Breathing is a fundamental and automatic part of life. However, through conscious breathing, we unlock the power of our breath. By directing our energy towards conscious breathing, we can regain or maintain inner peace. Would you like to use breath work to induce calm, support meditation, and teach your children there is a healthier alternative to a perpetually chaotic, busy mind?

Having experienced Epstein-Barr virus, Citrobacter freundii, and Candida, and understanding personal turmoil due to genetic familial predisposition, I recognize the potential impact of my genetic makeup. Breath work has become an invaluable practice that has helped me restore my well-being and gain a deeper understanding of who I am.

Like any form of exercise, breath work requires practice to become comfortable and proficient. Here are four of our favorite breathing exercises that support sleep, calmness, and happiness, listed in our preferred order of practice. We will demonstrate them and provide additional links for those interested in exploring them further. I encourage everyone to find and practice breathing exercises that activate both the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems according to their needs.

“The Presence Process” published by Namaste Publishing, 2016. Written by Michael Brown, emphasizes the importance of becoming aware of our emotional reactions and how they relate to past experiences, enabling healing and integration. This practice helps us respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively. Brown also discusses using conscious responses and breathing techniques to connect with the present moment and process emotions. 

“To the mind, the stillness of the body is threatening, its silence disturbing. That’s why people become so attached to their noise and their movement. The stillness of your essential Being, however, is not something that you can perceive with the mind. It is the very essence of who you are. To become aware of it, you need to turn your attention away from the mind and direct it into the Now.” (Tolle, Eckhart. Stillness Speaks)