3 Types of Breathwork to Shift Your State

So how is your breathing doing right NOW? As you read this, sit up right. take note of your breath. Is it fast? choppy? slow? uneven? Take a slow deep breath through your nose and exhale slowly through your nose as you read this sentence….take another one… Feel something shift? Breath is your main access point to your body. It is how every yoga and meditation class starts. The moment you lose the connection with your breath, you lose a sense of expansion to your present moment experience. When looking at the roots of yoga, asana (poses) were a very little part of what the great sages professed. However breathwork was an instrumental part into tapping into deeper states of concentration, awareness and consciousness. Yoga was a spiritual practise and still is for many today. On the other hand, it is also an extremely powerful way to change your state, release deep seated trauma, stagnation or stress in your body and an incredibly useful tool in harnessing our racing minds. It is also known for helping with depression and fighting inflammation. It is the breath that yields the deeper connection between mind and body. The more one practises, the more you can experience the power of the mind to empower (even potentially heal) the body. With alot of modern day yoga, it seems to be a one way avenue. Body to mind. Stretch, sweat and go. You could be practising yoga for years without even realising where the trouble is residing within.

Here are 3 types of breathwork you can practise right now at home with different outcomes for each style. (There are many sophisticated ways of doing breathwork, however I strongly encourage you to be guided by an experienced teacher - or to attend one of my retreats) NB: practise sitting up straight or lying down Box Breathing A practise ideal for clearing the mind and balancing our autonomic nervous systems.

Ideal for any time of the day and for harnessing concentration. Breath in for 4 counts Hold the breath IN for 4 counts Breath out for 4 counts Hold the Breath OUT for 4 counts Repeat for 10 cycles (10 boxes of breath) Inspired Tummo Breathing (Links to Wim Hof Method and practised by Monks for centuries) (Refrain from doing this if you are on your menstrual cycle, have diabetes, pregnant, have high blood pressure - consult your physician) A practise that is best done from early morning to noontime. This is an activating breath relieving stagnation from the body and increases oxygen saturation in the blood. Aimed at awakening and eliminating doubt. Take a deep breath in through the nose and exhale forcefully out of the mouth - Do this for 30 rounds Then hold the breath in for as long as you can till you feel the hunger for breathing. Then exhale completely and hold the breath out for as long as you can. Then breathe normally for 30 seconds and start again. Do 3 sets of 30 forceful breaths Sit and Meditate after this Practise if possible Relaxation Breathing for stimulating the Vagus nerve An ideal practise for the end of the day, when feeling anxious or if you have trouble sleeping. The Vagus nerve is responsible for your digestion, heart rate and autonomic nervous system Take a deep breath in through the nose Exhale making a humming sound with your mouth closed. Try this for 20 rounds Or Diaphragm breathing (also for stimulating vagal tone) Take a deep breath in expanding the rib cage to it's full potential Exhale a third of the breath Another Third The last Third Take a deep breath in and repeat Do 10 rounds or 20 rounds All my retreats and classes have some form of breathwork practise. Check it out at my digital studio in the comfort of your home. Stable Breath = Stable Mind With ❤️ Mike