Entering The Psychedelic Space Without Medicine: Breathwork
by MADELINE FERGUSON
Once you’ve entered the psychedelic space and learned the healing and connection that can take place it can feel exciting to go back. While plant medicines are wonderful tools, it doesn’t always take the use of them to get into that familiar headspace.
This series of articles on The Utah Bee will focus on alternative ways to tap into your inner knowing, starting with breathwork.
We all know the feeling of catching ourselves holding our breath in moments of sadness or breathing way too fast in moments of anxiety and we all understand the simple act of taking a deep breath holds, it quite literally keeps us alive.
Experts in the field of breathwork often teach that the way you breathe is a mirror of the way you live. Being able to concentrate and focus on breath is a tool for having better emotional control in your life.
Many therapists use breathwork as a means of uncovering past traumas or buried emotions in order to fully heal them rather than continue to run from the hard things. In addition to helping us feel our feelings, breathwork can also help alleviate and move on from those hard feelings.
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Breathwork is so powerful in our bodies because of the parasympathetic nervous system. You may hear people refer to the vagus nerve, which is part of the parasympathetic nervous system. The vagus nerves control your heart rate, breathing and other involuntary responses in your body. The parasympathetic nervous system is our relaxation system while the sympathetic nervous system is our fight or flight system. Breathwork stimulates and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, aiding in relaxation.
When the body is relaxed the mind is free to wander, feel and be curious, opening the door to enter the more deep, ethereal psychedelic spaces that already exist in your own mind. Breathwork is a form of meditation, so it does take practice to train your body and mind to fully let go in order to enter an expanded state of consciousness.
There are many types of breathwork. Some forms are guided by a teacher or track and others are done alone simply by breathing in a certain way or inhaling and exhaling in various patterns. Whatever way you choose, it is important to take your time and continue practicing, it won’t always be perfect but the act of showing up for your breathwork is a powerful message to your mind that you’re willing to go there.
Some examples of different kinds of breathwork to try include:
Shamanic Breathwork - focuses on awakening the healer within oneself
Loving Kindness Meditation and Breathwork - Allowing yourself to receive the unconditional love you feel for others
Box Breathing - Anxiety relief
If you are looking to try breathwork but not ready to seek out a guide, the best place to start is with guided breathing practices. You can find some great ones on YouTube. Insight Timer is the best and most comprehensive app I’ve found. It has a massive catalog of breathwork meditations and courses for any experience level.
You’ll be amazed at the deep psychedelic places you can reach using breathwork and relaxation.
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