A few years back, before Atlanta was home, I experienced a deep and painful riff in my relationship with a family member. Both my parents had passed away within 11 months of one another and the intensity of caring for them during their decline and the loss itself had revealed the strain and disharmony with one of my siblings. One explosive phone conversation was a punch of trauma so hurtful it had me breathing rapid and small with an overwhelming feeling of suffocation.
Years later, when I began to train in Breath Work, I recalled that episode of emotional trauma and how it changed my breath. I had never considered how breath is so deeply connected to our functional (or dysfunctional ) emotional and physical states.
About 3 months into COVID lock down, seeking to strengthen my inner life, I confronted my lifelong block against meditation and committed to a 21 day Breath Awareness practice. This was not the cathartic, circular breathwork style but a functional course in developing the ability to stay focused on one thing. In this case it was my breath.
Each day for 20 minutes I would sit and “watch” my breath. 1 breath, 2 breaths, 3 breaths…what should I eat for breakfast?…back to breath, 2 breaths, 3 breaths, 4 breaths…where is that sweater with the rust and blue colors?, I need to buy coffee…back to breath, 2 breaths, 3 breaths, and so on. The first few days were disappointingly unfulfilling. But then, slowly I could sustain my breath awareness for longer and longer. My mind was not in control of me, whipping me about like an excited dog on a leash.
I was HOOKED. Rather than asserting my will to sit quietly in breath awareness, I trundled happily into place and reveled in the goodness of how it felt. I was having realizations like, ‘Why on God’s earth did it take me so long to commit to building this ability!?” and “ Why is this not taught in schools and in healthcare facilities?”.
Toward the end of the 21 days I noticed how different I felt. I was waking with a sense of well-being. During the day there was space between my thoughts instead of this constant mental state of traffic jam and overwhelm. There’s more – I slept peacefully through the night. I had calm presence more often in the face of conflict or…wait for it, less actual conflict!!
In the manner of magic, next came a “book that fell from the shelf “ kind of moment. No choice but to read it and send my Breath Work journey into hyper-drive. Over the next 2 years I built my training in breath work by finding the masters of it, reading and watching the teachers who taught this before it was a 5 minute warm-up activity at your office retreats. Breath work is referenced in texts from every culture in the world and for thousands of years it has been explored for its healing power. It is more than a five minute warm-up.
Like all good information acquired, it was tested. There came a day for a visit with my estranged family member . There was an entire meal sat through where my legs were jiggling and my hands were shaking like the earth beneath me was the actual cause. And with that came a strange mix of anxiety & gratitude: anxiety for the experience of what was happening in my body, (I can barely breathe!) to gratitude for the training to employ the breath and put all my learning into practice.
I anchored into my breath as I sat across from my sibling. When the visit was over, I was exhausted but sure that breathing had helped me not to spiral and lose my way. In the days and weeks that followed, returning to my daily conscious breathing practice showed me how I could unlock the grip of trauma and return to calm presence again. I wasn’t trapped. I recovered faster. Even more amazing is that I find myself sensing the possibility of another visit…another chance to heal and open to family love.
When I finally learned the lessons of breath, it changed EVERYTHING for me and helped me heal from those traumatic life events. In the years since, I have trained in breath techniques and use them in my daily practice as well as teach them. I teach people to consciously change how they breathe so they can have different outcomes with their daily engagements with others and with the discomfort they have in their body.
As a Certified Breath Coach I now evaluate every client for dysfunctional breathing and encourage clients to address this most basic physiological function that is our lifeline to energy, healing, safe haven, solace, clarity & reassurance. This is to remind you that sometimes the solution or the path to a solution is as simple as your breath.
With love, Lisa Jones, Breath Coach
How it works:
Private or Semi-Private sessions begin with an assessment. Once I know if your breath is stuck in your upper chest, if you breathe shallow and rapid or breath-hold unconsciously, if breathing actually triggers trauma for you, or if you have good breathing habits; I can develop the rest of the session to take you into a customized breathing work-out. On a physiological level breath work can cleanse toxins and reduce inflammation, give you energy and mental clarity. On an emotional level breath work can bring release, comfort, relief and understanding. Once you have the experience of being guided by a trained Breath Work Coach, you will book another, like 99% of my clients. Each client is provided with written instruction on the techniques you learned so you can develop a daily breath work practice. Return visits bring you to deeper levels of the experience. Like learning to walk, breath work can take you places you never dreamed of.
FAQS
What type of breathing techniques do you teach?
I customize each session to the clients’ ability and needs but it is important to have good Diaphragmatic Breathing to move into some of the special styles of breathing, so we start there.
Coherent Breathing, Heart Resonance Breathing, Active Interval Breathing, Chakra Balancing Breath Work, Kapalbhati, Warming and Cooling Breath Work, Breathwork for Insomnia and Breath Work for Creativity.
How does a semi-private session work?
When you come with another person I will teach modifications for each person’s needs. During the breath work, if you are building a relationship or repairing a relationship with a loved one, we explore different postures and positions in proximity to the other: back to back, arms touching, or knee to knee. During the session we can focus simply on learning technique together but we can also address relationship dynamics by surrendering and trusting each other to lead the breath rhythm in turn.
How many sessions do you recommend?
3 sessions is a good foundation for breath work training. The initial assessment provides information about dysfunctional breathing habits and directs me to propose a plan for getting each person into a healthy breathing habit usually within 3 sessions.
What are the most common reasons people try breath work?
People try breath work most often because it rapidly transforms the experience of being in your own body/mind. People are drawn to the prospect of shifting their state and this can happen fast and safely. Other reasons are head ache, stomach problems, sinus issues and allergies, insomnia and fatigue, depression and chronic illness. Most people want a technique they can use when their mood or their body feels out of balance and they want to see if they can rebalance on their own.
Why should I work with a mentor?
There are many breath work videos and events popping up. But none of these will assess your breathing habit before you begin. If you are a dysfunctional breather and try an online course or a group event, it can actually send your Central Nervous System into a trauma response. It is always good to work with an experienced guide when you are trying a technique that has a profound impact on your mental/emotional state.