The Four Modes of Breathing
This month I’d like to share with you one of the Breathing Drills that I teach in the New 6-Month Breath Mastery Training.
This is being called my ‘Legacy Training’ because it contains the most important exercises, techniques, and meditations, and the most popular lessons, taken from all the seminars and workshops I’ve done over the past 47 years.
By the way, it’s not too late to enroll in this Online Training. In fact, because you are a Breath Mastery Subscriber, we will extend the early bird discount if you enroll in the next two weeks.
Here is the link to a full description of the Training: https://breathmastery.com/new-online-breath-mastery-training/
Use the code: Dan2023 at checkout and pay only $2100 instead of the full $2700. (And if you can’t pay in full, we can offer you a convenient payment plan.)
The lesson from the Training that I want to share with you this month is called the 4 Modes of Breathing. I use an abbreviation for this Breathwork Drill: AI-PE / AE-PI / AI-AE / PI-PE.
And it means:
- Active Inhale-Passive Exhale
- Active Exhale-Passive Inhale
- Active Inhale-Active Exhale
- Passive Inhale-Passive Exhale
Play with this right now.
Make your inhale active and let the exhale be passive. You do the inhale, and you allow the exhale to be a reflex. Pull the breath in and let the breath out. Take a few breaths this way. Or spend two or three minutes breathing this way.
Then, practice an active exhale and a passive inhale. Push or blow or squeeze the breath out, and then allow or let the breath come in by itself. You do the exhale, and let your body do the inhale. Notice the forces and dynamics at work when you breathe this way compared to the first mode.
Next, play with an active inhale and an active exhale. Pull the breath in and push the breath out. Do this a few times or for a few minutes and feel the difference between this mode and the first two.
Finally, practice a passive inhale and a passive exhale. In other words, don’t “do” the breathing. Let the breath come and go by itself. Let your body breathe itself. Let the breath breathe you.
Practice each of these modes a few times or for a few minutes and notice what muscles you use. Meditate on how your energy is affected by each mode. Notice how you feel, and how your body reacts to each of these modes.
It’s important to explore the effects of each of these modes. Which one feels best? Which one feels natural and easy. Which one is most challenging? Which one do you default to when you are under stress?
Experiment with them because each of them has practical applications and subtle effects. Begin to figure out which mode you can consciously apply in certain moments and situations. For example, which one serves you best when you are exercising?
Which one helps you to move more deeply into meditation or relaxation? Which one gives you more energy? Which mode do you think is associated with specific psychological or emotional states? Which one can you use to induce or support certain states?
Make sure that you can be comfortable and can enjoy all Four Modes of Breathing. Practicing them will increase your Breath Awareness and improve your Breath Control. And observing them and experimenting with them will also enlighten you to many of your unconscious habits and patterns.
And if you are a Breathworker, you can learn a lot about other people—about their emotional states and psychological tendencies, if you observe them as they experiment with each mode.
Good luck in your practice. And many blessings on your path.