We’ve all heard the advice to take a deep breath when feeling anxious or overwhelmed. While it may sound simple, consciously focusing on your breath through breathwork can have a profound impact on your physical and mental health.
Imagine the transformative power of taking control of your breathing, even for a few moments. Breathwork is a technique that harnesses the benefits of conscious breathing, guiding you from the conscious mind to the subconscious. It’s designed to regulate your nervous system and release pent-up emotions, those that can disrupt your emotional balance and have accumulated over years.
Marta Plannells and Juan D’Angelo, founders of The Breath Act, a school dedicated to holistic well-being through conscious breathing, neuroscience, and sound, believe in the power of breathwork. They, both former corporate professionals, experienced a life-changing revelation with conscious breathing, finding relief from their own emotional traumas – Marta following her mother’s passing and Juan after a severe family illness.
Breathwork’s benefits go beyond emotional healing. It enhances mental focus, empowers individuals, and boosts creativity. By mastering conscious breathing, you use your body as a tool for self-regulation, managing your nervous system and potentially reducing your reliance on external aids like medication or treatments. Breathing not only alleviates stress and negative emotions, but it also reduces mental clutter, allowing access to parts of your brain that are often obscured by internal noise. This leads to increased clarity, focus, and creativity.
While research on the psychophysiological effects of slow breathing techniques, both from Eastern and Western traditions, is still ongoing and varies, several scientific studies highlight significant interactions with the cardiorespiratory system. This suggests a notable involvement of the parasympathetic nervous system, crucial for slowing your heart rate and regulating essential bodily processes like digestion, immune response, and rest.
Inspired by Dr. Joe Dispenza, whose work significantly impacted their personal growth, Marta and Juan delved into the combination of breathing, meditation, and neuroscience. They discovered this combination facilitated deeper and faster transformations. They then incorporated sound as a powerful modulator of brain waves, using wireless headphones and therapeutic tuning forks.
Conscious breathing triggers a physiological process that temporarily reduces the activity of the neocortex, where your analytical mind resides. This reduction in mental noise grants access to the limbic brain and the subconscious, your internal operating system. Once immersed in this state, guided by their voice, you break old neural connections and form new ones aligned with your specific goals. They effectively apply neuroscience through voice guidance, meditation, and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP). Additionally, they incorporate sound therapy with therapeutic tuning forks, which emit frequencies to help release emotional blockages and work somatically on the body.
To begin addressing the emotional baggage that shapes our lives, preventing us from achieving balance, inner peace, fulfillment, and gratitude, Marta and Juan offer three easy tips:
1.
Start Small:
Begin with simple breathing exercises. Find a quiet space, close your eyes, and focus on your breath. Pay attention to the inhale and exhale, letting your breath flow naturally.2.
Embrace Meditation:
Meditation, combined with breathing exercises, can enhance your overall well-being. Guided meditation can help you focus and manage your thoughts.3.
Seek Guidance:
Consider joining a breathwork workshop or class to learn different techniques and receive guidance from experienced instructors.Breathwork offers a powerful pathway to self-discovery, emotional release, and overall well-being. It’s a tool that can help you manage stress, enhance focus, and even overcome past traumas. By embracing conscious breathing, you can unlock your inner potential and cultivate a more balanced, fulfilling life.
