The short and sweet answer: when you calm your body, you calm your mind. The mind and body are intimately connected. As we breathe mindfully, fully, and deeply, our physiology enters a unique state. In turn, one’s mind and state of consciousness shifts to reflect the new state of the body and breath. Whether it’s calmness, excitation, or any other state, the mind and body reflect each other chemically and behaviorally. Breathwork naturally invites our attention inward: into the sensations of our breath and body. As we breathe, we shift out of our heads and into present-moment awareness. We let go of control and flow with the moment. Our minds are so often preoccupied with the past and future. They pendulum back and forth between regret and speculation. Breathwork creates a mindful interruption to the normal tendencies of our psyche, inviting us deeper into these present moments, as we let go and breathe.

Calm Body, Calm Mind

Mindful breathing invites our body into a unique state. We fill up and we let go, over and over again. As we cycle through our breathing, using our chosen technique, the cells of the body are enlivened with consciousness, oxygen, energy, and invitations to release what no longer serves. A calm body produces a calm mind. Please note: There are many different breathing techniques. In some cases, the ‘calming’ effect is revealed in the aftermath of the practice and not necessarily while you’re practicing. Yet, you have an opportunity to find calmness in the little moments weaved throughout your practice (on the exhale and in-between breaths are prime locations). Calmness can be discovered both in the process and in the results.

Point Of Focus / Object Of Attention

As we practice Breathwork, we are invited out of our minds and into the more subtle realms of consciousness: the breath, the body, the subtle body, intuition, presence. Thematically, we move from thinking to feeling, from intellectual to somatic. One of the ways in which Breathwork calms the mind is its offering of unique points of focus. The mind is so often fixed upon the content of our lives. We get wrapped up in stories, narratives, judgments, and assumptions. When we breathe mindfully, we move away from content and into the feeling and Being layers of self-awareness. Common points of focus include sensations of breathing (belly, chest, nostrils, mouth), sensations in the body, third eye center (pineal gland), top of the head (crown chakra). Some techniques invite fixed points of focus, others invite malleability throughout the process, or remain undefined. When we practice Breathwork, we surrender our thinking mind and immerse ourselves into the feeling state of this moment.

Lifestyle Interruption

Our modern lifestyles are generally high-demand and fast-paced. We have grown accustomed to go go go, next next next, more more more. Breathwork is a beautiful invitation to create an interruption to the trajectory of that energy; to slow down and connect with ourselves on a profound level. The value of this inner experience is immense. We get to take the benefit back out into the world with us, as us. Whenever you upgrade yourself, using your chosen practice, you become empowered to upgrade the world. Breathwork is self-love and personal growth in motion. We take the benefit of this practice into every aspect of our lives. When we choose to consciously interrupt the same-old status quo in our lives, unfathomable gifts await us. Breathwork is a powerful tool that serves us well on this evolutionary journey. If you’re ready to get started, inquire within.