Energy Breathing is the topic of this month’s article because it has been the focus of the seminars and trainings recently. But learning to breathe energy is like learning balance or whistling. It cannot be taught. However, it can—and must—be learned.
When I began practicing Rebirthing-Breathwork in the mid 70’s, the term ‘energy breathing’ was often used to describe or understand what it was that we were doing. But it also reminded us of a natural ability we all have, but few of us ever master.
The essence of Rebirthing-Breathwork, according to Leonard Orr, the father of the movement was to breathe energy and not just air. He described it beautifully as “the merging of the outer breath—which is air, with the inner breath—which is spirit.”
A good starting practice in developing subtle awareness is to begin with your heart. Feel your heart beating in your chest. Then feel it in your neck, just under your ear. Then feel the pulse of your heartbeat in your fingertips. Ultimately, you want to be able to feel your heartbeat from anywhere in the body.
Conscious Connected Breathing (The Rebirthing technique) is a sure fire way to awaken energy and to practice relaxing into it. It’s also important to remember the mantra and form the intention to ‘open and expand’ with every inhale, and to ‘relax and let go’ with every exhale.
If you want to master energy breathing, you need to quiet all the noise in your nervous system. And you need to apply the principles of non-judgment, non-resistance, and non-attachment. In other words, you need to become non-reactive.
Don’t confuse sensitivity with hyper-reactivity. Just because you react to every little thing you feel does not mean you are sensitive. Just the opposite! To be truly sensitive, the mind needs to be very quiet, and the body must be very relaxed.
A very important ability to develop is to breathe with your whole body—to send the breath to every cell in your body; and to sense the breath with your whole body—with every cell in your body.
One problem is that when most people breathe in a powerful way, they don’t relax. And when they relax, they don’t breathe. But to master Energy Breathing you need to combine both powerful breathing and complete relaxation.
A good way to develop this ability is to alternate between a minute or two of very active breathing, followed by 2 or 3 minutes of deep inner stillness and silence.
The idea is to activate as much energy you can with rapid, powerful, even chaotic breathing. And then relax and meditate on the energy and observe the feelings and sensations that the energy produces. Then remain focused on the energy, heightening your awareness of it as it fades or dissipates
Another important principle to remember if you want to learn to breathe energy, is that you must be total. You must put your whole mind, body and soul into the practice.
This means awakening ‘heart intelligence’ by breathing into your heart and awakening ‘body intelligence’ by breathing into your belly. This allows you to sense and perceive what the mind alone cannot.
And of course the mind must be relatively free of fear and anger, guilt and shame, doubt and confusion, as well as all other negative, limiting, or separating emotions.
Also, it really helps to have a “breathing buddy,” someone who is also passionate and intent on learning this art with you. And of course it helps to get the support of a good coach, facilitator, or practitioner.
Finally, there is no getting around a daily practice. This is the key to mastering anything. And it especially applies to mastering the art and skill of Energy Breathing! So, make sure that you practice every day, and as often as you can!
Wishing you luck and many blessings in your practice.
November, 2025
Breathmastery.com
