How Conscious Breathing Changes How You Look

In recent years, breathwork has emerged as a popular and accessible technique for enhancing emotional and mental health. However, to reap the full benefits, it’s essential to understand the underlying mechanics and purpose of these practices. Skipping over the finer details can hinder your progress more than it helps, leading to missed opportunities for growth and healing.

When I first began to teach pranayama in a very conservative climate & state.

I've been trying to write this blog for three weeks... and it turns out I know too much about this topic; sharing too much too fast or diving too deep. I decided this morning to break this topic into a series of blogs to stay consistant.

At the heart of breathwork is pranayama, which encompasses various techniques centered on intentional and conscious breathing. Whether you’re engaging in mindfulness exercises or exploring more structured methods, the key lies in cultivating awareness—encouraging you to connect with your breath purposefully.

India: couple weeks in. Exhausted, blacking out

Here I am... exhausted... in India. I'm studying and blacking out. Blacking out from stressors. I'm sleeping on average 3 hours a night over the span of 28 days. I'm on the cusp of change. However, this change doesn't happen until I connect the dots of how I've been breathing...

Breathwork is more than just inhaling and exhaling; it’s about building a meaningful relationship with your breath. This relationship serves as a powerful tool for emotional healing, allowing you to let go of what no longer serves you and gain a deeper understanding of yourself.

Breathwork is a broader term for breathing techniques. Pranayama specifically refers to yogic breathing practices to influence energy and well-being. Breathwork is more appealing, because it's not a sanskrit word.

"Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your thoughts. Whenever your mind becomes scattered, use your breath as the means to take hold of your mind again." - Thich Nhat Hanh 

Anything in Sanskrit sounds spiritual. Prana means breath and ayama means to control and regulate. It also refers to raising your LIFE FORCE energy. Which scares people off. But... if you hold your breath, you may pass off... If you choke someone, you are limiting their ability to breath... reducing their life force energy. When we can step back from the stereotypes of words and practices; you're able to tap into ancient wisdom... Ancient meaning very old... not cosmic of spiritual.

Nepal

A few days after leaving India, I landed in in Nepal. The shift allowed me to step back and recognize why I was blacking out in India. Once I recognized the connection of living in a trauma body and the disruption I was doing creating a change my breath; not realign it... Everything fell into place.

I was able to experience things in a very different way once I understood the deep connection between my breath and my trauma. I begin to feel part of a collective that encompassed the trees, the cold in the air, the people around me.

Experiencing my your own deep dives into why you breath the way you do will provide powerful insight into the slow transition you'll need to make to expand your lung capacity & raise your life force energy. Feeling how your body moves through your breathing or not moving provides significant indicators to your emotional wellbeing... and your STUCKness (being stuck in a trauma loop). No matter the method, the goal is the same: to intentionally connect with your breath to improve your emotional well-being

Stay tuned to this blog as I break down:

• The benefits of breathwork & pranayama

• How to get started with breathwork & pranayama

• Using breathwork & pranayama for emotional healing

• Connection between pranayama & meditation

• Becoming a silent observer to your breath; Yoga Nidra

Best Regards,

Polly Behringer

ps - Check out Ariel Cullson's new blog about overcoming fear and social media!