David Raithby and Linda Nicholls

Danger: breathing can be risky! We have been encouraging Consciously Breathing Deeply, CBD, for many years, and hundreds of people have reported astounding benefits. In spite of apparently brilliant results, most people also report that they somehow drop their CBD after a short while and don’t follow through with a regular practice. We have often wondered what a more thorough examination might reveal about breathing and its consequences.

A year ago, each independently of the other, we began a more rigorous and sustained practice of daily CBD, experiencing unusual, often beneficial, and sometimes exceptional, outcomes. We decided to bring our personal experience into our work at The Haven, resulting in the October 2008 ‘Breathe!’ workshop. Fifteen eager participants joined us – all of whom later agreed to continue a daily breathing practice afterward, and to let us know how it went. Now known as ‘Project Breathe’, we have been learning and recording the effects of regular CBD, and developing new approaches.

After several weeks of daily CBD (20 minutes per day, 6 days per week), Project Breath participants reported improved sleep, decreased stress, greater energy, more clarity of thought and action, decreased blood pressure, and a stronger sense of presence and ‘embodiment’. Some participants also reported increased ‘resistance’, as well as agitation and anxiety.

As Project Breathe continued, resistance, agitation and anxiety began to have a more apparent impact. After approximately six weeks of deep breathing, 80% of participants reported that they had quit their daily breathing, although most stated that they intended to take it up again because they loved the benefits. While they gave good reasons for stopping (illness, busy-ness, Christmas), there were also comments to the effect that they had stopped because they could not handle the anxiety of being so alive! Based on our parallel personal experience, the rising tide of anxiety/flow of life force energy is a powerful force. Regular CBD wakes up our authentic vibrational existence, ‘inspires’ and magnifies our natural inclination toward growth and connection, and may indeed be interpreted as a dangerous threat to maintaining our everyday status quo.

In our own breathing practices, continuous for almost a year, we are noticing even more subtle, and profound, results.

Linda is experiencing a reduction in emotional reactivity. She also quickly observes herself in reaction and then grounds with ease. This coincides with an ability to think more clearly and make new choices related to old patterns. Her decision-making is streamlined and her relationship to time is more relaxed. She is incorporating CBD with meditation as a dimension of her spiritual connection within herself and with others. Her deeper longings for growth, pleasure and adventure in her life are stimulated, thereby presenting a challenge.

David became aware of heightened connectivity, and an increase in authentic motivation, such that at one point events just ‘happened’ and he was able to take action, and achieve amazing outcomes, without ‘trying.’

We do not believe that Consciously Breathing Deeply is ‘the answer’, nor will we even say definitively what the results are. However, there is much evidence of improved health and wellbeing, increased clarity and authentic purpose, and stronger connection. Along with others, we are daring ourselves to continue Consciously Breathing Deeply and to record our experiences through Project Breathe. We invite you to join us. Breathe at your own risk!