The Breath Letter #22
Dear Breather,
Something that I think will never cease to amaze me is how the breath lands.
One facilitator.
Same space.
Same music.
Same guidance.
Totally different responses.
“I felt like I was completely floating in space”
“I felt like I went through my own birth again”
“I felt resistance and nothing else”
“I felt tingles and sensation all over my body which I’ve never felt”
“I had a conversation with myself that I’ve been trying to have for years”
All valid, all true.
The Breath
3 Part Breath
I was reminded of this wonderful, simple and efficient practice by my friend Lewis (Two Palms Breathwork) as I joined his space last weekend.
This technique reminds us of how dynamic our breath is, and how our breathing mechanics shape our breathing.
So if you feel like inquiring into your breathing patterns and break through some stuckness try this exercise.
Instructions:
As the name suggests this techniques focuses on breathing into 3 parts of the torso individually, one by one.
(lower) abdomen
Side ribs
Front of the chest
Play some calm music and start breathing into these areas, resetting your focus every time.
If you want to expand the chest even more you can take an additional sip of air after the 3 part of the inhale.
From there you hold and let the breath float out.
Repeat.
Abdomen → Side ribs → Chest → sip of air.
Hold.
And let it float out…
Which areas are easier to breathe in to and which harder?
The Insights
Courage.
What does being courageous mean to you?
This word suddenly got a whole new meaning to me when I realised it comes from the latin word “cor” which means “heart”.
Doing things with courage, means you’re operating from the heart space.
So can one even be courageous without dropping down into the body?
Is doing something with courage the same as doing something with love?
You can only feel what you know (?)
As part of my training I need to learn A LOT of anatomy, getting to know every part of us to a cellular level. A painful process, and I often wondered why? What exact difference does it make when I engage with people on an emotional level?
That was until in recent sessions I started to see the difference, or notice the difference I should say. As I went through all the structures, methodically, they all carried different “energies”, subtle as it was, they moved in their own way. Which led to a resurgence of flow.
The more we understand the body, the more nuanced we can get with it and notice what wants to be set back into motion.
The Content
Cold Turkey
So “Cold Turkey” is arguably the best blocker app out there. It blocks your Instagram, YouTube etc according to different schedules that you can set yourself. A lifesafer from the internet depths of despair!
And whenever you try to get past it, instead of shaming you it hits you with a quote. A nice touch. This was my last one:
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage - Anais Nin
BURTYNSKY: EXTRACTION / ABSTRACTION
For those in London, I’d highly recommend this exhibition.
Burtynsky takes incredible pictures, manages to find birds-eye beauty in basically anything.
But at the same time making us painfully aware of the impact we have on the planet.
And a great somatic reminder, zooming out and engaging with what it actually is that you see and experience:
A beautiful piece of artwork….or….a gold mine?
Shakti Mat
I’ve really been enjoying using a shakti mat. It’s basically a mat full of spikes.
Once you surrender, it has a very calming effect and great for taking your mind off everything.
Also good for practising being with any sensations that arise.
The Experiences
28th of March @ SOMA hOme - Breathwork & Somatic Release
Perfect for those who have some more experience or want to dive a little deeper.
We’ll have 2.5hrs for this session giving us time for more somatic practices and interaction.
At the heart of this session will be exploration, experimentation and the tension between the known and unknown; safety and resistance. Using the body as our entry point.
Tickets here
There will also be an edition on the 30th of April:
Tickets here
12th of April @ Fire + Alchemy - Shoreditch - Breathwork Class
For this session we’ll do a deep-dive into the world of breathing. For this session we'll focus on Creativity, in it's most literal sense. Focusing on what authentically wants to come alive and take shape.
Tickets here
16th of April @ SOMA hOMe - Breathwork Class
My regular Breathwork Odyssey session in collaboration with The Psychedelic Society.
An evening full of connected breathing, movement and music!
Perfect for those who feel good in bigger groups.
Tickets here
26th of April @ Soulstice - Primrose Hill - Breathwork session
Such a wonderful venue and perfect for those who live in West-London.
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
