What’s the difference between Breathwork and Meditation?
“Take a deep breath”
A phrase oftentimes used when someone is stressed, agitated or frustrated. A solid advice - as long as you remember to also exhale.
The demand for inner wellness is increasing rapidly, and it is becoming a higher priority to find new and effective ways to do so. Breathwork and meditation are both forms of mindfulness exercises that can help treat stress amongst others.
“Breathwork is like 15 years of therapy in 1 hour”
There might still be confusion about what breathwork exactly is. The very short answer is that Breathwork is an active meditation or an umbrella term referring to a wide variety of breathing exercises and techniques. Often referring to deep, diaphragmatic breathing or belly breathing, which trigger relaxation responses in the body.
Breathwork has been around for hundreds of years, beginning with ancient practices like Pranayama or yoga breathing. Some are easy to do at home, breath hacks to increase or decrease energy, create calm, or you can join in for longer sessions of more deep and profound Breathwork together with a guide or facilitator in group or private.
The intention and purpose differs, but in general breathwork can help to improve one's physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health and well-being. Breathwork usually builds on ancient techniques, which might have been modernized and the practices have varied levels of difficulty, from beginner to advanced. Within published research, breath work is sometimes referred to in terms of “interventions” such as diaphragmatic breathing, breathing techniques, or even breathing rehabilitation.
Breath work includes specific breathing practices like Conscious Connected Breathing, Circular Breathing, Breathwork Healing, Holotropic breathing, Wim Hof which sometimes are called advanced breathing techniques and can be used in a therapeutic purpose too.
Health benefits of Breath Work
Many turn to breathwork for instant stress or anxiety relief, which is perfect as our breath can help balance and regulate our nervous systems, and work on our switch between the sympathetic nervous system (fight & flight) and the parasympathetic nervous system (rest & digest). However, research shows a variety of health and wellness benefits and quality of life improvements that Breathwork may provide including improved organ and blood health, improvements to their circulatory systems, help managing their moods, and aid for better sleep or insomnia.
Read more about benefits here
The difference between BreathWork and Meditation?
Meditation is one of the most common self-care practices and has been widely practiced, praised and talked about for years.
What is meditation?
Meditation is a mindfulness practice often used to help find calm one's mind, relieve stress, ground down, improve mental health and focus in the present moment. With different techniques people observe their thoughts and feelings, no judgment or acting, just be.
Benefits of meditation
Meditation often comes with the benefits of relaxation and a calming of the mind. Meditation on a regular basis has been proven to be highly beneficial for overall well-being, including improvements in stress levels, focus, sleep quality, and positive thinking. Meditation may decrease anxiety, fear, and symptoms of depression, burn out or fatigue.
Types of meditation
As with breathwork, meditation comes in various styles, sometimes grouped into categories: calming and insightful ones. Calming meditations gets us feeling relaxed, safe, and content in the moment. Insightful meditations might be focusing on our self-awareness and reflecting on our feelings and experiences. I often say that Breathwork is an active meditation, providing benefits from both above mentioned categories: calm and insights.
Some say that Breathwork and Meditation differs due to the fact that meditation requires breath work, but breathing techniques can be practiced on their own to cultivate mindfulness, and not necessarily needs to be practiced with meditation.
Personally, I do love the combination of Breathwork and meditation. If you would like to try a guidance of 10 days with Breathwork and meditation - recommend this one where you will practice calming, insightful meditations combined with Breathwork.
How to choose between breathwork and meditation?
Both breathwork and meditation have amazing benefits! If you get stuck in the choice - see if you just can start. That you do one of them is the most important thing! Don´t get caught in the comparison in between but maybe softly ask yourself?
Do you need a guide?
Would you like to do it at home?
Is there a purpose for you wanting to try one of them?
Would you like to create a daily routine, once a week…?
Do you have any underlying health conditions?
How to start with Breathwork or Meditation?
I love Breathwork and meditation. And my suggestion is to start with Breathwork. Why? Well, although they offer similar benefits, there are a simplicity to Breathwork that might get you into the practice quicker. Which in term often is good for continuity.
Below a few of suggestions or combinations:
Breath work and meditation together?
If you still can't choose I suggest: 10 days to relieve stress, anxiety, land you back in your body. This is a serie that will guide you through a variety of meditations, breathwork, various breath exercises to find tools to calm when needed, or deepen your inner spiritual work. It offers you deepened work, and it's wrapped in science or knowledge why this particular exercise.
Research actually shows that meditation and breathing exercises makes the brain waves connect better, making our left and right brain hemispheres synchronize affecting signals to reduce the production of stress hormones. In short these 10 days can create shifts in your brain waves, and take you from a worrying and stressful state to a loving, calm one.
The episodes are 10-25 min/day and it will make such a big difference.
Making time for you is so important! Some days you feel you are too stressed and don't have the time - on those days it is most likely even more so. Some breath exercises you will enjoy more - do them again. Some days will be more challenging - for sure do them again ;)
My biggest request is that if you go for it - try to do all 10 days, even if you do not do them for 10 consecutive days. They are all pieces of the puzzle to shift your energy, get more aware and raise your vibration.
Get our of your head and into your body and create a more free and loving relationship with You. Be curious about your inner landscape - the wild and untamed, and feel the natural flow beyond the resistance. Find tools for how we can nurture our body, mind, emotions and spirit.
Prioritize a moment for you to release stress, anxious thoughts and find the tools for you to strengthen your energy and raise your vibration.
“Change Your Energy - Change Your Life”
Breathwork - how and where?
Depending on you and your purpose, group or individual can be two options. You are more than welcome to join in for a longer group session Breathwork Stockholm or Breathwork Online, or if you prefer a private Breathwork session , duo/couple Breathwork session
Online Breathwork
Join a Community of Breathwork from the Comfort of Your Home
To breath online in the Comfort of Your Home can be a really deep and profound experience and you do feel the supportive group even not being physically present. Beautiful way to release stress, anxiety, and nervous system blockages, leaving you feeling lighter and empowered by the end.
These sessions are held online via Zoom and are just as powerful, and for some, easier than in-person Breathwork sessions dur to the relaxation of your home, enjoy a longer down-regulating phase, and having guidance through headphones or speakers.
Plus, less excuses… No need to drive or go anywhere after the session. The online sessions with Shape Your Vibe includes a replay available for seven days.
Breathwork Stockholm
Connect, explore and find your flow with a live group Breathwork in Stockholm. You will feel the support from others to release stress, anxiety, letting go and letting in, see clearly or just feel deeply relaxed. Breathwork is different every time - not always what you want, but most often what you need. Connect with your body and breath in a transformative breathwork session and see where the breath takes you. Our studio is located in the middle of Östermalm, Stockholm, and the Breathwork sessions are combined with Reiki Energy healing and are held by Breath Guide and Reiki Master Kia Agerhem.
Breathwork 1:1, Private Breathwork
To do a private Breathwork session is a magical self care! The session with Kia combines an transformative Breathwork technique that will connect you with your body and consciously move through and release energetic or physical blockages, creating an emotional detox. When breathing in private sessions we have the ability to go deeper on an individual level which sometimes can promote a greater sense of self. A supportive, coaching conversation will enfold our session together and during the session Reiki Energy Healing will be used.
Couple Breathwork or Duo Breathwork
You set the intention, and then we breathe. A Breathwork duo session together with your partner, friend, parent/child has the power to deepen your connection, move through a conflict, reignite that flame, heal old wounds or simply just create a tighter bond. We breathe and have a conversation together according to your needs, intention or purpose.
Corporate Breathwork
Our inner world can be mirrored by the state our breath is in. When stressed, the breath becomes short and unsteady. When we are in a flow state - our breath flows smoothly and calmly.
We can use breath, and Breathwork, to get to this flow state where we boost performance and productivity, at the same time as we release stress and anxiety, reducing the risk of burnout.
Breathwork can be a tool for major transformation that requires no prior experience. It is fun. Its effective and it will improve the mental, physical, and emotional health of your team and employees.
