Powwa Hour
Join Christine, a certified breathwork facilitator, on a breathwork journey. This is a practice that uses conscious connected breathing, music and guidance to connect you with your body, mind and soul. Benefits include reduced stress and anxiety, increased energy, clarity, joy, and creativity and clearing of suppressed emotions and feelings.
Breathwork is a meditative practice where you take conscious full breaths, breathing in more oxygen and energy into your body, allowing you to feel your feelings and emotions, and releasing toxins and anything you don’t wish to hold on to. In this time of uncertainty and strain, breathwork can support you in managing your emotional and mental health. It is a time where you give yourself your own time, energy and love, and breathe the breath of life into your being.
These sessions act as a weekly practice but are also for introducing newcomers to breathwork and will provide an opportunity to connect with yourself in a space of non-judgement, acceptance and understanding. The hour consists of an opening meditation, followed by 35 minutes of conscious breathing accompanied by music while lying down where you stay present, tune into your body, and allow feelings to arise. Time at the end is allotted for questions and for you to share your experience if you feel called. No experience is necessary.
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Breathing Technique.
We will be practicing a Conscious Connected Breath (CCB). Conscious meaning you are aware of your breath and are actively choosing to take each breath. Connected meaning there is no pauses between inhales and exhales, and exhales and inhales. Like a circle where you are either inhaling or exhaling.
Breathe full breaths into the bottom of your lungs and into the front, back and sides of your body
Inhale and exhale through your mouth. We breath through our mouth to bring in more oxygen and this allows your frontal lobe to relax and access other parts of your brain, which supports your nervous system and allows your breath to release stuck energy in your body.
If you would prefer to breath through your nose, you are always welcome to choose this option instead
There is no perfect way to breathe
When we practice this style of breathing you may have feelings and sensations in your body arise (feeling cold or hot, numbness, tingly, tightness, aches, tension, pressure, or your whole body feels frozen), emotions or memories may come up (such as tears, annoyance, joy or bliss), have the desire to make movements (clenching your hands, rocking your hips, shaking your legs, moving your jaw), or you may feel nothing at all. The experience you have is the one you are mean’t to have and it is best to not have expectations coming into the session.
Notes about the Session.
Please do not eat a meal within an hour before the session
I recommend that you do the session lying down either on the bed, yoga mat or other comfortable surface. You are welcome to do the session sitting up or in a chair if you would prefer. Do not use a pillow underneath your head.
Use headphones if possible, it improves the sound of the music and my voice and reduces background noise
Turn phone on silent and remove other distractions
If you are around others, kindly ask them to not disrupt you during the session
You may want a blanket on you or close to you if you get cold during the session
If you enjoy journaling have it close to you so you can write about your experience after the session
Use the washroom before so you do not need to get up during the hour together
When breathing in and out through your mouth, you may experience a dry mouth, please know this is normal
If you are stuck in your mind thinking about if you are doing the breath correctly, bring your attention to watching the rise and fall of your breath
Please do not start a session and leave halfway through. The last few songs of each session are there for your integration, so please do allow yourself this integration time
Safety.
PLEASE NOTE: The breath style we use is not advised for conditions such as, but not limited to: bi-polar, schizophrenia, cardiovascular disease, acute heart conditions, epilepsy, glaucoma, detached retina, diagnosed brain or abdominal aneurysm, uncontrolled diabetes, thyroid conditions, high blood pressure, or delicate pregnancy and first trimester (first three months) of pregnancy. Likewise, if you are on any medications you are advised to seek medical counsel prior to joining us. If you do have any of the above conditions, please let me know. You are always welcome to participate and can breathe in and out through your nose instead.