Breathwork

The breath is one of the only things that we can genuinely control in our lives and the power of the breath is one of the most undervalued tools we have at our disposal to maintain our physical and mental wellbeing. Plus, it’s free and it’s easy! I can’t believe it took me 42 years of breathing before I realised its transformative potential; as my teacher Scott Schwenk says, “we are only ever a breath away from changing our mood.”

For me, discovering the power held in the breath was pivotal in lifting me from a place of poor physical and mental health to feeling calm, strong, and joyful. Breathing is literally the first thing we do as a new-born, so we take it for granted – rarely consciously engaging with or focusing on our breath on a daily basis.

There are many different breathwork practices, all subtly different and all with their own power but all beneficial. Although breathing as a function is something we all have in common, how breathwork practices are experienced varies enormously between individuals: some will be more favourable, some easier, and some more uncomfortable. It is all about exploring and finding what works for you. We will spend time together exploring the options, learning how to harness the power of the breath, and looking at ways to make this become part of your daily routine.

I spent about 20 years struggling to meditate – my focus would wander and I wasn’t able to just clear my mind and relax; but working with focussed breathwork was so natural I found I was meditating with ease – all I had to do was focus on the breath. Introducing daily breathwork practice into my life has been transformative – I am calmer, happier, and more grateful. It was challenging at first to make the time available every morning for my breathwork practice, but I would never go back to doing without it because I reap the benefits every day.

The health benefits of breathwork and meditation are profound and there are many articles and books written on the subject. James Nestor has recently written a comprehensive book ‘Breath, the new science of a lost art’, it is a thoroughly researched fantastic book that looks at many aspects of the breath, our human evolution with breath and how different cultures throughout history have utilised the breath. You can find more links to research and further reading here.

Breathwork coaching 1:1 session 1.5 hours £50

I teach Breathwork on my group wellbeing course – next one is January 2025 click the link below to find out more about the course.