Therapeutic Breathwork by Jeremy Youst
Everything breathes: breathing is the inspiration of Life within all living forms of reality. All matter is in a continual state of particle exchange. In humans, breathing is the biological basis and spiritual expression that renews life, propels awareness and focuses body-mind functioning in time and space.
Therapeutic Breathwork is the intentional application of conscious, connected breathing one-on-one or in a group setting, guided by a skilled practitioner and the Spirit of Breath, and held within the sacred container of a therapeutic relationship and community.
” The Spirit of Breath in this case refers to the multi-dimensional collective intelligence that naturally seeks harmony, balance and fulfillment, and seems to surround and guide the act of conscious breathing. Working purposefully with the Spirit of Breath for the upliftment of others inspires the arena of human relationship to a heightened level of spiritual connection and empowerment. Consciously activating the human respiratory system in concert with this intelligence seems to also support the rapid establishment of safety within the client-therapist relationship, as well as promote a heightened potential for improved self-awareness, personal transformation and the integration of trauma.
” Therapeutic Breathwork engages all aspects of body, mind and spirit in its approach to empowerment and healing. The three primary areas of benefit are:
1. Body-mind therapy
2. Personal Development 3. Spiritual Empowerment
” Each one of these areas of focus may be engaged within the full scope of a Therapeutic Breathwork session, and therefore requires a unique combination of skills on the part of the therapist. Therapeutic attention may involve cognitive agility, intention and coaching skills, understanding of trauma, body-mind awareness and even energetic and transcendent sensitivity. Regardless of this diversity, however, what makes Therapeutic Breathwork uniquely powerful and confirming is its utilization of a self- regulating, biological mechanism that is uniquely fashioned for balancing stressed nerves: the human respiratory system.
” On its own, the act of respiration naturally energizes, cleanses, purifies, uplifts and reconnects the human organism to a state of maximum balance as well as higher states of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health. A few full, relaxed exhales naturally engages the bodyʼs parasympathetic nervous system. Combining these inherent capabilities with conscious choice accelerates the healing effect by activating awareness and supporting the desire to grow and improve oneself. Therapeutic Breathwork not only enhances these qualities with conscious intent, but also seeks to engage the intelligence within the breath itself in order to escort or guide the process of self-discovery, emotional freedom and spiritual transformation.
What does a Breathwork Therapy Session Involve?
A therapeutic breathwork session typically involves approximately an hour of concentrated connected breathing coached by a breathworker that works on the levels of body, mind and spirit.
Body:
Learning how to sustain a relaxed yet full breathing rhythm through whatever tension that arises in the body is a precious gift. Chronic holding patterns in muscle as well as connective tissue can be released without exterior manipulation. Once this is learned, a life-long method of tension relief is attained. This is an art form and not a mechanical process. One must sense the right breathing pattern for the appropriate circumstances. Like any skill, it develops with practice.
Mind:
More than an aerobic exercise, breathwork helps us discover the deep-seated negative beliefs behind holding patterns. This allows us to change the thought patterns that tend to recreate the chronic tensions. Sooner or later by giving the old messages and instructions to the body, we produce the same defensive reactivity. Permanent change takes more than just experiencing one time relief. It takes insight into a new way of seeing myself and my life and developing the self-talk to sustain it. The affirmations that come from working with a breathworker are not generic aphorisms for a good life. They are individually developed tools for the reconstruction of a new consciousness. Along with the continued practice of the breathing technique, the affirmations provide a daily reinforcement of a new level of enjoyment in life.
Spirit:
Breathwork’s underlying philosophy is that the key to new life is accepting total responsibility for union with your Self or oneness with the Divine Spirit. This means a willingness to go beyond our small self and letting our breath be our guide and friend en route. This is not a process of speculation and philosophizing but rather of direct experience. No one tells you your truth. You know it directly by virtue of your courage to go past fears and self doubts. Others celebrate with you on your path but do not control or interpret it for you.
Breathwork for Healing, Integration, and Personal Growth
Here is an article by Jim Morningstar:
Breathwork as defined by the International Breathwork Training alliance <www.breathworkalliance.com> is the art and science of teaching breath awareness and breathing techniques for enhancing the human physical, mental, emotional and spiritual condition. True wellbeing involves balance and harmony in all the components of oneʼs self. Excessive focus on one part of the self to the exclusion of others results in imbalance and dysfunction. The other side of this equation is that the fine-tuning and harmony of all aspects of the self lead to higher states of health, wellness and opens the door for subsequent growth. Healthy breathing is the thread which strings all the pearls of oneʼs self together. Letʼs look at how healthy breathing is in the mainstay of an integrative approach to personal growth.
Physical Health
Peak performance and achieving oneʼs personal best have always involved a mastery of oneʼs breathing. Though most of us are not in training for the Olympics, our physical health and wellbeing is directly related to regulated healthy breathing habits. Since there are few activities in which we engage in more than taking an inhale and and an exhale, any dysfunction in the process gets multiplied exponentially over the years. Conversely, healthy breathing has a nurturing and energizing effect on every physical organ and body system. All forms of yoga and, in particular, hatha yoga have documented results over the centuries on how coordinating steady diaphragmatic breathing with movement (asanas) or in stillness (meditation) improves physical health (e.g., McCall, 2007), Breath coaching has become increasingly effective in sports training and general.
The Origins of Breathwork
In ancient and pre-industrial societies, breath and breathing have played a very important role in cosmology, mythology, and philosophy, as well as an important tool in ritual and spiritual practice. Various breathing techniques have been used since time immemorial for religious and healing purposes. Since earliest times, virtually every major psychospiritual system seeking to comprehend human nature has viewed breath as a crucial link between nature, the human body, the psyche, and the spirit. This is clearly reflected in the words many languages use for breath.
In the ancient Indian literature, the term prana meant not only physical breath and air, but also the sacred essence of life. Similarly, in traditional Chinese medicine, the word chi refers to the cosmic essence and the energy of life, as well as the natural air we breathe by our lungs. In Japan, the corresponding word is ki. Ki plays an extremely important role in Japanese spiritual practices and martial arts. In ancient Greece, the word pneuma meant both air or breath and spirit or the essence of life. The Greeks also saw breath as being closely related to the psyche. The term phren was used both for the diaphragm, the largest muscle involved in breathing, and mind (as we see in the term schizophrenia = literally split mind).
In the old Hebrew tradition, the same word, ruach, denoted both breath and creative spirit, which were seen as identical. The following quote from Genesis shows the close relationship between God, breath, and life: “Then the Lord God formed man {Hebrew adam} from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.” In Latin the same name was used for breath and spirit – spiritus. Similarly, in Slavic languages, spirit and breath have the same linguistic root.
In the native Hawaiian tradition and medicine (kanaka maoli lapaʼau), the word ha means the divine spirit, wind, air, and breath. It is contained in the popular Hawaiian aloha, expression that is used in many different contexts. It is usually translated as presence (alo) of the Divine Breath (ha). Its opposite, haʼole, meaning literally without breath or without life, is a term that native Hawaiians have applied to white-skinned foreigners since the arrival of the infamous British sea captain James Cook in 1778. The kahunas, “Keepers of Secret Knowledge,” have used breathing exercises to generate spiritual energy (mana).
It has been known for centuries that it is possible to influence consciousness by techniques that involve breathing. The procedures that have been used for this purpose by various ancient and non-Western cultures cover a very wide range from drastic interference with breathing to subtle and sophisticated exercises of various spiritual traditions. Thus the original form of baptism practiced by the Essenes involved forced submersion of the initiate under water for an extended period of time. This resulted in a powerful experience of death and rebirth. In some other groups, the neophytes were half-choked by smoke, by strangulation, or by compression of the carotid arteries.
What can I expect from Breakthrough Breathwork Meditation?
Breakthrough Breathwork Meditation is a powerful practice used to facilitate deep emotional and spiritual healing. By engaging in this transformative practice, individuals can expect a range of benefits that can positively impact their overall well-being.
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Stress Relief through Breath Meditation
If you are like most people you experience some kind of stress on a daily basis. For some the level of daily stress can be debilitating. The American Institute of Stress says that stress is America’s number one health problem. It’s been estimated that 75 – 90 percent of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress related problems. And it has been medically proven that stress has a direct impact on the immune system.
So, how can you manage the stress in your life? World-renowned cardiologist Dr. Dean Ornish says that deep breathing is the best form of stress management known to man.
As the founder of Breakthrough Breathwork Meditation, one of the questions I get asked the most is “How does Breakthrough Breathwork Meditation help with managing stress and stress related ailments such as depression, anxiety and chronic pain?
Breakthrough Breathwork Meditation is a simple and powerful way to use breathing to activate your own healing energy and life force, and to release stress on a cellular level. It supports physical, emotional and mental healing, as you simultaneously connect more to spirit. And by oxygenating your blood through breathwork you can enjoy greater vitality and the health benefits of increased detoxification.
I believe Breakthrough Breathwork Meditation is one of the most powerful tools for stress management in the world today. In just one 90-minute session of Breakthrough Breathwork Meditation you can experience a deep calm, and a feeling of inner peace and wellbeing. Many clients have told me that after just one session they felt the most relaxed they’d ever felt in their life.
Don’t let stress ruin your life, your health and your relationships. Find the peace and relief that you deserve and need now.
Kris Cassidy
Scientific Benefits of Proper Breathing
The average person breathes approximately 20,000 times per day. This means that in one 24-hour period roughly one hundred square meters of our lung surface is exposed to approximately 8000 litres of air, and 17.5 litres of blood passing through our lungs carries the oxygen from that air to every cell in our bodies. Continue reading
The Power of Connected Breathing
The connected breath is one of the most powerful tools to bring us in contact with the energy system within the physical body and thus with the Here and Now. Continue reading
Benefits of Circular (Connected) Breathing
In the realm of alternative wellness practices, circular breathing breathwork has gained significant attention for its remarkable benefits. Offering a multitude of advantages, circular breathing breathwork has the power to enhance physical health, boost mental clarity, and promote emotional balance.Let’s explore how this simple yet profound practice can revolutionize your everday life!