There’s been whole a lot of buzz on podcasts and in the mainstream media these past few years about the success of psychedelics-based therapy to treat a variety of psychological conditions like PTSD, anxiety, and repressed trauma of all varieties and sorts.
While I think it’s wonderful that people are opening up to using these medicines to help heal themselves, there are still quite a few economic, geographical, legal, and/or philosophical barriers that limit access to psychedelics-based therapy for a much of the globe.
What if I told you a simple circular breathing technique, if practiced with attention and discipline, could accomplish similar results?
It’s true.
Research has shown circular breathing not only has the potential to heal us in many of the same ways as psychedelics-based therapy does but it can also produce similar states of altered consciousness. I've included a few links to the research results below for those who're interested in learning more.
I've been practicing these techniques for nearly thirty-five years now and can attest to their benefits. Breathwork is totally free and can be practiced pretty much anywhere. All this practice takes is time and a little dedication. As with so many other meditation techniques this exercise seems so simple that it couldn't possibly work and this mindset is, honestly, why I think more people don't try it.
Here's a simple tutorial if you'd like to give it a try yourself:
Imagine your breath flowing like a circle—no edges, no stops.
Begin with this rhythm:
You can gently count in your mind:
Continue this circular breathing exercise for 2–3 minutes. It's best to set a timer so you're not preoccupied during your practice.
Following are just a few links to some information about the valuable effects of circular breathing—VU Amsterdam, Ernst Strüngmann Institute for Neuroscience, and PubMed.
~Eric Vance Walton~
Be well, make the most of this day. Thank you for reading!
(Gifs sourced from Giphy.com)
