which type of breathwork is right for me?
Breathing is so innate. It’s so natural and yet somehow we manage to miss out on the moments when we can be entirely present with ourselves and our being, living in our bodies through our breath.
The pathway to true embodiment begins with the breath. When I take the time to notice my breath, my world changes around me. I suddenly understand that line between the internal process and the external experience and that space between react versus respond becomes a little more spacious and big.
I also find that deep inside of me is the courage to not only make space but to find peace, love, acceptance and trust. These things might seem like elusive experiences but are easily caught through a generous inhale deep into the belly and a savory slow exhale out of the mouth. You’ll find it there, if you try.
And there are so many ways to breathe…
I once heard a yoga teacher say that there are as many ways to breathe as there are foods to eat. They are right! After studying breathwork for a while now, I’ve come to learn that what I love most about it is that there are so many ways to breathe and so many ways to support your body, your mind and your soul for embodied living.
So many ways to return home to yourself. If you are new to breathwork, I invite you to explore which styles best suit your needs in engaging with yourself and your healing process. Some styles might be ones you never feel the call to try and some might be like your favorite song on repeat. You might also find yourself mixing and mingling different styles depending on what your needs are, which can shift from external or internal season to season.
Below are the ways in which I categorize breathwork types for my own personal practice and how I work with others. It should be noted that breathwork is an indigenous practice that can be traced to every cultural community across the world. Several popular breathwork techniques used today come from Pranayama and the Indian traditions of yoga. Some practices are harder to trace, but if you keep digging you’ll find where they come from.
After you finish reading below, I encourage you to dive into an experience and get practicing <3
Types of Breathwork
Activating
Engaging in activating types of breathwork can be adventurous no doubt. These are the types that are meant to do exactly what they say, activate our nervous system and senses. Activating breathwork can sometimes involve movement and dance. It can encourage us to breath at a more rhythmic pace that can be fast and steady. Some activating techniques are meant to only be engaged in for less than a handful of minutes, some have been known to be practiced for hours to induce spiritual healing experiences. I don’t recommend this! Especially if you’re new :) This is what indigenous elders have practiced after many years of learning, studying and practicing!
For most of us, often, these types of practices are used for when we feel low in energy are sluggish in the body and need a quick boost of energy to wake us up and get our blood moving or help us feel empowered in our bodies, mind and our spirit. Activating breathwork can also be the cure for a creative block or slump. Some examples of activating breathwork include : the 3 part breath,
Restorative
Restorative breathwork is meant to support our nervous system in a way that engages our parasympathetic nervous system. This is the part of our nervous system that is responsible for turning on “rest and digest” in the body and turning off “fight or flight mode”. Restorative breathwork often involves deep inhales and long, slow exhales. Sometimes we use holding the breath for a short period of time as a method to create space in the mind between inhaling and exhaling.
Restorative breathwork is what helps us to feel calm and slow down. You’ll recognize it’s effects immediately - it has a “yin” type of quality or a cooling down sensation. Restorative breathwork helps us feel deeper in presence within ourselves and our environment. Some practices are perfect for helping to induce sleep and deep states of rest and meditation.
Since the average person is often operating in fight or flight just due to the nature of our current lifestyles and global social environment, restorative breathwork is a wonderful place to start for everybody. Mindful breathing techniques are very popular and accessible and fall under the category of restorative breathwork. Some examples include : 4-7-8 breath, Square Breathing ( also known as Box Breath ), Ocean Breath ( a Pranayama technique called Ujayi breathing ), and my favorite Diaphragmatic breathing. I love leading these techniques in both 1:1 and live group sessions with others!
If you’d like to try the 4-7-8 breath, join the Collective Inner Garden Community to receive a free PDF and short guided practice.
3 part breath
This particular practice is one I would categorize as an active type of breathwork. But, I chose to put it in its own category so I can give a fuller picture of the experience. You will often find that when people are inviting you to a 90 minute “breathwork session”, this pattern is most likely what they are referring to. This breath is also one of the main breathwork practices I use in my 1:1 sessions and live events so it’s important for me to give you an idea of what you can expect from a breathwork session that uses this technique.
Is this breathwork practice right for me?
Informing participants of the contraindications of this practice is very important. If you are about to register for one of my sessions using the 3 part breath, you’ll notice I require you to check a box indicating that you are aware of these contraindications and give your full consent to participate willingly and knowingly. So, one of the first steps to deciding if the 3 part breath is right for you or not is to read over the list of conditions, see if you have any of them and then either consult with your physician or decide the practice is just not a good fit for you. This participation consent form is not meant to alarm or exclude people, it’s just part of being a responsible practitioner, taking care of my clients and communicating what I’ve learned through my training and practice.
Origins and Technique
The origins of this technique is generally elusive. Many other breathwork space holders, facilitators and coaches would describe this technique as a combination of a nod from holotropic breathwork and pranayama technique ( I’d like to credit Jennifer Patterson of Corpus Ritual for lending this description ).
The technique is performed entirely through the mouth ( no nose breathing at all ) and consists of a deep breath into the belly (part one), a second deep breath into the chest/heart space (part two) and lastly, a generous exhale out the mouth (part three). The pattern is repeated in a circular rhythm at the participants own pace. Most facilitators create unique playlists to breathe to in order to help support the experience.
Breathing only through the mouth might feel different at first and can take some getting used to. For this reason, we focus a lot on getting used to what the body feels like during the first 10 minutes of the session. I also like to focus on giving the mind permission to wander. Eventually, the mind does let go and the rhythm of the breath takes over. This is the where the art of the practice comes in and takes you deeper and deeper. I always invite participants to take things slow when then need to and note that it is okay to release this pattern for a gentler one like Diaphragmatic breathing. The most important invitation is to stay present with what is coming up for you in your body, and listen to it.
A Typical Session Using the 3 Part Breath
Typically in a 90 minute session, the breathwork portion is about 30-40 minutes long. This includes about 10 minutes of rest and integration time at the end. This means you are breathing actively with the 3 part breath for about 20-30 minutes.
During a breathwork session, it’s my job as a facilitator to make sure you are supported. Beyond knowing and understanding the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual experiences of this breath and how a person’s physiology can shift, it’s important for me to also use my skills as an energy worker and intuitive to support a session. In this practice I am truly blending the science and the mystical unknown together for a holistic experience. I love guiding my clients through their experiences using intentionally crafted playlists of music related to the overall session theme, using guided imagery and affirmations.
Integration & Rest Period
With breathwork sessions using this pattern, it is very important to lend a gentle integration period at the end - the last 10 minutes of music. There is so much healing potential with these types of sessions and this breath as an activating breath has been known to kick things up for folks. That is why taking time to ground yourself after a session is so important. I often will ask people at the end of a session how they will ground and integrate once we are done.
Knowing Your Growing Edge with Breathwork
A big part of participating, growing, learning and developing in meaningful ways as humxns on this planet is engaging in understanding our own growing edge. I see a growing edge as the awareness of that space between the accessible points of “No” and “Yes”. It’s that gray area where we know we can do it and we want to, but we just are a little scared of the unknown to pursue it fully.
Breathwork is a practice that can help us become more fully present in ourselves and in our bodies so that when we are faced with identifying our own growing edges in our life (relationships, career changes, etc.), we can grow from a place of willingness to explore the unknown versus giving into fear and never even knowing.
Reach out and let me know which type of breathwork is your style. If you’d like some extra support with discovering your practice and engaging in your healing journey, book a 1:1 session or join a live event.