Breathe Work is the new DETOX and SPRING CLEAN for your body.

September 06, 2023

What is Breath work?

Our Breath is a natural function we do all the time right? Well as it turns out we are epically bad at breathing! And the downside of this is it affects our health and our happiness.

Breath work as a form of therapy involves the use of breathing exercises to bring about positive benefits in mental, physical, and spiritual health. The breath is one of the most powerful tools that can access our essence and healing potential. It is possible to release toxins and stress when you breathe out = Yang and to nourish your mind and body as you breathe in = Yin.

A innate part of practices such as yoga and recognised widely in eastern health systems, Breath work is only relatively recently making an appearance in western culture. People such as Wim Hof have championed the power of Breath work as a healing modality and tool for finding health, strength and happiness!

Person standing outdoors on hill overlooking water with arms outstretched breathing in deeply and surrounded by blue skies

Breath work is as simple as the words say - using the breath to help clear unresolved issues, self-limiting beliefs and past life events that affect a person's ability to reach their potential. This process leads to the fulfilment of dreams and a happier, more inspired life. Yes please!

How Does Breath work Work?

Breath work is a process that can be performed as one-to-one sessions with a qualified practitioner or in a group setting, like a yoga class, a retreat, the Wim Hof method or the incredibly powerful breathe and ice bath experience. From personal experience, this is life changing !

Breathing is a tool for inner work that uses full, conscious, and connected breathing. There are several ways to use the breathe to activate detoxification processes, release trauma, destress and elevate mood, releasing anxiety and improve mental health and so much more. It is a spontaneous and organic technique that can offer resolution and clear issues, patterns, and/or beliefs on a cellular level.

During a breath work session, the client usually finds it more powerful and also relaxing to be in a lying down position. The practitioner may sit beside you or walk the room if in a group and offers support to help clear the mind, guiding you to be focusing on breathing cycle and bringing awareness to any body sensations.

Are there any Benefits of Breath work?

Breath work is a science with numerous papers and research across a vast array of benefits, from improving cardio vascular health, deeper sleep cycles and rest, to those used in many mind-body practices like yoga, meditation and Qi Gong, bringing the person into the present moment mindfully. It helps to improve the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing with the very real physiological processes the breathing promotes. Breath promotes clarity, equanimity, creativity and joy, leading to better personal and professional development as well as positive relationships. Some people experience a "natural high" with the physical experience and the state of wellbeing created with breathing deeply and rhythmically.

Breath work is healing in itself and can help address a wide range of health conditions, including:

Addictions
Stress
Anxiety
Depression
Supports our lungs and respiratory functions
Self-limiting thoughts, feelings and habits
Low self-esteem
balance right left brain hemispheres (Nadi Shodhana) and energetic channels
Lack of self-awareness
Poor immunity
Improves our ability to focus the mind
Anger issues
Rejuvenates the nervous system
Chronic pain
Removes toxins
Emotional effects of physical illness
Grief and loss
Trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

What Can You Expect From Breath work?

There are different types of breath work available, each following its own set of breathing techniques; some require breathing through the nose, while others through the mouth or alternating nose and mouth.

A yoga practice called Pranayama of alternating breath through each nostril is Nadi Shodhana, meaning "clearing channels of circulation" to calm and centre the mind, lower blood pressure and positively affect the parasympathetic / sympathetic nervous system = our flight or flight mechanism.

A woman with shoulder length blond hair in a black singlet top holding her right nostril closed with her thumb in practice of Nadi Shodhana

A breath work session can be as simple as a daily practice of 10-15 minutes or last for one to three hours. A powerful healing modality, you can access a breath work session online and receive all of its benefits right in the comfort of your home. Make sure that you create a comforting quiet space so you don't get interrupted. Play some relaxing music to assist with creating an oasis or mood and also to subconsciously align with a breathing rhythm.

Although - why not immerse your self in a full experience such as the day Mayella cofounder Amanda & her soul sister Jo Hendy of The Sacred Sister Project attended with Donna of Soul Yoga Retreats and Benny Wim Hof Facilitator! Breath work can absolutely reset your nervous system. If it is new to you then dialling up the experience and creating an understanding of what is Breath work and fully experiencing the benefits by stepping into an immersive space of tranquility and support is optimal way to treat your Self well. The joy of being in a group and sharing in each others experience's is precious and so uplifting - we can learn so much from each other!

Pro tips

1) - remember to hydrate preferably before a breath work session and definitely after. Our lungs are an important pathway of elimination for our body - breath work practice will expel a lot of toxins as well as moisture. We can highly recommend having a bottle of filtered water nearby or a beautiful pot of Mayella organic herbal tea to support the detox, hydrate and replenish with goodness process breath work enhances.

2) Have a vapouriser with your favourite pure essential oil or oils diffusing to add to the experience your breath work can gift you. Breathing in essential oils via the olfactory system (our mouth and nose to the brain) is a powerful way to also support the nervous system, our mood and for any respiratory ailments = using tea tree or eucalyptus is antiseptic and antiviral, a little orange is uplifting and joyful and so on!

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