What to Expect: For First Time Breathers

So you signed up for your first breathwork session? Yay, congrats! This article contains some helpful information and tips to ensure you have the best experience possible as a first time breather!

We will explore the following topics:

1. What is breathwork?

2. What are the benefits of breathwork?

3. How does breathwork work?

4. What you can expect in a typical breathwork session.

5. Preparation Tips

6. Post-care Tips

7. Disclaimer

First, what is breathwork?

Breathwork is a method that facilitates physical, emotional and mental healing through consciously tuning into and controlling your breathing over an extended period of time. Breathwork can encompass anything from simply becoming aware of your breath while standing in the grocery line to purposefully influencing it over the course of an hour to promote deeper healing and transformation (as is done in a paid breathwork session). 

Breathwork is an incredibly powerful healing modality with a wide variety of benefits listed below; however, at the core, breathwork is about coming home to yourself and tuning into the great healer that resides deep within you. Whether it be used as a tool to increase stamina and decrease stress or whether it be used to release trauma and connect to your Higher Power, breathwork is all about coming home to your mind, body, heart and spirit in order to make decisions that are aligned for your unique life so that you can show up as the best version of yourself in any moment. 

It’s about stripping away the things that are holding you back from achieving your goals. It’s about stepping into the next version of you. It’s about releasing the things that don’t serve you and calling in the things that do. Whether those things are physical, emotional, mental or spiritual.

We can get into science and history, but at the end of the day this is a very personal journey which will bring you home to yourself. And all you have to do is breathe. 

Breathwork Benefits

With the power of intention, the benefits of breathwork are endless. Here are some possibilities:

• Decreased Stress & Overwhelm

• Increased Creativity

• Released Trapped Emotions

• Deeper Spiritual Connection

• Decreased Physical Pain

• Improved Mental Clarity

• Lower Blood Pressure

• Reduced Anxiety & Depression

• Increased Heart Rate Variability

• Improved Sleep 

• Increased Vitality & Mood

• Releasing Anger

• Improving Emotional Intelligence

• Processing Grief

• Etc.

How does breathwork work?

Breathwork is to the nervous system as lifting weights is to the muscular system. By exercising your breath, you increase your strength, tolerance and stamina to handle the stresses of life whether they be physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. It’s all interconnected. 

When you consciously manipulate your breath in a safe and controlled environment, you allow your nervous system to process stagnant energy that has never had the chance to move otherwise. You allow it to rewire new information throughout your system: You teach your nervous system that you are safe and confident and capable! Or whatever it is that you’re focusing on at the time.

(I have a blog post coming out soon that contains the nitty-gritty details of what’s happening on a physiological level for those of you who like to understand the science behind it.) 

For our purposes here today, simply understand that breath = life. If you’re breathing you're alive, if you're not breathing, you’re not alive. And because the breath it’s always with us, we often take it for granted. But the truth is that there is deep wisdom and potential within our breath that has been utilized for thousands of years. Wisdom that has been lost in recent generations but has now made its way back to the table. 

Much can be understood about it, and much will rely on your intuition, faith and personal experience. With that I’ll simply invite you to come and see for yourself! And if you have further questions I’m happy to discuss them with you! Simply shoot me an email at gotodakota@gmail.com or catch me in-person next time we’re together. 

What can I expect in a breathwork session?

Here’s what you can expect when you sign up for a breathwork session: 

If you’re an in-person client you’ll enter the private or group space into a serene environment where a yoga mat, pillow and blanket will be out for you to take a seat. At the beginning of each session, I will invite you to simply get comfortable, sitting cross-legged and even stretching a little bit to ground your body into the environment. (You’re going to want to wear comfortable clothing!)

It is normal for nervous energy to accompany the first session so we will take some time to simply get to know each other. Introductions will be made and I may ask a question or two to break the ice. At this time we may practice a couple fun, quick breathwork exercises to see how powerful breathwork can be and get you excited for what’s to come!

Then I’ll explain some of the in’s and out’s of breathwork. Things similar to what you’ve read in this document. I’ll tell you what you can expect from the session, remind you of the physical and emotional sensations that can come forward, teach and demonstrate the breath pattern(s) we will be using, make sure you know where the bathroom is - things of that nature. 

Then I will invite you to set an intention. Breathwork is only as powerful as your intention. Your intention can range from managing physical pain, to releasing trapped emotions to deepening your spiritual connection. Don’t worry if you don’t have an intention just yet, I can help you with this piece when the time comes! The important thing is simply that you have a reason for breathing. Breathwork by itself is awesome, of course. It’s great to breathe! But your paying for the deeper transformation in which intention is vital. 

Once an intention has been set, I will invite you to lay down and get comfortable. If possible I invite you to lay with your head flat on the floor so that your neck is straight, or if needed you can use a pillow. There will be boilsters provided to place underneath your knees if you desire as well as a blanket to throw over yourself if you tend to get cold. You will be in this position for 30-50 minutes depending on the session. Comfort is important!

The beginning of the session will be a 5-10 minute meditation with a potential visualization. Music will begin playing and I will simply invite you to close your eyes as I guide you through a potent visualization and invite you to feel into what’s present for you. I will direct your attention to your intention at this time.

Following that drop in, you will breathe! I will guide you into the active breath pattern established earlier. The first 3-7 minutes will feel like WORK, just trust and keep breathing the pattern.

You’ll breathe for 20-30 minutes before I invite you back into a meditative space to feel, process and integrate what came forward for you.

As we come to the end of the session, I will invite you to share if you desire to. You’ll gently come back to the space, and then go on with your day!

Preparation Tips

• Stay hydrated but limit water intake an hour before your session

• Avoid eating a large meal 1-2 hours before your session

• Ponder what you’d like to receive from your breathwork session. See the Setting Intentions section to generate ideas if you’re unsure what you want to receive from your session.

Post-Care Tips

Breathwork stimulates the nervous system and can bring up expected and unexpected emotionality. It is important to ground yourself following the session as well as practicing self-compassion. You may even notice emotionality coming up randomly up to 24-48 hours later. Here are some tips to help you stay grounded and balanced if needed:

• Take your thoughts to your journal

• Drink plenty of water

• Take a bath or run your hands under some cold water

• Ground your feet in nature

Disclaimer

While breathwork can be incredibly powerful, it is not a one-stop-shop. It is a great addition to any tool belt for a variety of reasons, but please be sure to consult with your physician and/or therapist and/or any other professional that is supporting you on your healing journey in addition to breathwork.

Further, many active breath patterns are not safe nor recommended while pregnant. If you are pregnant please let me - the facilitator - know. There are some beautiful and deeply connective breath awareness processes I can take you to that will support you, your beautiful child AND keep you both safe! 

Lastly, always trust YOU and use your best judgment. At the end of the day, YOU are your best resource.