Have you heard of Breathwork?
According to Wikipedia, Breathwork is a term for various breathing practices in which the conscious control of breathing is said to influence a person’s mental, emotional, or physical state, with a therapeutic effect.
This concept is seen as New Age, but when you think about it, breathing is just another part of everyday life.
During childbirth, breathing techniques are used for pain management and to keep mom (and therefore, baby) calm.
People in the midst of crisis or other times of duress are encouraged and reminded to “take a deep breath,” to help facilitate control of their emotions.
So if there’s a way that we can utilize the natural phenomenon of simply inhaling and exhaling to bring about calm and inner peace, why wouldn’t we?
According to holistic health practitioner, Heather Stang, “Breathing exercises are one of the most helpful things you can do when you are grieving or stressed.”
The “Three Part Breath” technique she shares on her website is specifically geared toward grief. The idea behind it is to bring your awareness back to your own body and the present moment. It helps to calm the physical body and stave off worry which is also a side-effect of grief.
Because I am a lifelong, chronic breath holder – an issue I had to work through when I was taking yoga instructor training – breathwork techniques haven’t come entirely easy to me. It has been something I’ve had to work at, instead of instinctively holding my breath during times of pain, shock, or stress.
But it works.
Taking a few moments to utilize simple breathing techniques has absolutely provided quick relief when I have needed it. It’s not a quick-fix cure-all – nothing is – but it will help in the moment as that is specifically what it is for,
One easy technique that we employed in my basic yoga classes was the 5-5-5-5 box breathing technique.
In this technique, you will breathe in, slowly, through the nose, for five seconds.
Then, you hold that breath for another five seconds.
Exhale slowly through either nose or mouth for five seconds.
Then hold for another five.
Don’t force it if it isn’t working for you or if you feel dizzy or lightheaded, but if it helps, you can repeat it a few times as needed.
(There are multiple videos online that demonstrate the technique well.)
When we are deep in the recesses of a tough grief wave, it can seem like there is nothing that will help us get through it. Breathwork is a helpful way to get even just the smallest amount of relief at these more serious times.
And a few moments of calm during the hardest parts of grief are beyond valuable.
So do like the Faith Hill song says, and “just breathe.”
It seems like something so basic, yet it works like magic.
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About Layla Beth Munk
Layla Beth Munk is a blogger & author who was thrust into this widowhood journey abruptly and tragically on February 11, 2018. Her husband of 12 years had ended his pain once and for all. She soon made the decision that she would not let his final decision define the rest of her life or their daughter’s life, so with her sense of humor at the helm, she started writing about her newfound station in life. Grief waves still get to her, and probably always will, but with the help of her fellow widows as well as friends and family, she has been able to realize her dream of becoming a published author! Layla is so grateful to Hope For Widows Foundation for providing this level of support to her, and so many others! Layla has two amazing children, one who is grown and one who is almost grown. She lives in eastern Oregon and has a wellness & beauty background. Layla enjoys writing poetry, watching anime, and homeschooling her daughter.
Her blog can be found at laylabethmunk.medium.com and her debut novella, 24 Hours in Vegas, is available on Amazon.
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