Breathe
with
Christabel

I’ve recently been fascinated by the work of Dr. Andrew Newberg, a neuroscientist who founded a field of study called, “Neurotheology”, the science of mystical spiritual experiences and the brain. Dr. Newberg takes brain scans of those in intense states of enlightenment, such as meditating monks, praying nuns, mystics visualizing something sacred and others and has discovered profound similarities in brain states in those having transcendent experiences of awakening.

In his Ted Talk, he describes the 4 core elements of enlightenment experiences based on his brain scans:

1. A feeling of the extreme emotional intensity from activating the limbic system.
   
2. A sense of incredible clarity and understanding from the lobes of the brain rewiring and rebalancing. 
   
3. Sense of all-pervading unity, oneness or connection as activity decreases in the parietal lobe, which gives us our sense of self in orientation to the world around us.
   
4. Surrender, letting go and transformation as activity in the...

Two days ago I shared a Breath of Bliss ceremony at Pyramid Yoga Center set in the jungle of Koh Phangan, Thailand as a free offering to the community to help boost awareness of the upcoming breathwork facilitator training program. The psychic atmosphere on the island was quite odd on that day… it was very windy in an unsettling way, dark clouds, and many I spoke to said they had been feeling ungrounded, restless and anxious in the days prior. As a result, I decided to create a more tender ceremony that was “extra yin” to invite in deep safety, softening and comfort. 

GENTLE IS POWERFUL

Believe it or not, many people assume that they've got to be crying their eyes out, yelling, screaming or having loud orgasms to have a profound breathwork session 🙂 But this just isn’t true. This is a myth perpetuated by those addicted to over activating their nervous systems who need a constant drip of adrenaline to feel alive. In fact, this is one of the reasons I really love Breath of Bliss - it c...

So why's “bliss” in the name of our breathwork practice? Here’s the story... 

"Nothing is more important than reconnecting with your bliss. Nothing is as rich. Nothing is more real.” - Deepak Chopra

WHERE DOES "BLISS" COME FROM?

Bliss is a noun from Old Engligh, “blis”, meaning “merriment, grace, favor, happiness” and also of “spiritual joy, perfect felicity, the joy of heaven” and influenced by the word, “bless”.  In Hinduism and Jainism, bliss comes from the Sanskrit word, “ananda”. 

Yoga philosophy says that God is "sat-chit-ananda" (existence-consciousness-bliss). Bliss arises after liberation from the death and rebirth cycle. This type of bliss asks for complete surrender to, and merging with, the divine. Those who seek this dissolution into oneness are known as bhaktis, devoted to self-realization through service and love. 

WHAT IS BLISS?

Inspired by these ancient meanings, we use “bliss" to describe the innocence of the soul realizing itself in oneness with everything. Bli...

Have you ever held yourself back, fearing criticism from others?

OWN IT

My message to you today is this: listen to the call. Trust your vibes. Don’t dim to fit in. Trust that you’re inspiration is a rare gift. If you don’t embrace and honor your gut impulse, it will just move on to someone else who will. 

Trying to stay small to get approval from others is a bait and switch game. While many people will love you and anything you offer, the more visible you become the more you may attract those who get triggered by you. Some may even start out loving you and projecting all their wildest dreams upon you, then turn around and attack you.  

Here’s the truth: You simply cannot allow others the power to give or take your self worth. It's an inside job. It comes from prioritizing a connection to your higher self. When you self-source and self-validate, you stand tall and strong like a tree connected to the heart of Mother Earth. Your resilience comes from being a channel between Earth and ...

Interested in the Breath of Bliss Level 1 Self Love Journey in Thailand this September?  We have new programming coming out for the next one. Read this and imagine yourself here... 

ISLAND ENERGY

Imagine … you're on an exotic tropical island. The wind is blowing through your hair. You wiggle your toes and feel white powdery sand between your toes. The ocean reflects sunlight like a million diamonds. You can begin each day swimming in warm, clear waters. Now it’s time to head up to what your group calls, “the Crystal Castle.” 

A SANCTUARY

Climbing the stairs up to the rooftop studio at Sunset Hill Boutique Resort feels like coming home. It’s bright, light, modern and clean. This is one of the most luxurious estates on the whole island. As you step onto the massive terrace, you take deep breaths, looking out over an infinity view of the ocean. 

YOUR PEOPLE

You've been wanting to dive deep into something you believe in, something that can help you make a difference. You're ready to ...

• Have you ever been blown out by a breathwork?
• Struggled to return back to life after a retreat?
• Left a workshop feeling confused, sensitive or vulnerable?

It’s something most of us have dealt with, but few of us discuss: the art of integration. Why am I writing about it? I’ve personally been "taken out" by ignoring integration when I needed it most. And here’s the truth: we ALL need to integrate after transformational events, whether you are a breathwork student or a facilitator. In this article I will share some background and 21 suggestions to support your integration process.  

The Need for Integration is Real

It recently it took me two years to integrate after some serious core wounds were triggered during a shamanic training I did in Peru. I felt on the outside, in a haze, confused, hurt, and disconnected from myself. And it took some serious therapeutic intervention afterwards to discover why! For this to happen to me, a teacher who trains teachers to include integration...

Last night I shared a Breath of Bliss ceremony at Raw Power Yoga in Brisbane for a group of 16 urban yogis. There was a deep maturity, openness and presence in this group of voyagers and it was such an honor to be with them. 

While our official theme was “Feel More Ecstasy”, it felt as if the collective focus became, “Beyond”. This word came up several times in the evening and each time I heard it spoken, I felt resonance in my gut.  

The dictionary defines “beyond" as, “more than”, “at the furthest side of”, “too much for someone to understand” and  “at a point where something could not be”. And indeed this mysterious word, “beyond”, is really one of the reasons I love breathwork most. 

Breathwork can take you beyond the mind. 

Breathwork can transport you beyond this lifetime. 

Breathwork can open your heart beyond me to we. 

Breathwork can carry you beyond, into pure Divinity. 

We are all pilgrims during breathwork ceremonies. We take breaths like footsteps on a journey to a ...

Ever get stuck in your head? Today I would love to share an easy way to deepen your breath, get back into your body and feel more grounded. 

When your mind becomes overactive you're more likely to feel stress. And guess what happens when your mind churns? Breathing slows, your body contracts and emotions can get stuck. You may also find yourself getting really serious!

The alternative is more fun!  Try this: Open your mouth. Take deep breaths and rock your hips. Feel your body tingle. Open your senses wide while you breathe. Keep moving. Now bring your awareness to the space between your legs. Notice the sensations arising....

Which do you prefer? 

Breathing From Your Root is a quick way to get out of your head and into your body. It can help you loosen up and have more fun being alive.

Here is an easy process to guide you through it: 

1. Breathe into Your Perineum. As you take open mouth, connected breaths, bring your awareness d-o-w-n under you to your perineum. This is the spac
...

I’m here in Bali! Oh She is so beautiful, so lush! There is a deep and powerful prayer field here, in the ancient Grandmother Land where I enjoyed 6 life-changing years. I’m zipping through Ubud at the moment to record the latest guided breathwork journey, I AM LIGHT,  and just an amazing spent the day at Naya Retreat Center with the Shakti Goddess Retreat, an event created by Noelani Love from Hawaii.  

A Transmission of Light

I facilitated Breath of Bliss and participated in this retreat in 2016 and it was a powerful moment for me. Back then, I was reading Rebecca Campbell’s book, “Light is the New Black”. The combination of fresh, giggling, spritely, mostly Hawaiian attendees and Rebecca’s book which encouraged claiming your path as a lightworker in service of humanity, made a big impact on me.  

While I adored Ubud, much of it's spiritual scene had certain a weight of seriousness and intensity. But here was this group of Hawaiian babes, galavanting around like a team of fairies,...

My friends, I want to share a glimpse into my mornings here in Thailand! Honestly, it feels like a mind-blowing breathwork! You may know the kind… when you sit in stunned silence afterwards, tears rolling down your face, feeling every tender breath like a precious gift from God. This kind of bliss is impossible to put into words. But this is my first attempt, a love letter from my heart to yours.

Welcome to wonderland.

I’m typing on my metallic golden pink MacBook, wearing a loose breezy, peach colored kaftan, on the porch of my wooden mermaid hut. The gentle murmur of waves whoosh in the distance, massaging my ears with rhythm. I look up, lifting my massive canvas broad-rim sunhat. The intensely bright light makes me squint.  

My cabin is suspended high above absolutely transparent water. Shimmering turquoise wraps around me in 180 degree view, with powdery white sand, amber colored rocks and tangled algae. Sometimes a spray of flying fish launch out over the wave in little silver ...