By Denise Everheart | Posted : September 15, 2020
So you have heard this buzzword-’ breathwork’ and wondered about it. Could it be something beneficial to you and your kids at this juncture while you are dealing with the new challenge of homeschooling? The simple answer is yes!
According to Verywell Family, there are both pros and cons of homeschooling, just like with any other situation. Elisa Cinelli, a well-known parenting writer in Family Education, even explained her 8 reasons why she plans to homeschool after the pandemic is over. While the external circumstances like COVID 19 are compelling to opt for virtual learning from home and no doubt there are challenges, choosing to see a silver lining can definitely be more helpful and less stressful. These 7 tips given by Vivek Gulati, a parent educator and breathwork teacher, will also be helpful to you.
Just a few minutes of a breathwork routine will not only give you some much needed ‘me time’ during these challenging times, but it will also help you deal with any situation with more ease, confidence, strength, energy, and peace of mind. Isn’t that what we all need during tough times?
So what is breathwork?
Breathwork is breathing that is done in a specific manner with full awareness. Also referred to as breathing techniques or pranayama, breathwork sometimes requires holding the breath for a count before exhaling, or with emphasis on breathing through the nose or mouth. There are also different shapes of breath, typically circles or squares. There is quite a bit of variance in breathwork techniques. Here are a few of the best breathwork techniques that can be used for you and your school-aged child.
Straw breath and kid-friendly silly straw breath. There isn’t an easier breathing technique than straw breath, and it can be done anytime anywhere as much as you like. Straw breath is calming and can lower blood pressure momentarily, though not a substitute for medication. Simply breathe in through the nose, and exhale slowly through the mouth as if you are breathing through an invisible straw. It works like magic!
And for a younger child, try exhaling slowly as you loosen your lips to let them flap against each other making a ‘motorboat’ sound. This is a great stress buster for any child who has lost their smile!
Ujjayi breath aka Darth Vader breath. Ujjayi breath, pronounced ooh-JAI, translates as ‘victory over the mind’ and has a calming effect. Legend has it that Ujjayi breath was the inspiration for the breathing sound Darth Vadar makes in the Star Wars movies. Learn how to do Ujjayi here.
Bee Breath aka Bhramari pranayama. Bee breath is helpful to release agitation, frustration, or anxiety and get rid of anger. We have all seen the child that blocks their ears with their fingers to drown out whatever it is they do not wish to hear. Although bee breath might look like that’s what is happening, the addition of humming like a bee and moving the fingers in out of the ear at various speeds gives a channel to release common negative emotions and replacing it with a calm focus. Learn how to do bee breath here.
Bellows breath aka Bhastrika. Bellows breath has been likened to yogic cappuccino and a favorite among college-aged students. Low energy and lack of focus are wiped away with just a couple of rounds of bhastrika. To properly learn how to do bellows breath, you can attend a free online session called, Beyond Breath where a live instructor can guide you as well as give you an introduction to SKY Breath Meditation (Sudarshan Kriya).
SKY Breath Meditation, is beyond your typical breathwork and gives you a deep restful meditative experience resulting in less stress and anxiety, more focus, and calm. In just a few short sessions you can learn SKY and have the best homeschooling tool at your fingertips. There are also youth aged SKY programs available that are currently offered online. SKY Schools whether taught in-person at community schools or ‘virtually’ online can make a significant difference in the quality of your child’s life.
Using breathwork in your homeschooling curriculum
Imagine starting your day with a peacefulness along with energy and focus, while tackling the day like a boss! And have your child feel the same way! Breathwork can do that! Not only do you set the tone for the day, but you also have tools in your self care toolbox you can access anytime you need them. And we all need them these days! Scheduling the first session of the school day for breathing and meditating sets you up for success!
Just as you set up for your family’s online school experience with a virtual classroom complete with all the supplies you will need, take some time to set up a meditation space where you can breathe and meditate to start your day and revisit later in the day whenever it is most needed.
And for fun, you can also incorporate a little yoga in your child’s homeschool day, aka P.E. class!
The science of breathwork
In a recent Yale Study three programs were compared, SKY Breath Meditation, Foundations of Emotional Intelligence, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Foundations for Emotional Intelligence resulted in one improvement, greater mindfulness. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction which relies heavily on mindfulness techniques resulted in no reported improvements. Following the SKY sessions, students reported improvements in six areas of well-being: depression, stress, mental health, mindfulness, positive affect, and social connectedness.
If happen to you have a college student in your family, totally immersed in ‘distance learning’ from home or even on campus, read Forbes’s recent article, How to Decrease Back to College Anxiety: Just Breathe to learn more about how SKY can help them also.
In fact, SKY Breath Meditation has 100+ independent studies, and more every day, showing that participants experience a decrease in stress hormones, greater mental focus, enhanced optimism, and life satisfaction. Every parent wants these benefits for their child and themselves! I invite you to try some breathing exercises included here and look into incorporating breathwork for your homeschool curriculum. Don’t forget to attend Beyond Breath to learn bellows breath and more about SKY Breath Meditation.
I think you will find that breathwork and homeschooling are not only a perfect fit for you and your child but breathwork can also help you up your game!
Want to learn more about breathwork? Read Why Breathwork is Fast Becoming A Leading Edge for Mind-Body Wellness
Denise Everheart is a freelance writer, breath meditation coach, and recipe designer. Follow her @everheartstudio4meditation and @celeplateyourlife on Instagram.
