Somatic breathwork, regardless of the way it might sound, just isn’t technical or difficult. Actually, for those who’ve ever completed a breathwork session with me at Lindywell, you’ve already completed it!
At Lindywell, we contemplate somatic breathwork a aware type of respiratory that’s meant that can assist you expertise being in your physique. It teaches you to breathe absolutely, oxygenate your physique, and change into conscious of your senses. Somatic breathwork helps shift your psychological state whereas permitting you to return to full and wholesome breath.
For instance, if I encourage you to sink into the seat under you as you are taking a deep breath, feeling your physique loosen up into that assist, we’re not simply respiratory, we’re altering our bodily state.
This manner of respiratory is so necessary as a result of the connection between the breath and the physique is highly effective. Right here’s the factor although: highly effective doesn’t must imply critical.
Actually, what I need to speak about right this moment is how we are able to use somatic breathwork to be extra playful! Let’s speak about how one can join play and somatic breathwork, why this connection might be much more useful in your physique and thoughts, and, most significantly, just a few methods to attempt it for your self.
Breathwork and Play: What’s the Connection?
All breathwork, somatic or in any other case, might be playful. Suppose again to while you had been a toddler. As kids, you had been possible playful along with your breath in methods you won’t even acknowledge:
- Blowing out birthday candles
- Blowing a pinwheel
- Blowing bubbles
- Blowing the fluffy head of a dandelion
- Sniffing cookies freshly baked
All of those actions introduced a deep sense of pleasure and satisfaction—and had been additionally innately playful. I need you to take a second proper now to consider one in every of these recollections for you. Take a deep breath and picture you’re again in that second.
As you do that, discover how your physique feels. You would possibly instantly be transported again to your childhood dwelling along with your mother and father baking within the kitchen, or working round your yard blowing bubbles along with your siblings.
Your senses are heightened such as you’re there once more. On this second of nostalgia, you’re feeling extra relaxed, it’s possible you’ll also have a smile in your face. That proper there, is why playful breathwork is necessary.
The Connection Between Play and Calm
It’s time to let go of what breathwork ought to appear to be, and embrace the enjoyable of it! Whenever you do that, you not solely expertise the nervous system regulation advantages of breathwork (you’re feeling much less anxious and confused, your physique is ready to perform higher—whats up, deeper sleep and improved digestion—and a lot extra), however you get to get pleasure from the advantages of play too, which embrace:
- Higher administration of inauspicious feelings like grief.
- Improved mind functioning.
- Elevated resilience and self-confidence.
- Higher sense of optimism and total life satisfaction.
- Improved perform of most hormones within the physique.
- Diminished coronary heart price and glucose ranges.
- Higher steadiness, posture, and bone well being.
A lot of your life can enhance by merely having a little bit enjoyable along with your breath—so let’s get into how you are able to do that.
Make Somatic Breathwork Playful
Bringing again the playfulness of childhood by means of breathwork is definitely actually easy. You simply must be prepared to have a little bit enjoyable! Listed here are two workout routines to start out with. The primary is down-regulating, that means to calm the physique down. The second is up-regulating, which implies to extend vitality. Sure, each might really feel foolish—and sure, THAT is the purpose!
First: Lion’s Breath
This type of breathwork alleviates emotions of stress and nervousness, will increase cognitive perform, and boosts lung capability.
Discover a snug place to sit down, shut your eyes, and take three deep breaths out and in to decelerate and are available into this house and your physique. Now, inhale slowly by means of your nostril, feeling your stomach broaden as you fill your lungs with air. There’s that soma (physique) connection.
Now it’s time for Lion’s Breath: after inhaling slowly, exhale forcefully by means of your mouth whereas trying up on the exhale. As you do, launch the breath with a robust “ha” or “hah” sound from the again of your throat, making a roaring or lion-like sound. Stick out your tongue so far as you’ll be able to, making it really feel alive and lively.
Repeat this for 3 minutes to start out and go longer if essential.
Second: Breath of Hearth
This type of breathwork offers you an vitality increase by means of speedy exhalations. As you put together, interact your core by drawing your stomach button in in the direction of your backbone. This may present assist and stability in the course of the apply.
Take a deep breath in, and on the following exhale, forcefully and rapidly contract your belly muscle mass to push the air out by means of your nostril. The inhale will occur passively as your stomach relaxes. It ought to be fast and computerized, with out aware effort. The main focus ought to be on the forceful exhale.
When doing this, attempt to preserve a constant and steady rhythm. Keep in mind, although, that the velocity of the breath ought to be reasonable and cozy, with out straining or gasping for air. Comply with your physique and what feels greatest for you.
Repeat this for 30 seconds to as much as 10 minutes relying on how snug that is for you and your degree of expertise.
Deliver Play to Your Every day Breathwork Session
Whereas each of the earlier practices are supportive (and enjoyable!), you can also make your on a regular basis breathwork extra playful too. Listed here are just a few easy methods to do this.
Select a Enjoyable Visualization
Faux you’ve got a plate of cookies, your favourite meals, or a beautiful flower in entrance of you. Spend 30 seconds visualizing this merchandise to the purpose the place you begin to odor it. This occurs as a result of the expertise of visualization turns in your olfactory response (the feeling of odor) and your mouth begins to salivate. Loopy, proper?
Get inventive with what you visualize, however attempt to get it so clear which you can actually inhale the scent. Benefit from the feeling of calm and happiness that washes over you as you do it.
Use a Hoberman Sphere
This child’s toy, first invented in 1995, is definitely an awesome breathwork device! Not solely is it enjoyable and playful, however it could actually enhance mindfulness throughout breathwork. You need to use this as an grownup to deliver extra enjoyable and intention to your breathwork session, but it surely’s additionally nice to share with little ones to mannequin how stomach respiratory works. Increase and contract the ball as you breathe out and in, simply as your stomach expands with airflow in and contracts with airflow out.
Attempt Form Respiratory
This straightforward somatic breathwork train is completed by tracing shapes within the air (a coronary heart, a cloud, the define of a constructing, something!) and letting your breath observe as you do. For instance, if I hint the form of a coronary heart, I could inhale on one facet and exhale on the opposite.
It’s enjoyable and playful, and, as a bonus, it helps you deliver much more consideration to your breath. That is one other good one to do with kiddos and one thing they’ll do regardless of the place they’re.
Breathwork Can Be Playful
You would possibly consider breathwork as being critical—and it may be. It requires us to decelerate and focus. That doesn’t imply you’ll be able to’t have enjoyable with it, although! Much more importantly, while you do make it playful, there are extra mind-body advantages so that you can expertise.
Take your somatic breathwork to a brand new degree and play with these totally different workout routines. It’s possible you’ll simply discover you stroll away with a smile in your face and lightness in your step—identical to while you had been a child! If you happen to’re nonetheless in search of some breathwork steering, be part of us for Exhale Hour in July, the place we’ll be targeted on making breathwork FUN!