You may have heard of breathwork by now.

It’s fast becoming the new ‘yoga’ in urban wellbeing circles. And will likely spread further outwards as its cousins mindfulness, meditation and yoga have.

Why? Because it’s that simple and that powerful.

And when used in combination with the mindset work I do with clients, it’s a powerful catalyst for moving them forward faster. And they can’t seem to get enough. Read about one client’s experience here.

So what is breathwork exactly. And how does it work?

What is Breathwork?

Breathwork is breathing in a certain way to shift your mind from an awakened state of consciousness to an altered state where deeper levels of your mind and body can be explored and understood.

It uses faster paced breathing, a certain kind of body movement when it’s indicated, and at times evocative music.

How does it work?

You may have already done some form of breathwork in yoga. The “Pranayama” (‘Prana’ meaning life force, and ‘Ayama’ meaning to restrain or to draw out) or “breathwork” is used in yoga to achieve a conscious state of mind and relaxed body.

The method I use in sessions is closer to ‘Holotropic Breathwork’ developed by psychiatrists Stanislav and Christina Grof. The “Holotropic” breath works in exactly the opposite way to pranayama. It relaxes the conscious mind opening up a gateway to the subconscious.

And by doing so it tends to bring up underlying tension and latent blocks that Stanislav Grof explains “are associated with traumatic situations, biographical, birth experiences and so on, or even something called transpersonal levels (beyond the self).”

And when these tensions and blocks start surfacing, they are experienced as physical sensations or strong emotions and can then be moved through and gotten rid of.

This allows your body and your mind to heal from the past so that you can move into the present more fully. By doing so you can then create the future that you want to realize.

How did this method come about?

Breathing has been used throughout centuries, in many different cultures as one of the most powerful means to heal by shifting our mental state.

Stanislav spent decades researching the science of the ancient shamanistic practices to develop this simple yet effective method for inducing alternative states of consciousness without the use of drugs.

This specific practice came about as an alternative to LSD-based psychedelic-assisted therapy following the suppression of legal LDS in the 1960s.

Watch Transpersonal Documentary, interview with Stanislav and Christina Grof: Part 1 & Part 2

What are the benefits of breathwork?

Reduces stress, anxiety, grief, depression and anger
Increase sensitivity to pleasure, energy levels and boost immune system
Increase self-awareness, presence, happiness and joy
Increase self-love
Improve sleep
Release trauma and fear stuck in the body
Helps to reduce pain
Release toxins from the body
Improve digestion
Explore altered states of consciousness, consciously

Can the breath help with sex?

Using the breath can help you to feel more pleasure and connect more during sex so that you feel more nourished and alive.

Watch how I explain how breathwork can be used to experience more pleasure: Feel sensational in bed by breathing in a whole new way

Can the breath help with confidence when dating?

Using the breath before and on a date is wonderful for boosting confidence. And we all know how sexy confidence is.

Not only that, but you will be calmer and think clearly, allowing you and your date to relax and enjoy the experience.

Can the breath help with communication and connection?

Working with the breath and posture allows for more space in the moment to be clear on what you want, and to articulate that.

One of my clients has expressed how much he enjoys working with the breathing and stretching out his body fully along with the vocal breathing releases, music and a bit of movement as this “makes a big difference” to his relationship with his partner, and he feels “stronger for it”. Listen to his full experience here.

“My partner and I shared our first real exchange in terms of where we are and what we want. I think for the first time (ever) I have expressed my true honest feelings of what I want... I feel the first stage of control of my thoughts and feelings and being able to share them.”

What does scientific research say?

(Source: Healthline)

A 1996 study combined the holotropic breathing technique with psychotherapy over six months. People who participated in the breathwork and therapy significantly reduced death anxiety and increased self-esteem compared to those who only had therapy.

A report from 2013 documented the results of 11,000 people over 12 years who participated in holotropic breathwork sessions. The results suggest that it can be used to treat a wide range of psychological and existential life issues. Many people reported significant benefits related to emotional catharsis and internal spiritual exploration. No adverse reactions were reported. This makes it a low-risk therapy.

A 2015 study found that holotropic breathing can bring about higher levels of self-awareness. It may help to positively make changes in temperament and development of character. People who were more experienced with the technique reported less tendency to be needy, domineering, and hostile.

Try as I may, I find it difficult to communicate exactly how the type of coaching that I do is different.

I explain that the body as much as the mind and emotions are engaged in ‘the work’.

And yet my descriptions always seem to fall short.

So I’ve asked one of my clients to describe her experience of breathwork in session with me here.