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What Is Somatic Breathwork? How It Heals Trauma & Awakens Feminine Energy · Healing Her Story with Riva Jean-Paul

• 0:14
  SPEAKER_01: Hello, and welcome to this week's episode of the Healing Her Story Podcast.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_01: My name is Reva Jean-Paul.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_01: I'm a trauma-informed somatic practitioner, menstrual psycho coach, interdisciplinary artist, and host for your show.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_01: Today we are diving deep into one of my favorite topics and healing modalities for the trauma recovery journey.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_01: And it's an episode that I've been meaning to do for quite some time.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_01: I really do try to believe and trust in the divine timing and order of things.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_01: And so while I have mentioned doing this podcast episode for quite a bit of time now, I am trusting that the timing of this podcast is in its perfect right timing and way.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_01: Today we are talking about somatic breathwork.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_01: And in today's episode, I'm going to be doing a little bit of myth busting to get us started off.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_01: Then I'll also be sharing a little bit about what breath work isn't.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_01: And I'll also be citing and mentioning a study that recently came out on breath work, which I found to be quite fascinating.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_01: And as we talk about some of the things that this study discovered, I'll be talking about how breathwork can be an alternative to psychedelic therapy.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_01: In one of our last guest episodes, we had Michaela de la Maiko, who works very closely with plant medicine and psychedelics, specifically psilocybin.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_01: And if you are someone who has been perhaps wanting to experience the benefits of that type of work, but for whatever reason are feeling limited in your ability to do so, this conversation will be for you because I'll talk about why breath work, or rather how breath work, can offer a very similar therapeutic process.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_01: I'll also be talking about the most optimal space in which to do breath work.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_01: And I'll also be talking about some of the benefits that you can experience it from doing it in those more ideal settings.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_01: I'll also be talking about how the breath ties into healing or rather reclaiming or rebalancing the feminine energy that lives within.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_01: And of course, as always, I will end with some very practical tips and insights and potential resources that you can explore to support you in your trauma recovery journey.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_01: If you are either curious about breath work or perhaps you already know breathwork works for you and you're wanting to dive deeper.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_01: Let's begin.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_01: So as I was researching for today's show, I ended up on Reddit, which I have been doing a little bit more lately as I've been researching topics because I find it to be really helpful, helping to helping me to get an understanding of people's direct lived experiences, which can sometimes give us so much more information than say another blog post or another Instagram reel or however you might be consuming content.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_01: As I was on Reddit, I stumbled up across um a thread on somatic breathwork, and I couldn't help but explore the thread and to read and learn about what are people experiencing in breath work.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_01: I know what I'm experiencing, I know what my clients are experiencing, but what is the person that I haven't come into contact with?
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_01: What are they experiencing?
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_01: And I stumbled across several posts that talked about breath work not feeling healthy.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_01: There were a few people that mentioned leaving the breath work session worse than they felt before, feeling like the breathwork experience caused more anxiety.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_01: And I understand how and why these people might have had these experiences, because breath work is a very, very, very powerful practice, much like psychedelics.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_01: And just like psychedelics aren't for everyone, breath work is not always for everyone.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_01: And there is really what I would really like to emphasize here is the importance of safe spaces and trauma-informed care, especially if you are a survivor.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_01: Now, because breath work is so intense, it can bring up emotions and memories and things that we have shoved down deep inside that we are maybe not wanting to deal with or face or work through.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_01: Now, if you are taken into an experience that is either too much, too soon, where you're not feeling like you have choice and agency, then it makes a lot of sense to me why you might end the session feeling worse than you did before.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_01: And unfortunately, there are people who a lot of people who are not trauma-informed.
• 6:39
  SPEAKER_01: I would say that um being trauma-informed is sort of now becoming more of a thing.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_01: Whereas in years previously, if you tried to look for trauma-informed care, perhaps it wasn't as prevalent or as common.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_01: And so, yes, there are more people being trauma-informed, and we also have to be really careful about using these words trauma-informed, because sometimes trauma-informed means different things to different people.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_01: And I've gone to a breath work circle where I was told it was trauma-aware, which was helpful, and this person facilitating who did a lovely job by the way, she still wasn't fully being trauma-informed, and that's okay.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_01: For some people, it's not as important.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_01: Sometimes people can go into a space that's not trauma-informed and know how to navigate that in a safe way where they feel comfortable and supported within themselves.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_01: However, if you have a sensitive nervous system or a vulnerable nervous system, then finding a trauma-informed facilitator if you're wanting to do this work is going to be very, very, very important because trauma-informed care allows us to feel more safe.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_01: And when you feel safe, that is when healing and connection can occur.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_01: So if you are not feeling safe, then healing and connection cannot actually happen, or at least it makes it very difficult for it to happen.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_01: So my heart goes out to anyone who has not had a great experience with breath work.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_01: And while I'm not saying it's a cure-all, it's not a silver bullet, it's not for everyone, there are a lot of benefits to gain from breath work when we're doing it in a way that feels safe and supported for us personally.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_01: Not because the person says it's a safe space, but because your body is letting you know, okay, this is a safe space where I can do this work.
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_01: The breath work that I'm talking about today isn't just box breathing.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_01: I get this a lot sometimes.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_01: And people will I have gone to a breathwork class facilitated by a lovely woman who guided us to breathe just in and out through the nose, which is fine.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_01: And yes, there are some benefits, there are lots of benefits from that.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_01: Breath is life, and the breath work that I'm talking about, it's deep, it's powerful, it's transformative, and as of recently, it has been scientifically proven to be an altered state of consciousness.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_01: Much like sacred plant medicine and psychedelic assisted therapy, altered states of consciousness have serious potential to treat mental health disorders like depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_01: Where plant medicine and psychedelic therapy have their limitations legally, financially, and medically, circular breath work can be a more accessible way to engage in a similar process.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_01: With roots in Tibetan Buddhist tantric practice and pranayama yoga, breath work has exploded and evolved into so many different forms, including holotropic breathwork, rebirthing, conscious connected, transformational, somatic release breathwork.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_01: I've honestly tried at least three or four different ones, and after experiencing the fourth variation, I concluded that they are all routes leading to the same exact place.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_01: So it's just a matter of which route you want to take and taking the one that works best for you.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_01: All of these approaches, what they do have in common, is rhythmic breathing in and out of the mouth.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_01: So this is not box breathing, this is not any sort of um breathing technique that involves breathing out of the nose, circular breathing, the breath work that um we're talking about today, that is the altered state of consciousness that has the potential to offer all the benefits.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_01: So I'll be sharing here today, is done in and out through the mouth.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_01: So that is one of the key differences.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_01: And it usually happens at a somewhat heightened speed.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_01: So it's it's not hyperventilating, but it is breathing at a quicker rhythm than you would normally.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_01: This breathing is also paired with music that is intentionally selected to evoke emotions and sometimes certain themes.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_01: As my trauma-informed teacher would say, music is the hidden therapist, and the music really does add to the potential of this experience, and typically this is conducted in a communal setting, so you might go to a breathwork class or a breathwork circle, or it does happen one-on-one with a facilitator.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_01: The first scientific studies that support what breathwork facilitators already know are just now starting to emerge.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_01: And the studies conducted so far seem to uh generally demonstrate the benefits of circular breath work for relieving stress and anxiety, reducing depression and PTSD, and enhancing self-awareness and life satisfaction.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_01: What's more is that these benefits have been hypothesized to be mediated by an enhanced psychological openness, meaning our mind is more open and we can begin to see things through new eyes and through different perspectives.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_01: This suggests that much to psychedelic experiences, different breath work settings may deliver different qualities.
• 13:20
  SPEAKER_01: During this study, there was a portion after the session where participants were encouraged to self-report.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_01: And in these self-reports, there was a general improvement in well-being and a reduction of depressive symptoms.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_01: This resembles what studies have shown from psychedelic assisted therapy, where the intensity of a mystical experience is also associated with improvements in mental health outcomes after the experience.
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_01: So this really positions circular breath work as a viable alternative in cases where psychedelic therapy may not be where it may be indicated, but maybe not accessible.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_01: In these altered states of consciousness, specifically breath work, circular breath work that we're talking about today, our psychological defenses can soften.
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_01: So these are the stories that we have about ourselves, the beliefs that we have about ourselves.
• 14:37
  SPEAKER_01: This includes the parts of ourselves that shove things down or put things off to the side.
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_01: A psychological defense might be something that you experience if you're being triggered.
• 14:52
  SPEAKER_01: And rather than going into the trigger and allowing yourself to feel it in your body, you might have this part that's just like, oh, nope, no, thank you, and shuts it down and keeps it moving and goes on to the next thing on the to-do list.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_01: Those are all psychological defenses that we really do need to keep us safe in the society.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_01: So thank you so much, psychological defenses for keeping me safe.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_01: And those defense mechanisms also prevent us from reaching some of these deeper layers of the brain and of the nervous system, which are directly shaped and impacted by our early childhood experiences.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_01: So this means that some painful things from our childhood may also be shoved down and pushed aside, and the psychological barriers may not allow us to really see and sit with these experiences.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_01: Now, the deepest memories and beliefs about our identity are stored in the deepest part of our brain.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_01: And when these defenses can soften, we can actually start to access this part of our brain that we otherwise are not able to do in a normal day-to-day state of consciousness.
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_01: And why is this important?
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_01: Why do we want this?
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_01: Well, it allows us to either see ourselves differently or to see a painful experience from a different perspective.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_01: I'll say that again.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_01: When our psychological defenses soften, it allows us to either see ourselves differently or to see a painful experience from a different perspective.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_01: And this, my dear, this is how trauma resolution happens.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_01: This is something that Dr.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_01: Brussel Vanderkoek, author of The Body Keeps the Score, talks about.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_01: Trauma resolution is the goal in trauma healing.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_01: We want to get to a point where things resolve.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_01: It might take some time, yes.
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_01: It might take a process of learning and unlearning and understanding and figuring out what works best for us, yes.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_01: And eventually the goal is to get to a point where things resolve.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_01: And this is one of the key things, the keys of trauma healing.
• 17:32
  SPEAKER_01: And I talk a little bit more about trauma resolution and my free trauma recovery mini course, which you can find a link for in the show notes.
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_01: You might be wondering, okay, Reba, so I can just breathe in and out of my mouth to some emotionally evocative music and I'll be able to heal all my trauma.
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_01: Well, maybe you could.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_01: You could try.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_01: However, in that same study that proved breathwork to work like a psychedelic experience, they also proved that the setting really impacts the healing too.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_01: So in this study, some of the participants didn't do the circular breathing and instead did a more passive natural breath.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_01: Those participants experience limited but significant deviations from everyday consciousness.
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_01: What does this mean?
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_01: Well, this suggests that although psychological changes are closely linked to the subjective experiences during breath work, the broader setting session, session setting, excuse me, also plays an important role in shaping and enhancing the experiences.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_01: To some extent, this effect is likely to be a reflection of the role that context plays in a breathwork session.
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_01: The context usually includes the emotionally evocative music, the social support of the group, and the facilitators, both during the session itself and in the group sharing before the session, and typically in my sessions, there's sharing after the session, too.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_01: And there's also this thing that happens when we witness other participants moving through their experiences who might be expressing intention intense emotions, either crying or screaming or laughing.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_01: There's some magic that is happening there when we are witnessing others in their process as well, even if we're not directly looking at them, doing in it, but we're in the same space, and our nervous systems and our bodies and our spirits are witnessing them go through that process.
• 20:06
  SPEAKER_01: There's also factors within the breathwork session that are intentionally designed to evoke and support emotional processing.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_01: And in the view of the people who did the study, they concluded that the breathwork setting alone can alter consciousness to some extent.
• 20:29
  SPEAKER_01: While it's not to the level that the circular breathwork technique does itself, and it also isn't discrediting the circular breathing technique.
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_01: What it is doing, it's reflecting the fact that different breathwork schools of thought have very successfully developed the elements to enhance the process that the breathing technique itself is meant to evoke.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_01: So, in addition, the setting effects measured in the study are also very likely heightened due to the fact that it was conducted with experienced breathwork practitioners.
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_01: So it could stand to argue that simply due to their prior experience, participants were were better able to shift their processing away from everyday consciousness when experiencing them familiar when experiencing the familiar setting of a breath work session.
• 21:33
  SPEAKER_01: So all of that to say is that there is a big difference from us just lying on the floor and doing our breathing ourselves.
• 21:43
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, I think we can get great healing in that way.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_01: I know myself, I have as well.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_01: And I did reach a point in my journey where I found I was getting a lot more out of the sessions when I was either in a class or I was in a one on one session.
• 21:58
  SPEAKER_01: So while I I would not discourage you to try this breath work on your own.
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_01: I would also encourage you to explore trying it in a social setting, whether it's within a big group or with a practitioner in a one-on-one setting.
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_01: So that's a little bit about somatic breathwork, what's biologically happening in the body, how it can be helpful in your trauma trauma recovery journey and process, some of its roots, and also what I find to be some really interesting takeaways and insights from this study that was just published.
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_01: I'll also be citing the study in the show notes.
• 22:48
  SPEAKER_01: So if you are a nerd like me, you are very welcome to go and check out the study.
• 22:54
  SPEAKER_01: What I would like to do now is to shift the discussion a little bit, not away from the breath, but into a different avenue of the breath practice that I like to really invite into the work that I do with my clients and the work that we do here on the show, healing her story, right?
• 23:15
  SPEAKER_01: We are healing her story.
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_01: We are creating space for the feminine to rise both within and around us.
• 23:24
  SPEAKER_01: And the breath I have discovered in my own personal journey really supports that work so beautifully.
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_01: And the breath is also mirroring this constant cycle of expansion and contraction.
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_01: We can see the four phases of the menstrual cycle and of the moon cycle and of the seasons mirrored through the breath.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_01: How?
• 24:23
  SPEAKER_01: Well, as you inhale, that is the beginning of a new cycle.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_01: That is the spring.
• 24:32
  SPEAKER_01: That is the fresh energy, the inspiration, the infinite opportunity.
• 24:42
  SPEAKER_01: As you reach the top of that inhale, we find ourselves in the fullness of the breath.
• 24:49
  SPEAKER_01: This is the ovulation.
• 24:50
  SPEAKER_01: This is the summer.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_01: This is the full moon where the breath is at its peak.
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_01: As we exhale, this is the fall.
• 25:05
  SPEAKER_01: This is the luteal.
• 25:07
  SPEAKER_01: This is the premenstrum.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_01: This is the waning moon.
• 25:11
  SPEAKER_01: This is the letting go and the clearing out.
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_01: This is the contraction.
• 25:19
  SPEAKER_01: And as we reach the bottom of that exhale, there is a pause.
• 25:25
  SPEAKER_01: And that pause is the winter.
• 25:29
  SPEAKER_01: That pause is the new moon.
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_01: That pause is the menstruation time, the bleeding time.
• 25:39
  SPEAKER_01: It's that space that comes, that phase that comes right before the new one begins.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_01: How beautifully and magically and perfectly this cyclical wisdom is reflected through our breath.
• 25:57
  SPEAKER_01: So it makes so much sense to me as I have really been working with the breath and working on cultivating more feminine energy in my life, that the breath has really allowed me to go even deeper into all of that menstrual cycle, feminine healing work.
• 26:25
  SPEAKER_01: Because the breath is a cycle, too.
• 26:28
  SPEAKER_01: And because the breath is what gives us life, and we're breathing all day, every day, and without it, we wouldn't be alive.
• 26:36
  SPEAKER_01: To me, that's such a really interesting connection to the cyclical wisdom that is happening all the time, all day, every day.
• 26:45
  SPEAKER_01: And it's this cyclical rhythm is what keeps the earth alive.
• 26:53
  SPEAKER_01: And it also has the opportunity to keep us more alive, to bring more aliveness to ourselves, because we are cyclical beings living in a cyclical world, and the breath reflects this.
• 27:11
  SPEAKER_01: So if you are needing some more feminine energy in your life and you are wanting to cultivate more of this feminine energy within, the breath is a beautiful and powerful bridge.
• 27:26
  SPEAKER_01: And so I would invite you to really embrace working with the breath.
• 27:32
  SPEAKER_01: Even if it's not circular breathing, we can still see this circular, um, excuse me, this cyclical rhythm mirrored through the breath.
• 27:43
  SPEAKER_01: The breath is also where we slow down.
• 27:47
  SPEAKER_01: It's also where we let our nervous systems know that I am safe, I am here, I am breathing.
• 27:56
  SPEAKER_01: And it stands to be a very powerful ally as you do this feminine healing work.
• 28:07
  SPEAKER_01: I had a session just today with a one-on-one client who I've been working with for the past couple of years.
• 28:15
  SPEAKER_01: And wow, it's been so amazing to witness her unfolding.
• 28:24
  SPEAKER_01: Just in today's session, she came to the session with an inner conflict, and we talked about the conflict.
• 28:37
  SPEAKER_01: We looked at all the different angles of this conflict, and then we oriented ourselves to the cycles of life in which she was able to see and understand how what was happening to her tied in really interestingly with the current moon cycle that we're working through.
• 29:02
  SPEAKER_01: And then we got into the breath, where we stopped talking, and this client goes into her inner world, and I support her navigating that space.
• 29:17
  SPEAKER_01: And within 60 minutes, she was able to come to a place of neutrality with this inner conflict.
• 29:27
  SPEAKER_01: She was able to come to a place of mutual understanding, understanding between these parts of herself inside that were kind of going against each other.
• 29:39
  SPEAKER_01: In just 60 minutes.
• 30:35
  SPEAKER_01: I myself lived very much so in my masculine, had no sense of this.
• 30:42
  SPEAKER_01: Um, well, of course, I had a sense, and it wasn't a very strong sense because I was so wrapped up in this masculine energy.
• 30:54
  SPEAKER_01: And the breath really helped me to unravel from all of that and come back to my femininity.
• 31:01
  SPEAKER_01: And I've really witnessed that in the clients that I work with as well.
• 31:06
  SPEAKER_01: Without even trying or guiding or forcing, it kind of just unfolds.
• 31:11
  SPEAKER_01: And all of a sudden, they're making different choices, they're slowing down, they're taking better care of themselves, they're making themselves meals, they're going on walks, they're taking themselves to the beach, they're cultivating meaningful friendships in their lives.
• 31:28
  SPEAKER_01: All of these things that are very associated with the feminine all of a sudden just start happening because they've been committed to their breath, because they've been committed to this cyclical wisdom.
• 31:42
  SPEAKER_01: In that process, through that process, there is also an increase in self-awareness.
• 31:48
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I have seen people who had no sense of their body and what was going on at them side of themselves to being able to so articulately explain and um creatively describe what is going on in their inner world.
• 32:08
  SPEAKER_01: I have also witnessed these clients and myself become more of their authentic selves.
• 32:16
  SPEAKER_01: I had a session with this client a few weeks ago where she was doing things in the session that I had never seen before.
• 32:25
  SPEAKER_01: And I was like, huh, that was interesting.
• 32:28
  SPEAKER_01: And I mentioned it at the end, and she said, huh, I think I'm finally starting to feel more comfortable expressing myself without worrying about what it looks like or what you're gonna think of me.
• 32:43
  SPEAKER_01: She's being more real, she's being more of who she really is, and it's the breath work that has supported her in doing this.
• 32:54
  SPEAKER_01: These women and myself are also learning to love and to honor themselves in ways that they never knew how.
• 33:16
  SPEAKER_01: Often these women come from critical parents or sometimes abusive, emotionally abusive parents.
• 33:27
  SPEAKER_01: And they haven't learned how to love themselves.
• 33:32
  SPEAKER_01: They haven't learned how to be gentle and compassionate and accepting with themselves because no one ever did that to them.
• 33:40
  SPEAKER_01: And when these women show up for these their breath work practice week after week after week, myself included, they begin to learn, to really see themselves, to honor themselves.
• 33:55
  SPEAKER_01: It's one of the most beautiful processes to witness.
• 34:01
  SPEAKER_01: And it's something that I witness in myself as well, staying committed to my breath work practice.
• 34:07
  SPEAKER_01: These women are also becoming more resilient and confident in navigating life's challenges.
• 34:14
  SPEAKER_01: And there is a biological reason for this.
• 34:17
  SPEAKER_01: That is because breath work also increases your heart rate variability.
• 34:24
  SPEAKER_01: It's called HRV.
• 34:27
  SPEAKER_01: And as this number begins to increase, it allows you to be able to handle more stress.
• 34:37
  SPEAKER_01: And so as you can handle more stress, you're not being as triggered by things, or if you are being triggered, you know how to move through that without it being the end of the world or a big catastrophic event.
• 34:57
  SPEAKER_01: You know how to emotionally support yourself through that process.
• 35:02
  SPEAKER_01: It may not be perfect, right?
• 35:04
  SPEAKER_01: No one is, we don't have to do it all ourselves by any means.
• 35:27
  SPEAKER_01: This really impacts and shapes our nervous system.
• 35:31
  SPEAKER_01: And the truth is, is if you come from that kind of background, you generally to a certain degree are limited in what you can handle.
• 35:40
  SPEAKER_01: There has to be a recalibration in the nervous system that allows you to take on more and to handle more.
• 36:18
  SPEAKER_01: Which is a wonderful segue into the more practical part of this episode, where I'm gonna talk a little bit more about how often you should practice breath work, what kind of breath work I offer, um, how this approach is different, where to get started, all that stuff.
• 36:40
  SPEAKER_01: So you might be wondering, okay, I'm sold, I want to try breath work.
• 36:46
  SPEAKER_01: How often do I need to practice breath work to really feel a difference?
• 36:51
  SPEAKER_01: The annoying and honest answer is it depends.
• 36:55
  SPEAKER_01: We're all different, our nervous systems are all different.
• 36:59
  SPEAKER_01: There is no one size fits all for anyone's healing process, there just isn't.
• 37:03
  SPEAKER_01: And if anyone tries to tell you that there is, then I would just be careful and use your discernment because we are all so unique and there's just not one way.
• 37:13
  SPEAKER_01: So it'll really be up to you to discern what is most supportive for you because what might be supportive for one person might be too much for you.
• 37:25
  SPEAKER_01: Now, as I have gone through my own journey with breath work and witnessed the journey of lots of women along theirs, I find that every other week, every one to three weeks, is ideal.
• 37:40
  SPEAKER_01: Anything more than that, I think has the potential to be too much because we do want to give our nervous systems time to process and digest.
• 37:51
  SPEAKER_01: Trauma often happens when it's too much, too soon.
• 37:55
  SPEAKER_01: And so if you just go in there and you just start knocking down doors and you know, breathing every other day and once a week.
• 38:05
  SPEAKER_01: I I don't know how helpful that is.
• 38:07
  SPEAKER_01: I don't want to say it's not, but in my experience, I don't find it to be necessary.
• 38:13
  SPEAKER_01: The trauma-informed approach is l is really less is more.
• 38:18
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that you can get some great work done with a breath work session once or twice a month, and then some other practices in between to support you in the work that you have done in the breathwork session.
• 38:33
  SPEAKER_01: So long-winded answer, it depends, and one to three times a month, one every two once every two weeks or so.
• 38:44
  SPEAKER_01: Now, you also might be wondering what kind of breath work I offer and how is it different from others?
• 38:50
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I facilitate a technique called revelation breathwork, and this technique is rooted in spiritual psychology.
• 38:58
  SPEAKER_01: Now, I realized when I was putting this show together, I was never explicitly including spirituality in these discussions.
• 39:07
  SPEAKER_01: And if you've been listening, you've probably sensed that it's definitely a part of the discussion, and it makes a lot of sense because the root of my work is rooted in spiritual psychology.
• 39:19
  SPEAKER_01: And while it's not something I'm an expert in, it is something that is a part of the training that I receive through revelation breathwork.
• 39:26
  SPEAKER_01: And essentially, there are a few keys to this psychology that I believe makes revelation breath work different than the other techniques out there.
• 39:39
  SPEAKER_01: The first principle is that everything is either an expression of or cry out for more love.
• 39:48
  SPEAKER_01: I'll say that again.
• 39:50
  SPEAKER_01: Everything is either an expression of or call out for more love.
• 39:56
  SPEAKER_01: That is it.
• 39:58
  SPEAKER_01: It's quite simple when we put it that way.
• 40:02
  SPEAKER_01: And the second por uh principle of this uh psychology is trust.
• 40:10
  SPEAKER_01: We trust that whatever happens is happening for us, which, ooh, that can be so triggering.
• 40:22
  SPEAKER_01: I know it can be for me, too.
• 40:25
  SPEAKER_01: And it's it's something perhaps worth considering and worth pondering.
• 40:30
  SPEAKER_01: And without going too deep into spiritual psychology, this is at the core of the the revelation breathwork technique that I'm trained in and that I facilitate.
• 40:48
  SPEAKER_01: What I think also makes it different.
• 40:51
  SPEAKER_01: I think it's much shorter.
• 40:53
  SPEAKER_01: This is a more um sort of left brain-based answer.
• 41:01
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but it is shorter in length than say a holotropic breath practice.
• 41:07
  SPEAKER_01: That is about three hours, which I find to be not necessary.
• 41:13
  SPEAKER_01: This technique can can get you to that place pretty quickly, I find, both in myself and and with my clients.
• 41:22
  SPEAKER_01: Now, as a trauma-informed somatic practitioner, there are other things that I do integrate into my sessions that might be a little different than the more quote-unquote traditional revelation breathwork format.
• 41:37
  SPEAKER_01: And I am fairly true to that practice.
• 41:42
  SPEAKER_01: So that is what I facilitate and how it's different from other techniques out there, how it might be different, how it's different to me, might be different to you in other ways.
• 41:54
  SPEAKER_01: And I do offer this breathwork practice at Revelation Breathwork, which I have already mentioned.
• 42:00
  SPEAKER_01: And I facilitate a class there every week on Mondays at currently at 7 o'clock Pacific Standard Time.
• 42:10
  SPEAKER_01: I also facilitate this, as I mentioned, one-on-one with my clients.
• 42:16
  SPEAKER_01: And I also offer this through a trauma-informed women's circle that I offer as well through my somatic coaching and therapy practice, Winds of Change.
• 42:28
  SPEAKER_01: So you might be wondering: okay, great, what's the best way to start breath work if I'm brand new?
• 42:35
  SPEAKER_01: Well, as I mentioned, the membership with Revelation Breath Work is an option for you to explore.
• 42:45
  SPEAKER_01: The membership is$39.99 a month.
• 42:49
  SPEAKER_01: This is where I started my breathwork practice.
• 42:52
  SPEAKER_01: This is where I still continue with my breath work practice or in these classes.
• 42:56
  SPEAKER_01: This is also where I teach.
• 42:58
  SPEAKER_01: And if you are curious to try breathwork, and let's say you're not at a point where you're wanting to go into a one-on-one setting, either because of costs, because it does cost more to do a one-on-one session, or perhaps it can feel uncomfortable having all of that focus and attention on you when it's just one-on-one.
• 43:22
  SPEAKER_01: That can be pretty intense, especially if we have a history where safe and meaningful and authentic connection wasn't something that was normal or common for us.
• 43:37
  SPEAKER_01: So that's where a class might be a great place to explore, especially a virtual class.
• 43:43
  SPEAKER_01: You can leave your camera off, you can be in an environment of your choosing, you can leave the meeting when the breath work is over, right?
• 43:52
  SPEAKER_01: You don't have to share it all if you don't want to.
• 43:54
  SPEAKER_01: You can type in the chat if you and just not come off mute if that's more comfortable for you.
• 44:00
  SPEAKER_01: So there's a lot of ways in which you can um sort of manipulate, for lack of a better word, the situation so that it's most comfortable for you.
• 44:15
  SPEAKER_01: You also might be able to find a local breathwork class or group.
• 44:21
  SPEAKER_01: If you're local here to Sacramento, California, that is where I am.
• 44:28
  SPEAKER_01: If you are some other place, you can do a Google search, or perhaps hopping on Eventbrite and seeing if you can find something there.
• 44:35
  SPEAKER_01: It is becoming a lot more common.
• 44:39
  SPEAKER_01: If you have either done breathwork before in a group setting and you know you want to do the one-on-one setting, or perhaps you're just not really into being vulnerable in a group setting with some of these things, then a one-on-one session with an experienced practitioner is also a great place to start.
• 44:58
  SPEAKER_01: As I mentioned earlier, I do have some recordings that you are very welcome to explore on your own on Insight Timer.
• 45:05
  SPEAKER_01: Feel free to check those out.
• 45:06
  SPEAKER_01: You can find a link for those in the show notes.
• 45:09
  SPEAKER_01: Those practices, I will say, are little little microdoses.
• 45:14
  SPEAKER_01: It's not a full practice, but it can give you a little taste and a little sense of what breath work might have to offer you, if anything at all.
• 45:24
  SPEAKER_01: You also might be wondering, okay, how do I know I'm ready for this deeper breath work or somatic therapy?
• 45:30
  SPEAKER_01: You've said it's really deep and it can bring up a lot of stuff.
• 45:34
  SPEAKER_01: How do I know that I'm actually at a point where this is something that I can explore?
• 45:41
  SPEAKER_01: Well, as many women, most women who come to me say, if you've been investing in talk therapy off and on for years, coaching or counseling, and you feel like you're not getting to the root cause, then I think breath work or somatic therapy could be a good option for you.
• 46:02
  SPEAKER_01: There are studies coming out really showing the limitations of talk therapy.
• 46:09
  SPEAKER_01: And I truly believe if we if we want to heal, we gotta get into the body.
• 46:15
  SPEAKER_01: We gotta get to those deeper layers of the nervous system and of the brain and of the soma.
• 46:22
  SPEAKER_01: So if you've been on your journey and you just feel like you're not getting anywhere, then perhaps it might be time to explore one of these more alternative healing modalities.
• 46:39
  SPEAKER_01: Now, you also might be wondering, or perhaps maybe you've already done a breath work session and you've had a lot of stuff come up, and you didn't feel like you were able to integrate your experience in your everyday life.
• 46:52
  SPEAKER_01: I think I'll have to do a part two on this episode because this is a whole nother conversation on integration, which is an essential part of the healing process.
• 47:02
  SPEAKER_01: So let's save that for another day.
• 47:05
  SPEAKER_01: I'll make note of it, and we will definitely do another episode on integration and what that looks like and why it's important.
• 47:17
  SPEAKER_01: As we're wrapping up the shadow period of the Venus retrograde, you might be starting to experience some forward momentum in these more feminine or Venetian themes: relationships, beauty, money, reproductive health, women's rights and issues.
• 47:42
  SPEAKER_01: And I hope it is my intention that this episode can soap support you in any of that that might be unfolding for you.
• 47:56
  SPEAKER_01: We are in trying and intense times, at least at the time that this is being recorded.
• 48:03
  SPEAKER_01: And I really believe that this somatic cyclical wisdom is what is going to save us.
• 48:15
  SPEAKER_01: It's what's going to create more harmony and more balance in the world.
• 48:20
  SPEAKER_01: And that is why I continue to show up here every week, week after week, sharing as much as I can so that you can feel empowered to walk this path with clarity and connection and devotion.
• 48:42
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks so much for being here today and tuning in to today's conversation.
• 48:47
  SPEAKER_01: I hope that you found it insightful or impactful.
• 48:53
  SPEAKER_01: If you did find it insightful or valuable in some way, I invite you to share this episode with a friend.
• 49:03
  SPEAKER_01: Perhaps this is a friend whom you've discussed these topics with before, or perhaps this is a friend who you know might be struggling with their trauma recovery journey, or perhaps they're wanting more feminine energy in their life.
• 49:23
  SPEAKER_01: This would be a wonderful episode to share with them.
• 49:28
  SPEAKER_01: And if you're enjoying the show and finding it helpful and supportive, it would be such a support.
• 49:40
  SPEAKER_01: And I would be so grateful if you could leave your ratings and reviews.
• 49:45
  SPEAKER_01: This helps to support the algorithm and helps to support more people finding this show so that they can continue or begin walking this path and doing this work, creating space for the feminine to rise both within and around us.
• 50:05
  SPEAKER_01: As you may have noticed, today's solo episode came out on Friday instead of Wednesday, and this was really for my own creative process.
• 50:15
  SPEAKER_01: It's been a full couple of weeks to say the least, and I may be switching the solo episodes to Fridays and the guest episode to Fridays so that I can have a little bit more time to create the best episode that I can create for you as I possibly can.
• 50:36
  SPEAKER_01: Friday is also Lena's day, and it seems like a really wonderful day to release conversations like this.
• 50:43
  SPEAKER_01: So stay tuned for that.
• 50:45
  SPEAKER_01: I will let you know in episodes to come if this will be the rhythm that we will follow for this season.
• 50:54
  SPEAKER_01: In the meantime, take care of yourself, take care of others if you can, and I look forward to connecting with you again for our next Cycle Sync episode on Monday.
• 51:08
  SPEAKER_00: In the meantime, take care of yourselves and take care of hiding for the voice of the wood, living the pain from your wood.