The Breath Letter - #19
Dear Breather,
Entry points…entry points….entry points…
These words keep coming back to me. Like pieces of a puzzle that wants to be solved.
I’m starting to feel there’s a fundamental misunderstanding about breathwork, or most somatic, therapeutic or psychedelic practices for that matter.
Confusing the Tool for the Goal.
All these practices are simply tools, they have little power by themselves unless you start to see them as Entry Points; ways to get access to your lived experience. That’s where I believe things get interesting.
The main Tool: Micropractices!
Those ongoing little moments where you pay full attention, with all your senses.
To help with this I decided to add another segment to The Breath Letter, exploring different forms of micropractices.
These practices are also what we work a lot with in the 1:1 sessions in Stoke Newington and Primrose Hill - but in Macro form…
The Breath
The Emotional Breath
Every state comes with a breath, a movement, a pulsation.
Our anger is connected to a forced, explosive exhale.
Our fear makes us contract, go inward, using our inhale.
Our joy…..?
Our pleasure…?
Our pain…?
Instructions:
Explore the relationship between an emotion and the corresponding breath and movement.
Play with this a little bit and see what you can discover.
Are you breathing more intensely or softer with this emotion?
Is there a specific contraction or expansion in certain body parts?
Does is it open you up or close you down?
Do you find certain emotions harder or easier to relate to?
What would be your dominant emotion if you analyse your “normal breath”?
It can help to play different types of music (another entry point) that make you feel a certain way, this might make it easier to discover the connection.
The Insights
Whatever you assume, assume it’s more complex.
I think it’s time to stop assuming we (I) know. Whatever it is. Every time I feel like I’m starting to understand something it turns out to be (way more) complex than I ever thought it could be. Or I never even thought about it in the first place and just assumed it was what I thought it to be. And this even goes for science, our “facts”. I deeply believe in the scientific process as another entry point. But grab any science book from 50 years ago and half of the information we assumed to be true turns out to be ever more complex.
“Surrender”
In the breathwork and therapeutic process we talk a lot about surrender.
Often when this word is used, it seems to subconsciously be replaced by “defeat” or “collapse”. It triggers people and sometimes I can see the “NEVER!” in their eyes.
But here’s how I’ve come to understand it, though it’s probably more complex ;).
You don’t surrender to the context, you surrender to your experience.
It’s not about giving in to the “other”, or the situation - this indeed would be a “defeat” (and even that might be wise)...
Instead, you give in to the resistance inside of you, the internal fight, the attempt to suppress or control.
You allow the sensation, flow, energy, emotion to run through you freely - without suppression, control or overwhelm.
When you allow this, you regain a sense of freedom, an opportunity to choose your next step. This is fundamentally empowering!
You’ve now regained control, rather than being in a reactive state that controls you.
The Content
Rick Rubin - In all forms
Another fanboy moment…I genuinely couldn’t choose a single piece of content.
The book, any podcast with him as a guest, his own podcast “Tetragammaton” in which he speaks to other creatives, his documentary about “Shangri-La”...make your pick!
I think the bit I enjoyed the most about his whole philosophy, his being, is that it overlaps so much with the idea of entry points, and the cranio-sacral process.
All are about paying full attention, surrender, and fully allowing what wants to come through in its most singular expression.
Sleeping Lion | Alex Megos
I’m an avid climbing fan, for many reasons. Another entry point and micropractice opportunity! I loved that in this video, doing one of the hardest climbs in the world, a big part of his focus is on his breathing. Check out that nose breathing at 11 minutes!
The Science of Breathing
I really enjoyed this conversation, simply two people who know a lot about breathing having a good chat. There’s also a very healthy level scepticism, investigation and curiosity which is refreshing, leading to a different type of enquiry and another level of understanding.
The Experiences
12th of February - Breathwork & Sound Bath @ Clapton - London
Excited for this 2 hour breathing and sound immersion! A collaborative event with the Bless crew who will bring their bowls, crystals and cooking skills for a nice gentle meal post session.
Tickets here
22nd of February @ SOMA hOme - Breathwork & Somatic Release
Join us for an evening of breathing, music, movement and release!
This session will include more somatic exercises and is suitable for this interested in getting even more in touch with their system.
23rd of February @ Soulstice - Primrose Hill - Breathwork session
Excited these sessions are now fully up and running.
This small studio (max. 8 people), has a great feel and vibe to it all. Like a little safety cave to explore what wants to come alive
Tickets here
28th of February @ Bless - Stoke Newington - Breathwork + free card deck!
The most intimate session of them all. 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
The Micropractice
Take both your hands and give your whole face and head a good rub!
Make sure the skin moves over the bone, all over the skull, whilst you keep breathing deeply and gently. Feel free to properly go for it and see what it does.
