Recently at the seminars, we have been focusing on using the breath to awaken body intelligence or instinct, mind intelligence or intellect, and heart intelligence or intuition.
Many people are trying to get through life using only their intellect or mind intelligence. Yet, we have two other centers of consciousness waiting to be awakened and accessed. All together we have three brains: one in our head, one in our heart, and one in our gut.
With breathwork, we can tap into all three brains and therefore be fully present, create deeper connections, make better decisions, and keep ourselves safer. First, consider that you have three breathing spaces: a lower breathing space from the perineum to the belly button, a middle breathing space from the belly button to the nipple line, and an upper breathing space from the nipple line to the chin.
Breathing into the lower breathing space allows us to relax into the body, awaken our instincts, connect to the earth, and feel safe and grounded in our body intelligence. Breathing into the middle breathing space allows us to awaken heart intelligence and intuition and to connect to everyone and everything around us. Breathing into the upper space allows us to awaken mental energy or intellect, and to connect to higher intelligence.
Start by focusing on the lower breathing space: from the perineum to the belly button. Bring all of your attention and energy to the floor of the pelvis and breathe there. Breathe into your tailbone, your hip bones and perineum. It’s a meditation as much as an exercise.
Send your breath along with your energy and awareness to the lower breathing space. As you do, imagine sending energy down into the earth, grounding you and connecting your body to the earth. Focus on feelings of safety and security. Next, breathe into the middle breathing space, from the belly button to the nipple line. Have the intention to open your heart and connect to everyone and everything around you. Feel the expansion from side to side and breathe into your back. (Half of your lungs are in your back!)
Then breathe into the upper space, from the nipple line to the chin. You are breathing up into the small delicate spaces at the top of the lungs. Your collar bones tend to move up toward your chin when you breathe in. Imagine sending and receiving breath energy through the top of your head. Have the intention to clear and quiet your mind and connect with higher intelligence and heavenly beings. Create a three-breath or three-minute ritual: breathing into each one of the three spaces. You may want to use your hands and arms while you breathe to express and reflect what you are doing with your energy and your awareness.
You can also use sound. Breathe in slowly and make an “ooh sound on the exhale for the lower space to awaken body intelligence and to connect to the earth. Make an “aahh” sound for the middle space, expanding side to side to open and awaken love for everyone –heart intelligence. Make an “eee” sound when breathing in and out from the upper space to connect to the higher frequencies above.
To finish this short practice, you may want to breathe into all three spaces at the same time: knowing and feeling that you are settling into your body and connecting to the earth, opening your heart and connecting to everyone around you, and breathing up into your head to clear and quiet the mind and to connect to higher intelligence.
Do this in the morning to start your day and you’ll be ready for anything! Do it to prepare for an important meeting or a difficult conversation. Do it after an upsetting experience to recover and regain your balance. Do it to create harmony between body, mind and spirit—instinct, intellect and intuition. Do it to be fully present, to be clear, conscious, relaxed and alive.
