self-discovery – Beyond the Breath Online Magazine

Who the heck is this?

23/11/2024 No Comments

Hey! Sophie here. I’m an almost 30 year old red-headed Yorkshire lass just starting my journey with Breathing Space to become the best breathwork facilitator Yorkshire ever saw.

This belief in myself is not something I’m hugely familiar with – it has grown in the last few years and particularly since May this year when I experienced by first Conscious Connected Breathwork class whilst on a ‘wellness’ retreat in Greece (I use the term lightly as the trip was run by regular party goers who were aiming for chill vibes. They did alright to be fair).

But who is she REALLY?
Ya gal has been through some shit. The shit started when my ex died in 2020. This was bruuuutal I can tell you. Him dying changed my perspective on literally everything in my life. I was pissed at couples walking down the street holding hands. I was reluctant to pay off my credit card because what was the point? I might die tomorrow shrugs nonchalantly (Obvs I did pay my credit card because ya gal has anxieties that override everything else)!

BUT

Whilst navigating the classic stages of grief, I realised I was actually quite liking the person I was becoming. Pre-trauma Sophie was proper square. She was a rule follower to a T and her life was lacking fun because of this. I had been a people pleaser and would prioritise everyone else’s emotional well-being waheeeey before my own. Shortly into this grief journey, I started to become more selfish but in the best way. Being selfish isn’t a bad thing. Being selfish means introducing boundaries and honouring your own emotions and wellbeing before anyone else’s. I have feelings too dammit, and they’re absolutely valid.

Since 2020 I have also lost both my Dad and my Cousin. Again, this was horrific to go through. Sadly, feeling quite experienced in the realm of grief by this point, I was able to draw on the journey I’d already navigated and seemed to handle these things fairly well (in the grand scheme of things). Don’t get me wrong, I felt incredibly guilty for feeling OK again much sooner!

My dry sense of humour has always been a masking tool I’ve drawn upon. My ability to joke about ~dark~ stuff is one of my favourite qualities. However, in the last couple of years my spiritual side has ventured into sight and I am exploring all kinds of weird and wonderful woo woo worlds (top marks for alliteration here). Because of this, the dark humour no longer served me QUITE as well. I was being forced to confront and FEEL things.

I saw a post today about the term ‘lifequake’. “A significant and unexpected shift in the trajectory of your life that initially feels devastating but has the beneficial outcome of catalyzing personal growth, transformation and rebirth.” Not sure who to credit for this but all hail this being! Thank you to Martin, Jaygo and Dad for being my lifequakes (although, given the choice, would’ve preferred you not to have been)!

Why breathwork?
Having worked in the NHS for 7 years, I got myself into a bit of a mental pickle. I know it isn’t something I want to do forever but what the Dickens could I do instead?! Cue the aforementioned wholesome trip to Greece in May 2024. We had a list of add-ons to choose from beforehand with breathwork being one of them. I didn’t give it much thought, thinking it sounded a bit lame or me. Obviously I got FOMO from everyone talking about the AMAZING experiences they’d had.

Thankfully, more sessions were put on so I signed up. Boooooyyyy am I grateful for that! It was a conscious connected breathwork session. It was hard. It was uncomfortable. It was weird. I was feeling a bit on edge anyway so it wasn’t much of a surprise when I started crying. I wasn’t quite ready for the full on emotional release that followed, though. We breathed with open mouths into the belly, chest, head, on cycle for about 20 minutes. The facilitator touched my abdomen and it was like she was literally pushing tears out of my face. Incredible. Suddenly, I realised what I had to do. I NEEDED to become a breathwork facilitator. So here I am – one seminar into the Breathing Space Breathwork Facilitator Programme, going for gold.

What’s the plan?
So what’s next? Well, I’m going to put my absolute all into the course. I’m going to learn everything I can and experience everything I can to make me the absolute best facilitator I can be. I hope to help people through their lifequakes so that they too might go for gold.

Sophie x

Sophie | @sanguine.soph

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

In Breathwork Reflections

Breathwork: A Journey from Control to Acceptance

19/11/2024 No Comments

Breathwork changed my life in ways I couldn’t have anticipated. For most of my life, I was a chronic overthinker, always on alert, always afraid that happiness was something fleeting, a thing that would eventually slip through my fingers. Even in moments of joy, I was braced for it to end, and in every other moment, I fought to control the world around me. From school struggles to navigating
motherhood, I felt I had to manage every little thing, and that meant controlling not only myself but everyone else around me. It was exhausting.

Raising teens was the real turning point. My children, who I loved fiercely, were not interested in living life on my terms. They were on their own journeys, with their own dreams, fears, and choices. And my efforts to control them were met with resistance and frustration—from them and, eventually, from me too. This
was the wake-up call I needed, and it became painfully clear that I couldn’t go on this way. I was drained, burnt out, and anxious. I needed something different, but I didn’t know what that was yet.

Like so many, I first turned to meditation, but it didn’t connect with me in a way that felt sustainable or transformative. Then, I found the breath.

I started with the basics—simple breathing techniques I could incorporate into my day. These techniques were my first lessons in presence and control, a way to connect with myself in a way that I hadn’t before. Bit by bit, I started to feel different, as though I was rediscovering something about myself that had long
been buried. Slowly, my relationship with control began to shift, and it was only the beginning.

Then I discovered conscious connected breathing, and my world changed again. This practice took me deeper, helping me release layers of tension and emotion that I didn’t even realize I was holding. For the first time, I began to accept myself, not as someone trying to become or achieve something different but
simply as myself. Breath by breath, I found a sense of peace, and for the first time, I could sit with who I was without judgment or expectation.

The most transformative lesson of all was acceptance. I began to let go of old wounds and beliefs I had clung to for years. I found myself re-examining experiences I had long carried as heavy burdens, questioning the meanings I had attached to them. I was rewriting the emotions and perspectives that shaped my past. Little by little, I could see these experiences as steps on the journey rather than things I had to battle or overcome.

And here I am, still evolving but finally feeling at home in my skin. The journey isn’t about becoming someone new; it’s about meeting myself as I am, with all my imperfections, strengths, and weaknesses.
Breathwork has changed my relationships with others as well. As a mother, I’ve become more accepting, more open, less controlling. I see my children for who they are, and I trust them on their paths. As a teacher, I now focus on what matters most. Connection—real, honest connection—is what truly makes an impact. In my classroom and at home, I’m more compassionate, less self-critical, and more able to embrace both myself and others without judgment.

Learning to breathe was my first step to learning to live. It’s a journey of release, acceptance, and growth. And if I can offer one insight from my experience, it would be this: the answers we seek are often not in striving but in simply being—being with ourselves, our breaths, our truths.

Marie Doherty – Empowering Women to Breathe, Thrive, and Shine.

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

In Breathwork Reflections

On trusting the breath and letting go of outcomes

18/11/2024 No Comments

I don’t know about you but I have sometimes lost my equilibrium as I stressed over issues I cannot control in my life, or imagined negative future events. On those days I need conscious connected breathwork more than ever. It’s also on those days that I resist this work more than ever.

Before discovering breathwork, I would sit in my familiar discomfort and gradually lose more and more stability. The consequences of not dealing with my emotions would make me edgy and unsatisfied with life, and then I would wonder ‘how did I get here’?

Now I know better. I find a comfortable place to sit or lie down and I start breathing. No pauses at the top, no pauses at the bottom. The first few minutes are really uncomfortable. As I move through the layers of my mental defenses, I feel as if I am ripping through myself. My mind does not want to give up control and I want to quit. I want my familiar dark. But I push and I embrace the uncertainty of letting go of my mind. It feels risky, but I am brave. Eventually, I surrender to my body and there is no more fragmentation. I become an ocean of waves rising and collapsing into myself.

My mind and body are one, sweet consciousness experiencing itself. What the breath brings I never know until it happens. Sometimes I desire a release but it doesn’t come. Sometimes I set an intention to bring clarity or resolution to a problem, but the breath delivers clarity on something else, unrelated to what I was fussing about. When I finish, the session I am strangely whole and relieved even though my wish for a specific outcome didn’t come to be. The darkness has dissolved. The confusion is gone.

I have come to understand that sometimes in order to resolve one thing, you first have to grasp another truth, which in turn resolves the one you were concerned with. Truth unveils in layers and in a kind of order sometimes. It’s not linear and it’s not black or white. I have learned to let go of outcomes and just focus and trust the breath to illuminate what needs to be revealed. The breath knows better. There is safety in this trust.

The breath is the light, not just on your truth, but on truth itself.

Jasmina

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

In Breathwork Reflections

She be brave

16/11/2024 1 Comment

She be brave and she be bold,
But she doesn’t yet see all her light of gold.
She be kind and she be right,
But she can’t see past this next fight.
She be honest and she be true,
If only she could see this storm through.
Sit my dear and hear my words,
For I have an idea, I know shall work.
Look within and you shall see,
A tiny light there might just be.
Now for the science and just a touch of magic.
We know that fire needs air and fuel to grow,
So come with me, the way I shall show.
Your thoughts and breath are all you need,
To build your own fire.
Gentle breath to coax the spark.
And fuel from your hearts own desire.
And from this space you once thought cold,
You can finally see, your light of gold.

Karen – Creating Safe Spaces to Navigate Life’s Storms: Breathwork & Energy Facilitation to Build Your Centre of Wellness

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

In Breathwork Reflections

I am the moment you know you exist

16/11/2024 1 Comment

Watching the winds move through the valleys of me,
Wondering what it catches, what it carries, the rivering of breeze,
As my body rests as mountains without peaks,
I find myself gently, quickly caving in;
The dissolving of skin

Now then, in center sea,
A point of light, made just for me,
I watch it as the moment existence begins,
No breath, no motion,
Only stillness, as I move in,
Many layers fall at the wayside,
I barely realize what I’m leaving behind,
As I wander forward, as I feel more alive,
I remember the wind, I remember the skin,
There was a lingering message hidden within,
The quietness of sleep, the continuance of me,
Oh yes, the breath, is there something you wish to speak?

“I am the moment you know you exist.”
I let it rise in, then I let it sink a bit,
Like the fall of my breath is bringing me to the point nonexistence is in,
The inner wind, I’m travelling,
Calms and sets me down somewhere deep inside,
Here, I’ve never been,
“Here, is where we began,”
Says the breath, as I suddenly realize, I am

Tavisha, vis-à-vis

To find out more about Tavisha, take a look at her Profile in Practioner’s Corner

In Breathwork Reflections

The beginning

10/11/2024 No Comments

I attended my first conscious connected breathwork session early 2023 not really knowing what it was all about. Led by our very own weaver Shakti Tracy from Diamond Heart Network, I was blown away by the experience.

Having always been a seeker of ‘altered states of reality’ specifically in my younger years, I was fascinated by the concept of something as simple and accessible as our breath being able to support my journey of healing deep rooted wounding.

At first when I tried the continuous breath I struggled. I got a very dry mouth and was convinced I was ‘doing it wrong’. Imposter syndrome being a close companion of mine (we all know that one right?). We were journeying that day to meet our guides – divine masculine and divine feminine. I don’t remember who came through as my divine feminine in the first session (that I believed I was doing wrong!) as I was more concerned by ‘feeling silly’ and ‘getting it wrong’.

Before the second journey I sought out technique advice from my peers (whom I saw as much more knowledgeable!) I do remember thinking….’this wont work on me because my brain has been way too altered before by chemicals’ Self limiting beliefs were strong and I was resistant to allowing the natural flow.

We started the second session and I positioned myself more towards the corner of the room as I’d felt exposed in the first session being in the middle of room. I must add that the noises people were making during the session slightly baffled me. Screaming, crying, laughing, howling….what was going on that I just didn’t get? Nevertheless, I began breathing in earnest wiling myself to surrender and trust.

I can’t really describe what happened for the next hour. I was faced face to face with Thor and his mighty hammer along with a Minotaur. I came round a the end of the session wondering where the hell I was and what the heck had just happened. Pretty much like my first acid trip back in the 90’s. Just WOW! We all sat and shared and I was just so excited that I’d ‘got it right’ rather than focused on what the messages were for me. That processing came much later when in my own space.

My giddiness at my success overpowered the actual healing pathways it had provided for me. I knew then….I knew I needed more breathwork in my life.

My mum has raised me talking about how as humans we don’t breath properly and I’d often mused over her words but not really thought deeply about it. Having raised a son with chronic asthma, I knew he needed to breath deeper and I had often led mini ‘breathwork’ sessions with him when he was in hospital but suddenly all the pieces were coming together.

That summer I attended 5 wellbeing festivals leading Forest Bathing workshop sessions for folks in the conscious community and I made sure I attended as many breathwork sessions as I could. I paid for a 1:1 session with the amazing Julie Ann Horrox at LoveHerder “Getting High on Life” 2024 and she led me to shift some huge and painful blockages. She supported me with such love and nurture and the connection to her, her story and her presence filled me with joy. This consolidated my yearning to train as a breathwork facilitator. At Stone Cold Sober festival I was blessed to attended 6 sessions all with different facilitators and wow – this expanded my experience of how many ways there are to practice breathwork. I was hooked.

I became one of those people rolling around screaming, laughing, crying, chanting, howling and ultimately…releasing the stuff that wasnt even mine to begin with. Pure relief washed over me.

Early in Jan 2024, the universe served me another dose of health curveballs as my heart started to cry out with pressure. I listened but didn’t know what to do. Then I was released from a work situation that I hadn’t even realised had become very heavy on my shoulders (even though my neck was bad again needing surgery and I’d just had shoulder surgery – wakey wakey Lix!)

Once released from this time consuming role and with a long period of healing ahead – I had space open up in my life to again recreate and hone in on what I was being called to do. 1 week after my spinal surgery – I heard the call. I’d been growing closer with Shakti Tracy chatting about life, love and the universe and she mentioned that she was running a special April start course. She had felt the call to do an extra course this year and I took the sign. I signed up. Leapt hoping the net would appear. My finances being the worst they have been since I was young having had to surrender paid work because of my health.

I had been mediating hard on abundance, prosperity and more specifically doing a breathwork course for some time. My net appeared. Ok yes, it went more like ‘Dad? Please can you help me out?’

He has watched me since I had to leave my teaching career 3 years ago try to rebuild my life after my life changing injury at work and I know he chuckles at my ‘witchy’ ways but he had recently read about Breathwork in his daily paper and so he was ‘on board’ with this direction I wanted to take. He had only recently read this when I asked my favour….big ups universe.

So here I am now. A new neck, space in my life for a new venture, time and motivation to pour into the course and a really supportive network of wonderful authentic woman cheerleading me on.

2024 so far has been a wild ride of panic, fear, rejection, pain (mental and physical), confusion, challenges and heartache….but for each of those feelings it has brought authenticity, love, support, opportunities, huge joy, loyalty, progression, treasure and a vast wealth of excitement, growth and passion as all of it is a perfect sign of divine timing and absolute trust at the organic flow of our bloody beautiful universe!

Here I go with the truly transformational journey with my breath, your breath and the life with the universe breathes into us.

Lix from Elixir Breathwork – breathing is medicine for the soul.

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

In Breath and Emotions

Vulnerability

01/11/2024 1 Comment

As I sat down to write a different blogpost, I found myself frequently circling back to the theme of vulnerability. Curious about its nuances, I decided to explore synonyms for this and was surprised to find that vulnerability had only negative connotations. These included: In danger, attackable, defenseless, unsafe, exposed, wide open, helpless, at risk.

Whilst it’s undeniable that vulnerability can entail some of these elements, vulnerability also looks like strength, bravery, resilience. It looks like diving into the shadow sides of ourselves, regardless of fear or apprehension of what we might find. It looks like summoning courage and boldness.
The times I have admired someone the most, is when they have put their rawest, most vulnerable parts of themselves out there. I’ve found that my deepest and most meaningful connections or conversations with others have often stemmed from moments of shared vulnerability, leaving me feeling lighter and grateful for the exchange.

A time that I felt very vulnerable was when I decided to start going to grief support groups. Sharing how I felt – which was something I never used to do – with total strangers felt alien and scary and like the most horribly vulnerable thing in the whole world, but I was met with smiles, kindness, and people telling me they had experienced similar thoughts/feelings. This big step into vulnerability allowed me to face grief more face-on in my own life and showed me that, as scary as it is, I am able to open up and talk about what was going on for me.

Embarking on my journey to become a breathwork facilitator also stirred up feelings of vulnerability within me. It’s a declaration of my passion and commitment to something I deeply love, something I want to share with the world. Yet, in doing so, I’m laying myself bare to the possibility of criticism or rejection. It’s a daunting prospect, opening myself up to the potential for people to dismiss or disapprove of what I’m doing. But amidst the apprehension, there was always an undeniable excitement within me. I was stepping into a realm where others will resonate with and embrace my offerings, where they may enjoy attending my sessions and find value in what I have to offer. The prospect of connecting with like-minded souls, of witnessing transformations, is equally exciting as it is nerve-wracking.

So yes, diving into this new chapter of my life is a rollercoaster of emotions—exciting, nerve-wracking, and everything in between. But ultimately, it’s a leap of faith fueled by passion and a desire to share something meaningful with others. And for that, I’m ready to embrace the journey, uncertainties and all.

The times I have been witness to someone being vulnerable, I have seen it met with love, kindness, compassion, understanding, and often times it allows others to feel able to open up and share too. Of course, I am very privileged to have access to wonderful supportive people and spaces. I understand that this is not the case for everyone. There is a time and a place for vulnerability.

As a breathwork facilitator, vulnerability represents something a little bit different. Holding space for others means that you do need to be strong, regulated, and have capacity to hold other people. This is not our time for sharing, it is our time to hold space, and to listen. A great piece of advice I heard was that as facilitators we must be teaching from our scars not our wounds. Having that emotional distance between yourself and what you’re discussing. As the facilitator, the breathwork circle is not your place to offload and share, but to be there to hold the space for others.

Holding space for others requires strength, yes, but it also demands emotional resilience and a mindful approach. There’s a delicate balance between offering support and maintaining boundaries. As facilitators, we’re tasked with guiding others on their journey. It’s about creating a safe space for exploration and growth, without overshadowing the experiences of others.

So, here’s to embracing vulnerability—both as individuals and as facilitators. It can be messy, it can be uncomfortable, but the benefits can be huge. After all, it’s through vulnerability that we truly connect, heal, and thrive.

Lottie Hall. Breathwork with Lottie.

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

In Breath and Emotions

From Surviving to Thriving: A Journey with the Tree of Breath

30/10/2024 1 Comment

There comes a time in life when simply getting by just isn’t enough anymore. For many of us, the fast pace of life and constant demands can leave us feeling drained, disconnected, and stuck in a cycle of just surviving. I’ve been there and it’s not a pleasant place to be, so I know how important it is to find a way out of that pattern and into something more nourishing and fulfilling.

That’s what led me to create THRIVE with the Tree of Breath—a framework that goes beyond just coping and instead nurtures a genuine sense of thriving. Inspired by the growth of a tree, this approach weaves together breathwork, happiness practices, and gentle holistic techniques to help us grow stronger, feel grounded, and live with purpose.

Each part of the THRIVE journey mirrors a part of the tree, starting with roots that ground us, a trunk that supports us, branches that extend us, leaves that nourish us, flowers that connect us with others and finally, fruit that symbolises our empowerment. With our breath as our guide, this journey invites us to reconnect with our authentic selves, grow through life’s challenges, and rediscover the joy of simply being.
By rooting ourselves in intentional breath and aligning with our values, we can nurture resilience, discover deeper self-awareness, and, most importantly, create space to grow into the life we’ve always hoped for.

The Roots of the THRIVE framework are all about creating a solid foundation by grounding yourself in who you are and where you are right now. This stage combines Therapeutic Breath with reflective practices, like a life audit and values audit, to help you gain clarity on your current state and what truly matters to you. Here, we also focus on your breathing patterns, identifying ways to improve them because breathing well is at the root of all health—it impacts everything from your energy to your emotional resilience. Embracing your response-ability, or the power to choose how you respond to life’s challenges, is also key. Like roots stabilising a tree, this foundation grounds you, helping you approach each day with balance, strength, and a sense of possibility.

The Trunk of the THRIVE framework represents your inner strength and stability, the core that supports you through life’s challenges. At this stage, we focus on Happy Breath, a practice that nurtures emotional resilience and balance by connecting to the pillars of the body and heart. Just as the trunk holds up a tree, these practices help you find stability within, supporting your well-being in a way that feels solid and dependable. With techniques for emotional regulation and heart-centred breathing, the trunk stage invites you to cultivate calmness and compassion, building a strong core that enables you to weather whatever comes your way. This stage is all about standing tall, feeling centred, and rooting deeply into a sense of self-trust.

The Branches of the THRIVE framework symbolise growth beyond old limitations, stretching outward to reach new possibilities. This stage is all about Rewiring Breath, where we work on releasing limiting beliefs and patterns that may be holding you back. Just as branches extend outward, here we explore practices like NLP, Havening, EFT, and Conscious Connected Breathing to help you open up to fresh perspectives and transform your mental landscape. The branches stage invites you to reframe old habits and thoughts, creating space for new growth, flexibility, and empowerment. With each breath, you reach a little further, discovering the freedom that comes from letting go of what no longer serves you.

The Leaves of the THRIVE framework represent nourishment and renewal, drawing in light and energy to sustain your inner vitality. In this stage, we focus on Inner Nourishing Breath—practices that nurture your soul and feed your sense of well-being. Just as leaves absorb sunlight to sustain the tree, this stage invites you to take in what truly replenishes you. Through coherence breathing, flower essences, and connecting with your own inner wisdom, the leaves stage is about caring for yourself deeply and consistently. It’s a reminder that nourishment isn’t a luxury; it’s essential for growth. By tuning into what truly sustains you, you cultivate the resilience and vitality needed to flourish.

The Flowers of the THRIVE framework symbolise connection, beauty, and the joy of sharing who we are with others. In this stage, we focus on Vital Connecting Breath, using practices that foster empathy, compassion, and deeper relationships. Just as flowers bloom outwardly, this stage invites us to open up and connect with the world around us. Heart Coherence breathing and Loving Kindness practices are central here, helping you cultivate meaningful connections, both with yourself and others. The flowers remind us that true connection is a gift, bringing colour and vibrancy to life. By nurturing these bonds, you allow your relationships to blossom and enrich your journey.

The Fruit of the THRIVE framework represents the harvest of your journey—embodying empowerment, fulfillment, and purpose. This final stage focuses on Empowering Breath, using conscious connected breathwork to help you embrace your strength and step into your fullest self. Just as the fruit of a tree contains the seeds of new life, this stage is about realising the power and potential you’ve cultivated through each phase of growth. Here, breathwork encourages you to feel grounded in your accomplishments, aligned with your passions, and confident in the path ahead. The fruit stage is your chance to savour the journey, embodying the wisdom, resilience, and vitality you’ve nurtured within.

The THRIVE framework is a journey through growth, resilience, and self-discovery, each stage building on the one before it. Like a tree, our well-being is rooted in a strong foundation, and from there, we reach upward, nourish ourselves, connect with others, and finally harvest the fruits of our inner work. Through intentional breath and thoughtful practices, the THRIVE framework guides us from simply surviving to truly thriving, honouring each step as part of a whole, living process. By tending to our roots, trunk, branches, leaves, flowers, and fruit, we reconnect with ourselves and the world around us in a way that feels grounded, balanced, and deeply fulfilling. In every breath, we find a new beginning, a reminder of our strength, and a pathway toward a life of growth and empowerment.

Marie Doherty – Empowering Women to Breathe, Thrive, and Shine.

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

In Breath and Emotions

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

Breath is the Bridge, Breath is the River

22/10/2024 No Comments

‘Become aware of the breath, the sensation of the air passing in and out through your nostrils. As you focus in on this sensation, let everything else in your mind slowly fade away. Let all the things that have happened to you today and all the things that you have to do, all your cares, all your worries, all your troubles, slowly melt away. All you become aware of is the in and out of your breath. In…. and out…. in….. out….’

The journey from Meditation to Breath

I was sitting cross-legged in a Buddhist Gompa, listening to my teacher give instructions. It was very comforting; a still and quiet refuge from the craziness of the outside world. Whenever I stepped into the temple, the thick red carpet and scent of nag champa incense burning made me immediately relax.

While my teacher was speaking I found it very easy to concentrate. Her steady voice had a certain authority, and my mind naturally did as she asked. I focussed in on my breath, its slow steady rhythm and the in–and-out of air on my throat. My concentration narrowed, tightened, focussed. In…. and out…. in….. out….. .

I felt I could really train my mind in such a space, tame my monkey mind by improving my concentration. Make it like a smooth still lake, untroubled by ripples. Make it like the clear blue sky, untouched by clouds. Meditating on my breath was working on becoming enlightened – just as Buddha had – and that was definitely a goal worth striving for.

‘There is the outside world,’ my teacher said, ‘and the inside. Your breath is the bridge between them. You know what the outside is like; full of suffering and delusion, but do you know what the inside is like? What wonders lie inside? Remember, your breath is the bridge between them. In… and out…. In… out….’

And indeed there were wonders inside. Oceans of stillness, of peace, of strength, of love and compassion for all living beings. Big mind and big heart. Buddha mind, buddha heart. Enlightenment.

But when my teacher stopped speaking and let me meditate in silence, my meditation ended. My concentration wandered, my focus slipped. My monkey mind was back, jumping around all over the place, going anywhere but my breath. I was on the bridge and trying to get back inside, but it seemed a titanic wind was pushing against me, and the more I pushed on, the harder it pushed me back.

It was even worse when I left the refuge of the temple and tried to meditate at home. Not only was there that same wind beating me back – refusing me entrance to my inside world of wonders – but the craziness of the outside world, drenched in suffering and delusion, made the bridge feel like a dangerous place, an untethered, flapping rope bridge to cross a raging torrent. One slip and the waters would swallow and drown me.

After a while, I stopped meditating. I stopped going to the Gompa, I stopped following my teacher. Although my lack of progress in my meditation was not the primary reason in my decision, it definitely played a part. The glimpses that I had of my inside world became just memories. Enlightenment seemed again unattainable. I stepped back from the breath, from that bridge of terror, and became immersed again in the outside world.

A few years later, by chance I found myself at Conscious Breathwork in Bali, Indonesia. My experience of Buddhist breath meditation had left me cynical yet longing for something to happen. I wanted to try and cross the bridge again, but I had lost the faith that I – or even anyone else – really could.

For those of you who have experienced a Conscious Breathwork, you will know that it is nothing like a Buddhist breath meditation. There is no concentration, no focussing, no mental component at all. Just breathing, Conscious Breathing. Within a few breaths of my first session, amazingly, magically, without any effort, without even really listening to the teacher, I found myself back at the bridge, staring towards my interior world of wonders. The wind was as strong as before, perhaps stronger, the bridge more unstable, and the waters below more akin to a deluge than a river, but I was back, looking at something I thought lost to me forever.

This time though, standing at the start of the bridge, I felt strangely calm. With a flash of insight I knew what I had to do. Rather than force myself across, I took a different path. For a moment, I stood up tall and faced the wind, feeling it wrap and buffet my body. Then I let myself fall backwards into the river, letting the waters engulf and sweep me away.

You see I realised that my breath was not just the bridge, my breath was also the river. And if I just let myself go, if I abandoned my fear and followed my breath it could sweep me away not just to my inside world of wonders, but to places that I could not even imagine. A place where there was no difference between inside and out, where there was not any difference between suffering and enlightenment.

If you have the opportunity to try a Conscious Breathwork, and if you then find yourself standing in front of the wild elemental rivers of your own being, then you might find yourself letting go as well.

You could even go there right now, if you are brave enough. It’s easy. Just breathe. Consciously breathe.

In…. and out…. in….. out….

Benedict Beaumont – Founder of Breathing Space

To find out more about Benedict, take a look at his profile in Practitioners Corner