Breathwork is a time-tested practice capable of enhancing mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. It can be practiced on its own or utilized in conjunction with other practices, like sound therapy and meditation. But it is important to know that there are many types of breathwork. Shamanic breathwork is just one example.
Shamanic breathwork is considered a therapeutic type of breathwork on the same plane as transformational breath, holotropic breathwork, and vivation. Let’s look at this discipline in a bit more detail.
A Controlled Breathing Technique
All forms of breathwork are rooted in the concept of controlled breathing. By controlling how we breathe, we can regulate our own emotional and physical states. And when the body and emotions are under control, an enhanced spiritual state is possible.
Shamanic breathwork combines controlled breathing with elements of shamanic tradition. The goal is to induce an altered state of consciousness that promotes healing. In recent years, shamanic breathwork has gained popularity as a tool for facilitating emotional release, personal growth, and spiritual connection.
For the record, shamanic traditions are ancient spiritual practices mastered by individuals known as shamen. A shaman interacts with the spirit world by way of an altered state of consciousness.
The Breathing Technique
Each type of breathwork has its own breathing technique. The technique utilized in shamanic breathwork is fairly straightforward:
- Inhale deeply through the nose, filling the chest and belly with air.
- Exhale completely, through the mouth only, similar to blowing out a candle.
- Without pausing, immediately begin inhaling once again.
The idea is to create a continuous rhythm of inhaling and exhaling. Shamanic breathwork is best performed lying down. To avoid distraction, a quiet and safe space is recommended. Some of our clients prefer to practice shamanic breathing with peaceful and evocative music in the background.
What Practitioners Can Expect
Knowing the shamanic breathing technique is all well and good, but what could you expect from it? Shamanic breathwork is intended to facilitate certain changes in the body and mind. When done properly, it:
- promotes deep relaxation by altering brain activity.
- activates the parasympathetic nervous system.
- increases circulation and oxygenation.
- opens access to the subconscious mind.
Shamanic breathwork is about more than just achieving complete relaxation. Deep relaxation is certainly part of the process, but the ultimate goal is to release the mind and emotions to begin exploring what is normally hidden from the conscious mind. Practitioners often report:
- noticeable physical sensations.
- emotional release, including laughing and crying.
- vivid mental imagery.
- a feeling of spiritual connectedness.
Some practitioners have even reported seeing their lives unfold before them while in a subconscious state. Just note that not every practitioner reports the exact same experience. Because every person is different, the shamanic breathing experience is also different from one person to the next.
Why You Should Consider It
If you’ve been looking for a form of breathwork that you can add to your other wellbeing disciplines, shamanic breathwork is a good choice. Shamanic breathwork could be the key to your emotional healing by helping you reveal and process past traumas. It could also:
- increase your self-awareness.
- help reduce stress.
- contribute to your spiritual growth.
- increase your creativity.
- contribute to physical detoxification.
As with any other form of breathwork, there is no way to guarantee that shamanic breathwork will be a productive exercise for you. But it is worth looking into. If you are intrigued by it, giving it a try wouldn’t be a bad idea. You just might discover that shamanic breathwork changes everything in terms of your overall wellbeing.
