Some of you out there are aware that Lili is a commended breathwork instructor. Hopefully you’ve seen our posts about her retreats and weekly circles, too! If you saw but had no idea what it was all about, this blog series is for you. Breathwork, mindful breathing, and pranayama are all names for the practice of breath centered meditation.We want to introduce you, show you how to get the most from it, and ultimately illustrate the amazing transformative effect breathwork meditation can have on your life. Next week we’ll get more into the mechanics, but this time we’ll look at who can benefit the most from taking up a breathwork practice. So let’s go ahead and start with Part One: Who Needs Breathwork?
First thing’s first: don’t be intimidated! While it’s helpful to have taken yoga or meditation classes in the past, as there are elements of breathwork found in each, ultimately breathwork requires no previous experience. All you need is an open mind and willingness to learn.
Controlling your breath can help you to clear your mind, hit your internal reset button, and allow you to reconnect with your physical and spiritual self. This means that breathwork is especially beneficial to practitioners dealing with fatigue, stress, exhaustion, or even depression. It can also help you to focus your intentions, which is very useful if you feel easily worried or anxious.
In fact, the core belief of Lili’s breathwork practice is that deep down we are all kind, loving souls, who accumulate our negative feelings and distractions through our interactions with the world around us.We take on baggage like fears and negative attitudes that are inauthentic to our true selves and it often results in feeling miserable and lost.
But concentrating, clearing your mind of what doesn’t belong to your core essence, and extending your breath can help return you to a state of inner calm. Through breathing you release the negative and find your way back to center.
You can participate in breathwork practice as often or as little as you like, though continued practice allows you more insight into your self and your emotional state. You help yourself gradually tune out everything that isn’t true to you, and learn over time to avoid those things altogether.
So if you’ve been feeling low, or even just feel like you’re lacking direction in life, stop by a breathwork circle and see what your breath has to teach you. Lili has a class coming up on June 07, at Sattva Yoga LA, for those who would like to practice with her in person.
Stay tuned for more breathwork posts about the history and variants of the practice, how it works, and the people whose lives have been transformed! Until next time!