The Art of Spiritual Breathing

Do you want to open to something higher in yourself? Use your breath. Are you ready to make room in your life for something greater? Use your breath. Are you ready to let go of something that no longer serves you, or that has been holding you back? Use your breath. Are you ready to unleash your creative powers? Use your breath!

I have taken the Art of Spiritual Breathing to over 50 countries in the past 35 years. And one of the most powerful spiritual breathing techniques that we have developed can be summed up in a breathing mantra. And that is: “Open and Expand. Relax and let Go.” Read More

Leaning Into the Exhale: How to Use Your Breath to Reduce Stress

With the hectic holiday season just around the corner—and with all the craziness going on in the world—we need a way to stay calm, centered, and relaxed.

This month, I want to talk about using breathwork to prevent and reduce stress, improve work-life balance, and cultivate deep relaxation.

My friend and multiple world record holder Stig Severinsen sums up the anti-stress, anti-anxiety breathing principle perfectly:

“Relaxation is in the exhalation.”

What this means is simple: if you want to relax, stay calm, or reduce anxiety, you need to learn how to lean into the exhale.

Why the Exhale Helps You Relax

When you inhale, you naturally activate the sympathetic branch of your autonomic nervous system—the body’s “fight or flight” response.

When you exhale, you activate the parasympathetic branch, often called the “rest and recover” mode.

In Chapter 2 of my upcoming book, Just Breathe, I discuss the relationship between breathing and the nervous system. Chapter 3 explores these concepts in even greater depth.

For now, here are a few simple techniques you can use to counter stress, tension, nervousness, and anxiety.

Learn from High Performers

Have you ever noticed that elite athletes and performers take a conscious breath before they shoot, swing, throw, kick, dive, or perform?

That’s no coincidence.

People who perform under pressure use their breath to regulate their psychological, emotional, and physiological state.

You can do exactly the same.

A Simple Breathwork Practice for Stress Relief

When you notice yourself becoming stressed, tense, upset, or anxious:

1. Pause and focus on your breathing for a few moments.
2. Take two or three deliberate sighs of relief.
3. Relax your jaw, neck, and shoulders as you exhale.
4. Use each exhale to settle into a place of inner stillness and peace.

After several soothing sighs, begin making your exhales longer.

Aim for your exhale to last at least twice as long as your inhale.

Continue the Exhale Mentally

Once the air has completely left your lungs, continue to exhale mentally or energetically.

Imagine that your exhale keeps flowing, even though no more air is leaving your body.

From the outside, it may look like you’re simply pausing after the exhale.

On the inside, however, your experience is one of continuing to release, soften, and let go.

Allow yourself to ride the exhale into a place of deep peace and stillness.

Remain relaxed, soft, and open as you settle more deeply into that feeling.

Practice Longer Exhales

A gentle way to begin is:

• Inhale for 2 counts
• Exhale for 4 counts
• Rest in the pause for 4 counts, while continuing to mentally exhale

As this becomes comfortable, progress to:

• Inhale for 3 counts
• Exhale for 6 counts
• Pause for 6 counts, maintaining the feeling of energetic exhalation

If you make your inhale slightly fuller or allow it a gentle stretch, you’ll naturally create a more complete and satisfying release on the exhale, helping to activate the body’s relaxation response.

Make the Exhale Your Place of Calm

As you practice, remember to continue the feeling of exhaling mentally after all the air has left your lungs.

Stay relaxed.

Stay open.

Keep leaning into the exhale.

With regular practice, you’ll find that just one or two conscious breaths can help release stress and tension, allowing you to return to a state of peace, comfort, and calm.

Final Thoughts

Good luck with your practice, and many blessings on your path.

This month I would like to share with you a unique breathing practice taught by Michael Brian Baker. He is an independent breathworker, and has not trained with any of the well-known Rebirthing or Breathwork schools. I love his approach, and I love him. Michael is very conscious of energy, and he understands how breathing can ignite vital force in the body. He is devoted to guiding as many people as possible toward an experience of this universal life force.

Like many of us, Michael had a spontaneous awakening to the Spirit of Breath. And more than that, he embodies a sacred tradition that began in prehistoric Africa, spread to ancient Egypt, and then inspired the early yogis of India. His teachings bring together the modern consciousness movement and personal growth seminars like EST (the Forum) and Insight, with the Shaktipat experience and South American Medicine Ceremonies. He refers to his work as Ceremonial Breathing, and as a journey of emersion into self-realization. Read More

Nasal Inhale, Oral Exhale: A Simple Yet Powerful Breathing Practice

Breathe in through the nose and breathe out through the mouth. We have been exploring this breathing pattern at the breathwork seminars and trainings lately.

“Breathe in through the nose and breathe out through the mouth.”

Simple instructions. Powerful breathing pattern.

Why Practice a Nasal Inhale and Oral Exhale?

This nasal inhale and oral exhale exercise is used by martial artists and athletes. With practice, you can learn to literally suck pain and fatigue out of your muscles and release it from your body. You can also dramatically increase your focus and concentration, and you can center and relax yourself.

The Benefits of Breathing Through the Nose

We know that the nose has tiny hairs that filter dust, and it has mucus membranes that trap microscopic particles. It warms or cools the air depending on what is needed. The nose also has structures built into it that actually spiral the air before it flows down into the lungs.

When you breathe in through your nose, imagine that you are enjoying your favorite fragrance. One of my favorites since childhood has been fresh cut grass. Another is lilacs. And another is the smell of bread baking in the oven.

What are some of yours?

We have the ability to put ourselves right into an imagined or remembered experience and breathe it in as if we are right there and it is happening right now. This is important because our body-mind system on some level does not know the difference between a real experience and an imagined one.

I love how my friend Stig Severinsen says:

“When we breathe in through the nose, we let the brain know that we are breathing.”

Breathing through the nose is also a way of focusing our attention. And we can increase our awareness of subtle energies when we breathe in through the nose.

Why Exhale Through the Mouth?

The mouth, on the other hand, is a bigger opening, and so it allows a quicker, fuller, and more total release of the breath. We can also express feelings and emotions when we breathe through our mouth.

For example, “aahh” is the sound of letting go. It’s a soothing and relaxing sound.

And so by breathing in through the nose and breathing out through the mouth, we can create a wide range of beautiful and powerful experiences.

How to Practice Nasal Inhale, Oral Exhale

Breathe in through your nose and breathe out through your mouth.

Simple enough, but how exactly do you do that?

Do you seal your lips in order to breathe in through your nose? Do you press your tongue to the roof of your mouth to close that passage? Or do you close something in the back in your throat?

Method 1: Seal Your Lips

If you seal your lips in order to channel the air through your nose on the in-breath, then when you open your mouth to exhale, you will naturally form a “mah” or “pah” sound.

Try it now.

Close your lips, and breathe in. The air has no choice but to flow in through the nose.

When you exhale, allow the breath to push your lips open. Notice the sound it makes.

Method 2: Press Your Tongue to the Roof of Your Mouth

If you press your tongue to the roof of your mouth, you will block the passage and the air will naturally flow in through the nose.

When you relax and release the tongue to allow the breath to flow out through your mouth, you will naturally produce a “nah” or “tah” or “dah” sound.

Try it now.

Method 3: Close the Back of the Throat

If you block the passage by blocking your throat with the back of your tongue, when you release and open the passage to exhale through your mouth, you will produce a “gah” or “kah” sound.

Play with that right now.

• Maah (or “paah”)
• Naah (or “taah”)
• Kaah (or “gaah”)

Experiment with Different Breath Sounds

If you purse your lips when you exhale through the mouth as if you are saying “ooh,” you will make a “pooh” sound.

If you press your tongue to the roof of your mouth, you will make a “tooh” sound on the exhale.

If you close the back of your throat, you will make a “kooh” or “gooh” sound.

• “Mooh” (or “pooh”)
• “Tooh” (or “dooh”)
• “Kooh” (or “gooh”)

Play with Your Breath

Isn’t breathing fun!

When you shape the stream of breath in different ways, you produce different sounds, and you also evoke different feelings.

Play with your breath in this way.

Play with the nasal inhale and oral exhale pattern.

Play with the sounds, and observe the subtle changes in your energy as you do.

Use your imagination and deliberately generate pleasure with each breath.

Add visualization, affirmations, or positive intentions to the practice to create a beautiful inner state.

Have fun!

Focus on Breathing

This month I have been focusing on breathing with many experienced breathwork practitioners. This includes a host of professional breathworkers from around the world who gathered for the 23^rd Annual Global Inspiration Conference in South Africa; and it includes some of our advanced students in Russia, as well as the many seasoned breathers and members of the practitioner training group in Lithuania. It also includes skype consultations and online meetings with my VIP members.

Here are some of the things that breathworkers and conscious breathers focus on when breathing, and while coaching, facilitating, or supporting others during a breathing session. These are things we observe, explore, and discuss in ourselves and others: Read More