From Deep Breathing to Subtle Breathing
My breathing journey started the same way it starts for many people.
With deep breathing.
More specifically, the Wim Hof Method.
I was fascinated by the power of the breath.
The energy.
The clarity.
The feeling of being fully alive.
At the time, I had never experienced anything quite like it, it was an absolute trip.
The practice taught me something very important:
Breathing has the power to completely change how you feel.
For that lesson, I will always be grateful.
But over time, my understanding of breathing began to evolve.
Deep Breathing Reveals What Is Hidden
One of the greatest benefits of deep breathing is that it exposes the places where you are not breathing.
Most people think they breathe everywhere equally.
They don't.
After my yoga therapy training I began exploring full-body breathing again, and I was shocked.
My left side expanded differently than my right.
My back barely moved.
My ribs were stiff.
My pelvic floor felt disconnected.
My breathing patterns revealed tension patterns I didn't even know existed.
Deep breathing became a tool for awareness.
It showed me where I was holding.
Where I was bracing.
Where I was protecting myself.
The breath became a flashlight.
Every deep inhalation illuminated another corner of my body.
The Problem I Encountered
In my training we explored the Buteyko Method with reduced breathing practices.
I studied respiratory chemistry, carbon dioxide, nervous system regulation, and the science behind breathing less.
This opened an entirely new world.
I experienced profound changes in energy, focus, and overall health. It was the way for sure.
But I made a mistake.
I began trying to breathe less and less.
Instead of allowing breathing to become subtle, I was forcing it.
The result was subtle tension, I was enforcing my patterns I hadn’t worked through.
My back tightened.
My pelvic floor tightened.
My body began bracing without me realizing it.
Even though my awareness was improving, I was creating new restrictions.
I needed another breakthrough.
Returning to Deep Breathing
Ironically, the solution was returning to deep breathing.
But this time there was one important difference.
Everything happened through the nose.
No mouth breathing.
Only nasal breathing.
Slow.
Smooth.
Full body.
As I combined deep breathing with somatic movement and awareness, I began noticing things I had missed before.
I could breathe into areas that previously felt unavailable.
My ribs expanded more freely.
My back softened.
My pelvis became more responsive.
Instead of forcing less breathing, I was creating the conditions for less breathing to happen naturally.
That changed everything.
Why I Teach Nose Breathing Only
One thing I feel strongly about today is the importance of nasal breathing.
Especially during conscious breathing practices.
The mouth allows greater airflow.
This can make breath holds easier because more carbon dioxide is expelled.
But there is a cost.
When we practice with mouth breathing, we are practicing mouth breathing.
The nervous system learns whatever we repeatedly do.
The nose was designed for breathing.
It filters.
Humidifies.
Warms.
Pressurizes.
Creates nitric oxide.
Supports immunity.
Regulates airflow.
The mouth does none of these things.
The nose is your first immune defense system.
Breathing less air through the nose often means fewer irritants entering the lungs.
Humming and Chanting
Another discovery was the power of sound.
As I began adding humming and chanting into my breathing practice, everything became deeper.
The vibration helped focus the mind.
The humming stimulated the vagus nerve.
Nitric oxide production increased.
My awareness became more refined.
Instead of getting lost in thought, I could feel the breath.
Feel the body.
Feel the vibration.
Sound became a bridge between breathing and awareness.
The Secret: What Happens After
Most people focus on the deep breathing itself.
For me, the real magic happens afterward.
After several rounds of deep breathing.
After humming.
After chanting.
After the breath holds.
There is a moment.
A doorway.
The breath becomes incredibly subtle.
Effort disappears.
The body seems to breathe itself.
The entire system begins moving as one coordinated organism.
Not just the lungs.
Not just the diaphragm.
Everything.
The ribs.
The spine.
The pelvis.
The skin.
The tissues.
The whole body participates.
The mind becomes quiet.
Stillness appears naturally.
Nothing needs to be forced.
This is where I discovered what I had been searching for all along.
Not bigger breathing.
Not stronger breathing.
Not more breathing.
Simply better breathing.
The Three-Step Practice
Today my practice often follows a simple progression:
Deep Breathing
Open the body. Create awareness. Explore restriction.Humming or Chanting
Focus the mind. Create vibration. Stimulate the nervous system.Subtle Breathing
Sit quietly. Observe. Allow breathing to become effortless.
This simple sequence can completely transform how you feel.
More energy.
More clarity.
More awareness.
More peace.
And the best part?
Everything comes from your own body.
The breath is already there.
Waiting for you to discover it.
Less breath.
More awareness.
That is the journey.
