The Breath Letter - #8
Dear breather,
Sessions, Sessions, Sessions…It’s been a busy few weeks in the Breathlife HQ!
Yet, all these interactions have one thing in common.
You: Breathing?! Duh…
Sure, the breath…but also a direct reference to your truth.
Becoming aware of our breath, allows us to check in with what is real for us.
Right here, right now.
And in this world where there is a lot of nonsense, fake stuff and pressure to be something I believe that’s quite a powerful tool to get your hands on.
So don’t let your mind trick you into thinking this moment is insignificant!
I didn’t come up with that sentence…stole it from this post, but I think it’s rather wise.
Also! Got another Soul Kitchen retreat coming up this October in Portugal in case you want to sharpen your vision, do loads of breathing and meet some nice people!
The Breath
The Playful Breath
We touched on the the importance of play in Letter #7 and how it allows us to explore different ways of being in a safe way.
The world of breathwork has become rather serious, and though it is indeed important to treat the practice with respect, that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun.
Instructions:
Put on a song that is rhythmic and dynamic. I personally love Sapana for a practice like this.
Ideally you would be standing.
Start to check in with your breath, and simply observe.
How am I breathing right now?
When you feel your breath has settled start to play with it in all kinds of weird and wonderful ways.
See if you can surprise yourself!
Maybe this video can serve as some inspiration.
If, over time, the body wants to join in with some playful movement see if you can allow for this. Or maybe you notice you want to make certain funky sounds.
Go for it!
When you’re done, go back to a calm breath and observe.
What do you notice?
The Insights
If it is all energy - what is self-worth about?
Though a part of me struggles with the “Everything is energy” sentence on some level (to be investigated), it’s something that can’t be denied.
So in a recent session we decided to look at the concept of self-worth through this lens which gave some surprising insights.
See, energy just is and the idea of judgement of this is fundamentally a human construct.
Energy has no inherent worth.
So where does that leave you with your idea of self-worth, knowing that your self is just “worthless” energy?
Feeling pairs
Talking to my good friend and fellow practitioner Simon Sweeney, we touched upon feeling pairs.
For example fear & trust, anger & love, pain & pleasure.
I was rather fascinated by this and it reminds me of the workings of the nervous system.
In a way it works like electric cables, that can have a maximum level of voltage running through it.
Most of these feeling pairs run at a similar “voltage”, which also means that when we deny the existence of one feeling in our lives, we also deny the existence of its opposite.
And this has quite some implications…
So, rather paradoxically, we can allow ourselves to feel more love again, by allowing for anger. We can learn how to trust again, by going towards our fear and realise that it’s safe. Slowly allowing for more voltage through the nervous system.
We might be running a series on this in November, so stay tuned if this topic intrigues you…
The Content
Last Breath
I was suddenly reminded of this incredible documentary. I dare you not to hold your breath the entire time you are watching this. Not sure you’ll learn a lot about breathing but what a story!
"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." -- Arthur Schopenhauer
I loved this post by James Nestor - writer of the book “Breath”. Having been ridiculed for years, slowly his insights and methods are becoming widely adopted. This time by the world’s #1 tennis player:
Mammalian Dive Reflex
I was quite confused by this one!
I’ve always been under the impression that any form of cold exposure is perceived as a stressor by the body and will therefore lead to sympathetic response i.e. increased heart rate and respiratory rate etc.
But I recently found out there’s an exception to this because of something called the “Mammalian Dive Reflex” - check out the video for more details.
But in a nutshell:
When you dip your face in cold water it actually activates the Vagus nerve, a parasympathetic activation, which slows down our heart rate!
So maybe throwing cold water in someone’s face to cool them down when they’re angry isn’t such a bad idea after all….you didn’t hear that from me.
The Experiences
22nd of August @ 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
6th of September @ Fire + Alchemy - Shoreditch - Breathwork Class
For this session we’ll do a deep-dive into the world of breathing - with a specific focus on Playfulness.
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 definitely looks like things are set in motion in this space!
Tickets here
9th of September @ Bullerengue & Breath - London Fields- Breathwork, Dance, Movement
I’m so excited for this one! I teamed up with Valeria and Esteban, who are two incredible people who are bringing their amazing practice and ritual from North-Colombia to East London. An evening of breathing, dancing, drumming, singing and community!
12th of September - 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
13th of September @ 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
