Breathe

I listen to a mindfulness app pretty often. I think that slowing down, breathing with awareness and the conversation topics for the day are all helpful. So, I was intrigued to extend my knowledge with this title that offers 33 breathing techniques.

Readers are in good hands with the author who definitely knows whereof she speaks. There are sections relating to breath and mood, energy, inner healing, relaxation and grounding, and sleep. Also included is the Breathwork Tool Kit as well as some additional resources. It is made clear to readers that this book can be read in any way and order that feels helpful although it is suggested that some consistency in terms of daily practice can make a difference. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. Definitely worth a look for those who want to practice calmness.

Many thanks to Rock Point-Quarto and NetGalley for this title. All opinions are my own. I know that I will feel better soon.

As someone who has been dabbling in meditation for a couple of months now, I was immediately intrigued by this book on breathwork. As a beginner I’ve always found it easiest to meditate while focusing on my breath, it just feels easier for be to have something tangible to focus on, so that my mind stops to wander. So I was very happy when I was approved for a digital copy on Netgalley.

The first thing I appreciated about this book is how much love and thought went into the design and the composition of the book, which makes it easy to follow and also got me very excited to continue on reading. In the beginning we get some backstory and theoretical information about breathwork and what it can do for your body and mind. The explanation of the science behind it all follows a rather high level approach which might be a bit disappointing if you are looking for more detailed information in the matter, but also allows you to grasp the basics quickly before you can dive in right away and experience the effects for yourself rather quickly. I personally enjoyed the level of detail, since I already read some other books about the benefits of breathwork and mindfulness practices (so this wasn’t a repeat but rather a welcome refresh of this information for me).

After the theoretical parts you dive right into the collection of practices, which are divided into categories or „use cases“ like energy or relaxation and grounding. That makes it very easy to choose a practice for whatever situation you’re looking for guidance on. Each practice has some info on when to use them, what’s the purpose of this specific exercise as well as a step by step explanation of the practice with tips. I already knew a few of these practices from future trainings and courses, but still learned something new from the way they were explained in the book! I especially enjoyed the tips on enhancing the experience with other methods like visualization, smells and sounds that are included for almost every exercise as well as the reflective questions that helped me analyze my experience further and listen to my body after I finished the breathwork. I have not yet tried all practices in this book, but my personal favorites so far are the smiling breath and energy shake. I will for sure incorporate this in my future mindfulness journey!

I personally didn’t use the accompanying online web series that you can use to motivate and guide you through the first week, but thought its a wonderful addition to this book. I would highly recommend it to my friends and mindfulness practitioners.

4.75/5 stars

Thank you Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this wonderful arc. In return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review.

This review will be posted to my Goodreads and Storygraph accounts immediately and to my instagram account @colada_books on the 22/05/22.

I absolutely loved this audiobook! It was very uplifting and kept me hooked from the beginning. I loved it! It helped me a lot.

This simple and clear introduction to breathwork includes 33 exercises, grouped under the headings Energy, Mood, Healing, Relaxation and Grounding, and Sleep. It is recommended that you try one a day, and then curate your own ongoing practice with the exercises that work best for you. The first seven exercises have supporting videos online that I also found helpful.

I very much liked the layout and design - it's informative without being overwhelming. This book is very effective as a way to start building a breathwork habit into your daily routine.

I read a variety of books on mindfulness, yoga, and meditation. This is the first book I've encountered that is dedicated to breathwork, drawing from a variety of traditions and practices. It's lightweight, never delving very deeply into the traditions or philosophies from which specific techniques are drawn. If it did, it might get bogged down, since the techniques included are so varied. As it is, Breathe is a great resource to introduce those who are unfamiliar with breathwork to options that might work for them.

What a refreshing & artistic book!

33 Simple Breathwork Practices focusing on Mood, Energy and Inner Healing, Relaxing & Grounding and Sleep
highlighted with beautiful, serene artwork. A very informational book written in an almost manual style. The breath work exercises varied from easy to rather complex, giving the reader/practitioner something to work towards.

Grateful to have received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley & Quarto Publishing Group

Ideas for literally any aspect of life. You need breathing techniques when you are stressed? Done. What about when you need to clear your mind? Done. SO MANY scenarios and helpful tips!

Breathe is a much-needed book in our growingly anxious world. The author takes readers on a journey to understand the benefits of breath work as well as the purpose for each style. It was at times difficult to understand how to complete the exercises but mostly it was intuitive for beginners.

Thank you, NetGalley for the chance to read and review this ARC!

I fully believe in breathwork and what the author means when she wrote this. Her work is detailed and her exercises seem really good. I think, personally, I prefer listening to things like this and taking part in something and then referring to a guidebook like this one.

This means this is not a book I can finish at the moment. I recognize that it's good, which is why I'm leaving it 4 stars and checking out the authors website. I may just get my own paperback in the future if I need to!

This is such a well explained, detailed and comprehensive breathwork companion and guide. It is a wonderful first resource for beginners who know absolutely nothing about breathwork, what it can help with and how to do it effectively. Yet it is also a fantastic resource tool for those who do already have a breathwork practice. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone and it has guidelines for how to do certain exercises safely with children as well!