Most of us breathe all day without ever thinking about it. But the moment you begin changing your breathing on purpose, the breath becomes something more than an automatic function.
Breathwork is the intentional use of breathing patterns to influence your experience in the moment. Depending on the technique, that may mean slowing the breath down, deepening it, connecting it into a rhythm, or using a more activating pattern for a period of time.
There is no single “correct” breathwork pattern. Different techniques are designed to create different experiences, and the technique should match the purpose.
Before getting into specific techniques, here are four simple ideas that make breathwork easier to understand.
You deliberately change the pace, depth, or rhythm of your breathing for a reason.
Some practices are slow and calming. Others are deeper, rhythmic, or more activating.
A breathing exercise may last two minutes, while a guided journey may last much longer.
No two sessions have to feel the same, and there is no prize for having a dramatic experience.