PREPARING FOR

BREATHWORK

THE WEEK OF

HYDRATION

If your daily water consumption is on the low side, now’s a great time to start boosting your hydration! A properly hydrated body yields a vessel primed for this very experience.

EXPECTATION-HOLDING

Be mindful of any preconceived expectations you may be carrying. Try to cut attachments to any and all possible outcomes you may have built up about your upcoming session (i.e. what will happen, how you’ll feel, or what your result will be). Like anything in life, whenever we build up specific expectations that aren’t met (intentionally or otherwise), disappointment and frustration invariably follows. Therefore, give yourself a priceless gift by arriving with an open and receptive spirit that trusts your breath and body to do precisely what you need (not necessarily want…big difference!).

JOURNALING

If you find yourself struggling with expectations, fear, anxiety, uncertainty, or focus as you prepare for your session, rest easy. You’re not alone! Surrendering and yielding control to this process and experience can be challenging (it’s still challenging even for me!).

And so, if you need some assistance organizing and funneling this “anticipatory energy” toward your upcoming session, try these journal prompts. I have found great clarity answering prompts in a “stream of consciousness” fashion. Don’t think…just write/type whatever comes to mind until you feel complete:

  • If I meet a friend that I haven’t seen in 10 years, how would I tell or describe my life right now to them?

  • What is currently keeping me awake at night?

  • What is one thing I simply cannot let go of? Why might that be?

  • What were the 5 most significant events or situations that happened to me last year? Who/What was involved? Reflect on why that experience stands out now.

  • What would I like to see manifest in this new year?

  • What wish, vision, and intention is inside of me itching to be set free and come alive?

  • What would I like to create in the coming year?

  • When I find myself sitting here, this time next year—what goes on that “5 most significant events or situations” list?

PREPARATORY READING

Whether it’s a private, group, half or full-day session, I do my best to provide as much education as time allows…everything from neurophysiology to transformative consciousness with many stops in between!

Please prime yourself for your upcoming experience by clicking the “Preparatory Breathwork Reading” button below.

THE DAY OF

REST / NUTRITION

Make an effort to get a good night’s sleep (it will do wonders for your process!) Try to eat a light, balanced meal/snack no more than 2-hours before your actual session; go easy on the caffeine and generous with water.

Remember, you’ll be belly breathing and want to be able to make the full-range of stomach contractions as comfortably as possible. Also, there is only a certain amount of energy the body can move at once. You want those reserves hyper-focused on your Breathwork process and not siphoned off to your digestive tract trying to deal with excess food or caffeine.

Need a suggestion? My go-to meal/snack is Avocado Sprouted Grain Toast (topped with or without an egg) with a side of berries and Green Tea. It’s perfectly balanced on all fronts!

WHAT TO WEAR

Dress comfortably in soft fabrics that aren’t too restrictive (yet not too “long and flowy,” as they could cause you to trip). Choose a combo that will readily conform to and encourage any range of motion your body might dictate. It’s hard to go wrong with comfortable workout gear…yoga pants/shorts and a tank/t-shirt!

CONSIDER…WHAT DO YOU WANT?

Whether you’ve chosen to journal or not, it’s helpful to find some solitude the day of your session and meditate on the intention you’d like to bring to your session.

An intention is very different from an expectation; this is your want…your burning question…a theme or dynamic that you want to experience in your session. Even though you’ll briefly meditate upon your intention before your patterned breathing begins, giving yourself a jumpstart on this process can be extremely helpful (especially if this is your first time!).

That being said, it’s completely acceptable (and sometimes preferable!) to simply remain open and receptive to whatever might come your way during your session.

It’s completely up to you!