This issue we start a new regular feature “Kate does….” where we will be trying out a treatment or event or activity each issue to give you a bit more of an insight into what it’s like to take part. First up, Kate samples a Transformational breathing workshop with Les Elms.
Have you ever considered what breathing is, what it’s for? Before doing Les Elms’ Transformational Breathing workshop at The Studio in Dawlish this month I hadn’t really given it much thought. Les described the breath as “food for our cells” and explained that a well-oxygenated body is more able to heal itself and fight off both day- to-day infections and more serious illnesses. Transformational Breathing was developed by Dr Judith Kravitz. She discovered that deep breathing into the abdomen, followed by an easy release of the breath (allowing rather than forcing it) and then an immediate in-breath created a therapeutic, circular breathing pattern that could be transformational on many different levels. On a physical level, bathing our cells in oxygen feeds them and is the perfect antidote to stress. It is an immediate signal to the body to become calmer and allow adrenaline, that causes the fight or flight response, to dissipate. Deeper abdominal breathing alters our mood and brings us out of our heads and more into our bodies. If we are habitual shallow breathers, our body becomes accustomed to only sending the oxygen to where it is really needed – mainly brain and heart – leaving the rest of the body to make do on very little. On an emotional level, deep abdominal breathing helps to shift feelings and emotions that have become stuck in the body. Les explained that emotion is simply energy vibrating at a low level. If the emotion is suppressed it can become stuck . Deep breathing helps to raise the body’s vibrational level and any energy that is at a lower vibration “entrains” with this higher level vibration, rising to meet it. This process allows stuck emotions to be released. Transformational breathing works on a spiritual level, too, helping to reconnect us to whatever source of power we relate to, often bringing us guidance, support or even messages. We began the workshop by observing the breathing of one the group, namely me. Les gave me a mouthpiece (actually a cut-off bottle top) to make me breathe through my mouth, explaining that the volume of breath we take in is greater through the mouth and gets deeper into the abdomen. After observing my breathing for a few minutes, he said I was managing to breathe into my abdomen OK but very little breath was reaching my solar plexus and chest. He explained that the chest is the heart space and it could indicate a level of protection around my heart, possibly to safeguard it against hurt. As we entered the hour-long breathing session, Les told us to focus on breathing through our mouth and into our abdomen. He spent several minutes with each of us, working on pressure points and speaking words of encouragement. Each point on me that he touched felt tender, sometimes painful. He encouraged me to forgive – both others and myself, to allow love into my heart and to give love freely again, to release and let go. Several times I found myself involuntarily gasping. Several times I was close to tears but they didn’t flow. By the end of the session, I could no longer feel the floor beneath me. Instead I felt weightless. I also felt safe and had a powerful vision of being held like a baby between two loving parents. Messages came, too, and colours – purple and pink. I experienced something far deeper than I anticipated on this workshop. I expected the session to be about mindful breathing or stress reduction. Instead it felt like a process of release and reconnection. Transformational breathing came out of rebirthing and I can see why. Les explained that Transformational Breathing can be used to unlock creativity, to release trauma, even to heal the body. Dr Kravitz supposedly used it to help cure herself of cancer. Breathing is something my body just quietly gets on with without me normally paying it the slightest attention. From now on I will be far more aware of the power and potential of this extraordinary process. For information visit: www. breathsouthwest.com, call 07828566553 or email les@ breathsouthwest.com l Les has the following workshops planned: Introductory workshops at The Ozone Spa, Torquay – 30/7, 17/9 and 2/11, at The Studio, Dawlish on 3/9. Breath and Sound workshop in Torquay on 21/10 1:1 sessions also available.