5 Breath Workers You Should Know About
What is breathwork? If it's your first time hearing about it, it can sound kind of strange. However, controlling your breath is a powerful technique that can really transform how you feel.
By Erin O’Connor
Breathwork is exactly what it says on the tin - working with the breath. Some consider it a ‘new age’ practice, critics may even consider it ‘woo woo’. However, for as long as humanity has been around we’ve been breathing - I mean, we literally wouldn’t survive without it. Of course you already know how to breathe, but a breathwork practice gives you control and awareness of how you are breathing. I like to see breathwork not as this fancy, revolutionary concept, but a smart way of tapping into what we already have within us and sharpening our pre-existing tools to better the way we live.
It’s something we can do everyday, without taking up too much time or costing anything - if we are feeling cold, we can use our breath to make us feel warmer. On the flip side, if we’re running hot we can control our breath to cool ourselves down. It’s marvellous what it can do for us!
The state of our breathing can tell us so much about what’s going on inside - for example, if your breath is quite shallow and high up in the chest, this is a strong indication that we’re stressed or anxious. Inversely, if we are breathing from a little deeper (from the diaphragm or belly), this is a good sign that we are giving our bodies the best chance to function properly.
Where do you start though? Good news, you already have the tools. Now you have the opportunity to explore different techniques, be led by different people to help you
Here are 5 breathwork teachers to keep on your radar.
1. Richie Bostock
Richie initially went on a breathwork journey to help his father cope and heal from MS, but this skyrocketed him into transforming the lives of others too. Credit: @yogaandphoto
Richie, aka The Breath Guy, was drawn to the breathwork sphere when his dad was diagnosed with MS. Looking for ways to cope with autoimmune diseases, he came across Wim Hof (pioneer of cold exposure and specific breathing techniques) and subsequently headed off to Poland to train with him.
Richie’s work is holistic - he understands the fact that, just like conventional medicine, something that works for one might not work for another. So, the techniques he employs vary widely depending on who he’s working with and what issue they’re trying to deal with. He works with a plethora of people, from UFC fighters to Navy Seals to the everyday person looking to build a deeper connection to their body.
He’s just released his new book, Exhale, which is a comprehensive guide the world of breathing. You can find Richie here.
2. Rebecca Dennis
Rebecca’s approach to breathwork is very accessible and inclusive for all. Credit: @breathing.tree / Instagram
Rebecca has been practicing holistic and alternative therapies for over two decades, and is the founder of The Breathing Tree. She teaches conscious breathing to people of all ages, particularly helping throughout this age of uncertainty that we have found ourselves in. Rebecca teaches people how to connect with the natural rhythms of the breath to become empowered and free stagnant emotions, stress and fatigue. She’s also written an amazing book, giving a complete guide to conscious breathing. You can find Rebecca here.
3. Stuart Sandeman
Credit: @breathpod / Instagram
Stuart, founder of Breath Pod, uses 3 key principles in his approach to the breath: physical, mental/emotional and vibrational.
His journey into breathwork is an incredible one, and gives him a unique perspective on just how important and integral our breath is to our wellbeing. From competing internationally for the Scottish Judo team, to working in an incredibly fast paced and high-stress environment within the finance world, to then touring the world as an international DJ, he understands first hand the effects our lightning speed lifestyles are having on our health. It was also through the devastating loss of a loved one to cancer that he started practicing transformational breathing. You can Stuart here.
4. Aimee Hartley
Aimee and her daughter - her kids love breathwork! Credit: @breathe.well/ Instagram
Aimee is the founder of The Breathing Room and School Breathe, where she works specifically with children, helping to get them to breathe diaphragmatically to calm the nervous system and help them think clearer. She gives teachers practical and easy breathing exercises they can share with their students on a daily basis.
One of the few breathwork experts working specifically with kids (she also works with adults too), Aimee is helping to instil in kids from an early age the importance of checking in with yourself, for slowing down and prioritising mental as well as physical health. You can find her here.
5. James Dowler
Credit: @breathewithjames /Instagram
James came to breathwork as a way to deal with chronic fatigue and chronic pain. He curbed his symptoms after six months of dedicating time to working with breath, and now teaches others to not only support their physical health but help alleviate emotional issues.
If you’re not ready to invest in 1:1s, fear not - James offers 30 minute sessions 3 times a week (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) over on his Instagram. These sessions are dedicated to breathing for emotional integration, starting the day right and resilience respectively. You can find him here.
Want to know more?
Breathwork is something you can easily incorporate into your everyday life - any time you notice that you’re feeling anxious, stressed, overwhelmed (or all of the above!) you can easily manipulate your breath to soothe these feelings and calm down. It’s like having a life toolkit with you all the time! Give it a go, and see what happens.
ERIN O’CONNOR
Erin is a writer based in London. When’s she’s not attending a space rave, or attempting to make her own face scrub she is writing about anything and everything to do with wellbeing and mindfulness.
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