In Integral Presence, we get involved in three aspects of breathing: physical breath, subtle breath, and transformative breathing. This third aspect we call BreathWork+.
The essential goal is to reach, restore, and/or maintain the natural, original, healthy breathing cycle that supports optimal health and joyful living.
Any of the breathing techniques and transformative breathing work are no goals in themselves, but only tools to come back to natural and optimal breathing.
Physical breath
For what the physical breath is concerned, the IP aspiration is to reach and sustain a natural, full, fluent, open and harmonious breathing cycle, in coherence with the present moment activity and situation. The physical benefits are:
- Oxygen delivery improves.
- Breathing properly will drastically harmonize your blood pressure.
- Endorphins are released.
- Detoxification improves.
- Relieve stress and anxiety.
- Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, bringing us into a relaxed state.
- Breath Strengthens the Lymphatic System
- Breath Releases Muscle Tension
- Breath Improves the Cardiovascular System
- Breath Elevates the Digestive System
- The quality of our breath helps to relax the mind and enhance the ability to learn, focus, concentrate, and memorize.
- And more …
Subtle breath
For what the subtle breath is concerned, in Integral Presence, we invite a gradually increasing awareness of the subtle dimension of breathing: the vital breath. Gradually, our senses refine to reveal the following subtle reality:
- life force* sensitivity
- develop perceptiveness of the life force energy centers and energy channels inside
- advance perceptiveness to ever-deepening levels of subtleness (energy bodies 1-2-3-4-5-6-7)
- develop a certain mastery in the subtle breath
*Similar concepts exist in various cultures, including the Hindo prana, the Latin anima (“breath”, “vital force”, “animating principle”), Islamic and Sufic ruh, the Greek pneuma, the Chinese qi, the Polynesian mana, the Amerindian orenda, the German od, and the Hebrew ruah. Life force is also referred to as “bioplasmic energy” or “subtle energy”.
Transformative breathing
In terms of Process work and IP Coaching, we can also apply breathing techniques, pranayama, and BreathWork+ to accompany the process of transformation, in a more sustained, more subtle and deeper way. By consciously breathing with these techniques, we offer ourselves access to immense discoveries of ourselves. They help to:
- liberate and improve the natural breathing cycle
- increase the strength in life force
- deepen the transformation work to release blockages, fears, negative beliefs, resistance, trauma, and wounding
- accelerate the enlightening journey towards Self realization