PARA         PRANA

Breathwork consists of breathing techniques that intentionally focus on and channel the breath. For thousands of years, Eastern medicine practices, including Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine, have utilized these techniques to soothe both the body and the mind.​

Breathwork offers a direct pathway for managing your autonomic nervous system. Think of it as a comforting remote control for your body's intricate wiring, allowing you to gently tune into relaxation when you need it or find a boost of energy when you're feeling drained. It's a way to nurture yourself and respond to your body's needs with compassion. Breathwork helps calm you and shift your body and mind out of fight-or-flight mode.  To fully understand how this works, it's important to know about your autonomic nervous system, which has two main components:

                     

                                   Your sympathetic nervous system is responsible for your body’s “fight-or-flight”                                            response. This system's activity increases when you’re stressed or in danger.

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                                  Your parasympathetic nervous system is the “rest-and-digest” part of your brain. It is                                       responsible for relaxing your body after periods of stress or danger.

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We all know that feeling when our heart races at the thought of being chased by a bear or needing to bolt from a burning building—that's our fight-or-flight mode kicking in. But in today’s fast-paced world, many of us find ourselves stuck in that same heightened state of tension, even when there’s no actual danger lurking. Major work deadlines, distressing news, financial worries, and even heated arguments with loved ones can trigger this response, leading to a constant sense of pressure.

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The autonomic nervous system (ANS) controls many important body functions, including:

• Heart rate: It speeds up your heart when you're stressed or exercising, and slows it down when you're resting.

• Breathing: It changes your breathing rate based on your activity level and oxygen needs.

• Digestion: by speeding or slowing gut activity through sympathetic and parasympathetic signals.

• Blood pressure: It keeps your blood pressure balanced to ensure blood flows well throughout your body.

• Body temperature: It helps keep your body temperature stable.

The ANS works like an autopilot for your body, making sure these vital functions run smoothly without you having to think about them.