Transformational Breathwork is a Unique Wellness Modality Human life itself depends on breath. This sounds obvious, and yet most people in modern society do not understand how poor breathing habits impair their health. The modern stationary lifestyle is dominated by the physical act of sitting. When you sit, the range of motion of your diaphragm becomes very limited. This causes you to pull air only into the top of your lung. As a consequence, there is a smaller amount of air contacting a very limited area of the lung tissue that absorbs oxygen. By contrast, completely filling the lung when you are able to draw a full deep breath with the complete extension of your diaphragm, dramatically increases the amount of oxygen entering the blood stream. Sitting and shallow breathing reduces the amount of available blood oxygen that we can use to cause healthy metabolism, cell repair and reproduction among a long list of other problems. In short, prolonged shallow breathing can lead to a myriad of health chronic health problems. There is a very important psychological impact that deep breathing can have as well. A sedentary lifestyle that does not fully oxygenate the blood, limits the amount of oxygen available to the brain. This can limit brain function and the production of a variety of hormones and other chemicals that your brain needs for health function. By itself, increasing blood oxygen levels can improve brain function. When we increase blood oxygen levels without disturbing the balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood, the result can be a very intense sub-lingual emotional release among other psychological phenomenon. Practitioners of transformational breathwork often report that memories of past psychological trauma that had been suppressed below the awareness of ordinary consciousness arose, was briefly re-experienced and then was released. This has left these practitioners with a profound sense of personal liberation. Kyle Riebeling, LMT and graduate of the 2017 Transformational Breathwork Master Track, can attest to the benefits of breath practice personally and professionally. In his practice with clients Kyle reflects, "I am able to use more diverse language and my deeper knowledge to bring them to a therapeutic mental and emotional space, as well as provide the reasons why the breath is an important aspect to focus on." On a personal level, Kyle notes he has noticed a difference in his emotional state since receiving the training in the Master Track. "My reactions to stressful situations have changed. I am able to 'breathe through' the situation and it allows me to let go and move on easily." Kyle Riebeling LMT and Certified Breathwork Facilitator The ability to access and release emotions that reside in the mind below ordinary cognition can have a tremendous positive impact on mental health. Many practitioners report that transformational breath did in a few sessions what years of "talk" therapy could not do. In many cases, transformational breathwork appears to liberate practitioners from depression, panic attack disorder, PTSD and other chronic conditions. Transformational Breathwork is designed to interrupt and replace unhealthy breathing habits. One of the side effects of Transformational Breathwork training is that practitioners become mindful of their breath all day long and consciously alter their breathing patterns even when they sleep. Whether someone practices meditation, massage, yoga, or just wants to have better health, breathwork is a practice that will enhance all of these. HAC's 100 Hour Certified Breathwork Training Program HAC's Certified Breathwork Training is designed to not only educate practitioners in the uses of various breathing techniques, but to also train them to facilitate breathwork sessions and group classes. The program surveys a variety of breathwork modalities from a wide variety of ancient and modern sources. The twenty week, 100 hour course trains participants to harness their own breath through various techniques and for facilitator training they will learn theory, methods and types of breathwork to guide others through breath sessions. Some of the practices included in this course include:
Uses And Applications Recent articles featured on Dr. Joseph Mercola's, website, Mercola.com, discuss many of the health benefits of Transformational Breathwork-style techniques including its use in lowering blood pressure. You can also see Dr. Mercola's video series featuring Julie Schiffman on multiple applications of Emotional Freedom Technique. Because breathwork is so foundational, it is something that affects everybody. Through the training, participants will release suppressed breathing and harness the power of breath to transform physical, emotional, and mental well-being. There are practices tailored towards relieving anxiety and depression as well as applications of breath to enhance meditation and spiritual practices. Examples include breathing for prosperity, forgiveness, and to reach higher states of consciousness. Like all HAC training programs, the Certified Breathworker Master Track is designed to cause deep personal transformation while providing a well-defined skill set that can enhance any professional wellness practice. While many of the students in this program are building skills for professional use, just as many pursue this education to enhance their own personal experience of health and wellness. No licensure is required to practice breathwork professionally and there are no educational pre-requisites required to enter this Master Track. [The Healing Arts Center does not advocate the use of transformational breathwork as a self-treatment for mental illness of any kind and suggests that practitioners consult their mental health care professionals before making any changes in any therapeutic modality including therapy and medications.] |
