I used to catch myself doing it quite often, pausing in the middle of the day because I realized: I’m hardly breathing. Just very shallowly, high up in my chest, as if I didn’t even dare to truly take up space.
That happens to me when I’m in ‘functioning mode’ for too long. There for everyone, responsible for everything, and somewhere along the way, I lose contact with what actually carries me.
Maybe you know the feeling too. You wake up and still feel empty. You are there for everyone, but where do you leave yourself?
I believe the answer is often closer than we think. It lies right under our noses, in our own breath.
Why breath is so powerful, even for “head people”
Many people first think of spiritual practices or intense experiences when they hear the word breathwork. Yet the power of your breath is something very simple and universal. No guru, no retreat, no dogma. Just you, and your next breath.
Slow, rhythmic breathing has a calming effect on your nervous system; this is quite well-researched today. Conscious breathing techniques like SOMA Breath work with exactly that: they regulate, provide energy, and create mental clarity, all without you having to believe or do anything special.
Your breath connects you with your body and your inner voice. It brings you back to what is truly important to you and gives you energy, simply because your body is properly supplied with oxygen again.
A breath impulse for your everyday life: the extended exhalation
Close your eyes and first let your breath flow naturally. Gently breathe in at your own rhythm, breathe out, and consciously feel into this moment. Simply allow yourself to be here.
Then breathe in the following rhythm:
Inhale: 4 seconds through your nose, with your mouth closed, into your belly. Your belly gently rises and fills with fresh oxygen, expanding softly up to the chest and beyond.
Exhale: 8 seconds through your mouth, gently and steadily. Imagine you are blowing through a straw.
With each exhale, tension, heaviness, and burdens may leave. With each inhale, you draw calm, clarity, and energy into your body.
One to three minutes are enough. That fits into any daily routine.
Alternatively, you can also inhale for 2 seconds and exhale for 4 seconds, or 4 seconds in and 6 seconds out, depending on what feels right for you at the moment. Without pressure, without tension, gentle and rhythmic. The only important thing is that the exhalation lasts longer than the inhalation.
If you’ve become curious about how conscious breathing can further help you in everyday life, feel free to stop by here: Breathwork 🐬
This content supports conscious self-care and Energetic Hygiene and does not replace medical or therapeutic treatment.
