Translated from Spanish.
What it is
Conscious, rhythmic breathing that takes the body and the mind into a deep state of expansion.
What a session is like
You lie down comfortably, guided by a facilitator. With certain ways of breathing, you let go of mental control and the body begins to speak: emotions, memories, warmth, tingling, laughter or tears. At the end, there is time for integration, to settle what you lived. A full session usually begins with a short preparation and a personal intention, continues with continuous, connected breathing to music that rises and falls like a wave, and ends with a deep rest in silence. People who live it often describe energy rising, emotions moving and, at the end, a very deep calm. At no point do you lose consciousness: you are in a state of presence.
Why it works
- It connects with the subconscious. As the analytical mind tires, emotions and memories appear that usually stay below everyday conversation. Many people feel they can look at their issues from their source, and not only from the surface.
- It regulates the nervous system. Breathing is the only autonomic function we can control at will, which makes it a direct “way in” to the nervous system. Slow, conscious breathing raises vagal tone and heart rate variability, both markers of resilience to stress.
- Evidence: in 2023, a Stanford University study published in Cell Reports Medicine found that just 5 minutes a day of conscious breathing (cyclic sighing) improved mood and lowered resting breathing rate more than mindfulness meditation for the same time.
- Full sessions go further. If 5 minutes already make a difference, a full guided session adds time, music, a safe space and support, and lets you reach a much deeper state. A meta-analysis of controlled trials (Fincham and colleagues, 2023, Scientific Reports) found that conscious breathing practices reduce stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and studies of Sudarshan Kriya, a longer guided breathing practice, report similar results. It is reasonable to expect a full session to deepen those effects, and that is why living it in person feels different from practising a few minutes at home.
Who should check first
Pregnancy, epilepsy, cardiovascular disease, uncontrolled high blood pressure, a history of psychosis or severe panic attacks: check with your doctor and let us know.
As in all our practices, you do not lose control here: you are awake and present, while your nervous system calms down so you can come back to yourself.
