Integrative Breathwork is a powerful self-healing modality that integrates and heals on every level of our being: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.  Using a full and connected breathing pattern, Integrative Breath brings awareness and life-force into the entire body, clears mental tapes, integrates suppressed feelings (imprints) stored in the sub-conscious, and enhances the connection to and experience of Presence and Source.

 

Using the breath in a conscious way is what integrative breathwork is about.  Conscious awareness of the breath has always been found in meditative practices, martial arts, yoga and other ancient philosophies, and our culture today is beginning to realize what the ancient sages have known for centuries – and that is the restorative and life-enhancing power of the breath.  It not only opens up and corrects old ineffective patterns of breathing but also builds conscious awareness of our use of the breath to reduce stress, heighten self-awareness, heal emotional trauma and ultimately connect with our higher consciousness.
 

The first and foremost objective in a breath session is to open up the respiratory system and create an open, flowing breath. Most people have very restricted breathing patterns which primarily come from shutting down parts of the respiratory system to suppress unwanted or unfelt memories or feelings.  As the facilitators guide clients into breathing into the traditionally protected and restricted areas they are able to not only bring awareness and energy into those parts of the body but are also able to facilitate accessing and integrating suppressed energy patterns (emotions and memories) that have been stored there.

​

One of the more interesting aspects of integrative breathwork is the understanding of the correlation between a person’s breathing pattern and what is going on in their life, at the levels of personality, behaviors, the subconscious and areas of expression.  We call this understanding Life/Breath Evaluation and it is a very succinct science. It is an actual reading of one's relationship with life or the life-force. Having the specific information about what the individual breathing pattern means gives breath facilitators the ability to support the breather in several ways. We are able to give supportive affirmations to help in the process of opening the breath and reprogram limiting beliefs in the sub-conscious. We are also able to identify their breathing pattern with major attitudes and behaviors that show up in their lives thus enabling us to assist clients to be more conscious of their actions and choices.

 

In integrative breathwork, we use “hands-on” in a variety of ways for several reasons. First, we apply pressure to relax the muscles which control respiration; then we use a form of acupressure to activate cellular memories that get integrated with breathing. We also use movement and sound as well to create pressure and resistance to assist clients in moving through patterns of control.  The use of sound and toning are valuable components in this work for several reasons. Making sounds and moving the body can help open constricted areas in one's breath. By expressing sound, some of the unexpressed is able to be freed up which creates more openness in the breath and also in our feelings.  Most of the suppressed material accessed gets integrated during the session as opposed to working it out in our lives.