I first began meditating to relieve anxiety and PTSD symptoms after the birth of my first child. My therapist taught that practicing breathwork and meditation could bring the same results as medication to lower my blood pressure and slow trauma responses. During my mediumship training in the UK, I learned that this breathwork would also be an important part of my mediumship and intuitive work.

What is Breathwork? 

Breathing helps circulate energy in our bodies as well as relax us. Breathwork is an ancient practice that aims to release stress from the body and bring a state of wellbeing. Many eastern practices like yoga and tai chi use breathwork to tune into our bodies, develop self-awareness, and feel deeper emotions. Bringing awareness to breathing helps you tap into your true essence and connect to your own spirit—the basis for intuitive work.

When we are stressed we tend to breathe more quickly and shallowly which can cause further anxiety and even mimic a panic response in our nervous system. When oxygen is decreased to your bloodstream this can create a nervous system response in your body or cause you to feel you are in fight or flight mode. 

When we breathe deeply and mindfully this can have an instant effect on our bodies ability to relax and maintain a sense of safety. When you take a deep breath your brain essentially tells your body that it is okay to relax. 

There is promising research to support the many benefits of breathwork. A Harvard Business Review study recently published that “Changing the rhythm of your breath can signal relaxation, slowing your heart rate and stimulating the vagus nerve, which runs from the brainstem to the abdomen, and is part of the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the body’s “rest and digest” activities (in contrast to the sympathetic nervous system, which regulates many of our “fight or flight” responses). Triggering your parasympathetic nervous system helps you start to calm down. You feel better. And your ability to think rationally returns.

Benefits of Breathwork 

Improved mental focus

Better sleep

Improved outlook

Increased feelings of wellbeing or joy

Elevated mood

Controlled breathing may also affect the immune system

Although there are benefits to breathwork, you don’t need to develop a formal breathwork practice to get the benefits of mindfulness and deeper breathing, especially when it comes to developing intuition and making mediumship connections. Simply being aware of your breath can have a great impact on you immediately. 

An Anchor for Intuitive work 

Have you ever heard the expression “take a deep cleansing breath?” Breathing is often used to “clear” the mind and help us connect to our intuition. Your breath is an anchor for meditation, intuitive work, and mediumship.  As you begin to connect with your intuition, your conscious mind will always want to interfere, because most of us have many thoughts coming in and out of our mind at any given moment. Focusing on your breath will occupy the conscious mind and allow you to receive information through your intuitive senses more easily as well as help your physical body to relax. 

How Breathing Helps with Mediumship: The Mirror of the Mind

One of the first books I read on mediumship was A Guide for the Development of Mediumship by Harry Edwards. Published in 1956 before the popularity of breathwork in the West, Edwards talks about the importance of “entering into the stillness” and introduces The Mirror of the Mind concept in which he states, “The consciousness is unable to hold two distinct sets of thought impressions at the same time. Hence, the developing medium has the need to learn the way of clearing the mirror of physical thought and so allow it to receive spirit thought and impressions.” Focusing on the breath is the most simple and effective way to “clear our mind.” If you are a developing medium, beginning the practice of taking a deep and mindful breath to strengthen your connection to your Spirit communicator can improve your mediumship and keep you focused in your work.  

Try this simple technique: Deep abdominal breathing. 

Inhale slowly through your nose taking in a long, deep breath. As you breathe, you can visualize your breath filling up your lungs. Your belly and chest should both expand as you inhale. When you exhale, your chest relaxes, and your belly pulls back in toward your spine. You may feel the instant relaxation from this simple technique. Many people also feel an expanded sense of awareness or consciousness after deep abdominal breathing. 

Any downside to breathwork?

While it is completely safe to simply be more mindful of your breath and practice deep abdominal breathing, take things slow and listen to your body.

If you are new to breathwork some techniques could cause hyperventilation or other effects such as:

Dizziness

Feeling of pins and needles

Rapid heartrate

Ringing in your ears

These are all signs of hyperventilation

Further reading:

How to Breathe by Ashley Neese This book has lots of exercises for beginners including 25 customized practices that the author has created for clients over the last decade. Each practice features an introduction explaining the origin, benefits, and purpose of the breathwork, followed by step-by-step instructions and post-practice notes.  

The Power of Breathwork by Jennifer Patterson includes 25 simple exercises that can be practiced alone or with a partner. The author, practitioner, and grief worker Jennifer Patterson begins by explaining what breathwork is, why you should try it, and how it can be used to heal the bodymind. Then, you'll learn what happens in your physical body, energetic body, and emotional body as you practice it. Before you start the exercises, find useful tips on building an altar, using scent, visualizations and grounding, and somatic writing prompts to help support your practice.

Try this Guided Meditation: Connect to your own energy

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Read next Getting in Alignment with Your Intuition