|
The nervous system is the operating system of the body, and the breath is the remote control to that system. The ability to calm and regulate the nervous system is one of the most critical aspects of health.
When it comes to healing from anxiety, burnout, chronic health issues, and/or nervous system dysregulation, few things are as important as learning to master your breathing. Here's why: First, if you have poor breathing patterns, the nervous system will remain stuck in a stressed state. Second, your mental state significantly impacts your overall health, and this state of mind is influenced by your nervous system, which, in turn, is regulated by your breathing. Read that again!
Put simply, when the nervous system is out of balance, your thoughts can become fear-based, negative, or catastrophic. This cycle leads to increased stress and anxiety, trapping some individuals in a lifelong loop. Many try hard to think positively or focus on the good, yet find themselves still stuck. This is because we cannot effectively alter the state of our mind without first changing the state of our body and nervous system. And we cannot change the state of our nervous system without addressing our breathing patterns.
Over 80% of communication between the brain and body flows from the body to the mind. Therefore, as long as the nervous system perceives stress (often due to improper breathing mechanics), the mind will continually receive danger signals.
Think of your breath as the control mechanism for your nervous system, and your nervous system as the controller of your mind. The connection between our breath and how we feel is deeply intertwined.
Or consider it this way: Last month, we discussed how our body reflects our state of being, which is comprised of our thoughts and emotions. Our state of being is controlled by our nervous system, which is highly influenced by our breath.
Basically, when it comes to healing the nervous system, few things are as impactful as proper breathing. I can't emphasize enough how many individuals, including myself, have found breathing to be the missing link in their journey toward nervous system healing. It's truly beyond powerful. To be direct, I don't believe you can heal your nervous system if you cannot shift your body out of the fight-or-flight response. Dysfunctional breathing patterns keep you stuck in fight-or-flight mode, making true healing elusive. But that's all about to change—if you are ready for it to! 😊
To heal the nervous system, it's crucial to address disrupted physiology, particularly dysfunctional breathing. Dysfunctional breathing not only elevates blood pressure and accelerates heart rate but also disrupts various physiological processes in the body. These disruptions often originate from childhood trauma. When we undergo trauma or stress, it profoundly affects our physiology, including our breathing patterns.
Here's the critical point: if we neglect to stabilize our physiology (addressing what happened to our bodies during trauma), the body remains trapped in a heightened state of stress. This ongoing state continues to negatively impact the nervous system. As Bessel van der Kolk aptly states, "The body keeps the score." This underscores how our physical health reflects our emotional and psychological experiences, emphasizing the importance of addressing both aspects in healing the nervous system.
Therefore, healing begins with restoring proper breathing patterns, which helps move us towards regulation and balance. It's not just about being "regulated" or "unregulated"; it's about achieving a balance between two states: the parasympathetic state (rest and digestion) and the sympathetic state (fight or flight). Finding this equilibrium is key to promoting overall nervous system health and resilience.
Trouble arises when we spend too much time in a sympathetic state, leading to nervous system dysregulation—an inability to return to rest and repair mode. The goal for healing is to incorporate practices that bring the body back into rest and repair more frequently. There is no more effective way to achieve this than through breath-work.
The average human breathes about 20,000-30,000 times a day, and how we breathe determines whether each of these breaths moves us towards rest and digestion or fight or flight. Remember, the body can only heal in a state of rest and repair. So, when we learn to use our breath to shift our bodies towards rest and repair, and we breathe that many times a day, you can see why proper breathing is one of the most powerful healing tools you can learn.
In this month's workshop, you will learn exactly how to adopt proper breathing mechanics and use your breath to heal your nervous system. Until the workshop begins, here's your homework: I want you to focus on breath awareness. For now, rather than trying to change anything, start by observing HOW you're breathing—whether through your nose or mouth, whether your chest, shoulders, or belly move when you breathe, if your breathing is fast or slow, shallow or deep. Simply work on increasing your awareness of your breath.
Awareness is crucial because 80% of healing and change begins with understanding. Once you start to observe HOW you breathe, you'll begin to connect how you feel with your breathing patterns. This connection is vital because what you're about to learn is that your breath directly influences how you feel. If you want to feel calmer, happier, and more centered, your breath can effectively change this state.
All this to say, prepare to have your life drastically improved, as breathing is one of the most healing tools known to mankind. Once you learn how to use it effectively, it's free, always with you, and completely under your control. Learning how to breathe well was one of the most healing things I ever did, and it continues to be. I can't wait for you to experience the same.
In the next newsletter, we will explore how to identify improper breathing patterns so you can start to recognize what to look for and how to change them. This preparation comes just in time for an epic workshop led by the leading breath-work guru, Campbell. We are incredibly blessed to have Campbell guiding this month's workshop, as few are as knowledgeable about breath-work as him.
For now, breath awareness is your main focus. Simply observe and spend more time noticing how you're breathing. 😊 Remember, all healing starts with self-observation. |
