The Breath Letter -#10
Dear Breather,
First things first, let’s take a gentle, deep breath. A good habit to develop before you read any email. The micro practices is where it’s at.
Last week we did another big group session in Hackney Wick.
In the sharing circle afterwards we spoke about two things:
- Functional Freeze
- The Brain Taxi
Both resonated in the group and they’re deeply connected.
Many of us are consistently in a stressful (read: unsafe) environment. And these stressors could be very minor in isolation, but cumulatively have a huge impact.
An ambulance, an email, a deadline, a partner who said something, low quality food, a bad night sleep, a little too much time on your phone etc.
Nothing too extreme, but consistent.
If we spend too long in this type of context a lot of bodies will go into a state of functional freeze: Fully operational, whilst fully numb - in other words, a brain taxi.
This is something I hear from many people in 1:1 and group settings. And what helps them gently get out of this could be a mix of things; deep breathing, movement, touch, using their voice.
So if you recognise this state I’d really encourage you to start exploring a little and see what starts to come back alive.
On this! I realise many of you don’t live in London. I’ve been playing with the idea for online sessions, so I thought I’d simply ask:
Would you be interested in Online sessions - group and/or private?
Let me know!
The Breath
The Dynamic Breath
When we see pictures or videos of breathwork, most of the time it’s people lying down, under a blanket in a static position.
Though this can be helpful, I very much encourage people to actually move!
Movement sets things in motion, the muscles, the fascia, the joints and the feelings.
Most things in nature that don’t move are either dead, hiding/frozen, or have very little life in them.
So by allowing for movement, we are allowing flow and life to come back.
Instructions:
Find yourself in an upright seated position.
You can use a slow or more upbeat song like this one if it helps you.
Start breathing gently in and out, through the nose or mouth and see if you can find some flow, a rhythm that works for you.
From there invite some gentle movement, non-directional.
Imagine the wind in the trees or the algae in the ocean.
Allowing the spine, pelvis and neck to move.
Then slowly introduce movement in the shoulders, moving them backwards on the inhale, as if your chest is being gently pulled forward and upward by a string.
On your exhale, let your body gently collapse forward.
It’s almost like a big flying bird, flapping their wings in sync with the breath.
Allow your breath to guide your movement and stay with it if it feels safe.
What do you notice?
The Insights
The point of highest tension is the point closest to release.
This came up in a session the other day as we got inspired by autumn coming up and the leaves falling from the tree.
If there are things we want to let go of, it’s important to move towards tension, not with force, but gently allowing it to build up. Just like a leaf which is about to fall from the tree. The point of highest stress and tension in the connection between the leaf and tree is stat micro still point right before it lets go.
We work with the same flow in Cranio Sacral Therapy:
Engage - What do you notice in the body?
Follow - Where is your attention drawn to?
Build up - Feeling a rise in energy in a certain part of the body.
Still Point - The closest point to release, a micro freeze, stuck in time, holding the breath.
Release - Letting go, back to motion, an exhale.
Integration - Adjusting to the new, back to safety.
Emotions don’t have to be resolved, but do need to be acknowledged.
Often in more personal conversations we’ll eventually stumble upon someone sharing something emotional or something they’re struggling with. And for most of us, this triggers a need. Maybe you want to resolve it or maybe you feel the need to verbally run away by shutting it down or switching topic. But what if you would simply acknowledge what you see?
“I see that X”, “I noticed when you said Y, it looked like you felt Z”.
Often when we simply state what we see, the other person feels seen which in turn can lead to some sort of resolution in and of itself.
The Content
Cognitive Fear vs Real Fear
I recently stumbled upon this guy. Not sure if I agree with everything he says and posts, but he does say some interesting things here on real fear versus cognitive fear.
Most of our fears are fantasies about a certain future, based on the past where we felt a real fear. Nothing groundbreaking, but well explained and an interesting take.
One of my favourite movies and definitely one of the best scenes. I think in some way, shape or form most of us will feel like something is our fault, though we weren’t responsible.
So yes, this scene always gets to me.
Yoga Joes - Importance of physical reminders.
A piece of physical content. Physical reminders can play a big role in our process.
Maybe a rock you picked up on a trip. A painting that reminds you of a place where you felt safe. Or a piece of jewellery that was given to you by a special person.
Personally I’m a big fan of physical reminders, they’re everywhere in my house.
One of them are these yoga soldiers. Reminding me it’s ok to show up differently, to stay disciplined in my flexibility, and the importance and joy I get out of teamwork.
The Experiences
5th of October @ Bless - Breathwork Class - London - Stoke Newington
I really enjoy these sessions since they’re very intimate. Max 6 people in a cosy space.
Perfect for those who want to explore group breathwork in a safe container.
You also get a free Breathe. Card Deck with this one!
Tickets here
10th of October @ Fire + Alchemy - Shoreditch - Breathwork Class
For this session we’ll do a deep-dive into the world of breathing - with a specific focus on Embracing the Mess.
Last week we did a session here where someone said “I had a conversation with myself that I’ve been trying to have for decades, thank you so much”. So it definitely looks like things are set in motion in this space!
Tickets here
11th of October @ Open House Hackney - Breathwork Class - East London
My regular Breathwork Odyssey session in collaboration with The Psychedelic Society.
An evening full of connected breathing, movement and music!
Make sure to bring your own yoga mat, blanket and cushion :)
Tickets here
18-23 October @ Soul Kitchen Retreat - Ericeira - Portugal
A 6 day journey, going from intention to manifestation in beautiful Ericeira, Portugal!
Day 1 — Intention
Day 2 — Descension
Day 3 — Ascension
Day 4 — Vision
Day 5 — Strategy
Day 6 — Manifestation
This trip to Ericeira might just be perfect for you if you are one of those…
Dreamers — who want to carry out their vision
Idealists — who want to grow their impact
Creators — who have lost their inspiration
Tickets here
As always, if you have any questions about anything breath related, are interested in one on one breathwork in London or online, joining a group sessions or just want to have a chat please feel free to reach out or book in some time here: https://calendly.com/stevenebbers/30min-checkin
Enjoy the breath!
With warmth,
Steven from Breathlife
