Soma Breathwork
SOMA Breath is a powerful practise that combines controlled rhythmic breathing with music, meditation, visualization, and breath-holding exercises into one guided practice . The aim is to influence the nervous system, reducing anxiety and stress, improve focus and relaxation, and create altered states of awareness.
Soma Breathwork
SOMA Breath is a powerful practise that combines controlled rhythmic breathing with music, meditation, visualization, and breath-holding exercises into one guided practice . The aim is to influence the nervous system, reducing anxiety and stress, improve focus and relaxation, and create altered states of awareness.
What happens during a typical SOMA Breath session?
The class is 1 hour long and follows a structured sequence.
Movement
We begin with gentle movement to music to warm up the body and encourage energy to flow freely.
Headphones and Eye masks
You are given eye masks and headphones for the practise so you can clearly hear my guidance while immersing yourself in the music. The headphones create a more personal, distraction-free experience, helping you turn your attention inward and connect more deeply with the practice.
Creating a Theme
Each session is carefully designed to create a specific emotional intention, creating a unique experience every time. Each week we explore a different theme, woven throughout the breath work, guided visualisations, meditation, and music. Themes may include gratitude, building confidence, increased energy, releasing stress and anxiety, gaining clarity, and balancing and energising the chakras.
The Main Part of the Class – The Breathwork
Rhythmic breathing
You will be guided to breathe in time with specially designed music (“Breathe In Beats”).
The breathing is sometimes slower and more deliberate sometimes a little faster depending on what we wish to achieve.
Breath holds
After a series of breaths, you’re guided to hold your breath after an exhale first and then an inhale.
These brief breath holds are intended to temporarily change oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, which can produce sensations such as tingling, warmth, or deep relaxation.
The breath holds also increase the mitochondria in the cells of our body creating more energy, healthier brain functioning, healthy aging (slows down the aging process), improved physical endurance and increased metabolism.
Meditation and visualization
Before, during and after the breathing, you will be guided through affirmations, visualization, or mindfulness practices.
Integration
The session ends with quiet meditation and deep relaxation with a sound bath allowing your breathing and nervous system to return to normal.
Benefits of Soma Breath
- Reduced stress and anxiety
- Feeling calmer and more emotionally balanced
- Increased energy
- Improved focus and creativity
- Enhances oxygen efficiency
- Better sleep
- A greater sense of well-being or mental clarity
Some people also experience temporary feelings of euphoria or deep relaxation during sessions.
What does the science say?
There is good scientific evidence that slow, controlled breathing in general can:
- Lower stress by activating the parasympathetic (“rest and digest”) nervous system.
- Reduce heart rate.
- Improve heart rate variability (a marker of nervous system regulation).
- Help manage anxiety.
Is it safe?
For most healthy adults, gentle guided breathwork is generally safe. However, more intensive breathing techniques and breath-holding exercises may not be appropriate for everyone.
People with the following should consult a healthcare professional before trying it:
- Heart disease – recent heart surgery
- High blood pressure
- Epilepsy or a seizure disorder
- Serious respiratory conditions
- Pregnancy
