The Breath Letter - #3
Dear Breather,
The Breath is taking the world by storm, there’s no stopping it!
It’s been been a busy week at Breathlife:
A sold out Half-Day, workshop, a full room at London Tech Week and an upcoming session at Wellnergy with hundreds of people.
So really a time to practice what we preach and stay in close contact with the nervous system.
Anndddd breathe out….
The Breath
360’ Breath
One of the best exercises out there!
Also included in the Breathe. Card Deck.
Perfect for when you want to improve your day to day breathing and want to find some more space in the body. Especially useful if you’ve been sitting behind a desk all day.
As the name suggests you’ll be breathing in all directions, making sure we use our full breathing apparatus.
Instructions
Find a comfortable upright position close, your eyes and start breathing in and out through the nose.
Breathe into the following areas one-by-one:
Pelvic floor: Imagine filling a bowl with air until it overflows.
Abdomen: Slowly allow the belly to come forward
Side and back ribs: Feel all the small muscles between the ribs expand
Front upper chest: See how it moves forwards and upwards.
On the exhale, go the opposite way.
Notice which areas you find easy to breathe into and where you encounter resistance.
The Insights
The Breathing Spectrum
I’ve noticed that the world of breathwork has become such a Wild West!
Tons of people are offering, all kinds of breathwork to the point that it has become a nightmare to navigate. So I often get people who don’t know where to start or they once took a cold shower and think that’s what breathwork is.
To solve this I wrote an article about it, read it here!
The Window of Tolerance
I’d highly recommend learning more about this. This theory explained so many underlying principles and observations in my clients.
Described by Dan Siegel, it explains the workings of our sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system and its relationship to our fight/flight/freeze response.
It explains what happens when we get overwhelmed, how certain brain parts shut down and others take over when we step outside our Window of Tolerance and how the breath can help up navigate our window, maybe even enlarge it.
A vital step if you’re interested in broadening your experiential spectrum.
The Music
Sun Riser - Daya Misra
I love how calm it starts and how the beat suddenly kicks in. The perfect track for the start of a short breathing session.
Perfect for some rhythmic breathing. A steady, slightly activating and uplifting beat with some natural sounds to allow you to connect to your primal self.
Tayos Caves, Ecuador i - Jon Hopkins
Such a great album! Designed to support people on psychedelic journeys, but also perfect to breathe to and float away…
Pro tip: turn on crossfade on your Spotify and play these songs in this order, one after the other. It’ll create a gentle wave to breathe along to!
The Experiences
17th of June @ Wellnergy - Festival
For all of you who love everything health! I’ll be there all day and will be facilitating a session is Mindfulness Tent 1 at 14:30.
Tickets here
18th of June @ TripSpace - Haggerston - Breathwork Class
Happy to have joined this studio for a workshop. It’s a beautiful yoga and dance studio so I’m excited about the session here.
Tickets here
19th of June @ Bless - Stoke Newington - Breathwork Class
I really enjoy these sessions since they’re very intimate. Max 6 people in a cosy space.
Perfect for those who want to explore group breathwork in a safe container.
Tickets here
25th of June and 30th of June @ Soul Kitchen, Ericeira, Portugal - Retreat
A Five Day Retreat that’s all about reconnection to your vision and purpose.
Of course, breathwork and movement plays a huge role in this, so that’s what we dedicated the mornings to.
Tickets here
Enjoy the breath!
With warmth,
Steven from Breathlife
