Breathing Awakening
Breath is Life! It is the basic substance of our existence in this form of life on Earth and the primal tool that is connected with it. If we know how to wisely use this magical tool that we all have, we can create a healthy environment in our physiology, emotions and perception about life… we can positively influence our whole being and thus increase the level of our vibrational energy!
In our daily life we experience various situations which influence our physiology and psyche. Our heart is the main receiver of all the messages which come from our inside and outside world. The heart is strongly connected with breath and by influencing our breath we can influence our heart which in turn influences all functionalities in the whole body, thoughts and emotions.
The concept of Breathing Awakening is based on the alignment of body-mind-soul-spirit. Through several breathwork practices which combine the ancient wisdom (Shamanism and Pranayama) with the science of today, it activates parts of ourselves which are necessary for our health and wellness in every aspect (physiological, mental, psychological, spiritual), so that we awaken our full human potential and experience the beauty of a harmonious life! It includes techniques that lead to deep relaxation, body activation, release from tension, change of the pulse and body temperature etc. It activates the healthy functionality of the brain as well as the balance of its hemispheres. It encourages the stimulation of the immune system, awakening of the spirit within, and healing from past emotional wounds.
Spirit To Science
Breath (ΠΝΟΗ in Greek) is primarily connected with the life-giving process. It is when the Soul enters the body and brings life in it. Breath holds magical qualities and from ancient times people have been working consistently on the power of breath. Shamans, yogis and mysts have been practicing on several breathing techniques and qualities to connect with the divine. Breathing practices are important to yoga, tantra and shamanic cultures. The latin root of the word ‘spiritual’ actually means ‘to breathe’ and the original rituals of modern organized religions have a breathwork component to them as it is believed to be the basic element to connect with the divine. According to the indian legend, if breathwork rituals are properly practiced they produce Amrita, the nectar of Gods, and they lead to eternal youth and immortality. In our days, Amrita is connected with the release of DMT and the stem cells, which are found in our body.
DMT - The Spirit Molecule
DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) is a chemical substance which is found in plants and animals and is produced in the center of the human brain, in the pineal gland. It is considered to be the key to the great mystery of life!
When we are born or when we die, a large amount of DMT is released. Even when we sleep at night and during our deep REM state, DMT is also released. It is connected with the opening of a portal to the world of dreams as well as with the awakening of the dormant spirit within. It is considered to be the key element for mystical inner vision experiences with expanded awareness and consciousness awakening.
Many testimonials reveal the healing power of this chemical substance and people seek psychoactive plants which produce large amounts of DMT to connect with the source of Universal energy or for healing purposes. But they don’t know that their brain can produce it too even during the day by just using their own breath!
Stem cells
These are the prototype cells that hold all the necessary information in every living organism. They are strongly connected with the DNA and with the creation of life. Stem cells are considered to carry all the intelligence for life to exist and they have the power to turn into any other kind of cells. They are known as the healing cells; hey are a hot topic right now with a big drive of medical science towards the research on how to harness the potential of stem cells to regrow new tissues, replace damaged cells and even brand new organs.
Stem cells are only active in hypoxic environments, meaning that the oxygen levels are very low. There is a huge number of stem cells when you are still in your mother’s womb, since the oxygen levels in the womb are 10% of our normal oxygen levels in the atmosphere. They rapidly divide and grow into the cells that create intelligent life. This is why an embryo grows so fast! By the time you are born the amount of stem cells decreases as they hide away in hypoxic areas of your body called niches as you get exposed to higher oxygen levels. Bone marrow is where the stem cells are commonly found and also in the tissues of organs where they are surrounded by a ring of normal cells that consume all the oxygen and create a hypoxic environment in the middle. In order to release them we use a technique called intermittent hypoxia.
Intermittent Hypoxia
Intermittent hypoxia is an intervention of alternating periods of normoxia and hypoxia which is used to activate our stem cells. Normoxia is defined as exposure to oxygen levels normally found in earth's atmosphere (~21% O2) and hypoxia as any oxygen levels lower than those of normoxia.
Being in hypoxia for long periods of time can have negative results to our physiology. However, using our breath wisely we can succeed in creating a balanced state of intermittent hypoxia and have extremely positive results! Shamans, yogis and doctors of ancient civilizations used techniques to create this state that involves brief periods of lower than normal blood oxygen levels, as a means of healing the body and the soul.
How We Breathe
Imagine you have a fire burning inside that produces all the energy you need to live. Just like a real fire, if you have too much oxygen, the fire will burn too much potentially causing damage. This is known as oxidative stress on the body. However too little oxygen will mean the fire cannot burn at all. So we need the right balance of oxygen, not too much and not too little.
When you inhale you breathe in oxygen. This combines with glucose in the mitochondria of your cells to produce carbon dioxide, water and ATP energy. When you exhale you breathe out the carbon dioxide and water.
O2 + Glucose = CO2 + H2O + ATP* (energy)
Inhalation stimulates your sympathetic nervous system (fight/flight), and when you exhale you stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system (rest/digest). By changing the way you breathe you can switch on or off the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system depending on what result you want. Breathing in more oxygen than normal by rapid breathing will be energizing on the body. It will also cause contraction in the body as you breathe out carbon dioxide. Slowing down the rate of breathing and extending your exhalation will have a relaxing effect on the body as you raise carbon dioxide and also stimulate nitric oxide that dilates blood vessels.
* Adenosine triphosphate (ATP): ATP molecules act as short-term "biological batteries" that retain energy until it is required in various biological processes, which is why they are considered by biologists as the energy currency of life.
Side-effects of Unconscious Breathing
Shallow breathing
For the many who are caught up in our modern sedentary lifestyle of sitting at a desk behind a computer at work, or later at home behind a screen again, shallow breathing can become the norm. Breathing is mostly involuntary and with lack of physical activity there is no need for the body to require more air. However with shallow breathing you are using a lot less of your total lung capacity of oxygen, yet your body requires more than that to maintain a healthy system. Shallow breathing also requires less emphasis on the lower abdomen and eventually breathing becomes limited to the chest area.
Chest breathing and stress
When breathing from your chest your body relies on secondary muscles around your neck and collarbone instead of using your diaphragm. Combine this with poor posture and you start to affect many muscles in your upper body inhibiting their ability to function properly.
Poor posture along with stress can cause a shortness of breath which can lead to anxiety, this then can tighten the muscles that assist in your breathing restricting your breath which leads to more anxiety.
Asthmatics as an example struggle to breathe air out due to inflammation of their bronchial tubes so end up with excess air in their lungs. This restricts their breathing to the chest area as they struggle to breathe in or out, so their anxiety builds, increasing the inflammation, and eventually they have an asthma attack.
Studies show that with shallow erratic chest breathing with pauses on the in-breath, the expired air contains a higher concentration of oxygen than normal as the body is unable to convert it all into the blood stream producing a condition called Anoxemia. This in turn effects one of the roles of CO2 which is to force oxygen from the blood stream to enter our muscles and organs, especially the brain, where it is also needed.
The long term effects of shallow breathing include:
Increased stress and anxiety which can lead to panic attacks.
Compromising of one's concentration, memory and efficiency.
Influencing metabolism which can lead to weight gain
Decreased energy levels causing fatigue
Cardiovascular issues
Muscle tension
Increased heart rate and blood pressure
How Conscious Breathing Helps
Life is connected with breath so you cannot live without breathing. It is connected with the heart beat and by changing the rhythm of breath you change our heart’s rhythm and consequently your state of being! It is not just an unconscious mechanism in your body. We all have the access to consciously change its rhythm at will! It is the only physiological function that is involuntary or voluntary.
You can breathe consciously or you can just let your body breathe on its own. However, by letting go of conscious control your breathing falls under the control of your most primitive part of your brain that deals with survival. This is the realm of your unconscious mind where emotions, thoughts and feelings, of which we may have little or no awareness become involved and can disrupt the rhythm of your breath. This means your breath can become discoherent and irregular when you lose conscious control over it.
However, by breathing consciously you can be released from stress, anxiety, frustration and even wounds from the past. You can get into meditative or hypnotic state, or even to ecstasy. You can activate your own pharmacy for self healing, fill yourself with energy when you wake up, or just get warm when you feel cold.
Rhythmic Breathing
Nature's display of rhythms surrounds us on a day by day basis. Whether it's the ebb and flow of the waves as the sea greets the land, the rise and fall of the tides, or the opening and closing of flowers, these are all naturally occurring. When we align our breath to a consistent rhythm we feel a natural coherence and sometimes a deeper connectedness to our surroundings.
As mentioned above, when we inhale we stimulate the sympathetic nervous system and our heart rate goes up. When we exhale we stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system and our heart rate goes down. Therefore through rhythmic breathing we can create cardiac coherence because rhythmic breathing results in your heart rate varying in a consistent way with each breath, which is a more efficient use of energy. Your heart beat becomes more balanced and thus the blood circulation becomes more balanced. You generally create a more harmonious environment in the body since your cells are oxygenated normally as a result of rhythmic blood circulation.
The 3 factors for Heart Coherence
Rhythm - Your ratio of inhale to exhale should be consistent. For example 4 seconds in followed by 4 seconds out, or 4 seconds in followed by 8 seconds out continuously is consistent. However if you breathe 2 seconds in followed by 4 seconds out, then 3 seconds in and 8 seconds out, and so on, it is neither smooth nor consistent.
Smoothness - Your breath should be a smooth flow in and out. It is more helpful to breathe without breaks in between your inhalations and exhalations. An easy way to ensure this is to breathe in through your nostrils and breathe out through your nose or your mouth, however when you breathe out through your mouth, purse your lips a little so that your exhale is slow and smooth. Imagine making the sound of an ocean wave and bring your awareness to the sound your breath makes.
Intention - Coherence of your heart rhythms is influenced by your emotions. It is much harder to get into flow states and coherence if you are feeling down or your mind is clouded by negative thoughts. A simple way to solve this is to bring your awareness to something you are truly grateful for e.g a loved one, something you love to do, the delicious meal you just ate. The sense of gratitude has been proven in various studies to change your emotional state from low to higher very fast, so your breath becomes smoother and your heart beat more balanced.
Breath Holding
Life is a series of inhales and exhales. Your thoughts are excited by breath. When you press pause on your breath, you press pause on life itself. Your mind becomes still and your thought files reassemble. You go into the deepest meditative state.
Your brainwaves drop into low alpha and you become more at one with your subconscious mind. Your power of intention and self hypnosis is dramatically increased when you pause your breath.
Finding the balance in your breath retention is important to tune into the greater wisdom of your body. When you hold your out breath for long enough (beyond your comfort zone), you trigger a positive stress response in the body so that it adapts to a low oxygen environment. This leads to the production of more red blood cells, new blood vessels, and even dormant parts of your brain waking up. It has an overall strengthening effect over your body.
A side effect of this process is generating heat in the body. It is actually the same technique used by Himalayan yogis to survive extremely cold conditions. Also the use of certain yogic energy locks are important to avoid the energy generated by hypoxia from disrupting other physiological functions. Too much hypoxia for too long can lead to more harm than good. Too little and it will not work at all. Balance is the key!
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