So, here’s the thing. Breathwork isn’t new. It’s not some wellness trend that popped up because stressed-out executives needed a way to chill before their next Zoom meeting.
Every ancient civilisation had a breath-based practice. And they weren’t just using it to “relax” but to access deeper states of consciousness, heal trauma, and rewire the mind.
- The Vedic yogis weren’t practicing pranayama just to “feel calm” – they used it to dissolve the ego and merge with something bigger than themselves.
- Buddhists didn’t meditate on the breath to focus better at work – they used it to break free from suffering.
- Shamans used it to enter trance states, process emotions, and connect with realms beyond the physical.
In other words, breathwork wasn’t about calming down – it was about waking up.
But here we are, in the age of wellness trends, and most people treat breathwork like a slightly upgraded version of deep breathing before a stressful meeting.
We’ve forgotten what this practice is really about.
The Ego, the Subconscious, and the Breath
Let’s talk about your ego.
That little voice in your head that:
- Overanalyses everything.
- Makes you doubt yourself.
- Convinces you that this is not the right time to start, so maybe later.
Carl Jung spent his life studying the unconscious mind…the parts of ourselves we suppress, ignore, or straight-up pretend don’t exist.
And breathwork? It’s one of the few tools that lets you access that hidden world without psychedelics, therapy, or moving to a cave in the Himalayas.
- Ever had a breathwork session where old emotions rise up out of nowhere?
- Ever started breathing deeply and suddenly felt like you were shaking off years of tension?
- Ever gone so deep into your breath that your thoughts just… stopped?
That’s not an accident. That’s your breath overriding your ego.
It’s like tricking your mind into letting go before it realises what’s happening.
The Science is Finally Catching Up
For years, people brushed off breathwork as that thing hippies do.
But now? The science is finally confirming what ancient traditions knew all along:
- Deep breathing shifts brain function. You stop overthinking and start experiencing.
- It rewires the nervous system. The fight-or-flight switch turns off.
- It changes your entire physiological state. You don’t just feel different – you are different.
Science is useful, but let’s be real – you don’t need a study to tell you breathwork works. You just need to do it.
Why Breathwork is NOT Just Another Trend
Western culture loves to take ancient practices, strip them down, and turn them into productivity hacks.
- Meditation became an app for stressed-out executives.
- Yoga became a fitness trend.
- Psychedelics are becoming a billion-dollar industry.
But breathwork? This isn’t something you “do” to optimise your life. It’s a return to something ancient. A remembering. A tool for waking up.
And if you’re only using it to ‘relax’ after a long day, you’re missing the point.
Breathwork is a doorway – one that’s been used for thousands of years to explore the subconscious, dissolve the ego, and tap into something far beyond the thinking mind.
Want to go deeper?
I’ve created a WhatsApp group for like-minded people who are serious about breathwork – not just as a practice, but as a way of understanding the mind, the body, and the deeper layers of self.
Click the link here to join the group and start exploring this work on a deeper level.