The Power of Breathwork

One of humanity’s most ancient practices has come back around today as a spirited wellness trend, empowering people everywhere to tap into the body’s infinite wisdom for more joy, clarity, and ease in all aspects of their lives. So, what exactly is Breathwork, and what makes it so powerful? 

The overarching term “Breathwork” refers to any practice that brings awareness to the movement of breath within us. Tapping into the body and altering breathing patterns to shift our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual state has been around for thousands of years. The ancient Yogis understood the potential of this simple yet profound practice as the perfect bridge between Humanity and Divinity, making room for our essential life force to flow through us with grace. Breathwork isn’t just about the movement of air. It’s tapping into the movement of love, of our life force, of our soul. 

Simply put, Breathwork is dedicating your undivided attention to the movement of your breath for an extended period of time. Practices range from pranayama breathing techniques that focus on executing control over the breath, simply observing the breath without interference, and everything in between. All of it is a beautiful opportunity to surrender to the pulse of nature’s beat within you and tune in to the rhythm of your soul. 

The Bridge between Science and Spirit

Breathwork is becoming one of the most popular methods of choice for clearing negativity, discharging stuck emotion, and balancing the body’s energy. It’s the perfect invitation for a busy mind to rest, to sink down into the body and into the heart. Intentionally altering the breath pattern gives the mind something to focus on, allowing us to let go of thought and drop deep into the infinite intelligence of the body. 

Changing the pattern of our breath ultimately impacts the quality of our lived experience. It can rewire and reset our entire nervous system, bring resolution to deeply held trauma, and release long-held subconscious patterns. As much as there’s an absolute magic to the Spirit of the breath, there’s also reputable science and ongoing research about how it works. 

The power of Breathwork lies in its ability to tap into subconscious realms. Most of the systems in our body function automatically, below our conscious awareness. They all function together, and a change in one system will influence all other systems. This is why once a functional pattern is created, it will be implemented until we renegotiate and deliberately shift it. 

The breath is the one piece of our body’s automatic systems that we are able to intervene and change at will. It can be both a voluntary and an involuntary function.

It happens and sustains our life force whether we are aware of it or not, but we can also participate consciously and choose the depth, pace, and rhythm of our breath. As we deliberately shift the breath and bring awareness to altering our inner state, we are able to influence the nervous system and other automatic processes within the body. The way we breathe changes the level of activation in our nervous system, influences hormone secretion, impacts our heartbeat, and so much more. 

Essentially, the breath is the link between the conscious and the unconscious. Connecting to the breath allows other parts of us that have been hidden inside to be seen. Breathwork shows you very clearly what is stored within and ready to be healed. Your breath is the gateway to all that has been buried within you, and conscious breathing practices are an invitation for density, pain, and energetic blocks to release. 

The Heart Connection

The way we breathe is intimately connected to the beating of our heart. The HeartMath Institute has done over 300 studies on the connection between breathing patterns, heart rate variability, and how we can intervene with our breath to create a state of coherence and optimal functioning in our body. Some Breathwork practices are also known to hyper oxygenate the blood, dilating blood vessels allowing energy to circulate more freely throughout the body.   

Beyond the physiological relationship between the breath and the heart, we also know that Breathwork is an invitation to get out of our head and into the heart. A breathing practice is an inner exploration, a unique journey that only you can embark on, to find your way back to yourself. By connecting more deeply with the medicine of your own breath, you discover your true nature instead of letting your stories, life experiences, and traumas define you. As old stories and attachments dissolve, the walls come down, and your heart expands - opening to new experiences, deeper relationships, and self-love. 

Pairing Breathwork and Cacao

Both Breathwork and Cacao are potent and impactful healing modalities for opening the heart. Working with the two in unison amplifies the healing potential, setting the stage for a plant medicine journey that is deeply rooted in intention combined with the magic of the breath.
Even if you have resistance, Breathwork invites you to shine the light of awareness on what’s inside and see everything as it truly is, through an unconditional lens. A breath journey is an invitation to trust your breath and allow the intelligence of your body to take you where you need to go - knowing that you can move through it and experience the level of healing you are ready for in the moment.
When you approach Breathwork in connection with the Spirit of Cacao, it invites you to enter with a clear intention of exactly what you want to shine your awareness on - and you double the power to gently and softly open your heart. Bringing Cacao and Breathwork together gives us a chance to see what takes shape when we rest the mind and allow the heart to take the lead.

Ready to cultivate a deep sense of trust in your body’s mechanisms, and receive clarity, peace, and resolution without having to think your way through it? 

Join us for Cacao & Breathwork with Beau Bowker. Find out morehere.