Although there may be various schools, methods and teachings when it comes to Breathwork, we use the term interchangeably to mean Pranayama.
The word “Pranayama” comes from the ancient language of Sanskrit, and the practice is commonly referred to as “Breathwork” in English.
The goal of meditation is not to stop all of our thoughts, but simply to notice how many we have. Until we sit with it in silence, we’re not aware that our mind is constantly whirring.
The only thing to do during meditation is to recognize, without judgment, whenever our mind wanders from our breath and to bring our attention back to the breath whenever it does.
Sitting still may seem impossible at the beginning but this is not the case. You are not alone in your thinking and many people feel frustrated with the practice when they first start.
For those of us who have never practiced mediation before, it may seem pointless, difficult, or irritating. Our mind wanders a lot and constantly trying to stop yourself thinking about something seems impossible. But just noticing how many thoughts you have every minute helps you to slow them down. We realize how we are not in control of our thoughts.
Just like practicing anything, the more you do it, the better you become at it. You train your mind to shift its attention back to the breath over and over until it gets easier, and eventually, your mind starts to wander less.
Check in with yourself to notice how you feel.
Sit still and scan through your body.
You can also use these questions as a starting point:
Once you have done this, choose one of the 8 categories from the back of the cards.
Our breathing manual, included with each deck of cards, shows different scenarios where you can use Breathwork and explains why the exercise helps in each scenario.
For example, when you can’t sleep you would choose a breathing exercise which activates the parasympathetic nervous system.
Here are some more examples:
Some of the breathing exercises in this book are not suitable for those who are pregnant or people with underlying health issues, and they can lead to lightheadedness or dizziness. If you think this may be you, please consult with your doctor before doing any of the exercises.
With some breathing practices, slight symptoms of lightheadedness or dizziness are normal, especially with more intense breath retention. However, you know your body best! Listen to it and if something feels wrong, stop!
It’s easy to create your own breathing sequences, even as a complete beginner.
All the breathing exercises in our deck fall into one of 8 categories, and our manual outlines when you would use each one. Simply choose a card where the icon for your recommended category is highlighted on the back.
You can then use the cue cards to change the length of your practice by changing the number of reps, rounds and length of time you spend on each breathing exercise.
You don’t have to create your own sequences until you’re fully ready. If you still don’t feel confident creating your own breathing sequences just yet, you can try one of our 14 pre-planned sequences.
If you only have five minutes, pick one or two cards to try. If you have longer, then you can choose more.
Each deck comes with 10 cue cards so you can change the length of your practice by mixing up the number of rounds, reps, and minutes you do for each exercise.
Although you don’t need anything in order to practice Breathwork, feel free to grab some cushions and a blanket, light some incense, play some gentle meditation music, and do whatever else will make your session even more enjoyable.
Some of the breathing exercises and sequences we have prepared for you have set timings so you can grab a watch, a clock, or open the stopwatch app on your phone to keep track of the time.
