Today, we will explore how breathwork can improve our mental health. But first, let’s talk about…
The Subconscious Mind
Several scientific studies observe that we produce between 50,000 and 70,000 thoughts a day, most of which – 80% or more – are unconscious and repetitive. Therefore, it’s not difficult to understand that while positive or expansive thoughts create positive and expansive results in our lives, negative or limiting thoughts create negative and limited results.
The biggest challenge in our daily life is, precisely, the fact that most of these thoughts are unconscious, but still guide what we do and condition the decisions we make. In other words: although most of the time we do not have this awareness, it is memories, beliefs, traumas and ideas rooted at a very deep level that guide the way we live.
Throughout our lives we continuously receive and process information. It is defended by many currents of psychology that, until the age of 7, we collect information and form our beliefs and thought patterns. Thus, the time span from birth to age 7 is probably the most crucial in determining our subconscious beliefs.
Breathwork and mental health
But this doesn’t mean we can’t do anything about it now as adults; the power of the subconscious mind is infinite!
So what can we do if our subconscious mind carries limiting beliefs that aren’t true and don’t serve our goals?
The practice of breathwork often gives us access to this subconscious mind and puts in our hands (and noses and mouths!) the ability to change, release or reinvent thoughts and beliefs. And, with that, transform different aspects of our lives and improve our mental health.
Surely you have heard the famous proverb…
Energy flows where attention goes
In the Chinese martial art of Tai Chi, there is a maxim that states, “Chi flows where the mind goes.” In other words, it tells us that our attention focuses our vital energy. Being aware of our thoughts and how we focus our attention is a definite step in creating the life we want for ourselves.
In the same way, breathwork practices are also highly effective in terms of what we accumulate (and guide us most of the time) in the subconscious: repressed emotions, negative beliefs, old stories and past memories, all stored not only in the mind, but in the body.
We can access all of this by breathing into the areas of our body where the breath is blocked. And, with practice, we start to release the breath where it does not flow. In this way, we can bring stagnant emotions, thoughts and memories to the surface and, as we continue to breathe and “open” these previously closed spaces, we integrate and transform these repressions.
Yes, it is possible to press the reset button and start over. Breath by breath, looking inward, becoming aware of our thoughts, empowering those who empower us and releasing those who limit us.
Shall we press the button?
Take a deep breath and… reset!
Barbara Luna
