What happens in a Breathwork session?
This question has come up for me many times as a Therapeutic Breathwork Practitioner. It is my desire that you can have a better understanding of this process as I teach it. Keep in mind there are many modalities of breathwork and each facilitator weaves their unique style into each breathwork experience. The primary breathwork modality I teach is Conscious Connected Breathing. This article will describe how I explain what can happen in a typical session.
When working with a new student it is important to establish a rapport and understanding – why are they seeking the session to begin with? What is their intention? For many, releasing stress and anxiety or patterns of feeling “stuck” in life is what navigates them in this direction. Often times they are tired of living from fear, but that is usually discovered later on.
What Is Conscious Connected Breathing?
I begin with an explanation of what Conscious Connected Breathing is. Really, this is about bringing in as much joy, bliss, and aliveness to the surface that we may feel it in a conscious way. A time to move out of our head and into our heart where we can experience the present moment. Students ask me, “why is it so difficult to stay present?” Well, it’s because were too busy thinking! The majority of our thoughts are either about the past or the future. Both of these places may create fear, anxiety, worry, and stress. Research now tells us we have between 60,000-70,000 thoughts a day. WOW! Let that sink in.
When negative emotions move into our space, we have been masters at doing what is called suppression. Suppression is the constant choking down and tirelessly keeping the lid on the pot so to speak. Suppression is in our cellular memory, and it’s in our physical body in the form of energy blocks, “dis-ease”, and it’s in our emotional body in the form of negative beliefs. Beliefs like: I’m not smart enough, good enough, or thin enough, or pretty enough, or rich enough, etc. Get the picture? We basically bought into drinking the “Kool Aid” and took those beliefs as our truth. This happens during early childhood programming. Our parents did their best but we certainly took on their projections of who and how we should be in the world. After all, they were our first teachers. There is no blame here only understanding.
The additional part of the session is to explain possibilities of what sensations and emotions that may come forward. This work is about allowing the release of stored suppression in the body, not holding it. When we super oxygenate our being we are essentially creating a drug free altered state. Yes, a physiological shift is taking place within us but that discussion if for another time. There is no limit to what a person can experience in their physical and emotional body when doing this work. Tingling, pressure (sometimes intense) in any area of the body, hot and cold sensations, tetany, vibrations, laughter, tears, anger, grief, sadness, joy, messages from past loved ones, other levels of consciousness, etc. The possibilities are limitless when doing this type of breathwork.
What’s important to remember during the session is, that you are safe in this work and it’s only the energy within you that seeks integration, freedom. Your job during the session is to surrender to the breath and simply become the observer. To bear witness to your own vulnerability without judgement or resistance. This allows for the opportunity for deeper self- acceptance and greater self- love.
At the end of this explanation, I ask the client if he or she has any questions. I offer a trip to the restroom as it can be difficult to have the client get up during the session.
Preparing our breathing space
We create a comfortable pallet of blankets or a yoga mat, pillow, a candle (to hold the space), dimly lit room, and music if that is desired.
Next, I will ask the client if they would like to state an intention to bring into the session. This is not an expectation. It may look something like this: “Let me be open to receiving what the spirit of breath reveals to me today”. Some clients prefer not to have and intention and that is perfectly fine.
I then invite them to sit on their comfortable space usually created on the floor or massage table and just begin to connect with their breath, in and out from the mouth. Sitting allows them a period of time to acclimate and establish a good breath cycle before laying down, especially for first timers. Once the breath cycle feels well connected, I invite them to lay down and continue to use the cyclical breath. One breath into the next without any pauses or breaks in between. As they surrender to their breath, I hold space and provide support as needed. This support can be in the form of using a soft voice of support, a gentle touch, or I may invite them to use their own voice if necessary. I will always ask before laying hands in any way, this is vitally important in honoring their process. Depending on what is coming forward for the breather determines how I facilitate the session. Some movement of arms and legs may feel appropriate to the breather to assist in moving any energy in the body. Again, there is no limit what an individual may experience during the breathwork session. On completion, they are guided gently back into the room and this gives time for feeling grounded from their well- travelled road. This can take several minutes as the breather is continuing to integrate this profound work. A blanket to cover them can feel warm and inviting as they journey back.
Processing
At the end of the session, I invite the client to share their experience. This gives them the opportunity to say what came up for them during the process. I listen carefully with an open heart as this provides a safe container. I do not comment or expand on what is shared, I simply listen.
In Closing
An invitation to be gentle with themselves is encouraged. This may be in the form of hydrating throughout the remainder of the day with herbal teas and water, taking a walk, soaking in a warm tub of water, and a journaling. All provides an extension of their breathwork journey over the next few days. Doing this may enhance clarity and vision around an unresolved issue in their life.
Checking In
After a few days have passed, I usually contact the breather and ask how they are feeling? This is a good habit as it allows them the opportunity to ask any questions or complete some processing as it arises. And as always, I encourage the client to continue this practice when they are ready to move forward.