"Breathwork": Breathing Techniques To Help Overcome Stress

NEWS | July 2, 2020

A huge success in the United States, breathwork is coming to the fore in France thanks to American coach Susan Oubari. The practice is a helpful method for achieving a serene and a liberated state of mind.

"Breathwork" involves closing one's eyes, placing one hand on the abdomen, the other on the heart, and breathing into each area separately before releasing in exhale. After repeating this exercise several times, the body enters a state of hyper-ventilation, a reaction that's usually caused by stress.

The first effects can be a little uncomfortable — the mouth dries out, some people get dizzy and experience pins and needles in their limbs. However, this breathing technique is backed up by a long list of benefits. It has allowed some people to better manage their anxiety, freeing pent-up emotions and clarifying the mind. How? By bringing more oxygen to the brain, the practice stimulates endorphins that light up the frontal cortex, our intellectual control-center. Soon, the passage of time feels less noticeable, and energies are able to circulate unimpeded, clearing out what's been held back.

This breathing technique was developed in the 1960s by Leonard Orr, a New Age researcher living in New York City. The psychiatrist Stanislav Grof used it in his practice after having realized that "holotropic" respiration allowed patients to rid themselves of repressed emotion. However, this method should not be practiced alone, and it's not recommended for pregnant women, people living with serious mental illnesses or heart conditions.

Already well-established in the United States, "breathwork" has become more popular in France over the past few months thanks to Susan Oubari. Trained in Los Angeles before moving to Paris, this American came into the public eye during the quarantine thanks to her Instagram live sessions. With her "Breathe in Paris" workshops, she offers private classes in her Saint-Germain-des-Prés studio and via Zoom. Her group sessions can be attended at the Centre Elément, the American Church of Paris, or at L'Usine Saint-Lazare.