nervous system regulation – Beyond the Breath Online Magazine

Sensitivity and the Breath:

28/10/2024 No Comments

Discovering the Strength in Feeling Deeply.

“Through the breath, we find our way back to ourselves – to the wisdom that whispers within, to the strength that lives in our sensitivity, and to the profound truth that we are enough, just as we are.”
— Lottie Evans

For much of my life, I felt like a stranger in my own body. I was out of tune with myself, with my emotions, and with the quiet whispers of my soul. Like many sensitive souls, I learned to mask my true nature, burying my sensitivity under layers of distraction, denial, and numbness. Society taught me that sensitivity is synonymous with weakness, that feeling deeply is something to be “fixed,” and that the way forward was to toughen up, to become someone I was not.

However, the more I tried to escape my sensitivity, the more disconnected, anxious, and overwhelmed I became. Caught in a cycle of self-criticism, I tried to erase parts of myself that were, in fact, my truest essence. My sensitivity, the very thing I sought to deny, called me back time and again, whispering, “Listen.”

It wasn’t until I discovered the breath – the simple, profound act of breathing with awareness – that I began to reconnect with my body and embrace my true nature.

Our breath is one of the most beautiful tools we possess, a constant companion throughout our lives. Yet, how often do we truly pay attention to it? How often do we notice the rhythm, depth, and texture of our breath as it moves through us?

For years, I breathed without thought, taking each inhale and exhale for granted. When I began to focus on my breath – to truly notice it – something incredible happened. I discovered that breath is not merely a physiological process; it is a gateway, a bridge between the body and the mind, the conscious and the unconscious.

By tuning into my breath, I began to hear my body’s wisdom, feel the emotions I had suppressed, and explore my inner landscape. The breath became my tool for understanding energy, soothing myself in moments of overwhelm, and finding clarity amidst confusion.

Through this journey with breath, I began to see my sensitivity as a gift rather than a burden. Sensitivity is not weakness; it is the profound ability to feel deeply, sense the subtleties of life, and connect with others on an emotional level. It is a strength, a superpower that allows us to live fully and experience the richness of being human.

For too long, I believed that being sensitive made me fragile and that my emotions were burdens to be managed or controlled. The breath taught me otherwise. It showed me that sensitivity, when embraced, is a source of wisdom, creativity, and deep connection.

The breath serves as an ally in helping us harness our sensitivity and acknowledge it as a strength.

The breath brings us back into our bodies. When we are sensitive, we often pick up on various external stimuli and can lose touch with our needs and feelings. The breath grounds us, reminding us to check in with ourselves. It allows us to notice where we hold tension, discomfort, or ease, fostering a direct conversation with our bodies.

Sensitivity often accompanies a highly active mind, constantly processing and analysing. When overwhelmed by thoughts or emotions, breath can anchor us. By focusing on the rhythm of inhale and exhale, we settle our minds, creating calm amidst chaos. Deep, slow breathing sends signals to our nervous system that it is safe to relax and be present.

Our breath is intricately connected to our energy. Shallow breathing restricts the flow of energy in our bodies, while deep, full breathing allows it to move freely. The breath helps us tune into our energetic state, guiding us to notice where we feel depleted or vibrant. By working with the breath, we can balance our energy, nourish ourselves, and ground ourselves when scattered.

For me, discovering the breath was like finding a hidden key to myself. It was a way back to my true nature, a way to listen to the parts I had tried to ignore. Through the breath, I learned that I don’t need to fight my sensitivity or change it. Instead, I need to embrace and honour it as my guide.
Sensitivity is not something to be “fixed.” It is a gift, allowing us to feel deeply, connect authentically, create passionately, and love fully. It is a source of strength, resilience, and empathy that can guide us through life’s challenges.

If you’ve ever felt that your sensitivity is a burden or tried to hide your emotions, I invite you to return to the breath. Let it be your guide. Start by taking a few moments each day to breathe with awareness. Notice the rise and fall of your chest, the cool air entering your nostrils, and the warmth as it leaves. Feel the rhythm of life connecting you to something greater. In this simple act, you honour the fullness of who you are.

Our sensitivity is a gift, and the breath is one of the most beautiful tools we have to harness it. Through breath, we learn to listen to our bodies, soothe our minds, understand our energy, and embrace our true nature.

Let’s stop seeing sensitivity as something to hide. Instead, let’s acknowledge it as the profound strength it is. Let’s use the breath to connect more deeply with ourselves, find peace in the present moment, and live with greater authenticity, compassion, and love.

Because when we breathe with awareness, we return home to ourselves – and in that space, everything is possible.

Remember, you are not alone on this path. Together, we can transform our sensitivity into our greatest strength, breathing life into our true selves, and celebrating the beauty of feeling deeply.

Naturally Lottie – Your HSP Hype Girl

To find out more about Lottie, take a look at her profile in Practitioners Corner

In Breath and the Mind

The Power of Breathwork

28/10/2024 No Comments

In a world that often feels chaotic and overwhelming, finding moments of true peace and clarity can be rare. At least that’s how I’ve felt for most of my life. My brain is often so busy that I can use the wrong words in a conversation because I’ve got so far ahead of myself that my voice can’t keep up with the chatter in my mind.

I tried so many things – reading, meditation, yoga, walking, music – but nothing really worked long term. I might get five minutes of distraction or hyper focus, but then my mind would start chattering again. And it was so frustrating! Where was this quiet, calm space in my mind that everyone has and I just couldn’t access?

It wasn’t until I found breathwork in 2022 that I understood I’d been going about it all wrong. I realised that I’d been trying to do something I didn’t have the skills for yet – jumping way ahead of myself instead of starting at the beginning. Five minutes of quiet mind space with no brain chatter is actually really hard without the “training” that leads up to it. And those people that can do it have been doing it a really long time!

Finding moments of daily clarity was the starting point for me. Because the mental quiet was so alien to me, my brain was finding ways to keep the noise going – it literally didn’t know what to do with the quiet, peaceful space. So just learning to stop, close my eyes and focus on taking a breath was so simple, yet so profound.

And as cliche as it sounds – it changed my life.

A simple breath can bring me out of the mental chatter and back into my body with very little effort. And over time, I’ve learned to lengthen those initial few seconds and sit with the quiet. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t – I have to keep reminding myself that I’m undoing a lifetime of chatter and it’s not the end of the world if I don’t get longer than a few seconds. What matters the most is that I take that conscious breath, and another, and another, and keep the momentum going.

The simple effectiveness of this snared my interest – if this worked for me, then what else was I missing? And of course, it wasn’t enough to just learn the techniques, I wanted the full on journey of learning for myself and then to take it out into the world. I was already a coach, so adding another string to my bow was a no brainer!

Over the course of the last year, during my breathwork facilitator training, I have learned so much more than I ever thought I could. More techniques, more clarity, and more personal development journey than I ever expected.

Learning to breathe consciously was the biggest game changer for me. Breath is the only automatic bodily function we can consciously control and it can significantly affect our emotional state. So learning to wield it as a tool as well as it being the thing that keeps us alive, is about the most useful thing we can ever do for ourselves.

I use breathwork every day for myself – keeping the simple breath, but also using coherence breathing to slow down, or even just noticing my breath pattern and changing it consciously so it supports me rather than running away with my emotions.

Every time I dive into breathwork for myself, whether I’m doing it solo or it’s being guided by someone else, it always feels like a fresh experience. It could be something as straightforward as a box breath to regulate my system, or a more intense conscious connected breath that brings about real energy shifts. Especially if you are being led by someone else – them holding space for you to grow and change feels so nurturing. And it’s an experience we often miss out on in adult life.

Because facilitating breathwork for someone else is always an honour – that person is putting their trust in me, allowing me to direct them into changing the very thing that keeps them alive. And even if it feels edgy or uncomfortable at the time, the after effects will always be the thing they need. The breath is clever like that!

And no matter the technique, breathwork is a seriously powerful practice. One that shouldn’t be underestimated, but one that we all should be taking seriously as a part of our everyday lives.

If you haven’t already, I highly recommend just stopping, closing your eyes and taking a breath. One single breath. And see how you feel after. And if it feels good, take another. Then find the moments in your day where you can use it.

Taking a breath with you now.

Laura

To find out more about Laura, take a look at her profile in Practitioners Corner

In Breath and the Body

A Gentle Path Back to Ourselves

25/10/2024 No Comments

Trauma-Sensitive Breathwork as a Bridge to Body Wisdom.

In a time where fast transformations and intense experiences are often praised as the path to personal growth, I have chosen a different approach: a gentle, trauma-sensitive way of connecting back with ourselves through our breath.

The Power of a Gentle Approach

Perhaps you know this feeling: You sense a deep longing within yourself.
But longing for what exactly? For a greater meaning? For your personal purpose?
I believe most of us are (unconsciously) searching for a connection with ourselves.

And while we’re searching, it’s often not that easy to restore this connection (even when we’re aware that it’s missing). More often than we would like, our bodies don’t feel like safe places. At least, that is my experience.

Many transformative breathwork practices (such as Holotropic Breathwork or classical Connected Breathing) that aim for cathartic experiences can be overwhelming for our systems and may create an even bigger distance to our bodies instead of creating the desired connection.

This is where my trauma-sensitive breathwork approach comes in. It’s based on the deep conviction that true healing begins in a gentle and safe contact with our innermost being. Through the integration of Somatic Experiencing techniques, we create a space where you can follow your own rhythm and explore the connection to your body step by step, slowly restoring it at your own pace.

The Difference to Classical Breathwork Practices

Traditional breathwork methods often work with a very intense breathing rhythm and aim for powerful “breakthroughs.” While I generally work with connected breathing techniques as well, my approach takes a different path:

Gentle Approach: Instead of seeking cathartic experiences, we approach your inner world gently and safely. We explore step by step what your body is ready to reveal, allowing you to truly perceive what’s happening within you and giving you the chance to consciously experience emerging sensations and feelings.
Regulation Instead of Overwhelm: We avoid flooding your system with stimuli and repeatedly create moments of calm and relaxation. This ensures that your system can integrate the experiences long-term rather than just experiencing another moment of euphoria that ultimately doesn’t change much in your life.
Your Pace: You decide on the pace of your exploration while being mindfully guided. This might seem unusual and strange to many at first — after all, we’re all looking for quick solutions. However, real change typically requires time and a conscious awareness.

The Bridge to Body Wisdom

So, what exactly does our breath have to do with all this? Our breath is like a bridge between our conscious and unconscious self. Through trauma-sensitive breathwork, we use this bridge mindfully to ensure several things simultaneously:

Establishing Safety: Through gentle breathing techniques, your nervous system learns that it’s safe to relax. This feeling of safety is so important because it’s the only way your nervous system can leave the “fight or flight” mode and release experiences that previously drove you into and perhaps kept you trapped in this state.
Perceiving Body Sensations: Only when your system feels safe will it open up to new experiences, feelings, and body sensations. And only within this (safe) setting can you come back into deeper contact with your body and yourself.
Building Trust: The experience of being okay and safe to allow feelings and to sense your body more consciously will gradually build and strengthen trust in your body and its natural wisdom.

Practical Integration in Daily Life

While I consciously design my work as a breathwork coach and facilitator to be trauma-sensitive, trauma-sensitive breathwork is so much more than a technique – it’s an attitude of gentle self-care.

At this point, I’d like to share three ways you can integrate this approach into your daily life:

Micro-moments of Mindfulness: Take small moments throughout the day to notice your breath – without trying to change it. This doesn’t take long, and often you don’t even need to stop what you’re already doing. You can observe your breath while walking, washing dishes, or during a conversation. Briefly sense where you feel your breath (at your mouth or nose, in your chest or abdomen) and how your breathing is flowing (fast, slow, deep, shallow). Also notice briefly how your breathing feels (calming, halting, strained?).
Creating Safe Anchors: Explore your personal resources that help you feel safe and grounded. Resources can be internal or external anchors that you can connect with physically, emotionally, and mentally to help your system find calm. These might be objects that hold special meaning for you (e.g., photos, vacation souvenirs, or a stuffed animal), the thought of someone you love, or a positive memory that brings a smile to your face.
Using Your Senses: Often we’re so much in our heads that we don’t consciously perceive where we are. Allow yourself to consciously activate your senses from time to time and use them to experience the here and now: What can you see right now? What can you hear? What do you smell or taste in this moment? What objects can you touch, and how do they feel?

A Path to Sustainable Healing

The trauma-sensitive approach to breathwork might initially seem less spectacular than intensive breathing practices. Yet it’s precisely in its gentleness that its transformative power lies. It enables us to build sustainable connections — to ourselves, to others, and to the world around us.

This type of work creates a space where all experiences and feelings are welcome. A space where you can be exactly as you are. Because I am convinced: True healing begins where we feel safe enough to meet ourselves – with all our stories, fears, and hopes.

In a world that often searches for quick solutions, I invite you to choose the gentle path. A path that leads you back to yourself breath by breath and allows you to walk your own healing journey at your own pace.

If you’d like to learn more about my work, feel free to visit my website.

With love,
Svenja

Svenja (she/her)

To find out more about Svenja, take a look at her profile in Practitioners Corner

In Questions and Answers

How does breathwork affect the nervous system?

31/10/2021 No Comments

Breathwork has a profound impact on the nervous system, particularly the autonomic nervous system (ANS):

Parasympathetic activation: Slow, deep breathing stimulates the vagus nerve, activating the “rest and digest” response.
Sympathetic regulation: Certain techniques can help balance the “fight or flight” response, reducing stress and anxiety.
Heart rate variability: Breathwork can improve heart rate variability, an indicator of ANS balance and resilience.
Cortisol reduction: Regular practice can lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Neurotransmitter balance: Some studies suggest breathwork may influence neurotransmitter levels, potentially affecting mood and stress responses.
Brain wave alteration: Certain breathwork practices have been shown to influence brain wave patterns, promoting relaxation or heightened awareness.
Interoception improvement: Breathwork enhances awareness of internal bodily sensations, strengthening the mind-body connection.

By directly influencing the ANS, breathwork can help regulate various physiological processes, including heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and immune function. This makes it a powerful tool for managing stress, improving emotional regulation, and enhancing overall well-being.

In Questions and Answers

Are there different types of breathwork techniques?

31/10/2021 No Comments

Yes, there are numerous breathwork techniques, each with its own focus and benefits. Some common types include:

Diaphragmatic breathing: Focuses on deep belly breathing.
Box breathing: Involves equal counts for inhale, hold, exhale, and hold.
4-7-8 breathing: A relaxation technique with specific count ratios.
Alternate nostril breathing: A yogic practice balancing left and right brain hemispheres.
Holotropic breathwork: Uses rapid breathing to induce altered states of consciousness.
Wim Hof method: Combines deep breathing with cold exposure and meditation.
Buteyko breathing: Emphasizes nasal breathing and reduced breathing volume.
Coherent breathing: Aims for about 5 breaths per minute for autonomic nervous system balance.
Breath of fire: A rapid breathing technique from Kundalini yoga.
Pranayama: Various yogic breathing exercises.

Each technique serves different purposes, from relaxation to energy boosting to spiritual exploration.

In Practitioner's Corner

Lottie Evans – Naturally Lottie – Your HSP Hype Girl

12/03/2001 No Comments

What do you enjoy about breathwork and how has it helped you?

Breathwork has been transformative for me because it touches that deep, unseen place where the mind and body intersect – exactly where sensitive souls often feel the weight of the world. As someone who feels everything intensely, I’ve struggled with overwhelming emotions, anxiety, and even fear for most of my life. Breathwork has become more than a practice; it’s a sanctuary where I can soften into my sensitivity rather than fight against it.

In every session, I feel the power of my breath ground and guide me, reshaping how I respond to stress and fear. Breathwork gently connects me with my nervous system, subconscious mind, and neural pathways, creating lasting calm and a sense of rooted confidence that traditional methods never fully reached. For me, it’s about reclaiming this natural tool to lead a life that honours my sensitive nature, and it’s why I’m passionate about helping other sensitive women find their way through breath, too.

Where did you complete your training (or where are you still in training)?

Graduate Facilitator, Mentor and Teacher at Breathing Space
Graduate coach, teacher and facilitator

Are you trained in any other modalities?

Trainee Advanced Instructor – Oxygen Advantage (course complete, case studies in progress).
Professional Coach for HSPs – The Highly Sensitive Human Academy
I am also a qualified holistic therapist (massage, reflexology, although I no longer practice).
I am certified in First Aid and Mental Health First Aid.

How do they integrate with breathwork?

I felt there was an element missing when practicing breathwork, and whilst working/specialising in working with those navigating high sensitivity and often the challenges that arise with this – anxiety, overwhelm, extreme emotions. Coaching has given me a more solid base to work with the mind – mindset and mindfulness – as well as the body through breathwork. We are one, and to be able to integrate the two I feel is imperative. I am also trained in both esoteric, and very science based breathwork, again, I feel the necessity and importance of understanding the full spectrum of breathwork here to best help those that need it.

What is your personal journey?

I’ve spent much of my life navigating the intensity of being a highly sensitive person in a world that often values resilience and hustle over sensitivity and rest. For years, I felt like my sensitivity was a burden, something I had to hide or fix. Society’s unspoken rules had me in a cycle of pushing down emotions, overriding my needs, and constantly striving to fit in a mould that just wasn’t meant for me.

But then, I reached a breaking point – a place of overwhelming burnout, anxiety, and an exhaustion that went soul-deep. It was in this low that I discovered the power of breathwork, embodiment, and gentle self-care. Through these practices, I began to reconnect with myself, finding that my sensitivity wasn’t a weakness; it was my strength, my superpower. I’ve had to unlearn a lot, redefine my relationship with fear, and embrace slowness as a guiding force in my life.

Now, I’ve created a life that supports who I truly am – a life that honours rest, healing, and the beauty of softness. And I’m passionate about helping other sensitive women find that same freedom, to come home to themselves without shame, embracing the quiet power within.

What do you stand for, and what do you stand against?

For :- I stand for a world in which sensitivity is respected and celebrated as strength, where women feel empowered to embrace their gentle power and pursue slow, meaningful growth. I believe in creating spaces that nurture compassion, authentic expression, and self-connection. I’m devoted to helping sensitive women find balance, strength, and resilience, offering a path that honours the natural rhythms of our bodies and minds. In a world that often demands too much, I stand for gentle courage, connection to nature, and holistic healing.

Against :- I stand against the relentless pressure to fit into fast-paced, disconnecting norms that undervalue rest, healing, and our emotional wellbeing. I oppose the societal demands for constant self-improvement that lead to self-abandonment and burnout. I reject the idea that sensitivity is a weakness to be overcome. I stand firmly against systems that shame our natural sensitivity and resilience, and I oppose the shallow solutions that treat complex emotions with dismissal rather than depth. Instead, I advocate for depth, self-compassion, and the freedom to feel and heal authentically.

What is your greatest wish for your clients

My greatest wish for my clients is for them to find a life of peace, clarity, and self-acceptance that feels completely true to who they are. I hope they discover the beauty in their sensitivity and see it not as something to overcome, but as a deep well of strength, intuition, and insight. I wish for them to build a loving relationship with themselves – one that honours rest, joy, and resilience, free from shame or societal pressures, and free from crippling anxiety, overwhelm and a distrust of the self. Above all, I want them to feel empowered to lead lives that feel rich and nourishing, not despite their sensitivity, or sensitive parts but because of it.

Contact Details

website :- www.naturallylottie.com

facebook :- https://www.facebook.com/naturallylottiebreathwork

instagram :- https://www.instagram.com/naturallylottie

In Practitioner's Corner

Zila Moosa (pronounced Z-ee-la)

18/01/2000 No Comments

Where did you complete your training (or where are you still in training)?

(Zila is short for my full name which is Fazila). I am a trainee with Breathing Space (my Teacher is with Unity Breathwork) and we are past the 2/3 mark of the course – it’s a hybrid program with the in-person component coming end of November in Mexico.

My Bio

My name is Zila and I am the founder of Zilabreathes and the Co-Director of Nunyara House. I have relied on my breath to center myself during grueling studies in engineering and law; held it close to regulate my nervous system during a fast-paced career in cybersecurity; paid minute attention to it during meditations; let it gently guide me through yoga practices; and now honor its power with conscious connect breathwork (CCB) or ‘circular breathing’.

In 2019, I began participating in Ayahuasca ceremonies in Costa Rica that led me through powerful heart-opening experiences of inter-connectedness, but also painful realizations that I was holding on to an identity that no longer served me. The breath was my anchor through these journeys. I commenced studying, writing and publishing poetry, as this gave me a language for embracing my inner world. My poetry can be found here: zilabreathes.com/poetry or on IG: @zilapoetry

Two years later I experienced my first conscious connected breathwork session – it filled me with light and a visceral knowing that my life is being orchestrated for my own evolution. I was astounded to realize that the breath, always with us, can be the medicine of choice that leads to deep insights. However, unlike plant medicine, the breather remains fully in control of their journey at all times, with their inner wisdom as their guide. Each breather is gifted their own unique experience.

In 2022, heartbreak and major life changes led me on a quest for change. I left my home of 50 years in Toronto, Canada and landed in Los Angeles for a year, before a swift transition to Joshua Tree, a magical place for renewal, introspection and connection to nature. I am training with Breathing Space, to become a breathwork facilitator recognized by the Global Professional Breathwork Alliance. Yoga is also near and dear to me and I am currently in the midst of a rigorous yoga teacher training program with Inner Dimension Academy. The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit word ‘yuj’ which means to yoke or to unite. I look forward to holding space in 2025 for uniting breath with movement.

At Nunyara House, a retreat property being built in California’s high desert, I am excited and deeply grateful to be designing transformative inner journeys with the breath for others. To learn more, sign up at zilabreathes.com for my newsletter or visit @zilabreathes or @nunyarahouse on Instagram! (Nunyara means ‘Restored to Health’).

Contact Details

website :- zilabreathes.com

email :- zilabreathes@gmail.com

instagram :- @zilabreathes