Relearn How to Breathe Through These Stressful Times of Trauma

By Ayo Handy-Kendi, a featured speaker in the Breathwork Summit
 

What if you could find a simple solution, that 1) doesn’t cost you anything; 2) is available all the time right under your nose; 3) that easily impacts, changes, and manages life, stress, and trauma — would you want to know about it? I certainly wanted to know of such a solution, because I knew that I constantly was holding my breath and felt overwhelmed by life. The more I looked around my community, I saw situations that took me and many others beyond stress — the unrelenting, physical, and emotional response to situations beyond our control. Instead, I saw trauma — a sense of overwhelmed dis-empowerment, anxiety, fear, rage, anger — feeling out of harmony, out of balance, and overall discombobulated.

In 1970, I started to find the solution to manage my disharmony by managing my breathing, but became a total student and advocate of “the Breath” in 1996. I continue today to offer a technique called “relearn how to breathe” because efficient breathing is a solution to those who feel stress and traumatized as we daily listen to the news of White police murders of unarmed Black folk, spikes in gun violence, the resurgence of racism/White supremacy, and the violent rants of polarized politicians. Poor health, AIDs, Ebola, and COVID — along with daily living challenges in a high-tech, low touch, super-driven society during these very uncertain times — has pushed heightened fear, grief, burn-out, and isolation over the stress-top.

My Hypothesis on Stress and Holding the Breath

As a holistic practitioner and community organizer, it became critical for me early in my career to look at how stress impacts people — especially Black people — and why we succumb to physical illness and mental imbalances in greater proportions than Whites.

In 2004, I defined breathology as the art and science of breath awareness, breath mechanics and breath techniques that advance the spirit, mind, and body. I wrote a book, The Power of the Breath , because I felt that previously written breath books had not offered Black people enough awareness or solutions to help them in their healing, wellness, and lifestyle management — based on Black culture and the on-going institution of racism that creates stress from the race war that defines Black conditions. My desire to support Black people’s health led me to study stress as the root cause of illnesses, as well as (I took it to the next level) hypervigilant trauma, I could see clearly that when under stress, some people hold their breath, while others “over breathe” with anxious, shallow, and rapid breaths.

So, I wondered could stress-related breathing from racism as well as other factors of modern living be the root behavior that causes the disproportionate levels of health concerns evidenced among People of Color, poor people, disenfranchised people living with inequities, and all people struggling in the fast paced, often violent, high-tech/low-touch society?

We hold our breath out of fear or we breathe inefficiently when confronted by the constant stress and trauma of uncertainty, grief, fear, isolation, and disconnection. Over time, our breath-holding limits our oxygen, creating a physical toll on our health, increasing the risks for a whole host of illnesses classified as 60 or more stress-related disorders. Seemed logical to me, so I decided to look at these disorders — cancer, HBP, mental illnesses, digestive issues and more — to see if studies existed on how many have shown improvements through Deep Breathing. I saw lots of evidence to support my theory on holding the breath and it’s connection to stress and trauma.

So in 2010, I was blessed to create an entire system, called “Optimal Life Breathology” (OLB) with my foundational “Relearn How to Breathe” technique. I began to introduce a simple solution for the disparities of health and stressful, traumatized living with the slogan — Relearn How to Breathe for Better Life, Health, Work and Longevity™. This slogan continues to be the focus of my work as a Breathologist and holistic practitioner committed to healing communities of Color. Since, of course, stress doesn’t just impact Black people, but detrimentally affects the entire population — especially those of us in the US — I have continued to advocate breath training for stress/trauma management as the ideal for all.

My Story

I have been involved in several movements since 1969 — civil rights, social justice, cultural and economic empowerment — but I truly found my organizing passion in 1996 into the fourth decade of my life when I committed to starting a Breath Movement.

In my study of this vital link — the Breath — I became amazed by its awesome healing powers. Yet, from the ‘70s to the ‘90s, I still abused lots of substances, drugs and alcohol, became addicted to cocaine, and lived very out-of-balance.

I became increasingly aware of how often I held my breath. I did not know why I held my breath, but I came to realize that I, like most people, had been restricting my life by not breathing or barely breathing, shallow from my chest. As a degreed community organizer/counselor, I would often hear the expression, “take a deep breath.” However, while I studied alternative health and breathing forms, I merely existed due to limited breathing, in a spiral of stress, anger, and fear. My health was poor and I learned that stuck emotional energy kept me depressed and in dis-ease.

In 1994, my youngest son, at age 17 was hit over the head with a blunt instrument, went into a 5 day coma, and was sustained inlife by a ventilator. Two years later, my father, dying of brain cancer, was also sustained by a breathing machine. I realized later, that these experiences of seeing the thin line between life and death governed by “the Breath” made a lasting impression. This was my ah-ha! moment — that we can have true life by mastering our own mechanics of breathing deeply, fully and consciously for a full, life sustaining breath.

I took further breath training thereafter, and when I relearned how to breathe deeply, I felt the oxygen flood my body. It opened up my subconscious mind, awakening the suppressed memory that I had been sexually and mentally abused as a child. Years of fear, pain, anger, and numbness to the world shifted. As a survivor, then a thriver, I continued to breathe using the techniques of “conscious connected and deep breathing” and became lighter and emotionally unburdened, with my energy increasing by leaps and bounds. I was able to forgive my abuser, my father, and the murderer of my son. And I stopped desiring any substances because I maintained a natural high. I managed stress through periods of homelessness, domestic violence, and the close deaths of many family members.

I saw awesome results that changed my life forever. I became a health activist as a Certified Breathologist (CB), a Transformational Facilitator (CTF), a Laughter Yoga Leader/Teacher (CLYT), Qi Gong levels I and II, and Reiki Master 3. I composed “tune-up music to breathe by,” combining sound with breath for more transformative possibilities. I shared my signature “re-learn how to breathe” technique with millions on radio, TV, over the internet, in print, on stage, and in private practice. I developed my OLB training system to include twelve breath practices and transformative modalities that offer life-changing growth, change, and healing. Then I began certifying others in the US and internationally.

I am so blessed that The Creator led me to this discovery. Today, I can bring to the table loads of testimonies from people who have benefited from efficient deep breathing to manage stress, trauma, and more, along with medical-based proof that deep breathing is one of the best methods of relaxation for stress release and trauma reduction.

In my sharing breathwork with so many others, I beam with empathy over their excited testimonies as they “relearn how to breathe.” Breath awareness and training can start your life anew by offering a tool for the life-long discovery of increased self-care and health prevention; practical life-style applications; personal transformation, higher consciousness and spirituality; pain, stress and trauma management; detoxification, immune building, asthma, and respiratory support; emotional balancing and mental health; addiction recovery, anxiety management, grief/survival issues; peak performance, clarity, and burn-out reduction; increased longevity and anti-aging; enhanced sexuality and vitality; expanded peace, joy, passionate love for life; conflict resolution, diversity training, racial reconciliation, and unconscious bias healing.

The miracles I have seen for myself and my clients have convinced me that Western medicine is denying Americans a powerful remedy for best quality of health, as deep-breathing enhances the overall metabolic nourishment and toning of every cell of every organ due to the life-giving element of oxygen.

The way we breathe is the simplest thing we can change that could make the greatest impact on our health in every way. Yet, we take this gift of proper breathing for granted. Maybe the concept of deeper breathing for more oxygen intake in the cells to maximum life and health is too simple a concept in a world of complications where doctors take away our empowerment by dictating to us pharmaceutical pills and surgery cures — instead of encouraging self-care as a prevention, as well as alternative spiritual, emotional, and physical healing modalities.

I encourage you to become more conscious of your breath to become more conscious of life by “relearning how to breathe.” As you breathe deeply, fully, and consciously through every moment of stress and trauma, you will heal your life, manage your life, be more present in life, and celebrate your life.

Yes, a teacher with a solution has come to help you revitalize and re-arraign... This teacher is the breath of life. Just breathe, open, and awaken to your power and flow as you de-traumatize yourself because there is true Power in the Breath™. It’s power will help you find your power because Breathology offers “minute to minute Yoga” that will yoke you back to consciousness to excel through stress and trauma. It is your teacher on this life’s peaceful journey — and it’s with you always.

Ayo Handy-Kendi, a master teacher renowned as “The Breath Sékou,” has studied, practiced, and taught breathwork since 1970. She is a certified breathologist, laughter yoga teacher, Reiki master 3, Qigong practitioner levels I and II, diversity trainer, sound healer, and counselor.

As an author, speaker, storyteller, rituals facilitator, and community organizer, she utilizes her myriad skills facilitating trainings on breatheology, holistic health, social justice, and healing racism. She is fostering a “breath movement” to help us stay peaceful and stress-free, while reconciling our divisions in these polarizing times.

In 1989, Ayo created a non-profit, the African American Holiday Association (AAHA), and stewarded and co-produced programs for the International Breathwork Foundation (IBF). In 2004, she developed a life-changing system of daily transformative practices called Optimum Life Breathology™ (OLB). She has certified 188 OLB practitioners in seven states, shared the system in eight countries, and has “breathed” with millions worldwide on radio and TV (notably on The Steve Harvey Morning Show), as well asin print, via internet, on stage, in groups, in private practice, and at many breathworks events, including The Shift Network Breathwork Summit.

She also founded PositivEnergyWorks, a wellness business that connects culture and diversity issues with health, stress, trauma, and relaxation. She’s authored five books, including Applied Breathology, her OLB workbook accompanied by a DVD, and composed and produced six CDs of meditative and drumming music.