How long can we survive without the basics? Our bodies have an average limit of three minutes without oxygen, three days without water, three weeks without food. Let's focus on our breathing for this post. In an absence of oxygen, brain cells begin to die and this effect is irreversible! Sounds scary at first, relax just keep on reading.
Photo by Robin Benzrihem on Unsplash
Have you heard of Wim Hof? Also titled Ice-Man, he promotes extreme life-enhancing trainings and exercises. He is on trend, touching the nerve of the moment. I believe because so many people NOW are hyper-connected through Social Media and overly informed via Google and Youtube, that's why WE crave REAL physical experience and techniques to RELAX and counter-act various forms of depression, anxiety, over-whelm and burn-out.
I have heard several people at Mindvalley, and other circles who since training the Wim Hof method, are able to hold their breath for 4min. WHAT! REALLY?
Are you interested..here are two links: 1. FREE three part training WIM HOF Method (Breathing, Cold Shower, Commitment)
2. YOUTUBE single video about WIM HOF's Breathing technique.
After I learned about this guy via Mindvalley, then soon after our UBER driver in LA explained how his LIFE CHANGED by applying the daily COLD SHOWER and the BREATHING exercise. He made it highly believable and is just one raving member of the global community of HOFFERS. You might have also seen the positive dudes from YES theory, being shocked and totally amazed by the 'out of this world' effects of DEEP BREATHING and withstanding extreme cold temperatures.
Check out the highly entertaining YES THEORY documentary "How to become SUPER-HUMAN with ICE-MAN'
Check out MIND of the MONTH July 2019 with the amazing Ellie "How to access healing through your breath!
Deep breath benefits:
- Reduced anxiety and depression
- Lower/stabilized blood pressure
- Increased energy levels
- Muscle relaxation
- Decreased feelings of stress and overwhelm
- and many more
Styles of Breathwork
Breathwork has its roots in ancient eastern practices. Some focus more on the altered state of consciousness than others, but they all can help with self-awareness and inner peace. The three most popular types of breathwork are:
1. Pranayama
Read more about the Mind-Body Healing benefits and four breathing techniques in an article by the CHOPRA CENTER
- Complete Belly Breath
- Alternate Nostril Breathing
- Oceans Breath
- Energizing Breath
2. Holotropic
Holotropic breathwork is a practise often accompanied with intense music and led by an instructor guiding a group of participants. It involves inhaling and exhaling for the same amount of time at different speeds in induce an altered state of consciousness. Holotropic therapy has its roots in LSD therapy but is the drug-free alternative. The main intention is to produce mind-altering experiences. People often experience visions, uncontrollable spurts of emotions, and muscle cramps. At the end of the session, you would share your experiences with others in the group and are asked to draw a visual representation of your experience.
3. Rebirthing Rebirthing breathwork is grounded in the idea that you carry residual stress from your traumatic experience of birth. Through this type of breathwork, it is believed you can allow yourself to release any emotional baggage and trauma that occurred during your birth.The practice involves using circular breathing and often lying mostly underwater to create a state of relaxation that allows for pent-up stress, which has been stored in the body since birth, to be released. Through conscious breathing, instead of simply breathing air in and out, you can transform it to instead move energy.
What is your experience with intentional deep breathing? Are you interested in joining the WIM HOF training. I'd love to hear from you and your story.
Happiness is Homemade and certainly breathing is a vital part of living fully and with practise of deep breathing we increase our self-awareness.
Contact me julia@mindyou.today
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