I recently had the pleasure of taking part in a Ceremonial Breathwork session in Richmond, Virginia, led by my organizer there, Melissa Terese Young. Melissa healed her sciatica and awakened to her soul’s purpose in a single breathwork session a few years ago and became a missionary for the Church of Breath!

Melissa brings her love and passion for life to her breathwork practice, and incorporates traditional and native wisdom, song, drumming and her focus on benevolence to her healing work. The breathwork technique or meditation she teaches is a simple 3 part breathing pattern. The first part is to inhale deeply into the lower belly. The second part is to inhale into the upper chest. And the third part is a relaxed exhale.

She creates a very loving, peaceful and sacred space—a safe container—to do inner work. And she reminds people that the focus and the intention is “prana ayama” which means “breath/energy expansion.”

Breathing is done through the mouth using a “hah” sound. Hah, hah, hahhh… Hah, hah, hahhh…

Hah, hah, hahhh… She uses various rhythmic musical and drumming tracks, as she guides people into what feels like a beautiful shamanic experience.

The session lasts about an hour. The breathing pattern, together with her loving presence and her gentle encouragement allows people to go very deep, very quickly. She calls upon the Great Spirit, the Ascended Masters, and invites her breathers to call upon their own spiritual guides teachers, angels, and patron saints, as she encourages them to unleash the healing power of the breath.

I suggest you experiment with this 3 part breath. The first part of the inhale is done quickly into the belly, the second part is to inhale quickly into the chest, and the third part is to release the exhale with a sigh.

Stay with the pattern for at least 30 or 40 minutes in order to give the technique a chance to do its work!

Try it. You’ll like it!