Inhale, Exhale, Elevate: How to Establish a Meaningful Breath Work Practice
- Erin
- May 14
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 17
“If breathing is at all unsettled, life is not your own.”
Ancient Chinese Master
Breathwork is a powerful practice that involves consciously controlling your breathing patterns to improve mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. Rooted in ancient traditions such as yoga and meditation, breathwork is now widely recognized in modern wellness circles for its profound benefits.
From reducing stress and improving focus to boosting energy and enhancing emotional resilience, your breath is the most accessible tool you have for transformation. This guide explores the importance of breathwork, its ancient roots, benefits, and how you can easily integrate it into your daily life.
"Conscious, controlled breathing is like reclaiming true power. By bringing unconscious activity into conscious awareness, and by focusing on the breath in the present moment, pranayama begins to transform breathing into a spiritual practice. Regular conscious breathing leads to different stages of remembering about what it is to feel truly alive. Watch what happens as you engage consciously more often. It dawns conscious breathing is not a practice, but a way of being."
Liara Covert
Our Life Force
Our first action in life is a breath. Our last action is the same. In between, we take millions of breaths—yet most of us take this powerful force for granted. Breath is life. It’s the current that sustains us and the thread that ties body, mind, and spirit together.
The breath and the nervous system are deeply connected. When we breathe properly, we regulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which allows us to move through life with more ease. Conversely, shallow and restricted breathing can amplify stress and keep us locked in fight-or-flight mode.
"The breath is as shallow as the nervous system is overstimulated."
The Language of Breath Across Cultures
Throughout history, many cultures have honored the breath as a sacred force that sustains life:
Prana – Indian and Hindo yoga traditions: the vital life force flowing through all beings. In yoga philosophy, Prana (life force) circulates through the body in five distinct flows called Vayus (“winds”). By working with these flows through breath and movement, we can restore balance and vitality across all levels of being.
Prana Vayu – Upward energy (heart & head): breath intake and expansion
Apana Vayu – Downward energy (pelvis): elimination and grounding
Udana Vayu – Rising energy (throat): speech, growth, and spiritual expression
Samana Vayu – Centering energy (navel): digestion, assimilation, balance
Vyana Vayu – Outward energy (whole body): circulation and integration
"Pranayama": the regulation of the breath through specific technique and exercise."Prana" (life force or breath) + "yama" (control or extension).
.
Qi/Chi – Ancient Chinese philosophy, medicine, and martial arts
Ki – Japanese culture and energy healing practices like Reiki
Pneuma – Ancient Greek for “spirit” or “breath of life”
Ruach – Hebrew for “wind” or “divine spirit”
Ha – Polynesian and Hawaiian traditions as breath in greetings
Respiration – Latin respirare, meaning “to breathe again”
No matter the name, breath is seen as a universal life force energy—a sacred rhythm that connects us to ourselves and the world around us.
"You do not have to perform your pain to be believed. You do not need to offer your story in fragments just to prove you bled. Sometimes breath is all the evidence you owe the world."
R.M. Drake
The Benefits of Breathwork
A daily breathwork practice can profoundly improve your well-being:
Stress Reduction – Activates the parasympathetic nervous system to lower cortisol and bring a sense of calm
Emotional Regulation – Creates space to respond rather than react during challenging moments
Improved Immunity & Physical Health – Enhances oxygen delivery, supports cellular health, and reduces blood pressure
Mental Clarity & Focus – Increases oxygen to the brain for improved concentration and less brain fog
Better Sleep – Prepares the nervous system for rest and deeper, more restorative sleep
Digestive Support – Calms the gut-brain connection and supports healthy digestion
Emotional Release & Self-Love – Helps you release old patterns and reconnect with your innate power
Energy Cleansing: Detoxifies, clears energy blocks and restores your body for vitality:
Oxygenates cells and removes carbon dioxide
Stimulates lymphatic drainage and toxin release
Improves circulation and overall energy
Promotes emotional release and mental clarity
"Listen to your breath. It's a love song."
Rumi
Breathwork Techniques to Try
Each method has its unique benefits. Experiment and see which resonate most with you:
Anxious or Overwhelmed? → Box Breathing ( (4-4-4-4)
Inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4; great for stress relief
Can't Sleep? → 4-7-8 Breathing
Inhale 4, hold 7, exhale 8; perfect before bed for deep relaxation
Unfocused? → Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana)
Balances left/right brain and calms the mind
Unmotivated? → Wim Hof Method
Cycles of deep breaths followed by breath-holds; boosts energy and resilience
Tired? → Kundalini Breath of Fire
Rapid, rhythmic exhalations to detox, energize, and build willpower
Stressed? → Breath of Joy / Physiological Sign
Uplifting 2/3-part inhale with arm movements, followed by a strong, slow exhale
Angry? → Bee Breath (Bhramari)
Hum on the exhale to release tension and soothe the nervous system.
Sad? → Infinity Breath
Trace an infinity symbol with your breath to restore balance and emotional flow.
Overthinking? → Coherent Breathing
Equal-length inhales and exhales calm the mind and bring mental clarity.
Need a Reset? → Diaphragmatic/Belly Breathing
Deep breaths from the abdominals ground you and reconnect you to your body.
Your breath is your power. Return to it whenever you need to recharge or reset.
Tips for Integrating Breathwork Into Your Day
Breathwork is not about perfection; it’s about presence. Start small, be consistent, and notice how you feel after each session.
Start Small: Begin with 2–5 minutes a day and increase as you feel comfortable
Set a Routine: Choose consistent times (morning, lunch, bedtime) for practice
Create a Sacred Space: Find a quiet spot where you won’t be disturbed
Use Guided Sessions: Apps, classes and online resources can help beginners. One-on-one personalized sessions allow you to work with a teacher who tailors techniques to your goals—whether that’s reducing stress, improving athletic performance, or deepening your meditation practice.
Pair With Other Practices: Breathwork complements yoga, meditation, and mindfulness beautifully
Pair with Song: Use this gatha, or melodic poem or song, as a tool for mindful breathing meditation. Focusing on these verses while breathing can cultivate awareness, calm the body and mind, and connect with the present moment. Each line can be recited silently or out loud, synchronizing the words with the breath. This practice helps quiet the mind and fosters a sense of inner peace and joy.
Breathing in, breathing out
Breathing in, breathing out
I am Blooming as a flower
I am Fresh as the dew
I am Solid as a mountain
I am Firm as the earth
I am free
I am free
I am free
Breathing in, breathing out
Breathing in, breathing out
I am Water reflecting
What is real, what is true
And I feel there is space
Deep inside of me
I am free
I am free
I am free
Thich Nhat Hanh
When a mood hits, don’t numb it or avoid it. Feel it fully and breathe through it.
The Master Lock Practice
Maha Bandha Kriya is the "Great Lock Practice," is a cleansing Kundalini breathwork technique where all three main yogic locks are applied simultaneously, usually during or after breath retention/holding/ exhalation (bahya kumbhaka)..
Maha = Grand. Bandha = Lock. Kriya = action / yogic technique
It involves combining all three locks in sequence—and releasing in reverse order, typically during breath retention
Fully exhale.
Engage the following in order:
Mula Bandha Root lock (lifting/pulling up pelvic floor muscles)
Uddiyana Bandha Abdominal lock (drawing belly in and up under the ribs)
Jalandhara Bandha Throat lock (tucking chin slightly to chest)
Hold each locked breath for several seconds.
Release the locks in reverse order, gently and inhale mindfully
Purpose and Benefits
Balances and harmonizes energy in the body
Stimulates and regulates the nervous and endocrine systems
Supports meditation by quieting the mind
Awakens and direct kundalini energy
Wrapping It Up
Breathwork is one of the simplest yet most transformative practices you can add to your life. By consciously connecting to your breath, you can reduce stress, increase energy, improve emotional regulation, and reconnect with your deeper self.
Take a deep inhale. Exhale slowly. Begin again.
Deep breaths are like love notes to your body- gentle reminders that you are safe, worthy and cared for. When you find yourself spiraling, stop to breathe and remind yourself that in this stillness you are enough, and that you matter, today, tomorrow now and always. In this sacred moment, you return to yourself- whole, held, and home.
Erin is a certified feng shui consultant, energy healer, wellness coach and holistic growth strategist.
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