Healing Breathwork

As one of the eight limbs of yoga, pranayama (the formal practice of controlling the breath), is a valuable technique for meditators and yoga practitioners. There are many forms of this practice, and a major branch of pranayama breathing involves increasing the concentration of oxygen available to the body through specific breathing practices.

This is an ancient practice that has been used by modern day practitioners for many purposes. For example, free divers in the East use it to concentrate oxygen in their blood so they can stay underwater longer. Some have used the technique to prevent hypothermia while being immersed in cold water. Also, you do this technique naturally and unconsciously every time you run ‘out of breath’ when trying to climb a mountain or a big set of stairs.

Pranayama is used for spiritual work in many circles. Some of the modern day versions of this form of pranayama are “Rebirthing” and “Holotropic Breathwork,” both of which are cousins to the practice introduced in this album and app from Guided Meditation Treks entitled “Healing Breathwork.”

My first exposure to this type of breathing practice was in 2012, when I tried it as part of a 5-day juice cleanse. At the time, I was 2 years removed from a divorce and had just gone through another breakup. Neither of these were fully processed, as I was still nursing a state of denial about how they had affected me. I was also trying to “make it” in my jamband, but the reality was hitting me that this was not my path. All of the unprocessed emotion of this ‘mid-life crisis’ came to a head when I practiced this breathwork exercise. It had such a profound effect on me that I decided that I wanted to study the practice so I could not only go deeper, but also teach it to others. However, it wasn’t until 2015 when I finally got around to finding a teacher, David Elliott, who was right for me, and who certified me to become a practitioner. Since then, I’ve practiced this form of meditation regularly. I’ve also led one-on-one sessions as well as co-lead group sessions with Robin Bruce, who became certified at the same time through the same teacher.

This album contains four meditation tracks, each of which I wrote from scratch based on my own life experience:

1. Stepping Into Your Power: In this track, you will experience the power that you’ve always had, but perhaps overlooked because of some conditioning by your environment. Each of us is a unique piece of the vast puzzle of this infinite creation, and we not only have a right, but also a responsibility to ourselves and the universe to fully be ourselves by stepping into our own innate true power.
2. Grieving and Celebrating a Loss: Whether it be the loss of a loved one through death, the loss of a relationship through a breakup or divorce, or even the loss of a cherished physical object, most of us have experienced a loss that has affected us deeply. Cognitive Psychology has recognized the “five stages of grief,” but many of us don’t realize that it’s easy to get stuck in one of the stages. Breathwork was the tool that allowed me to not only recognize that I was stuck in a state of denial after my divorce, but also move beyond it. In this meditation, you will recognize where you are in your healing process and then discover tools to move forward (but only if you are ready).
3. Healing Sexual Abuse: In the era of #metoo, only now is sexual abuse a topic that is brought up publicly in our culture. For years, we’d lived in a system where women weren’t allowed to “say yes,” which also meant they had no clear and unambiguous way to “say no.” We are also finally beginning to bring to light how power dynamics in religious and legal institutions have led to systemic sexual abuse. It might come as a surprise that statistics show more people have experienced a sexual abuse event in their lifetime than those who have not. You are not alone, and this meditation will help you process these experiences as well as use them to help you in the future.
4. Abundance: This is another take on the “manifestation” guided meditation offered in GMT Volume I, but from a different perspective. In this meditation, you will start with the abundance that is inside of you and use it as an exchange to create a swirling cloud of abundance that surrounds you… all while practicing the pranayama healing breathwork practice.