The Rise of Breathwork in the Spiritual World

February 21, 2019
Raquel Reyes

In a busy and activated world, we're often searching for reprieve and stress reduction. We've learned that there's value in periods of rest and that a healthy work-life balance is vital to aligned success. Breathwork, described as intentional breathing therapy, is a method that will help us fulfill our needs on mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual levels. It's on the rise in Spiritual communities all over the world and quickly climbing to the top as everyone's favorite healing technique. We breathe all day without giving it much thought, but consciously controlling our breath can lead to many benefits.

While Breathwork is gaining popularity, it's actually not a new age practice. It can be traced back thousands of years in ancient traditions. Breathwork is an important component in Yoga, which has roots in Northern India over 5,000 years ago. It is believed by many different cultures that breath is our life force energy, and by intentional inhaling and exhaling, we are able to tap into our spiritual power. In fact, the English word "spirit" is derived from the Latin word spiritus, which translates to breath.

In the 1960's and 70's, Breathwork came to the forefront as a spiritual practice. During this era, a wide range of Breathwork techniques were born, honoring different areas of focus. Holotropic Breathwork was first introduced by Dr. Stanislav Grof and Christina Grof. It centered the experience of accessing altered states of consciousness by deep breathing through the mouth and nose at a fast speed, offering a psychadelic-like experience. Leonard D. Orr, the founder of Rebirthing Breathwork, created his Breathwork method to help release old traumas, recall memories, and heal through a state of relaxation induced by rhythmic breathing. This resurgence of the ancient Breathwork practice has inspired many of the Breathwork therapy practices that exist today.

Offering many physical benefits, Breathwork is becoming a go-to suggestion for health care professionals. It can help us regulate our nervous systems so that we feel grounded and less anxious by sending calming signals to the brain, removing us from fight or flight mode. It can also work as an anti-inflammatory, boost immunity, increase energy, lower blood pressure, manage pain, improve digestion, and increase our oxygen flow. If you have trouble sleeping, you'll be thrilled to know that Breathwork is an effective way to fall asleep faster.

Extending beyond the physical realm, cultivating a Breathwork practice can help us connect to our center and the core essence of who we are deep down. When life feels overwhelming or unmanageable, we can turn to it to bring us a sense of peace. Like other spiritual practices, it can provide us with emotional strength that connects us to the divine, the Universe and our higher selves. Many people experience spiritual breakthroughs during Breathwork sessions, and some even report coming into contact with their ancestors. The potential to see images, receive messages from spirit, and channel creative ideas are also high during the Breathwork experience.

Breathwork is extremely helpful and can guide us to stepping into our full potential. By controlling breathing patterns with specific breathing techniques, we can achieve awareness and connection. It helps us surrender, which can be extremely liberating and therapeutic. It's such a powerful coping technique that it's being utilized as a tool in addiction recovery. With the capacity to improve self-esteem by serving as an act of self-care, it's no wonder people across the globe are bringing it into their life as a frequent practice. It doesn't require equipment or physical items, making it very accessible to everyone. The gift of breathwork is something anyone can experience, no matter who you are or what you might be going through.

With Breathwork allowing us to clear so much space energetically, it's also becoming a very desired method of manifestation. Manifestation, another spiritual technique, is working with energy to create your dream life and achieve your goals. The association between Breathwork and manifestation is growing stronger as both practices help us reset our energetic field so we can have more positive experiences and feelings, thus attracting in what we desire.

Breathwork Facilitator Manny Eastwood shares with us that, "We often have energy that's stuck in our body. The energy is so dense and can actually hold us back from happiness and manifested realities. When we breathe with consciousness, we release that energy, allowing us to call in more abundance."

He continues on to explain that, "Breathwork is about more than simply breathing. It's getting heightened and enlightened. It does require work, and that's why it's called Breathwork, not just breath. The effort you put in during a session is absolutely worth it because what you receive is transformation on every level."

Manny works with clients all over the world and one commonality between them is that after a session, they all feel as though they have leveled up into a new version of themselves. They feel an emotional change and a somatic shift within their bodies. Watching people evolve, he says, is one of the gifts of being a Breathwork Facilitator.

Guided Breathwork is common, with more and more Breathwork classes available in-person and online. Finding an aligned facilitator that you feel comfortable and safe with is key. You'll also want to discover which Breathwork techniques feel best for you. Everyone is different, and no two Breathwork experiences are alike, so have fun and experiment! Like anything great, this is a practice, which means it will feel better and better each time we do it.

Clarity through calmness and connection comes as a result of Breathwork. One of the most wonderful effects is that it opens pathways to self-discovery, self-acceptance, and self-love. Any time we dedicate our energy to a spiritual practice, we grow in profound ways. While growth can sometimes be uncomfortable, a helpful practice like Breathwork can be exactly what we need to feel supported.

If it feels in alignment, give yourself permission to deep dive into Breathwork. You're already breathing, so you've already started on the journey!

The Rise of Breathwork in the Spiritual World

Raquel Reyes

Intentional breathing therapy, a method to help fulfill our needs on mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual levels.

In a busy and activated world, we're often searching for reprieve and stress reduction. We've learned that there's value in periods of rest and that a healthy work-life balance is vital to aligned success. Breathwork, described as intentional breathing therapy, is a method that will help us fulfill our needs on mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual levels. It's on the rise in Spiritual communities all over the world and quickly climbing to the top as everyone's favorite healing technique. We breathe all day without giving it much thought, but consciously controlling our breath can lead to many benefits.

While Breathwork is gaining popularity, it's actually not a new age practice. It can be traced back thousands of years in ancient traditions. Breathwork is an important component in Yoga, which has roots in Northern India over 5,000 years ago. It is believed by many different cultures that breath is our life force energy, and by intentional inhaling and exhaling, we are able to tap into our spiritual power. In fact, the English word "spirit" is derived from the Latin word spiritus, which translates to breath.

In the 1960's and 70's, Breathwork came to the forefront as a spiritual practice. During this era, a wide range of Breathwork techniques were born, honoring different areas of focus. Holotropic Breathwork was first introduced by Dr. Stanislav Grof and Christina Grof. It centered the experience of accessing altered states of consciousness by deep breathing through the mouth and nose at a fast speed, offering a psychadelic-like experience. Leonard D. Orr, the founder of Rebirthing Breathwork, created his Breathwork method to help release old traumas, recall memories, and heal through a state of relaxation induced by rhythmic breathing. This resurgence of the ancient Breathwork practice has inspired many of the Breathwork therapy practices that exist today.

Offering many physical benefits, Breathwork is becoming a go-to suggestion for health care professionals. It can help us regulate our nervous systems so that we feel grounded and less anxious by sending calming signals to the brain, removing us from fight or flight mode. It can also work as an anti-inflammatory, boost immunity, increase energy, lower blood pressure, manage pain, improve digestion, and increase our oxygen flow. If you have trouble sleeping, you'll be thrilled to know that Breathwork is an effective way to fall asleep faster.

Extending beyond the physical realm, cultivating a Breathwork practice can help us connect to our center and the core essence of who we are deep down. When life feels overwhelming or unmanageable, we can turn to it to bring us a sense of peace. Like other spiritual practices, it can provide us with emotional strength that connects us to the divine, the Universe and our higher selves. Many people experience spiritual breakthroughs during Breathwork sessions, and some even report coming into contact with their ancestors. The potential to see images, receive messages from spirit, and channel creative ideas are also high during the Breathwork experience.

Breathwork is extremely helpful and can guide us to stepping into our full potential. By controlling breathing patterns with specific breathing techniques, we can achieve awareness and connection. It helps us surrender, which can be extremely liberating and therapeutic. It's such a powerful coping technique that it's being utilized as a tool in addiction recovery. With the capacity to improve self-esteem by serving as an act of self-care, it's no wonder people across the globe are bringing it into their life as a frequent practice. It doesn't require equipment or physical items, making it very accessible to everyone. The gift of breathwork is something anyone can experience, no matter who you are or what you might be going through.

With Breathwork allowing us to clear so much space energetically, it's also becoming a very desired method of manifestation. Manifestation, another spiritual technique, is working with energy to create your dream life and achieve your goals. The association between Breathwork and manifestation is growing stronger as both practices help us reset our energetic field so we can have more positive experiences and feelings, thus attracting in what we desire.

Breathwork Facilitator Manny Eastwood shares with us that, "We often have energy that's stuck in our body. The energy is so dense and can actually hold us back from happiness and manifested realities. When we breathe with consciousness, we release that energy, allowing us to call in more abundance."

He continues on to explain that, "Breathwork is about more than simply breathing. It's getting heightened and enlightened. It does require work, and that's why it's called Breathwork, not just breath. The effort you put in during a session is absolutely worth it because what you receive is transformation on every level."

Manny works with clients all over the world and one commonality between them is that after a session, they all feel as though they have leveled up into a new version of themselves. They feel an emotional change and a somatic shift within their bodies. Watching people evolve, he says, is one of the gifts of being a Breathwork Facilitator.

Guided Breathwork is common, with more and more Breathwork classes available in-person and online. Finding an aligned facilitator that you feel comfortable and safe with is key. You'll also want to discover which Breathwork techniques feel best for you. Everyone is different, and no two Breathwork experiences are alike, so have fun and experiment! Like anything great, this is a practice, which means it will feel better and better each time we do it.

Clarity through calmness and connection comes as a result of Breathwork. One of the most wonderful effects is that it opens pathways to self-discovery, self-acceptance, and self-love. Any time we dedicate our energy to a spiritual practice, we grow in profound ways. While growth can sometimes be uncomfortable, a helpful practice like Breathwork can be exactly what we need to feel supported.

If it feels in alignment, give yourself permission to deep dive into Breathwork. You're already breathing, so you've already started on the journey!