Hi,
My name is Karestan,
And today we'll be doing breathwork together.
The practice you're about to experience is a short form of Dynamic Voluntary Respiratory Modulation,
Or DVRM.
DVRM was developed by my teacher,
David Magone,
In collaboration with myself and scientists at Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital.
It weaves together several ancient breathing techniques to help guide you into a liminal state.
A liminal state is an in-between space,
Like the moment between waking and sleeping.
In this state,
The mind can quiet deeply and insights can arise more easily than an ordinary waking consciousness.
Many people find this practice clears the mind in ways that often takes years of meditation.
As you begin,
You may notice tingling,
Twitching in the fingers,
Or even some numbness in the hands.
These sensations are completely normal and harmless.
If at any point you feel overwhelmed,
Simply pause and return to a natural breath.
There's no way to do this perfectly,
And you can't do it wrong.
Just keep breathing.
This practice is best done lying down with your eyes closed or covered.
Because it can cause lightheadedness,
Please avoid doing it in water,
And if seated,
Make sure you are well supported.
In this breathwork session,
We are going to work with the statement,
I trust myself.
When I guide you to hold your breath,
I'm going to suggest you repeat this statement to yourself.
I trust myself.
I trust myself.
I trust myself.
Have a journal and pen nearby.
I'll offer a journaling prompt once the breathwork is complete.
So when you're ready,
Lay out flat,
Let your eyes close,
And take a few moments to focus on your normal inhales and exhales.
We are going to start with a variation on a breathing pattern called Bastrika,
The bellows breath.
It's been around for thousands of years in some form.
It is a simple in-out pattern through the mouth.
The inhale is active,
And the exhale is passive.
It sounds something like this.
So when you're ready,
Open your mouth slightly,
And breathe in,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
In,
Two,
Three,
Four,
And out,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Breathe in,
Two,
Three,
Four,
And out,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Keep going.
You're doing great.
Focus on deepening your inhales.
Simply relax to exhale.
You're almost there.
After the next exhale,
Fill your lungs to the top,
And then breathe out about 75%.
Hold your breath,
Allowing your body to be still.
You are safe.
This breath hold is safe.
This breath hold is very calming for your nervous system.
If you get the urge to breathe,
Try swallowing to extend the breath retention,
Or take a tiny sip of air like this,
Like breathing in through a straw.
During this breath hold,
You might repeat to yourself,
I trust myself,
I trust myself,
I trust myself.
Hold for just a few moments more,
And when you're ready,
Release the breath retention.
Breathe in deeply.
Hold your breath,
And squeeze every single muscle in your body,
And then let it go.
Let your whole body settle down into the floor beneath you for the next few moments.
Focus on your normal inhales and exhales,
And when your mind wanders off,
Gently guide it back to your breathing.
The next pattern will be in and out through the mouth slightly faster.
Two counts in,
Followed by two counts out.
When you're ready,
Begin.
Keep going.
You're doing great.
The faster pattern is more intense.
If you start to feel a little bit panicky,
Know that you can always go with a slower rhythm.
You don't even have to time it exactly.
As long as you inhale bigger and deeper than normal,
And breathe faster than normal,
It will work.
Keep going.
You're doing great.
After your next exhale,
Fill your lungs to the top,
Breathe out about 75% of your air,
And hold your breath.
This breath hold is safe,
And you are safe.
The breathless state is a very special place.
While you're there,
Your mind is better able to settle.
During this breath hold,
You might repeat to yourself,
I trust myself.
I trust myself.
I trust myself.
So imagine that your mind is like a lake or a pond,
Some body of water with waves as you continue holding.
Imagine the wave settling.
If it starts to become too intense at any time,
Swallow or take a little sip of air like this.
Otherwise,
Keep holding.
Your body is totally safe,
And you are safe.
Release the breath hold.
The final pattern is a simple in and out pattern,
One count per round.
When you're ready,
Join me.
Keep going.
You are doing great.
This is the final round.
After your next exhale,
Fill your lungs to the top,
Breathe out about 75% of your air,
And hold your breath.
This breath hold is safe,
And you are safe.
As you hold,
Keep relaxing your body.
This breath hold is safe,
And you are safe.
Your mind is crystal clear,
Expansive in nature,
And your body is completely and totally relaxed.
As you continue holding,
Say to yourself,
I trust myself.
I trust myself.
I trust myself.
If you had the urge to breathe,
Try swallowing or take a little sip of air.
Let this breath hold draw your awareness away from the cares of the world and deeper inside.
Trust your body,
And remember,
I trust myself.
Continue holding.
You're doing great.
Release the breath hold.
Take the biggest inhale of your day.
Hold your breath and squeeze everything tighter,
Tighter,
And tighter,
And let it go.
For the next few moments,
Let yourself notice what arises for you.
There may be a memory,
An image,
A sensation in your body,
And it may or may not make sense to you.
Notice what comes up without judgment and let it go,
Just observing the experience.
And when you are ready,
Bring awareness back into your body.
You might want to open your eyes and take in the room around you.
Do a full body stretch or shift your hips from side to side.
There's no rush.
Take time now to journal about your experience.
You might just write over and over,
I trust myself,
I trust myself,
I trust myself.
Or you can use the prompt,
If I really trusted myself,
I would.
I recommend writing without stopping for at least two minutes.
And if you can't think of anything to say,
Keep writing,
I trust myself,
And see what shows up for you.
The music will continue for several minutes.
Feel free to continue longer if you wish.
When you are done,
Set down your journal and pen.
Take a moment to thank yourself for taking this time today to expand your self-awareness.
Have a great rest of your day.
