Breathwork has become one of the most buzzy wellness practices in the last couple of years for good reason: it’s a powerful tool to help us get out of our overactive minds, and into the wisdom of the body and soul. As a breathwork guide, my role is to hold a space for healing and expansion. Each 1:1 journey is typically done laying down, breathing continuously through an open mouth with a relaxed jaw for between 45 to 90 minutes per session. By dropping into the body to connect with the flow of our breath, we help ourselves to release the grip of the mind. Plus, breathwork is linked to many health and energetic benefits, which I’ve outlined below.
The Science Of Breathwork
So, what exactly is happening in the body in the average breathwork session?
On the physical side of things, science shows that breathwork can support a full system reset in the body. The oxygenating effects of breathwork serve to put the body in a more alkaline, anti-inflammatory state, which is linked to supporting a stronger immune system and lowering anxiety. Because breathwork, which is a form of hyperventilation, activates the parasympathetic nervous system, this practice is linked to re-setting and re-patterning our systems, which can support better digestion, circulation, respiratory health, lung capacity, nervous system regulation, and even improve our sleep.
Since oxygen is such a key component to the overall function of our system, as we enter into a deeper relationship with our breath, we essentially bring more freshly oxygenated blood to the areas in the body that need nourishment.
Energetically, our breath shows us the places where we are stuck in patterns of tension, tightness, and holding on, and it supports us to access greater states of flow in our body and lives. Breathing helps us to release and relax the mind, which opens us up to our intuition and other ways of knowing and experiencing. It’s common to drop into non-ordinary states during a breathwork journey—without smoking a thing!
A Few Ways To Try Breathwork Around Vancouver
I recommend starting with a guided private session: If you’re new to breathwork, doing your first session as a private, live one-on-one session with a trusted, recommended practitioner is the best way to learn. Around Vancouver, I would recommend Jenn Field on the Sunshine Coast, Carmen Ganne in Squamish, Ariana Fotinakis in North Vancouver, and myself, Monica Krake, in Port Moody. For more options, here is a list of recommended breathwork practitioners.
A virtual session: I love the virtual breathwork sessions offered by Bree Melanson — which only happen a couple of times each year and Tai Hubbert, who offers monthly online sessions. Here are more options for virtual breathwork sessions.
The Ceremony combines breathwork with business and soul work to help you clarify your business direction and launch a website that brings it to life in the most aligned way. This six-week process includes three guided breathwork and coaching sessions, one session with a gifted psychic Intuitive, and the creation and launch of a beautifully branded website—like this one.
There’s a reason everyone is talking about breathwork these days. Our breath is the key that unlocks not only how we show up in life, but how we feel in our day-to-day lives. —Monica Krake
Written for VITA by Monica Krake, founder of Head + Heart, your guide to living aligned.
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