Airwaves
A Breathwork Blog by Breathing Space
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Breathwork for Relaxation
My mind is constantly buzzing with ideas, to-do lists, and thinking 3 steps ahead. It seems like I always need to be doing something, or better yet, multiple things at once. Sound familiar? I’m the sort of person who tries to multi-task relaxation. I know I'm not alone in this struggle.
If you're nodding your head in agreement, then this blog post is for you. Because even though relaxation may feel elusive, there's a simple yet powerful tool that's always available to us: our breath.
Breath-Body Connection
I recently came across a comment online that said "nervous system regulation is just new-age bullshit." As both a nurse and a breathwork business owner it got my back up and it got me thinking about how much we underestimate the power of our own breath and our ability to influence our body.
The truth is, our breath and our bodies are deeply connected. It's not just about staying alive; it's about how we feel, think, and experience the world. Our breath is a mirror reflecting our inner state, and it's also a bridge connecting our mind and body.
This is Sacred Work
Most of my adult life was spent drinking and using drugs, not knowing how else to deal with my thoughts and feelings. The drinking and drug use got worse after my partner left in 2016. A prolonged period of bullying at work also contributed to a breakdown in 2017. I was convinced that I couldn't be helped and even said to my brother once “no one can help me Johnny, I'm too far gone”. I felt I was left with two simple choices; take my own life or ask for help. I asked for help and that was the beginning of my healing and getting to know myself, and who I really am.
Grounding and Resourcing in Breathwork
In breathwork, we have a profound paradox. On one hand, practices like Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB) and Holotropic Breathwork can be incredibly transformative, opening doors to deep healing, self-discovery, and spiritual awakening. On the other hand, these powerful experiences can also stir up a whirlwind of emotions, unearthing buried traumas and shaking the very foundations of our sense of self.
While these intense emotional releases can be cathartic and ultimately lead to profound healing and emotional integration, they can also be destabilising, leaving individuals feeling overwhelmed, disoriented, or even re-traumatised. This is where the practices of grounding and resourcing become not just helpful, but absolutely essential.