Conscious Connected Breathwork & Conscious Breathing

Imagine there are two branches that run parallel to each other, they intertwine and support each other, standing in their autonomy, but both are vital parts of making the whole.   

On one of these tracks, you have conscious breathing, which has been around for centuries; think breath awareness, mindfulness and meditative breath practices, pranayama or yoga breathing; these are the bread and butter to creating balance in your life.

Generally, though not always done through the nose, typically though not always, controlled to a specific pace, dynamic and intention. 

These practices can and should be done daily; they should be a part of everyday life. They also support the integration of those peak and profound experiences that conscious connected breathwork can offer. 

On the other branch, we have conscious connected breathwork or connected circular breathing, this technique is relatively new in comparison and the practice can be a mixture of mouth and nose breathing. The invitation here is to let go of any control or manipulation over the breath and allow breathing to be complete, flowing, connected and embodied.

The inhale is active and the exhale is passive; you are invited to connect the breaths, meaning no pause at the bottom or the top, allowing each breath to flow into the next.

There are many different schools and varied styles of Breathwork, from Holotropic, Rebirthing, Transformational breath, and Shamanic breathwork to name a few. In principle, they are all based on this simple breathing exercise. 

Here at Grounded Life, we collaborate with these Breathwork styles, also focusing on breathing coherence styles which support the resourcing and regulation of your nervous system. We work with the titration and pendulation from active to passive through our sessions giving time to feel, move and let land what has been stirred through activation. We aim to offer guided breath journeys that empower you as your own wisdom keeper and support you in cultivating your sense of safety and security in this process of grounded growth. 

Breathwork sessions can last anywhere between 30 – 120 mins on average. The journey offers a vast spectrum of experiences, which can include many things, for example, changes in your body chemistry, physical sensations, emotional sensations, mental shifts like accessing your subconscious, entering into different brain wave states, deep relaxation, a dream-like state or perhaps a sharpened sense of awareness and presence. The release and movement of tensions, trauma and stress from the body. Profound realisations and perspectives. 

Conscious breathwork allows you to notice your sensations much more acutely, which helps to build a more intimate and loving relationship with your body.