One of the most foundational ways in which we bond with Nature is through our breath. Breathing is so basic that we don’t give it much thought unless it becomes impaired. What if we were to bring our breathing into conscious awareness, realizing that without it we would be dead within a few minutes? If this consciousness led us to the source of our breath, the plant kingdom, surely our relationship with the plants and trees, which are made up of all the elements, earth, air, water, and fire, would change. We would realize that this inherent bond is one that is vital and that without it there would be no human or animal life.
In many traditions, breath is more than oxygen flowing in and carbon dioxide flowing out. Breath also carries what the Asian Indians would call prana, the Chinese would call chi, or what I would call spirit. Spirit comes from the Latin word spiritus, which means “breath.” This prana, chi, or spirit is considered to be life force energy that enlivens each of our cells. The respiration process is a rhythmic in-breath or inspiration and out-breath or expiration, which Swami Rama explains in his book Science of Breath. “When a person dies, the energy leaves. The body is still there, but the prana departs. Here, we return to the matter of breath because breath is the vehicle for prana. When someone dies, and the vital energy departs, we say that person has “expired.” On the other hand, when someone experiences increased mental energy and creativity, we say that person is “inspired.” We indicate through our language an intuitive recognition of the relationship between the inspiration, expiration, and the vital energy necessary for life and creativity. “
When we are inspired, we experience mental clarity, an abundance of physical energy, and emotional well-being. With spirit, the vital principle held to give life, coursing through us, we become plugged into life and all its diversity. The trick to being inspired is to be conscious of the life force that rides on our breath, as an eagle rides the currents of the wind, foam eyebrows ride the crest of an ocean wave, or light rides the horizon at daybreak. This life-giving breath is crucial to our well-being, and yet we take it for granted as if it will always be there for us, even if we don’t give it any recognition. According to the Science of Breath, breathing is the only physiological process that can create change—physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually—depending on whether it is involuntary or voluntary. Consciously shifting our breathing patterns can change not only physical functions but also emotions, thoughts, and even our personality. When we awaken to our breath and its inspiring qualities, our creative power within becomes available. Many methods of working with the breath (such as transformational breathwork, holotropic breathwork, and rebirthing, to mention a few) have been developed over the years to serve as a tool for moving through stuck patterns that no longer serve us, helping us reach our full potential.
The beauty of breathing is that with every inhalation, there is an exhalation so that we have an opportunity to release carbon dioxide, a by-product of the cellular exchange of oxygen. This release of carbon dioxide helps set the rhythm of our breath as well as remove what we might see as spent fuel from the energizing process. As we release, we also let live, as our carbon dioxide contributes to the plants’ and trees’ in-breath. This reciprocal exchange of breath with the green world creates an interdependent relationship that is a primary bond between humans and Nature. When we consciously breathe with the green beings, our bond with Nature deepens, and we move beyond our mere physiological needs being met to the nurture of Nature. In my work with plant intelligence, I continue to seek ways to expand my relationship with plants and trees, and focused breathing, which I call Greenbreath, is a profound avenue for bonding not only with plants but with all of Nature.
In the early 2000s, I had the good fortune to participate in a transformational breathwork session with a lively group of women. My dear friend and colleague ALisa Starkweather had come to Sweetwater to teach a class in women’s empowerment and lead the breathwork session. When I heard how long we were going to breathe together—over an hour—I was astounded, and I realized this would be an excellent opportunity to go further in my exploration of my relationship with the green world. Since plants and trees are the source of my breath, it made sense to me to focus with a particular green friend. I was working with White Pine at the time, so I chose to be guided by White Pine throughout while also focusing my breath with my budding tree ally. The breath work was quite intense, and many of my mother’s issues surfaced
as I worked to understand and heal them. So much happened in this first Greenbreath session as I moved through limiting beliefs from childhood, my ancestral lineage, and beyond, and I realized this was the next level of intimacy with the green nations. I cried, screamed, laughed, feared, and somehow came out the other side, breathing with White Pine, one of my most potent personal allies. As I breathed, my hands began to tingle while my whole body received a warm flush of radiant energy. I began to wonder if this is what photosynthesis feels like as I merged with White Pine to the point at which I was not certain who was breathing—me or White Pine. I felt a tingling in my spine, which began to move upward. By the time it reached my upper back, I was in a massive kundalini experience, with waves of ecstatic energy moving in a snake-like fashion up my spine as I reached an ecstatic bonding with White Pine, much like an orgasm. I had always thought one might be able to have sex with a plant or tree, but I wasn’t quite sure how. Now I knew. This experience was like none other with a plant or tree and was formative for the creation of the Greenbreath process that I now share with my students.
After many Greenbreath sessions with myself and others, I have come to realize that bonding with Nature in this way is the best therapy one could hope for. It moves you through obstacles and limiting beliefs, physical compromises and emotional traumas and removes intrusive energies, while filling you full of your true essential nature so you can walk the path that is yours. A Greenbreath session begins by sitting with a plant who has chosen you or tapping into an existing plant nonlocally (across time and space) that is already known to you. You set an intention with this plant or tree to help you move through that which keeps you from being all you can possibly be while at the same time committing yourself to being a lifelong ally with this plant or tree. In this way, the relationship becomes reciprocal instead of a one-way encounter.
Greenbreath is a form of journeying into the holographic world of spirit where, through one individual plant spirit, the whole of spirit can be experienced. Since our breath is of spirit, when we focus our breath in this way we have access to enormous amounts of Source energy which carries a high wave vibration or frequency. We breathe in a wave-like pattern of equal inhalation and exhalation, with no pause between the two. This creates an activation that puts us in a positive or yes-flow pattern of energy movement. The high frequency that this activation creates can dislodge static or stuck energy and long-held negative emotions. The ego breaks down so that the constant monologue of the “nag” no longer interferes with our healing process. As the ego dissolves, past traumas that we have clung to begin to move in a flowing pattern, and just as waves break upon the shore, old hurts and traumas crash upon the shore of our psyche, breaking into millions of fine particles only to be washed away by our focused exhalation.
Spontaneous healing-physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually—can occur. New neural pathways can be laid in the brain so that exploration of unknown territory is possible. Our Greenbreath opens doorways that we cannot even imagine are possible. Light rides upon Greenbreath as coherence occurs between biophotons at the nucleus of our cells and the cells of our plant ally. This radiant beam of light reinforms the light patterns in our DNA toward balance and well-being. Our entire energy field becomes ensparkelated with crystal clarity as a portal opens and the vision of our life is revealed. You remember who you are, where you came from, and why you are here. Through the focus of Greenbreath not only does your relationship with your plant or tree ally deepen, but also your relationship to yourself, to Nature, and to all of life expands.
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