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Tantric Breathing Techniques for Emotional Healing and Intimacy

Writer's picture: Diana Pompilii-RosiDiana Pompilii-Rosi


Learn Tantric Breathing Techniques for Emotional Healing and Greater Intimacy
Learn Tantric Breathing Techniques for Emotional Healing and Greater Intimacy

When asked about Tantra, many people hold the preconception of it being a sexually focused practice. While some may correctly identify that Tantric breathing techniques exist, they may not be aware of the power of breathwork as a way to access the tremendous power of emotional healing and awareness that Tantra provides.


Primarily, Tantra is a healing methodology that is focused on emotional connection. Throughout its thousands of years of practice, Tantra has helped countless practitioners develop a more mindful and connected way of interacting with the world and with themselves.


In this article we are going to lay out the numerous benefits of Tantric breathing, talk about some of the stumbling blocks and common questions that newcomers to tantra often encounter and give you a practical way to begin to access this incredible tool in the holistic healing arsenal.

 

What is Tantric Breathing?


In Tantra we refer to the practices of breathwork by the Sanskrit word pranayama, with ‘prana’ meaning vital life force energy and ‘yama’ meaning to guide or direct.  So what we are intending to do through tantric breathing techniques is direct our life force energy to where we want it to go.  Tantric Breathing is in fact one of the foundational practices in Tantra by which we modulate and work with the energies contained in our body and is one of the most fundamental Tantric practices for beginners.

 

Definition of Tantric Breathing


Tantric breathing can take a variety of forms, however, the fundamental definition of Tantric breathing is working with your breath to enhance emotional awareness, create connection and build understanding.


Origins and Philosophy of Tantra


At its core, Tantra is a healing modality that has been actively practiced for thousands of years. Originating from India, Tantra is a philosophy in its own right, one that seeks to open the student to the greater connection between all things and encourages thought and learning about both ourselves and the world around us.

 

How Tantric Breathing Aids Emotional Healing


All humans are at their most basic levels, creatures of emotion. We feel a tremendous range of emotions and they can be very useful to us in a variety of ways. But almost all of us tend to shy away from processing feelings that are uncomfortable and this can become a greater problem than we realize.

 

Emotional Blocks Stored in the Body


As these negative emotions pile up, we often recognize in some way that we are not taking the time we need to work on them. This leads to what one might call, unfinished emotional business, and it can take a toll.


We can see this toll in the physical body through such manifestations as muscle knots and stress headaches, but we are often unaware that there is a similar emotional toll being wrought at the same time.


While we are often unaware of it, we can see this invisible emotional toll arise in those moments when we become inexplicably angry or despondent. We refer to these repressed emotions as “emotional blocks” and they can become problematic if not addressed.

 

The Power of Breath to Release Emotions


While it can be hard to see the emotional blocks that we are carrying, there is a simple yet powerful tool we all have within us to light our way. Our breath.

The idea of using breathwork for emotional connection is not exclusive to Tantra. The idea of holistic healing through breath is a common practice in many healing modalities because of how powerful the practice can be.


The simple act of focusing your attention on your breath during a moment of stress is enough to begin to slow your thoughts and allow you to exercise more control over your reactions. This is possible because the focus you are placing on your breathing is also focusing on those emotions, which allows you to begin to release them.

 

Case Examples or Scenarios


It has been said that Tantra is not for the faint of heart. Part of the reason behind that is that when we are exploring Tantric breathing techniques, we are identifying or brining awareness to our emotional blockages and sitting with them in order to achieve holistic healing through breathwork.


Many students of Tantra have described experiencing tremendous releases of emotion during Tantric breathing practices. Not all of these are comfortable, but they are necessary for us to process our emotions and dissolve the blockages that are holding us back.


Regardless of our own desire to avoid these emotions, they will come up whether we like it or not. By using Tantric breathing to guide us during these emotional breakthroughs, we can more effectively work with these emotions and resolve them.

 

The Benefits of Tantric Breathing for Intimacy


If everything up to this point has you feeling excited or curious about Tantric breathing techniques, then we suggest you hold on to your hats, because the best is yet to come.


Tantric breathing isn’t just for solo practice.


This practice of holistic healing through breath is also uniquely suited to enhance intimacy, deepen connection and improve communication between partners.


Deepening Emotional Vulnerability


Breathing is the most fundamental action we as humans do. Without breath, there is no life and our brains are hardwired to understand that at the deepest level.


When we choose to share our breath with another, this is an act of intimacy and vulnerability for both parties. We are opening ourselves up, sharing our most precious resource with another.


This act of sharing breath can foster a deep sense of trust and creates a sense of intimacy, connection and openness that is unmatched in the holistic healing space.


Strengthening Physical Connection


In addition to the connections created by the act of sharing breath, this practice deepens our experience of physical sensation. By sharing our breath, we are sharing our energy. As those energies intermingle, we are able to draw from them, allowing us greater focus and experience of sensation.


Think of it as having an extra battery. Alone we have only so much capacity that we can access, but when we work collectively, we combine our individual resources to create a shared resource far more powerful.


Improved Communication


The act of sharing breath also improves our understanding of one another. Through the nature of the connection formed, we develop deeper connections that grow every time we practice. This improved understanding and connection is not just limited to physical acts of communication either but extends to the unseen and unspoken connections between partners also.

 

How to Practice Tantric Breathing Techniques


Before we discuss how to begin exploring emotional healing with Tantra, we must offer a word of caution to those looking to learn Tantric practices for beginners. Tantra is a powerful tool, but it can sometimes prove more powerful than we have the capacity to handle.  We strongly urge you to seek out qualified teachers and community resources so you have support if and when needed. 

 

Individual Practice for Emotional Healing

 

Step 1: Find yourself a quiet place to sit comfortably. We recommend doing this practice using what we call the “soft gaze”, that is leaving your eyes slightly open and just allowing them to remain unfocused and relaxed. Let your hands rest gently in your lap and keep your spine aligned but relaxed.

 

Step 2: Begin slowly breathing through your nose. Focus your attention on your breathing, but do not attempt to control it. Observe its rhythms and where it catches or feels different. Follow its progression, seeing where it changes and allowing yourself to feel the emotions and sensations that arise as it does so.

 

Step 3: Follow the emotional current that runs through your breathing. Do not judge it or try to direct it. Remain curious and allow yourself to explore that which comes up.

 

Step 4: Slowly begin to imagine releasing these emotions as they arise, letting them float away on each exhalation when they are ready to do so. Do not force anything, just follow the natural rhythm of your breath and allow it to do the work for you.

 

Partner Practice for Intimacy


Step 1: Find a quiet place to sit comfortably facing one another or with one partner seated in the others lap. We recommend doing this practice close enough to each other, so you don’t have to strain yourself to feel your partners breath. You can hold your partner or place your hand on their chest.

 

Step 2: Gaze into their eyes.. Allow yourself to relax and just look at them while you feel the warmth of their touch and the closeness of them. Allow yourself to become accustomed to this closeness and more aware of the connection between you

 

Step 3: Slowly begin to observe your breathing. As you form the connection, your breathing should begin to synchronize naturally, but it is perfectly ok to work together to achieve this. Find the rhythm that works best for the two of you.

 

Step 4: After you have shared breath, make time to connect with one another and make space for sharing feelings or thoughts that have come up during the session. This is vital to further solidify the connection you have made.

 

Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them


This is a practice that takes time to learn, and there are always challenges that will pop up for you to look at. Don’t become discouraged, these are a healthy and expected part of holistic healing through breathwork

 

Difficulty Staying Focused


Many people talk about the difficulty of staying focused in the early days of learning these techniques. This is part of the process. Often problems with focus can arise from the emotions that you are trying to work with. We encourage you to take the time to explore your difficulty and allow yourself space to truly understand them.  Get curious, sit with it and see what arises. Explore whether the resistance originates externally or is arising from within. Look at what you can do to remove or mitigate the resistance.  Remain patient and honor yourself for your effort.

 

Overwhelming Emotions


As mentioned above, many practitioners experience huge waves of emotion during this practice. This is not only entirely normal, but also a sign that the practice is working. These emotional releases are the blockages you carry dissolving, and it is through the dissolution of these blockages that you grow and heal.

 

Partner Discomfort


When starting the practice of shared breathing it is entirely normal for couples to experience discomfort or trepidation. This is an intensely intimate exercise in which we are making ourselves vulnerable in front of someone we care deeply for. Honor those feelings and be open with each other about them. Work together to develop your practice and create the atmosphere in which your practice of breathwork for emotional connection can thrive.

 

FAQs About Tantric Breathing

 

1.         What is Tantric breathing?

Simply put, Tantric breathing is the practice of observing and working with your breath to dissolve emotional blockages and promote emotional healing and growth.

2.         Can I practice Tantric breathing alone?

Yes you absolutely can! Tantric breathing practices are amazing for solo practitioners and can be an amazing way to deepen your connection with yourself.

3.         Is Tantric breathing only for couples?

Not at all. Tantric breathing is applicable to many varieties of practice be they solo or with a partner.

4.        How long should I practice tantric breathing?

There isn’t really a time limit here. Because of the nature of the work we are doing with this practice you can mold it to fit what you need.  Let your body tell you what it needs.

5.         What should I do if I feel emotional during practice?

Emotions are going to arise during this practice, we recommend that you simply allow yourself to observe and feel them and have a teacher/support system in place to help you process those emotions when you need additional help doing so.

 

Conclusion


Whether solo or with a partner, we hope it is now clear that incredible emotional release, stress management, and many other benefits can be achieved through this simple breathing technique.

The capacity for emotional healing and release that is contained within the Tantric breathing techniques is far greater than we can illustrate in one article. It is more than just a series of aims, more than its milestones, and more than mere words can describe. We encourage you to try this amazing practice for yourself and discover firsthand the simple power contained within your breath.

If you have any questions about this or any other Tantra techniques, we invite you to consider booking yourfree 20-minute discovery callwith us today.

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