Breathwork and Potential Contraindications
Breathwork is a powerful tool for self-discovery and emotional release. It promotes deep transformation on all levels, and has been a practice long employed by mystics across cultures and history to enhance health and connect with spiritual dimensions.
How one breathes is deeply revealing of any stress or past experience that has yet to be transmuted in the body. Just think back to a time when you were stressed, anxious, angry, or sad but did not allow yourself to feel the full extent of that emotion - you more than likely held your breath, constricted your muscles, and contained that emotion as a result. Over the years, if left unmet, these patterns of constriction become armouring that we hold in our bodies…waiting to be transformed through the gentle power of our breath. Breathwork journeys are a space where you are invited to feel, to be, and to allow your full emotional range to be expressed.
A profoundly simple modality, conscious connected breathing is the main technique employed in breathwork journeys. Here, we eliminate the pause between our inhale and exhale, affecting various mechanisms in our brain and body. These effects can be attributed to changes in our oxygen and carbon dioxide balance, blood pH levels, cortical blood flow, the stimulation of our vagal nerve, and the release of neurotransmitters (Gerritsen & Brand, 2018).
Due to the physically and emotionally stimulating nature of this practice, there are some potential contraindications for breathwork. These include:
Pregnancy (first trimester): Breathwork can cause dizziness or lightheadedness, which can be dangerous during pregnancy.
Uncontrolled high blood pressure: Breathwork can raise blood pressure, so it is not safe for people with uncontrolled high blood pressure.
Cardiovascular disease: Breathwork can put strain on the heart, so it is not safe for people with cardiovascular disease. This includes conditions such as angina, heart attack, and stroke.
Glaucoma or detached retina: Breathwork can increase pressure in the eyes, which can worsen glaucoma or detached retina.
Recent surgery or injury: Breathwork can strain the body, so it is not safe for people who have recently had surgery or an injury.
Epilepsy or seizures: Breathwork can trigger seizures in people with epilepsy.
Severe mental health conditions: Breathwork can be intense and emotionally challenging, so it is not safe for people with severe mental health conditions such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or psychosis.
If you have any concerns about whether or not breathwork is safe for you, it is always best to talk to your doctor first.
Should you wish to participate in a breathwork journey but have any of the conditions listed above, not to worry. We can offer gentle downregulating breathing techniques as a substitute for the normal conscious connected breathing styles at our sessions, which will still give you the opportunity to experience this profoundly integrative practice.
We are passionate about the power of breathwork and look forward to journeying with you!
