Breathwork ritual: pause, reconnect, resource

We will be gathering this coming Saturday from 10am to midday to surrender, to breathe and to (re)connect with the ancient wisdom that sits within our body, our blood and our bones.

For as long as humans have walked this earth, our bodies have mirrored the rhythms of our environment. At this time of the year, we're entering the last stages of our descent into darkness, into what is described in many myths as the underworld. The instruction for this phase is visible all around us as we observe nature: it's about stripping down the old, it's a journey inward to the core of who we are, to the essential, to the place where we cultivate our inner light.

You may want to start contemplating a few questions. (You don't have to have answers to these but you can just let these questions hover and see what comes up as they sit to the back of your mind:

- What am I gripping/clinging onto? Where/how can I feel it in my body?How would it feel to let go of this expectation, this clinging or thi belief?

- What burden have I been carrying? Where does it sit in my body? Where does it come from? How would it feel to no longer carry it?

- Can you remember a time or an experience of surrendering/unburdening? How did it feel in your body?

- Can you relate to a time or experience of going inwards, visiting the underworld, the darkness, the underbelly? How did your body feel? What did it require you to let go of ? What did you discover?

- What is the essence of your light ? where do you feel it in your body?

I recommend bringing a notebook, a shawl, and a candle if you can.

Precautions and contraindication for this practice

Breathwork is generally very safe but it is advised to consult a healthcare professional before engaging with this practice for persons with the following conditions:

- epilepsy

- cardiovascular diseases

- uncontrolled high blood pressure

- history of aneurysms

- detached retina

- glaucoma

- seizures, TIA or other neurological conditions

This list is not exhaustive so please consult your healthcare professional if in doubt.