Breathwork has become one of my favorite meditation techniques to teach my clients and to practice for myself. Breathwork is an active meditation technique in which we practice a controlled breath, allowing us to enter a meditative state in order release stress, tension, and blocked energy from the body and mind while achieving a wide array of benefits.
Some benefits of breathwork include:
Reduced stress and anxiety
Lower blood pressure
Increased focus
Controlled breathwork techniques can achieve these benefits by calming the central nervous system, activating the parasympathetic nervous system, and oxygenating the blood. One recent study found that during breathwork exercises several brain regions linked to emotion, attention, and body awareness are active (source). This suggests that the breath is a powerful tool for tapping into those brain regions to regulate stress and awareness. More research is being conducted on breathwork and the findings are showing the benefits are not only psychological but also physiological and physical (source).
Now there are many different breathwork techniques with various origins and benefits. In my opinion, no one technique is greater than the other – all just different tools we can use to achieve greater wellness in body and mind. Below are a few of my favorite breathwork techniques with background, written instructions, and audio instructions.
Breathwork Techniques
Rest Breath
Benefits –
Activates Parasympathetic Nervous System
Reduces stress
Formula –
Inhale for 4, Exhale for 6
Repeat for 2 -10 minutes
Box Breath
Benefits –
Sharpens focus
Formula –
Inhale for 4 seconds – Hold for 4 seconds – Exhale for 4 seconds – Hold for 4 seconds
Repeat for 2-5 minutes
Ladder Breath
Benefits –
Clears mind and sharpens focus
Formula –
Inhale for 1 – Exhale for 1 – Inhale for 2 – Exhale for 2 – Inhale for 3 – Exhale for 3 – Inhale for 4 – Exhale for 4
Begin again at 1 and work up to 4
Repeat for 2-5 minutes
4-4-8 Breath
Benefits –
Releases stress and tension
Formula –
Inhale for 4 – Hold for 4 – Exhale for 8
Make the 8 second exhales out of the mouth
Repeat for 2-5 minutes
4-7-8 Breath
Benefits –
Calms the nervous system
Formula –
Inhale for 4 – Hold for 7 – Exhale for 8
Make the 8 second exhales out of the mouth
Repeat for 2-5 minutes
Interrupted Breath
Benefits –
Cooling effect
Quickly release tension and rest
Formula –
Take 3 quick inhales through your nose – Take 1 long exhale out of the mouth
Only repeat for 30 seconds to 1 minute
Sun & Moon Breath
Benefits –
Balances left and right sides of the brain
Formula –
Plug right nostril and inhale through left nostril for 2-3 – Plug left nostril, open right nostril, and exhale through right nostril for 2-3 – Inhale right nostril for 2-3 – Plug right nostril, open left nostril, and exhale through left nostril for 2-3
Repeat for 1-2 minutes
3 Part Breath (Dirga Pranayama)
Benefits –
Grounding breath
Increases oxygen flow
Inspires presence
Formula –
Inhale deeply to chest, then ribs, then belly – Exhale deeply from belly, then ribs, then chest
Repeat for 2-10 minutes
Enjoyed the information in this article? Let me know in the comments and feel free to share out into the world! Happy Breathing 🙂
In this 35 minute class, I guide you through a juicy, full-body focused flow with the intention of indulging in all that In this 45 minute class, I guide you through a challenging flow with the intention of building strength, stamina, and trust to move thru all aspects of your life. Level: Intermediate-Advanced Emphasis: Full body Postures: Warrior 2, Revolved Lunge, Wide Legged Forward Fold, Standing Splits Duration: 45 Minutes
In this 35 minute class, I guide you through a juicy, full-body focused flow with the intention of indulging in all that the practice has for you. Level: Intermediate-Advanced Emphasis: Full body. Postures: Wide Legged Forward Fold, Side Lunge, Warrior 2, Side Plank, Forearm Side Plank. Duration: 35 Minutes
In this dynamic class, I guide you through a full body focused class in just 28 minutes with the intention of being dedicated and engaged with the present moment. Level: Intermediate-Advanced Emphasis: Full body. Postures: Revolved Crescent Moon, Warrior 2, Triangle, Core Stabilizers. Duration: 28 Minutes
In this action packed class, I guide you through a challenging vinyasa flow aimed at helping us get committed to the moment and the experience. Level: Intermediate-Advanced Emphasis: Full body. Postures: Crescent Lunge, Warrior 2, Triangle, Revolved Crescent Lunge, Side Plank, Wild Thing. Duration: 30 Minutes Includes music!
In this compact and succinct class, I guide you through a challenging vinyasa flow aimed at helping us become more present and then unlock our power. Level: Intermediate-Advanced Emphasis: Full body. Postures: Airplane Pose, Warrior 3 Pose, Bear Pose, Falling Star. Duration: 40 Minutes Music – Any music you like!
In this 40 minute class, I guide you through a short and sweet Vinyasa flow you can squeeze into your busy day! This class is aimed at opening and releasing tension as well as building strength and stamina in mind, body, and heart. Level: Intermediate-Advanced Emphasis: Full body. Postures: Side Lunge, Warrior 2, Revolved Triangle, Half Moon, Wild Thing Duration: 40 Minutes Music – Any music you like!
In this 35 minute class, I guide you through a short and sweet Vinyasa flow with a full body emphasis you can squeeze into your busy day! Level: Intermediate-Advanced Emphasis: Full body. Postures: Mountain, Crescent Lunge, Exalted Warrior, Warrior 2, Tree, Boat Pose. Music – Any music you like!
In this hour long class, we check in on our foundations and ground down to build and rise upward. Duration: 1 hour Level: Intermediate-Advanced Emphasis: Core, legs, arms. Postures: Warrior 1, Revolved Triangle, Wide Legged Forward Fold. Playlist: YouTube/Zoom Yoga – Burn – https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1Bw… Song Placement: “Fading” by Shallou for when we flow Sun A unguided, “I Feel You” by Sol Kaskade for building Sun B, “Shades” by Tchami for flowing Sun B, “Rain on Me” by Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande, “..Last Day” by Shallou for cool down, “New Endings” by Bon Vie for Savasanha.
In this hour long class, we aim to release tension from our bodies, minds, and hearts while also doing the necessary hard work to be successful achieving that sweet release. Prepare for a juicy class that gets into all those tight, tense areas of the body as well as a good sweat too! Duration: 1 hour Level: Intermediate-Advanced Emphasis: Hamstrings, hips, shoulders, chest, front line, back line, and side lines Postures: Wild Thing, Half Moon, Chipasana Playlist: YouTube/Zoom Yoga – Funky – https://open.spotify.com/playlist/35g… Song Placement: “Heal Me” by Lady Gaga for when we flow Sun A unguided, “The Journey” by Sol Rising for building Sun B, “Can You Feel It” by Boehm for flowing Sun B, “Say a Prayer for Me” by Rufus Du Sol for Core, “Electric” by Alina Baraz feat. Khalid for cool down, “Immunity” by Jon Hopkins for Savasanha.
In this 30 minute class, we softly move to and from gentle restorative postures to release tension from various spaces in the body and promote relaxation. This mini class perfectly integrates into a more rigorous exercise and vinyasa yoga regime, allowing you the opportunity to slow down and rejuvenate. Level: All-Levels Emphasis: Full body, back, chest, shoulders, hips Postures: Supported Child’s Pose, Puppy Pose, Butterfly Forward Fold, Supported Fish, Easy Twists, Legs Up the Wall Playlist: YouTube/Zoom Yoga – Restore https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1Qz… Song Placement: Simply play from beginning to end.
In this hour long class, we connect to constant source of strength, power, and light that we all have within us and use that to move through challenges. Just as clouds are temporary to the sky, our struggles and challenges are temporary to us, we will always get through them and back to the sun. Duration: 1 hour Level: Intermediate-Advanced Emphasis: Full body, shoulders, hips Postures: Stargazer, Airplane, Revolved Dancers Playlist: “YouTube/Zoom Yoga – Astral” Song Placement: “Breathe Deep” by July Child is for when we flow Sun A unguided. “Take Me Higher” by Sol Rising is for when we are building Sun B. “Love Can Only Change You” by Sol Rising is for when we flow Sun B. “Stupid Love” by Lady Gaga is for when we do core. “Stargazer” by Sol Rising is for when we cool down starting in Swan Pose. “Maybe They Will Sing For Us Tomorrow” by Hammock is for Savasana.
In this 50 minute class, I invite you to find patience for the situation and for yourself, to find your strength to work through challenges, and to find your breath to keep calm as you navigate the journey. Duration: 50 minutes Level: Intermediate-Advanced Emphasis: Full body, core, shoulders, and back. Postures: Handstand, Warrior 3, Airplane Playlist: “YouTube/Zoom Yoga – Edgy” – https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6lX1VfYkDp57Id8gsSgApZ?si=dLBh4vgKS_iRc4FTTUygAQ “Back Down” by Bob Moses is intended for when we flow Sun A twice through without guidance. “Tearing Me Up” by Bob Moses is intended for when we build Sun B. “Underwater” by Rufus Du Sol is intended for when we flow Sun B. “You Were Right” by Rufus Du Sol is intended for when we do Core. “Southern Sea” by Garth Stevenson is intended for Savasana.
In this hour long class, I invite you to feel and experiencing everything that comes up for you in your body, your mind, and your heart. I encourage to keep breathing through the easy and good, the hard and the dark, and continue the journey. Duration: 1 Hour Level: Intermediate-Advanced Emphasis: Fully Body + Hips Peak Postures: Flying Squirrel, Horizon Lunge, Crow
In this hour long class, I invite you to accept where you are and what you are experiencing, trust the process you are working through, and trust your own self to find your way. Duration: 1 Hour Level: Intermediate-Advanced Emphasis: Full Body + Core Postures: Side Crow, Revolved Crescent Lunge, Prayer Twist, Revolved 1 Legged Mountain
In this hour long class, I invite you to make the choice to bloom where you are planted, even if you find yourself in a space that feels difficult to bloom and flourish in. Recognize that you have what it takes to rise up and add beauty to the world where you are and as you are. Duration: 1 Hour Level: Intermediate-Advanced Emphasis: Full Body, Hips, Core Postures: Birds of Paradise, Wild Thing, Side Lunge
One of the reasons I love teaching Power Vinyasa Yoga is the creative process of drawing up the sequences I guide my students through. Sequencing a yoga flow is in many ways like choreographing a dance routine; it is a craft that is both artistic and scientific and can end in a beautiful piece of movement. In the modern yoga world where all mindful movement is yoga, there is now more room than ever to experiment and present unique flows to your classes. I like to consider myself a pretty creative sequencer, I am always playing around with unique chains of postures and different transitions between them.
After humbly receiving positive feedback from my students about these sequences, I wanted to take the time and share some of my current favorite transitions I have been utilizing in my own sequences. All teachers are welcome to take these and try them on in your own classes. All home practitioners are welcome to take these and try them on in your own practice.
Ciao friends! My most recent article, “What to Remember When You Start to Doubt Yourself as a Yoga Teacher” has been published on Elephant Journal! Very happy to be contributing regularly to this great publication. Please give it a read by following the link below:
If you have read any of my previous yoga posts on this blog, then you will know that I am a firm believer that yoga is a great way to exercise not only the body, but also the mind and the spirit to strengthen and prepare for what goes on in life off of the mat. In yoga classes, or at least the ones I teach and take, we often theme the class – the sequence of postures, the music, the spoken words, and the energetic intention – to correspond with other aspects of life and the self.
Recently, I was meant to travel to Denver to visit with my good friends for the weekend. I was all packed and ready to go when just a few hours before my flight, I learned that an unusual snow storm had begun to blanket the Denver area and that because of it I would not be able to make the trip. Now, my first reaction was one of deep disappointment and even a bit of anger. I had been looking forward to the visit for months and now it was all off! Understandably, the circumstances darkened my mood.
I remembered, however, that life flows like water and you never know when the current is going to shift. Sometimes, you simply have to adapt, go with that flow, embrace it and see where it takes you while keeping an open mind. I decided to practice what I preach and shift my perspective about the Denver trip cancellation. Firstly, I was able to rearrange the trip for just two weeks later so it wasn’t like all my hopes for Denver and seeing my friends were ruined; they were merely delayed. Secondly, I decided to look at my now free weekend as a blessing; I could now go to lunch with my cousin whose schedule and mine hadn’t been lining up for a get together, I could now work on writing projects I hadn’t had as much time to dedicate to as I would like, and I could simply relax. Once I took this mindset – once I adapted, embraced and went with the flow that the universe was pushing at me – all was well; it ended up being a great weekend in its own way with lots to be grateful for.
I took the experience as inspiration for the below yoga class. In this class, I talked to my students about adapting to the present, accepting and embracing what is, and going with it with a light sense of peace for it all. On the mat, this can mean adapting to how your body is feeling during the yoga practice, accepting how the body is doing without judgement or resistance, and simply continuing forward through the class as best as you can and with a sense of peace with where you are at that day. No solid plans to come in and nail a handstand or get that cool new posture you’ve been working on; simply coming in with an open mind to the practice and going with what comes. I then encouraged my students to take this off the mat as well by exploring where that adaptability and ability to go with the flow could be applied in their everyday lives.
The sequence is meant to representative of all of this and provide challenges that you must adapt to as they come; strange and unexpected transitions like Tibetan rolls, Baby Birds of Paradise as a peak posture – a rare but equally challenging and fun variant of the classic Birds of Paradise Pose, and a literal change in the direction of the class as this class was a Mandala flow – where you begin facing the front of the room but eventually end up facing the back of the room. From the feedback I received, my students really enjoyed the class for the sequence and the theme.
Here is the sequence that you are more than welcome to try and/or borrow!
The pace of our lives constantly changes; in one season of your life you are moving quickly as you flow from day to day, and then suddenly you find yourself frozen in a position that you may or may not enjoy. The truth is that we cannot always control the pace of our lives; at times it will be too fast, at times too slow giving you a sensation of being stuck, and at other times it will be just right. No matter what, we must learn to adapt, we must learn to be able to go with the flow as well as be able to remain still with a sense of peace.
To reflect this, I have a yoga sequence that I teach in my advanced power vinyasa classes when I feel like myself and those around me might need to practice stillness contrasted by flow and vice versa. I call it my Build, Hold, and Flow Yoga Class.
In this challenging class, we build the main section – the Sun B – one posture at time: one posture for 5-8 breaths, then a chaturanga, then the first posture again for 1 breath, then we add another posture and hold for 5-8 breaths again really highlighting the new posture, and so on and so on. In this way, we must pause in each posture that we add and hold still for a challenging amount of time. I encourage the students to find their best expression of the posture and then focus on their breath and just be okay holding still with where they are at in their practice. Finally, we flow the entire Sun B to contrast the slow build of the sequence. The strength series later on in class is also slowly built, but constantly moving forward with little to no breaks. Overall, the class alternates from very slow to quick flow and mirrors the paces we experience and different times in our own lives.
This sequence has helped me when struggling to adapt to the changes in pace of my own life and my students seem to like it too, plus it is a killer work out! I hope you enjoy my Build, Hold, and Flow Yoga Class!
Johnny La Pasta 