Breathwork as Service

I desperately wanted to be of service when the quarantine hit, but I was unsure how given the physical restrictions.

I began with a public post where I offered to shop for anyone who didn’t feel comfortable going outside. That action alone was an empowering step. It inspired something in me, and I knew my health and availability put me in a unique position to be able to help others during this unprecedented time. I would be able to support my community, family, friends, and others while still maintaining social distancing and staying healthy.

As we encounter a time like no other in recent history, we need to explore new tools to add to our routines in order to cope. I saw people searching for ways to feel less anxious, less stressed, more in control of themselves. Each day seems to bring more news, more challenges – isolated inside our houses, some of us with our family, some of us with roommates, some of us completely alone; we are experiencing this pandemic in different ways, and thus our usual tools may not be enough to help us cope.

I asked Spirit often, “How can I be of service to others while utilizing my skills and staying true to who I am?” The message came through that these unprecedented circumstances could invite creative, new ways of supporting others. I felt a calling to share the practice of breathwork, and I decided to offer weekly classes over Zoom.

Breathwork, or conscious, controlled breathing, is something that could be accessible to anyone, anywhere.

I know in my heart that every human on the planet would find benefit from doing some level of breathwork every day. I’ve seen the changes in myself and so many others from just one session. Various exercises, or “breaths”, help you access different parts of your soul. It creates an enlivening and awakening at your core, making you feel grounded and strong. With a clearer mind and a sense of purpose, you feel more ready to take on the day and its inevitable challenges. Or it can help you unwind at the end of the day, finding peace within yourself. With breathwork, you are able to discover and experience who you are underneath all of your external surroundings and identities. You are able to separate your spiritual self and who you are from all of the doing and thinking. 

I have now taught two classes, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. A few attendees have said they felt better after the class than they have felt during the entire quarantine. Others have said breathwork helped them realize they are in control of their bodies, their emotional responses, the way they feel inside. Others have said it helped them realize how much tension they had been holding in their bodies, allowing them to feel physical benefits as well as emotional/mental benefits. Many immediately spoke of friends they thought breathwork would really help.

I get just as much out of the classes as those who attend. It is a true honor to be trusted enough to teach others something new and to be a support of some kind while quarantined.

Humbly, I ask you, how can you use who you are (your passions, gifts, perspectives, skills) to be a support during this time? To me there is no action small enough. Search within yourself to figure out your own unique way to help others, but without pressure or prejudice. Just by being your unique, authentic self, you can exist and live in a way that supports others. From posting pictures of your adorable dog daily on Instagram to virtual yoga to organizing local food donations, it can all be a source of support for others. Something small to you may be the light someone needed in their day; alone in their apartment, a silly photo of your dog is the laugh they needed. Whatever you decide, wherever your soul guides you, trust that it is enough and it is necessary. 

If you’re interested in Kate’s breathwork classes, please visit thetruthinbeauty.com.