to it. (Check out Jenn’s Instagram for the link and to stay updated on any schedule changes.)
All you have to do is find a cozy place where you can lie down and breathe. Keep an open mind, everyone has a unique experience that is profound for them.
Yes, it is that simple! All you have to do is show up to your breathwork practice consistently to see results. And I promise you, you won’t be disappointed!
Disclaimer: If you have any medical conditions please consult a doctor or a medical professional before trying breathwork.
Sources:
1. https://ibfbreathwork.org/conscious-connected-breathwork/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5455070/
