The first time I experienced breathwork, I was gifted a session by my friend Eliza. While she explained that during the experience energy would move through my chakras, I thought, “Yah, yah, yah. For sure, this is going to be really boring.” It turned out to be anything but!
In the months since I began the work, I've experienced a range of emotions and profound shifts. I've cried old pockets of tears from my past, laughed uncontrollably like a child, literally felt energy move through and out various parts of my body and actually seen energy move beneath the surface of my skin. Once, I hallucinated my spirit guide, who appeared to tell me how proud he was of me and that everything was about to change (which it did!).
Are you hearing me? Breathing made me hallucinate! Drugs are officially cheating. We don’t need them to get high!
Here’s why I love this work
1. It allows you to just dig out the stuff that’s stuck in your body without having to intellectualize every freaking Freudian issue from your childhood, over and over again. This makes it great for men because they don't generally love to talk about their feelings.
2. I appreciate that it works well alone or in addition to other practices like meditation, yoga, hiking or even spinning.
3. The work itself is super quick, but the high lasts for days and the results are permanent. Once you get rid of something, it's gone! For the first time, I can imagine a day when my past won't affect my present.
Here are the options for learning
1. If you happen to be lucky enough to live in the same city (Los Angeles) as my breathwork instructor, Eliza Kane, I strongly recommend you see her for a private session. (The Resonance of Creativity). She is also available for Skype sessions.
2. Eliza now teaches a weekly Wednesday night class at my store The Quest, in Venice Beach. (Hayley Starr).
3. My personal favorite guided meditation MP3 is one by David Elliot with the options for five-, ten-, twenty- or 27-minute sessions. I use these a lot when I'm on the road or as a quickie for daily practice. (David Elliot).
This is an important time for evolution on this beautiful planet and practices that speed us along are invaluable.
Happy breathing!