How Breathing Awakening Works
Breathing Awakening is a wisely designed synthesis of techniques which reminds us of the importance and sacredness of the breathing process in life. Through a combination of diverse breathing practices used in ancient times with more recent ones, it approaches both the technical and spiritual aspect of breath and helps us to discover the power of the breath as the key tool to unfold the potential of what we truly are!
Several breathing elements (such as a variety of breathing rhythms, breath holds and more) are combined with bodily techniques, brainwave music and guided meditation, which activate and balance the functionality of the brain hemispheres. This combination aligns body and mind and leads to a deep meditative state through which we enter deeper layers of our being. Our inner intelligence is awakened and its natural healing power is activated, which we direct throughout the body and especially to the parts which are diseased, dormant or inactive, the results of which we experience as increased health, vitality and overall wellbeing. The benefits are multiple and the experience of Breathing Awakening can be a deep transformational journey through which we can alter our state of consciousness, experience pure ecstasy and heal past traumas.
Read the key-elements below and you will understand how and why…
Is it a coincidence that the words ‘Breath’ and ‘Spirit’ derive from the same source/root in many languages? Some typical examples are…
Re-spire - Spirit (English)
Re-spirare - Spirito (Latin)
Ανα-πνέω - Πνεύμα (Greek)
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.
In ancient Greece, the first ‘breath’ (‘Πνοή’ in Greek) was primarily connected with the life-giving process. It was considered to be the sacred moment when the Spirit is ‘in-spired’ into a Soul that comes to Life through a newly born body.
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 considered to hold the key to the great mystery of life!
It is a chemical substance that has attracted the attention of science in many fields (medical, physics, psychology, astronomy).
This substance has been found to be the key-element for mystical inner vision experiences with expanded awareness. It stimulates the opening of a portal to the world of dreams and is connected with the awakening of consciousness and the dormant spirit within.
DMT is produced in large amounts in plants and animals. In humans it is found in the cerebrospinal fluid which flows from the center and throughout the human brain and the spinal cord.
Scientific researches along with 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 universal energy in order to receive answers from the source or for healing purposes.
Even though it has been discovered that when we are born or when we die, a large amount of DMT is released, the reason why this happens along with the meaning of this still remain a mystery for science. Even when we sleep at night and during our deep REM (rapid eye movement) state, DMT is also released.
Today we know that we can release this 'magical' substance into our brain and body even in the normal waking state of everyday life in a completely natural way and without side effects. The safest and most effective way is to use our breath wisely.
Stem cells and Self Healing
Stem cells are prototype cells that can differentiate into various types of cells and proliferate indefinitely to produce more of the same stem cell. They are the earliest type of cell in a cell lineage.
These cells hold all the necessary information in every living organism. They are considered to carry all the intelligence for life to exist and are strongly connected with the creation of life and with DNA.
Also known as the healing cells, stem cells 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 replace damaged cells, regrow new tissues and even brand new organs.
Science conducts extensive research on the appropriate use of stem cells to treat cancer and AIDS.
Stem cells are only active in hypoxic environments, meaning that the oxygen levels are very low. There is a huge number of them when we are still in our mother’s womb, since the oxygen levels in the womb are 10% of our normal oxygen levels in the atmosphere. The womb is the ideal environment for them to rapidly divide and grow into the cells that create intelligent life. This is why an embryo grows so fast!
By the time we are born the amount of stem cells decreases as they hide away in hypoxic areas of the body called niches as we 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.
With the proper use of our breath we can release our stem cells from the parts of the body where they are found and activate the self-healing mechanisms, bringing the body into a state of intermittent hypoxia (see relevant section below).
Rhythmic Breathing for Balance and Harmony
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, the opening and closing of the flowers, the shift between day and night, or the moon cycle, 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.
Our nervous system which is responsible for the way we interact with the world is influenced by the way we breathe. When we inhale we stimulate the sympathetic nervous system and when we exhale we stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system.
The sympathetic nervous system is involved with the ‘Fight or Flight’ emotional response and we are more active and alert, whereas the parasympathetic nervous system relates to the emotional response ‘Rest and Digest’ through which we become more passive with less resistances. Rhythmic breath harmonizes their functionalities and deep feelings of balance and centering are activated. We thus become less likely to react to extremes.
Moreover, breathing in rhythm helps to balance our heart rate and achieve heart coherence, which involves a consistent heart rate between whole breaths. This creates a balanced frequency in the blood circulation as well as in the flow of oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) which travel through the blood to the whole body and back to the heart. Consequently, more cells are happy as they are oxygenated sufficiently, the functions of the body manage more efficiently their resources and the whole body makes a more efficient and productive use of its whole energy.
The brain is also affected by heart coherence. Thoughts and emotions become aligned and a general harmonization is created in the functions of the body and the mind.
Breathing in rhythm is widely known for its beneficial effects on our health and wellbeing. This is why rhythmic breath along with additional breathing elements are included in several methods such as Yoga, Gyrokinesis, several Shamanic practices, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, dancing, diving, and so on.
During our sessions, rhythm is the main component in the vast majority of our breathing techniques and we use a variety of rhythms depending on the desired outcome.
Breath Retention (Kumbhaka)
Life is a series of inhales and exhales. Our body and thoughts are excited by breath. What happens in between the breaths though, when we pause our breath…
The retention of the breath in pranayama is called Kumbhaka. During Kumbhaka the mind becomes still and the thought files reassemble. It is like pressing ‘pause’ to the collective so that we create a deeper connection with ourselves. The frequency of our brainwaves drops into Alpha state or deeper (see section ‘Brainwaves & Meditation’ below) and we feel deeply relaxed. We enter a meditative state during which we can ‘listen’ to our subconscious mind and observe our emotional and thought processes. Our power of self hypnosis and pure intention is dramatically increased.
There are two types of Kumbhaka accompanied by breathing, whether after inhalation (Puraka) or after exhalation (Rechaka) and we use both (Antara and Bahya Kumbhaka) according to the desired outcome.
When we hold our breath out for a period of time beyond our comfort zone we can enter a state of intermittent hypoxia (see below). During this state the dormant functions of the body wake up so that they can adapt to the new environment of low oxygen amounts. This leads to the production of more red blood cells and new blood vessels. The whole brain is stimulated and all the functions of the body are generally active and alert.
Finding the balance in our breath retention is an important factor in assisting us to tune into the greater wisdom of our body.
Shamans, yogis and healers of ancient civilizations have been practicing Kumbhaka constantly in order to achieve Nisshesha Rechaka* and heal the body and the soul so that the self is able to connect with the spirit.
During our sessions, we create the appropriate environment of intermittent hypoxia in the body, in order to activate the therapeutic mechanism of stem cells.
* Nisshesha Rechaka is described as breath holding at residual volume. It is the easiest way to produce brief, intermittent hypoxia.
Intermittent Hypoxia
Intermittent hypoxia involves brief periods of lower than normal blood oxygen levels which is used to activate our stem cells for healing or other purposes. It is an intervention of alternating periods of normoxia and hypoxia. 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.
Though intermittent hypoxia is initially involved with only the respiratory system, its downstream effects are scientifically proven to allow it to also be used as an effective rehabilitative intervention in a number of different biological systems.
It strengthens the immune system, enhances spatial learning and memory, decreases inflammation and hypertension and many more.
What makes it so exceptional, though, is that it stimulates the functions of neurogenesis, neuroplasticity and cortical remapping in the brain.
When we get into that state we gain access to the structures of the internal functionality of the brain.
One of the major goals of Breathing Awakening sessions is to achieve a state of intermittent hypoxia for healing and wellbeing purposes.
Through a sequence of breathing techniques we periodically reduce the oxygen levels in our blood so that we experience this state of intermittent hypoxia during which we can reprogram harmful thoughts as well as automatic behavioral responses.
Combining intermittent hypoxia with brainwave music and meditation (see below), we can release even past traumas which are deeply rooted into our subconscious mind in a gentle and enjoyable way.
Brainwaves and Meditation
Brainwaves (or Neural oscillations) are rhythmic or repetitive patterns of neural activity in the central nervous system. They are graphically documented as the frequency waves (electrical activity) of the brain.
Brainwaves are connected with the diverse/altered states of consciousness through which we perceive and experience life.
Each and every day the frequency waves in our brain alter. During the day, for example, when we are alert our brain functions with Beta waves and we live (as we say) “consciously”. Whilst sleeping though, our brainwaves drop to Delta and we “unconsciously” experience life through dreams. When we feel relaxed or while meditating, the brain operates in Alpha or Theta frequency waves.
By consciously adapting to the different frequencies of brain waves, we explore our potential through our different layers of awareness and attain a more holistic view of what we truly are. We thus strengthen our access to the subconscious mind which means that we can find and apply solutions in a deeper level that have an overall effect in our everyday life. We can focus better, we can relax and meditate easier, we can enhance our creativity and performance, we can improve our cognitive and problem-solving processes and so on.
A combination of breathing elements and brainwave music (see below) is used to help the brain adjust its frequency waves more easily and efficiently by aligning our senses, thoughts and emotions in a way that we experience our diverse states of consciousness more thoroughly.
Brainwave Music
Brainwave music is an audio technology embedded in the music in order to bring about desirable changes in brainwave activity thereby encouraging various states of relaxation, deep meditation, hypnosis or alertness.
The technique that is commonly used for this purpose is called “Binaural beats”. This technique provides a slightly different frequency to each ear separately. The difference between the two frequencies stimulates a response in the brain which correlates with this frequency difference. For example, if we present a tone of 140 Hz to the left ear and a tone of 145 Hz to the right ear, a frequency of 5 Hz stimulates the brain (as a result of “frequency following response”) which means that the brain operates in Theta frequency waves (see above).
Over the last years, the "Binaural beats" have evolved into "Trypnaural beats". This new technique includes additional elements that enhance the adaptation of brain waves to the desired frequency and at the same time help reduce stress, increase serotonin and melatonin and produce DMT.
“Isochronic tones” is an additional audio technique which is widely regarded as the most effective tone-based method since it produces very strong cortical responses in the cerebral cortex of the brain. This technique stimulates the brain functions of attention, perception, awareness, thought, memory, language, and consciousness.
All of the above audio techniques are applied in Breathing Awakening depending on the type of class or session. We use specialized music to which we apply Brainwave Entrainment to train the brain and align the senses with thoughts and feelings. We activate functions that calm the mind from the thoughts of everyday life and we create a space of expanded awareness, insightful action and self-healing in a completely natural way that the whole organism enjoys!
Breathing Awakening Classes
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Learn about the two different types of classes:
CONSCIOUS BREATHING
focuses on:
BREATHING TECHNIQUES
THE POWER
OF BREATH
focuses on:
DEEPER EXPERIENCES
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