Breath precedes movement.
This holds true in sports, yoga, all other movement practices, and life itself. Breath is the stabilizing force
of your core. To breathe is to be alive, to BE.
Learn how to stop and catch your breath, to breathe with intention, and to alter the path you take via breath.
Lisa integrates appropriate breathing practices into all her work.
The style is dependent on intention:
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Breathing to access the relaxation response; vagus nerve parasympathetic breathing
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Traditional yogic pranayama
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Breathing for resilience, improved HRV and cardiovascular function
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Deep Breathwork for Somatic Processing
It is with and through these practices that you will help recover your Self. Perhaps a little calm was what you needed/sought. A new point of view may come with a change of focus. Perhaps you will get clues, signs, or guideposts as your mind quiets. Maybe the "zone" or "flow state" of practice reminds you of who you really are.
And conceivably, with these new paradigms you will realize your body's innate preference for balance and ability to mend.
Breathing for Calm
This is the core of all breath practices; everyone should begin here. Spend some time each day with simple techniques to access the Relaxation Response (the opposite of the Fight or Flight Response). The Parasympathetic Nervous System (the opposite of Sympathetic) is primarily accessed through the ventral branch of the vagus nerve. Learn to calm your body and breath, and the mind will follow. Just like that Fight or Flight reaction, your body is hard-wired to relax. If you haven't practiced in a while, you'll just need a little training.
Traditional Yogic Pranayama
"Prana" translates to "life force", which includes breath. As one of the Eight Limbs of Yoga, Pranayama is intended to expand pranic energy; the practice of breathing expands the capability to breathe AND increases the subtle energy. Theological concepts of breath have led many of the world's traditions to feature respiratory exercise. The theme of breath, along with related notions of vitality and energy, have been associated with views of the soul and higher power (respiration = re-spiriting). In yoga, we look to "yoke" or bind elements. In pranayama practices, perhaps you choose mind + body, breath + mind, body + spirit.
Breathing for Resilience
Stress. Life. Pandemic.
Physical resilience refers to the body's ability to adapt to change, maintain stamina and strength, and recover quickly and efficiently. It is a person's ability to function and recover when faced with illness, accidents, and physical demands.
Psychological resilience refers to the mental fortitude to handle these challenges and adversity.
Our resilience practices train the entire body to become more resilient. To bounce back.
What is YOUR stress? The physical demands of a sport or labor? The emotional drain of the pandemic? The intellectual exhaustion of a career? The constant juggling in a life full of busy-ness?
ANY breathing practice you do will help with resilience. When done with intention and fine-tuned to your specific needs, the outcomes are better.
Breathwork for Somatic Processing
What if you could alter your state of awareness and tap into unknown capabilities?
- a state where intuition is heightened
- a place in which your body flows while your mind stays in the zone
- a consciousness of creativity, wisdom, peace, love
- a moment in which you recognize your own barriers and limitations, and see them for what they are worth.
And what if while "there" you unlocked your own secrets to success, better health, and a life truly lived?
There is. And to get there you DON'T need drugs, alcohol, plant medicine...a guru or shaman...a trip to far off lands...any special equipment.
Just a little guidance and support. The experience. The practice.
"Come for the altered state. Stay for the healing." Lisa
Lisa uses an active, rhythmic, intent-driven style of breathwork to facilitate her clients' arrival into deeper and useful states. Her style is based in tradition, passed down by a Master in his craft. It has been enhanced by experience, study, practice, and integration. It is centered around the natural intellect of the body to move towards ease and balance; healing.
Whether it is practiced in-person or virtually, privately or in a group setting, or for a few minutes or an hour, the Breathwork is always personalized to your intent as well as your responses during the practice.
It truly is an experience for the entire body...so get out of your thinking mind and listen to and with your whole body. The work is transformational.
