Intro Guide to Breathwork for Beginners
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As the breath keep gaining momentum and increase in popularity on social media, the word “Breathwork” is being used to mean many things.
It might say Breathwork on the label, but unless it’s more clearly defined, you don’t really know what you’re getting, right?
The problem is that many people may be unaware that a certain style may be not so suitable for them. What works for a relatively healthy 27-year old new-ager may be absolutely not useful for someone suffering from high anxiety or dealing with PTSD.
The reality is:
Breathwork is just not a one-size-fits-all kind of modality.
That's because when we are working with the breath, we are working with the nervous system - and everyone’s nervous system is different - usually determined by someone’s biography, trauma history and lifestyle.
Meaning, what might trigger my nervous system into sympathetic fight/flight mode, might leave you chilling in ventral. What might send you into dorsal shutdown, might only bother my system slightly.
Regulation, training standards and ethical guidelines are still limited, which means one facilitator might teach and coach in a way that is completely different from another.
In addition, due to the nature of an unregulated teaching space, competence and experience is often questionable (especially when it comes to true trauma- and nervous system-informed facilitation).
When novice breathers enter the space, it’s really hard for them to distinguish one technique from another or understand the difference in qualifications. They usually take what is offered at face value (just like I did back then as well).
I’m unsure how this will develop in the future and what the solution might be to bring more clarity and transparency into the world of breathwork. I personally keep continuously updating my skills/ knowledge and I share lots of it for free on my socials. And we probably have the highest certification standards in the breathwork space for our 400-hour teacher training.
In order to offer some clarity, here is a simple overview of how we categorize breathing modalities.
The 2 Worlds in Breathwork
1. Breathwork to improve functional breathing and increase capacity:
This includes breathwork practices to sustainably build nervous system capacity, enhance interoception, increase co2 tolerance and improve functional breathing.
The focus is on working on optimizing bio-mechanics, bio-chemistry and breathing rate.
These practices are mainly balancing for the nervous system, but can also include stressor practices, eg. using air hunger or breath holding techniques.
Examples included reduced breathing, LSD breathing, 360° diaphragmatic breathing, walking and moving breathing practices..
We can also use some of these breathing techniques to regulate the nervous system reactively in the moment:
When you’re activated or anxious, you can use the breath to bring yourself down (eg. physiological sigh, diaphragmatic breathing, extended exhales, humming…)
When you’re low of energy or in dorsal shutdown, you can use it to bring yourself up (e.g. breath of fire, connected breathing)
Here are modalities I recommend:
Functional Pranayama (see the books "Restoring Prana" and “Breathing for Yoga")
👉 My course Breathwork and Nervous System Foundations is a great introduction to this kind of breathwork.
2. Breathwork to access expanded states of consciousness:
This kind of breathwork utilizes activating/hyperventilation breathing techniques such as conscious connected breathing or 3-part breath.
In my work, I call them transformational breathwork deep dive sessions. But there are many names for them, depending on the facilitator or school you breathe with.
We do them to complete stress cycles, process emotions and integrate past buffered experiences.
In the long run, these sessions will also contribute to a regulated nervous system and more nervous system capacity (due to the effect of completing stress cycles and releasing buffered emotions).
Schools I recommend:
Neurodynamic Breathwork
Transformational Breath
Biodynamic Breathwork
Breathwork Bali
Alchemy of Breath
👉 Join my monthly deep dive sessions to explore this kind of breathwork. Click here for more info.
Here is the thing:
Diving into world #2 without also immersing yourself into world #1 is not very effective in the long run and might actually keep you stuck in a dysfunctional breathing pattern and dysregulated nervous system.
That's why my approach combines both worlds in addition to somatics and mindfulness: I'm trained and certified in Oxygen Advantage, Buteyko, Pranayama, Meditation, Somatic Experiencing, and Neurodynamic Breathwork.
I also use a bodywork method during in-person transformational breathwork sessions that we developed at Intesoma called Touch-Assisted Breath Alignment (TABA).)
You can find out more about my background and certifications here.
💡Tip:
Before breathing with a facilitator or coach, inquire about their qualifications. Are they listed on their website (usually on their about page)? If not, ask them.
If you’re a facilitator or coach yourself, please make sure to include them on your website.
PS: Whenever you're ready, there are 4 ways I can help you:
→ 🫁 Breathwork + Nervous System Foundations Course
Learn how to regulate and rewire your nervous system. Access more calm, energy and focus by using the power of the breath.
It will teach you how to properly and safely use the remote control (aka your breath) for your nervous system. Get it here.
→ 👥 Work with me 1:1 (limited spots or waitlist)
I offer private breath coaching, somatic coaching, deep dive sessions and a personalized nervous system healing program
→ 💨 Live Free Breathwork for Nervous System Regulation
Join me each week for a 20-minute breathwork and somatic practice focusing on nervous system regulation.
👉 Tuesdays 6pm London / 7pm Berlin / 1pm New York / 10am Los Angeles on my Instagram @breathwork.alchemy
→ 🎓 9-Month / 400-Hour Intesoma Breathwork Teacher Training (🇩🇪🇨🇭🇦🇹)
If you are passionate about the breath and feel the calling to share it with the world, learn to become a breath coach and nervous system specialist. Applications for our 2024 training are open.