The Power in the Conscious Breath
By: Dr. Denise Renye
Frequently, I notice when a patient stops breathing and I reflect that to them saying, “I noticed you paused your breath.” Oftentimes they are unaware of this and sometimes because of newfound awareness they begin noticing their breath more. One time in particular when I noted the pause, a patient responded they felt like they’d paused their life. Their comment got me thinking about the connection between breath and life, which are undeniable. A person can live one to two months without food (if they have adequate water intake), three days without water, but only a few minutes without air. Breath is vital and breath is life.
Furthermore, the breath tells us something if we notice it. It can give profound insight into the inner landscape of a person. Hear me out as this may initially sound silly to you and you may be thinking: “I breathe all day, every day. Why should I consciously think about my breath? It happens naturally.” However, you might be surprised when you start thinking about your breath in a conscious way.
The act of bringing awareness to the breath is a profound one that can deepen the richness of life. For instance, do you notice when you hold your breath? This can happen when you’re thinking intently. It can, and frequently does, happen when anxiety creeps up. If you’ve read previous posts, you’ll notice I advocate full, deep, belly breathing. There’s a difference between deep, full, slow belly breaths and shallow, fast, restricted breaths that begin in and stay in the chest. Shallow breathing is a form of control. The unconscious thinking goes, “I feel things are out of control outside of me so I will control the one thing I can in this very moment: my breath.”
When we pause the breath, we pause the processes of the body. And when we pause the processes of the body, we are pausing life. It makes sense intellectually but it’s not a kind, loving, compassionate thing to do to the body, which is why engaging with the breath regularly and deeply can change your relationship with yourself as well as help you come to know yourself even more. In other words, breathwork can help you become more you. I’ve seen this not only for myself but also in working with clients in my capacity as a certified yoga therapist. I advocate breathwork not only for processing life in general, but also for integrating a psychedelic experience, which you can read more about here.
As for me, I first experienced breathwork when I was an undergraduate student. I drove three hours one way to find a practitioner of the “rebirthing technique.” Practitioners of the rebirthing technique breathe in a circular way – no pause between the inhale and exhale – which forces out negative emotions and, if continued, can result in a blissful feeling. I learned a lot about myself through those experiences.
It was life changing for me to engage at that level with my own breath! A few years later, I had my first experience with holotropic breathwork with a man that would become my mentor and teacher: Dr. Stanislov Grof. That first experience was in a large group co-facilitated by his wife Christina Grof. After Christina’s passing, I found my way into smaller breathwork circles with Stanislov and the depth of experiences in those sessions were profound and attuned with what I needed for my own integration.
However, the music in holotropic breathwork can be intense and these days I have a gentler breathwork practice that includes some pranayama and mostly circular breathing. It’s simple yet powerful. Many times people think a practice has to be complex or intricate, and it can be, but keeping it simple is key to maintaining a breathwork practice.
If you’d like to try breathwork, a fairly straightforward technique that can clear stuck energy and get things moving in the body and consciousness is nadi shodhana or alternate nostril breathing. Nadi shodhana is best practiced on an empty stomach. To start, choose a comfortable sitting position, whether that’s cross-legged on the floor with optional props, or in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Lengthen your spine so your back, neck, and head are erect. Gently close your eyes and begin by taking a full, deep inhalation into your belly followed by a slow, gentle exhale. Do this several times to allow your mind and body to settle.
1. Fold the tips of your index and middle fingers on your right hand inward until they touch the palm at the base of your right thumb. You will use the right thumb to close the right nostril and the right ring and pinky fingers (together) to close the left nostril.
2. Use the right thumb to close the right nostril. Exhale gently, but completely, through the left nostril. Keep the right nostril closed and inhale through the left nostril all the way down into your belly. As you inhale, allow the breath to travel upward along the left side of your body and pause briefly at the crown of your head.
3. Now use your ring and pinky fingers to gently close the left nostril and simultaneously remove your thumb from the right nostril. Exhale through your right nostril all the way down to your stomach and pause briefly.
4. Keep the left nostril closed and inhale through the right nostril, allowing the breath to travel up the right side of the body all the way to your crown.
5. Now you’re back to the starting position – use your right thumb to close your right nostril as you release your left nostril. Exhale through the left nostril down to your belly and pause gently.
You’ve now completed one round. Keep going – inhaling through your left nostril, exhaling through your right nostril, inhaling through your right nostril, and exhaling through your left nostril – for several more rounds. Maintain your awareness of the route your breath is following – up one side of the body and back down the other. Keep the breath slow, gentle, and relaxed throughout the practice.
When you are ready to stop, complete your final round of nadi shodhana by exhaling through your left nostril. Relax your right hand and place it comfortably in your lap as you once again breathe fully and deeply into your stomach a few times.
Allow yourself to breathe however feels natural for you. As you do, notice your state of mind. Do you feel calmer? Have any emotions come up? What’s happening in your body? After becoming conscious of these observations, be present with them. They are neither good nor bad. Be with yourself and if it feels right, express gratitude for your body and your breath. When you’re ready, gently open your eyes.
How did that go for you? Let me know. And if you’re interested in beginning a breathwork practice or hearing more about breathwork (as well as other topics) sign up for my newsletter.