breathwork
what is breathwork?
For me, conscious connected breathing, or Breathwork, is a modality of self-realisation. Our quality of breathing is a reflection of our state of mind in any given moment. Our breathing patterns also reflect how we hold life, how we respond to the imprints of our life experiences. In consciously connected breathing, we begin to feel—with just a brief re-patterning of the breath cycle—to what extent our relationship with our breath is related to our level of awareness.
Working on or working with the breath is used in many modalities. Consciously connected breathing has been developed in Rebirthing Breathwork and Holotropic Breathwork, amongst others. This Breathwork (breathing with no pauses between the inhales and exhales) induces a trance state or, an expanded state of consciousness.
I see this process as an activated medicine; it is activated solely by you. It’s a medicine of the psyche, of the soul. Inviting energy into the body this way—a super-oxygenation—with a diaphragmatic breath keeps it anchored in the body. By affecting the vibration of your cells, flowing through energy blockages, this circular breathing is a tool for honing deep presence and finding a YES to everything that can be felt.
in-person sessions
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online experiences
“The breathwork that Chad offers is very complimentary for one’s journey on the pathless path. There is a balance between doing and non-doing that seems to lead one naturally but inexorably to non-dual states, accelerating an inner purification.”
– Dan Schmidt – Founder of Awaken The World and Samadhi Meditation Centre | meditation and self-inquiry teacher | film maker
These online breath experiences are being offered in conjunction with–and a percentage of the proceeds will be donated to–the Awaken the World Initiative.
The online session is a virtual space of self-exploration and well-being. Together, we co-create an energetic container in which you have your unique experience. Your breath is your guide. To music, for one hour, the group consciously breathes together at the same time, each in their own way, and we build an energy that brings each individual into the collective. After the process, we close the virtual container with some who may share their personal experiences to an extent that feels comfortable.
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about chad
I was introduced to conscious connected Breathwork in 2011 and it has since become my primary personal practice. As a facilitator, since 2014, I have had the honour to be witness to 2000+ participants experiences on 4 continents.
My interest in “the breath” led me to explore many approaches to Breathwork, such as Shamanic, Integrative, Holotropic, Rebirthing, Transformational, Clarity, Breathlight, Breathwave, Biodynamic, Sacred Breath Academy, and other inspirations, such as Wim Hof, Dan Brulé, Michael Brown, Serah Ruth Goldberg, and others.
Following my intuition and the many guiding lights along my path, these explorations soon led me to approach the breath as a medicine–a mechanism that activates, that remedies, that heals in non-specific as well as targeted ways.
I’m a wayfinder.
I’ve found my way.
I’m still finding my way.
The many ‘schools’ of Breathwork have varying orientations and methodologies: ceremonial, somatic, psychotherapeutic, shamanic/energetic, etc. I have learned from many of these orientations and I incorporate all of them into an approach that I can only call my own. With personal studies into sensorimotor and transpersonal aspects of the human experience, I continue to expand my practice.
This space is provided for those who would like to offer a “share”: a written résumé/description—in whole or in part—of what your journey looked like, how it felt, what it meant….
Sharing an experience with the breath medicine is one way in which we may integrate what it has brought us. Receiving others’ experiences is often a potent part of the journey itself. Though our individual work is as unique as our human experience, we often can see ourselves in the experiences of others’ journeys.
For those of you who have not had a breathwork experience, may you get a glimpse of what this modality offers and how it works—different for everyone yet universally accessible. Journeying with the breath as medicine is an often ineffable experience. Nevertheless, may these “shares”—so generously offered—serve as a means to discern whether or not this medicine is for you.
“Had much much resistance to the idea of doing this breathwork. Have done many times prior – so happy to have pushed myself through – no words – deep, deep love, feeling an such openness of heart – tears coming from deep within heart – LOVE – heart broken wide open. My cat settled in beside me for the Journey. THANK YOU, Chad”
I don’t even know how to begin to describe the experience I had in the circle last night. I’m still trying to process it today. I’m not sure if I’ve ever let go like that before. I went into an almost sleep like state and was lost in it for what seemed like a long time. Nothing existed in it except my breath. Then I was overcome by the most intense and terrifying physical pain that I’ve ever felt in my life. Even now I don’t know how to describe it. I remember wanting to get out of it but I couldn’t escape and I kept breathing. Then when I thought I couldn’t take it anymore it was gone and I breathed what felt like the first breath of my life. My body was open – I can even see how open my body was when I remember it. And it went in so easily and with it came sobbing from deep inside of me. Places I don’t think I’ve ever cried from. As I breathed I sobbed and then it would subside and then I’d sob again. It was so freeing and I felt so safe to experience it. I wasn’t scared and didn’t feel like I needed to hold back anything. I just was. I am eternally grateful for the experience and to have had space held for me.
I will say that it was one of the most intense experiences I’ve had. As many shared that evening, I too live in my head & the limited words & invitation to breathe into what was arising as discomfort was incredibly powerful. I would have to admit, I’ve been feeling a bit in a funk for about the last month & I was surprised to discover the depth of sadness + anger that lives inside my body. {…}
I slept soundly + peacefully afterwards with a greater lightness in my body since. I feel like I’ve found a very important tool for myself personally + to allow me to open deeper to the work I do in the world that is so close to my heart. Powerful – so very powerful + all of that in just 1hr.
Mark
Ce fut ma première expérience de Breathwork. Je pensais apprendre une méthode de respiration pour relaxer et j’ai en fait vécu une expérience pleine de sensations jamais expérimentée auparavant. Ma respiration formait une vague dans tout mon corps. La musique accompagnait magnifiquement tous les états que j’ai traversé. Mon corps tout entier vibrait. Une énergie palpable comme des nuages se posait dans mes mains. Une sensation gênante dans ma gorge qui a tout d’un coup disparue avec la musique. J’ai ressentis beaucoup d’émotion se libérer de moi. Des larmes coulaient sans que je puisses rien contrôler. C’est une expérience dure à décrire. Il faut le vivre pour comprendre. Et Chad a accompagné chacun de nous dans ce voyage. Il arrivait et agissait toujours au bon moment.
I cannot easily put to words what I have experienced during my sessions but I can say that when I breathe with Chad, my vibrational energy increases as does my awareness of the flow of energy (or lack thereof) throughout my body. In each of my sessions I have felt channels open, and when I feel blocked and communicate this to Chad, his intuitive ability to ‘do what needs to be done’ to help unblock is always astonishing and helpful. The sessions consistently leave me with a sense that healing (on many levels) has occurred and I am filled with love and gratitude.
Can’t really explain but I feel a profound difference not only in my breathing & awareness of it but in the small ways emotions were starting to open up yesterday….. Friday evening was ‘breath-giving’ and the sensations were very physical – lots of pain and and underlying knowledge that everything will be alright – but so much emotional resistance! It is interesting that I am in another space now, which is hard for people around me to understand….
I sat in Ceremony last night, a Ceremony unlike any other I have ever experienced. The medicine was the oldest medicine known, it was the medicine of Breath. This Ceremony surpassed all my Psilocybin, Ayahuasca and Bufo Alvarius experiences. It took me places I have not been, retrieved memory that had been stored and repressed into my deepest cells and allowed it to surface and be cleared. I received many messages, some in the form of sound some in visuals. But the most profound message came as he leaned in and whispered in my ear “The story must drop somewhere”.
Quelle belle aventure ! Quelle belle découverte ! Il est bon de découvrir des médecines si puissantes juste issues de nous même. Chaque cérémonie nous amène a confronter des part d’ombres et a saisir des forces. Je cherchais à développer des outils qui me permettre de trouver en moi les forces pour faire face aux ombres que j’ai à travailler avec les plantes. Je crois que j’ai bientot rendez-vous avec une empreinte de mort (je ne sais comment l’expliquer) et je veux avoir le courage d’y aller jusqu’au bout.. pour transcender ses ancrages et chercher la lumière de vie cachée au fond. Ce que j’ai découvert avec mon souffle m’est apparu comme une reponse à ce que je recherche.
“I’m moved beyond words to speak, which is rare. I just feel like I am love, joy, fear, that I am the experiences, Freaking awesome. Reduced me to joyful tears too. Beautiful”
What a f’n powerful reminder how important that lil ol breath is.
From light headed to tingly hands to holding my breath as it got too uncomfortable momentarily to legs feet hands arms tingling. To laughter to noises.
That was a trip.
The breathing felt like 15minutes not 1 hour.
I had to move my legs by grabbing at my shorts to lift them at the end as although I could feel them, I couldnt move them.
Reminds me how much is held in the body.
On how much Skye Hennessey kicked my butt when she introduced me to breathwork.
On the power the Wim Hof method and his workshops on the breath and ice baths.
People come and see me for tension.
Almost always that tension has a frustration, and that frustration has an altered breathing pattern. Which constricts and shortens the body to protect, activating the sympathetic nerve system. To control.
What a great way to get into the parasympathetic part of the autonomic nerve system. And great little tips for me to add when running future mindbody classes.
“I have struggled so much […]. My monkey mind has been so stubborn, even though I promised myself to not have any expectations at all before it began. And now – wow! Halleluja! I am so grateful that I want to cry. So many things happened. So many insights, and I have never ever breathed so easy as I did in a short period of the session. I loved, loved, loved the whole session!”
Je dirais qu’à un certain moment, j’ai perdu la notion du temps. Une grosse montée d’énergie s’est produite quand tu as pris mes mains et que j’ai crié…. Un genre de bouillonnement/vibration plus accentué dans le haut du corps et dans les mains/avant-bras. Après ce point culminant, j’ai continué de sentir cette décharge d’énergie, je me sentais plus légère, j’avais la nette impression que mes bras bougeaient au sol quand je savais parfaitement qu’ils étaient immobiles. Ça faisait tellement longtemps que je sentais ce besoin viscéral de crier. Beaucoup pour mon expression personnelle, comme pour “arriver” dans le monde. J’ai aucunement réalisé que ça avait duré plus d’1h !! Depuis la séance, je sens plus d’expansion et de facilité dans ma respiration. Et je crois remarquer moins de tension au niveau du diaphragme/plexus solaire… Je remarque aussi une évolution dans ma créativité et la manière de percevoir les problèmes, comme si je “voyais” plus de possibilités.
Ce que j’ai vécu était bien particulier. Un engourdissement, des bourdonnements intenses dans tous les membres, assez différent de ce qu’on ressent quant la circulation sanguine se fait mal. C’était ni plaisant ni déplaisant, plutôt une sensation qui remplaçait celles qu’on ressent d’ordinaire et qui donnait l’impression que mes contours étaient flous, plus vastes. Lorsque tu as mis des poids sur mes mains, je sentais la pression des poids sans sentir le contact (je n’avais aucune idée ce qui causait la sensation), mais le bourdonnement s’est transformé en douleur. Rien d’insupportable. Des genres de pincements, comme si mes mains étaient électrifiées tout en restant détendues. Puis lorsque j’ai formulé une intention de me donner à la source (et que j’ai voulu m’abandonner, je suppose), la sensation a voulu se propager au reste de mon corps, mais alors comme si j’allais disparaître et ne devenir que bourdonnement. J’ai résisté, et cela s’est stabilisé.
Mon ego voudrait me laisser croire que comme cette expérience est si “différente”, elle doit bien être précieuse et avoir de la valeur. Mais en réalité, je ne veux pas m’y attacher mais peut-être comprendre un peu quelle posture adopter face à cela. Cela me rappelle d’autres expériences que j’ai eu dans ma vie où mes sens et ma perception de mes propres énergies étaient altérée. Je ne sais pas si c’est le genre de présage à une porte qui peut s’ouvrir dans la conscience ou si ce n’est qu’un effet secondaire. J’aurais de la difficulté autrement à décrire en mots ce que je ressentais, excepté à la fin, après la séance, où je me sentais en paix, en harmonie, reconnaissante…
As someone familiar with, and interested in exploring altered states of consciousness, I was filled with anticipation as to what experiences may be had simply by changing my pattern of breath, and paying attention to it in a way I had never before through yoga asanas and meditation practice. I sure wasn’t expecting what unfolded in that first breathing circle…
It took what seemed forever to settle into a groove, and just as I was about to “give up” I felt myself slipping into a different space – one I’d only previously experienced with the use of psychedelic plant medicines. Calm and peace permeated all layers of my being, despite the fact there was physical discomfort as my muscular “holding patterns” revealed themselves to me. I followed Chad’s guidance in staying with the breath, and in time the discomfort passed, allowing me to further slip into “liquid-like realms” of peace and love.
Aside from beyond-beautiful, intricate kaleidoscopic visuals that accompanied tones/sounding being used in the circle, I felt a powerful release of stuck “stuff” when Chad was working in my energy field. His warm presence was grounding and reassuring throughout the journey – a journey that for me, was one of non-duality – again, a state I’d never experienced without the use of an external substance. At one point, my body was shaking in fits of laughter and/or sobbing, and I really couldn’t tell the difference because it seemed obvious to me they were one in the same – simply two sides of the same coin, and my container was large enough to hold both in a loving manner.
I’ve continued to participate in breathing circles, excited and appreciative of the utterly unique experience had in each one. It’s been a beautiful introduction into the world of conscious circular breathing, and I look forward to working with Chad again.
J’ai vécu ma première participation au sein d’un cercle du souffle avec beaucoup de fébrilité et de curiosité. Je ne savais pas réellement à quoi m’attendre et surtout pas que je ressortirais de cette expériences avec autant de réponses et de prise de conscience.
Ce n’est pas évident de traduire en mot tout ce que nous vivions pendant ce voyage intérieur car les sentiments vécus sont réels et arrêtés dans le temps mais pour ma part, ce fut un grand lâcher prise au fond de moi-même. J’ai ressenti les mêmes sensations qui montent en moi lors de nombreuses crises d’angoisse, qui se transforment régulièrement en épisode de panique. Je les ai accueillies, en toute sécurité et sans résistance, jusqu’à ce qu’elles s’éteignent pour faire place à un grand calme intérieur. Un calme indescriptible que je rêvais d’expérimenter depuis si longtemps.
My experience was not about releasing a past emotional experience but rather feeling all my cells fulling engaged, where a sensation of heaviness seemed to develop in my mid-section (belly) then dissolve. As my cellular structure fired more intensely it was like the feeling a motor might have in red-line, which is when Chad came to me and said “time to relax now.” It was good to know I had someone there who knew when a session had been fruitful and could come to an end. It is important to note you can return to a regular breath at any time, or simply ask Chad a question (you are always in control). After fueling oneself to this level it’s surprising [how] much energy is used and for me there was a rather lengthy period in which I wound down. You will need fluids and time to regain a sense of regularity (I felt tired and a bit wobbly for 15-30 minutes after I ending the breath). This might be shorter for some as my experience seemed quite intense and was related to me as such by Chad. In closing discussions, it seemed that everyone had a unique experience and story about their time breathing. I don’t recall anyone suggesting their experience had made them feel badly and wishing they hadn’t attended. All seemed to state that their experience was deep and in tune with [their] life experience in some way. […] I have never spent any amount of time trying to master this technique so I can’t speak to ongoing possibilities but did have a powerful release that day, and hope to experience the breath again with Chad as my guide.
…a very big note of gratitude. The universe must have thought it was time for me to take this leap of faith and I am still stunned of how far I have come from the last time I was standing at the then-perceived abyss. This time it was rather a jump into the arms of someone/myself who was there with open arms to catch me… and then embrace me, rather then the past sense of having to go for a free fall. The whole experience felt to me as if I discovered the night sky full of stars, but instead of looking up and outward, I found the beautiful, sparkling carpet of glimpses, lights and stardust within myself – and I arrived at this mysterious place, hidden deep within myself only by following the map that my breath drew me. Only when I trusted the breath and followed its lead, took its hand and let it guide me, did I find this magical place of deepest connectedness with my inner glowing source.
I still hear your voice in my head, the one that told me that… all of me is welcome, every part of me. I think that it was these words that that lifted that last piece, the veil between me and my inner child, the glowing source.
… the experience leaves me speechless, struggling to put into words, but at the same time my mind feels full of words, thoughts and my heart is filled with colours, warmth and light.
The essential part of getting the most out my breath experience is LETTING GO OF CONTROL. I coached myself through the process of RELEASING EXPECTATIONS, of releasing liking or disliking anything about the process. When I let be what is, magic happens, and healing happens. That led me to “give myself peace”. Along with the peace, came love and trust. COMPLETE TRUST in me and my body to do whatever needed to be done in order to heal. My two sessions so far have been MASSIVELY HEALING for my mind, body and soul. There is no price I could put on this because it was simply what I was able to give myself. Knowing Chad was there to hold space and assist me if I needed was huge, and the energy in the room from the group was a big part of the process as well. I found myself balancing surprise – for what was happening – with letting go; to let the process flow unimpeded. That resulted in a beautiful series of moments of me LAUGHING and CRYING at the same time. What a beautiful gift we can give ourselves when we accept, let go, forgive, allow, and trust.
Respirer comme Chad le suggère ne me semble jamais vraiment naturel au début de la séance. Même mon mental me souffle à l’oreille que je force quelque chose. Mais gardant le focus sur l’intention de faire pénétrer le plus d’air possible à l’intérieur de moi et de tout simplement tout relâcher cet air en une seule seconde à l’expiration, et bien un déclic inattendu se fait ressentir à chaque fois : le voyage commence 🙂 !!
Chaque voyage est unique! Parfois les sensations sont forte, parfois le tout se déroule plus doucement. Durant l’expérience, l’émotion ressentie ou le souvenir qui apparaît en image dans mon esprit est souvent relié à une sensation physique…. Mon corps me parle. Je profite du breathwork pour me libérer de ces mémoires cellulaires emmagasinées 🙂 J’inspire une lumière blanche et j’expire ce qui a à sortir de mon corps!
Post séance souvent fort agréable, parfois dans l’émotivité, parfois dans la légèreté du moment présent! Soit je pleure, soit je plane! Mais à chaque fois une chose et clair pour moi: je me suis à nouveau rapprocher de mon propre chemin.