The connections between mindfulness and Breathwork
A discussion on Breathwork and mindfulness
In this third article on Mindfulness I'll focus more on breathing. I'll discuss some ideas about the connections between body-mind-breath, our breathing patterns, using the breath during mindfulness practices and also how our breathing patterns can influence our mobility more generally.
Many of us are aware of the connection between our mind and body - for example between the brain and the digestive system - that familiar feeling of butterflies in the stomach before an important meeting or sporting event. Our breathing system is also impacted during stressful situations. For example, we might notice how our breath becomes short, fast and shallow when we're about to do something out of our comfort zone such as public speaking or initiating that difficult conversation with a relative. But it's important to remember that the communication is not only travelling downwards, from the brain to the breathing system, but also travelling back up to the brain from the body. This two-way communication is one of the key ways that we can influence our feelings and our stress levels, through consciously changing the way we breathe.
We may also take for granted the fact that our breath is under dual control. Our breathing system operates mostly automatically, AND we can take conscious control and choose how to breathe intentionally. This ability to take control of our breath gives us the opportunity and the power to influence our nervous system, to calm ourselves down, to reduce stress and to improve sleep.
The Breathwork exercises that I teach are very simple, gentle, and accessible, and harness this two-way communication between the body and the brain, and also the conscious control of the breath. If we can practice intentionally breathing in a calmer manner, we can influence the information travelling to the brain, and dial down the stress response, which in turn helps to slow the breathing even further. If we can learn to practice these breathing techniques during calmer moments in our day, as a regular daily practice, then we'll become more efficient at it, and better able to utilise these skills when we feel more stressed and anxious.
Breathing and mindfulness
During mindfulness sittings we commonly use the breath as a point of focus. It's one of the simplest and easiest starting places for those new to mindfulness. Without consciously altering the breath, we might simply use the breath as an anchor to return to when we notice our mind has wandered. The breath provides a physical process to invite our awareness back to, allowing us to focus on the physical movement in the body, or the sensation of the air entering and leaving through the tip of the nose. Some people are more visual and might imagine the journey of the air as it moves in and out of the body, or perhaps that they are breathing in a colour. Still others, like myself, are more auditory and prefer to repeat a short mantra with each breath such as 'I breathe in calm', 'I breathe out chaos'. Others might simply like to count their breaths from 1-10 and then repeat. In all these cases the breath is not being altered as such, just noticed, observed, and followed, and then returned to whenever the mind has wandered. When we notice our mind has wandered and mange to bring our awareness back to the breath, we are practising mindfulness meditation.
Perhaps counterintuitively the diaphragm contracts when we inhale and relaxes on the exhale. We might be able to utilise this information to encourage more calm in the body by focussing on releasing some muscular tension during the exhale, you could even try that now! I use this attention to the exhale during the relaxation part of my Pilates classes, and of course in Breathwork and Mindfulness too.
As well as carrying out the crucial role of gas exchange in the lungs, breathing is also a movement pattern. An interesting article by David Jackson in a recent edition of Fitpro magazine got me thinking about breathing as a movement pattern, like any other. He explains that, due to the sheer number of breaths we take every day, if our breathing movement pattern is sub-optimal, we'll be repeating this altered pattern many many times every day. Our main breathing muscle - the diaphragm - is not only attached to the rib cage, but also to the lower back, and therefore it might have an impact on the lower back as well as on the pelvis. Due to the position of the shoulder blades on the back of the rib cage, our breathing patterns might also have an influence on our shoulder function. So, to encourage better mobility of not only the ribs, but of the body as a whole, we might want to consider whether we are breathing optimally. This might in some way explain the improvements in my tennis serve which I discuss later.
How Breathwork has impacted my life
I've been reflecting on how Breathwork has impacted my life both before and after I formally trained in teaching it - here are my thoughts...
I love lake swimming, but as the temperature drops (it was 14 degrees on Sunday), I have to really work on controlling my breath as I get into the water, otherwise I start panting and potentially panicking. Calmer breathing helps me relax into my swimming and acclimatize to the water more quickly. Please note that I'm not advocating doing breathing exercises in the water - I've just recognised how important breath awareness and control becomes when entering cold water to help avoid panic setting in.
I also love to sing, both in my teens, and now as a member of the fantastic Choir Effect. I'm grateful that I learned how to use my diaphragm efficiently when I was young. But it's not too late to learn and I'd love to teach you!
As a competitive gymnast, I recall controlling my breath throughout those nerve wracking one and a half minutes on the beam. This helped me avoid panic, or breath holding entirely. I never liked the beam! But I did love doing my floor routine and still practice handstands regularly in the gym even now!
My current read is the fabulous David Hamilton's 'The contagious power of Thinking: How your thoughts can influence the World. I love his work and had the pleasure of hearing him talk at a live event in London. When discussing how to resist emotional contagion, he recommends bringing attention to our own breathing. He says this may help bring the attention back to us and help us dissociate from the negative feelings and situation that’s provoking the other person. In this way, he says we might even feel compassion towards the other person instead of picking up on their negative emotion.
During my recent attempts to learn how to serve a tennis ball with a little more oomph I've come to realise the power of the breath yet again. I've learned to consciously exhale as I strike the ball and this seems to have changed my serve quite considerably - I still don't serve many aces and I'm no Federer, but I'm pleased with the results so far!
Join my Breathwork workshop
If you'd like to explore and improve your breathing patterns and learn how to use your breath to balance your energy levels, improve your sleep, reduce your stress, and boost your digestion - book into my 4-week Breathwork workshop on
Times - Thursdays 5-6pm
Dates - 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th November
Venue - Life Church, Hook.
This journey is more fun with friends! Join our warm and welcoming community and explore the amazing benefits of Breathwork. Share your experiences, learn from others, and support each other as we grow stronger and healthier together - can't wait to hear from you. Email to enquire and book your place today. Full details available here
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