Holystic Breathing

My enthusiasm for breath work, specifically Transformational Breathing, began when I was invited to attend a breath work session with my massage therapist who was taking a course and needed a "breather" to observe for her training in order to get certified as a breath work therapist. I was very excited about having this experience, as I have been interested in different breathing techniques for health, for many years.

There were eleven participants including the instructor, the interns, and the "breathers", including myself. The session began with the instructor explaining what was about to take place. She explained the breathing technique that we would be doing, which she called transformational, or connected breathing.It is re-learning how to breathe the natural way. It is the way that babies and children breathe before they get older and develop restricted breathing patterns which, among other things, is caused by repressed or suppressed feelings, including trauma.

She emphasized the fact that most adults breathe unevenly and shallow, and that whenever we don't want to FEEL something unpleasant, we tend to hold our breath (hoping the feeling will go away.) But it doesn't. Feelings must be acknowledged and FELT, not buried and forgotten, possibly causing inappropriate emotional behavior or even disease later in life. I have heard it said that if you can feel it you can heal it, which is just what happens when deep breathing opens up places in the body allowing one to feel again, and thus able to express those feelings. We can feel the pain and let it go. Breathe through it. Then you will not only be healed of it, but if you will surrender to Spirit and breath you can become empowered by it. It can heal you at all levels of your being and then empower you to help others.

After the breath therapist explained the technique, we lay down on a mat on the floor. The "breathing music" started with Mary, the therapist, "coaching", and my intern, Janice, sitting beside me facilitating my breathing. . The basic technique was that of inhaling and exhaling from the abdomen (belly) to the upper chest and throat; a complete breath, with no pause in-between. We breathed this way continuously for 45 minutes. My feet and hands were tingling. My whole body seemed to pulsate with energy. I had never experienced anything so profound like this before.

As all the breathers were breathing, the instructor went to each one of us and evaluated and observed what was going on. My eyes were closed. I was totally present. I was aware only of the music and the voices of the facilitators. It seemed like a dream, or like I was in a different dimension. This was turning out to be more interesting than I had ever expected! Positively profound!

When the session ended, each person was asked to tell about his or her experience. I remember telling her that I felt a deep spiritual connection among the group and especially with her. I felt so very relaxed and peaceful… so very different and oh so light! Some of the other participants said they experienced grief that had previously been unexpressed, and therefore felt better. I also experienced various feelings surfacing during the session, and which continued during the following week…

The entire session ended with the instructor telling us that we had just experienced a new awakening of sorts, that we were changed at the molecular level, that we were more alive! After I became reoriented, I felt so tingly and energized I felt that I could do anything! I knew this was a new beginning for me. The things she said reaffirmed what I already believed about myself and my "calling", that I, and many others who follow the holistic path, and what I call the light workers way, must help to heal and bring peace to the world. Mary said that the world needs people who are alive, awakened and empowered to help to heal the world, as many are suffering…. Need I say more?

The week that followed my Transformational breathing session, I continued with the circular breathing on my own, as I had been taught and I continued to heal. I had a breakthrough. Some of the feelings that had been in my body for years, and causing anxiety, had “loosened up” and surfaced from all the powerful breath work. On Tuesday I went for my regular appointment with Janice for massage. I couldn't wait to ask her questions about what was happening to me. For one thing, the anxiety had caused a tight feeling in my chest area and it felt that the energy was stuck. In order to remedy this, she did what is called cranio sacral therapy on me and the tightness went away, and stayed away. I continued my circular breathing sessions, and my breathing was now much smoother and more comfortable.

Over the next few days, I experienced a major cleansing, a release of buried emotional and physical toxins. Probably years of pain had surfaced and could be released. I then felt a peace I hadn't felt in years. I felt good…. very good. I knew I had received a major healing. I had a sense that I had been reborn! The breath of Life had penetrated me at all levels of my being. The Transformational breathing is powerful!

I also came to realize that much of what happened to me involved my fifth chakra, (Sanskrit word for energy center), the throat chakra. Inhaling through the mouth, and the sounding of Ahhhh, helped to open the throat area. I later learned that the voice and throat problems I had experienced are typical "symptoms" of the throat chakra opening.

So where do highly sensitive people fit into all of this? Many HSPs were brought up to be seen and not heard. As a result of this, many HSPs have blockage in the throat chakra . Also creativity is an aspect of the throat (5th) chakra. Many HSPs are highly creative, but may not have not had the opportunity, nor confidence to express themselves in our highly extroverted and "non HSP" society.

Highly sensitive people are also sensuous! Breathing is a sensuous experience! Sometimes I incorporate aromatherapy into my breath session, which can enhance the experience... a sensuous experience indeed! I have come to call this Aroma Breathing, as I am a user and lover of essential oils. It has been said that one can accomplish more healing in one session of breathwork than years of traditional psychological therapy. And here is some very good news. Breathing is virtually FREE and it is always available.

I highly recommend circular (Transformational) breathing for highly sensitive people. If you are looking for ways to heal, it may be the missing link and may turn your life around and transform you as it has been transforming me. Every day more answers come to me about events in my life. Past and present. Every day I receive a new healing or a new revelation of some kind. More and more understanding. And I am much more intuitive. Much of the blocked creativity in me is beginning to flow.

I feel extremely blessed to have been a part of this life changing breath work session. I plan to continue to learn about it and to have continued healing and growth in my life, and to pass on this good news to others, as I hope I have done here.

My Second Group Breathwork Session

Do you know that you have a most amazing tool for healing and health and that it is as close to you as your very own breath? In fact, it is your very own breath, and it is available and free to all of us. Several weeks ago I went to my second group Breathwork session. In this second article, I would like to give you an update on what I have been learning and how I think it can be helpful to those of us with highly sensitive nervous systems.

I feel very fortunate indeed to have attended two group sessions with Mary, as she is the only certified Transformational Breathwork Therapist and trainer here in the state of Ohio. My second session was just as profound and interesting as the first. This time we did the breathing for a longer period…well over an hour. One new experience that I had was a powerful feeling of energy vibrating in my feet, legs and hands. I brought this to Mary's attention, but as she always says: "Keep breathing!" I thought, "O.K, she's the expert". But as I continued to ponder this after the session, I somehow thought that the process and the experience may be different for someone with a highly sensitive nervous system, and I am aiming to find out. I am being my own guinea pig. I believe, that as an HSP I felt this more intensely than the others.

And so I am interested in learning all I can about Transformational Breathing, and especially how it "works" for HSPs and I have been experimenting and continuing to have sessions on my own. Even though one can benefit from only fifteen minutes each day, I have been having sessions up to 45 minutes to one hour. (An "official" session is about one hour) I am also reading Judith Kravitz' book called "Breath Deep, Laugh Loudly". (You can order this book from Amazon) Judith has trained over 3000 facilitators and is the co-developer of Transformational Breathing. I am also working with and learning from my massage therapist each week. It was she who introduced me to Transformational Breathing, and is now a certified Transformational Breath Therapist.

The main thing about Transformational Breathing is that it is a technique which helps us to retrain our breathing mechanism so that we can breathe correctly again. It is learning to breathe naturally, the way we did as babies. The purpose of the connected (no pause) full breath is to open up our breath and to re-train our natural breathing pattern. It is a full deep breath through the mouth. It is also called connected or circular breathing meaning that there is no pause at the end of the exhalation, nor the inhalation; just one long, smooth breath. (This is all done lying down) Having at least a 15 minute "breathing session" each day will be beneficial and will eventually carry over into your daily life. You will feel more empowered, more creative, have more energy, feel lighter, have better digestion*, and you may notice that many health problems disappear due to the high level of oxygen being taken into your system. Not only oxygen, but LIFE FORCE, which raises the consciousness and one's vibratory level.

There is much to learn about this seemingly simple act of breathing. Each session is different, and one learns something new each time. Like many things, it is something one must actually experience in order to understand. Many breathwork trainers and facilitators have been practicing for many years and still have new experiences. I have only been practicing Transformational Breathing for a relatively short time, and I have experienced increased energy, a fuller, natural and more satisfying breath, more creativity and improvement of lifelong throat and breathing problems. I plan to continue my practice and take special notice of how my experience as an HSP may be different from a non highly sensitive person. If you are an "HSP" you know that we notice things more and that includes all the subtleties of breathing. Being HSP we analyze things, pause and reflect on it all more, using our pause and check system, as defined by Dr. Elaine Aron, in her book "The Highly Sensitive Person.." Being very intuitive it is easier for us to be tuned in and follow our inner guidance.. our own built in facilitator! I personally call on the Holy Spirit.. the "Holy Breath" to guide me. Still each HSP is different.. each will have his/her own experience and go through her own process of transformation.

I, myself, find it hard to just let the breathing happen, to just relax and let go. Eventually it does happen though. Instead of us doing the breathing, we are "being breathed". It becomes automatic. This is known as the "activation" phase and is also the healing phase. We stop trying and the breath almost takes on a life of its own. We learn to allow this to happen, to surrender to it. We learn to let the Holy Breath heal us and transform us, body and mind.... into Light, Love and Joy.

I feel that I have received a great gift and so want to pass this information onto YOU! There is so much more I would like to share with you, but why not try it out for yourself. As I mentioned above, there is much to learn about this wonderful breath of life that is available to us. I hope you will decide to take advantage of it! I would love to hear about your experience, and especially how you may think of the experience as a highly sensitive person.

If you are interested in contacting a certified breath therapist, let me know and I will help you to locate one in your area.

* Although it is perfectly natural and safe, it is very important that you learn and practice the proper technique for circular, connected breathing. You can visit Judith Kravitz’ web site or order her book, as noted above. This Newsletter is for informational purposes only and so I do not make any medical claims, nor do I take any responsibility for any breathwork you may choose to do.

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