Will this practice relieve anxiety, stress, chronic pain, trauma and tension?

Anxiety, depression, stress, and chronic pain create interconnected pathways in the brain. We can disrupt and rewire distressing brain pathways through slow breathing and focused attention.
For most people, this kind of breathwork, if practiced with professional and caring guidance, can be a truly amazing tool to relieve pain & tension, calm anxiety, and feel more grounded. It is known to help heal, release, and restore aspects of ourselves that are impacted by traumatic events, and as such is recommended by many psychologists, psychotherapists and medical professionals.
Of course there are always different experiences and it certainly isn't the same for everyone. In rare cases Breathwork can also trigger feelings of suffocation and anxiety, which is why it is important to be practicing with a facilitator who can recognise the early stages of this and take you through the process to return to a safe & grounded place.

What will I feel?

Most people will feel clear, calm and deeply energised after a session. It's also normal to feel very tired, especially after big energy or emotional release. After & during breathing practices you can experience some tingling, trembling/shaking and contractions in your hands and feet (called tetany), and sometimes a sense of vibration throughout your whole body.

What is actually happening?

The practice of deep continuous conscious circular breathing stimulates the vagus nerve and allows for the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system & therefore a state of deep calm and relaxation. By moving out of sympathetic dominance into the parasympathetic, we can more intuitively connect with our inner selves and our essence, which can prompt a truly transformative shift. The stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system induces a deep rewiring of our nervous system.

The vagus nerve is a cranial nerve complex, connecting the brain to important organs throughout the body, and is responsible for inducing a feeling of safety and relaxation in the body, as its activation sends a signal to the body that it is time to de-stress and move out of hypervigilance. Deep belly breathing, or diaphragmatic breathing, stimulates the vagus nerve, serving as a critical component to maintaining balance within the autonomic nervous system. Numerous studies have shown that breathwork lowers the stress response and deactivates the sympathetic nervous system.

Breathwork both activates and potentiates DMT

(dimethyl terephthalate)

Additionally, breathwork both activates and potentiates DMT (dimethyl terephthalate) production in the brain. DMT is a potent psychedelic substance found in plant medicines that can be attributed to deep emotional and spiritual experiences. Using the breathwork allows us to access DMT cultivated from within (we don’t ingest anything foreign). Just as psychedelics have been shown to improve addiction, anxiety, and depression, so too has breathwork. It could be argued that working with DMT produced from breathwork (as opposed to psychedelics) is a safer alternative.

Breathwork shifts the balance between the body’s carbon dioxide and oxygen levels, prompting changes in states of consciousness as well as changes in our physiology.

In addition, deep intentional breathing balances out stress hormones by releasing feel-good hormones, like dopamine and serotonin, that promote a restful night's sleep.

Who should NOT practice Ecstatic Breathwork?

Ecstatic Breathwork is not recommended during pregnancy, or for those with epilepsy, very high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, unmanaged diabetes/thyroid conditions, brain or abdominal aneurism, detached retina, or people suffering severe mental illness. If any of these apply, you are so welcome to join the session, and Uma will instruct you with a slightly different, safe breath technique.