Breathwork and Transformation
Breathwork and transformation to talk about this we can start by defining. What is a “transformative experience” anyway? It’s when you leave a place feeling different than how you came in. You see the world differently, feel things more deeply, and find your voice. You become more yourself, unapologetically and authentically. To support people to have these transformative experiences, we offer our clients various activities that are designed to help them access their inner selves and discover new aspects of themselves. In addition to yoga, meditation, group discussions, and educational workshops, we also use breathwork as a way to open up the mind and body to deeper levels of consciousness.
We believe that breathing is one of the most accessible ways for people to have an out-of-body experience. By intentionally focusing on your breath, you can create a space between stimulus and response where choice becomes available: A space where you can begin listening not only to your thoughts but also from your heart.
What is Breathwork?
Breathwork is an activity that helps people to access altered states of consciousness by focusing on their breathing. This can lead to an increased sensitivity to internal feelings and experiences, including feelings of euphoria, tingling, calmness, insights, sensations in the body and altered voice sounds.
People often report having feelings of being outside of their bodies, experiencing feelings of flying or falling, and seeing colors. Breathwork can be used for many different purposes, including as a form of meditation, healing and self-exploration. People can do breathwork alone, with a partner or in a group setting. It can be done lying down, sitting or standing up, and with eyes open or closed.
What happens during a breathwork session?
Typically, a breathwork session begins with a partner or group leader guiding the participants to focus on their breathing. This can be done by having them observe their breath, by hearing themselves breathe through a recording of themselves or by counting their breaths.
The focus on breathing may lead participants to become increasingly aware of sensations throughout the body, which can help them let go of thoughts that may be holding them back. People who engage in breathwork can experience mild to extreme reactions, ranging from feeling peaceful and calm to being overwhelmed with intense emotions. As with any other transformative activity, there is no guarantee that someone will have a positive experience, and almost anyone can learn to do breathwork.
Why do Breathwork at Goenka?
Breathwork is a transformative activity that can help people to open up to deeper levels of themselves. However, due to its nature, some people may find that it is not helpful for them. There are no guarantees when it comes to transformation, and we have learned from experience that not everyone is ready or appropriate to do breathwork. For example, breathwork may not be appropriate for people who are very young, especially those who may be unable to communicate what is happening to them, or people who have experienced trauma or have issues with anxiety or panic attacks.
How does Breathwork benefit our clients?
Breathwork is a powerful tool for transformation that can help people to discover new aspects of themselves and connect with their deepest and most authentic selves. It can help people to become more intuitive, heal from past experiences and gain a new perspective on life. Breathwork can be used to assist with healing from trauma, grief, relationship issues, addictions, body image issues, creative blocks and much more. It can also be helpful with general stress and anxiety.
Conclusion
Breathwork is a transformative activity that can help people to open up to deeper levels of themselves. However, due to its nature, not everyone is ready or appropriate to do breathwork. Breathwork can be used to assist with healing from trauma, grief, relationship issues, addictions, body image issues, creative blocks and much more. It can also be helpful with general stress and anxiety.