The Importance Of Breath Work: Creating Congruent Breath Energy

We get up every day, breathing – we don’t have to think about it, we just take for granted that we can feel the beat of our heart, and the consistent feeling of an inhale and exhale, inhale and exhale – over and over again.  Older children and adults, when resting, usually breathe about 12-20 times per minute. Over the course of a day, that adds up to 17,000 – 30,000 breaths per day — or even more!  That’s 17,000 – 30,000 times of unconscious happenstance breathing every day.

In some of the most ancient languages of the world, the word for “Breath” is the same as the word for “Soul” and “Universe” – that’s what you can call “A CLUE”!   You were born breathing diaphragmatically, babies do it with no problem at all; but, going from a horizontal position to a walking person, then sitting in a school desk all day, then to a work desk – just knocks the innate breathing right out of you.

As we grow up and “adult” we get hit with big emotions, events, breakups, naysayers, etc, and all of these affect your breathing.  (Think about times when you were in an argument with someone. What happened to your breathing? What about when a teacher/boss/parent ridiculed you – what happened to your body, your breath, your hear?)  Eventually, these changes are so habitual that they form a new way of breathing, which is to say that you are no longer using your diaphragm (your soul, your universe, your God Given Right) and you become disconnected from your true self. You also become simultaneously disconnected from others – the larger collective soul, consciousness, the larger Universe.

Our bodies provide for us the air, the oxygen to keep us alive; but do you know how to breathe for your LIFE?  That is to say, to breathe in a way that reconnects you to YOU, who you are, your life’s mission, your soul’s calling. To breathe in a way that also connects you to others…..

In my work over the past 3 decades, I have found that roughly 95% of people do not use their diaphragm consciously.  Actually, most people don’t know they have a diaphragm, they just figure their lungs are doing all the work by themselves.  Those that do know they have a diaphragm usually have no clue what it looks like, where it is, how it operates, and how to use it on purpose, with intention, to create Congruent Breath Energy.  I’ll tell you what that is in a moment.

When I work with someone for the very first time, or even when I lead a group at a seminar, the first thing I do is WATCH.  (Everyone thinks speaking/singing is about listening, but WATCHING is so much more important).  I watch the shoulders, the chest, the neck, the chin, the knees, the abdomen, the mouth, the fingers – and, yes, the diaphragm. I’m looking for vertical breathing vs horizontal breathing, how each muscle is working with the adjoining groups of muscles, where the person is holding tension (often, in the knees – and that constrains the voice just as much as holding a guitar body and trying to create a sound with the strings. Sound needs resonance; tension inhibits resonance).  Sometimes I close my eyes and listen to the breathing, the speaking, or the singing – I’m able to intuitively and empathically feel what my client is feeling.  Merging the two together, I get a very good big picture of what is really going on – not just speaking-wise, but physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, what’s blocking that person- and how to help that person to get over it, through it, on it – to Blossom into the person they are meant to be.

What is Congruent Breath Energy? 

When your breath energy, which comes from command of the diaphragm, matches your words, your physicality, and most importantly matches the person you REALLY ARE INSIDE, you have Congruent Breath Energy.  When you achieve this, you are unstoppable, in the flow, in the know, “ONE WITH” and can produce your desired outcome on command wherever and whenever you want.  Why?  Because Congruent Breath Energy allows you to truly connect with your audience, they “feel” you instead of just “hear” and “see” you, and they feel GOOD.  They can relax.  It all makes sense to them on an energetic, subliminal, unconscious, cellular subatomic level – they trust you, so they’ll likely buy from you, listen to you, follow you, and do what you ask.

What’s the opposite of this? Incongruent breath energy-someone who is saying the right things but their breath energy is weak, off, they are too quiet, they lack tone, they lack authority.  When the “audience” encounters this person, they just don’t trust them on a subliminal level; yet, they usually do not realize why.  They just don’t feel like listening, buying, following, or doing what you asked.  They are confused energetically and spiritually about who you are, and what you’re really about – they doubt you and your intentions – and a confused mind ALWAYS says NO.  No sale, no partner giving you what you want, no team building, no go.

Guess which category most people fall into?  You guessed it – Incongruent breath energy.  This is so common, I’m sure you can relate to at least one of these scenarios:

Have you ever used all the right words but did not get the outcome you desired? 

• If you’re in sales, say network marketing which requires a ton of relationship marketing,  have you ever said your 30 second story, gone on a prospect call, used your perfect script, trained to a Tee, but – nothing, nada, zilcho happened….or worse yet, crickets…..zzzzzzzz…..?
• Have you ever talked with  your partner or your child and chose the ever-so-right words, and the ever-so-right time, but….you did not get what you wanted?
• If you are in a job, or went on an interview for a job, have you ever pitched for the promotion or had a “perfect” interview where you said all the right things, answered every question accurately, and remembered all of the etiquette – but did not get the promotion, and did not get the job?

These instances dumbfound people.  How can I say all the right things, look “right” for the part, follow my script perfectly, and yet I didn’t get the sale, the job, the promotion, or the partner?

They are disappointed, crest-fallen and start to doubt that they are moving in the right direction. Some people give up, some people quit, some people get divorced, some people wonder why they ever became a parent in the first place – the list goes on and on, and on.  THIS is not a good way to live.  Congruent Breath Energy and Breath Work in general is ALWAYS a good idea to anyone who wants to be a person of Influence and even a person of Affluence.

5 Simple Steps Towards Congruent Breath Energy: 

1. Use Power Posture: Stand with feet under shoulders – this keeps you in a balanced center, which allows your diaphragm and lungs to move unrestrictedly.
2. Think Horizontally:  Breath downward, imagining your torso moving out in a round, 360 degree fashion.
3. Watch The Shoulders:  Watch your shoulders – they should not be moving up and down with each breath, they should be still
4. Breathe Purposefully:  A few times a day, give yourself a few minutes to consciously breathe (steps 1-3) slowly, in through the nose or through pursed lips as if you’re drinking your breath through a straw; hold for a few seconds, and release slowly through the mouth. Three of these and you’ll already feel much more grounded and relaxed
5. Warm Up: Before a presentation, sales call, or a “big talk” with a loved one, warm your body and voice up. Speaking is an athletic endeavor, so stretch your neck, shoulders, back, and jaw.

Working with me will help you on all of these levels, and more.  If you desire a life that matches who you want to be inside, give me a call. I offer a free 30 minutes coaching session for all potential clients.