How Breathwork Works

The breath provides a bridge between the conscious and the unconscious. A major premise of Breathwork is that there is a direct relationship between, on the one hand, our ability to self- regulate mental and emotional states and flexibly respond to the environment, and on the other, the level of somatic awareness and spontaneity (e.g., lack of inhibition and over-control) present in the functioning of our breathing.

Another premise of Breathwork is that integration of experience (past and present) is the most fundamental aspect of successful human development and the achievement and maintenance of wellbeing.

The ability to sense, explore and accept internal feeling states is fundamentally important to integration and the process of change.

The Conscious Connected Breathing method is central to the effectiveness of Breathwork in creating integration. It creates an increased energy flow through the body and facilitates detailed awareness of experience and relaxation of defences against experience.

The sustained, focused exploration of body sensation and breathing shrinks the focus of attention and leads to a state of expanded consciousness. Disidentifying with all except the body leads to identifying with life itself - through the body. The distinction between inner and outer, subject and object, breather and breathing, eventually dissolves.

Non-attachment to the flow of experience leads to awareness of the projections of the mind which in turn leads to differentiation. That is, the realisation that, "I am not my thoughts, feelings, emotions." We move from identification with the content of our lives - the story we tell - to experiencing ourselves as the conscious author of our lives.

Integration is the result of Breathwork. Change is a physical experience with distinct physical sensations that you can recognise. You feel connected and integrated with your body, and through your body with your environment. Integration is a felt sense of wellbeing and inner peace.