Airwaves
A Breathwork Blog by Breathing Space
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Aromatherapy and Breathwork
I remember walking in to my first yoga class, feeling totally broken and going through a painful divorce. At the end of the class during savasana, they came around and massaged everyone’s neck with a cooling gel that had peppermint and lavender. It was HEAVEN. I hadn’t realized how healing the combination of aromatherapy and touch were. I know that’s controversial (the touch and scent during savasana, not the power of them!). But what happens when we combine the potent effects of scent with the transformative practice of breathwork?
Breathwork vs. Meditation
Breathwork is gaining more and more traction these days, popping up in wellness circles and social media feeds everywhere. But for many, the idea of deep, intentional breathing as a pathway to inner peace might still seem a bit unconventional. After all, isn't meditation – the practice of sitting in quiet contemplation for months or even years – the only real way to achieve lasting transformation?
Even Breathing Space founder Benedict Beaumont, who dedicated years to studying Buddhism and decades to meditation, discovered that, for him, a single breathwork session could unlock more self-discovery and healing than years on the cushion.
Breath-Body Connection
I recently came across a comment online that said "nervous system regulation is just new-age bullshit." As both a nurse and a breathwork business owner it got my back up and it got me thinking about how much we underestimate the power of our own breath and our ability to influence our body.
The truth is, our breath and our bodies are deeply connected. It's not just about staying alive; it's about how we feel, think, and experience the world. Our breath is a mirror reflecting our inner state, and it's also a bridge connecting our mind and body.
Grounding and Resourcing in Breathwork
In breathwork, we have a profound paradox. On one hand, practices like Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB) and Holotropic Breathwork can be incredibly transformative, opening doors to deep healing, self-discovery, and spiritual awakening. On the other hand, these powerful experiences can also stir up a whirlwind of emotions, unearthing buried traumas and shaking the very foundations of our sense of self.
While these intense emotional releases can be cathartic and ultimately lead to profound healing and emotional integration, they can also be destabilising, leaving individuals feeling overwhelmed, disoriented, or even re-traumatised. This is where the practices of grounding and resourcing become not just helpful, but absolutely essential.