Hey friends, have you ever heard of Breatharianism? It’s the idea of living on prana—the life force energy around us—instead of food. Sounds wild, right? While some people dive deep into this, we can still learn a lot from their practices without going all-in.
As someone who works with and explores energy manipulation and healing, I find this concept very intriguing. Western societies often misunderstand holistic healing, dismissing it as “woo woo” or “airy fairy.” Even yoga is approached primarily as a physical practice. This approach is not necessarily bad, but it can be somewhat limiting. We’re currently in a strange period where we’re pushed to agree with one side over another, creating a black-and-white mentality with no space to explore and understand the grey areas. However, the grey areas are where magic happens.
We base our self-identity on rigid, black-and-white thinking, which limits genuine self-exploration. Consequently, this can lead to mental health problems and stress when we encounter situations beyond our control.
Imagine being able to heal heartache, ease hunger, and overcome illness simply by mastering your breath. It’s like giving yourself a priceless key to health and happiness—completely free and available to you anytime, anywhere.
So in this blog, we’ll be comparing breatherian breathwork techniques that can, when practised regularly, help you feel more energised and centred daily, without sacrificing your favorite meals.
Breatharianism takes your diet to a whole new level. Building on vegetarianism, veganism, and fruitarians, it’s the practice of replacing food with energy drawn from universal connection through breath and meditation. Advocates like Jasmuheen and Akahi Ricardo claim to have lived on minimal food for years by tapping into prana, or life force energy. The idea is that one can sustain themselves through prana rather than physical nourishment. While some report success with this lifestyle, scientific evidence is limited, and the practice can be dangerous if misunderstood or taken to extremes.
Your body thrives on a balanced intake of nutrients, and eliminating food entirely is not sustainable or safe for most people. Attempting to live solely on prana can lead to malnutrition, physical harm, or severe health consequences.
It’s wonderful to explore the principles of pranic energy but avoid setting unrealistic goals or feeling pressured to pursue extremes. Instead, focus on incorporating practices like mindful breathing or meditation into your routine for balance and vitality.
Some advocates of Breatharianism make bold or unrealistic promises. Always approach such claims with a critical mind and do thorough research. Remember, your journey is your own—trust your instincts and listen to your body.
Breatharian practices should complement, not replace, professional medical care or a healthy diet. If you’re curious about exploring elements of this lifestyle, consult a trusted healthcare professional before making any major changes.
The safest way to explore Breatharian concepts is by incorporating gentle practices, like breath techniques and energy work, into your life. These can help you connect with yourself and the world around you, all while respecting your body’s natural needs.
Your breath is like a secret superpower. It connects your body, mind, and spirit and helps you balance your energy. When you take the time to breathe consciously, you can feel a change happen in the body. A sense of peace develops that often stays with you all day
You’ll start to feel much more energised throughout the day, as your body starts to use the extra oxygen in your blood more effectively. It’s a simple practice, but it can also improve your sleep, so you wake up feeling more rested and refreshed.
Techniques can provide essential support through emotional ups and downs, helping to calm the nervous system, restore balance, and build emotional resilience, allowing you to respond more mindfully to life’s fluctuations.
Breathing can help you feel spiritual ‘in tune’ by letting your prana, or life force, flow more freely. It’s like when mental clutter and distractions get in the way, creating resistance. But when you focus on your breath, it helps clear that, making the energy move more smoothly and naturally, which deepens your connection to yourself and the present moment.
n the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, breathing is closely tied to meditation and achieving mental stillness. While Patanjali doesn’t go into the specific breathwork techniques we see in modern yoga, he emphasises how important the breath is for calming the mind and deepening your spiritual practice.
One of the key concepts he introduces is pranayama, which is the conscious control of the breath. In Yoga Sutra 2.49, he describes pranayama as the regulation of inhalation, exhalation, and retention of breath. This practice is all about expanding your life force (or prana) and calming the fluctuations of the mind. Patanjali saw pranayama as essential because it bridges the body and mind, helping you prepare for deeper meditation.
He also makes a strong connection between breath and mind, believing that by controlling the breath, you can control the mind. Sutra 1.34 – “The mind becomes still when the breath is controlled.” So, the more you practise pranayama, the less mental clutter you have, which helps you experience a greater sense of calm and focus.
This is further expanded in In Sutra 2.52, by saying that pranayama helps to reduce the fluctuations of the mind, allowing for more mental clarity and inner peace. The breath acts as a tool to settle the mind, making it easier to move towards a meditative state.
Lastly, Patanjali links breath to energy or prana. Suggesting that prana is the vital life force flowing through the body. By practising pranayama, you can cultivate this energy, boosting your vitality and spiritual awareness. This prana is thought to flow through energy channels (nadis) and centres (chakras) in the body, and pranayama helps harmonise and balance these energies.
So, in essence, Patanjali teaches that the breath isn’t just limited to something we do automatically—it’s a powerful tool to connect mind, body, and spirit, and when used consciously, it can lead to a more peaceful, energetic, and focused life.
Breathwork is not just for yogis and monks; it can bring benefits to everyone. Once seen as something mysterious and religious, breathwork is being used by the ‘everyday perso’n as a powerful addition to their daily routines:
– **Athletes:** Elevate your performance and accelerate recovery. By mastering breath regulation, you can improve oxygen intake, manage stress, and unleash your energy potential.
– **Busy Professionals:** Take mindful breathing breaks to conquer the demands of your job. Experience reduced stress, enhanced focus, and a surge in productivity.
– **Meditators:** Use breathwork as your foundation for meditation. By centring on your breath, you cultivate mindfulness, inner peace, and profound self-awareness.
– **Individuals with Anxiety:** Harness breathwork techniques to manage anxiety and panic attacks, calming your nervous system and promoting deep relaxation.
– **Public Speakers and Performers:** Overcome stage fright and amplify your vocal projection. Breathwork will help you regulate your breath and soothe your nerves.
– **People with Chronic Pain:** Discover relief through specific breathwork techniques that ease muscle tension, encourage relaxation, and release endorphins for healing.
– **Insomniacs:** Improve your sleep quality by calming both your mind and body. Breathwork can help reduce anxiety and foster a state of tranquillity.
I believe it is about your focus and desires. Whatever your intentions and desired results, commit to finding what works for you and make it a habit. Begin with short, simple practices, and gradually weave them into your daily life. It doesn’t matter whether your goal is to enhance athletic performance, alleviate stress, or cultivate well-being, pranayama techniques can be your guiding light to a richer, more vibrant existence.
You’ll find below a few easy pranayama techniques you can start using right away. If you’re at work and worry about not having time, don’t stress— a quick breathing tune-up can take as little as one minute. Just excuse yourself to the bathroom ( which I have done on many a time) and use that moment to reset.
Soham Meditation with breath is a beautiful practice that’s all about connecting with your true self and the energy around you. The word “Soham” in Sanskrit translates to “I am that,” which reflects the idea that we are all part of a greater universal consciousness. It’s a gentle reminder of your inherent connection to everything, and this meditation helps you tap into that.
Here’s how it works:
As you breathe in, silently say “So” in your mind, and as you breathe out, say “Ham.” The key is to sync the mantra with your natural breath. “So” is associated with the inhale, and “Ham” with the exhale. This creates a calming, rhythmic flow that not only relaxes the mind but also grounds you in the present moment.
By focusing on the breath and the mantra, you can quiet the chatter in your mind and cultivate a deep sense of peace. This practice helps clear mental clutter, release stress, and bring your attention back to the present. Over time, it can increase self-awareness, deepen your spiritual connection, and help you feel more aligned with your true essence.
What’s great about Soham meditation is its simplicity. You can do it anywhere — at home, at work, or even while on the go. It only takes a few minutes, making it an easy and powerful tool for resetting and reconnecting during your day. It’s like a mini meditation session you can fit into any busy schedule, leaving you feeling calm, centred, and more in tune with your inner self.
To truly nourish your body, it’s the energy that’s needed—along with the intentions we think and feel, the environment we’re in, and the energies we engage with and absorb. The lesson we can take from Breatharianism is that by tapping into life force energy, or prana, we can better sustain ourselves and feel nourished on a deeper, more energetic level.
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Hello, I am Anna the creator of WellbeingWinnie – my dream that grows bigger and more exciting everyday, inspired because of an illness called myalgic encephalomyelitis (M.E) which I have had for 25 years.
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