Your Cart is Empty
Did you know that most of us a breathing wrong?! On average most of us use about 25% of our respiratory systems, sometimes even less.
You would think we would know this since being able to breathe is the one thing we can't do without. We can live days without water, and weeks without food, but only minutes without breathing ..... and knowing this how many times have you thought about your breath?
Well some people have realised the importance of our breath and they are guiding the way with techniques that are revolutionising the wellbeing of thousands and empowering people to take their health back into their own hands.
BREATHWORK & HEALING
One of the fathers of modern breathwork Alan Dolan who is known as the BreathGuru, has spent 17 years as a breath coach changing people’s lives with the simple power of breathing. He has worked with many notable clients such as Russel Brand, Naomi Harris, Paul Sampson, Lloyd Everitt and Dustin O'Halloran.
He is passionate about the breath's power to heal. He explains that, 'bodily health, cellular health and fully oxygenated/energised cells are deeply intertwined. Oxygen and energy travel together in the vehicle of the breath; hence breath is – quite literally – life. The importance of breath becomes even more evident when we consider that most of our energy comes from what we breathe in, and almost all of detoxification occurs via our breath too."
Alan shares that it's very common for people to live on taking small, shallow breaths and remain disconnected from their bodies for long periods of time which is both a symptom and cause for may chronic forms of dis-ease.
In today’s society, we often neglect our bodies and spend most of our time coping with life's stressors from the mental plane, living in our heads, without giving much thought to our bodies which has built in mechanisms that are designed to aim for homeostasis which keeps us healthy and balanced.
“We often distract ourselves in order to avoid our issues. You name it: TV/alcohol/reading/helping others with their issues… the list is endless." Alan says, "The fact is, most of us live in ‘standby mode’ most of the time. Breath: the most powerful mechanism is literally right beneath our noses waiting to be explored, yet we rarely give it more than a passing thought."
He explains, "Conscious Connected Breathing is a powerful and safe way to infuse the body with oxygen and energy, recharging our own (often depleted) systems to work to their healing capacity. It facilitates openings to higher levels of consciousness, allowing us to tap into our deeper resources and live our lives joyfully and in abundance.
With Breathwork we can enjoy optimum mental health, emotional clarity and experience an ever-deepening relationship with ourselves. It’s the means by which we can embark upon the ultimate journey: the one where we discover who we really are. It can also facilitate the growth needed in order for us to transform into who we’re capable of becoming."
BENEFITS OF CONSCIOUS CONNECTED BREATHING
BREATHWORK & RELATIONSHIPS
Alan also attributes conscious breathing to helping not only our connection to ourselves, but also with others. He says, "Our relationships with others are a direct reflection of the one we have with ourselves. You can’t hope for intimacy with another person if you aren’t intimate with yourself. If you’re looking for authenticity you need to be authentic with yourself. If you want respect from others you need to be respectful with yourself. If you’d like to see through the facades of others you must get behind your own facade first.
He shares that during sessions the facade that people have spent years constructing will simply fall away as they disengage from the ego's drama, allowing them to soften up and spend time with their true self and observe their authentic needs and wants from this centred space. Alan says "Working with your breath is a wonderful way of keeping in tune with the inner you. It’s also a great way of gaining clarity if and when you find yourself at the end of one chapter, preparing for the next one."
BREATHWORK & SCIENCE
Breathwork is not a new technique, in fact, it has been used by traditional healers or shamans for many thousands of years and has deep roots in the foundation of of pranayama, meditation (raja yoga) and yoga asana practices.
More recently, breathwork has become the focus of scientific research and studies, proving to uncover the many benefits it can have on our health that were once unknown. Many breathing methods are similar and have been further developed out of existing systems.
The type of Conscious Connected Breathing that Alan teaches involves a form of deep, circular, connected, diaphragmatic breathing - which is very different to yogic breathing/Pranayama and to the many variations of Breathwork, such as Transformational Breath, Holotropic Breath and Rebirthing which are all based on the “connected” breath, each with their own particular technique however all of the current scientific research reports on the common benefits of continued slow, deep, diaphragmatic breathing.
The human body is designed to rid itself of 70% of its toxins through breathing. If you aren’t breathing properly, you aren’t detoxifying properly. That leads to stress being placed on other organs such as the kidneys and liver, which have to overwork in order to compensate. This can set the stage for a number of illnesses.
Alan shares that ,"the link between insufficient oxygen and disease has been firmly established for a surprising number of years. Dr. Otto Warburg was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1931 and again in 1944 for discovering the cause of cancer. He said, “Cancer has only one prime cause. The prime cause of cancer is the replacement of normal oxygen respiration of body cells by an anaerobic (oxygen-less) cell respiration.” Once the level of oxygen available to a cell drops below 60% of normal, the cell is forced to switch to an inferior method of energy production – fermentation. The cell can never be returned to the proper oxidation system, and loses its governor on replication. It begins to reproduce copies of itself wildly, a condition we call cancer.
The National Cancer Institute endorsed Dr. Warburg’s findings in 1952. This research was continued by Dr. Harry Goldbatt, who published his findings in the Journal of Experimental Medicine in 1953. They confirmed that lack of oxygen plays the major role in causing cells to become cancerous. Dr. Albert Wahl said, “Disease is due to a deficiency in the oxidation process of the body, leading to an accumulation of toxins. These toxins are ordinarily burned in normal oxidation.” Dr. Wendell Hendricks of the Hendricks Research Foundation wrote: ” Cancer is a condition within the body where the oxidation has become so depleted that the body cells have degenerated beyond control. The body is so overloaded with toxins that it sets up a tumour mass to harbour these poisons and remove them from general activity within the body.”
The evidence from these doctors’ research is conclusive. Oxygen plays the primary role in health and well-being. It is important to note that fear, worry and depression all interfere with free breathing and thus reduce oxygen intake.
Amazingly, it’s taken until 2009 for that information to reach mainstream media. The Sunday Express published a landmark article entitled ‘Oxygen Kills Cancer’ in August 2009.
Whatever the whys and wherefores of how this information has taken such a long time to reach mass media, the fact is that cancer is expected to affect 65% all people living in the Western world at this point in time. It’s therefore crucial that all of us gain the knowledge and knowhow to prevent, treat and recover from this often life-threatening disease.
The good news is that our breath is our most wonderful asset whether one is looking to prevent, treat or recover from cancer. Fully oxygenating your body is quite simply the most productive step you can take irrespective of your health status. However, if you are experiencing or recovering from cancer then learning to use your breath more effectively is absolutely essential.
Clearly, Alan isn’t the most objective source, having worked with these techniques every day for the past 15 years. He repeatedly sees the results of clients learning to access the power of their breath and continues to be awed by it. Don’t take his word for it – decide for yourself. There’s a lot of information online – again and again you will see oxygen at the centre of the equation."
HOW TO CONNECT TO YOUR BREATH IN 60 SECONDS
Watch Alan provide a quick demonstration of how to drop into conscious breathing and start the journey out of your mind and back into your body.
WANT MORE? CONNECT WITH THE BREATHGURU
Breathguru® founder Alan Dolan has spent the last 17 years introducing people to breathwork through 1-1 sessions and workshops in London, Cambridge, Dublin, Japan, Kuwait, Costa Rica and Brazil, and intensive Breathguru® Retreats running year-round in rural Lanzarote. His techniques are safe and easy to learn, and once you know how, you only need 10 minutes a day to breathe. No-one is excluded – if you’re in a reasonable state of health, you can take part!
Some people find it a deeply spiritual experience, others simply love the energy it gives them to tackle each day. Some use it to complement their yoga practise; others have never even set foot in a gym. All are welcome: men and women, young and old. The only thing participants have in common is that Conscious Connected Breathing has changed their lives.
Intuitive eating is the opposite of traditional dieting which involves counting calories or macros.
Instead it is a nutrition philosophy based on the idea of becoming more attuned to the body's natural hunger signals. In short, eat when you are hungry, stop when you are full.
Intuitive eating is an eating style that promotes a healthy attitude towards body image. and fans believe it is a more effective and effortless way way to attain a healthy weight by listening to what your body really needs.
