wellness

  • The Ultimate 2020 Holiday Wellness Gift Guide

    Not sure what to give your loved ones this holiday season? I’ve got you covered with this 2020 Wellness Gift Guide!

    There’s nothing that says I love you quite like the gift of wellness — everyone can benefit from taking care of their health and feeling better inside and out, especially during the holiday season.

    November is here, which means it’s time to plan your gift lists for this upcoming Christmas and Hanukkah (and anything else you celebrate). But coming up with new creative ideas for everyone on your list can quickly get overwhelming. Now you don’t need to worry about what to give your Uncle Johnny—these wellness gift ideas will make shopping for everyone a breeze.

    I mean, let’s be real—we’ve probably all given enough candles. (I do LOVE candles, but you can only give so many.) This master list has wellness gifts that are unique and special enough to remember, and are things your loved ones will actually use and enjoy.

    Growing up, I loved watching Oprah on TV after school with my mom, and in putting together this list I’ve totally channeled her annual Favorite Things. Here are all of the best, chic, and affordable wellness gifts for this holiday season that the people in your life will be super stoked to receive.

    I’ve rounded up ALL the best wellness gift ideas in 2020 to fit every budget!

    The wellness gift ideas are organized in categories that are just like this site: the best presents for mental health (Mind), physical health (Body), Yoga, and Fitness. Everything is listed by alphabetical order, and you’ll find something for everyone, in each price point.

    There are ten gift ideas in each category, for a total of 40 different amazing options. You’ll find gift ideas for as low as $8, and this list covers everyone from your super athlete brother to your grandma.

    Also, I highly recommend buying the items below for yourself, too! As the Parks and Rec saying goes: Treat yo self. I actually got most of these ideas based on things I have either been given or have given as gifts myself, so I can vouch that they all are amazing ways to give some self-love (which honestly, I think we could all use a bit more of this year).

    Happy holiday season! Let’s dive in to all the best wellness gift ideas of the year:

     

    2020 WELLNESS GIFT GUIDE

    » MIND «

     

    Affirmators! Affirmation Card Deck

    • These warm and cheeky cards are a hit with everyone I’ve ever shared them with. Each card has a heart-filled affirmation and illustration that provides self-help advice while also keeping it real. My friend Kelsey gave me this deck as a gift a few years back, and it’s one of my favorite gifts I’ve ever gotten. I’ve used them in my yoga classes, and everyone lights up when they see the cards’ humorous and loving vibe!
    • Buy: $13, Amazon

    Crystals

    • For the spiritual friend in your life, you can’t go wrong with crystals! (They’re my favorite thing to receive.) Crystals are becoming more and more popular, and there are endless types with different sizes and colors to suit any energy. If you’re not sure which crystal to give, I always recommend an Amethyst, or Rose Quartz. Or, go with a gift set, like this beautiful Chakra one! Etsy is my favorite place to shop for all varieties of crystals from independent business owners online.
    • Buy: $3o, Etsy (other crystal prices vary)

    Heart Talk by Cleo Wade

    • This book feels like a hug from a dear friend—so, the perfect gift. Cleo Wade is an incredible writer and artist (I featured her in my Black Wellness Leaders list), and this book is one that is meant to be picked up daily. Every page has a different inspirational poem, story, etc. that offers wisdom for healing and self-love. My friend Jessica gave it to me for my birthday one year, and I’ve since given it to other friends who have adored it as much as I do. I still pick it up from the coffee table any time I need an emotional boost.
    • Buy: $13, Amazon

    Journal

    • A journal is such a good way to reduce stress and process how you’re feeling. Keeping a gratitude journal in particular has been shown to improve mental health (learn more about gratitude journals here!). They’re practical, meaningful, and don’t break the bank—an ideal gift.
    • My favorite options from Amazon:

    Palo Santo

    • Palo Santo is a popular way to cleanse the energy of a space (see Sage below). But most Palo Santo is not sustainably sourced, and its habitat (dry tropical forest) is currently deeply threatened. According to this article from The New York Times, estimates are that only five to ten percent of dry tropical forests are still intact around the world. So make your palo santo gift extra special by buying sustainably sourced Palo Santo that does not contribute to deforestation! I’ve linked my favorite seller below on Etsy, who collects the Palo Santo in Peru from fallen branches and downed trees.
    • Buy: $9, Etsy

    Philips SmartSleep Wake-up Light

    • Sleep has a LOT to do with your mental health, and there is no better way to wake up than with this light, especially on dark winter mornings. The light gradually simulates lighting up your room just like the sun, triggering the correct hormones in your brain to be released to tell your body that it’s morning and time to wake up! By the time light has filled the room (so helpful on early mornings), your chosen natural sound completes the wake up experience, leaving you ready for the day ahead. I use this clock and it’s a game-changer when it comes to starting your day. It’s a much more gentle, natural wakeup than your iPhone blaring at you from under a pillow.
    • Buy: $117, Amazon

    Sage Bundle

    • Sage is a long-practiced tool to practice energy cleansing. But, like Palo Santo, it can be problematic. Sage is often not harvested sustainably, leaving limited resources for the Indigenous Peoples who originated the practice. Read more about sage and cultural appropriation here. The best way to buy sustainably grown Sage is from a Native reservation, and I’ve found an Indigenous seller on Etsy in Wisconsin who creates beautiful Sage bundles that are a perfect gift!
    • Buy: $6+, Etsy

    Self Care Gift Box

    • Give someone the gift of a night off with a relaxing spa-at-home gift set! This beautiful Self Care Gift Box includes a hand-poured soy candle, bath salts, French green clay mask (great for all skin types), lip balm, and a decorative matchbox, all with a personalized gift card. Everything is handmade in Austin, TX with natural ingredients and essential oils. You also get to choose between Lavender or Vanilla Orange scents!
    • Buy: $28 (with free shipping), Etsy

    Shortcut to Calm Online Meditation Course

    Shortcut To Calm Meditation Course

    • One of the best gifts you can give someone is a meditation class, since it’s so challenging to learn this practice on your own. I created an at-your-own-pace online course that is a wonderful gift for those who are newer to meditation! It’s a week-long online course to learn how to let go of stress by combining proven meditation and breath techniques. Your friend will get seven different 20 min guided meditation audio downloads, a Basics of Meditation lesson, and special bonus materials! All you need is to sign up, then give your login info to your friend so they can experience this simple-yet-powerful stress-relief practice. Learn more here.
    • Buy: $77, Thinkific

    Untamed by Glennon Doyle

    • Untamed is one of the top bestselling books of 2020 for a reason—it’s amazing. I listened to the audiobook around March while going on long walks outside with my dogs, right after reading Glennon Doyle‘s previous book Love Warrior (the two books as a set is an awesome gift idea if you want to do a little extra). The coronavirus pandemic hit my life hard, and this book is full of loving wisdom that I really needed. Doyle’s raw, beautiful writing aims to empower and show the way for women to fully become themselves.
    • Buy: $17, Amazon

     

    2020 WELLNESS GIFT GUIDE

    » BODY «

     

    Acupressure Mat

    • Acupressure mats are a helpful relaxation tool with powerful healing effects. I wrote all about why they’re amazing here—they’re especially helpful for anyone who struggles with stress, pain, or insomnia. The acupressure mat I have and love is this set from HemingWeigh, which comes with a pillow and its own handy tote bag for easy storage!
    • Buy: $30, Amazon

    Bluestone Sunshields

    • You can learn all about Bluestone Sunshields here, but here’s what you most need to know: they block 99% of UVA/UVB rays and Blue Light and cover your whole face. I got mine a couple years back for the sun protection, but the fact that now face shields are being used as a way to protect against covid outdoors means they’re now doubly special. I actually just broke mine (heartbreak), and a replacement is top of my list this year. Bluestone also has a ton of other visor options, including shorter versions, ones that are clear, and more!
    • Buy: $80, Bluestone Sunshields (use the promo code Sunshield15 for 15% off your order)

    GreenAir SpaGlow Diffuser

    • Diffusing essential oils can help relax your nervous system and improve immunity, but a clunky old diffuser kind of ruins the spa vibe. The SpaGlow by GreenAir is a rare find, and it reminds me of a crystal ball (you even turn it on by pressing on it with your palm). The sphere lights up in different calming pastel colors. It’s hard to find, but I tracked it down! A great wellness gift set idea would be to pair this with a couple different essential oils. Two that nearly everyone can enjoy are Lavender and Eucalyptus.
    • Buy: $45, Bulk Apothecary

    Heating Pad

    • If you’ve ever had menstrual cramps or back/neck pain, you’ll know that a great heating pad is everything. This beautiful blue XL heating pad is super soft, heats quickly, had an auto-off option, and is perfect for treating sore muscles in your back, shoulders, stomach, legs, and arms. Plus, it keeps you warm! This is an especially great gift idea for those who are older or have an injury.
    • Buy: $35, Amazon

    Humidifier

    • A humidifier makes a huge difference in how you feel, especially for kids or if you have allergies. But’s it’s also one of those things that’s easy to think of as a splurge, making it a great gift (in a range of available price points). I love this one TaoTronics because of its sleek aesthetically-pleasing look and the option to produce either hot or cold steam. You can even add essential oils to it!
    • Buy: $90, Amazon

    Juicer

    wellness gift

    • This wellness gift is a wow moment—and something the recipient will use for years! A juicer is a great easy way to get the nutrients of fruits and vegetables without having to eat a ton of salads. This juicer is better than most because it’s a slow masticating juicer, meaning it grinds the veggies slower and with less heat to preserve all the vitamins, enzymes, and minerals with less foaming and no clogging.
    • Buy: $160, Amazon

    Magic Wrap

    • The holidays are looking a little different this year. It’s hard to be away from your loved ones—so if you can’t hug your family in person, you can send a hug in the form of this super cozy Magic Wrap! I am obsessed with mine and use it in the cold mornings and to wind down at night. It’s essentially like a soft wearable blanket, and even has pockets! I have to fight my dog Peach over it because she loves to snuggle in it, too—we recommend getting the Cuddle Fleece version.
    • Buy: $38, Magic Wrap (use the promo code EMBERS for 10% off!)

    Massage Pillow

    • Selfishly, I want someone to give me this gift. This massage + heat pillow by Viktor Jurgen is like having your own private masseuse at home. Powerful 3D rotating massage nodes give you a deep-kneading shiatsu massage while it provides heat, relaxing sore muscles. You can use it on your neck, low back, feet, etc!
    • Buy: $40, Amazon

    UrthBox Healthy Snack Box Subscription

    • Everyone loves food—but what do you honestly give your vegan cousin or someone trying to eat healthier? UrthBox! It’s a monthly subscription gift box that features a collection of the best (full-sized) healthy snacks in Classic, Gluten-Free, Vegan, and Diet options! My dad and his wife got me this one year and it’s been one of my favorite wellness gifts ever. They have different gift options (based on box size and length of subscription from 3-6 months) to indulge everyone on your list, or yourself.
    • Buy: $89+, UrthBox

    Weighted Blanket

    • A weighted blanket is one of the best tools to help reduce stress and anxiety and ensure your Secret Santa gets a good night’s sleep. The blanket’s weight relaxes the body because the pressure mimics a therapeutic technique called deep pressure stimulation. Deep pressure stimulation relaxes the body’s nervous system, and basically feels like a really comforting hug, like you’re being held. They’re worth the hype!
    • Buy: $40, Amazon

     

    2020 WELLNESS GIFT GUIDE

    » YOGA «

     

    2,100 Asanas: The Complete Yoga Poses Book

    • This is a gorgeous, coffee-table-sized color book that’s a great gift for the yogis in your life. I bought this book for myself when I first did my yoga teacher training—I wanted to have a bible of sorts of all the possible asanas (poses). There is no one master book to that covers all of yoga (since there are many different branches), but this is the closest I’ve found for a master list of asanas, with photos for each. I do wish the models were more diverse, but as a textbook this book is super helpful both to plan classes (for teachers) or to deepen your own yoga practice.
    • Buy: $25, Amazon

    Glo Online Yoga Class Subscription

    • There’s no better yoga gift than yoga itself! Give yoga classes from the best teachers in the industry with a gift subscription to an online yoga platform like Glo. I’ve been using Glo (formerly YogaGlo) since 2016, and it continues to have some of the best yoga classes I’ve ever found. I’ve learned so much from taking class with the biggest names in yoga (I especially love Sara Clark, Jo Tastula, and Amy Ippoliti [pictured]), and it has everything from Meditations to Yoga Philosophy Classes to Pilates Core workouts. It’s great for someone just starting yoga, or who wants to continue to practice any time, anywhere with Glo’s easy apps and website.
    • Buy: Gift packages available from $18-$216, Glo

    Lady Magic New Moon Mist

    • This incredible small-business created essential oil spray smells like heaven. Each of Live With Moxy’s mists has been charged under the moon and infused with a custom blend of crystal elixirs, herbal allies, and essential oils to create true magic in a bottle. The vanilla and citrus New Moon spray is my personal favorite, and is perfect to enhance a meditation or yoga practice.
    • Buy: $15, Live With Moxy

    Laure B Paintings Yoga Watercolor Art

    • Omg, I love these paintings. How much? So much that I own three of them. Laure B is a local San Diego watercolor artist, and I fell in love with her work when I saw it for sale in the hallways of Trilogy Sanctuary, where I used to teach. I have a mix of her yoga and aerial yoga prints, and am all about the vibrant rainbow colors! Laure has a wide variety of prints and original paintings for sale on her Etsy store, and I basically want them all.
    • Buy: Etsy (prices vary)

    Manduka PRO Yoga Mat

    • This is called the PRO yoga mat for a reason—it’s the best of the best. I’ve tried a ton of different yoga mats, from the $7 Walmart variety all the way to this one, and this one from Manduka is a clear winner (different colors available). With a nice thick 6mm cushioning, a grippy surface, and an available extra long length of 85″ (ideal for those who are taller), it makes for a really comfortable yoga practice. It is a bit of an investment, price-wise, but that’s what makes this such a nice gift, and this mat really does stand the test of time. Years and tons of use later, the one I got five years ago looks the same as it did on day one.
    • Buy: $120-146 (free shipping), Manduka

    Mat Carrier

    • There are a lot of different yoga mat bags and carriers out there, but I love this one from Manduka for a couple reasons: It can fit any size mat, from the heavier PRO to thinner ones. It’s more sturdy than the kinds that are just straps. And it has a handy large storage pocket for your valuables, like keys and wallet. It’s also weather- and water-resistant!
    • Buy: $32, Manduka

    Yoga Pose Christmas Ornaments

    • I feel like ornaments are the ideal present for those who celebrate Christmas, because everyone uses them and you can’t really ever have too many! In my family it’s always been a big part of our holiday traditions to unpack our ornaments and relive the memories from whoever gave them to us while we decorate the tree. I absolutely adore these female yoga pose ornaments hand-created by IronMaidArt on Etsy. They’re made of aluminum and can even be customized!
    • Buy: $12 each, Etsy

    Yoga Pose Cookie Cutter Set

    • A staple of the holiday season? Cookies—and what better way to have fun with your baking than with yoga cookie cutters! This (gender-neutral) stainless steel cookie cutter set from YummiYogi has five of the most popular and recognizable asanas: Tree Pose, Downward-Facing Dog, Warrior 2, Warrior 3, and Crescent Lunge. These would be so fun to decorate and can be used all year round.
    • Buy: $40, Etsy

    Yoga Towel

    • It’s normal to sweat a lot during a typical yoga class, especially if your loved one does Hot Yoga or Vinyasa. Using a yoga towel makes a huge difference to prevent slipping, and to help keep you and your mat clean. This soft microfiber towel from lululemon comes in a variety of beautiful colors and is sized to perfectly lay on top of your yoga mat.
    • Buy: $38, lululemon

    Yoga Wheel

    • The yoga wheel is a unique and useful tool to help stretch and release tension in the back, chest, shoulders, stomach, and hips. It feels so good to lay on it, and it can be used in multiple ways, including adding difficulty to your practice or working your core. The Dharma Yoga Wheel is the OG—the first yoga wheel that launched the trend, and it’s comfortable, durable… and fun!
    • Buy: $39, Amazon

     

    2020 WELLNESS GIFT GUIDE

    » FITNESS «

     

    Alo Yoga City Zen Duffel Gym Bag

    • I am very particular when it comes to my gym bag (since I live and work out of it), and this sleek gender-neutral duffel by Alo Yoga is IT. It’s a functional carryall with a bottom zip compartment for shoes/sweaty clothes, plenty of inside and outside pockets, soft carrying straps, and even additional stretchy straps on the front that hold a yoga mat. It holds everything you need to go directly from work to the gym or off on a weekend getaway. It’s worth the price tag for its durability and multi-functionality!
    • $198, Alo Yoga

    Bala Bangles

    wellness gift

    • Bala Bangles are not only effective, they’re also sleek and stylish to wear (these ain’t your dad’s velcro ankle weights). They’re a great way to add more difficulty to any workout! The Bangles are available in 1/2, 1, or 2 lb sizes in various colors and can be worn on your wrists or ankles.
    • Buy: $49, Carbon38 (use promo code AMYBAA15 at checkout to save 15%)

    lululemon Hooded Define Jacket

    • Buying clothes for other people can be tricky, but not with this universally flattering athletic Hooded Define Jacket from lululemon! This jacket was the last thing I purchased in a store, days before the lockdowns in February, and it is everything I’ve ever wanted in a light sports jacket. It’s buttery soft, just the right amount of warm, and comes in a variety of colors, sizes 0-14. I love lululemon because their products do last for years, even with daily wear (I wore my last one for three years straight).
    • Buy: $128, lululemon

    Perfect Pushup Elite

    • This is a great gift for any fitness lovers in your life, and they’re not likely to already have it. The Perfect Pushup Elite handles are a serious secret workout game-changer! They challenge your muscles more when doing exercises like planks or push-ups, AND they are ideal to use for anyone with sensitive or injured wrists. You can learn all about them in this post.
    • Buy: $26, Amazon

    Resistance Booty Bands

    • There are a lot of resistance bands out there, but these ones don’t mess around: they’re made of a nice thick fabric, are well-structured, and offer a lot of resistance. This is an awesome wellness gift for the gym lover in your life that doesn’t break the bank but will be adored. I use them to improve my squats and have gotten so much stronger since I got them in July!
    • $12, Amazon

    Standing Desk Balance Board

    • These days, lots of people know that sitting for long stretches is not so good for your health and have standing desks (learn more about the benefits of standing desks here). But there’s another element that’s also important—how you stand. It’s important to shift positions and keep your muscles engaged. This balance board by Fezibo is honestly the missing piece to the puzzle we’ve been looking for. It puts your body into better posture and keep your core and legs active while you work, relieving fatigue for the lucky recipient of this unique wellness gift!
    • Buy: $59, Amazon

    Sunny Stepper Machine

    • Exercise has been difficult this year, with limited access to gyms or fitness classes thanks to covid. Plus add in the challenges that most workout equipment typically costs thousands of dollars and the winter months make it hard to go move outside. Enter the solution: this stepper machine. Your loved one will be able to get in their 10,000 daily steps or an elliptical-like workout with the Sunny Health & Fitness Twist Stepper, which also twists and has resistance bands to target your core and upper body for a total-body workout. The best part is, it takes up very little space, is durable, and actually affordable!
    • Buy: $77, Amazon

    Theragun Massage Gun

    wellness gift

    • Basically everyone has knots and sore muscles that need to be worked out, especially if they’re super active. But while buying someone a massage is nice, gifting them a Theragun is like giving a lifetime of massage, on demand, for the same price! If you haven’t used a massage gun, it’s amazing—the machine vibrates to give you a deep-tissue massage. You can use it on yourself, and this massage gun from Chirogun has 15 head attachments so you can treat any muscle in your body, at a price that’s more affordable than the Theragun brand but works the exact same way.
    • Buy: $99, Amazon

    Travel Foam Roller

    • Do you know someone who likes to workout even while traveling? They’ll absolutely love this gift: a travel-sized foam roller! Foam rolling is such a useful tool to massage out sore and tight muscles and loosen connective fascia, like the massage gun. This TriggerPoint Grid Foam Roller Mini is the one I have and love—but they don’t make it anymore, so it’s really hard to find. Luckily, I tracked down an online store that’s still got some for sale, making this a special rare gift you should jump on quickly!
    • Buy: $22, L9 Sports

    Ultimate Ears Boom 3 Speaker

    • As you can see below, I’m a BIG fan of music (I always post a song to set the mood). Especially as a fitness instructor, I don’t play when it comes to speakers. Trust me, THIS is the speaker to get. It may be small, but the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 has better sound than any other portable speaker I’ve tried. It has Bluetooth, 360 degree sound with deep bass, a 15 hour battery life, comes in different colors, and is waterproof and virtually indestructible. I mean—come on. It delivers enough sound to more than pump you up for a workout. (They also make a Megaboom if you want even more features!)
    •  Buy: $147, Amazon

     

    Happy holiday shopping! Your friends and family (or you!) will love these wellness gifts.

    » Song Vibes «

    What else should I add to this 2020 Wellness Gift Guide? I’d love to hear what you think in the Disqus Comments section below!

    xo,

    Amy

    This post is not sponsored, but it does contain affiliate links. I truly love these products and know you and your gift-ees will, too. Thanks for supporting the blog!

  • All About Breathwork: Meet San Diego Teacher Chelcy Pine

    Breathwork Chelcy Pine Pin

    Breathwork Chelcy Pine

    Thank you so much to today’s special guest: Chelcy Pine, a Yoga and Breathwork Teacher in San Diego!

    I get so freaking stoked to introduce you guys to the things that bring light to my life, and Chelcy Pine is definitely one of those. I first met her when I took her Breathwork class with my dear friend Cassy (ILY!) and it was kind of love at first class for me.

    Chelcy radiates good energy and love, and is also a no-bs real and powerful badass. (My favorite kind of gal!)

    I’ve been excited to share with you all how powerful Breathwork is.

    Like, holy crap. If you haven’t tried it, you need to. It has powerful mental and physical health benefits and is a game-changer for clearing through emotional roadblocks.

    I’ve noticed that practicing has helped my breathing overall—I breathe easier afterwards, it creates space in the diaphragm. And it is such a powerful anxiety release. Our breaths are so intimately tied to our emotions that intentional breathing can release a lot of stress. (That’s why I’ve created this Breath-Centered Meditation online course, btw!)

    I’ve done a lot of Breathwork since being introduced to it in my YTT, but I wanted to bring a real Breathwork master on here to educate all of us about it properly. And Chelcy immediately came to mind as the right one to ask!

    Keep reading to hear what this breath queen had to say.

    A little about Chelcy:

    Chelcy Pine is a Kundalini Yoga and Breathwork Facilitator in San Diego, CA. She has been practicing and teaching these methods of healing for five years and has found them to be the most powerful and potent technologies in helping to break through physical barriers, emotional blocks, and even reprogramming the way we relate to our own minds and higher consciousness.

    In herself she has found the ability to release subconscious patterns, clear past traumas and grief, and operate more from a space of truth and authenticity rather than from a space of fear and survival.

    Chelcy’s Mission Statement:

    “I am on a mission

    to wake you up

    to a higher state of consciousness

    by utilizing one simple tool

    that has the power to change everything:

     

    your breath”

    Enjoy my interview with Chelcy below to learn all about her and the practice of Breathwork!

    Breathwork Chelcy Pine

    Hi Chelcy! You are a Breathwork teacher, Reiki practitioner, Kundalini yoga teacher, and a poet. What led you to this path?

    I always love this question because the way I actually describe Breathwork is that it gives you the ability to use breath to trace back to the root of a traumatic experience and transform that emotion into your power—to make it a diamond.

    I started writing at a very young age and have a Bachelors in Poetry. IT was always a profound way for this introverted soul to process her experience of the world when it felt too heavy to manage. I suffered from Asthma and allergies (to nearly everything green outside) so there would be months at a time when waking up alone created severe anxiety, because I never knew when I was going to get triggered by not breathing and have to go to the hospital.

    When I discovered Energy Work and Breathwork, I learned it wasn’t about me treating the asthma: it was about me tracing back to the first time I couldn’t breathe. It was about healing the emotional body that had led to a physical manifestation of suffocation.

    I haven’t used an inhaler in almost seven years. Which is why I so strongly believe that the cause of suffering can simultaneously be the moment we give birth to our true dharma, and carve the power of our life path.

    I was first introduced to you through your amazing Breathwork classes. How did you first discover Breathwork?

    I actually had decided to do a 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training without having any intention of ever teaching or without even knowing who the teacher was. In the first couple of weeks, she told me (without knowing anything about me, so I really believe this is the moment I started believing in “channeling”) “You should try Kundalini Yoga… it’s fucking weird, I think you would like it.”

    She was right. I found it that day. And my entire life changed.

    I started teaching Kundalini Yoga, and a woman told me to come try a Transformational Breathwork workshop. I remember at the time thinking “kundalini is the Breathwork.”

    I had an ego death that night—I was in a room with 30 other people following this two-part Breathwork when it felt like every asthma attack I had ever had came to the surface. My throat got tight and my hands locked into themselves with fear and a woman rolled me over on to my belly and once I felt it was safe, I felt it all leave my body. Another rebirth.

    I have never looked back since. I can’t imagine what would still be held in my body had I never discovered this modality.

    Can you explain what exactly Breathwork is? How do you do it?

    Breathwork is essentially a form of Breath Therapy: it consists of following a circular, connected pattern of Breathing (about a 3 second inhale and 1 second exhale through the mouth).

    It replaces all other patterns of breathing that we experience when we experience dense emotions. By this I mean that Anger, Grief, and Fear all have their own Breathing Patterns. Breathwork is powerful to practice because the breath is connected and conscious and allows for us to reprogram the Nervous System in a way that quickly and effectively releases the suppression of these emotions in the body and opens up the lungs and diaphragm so that we experience deeper, fuller breaths even after the work is done.

    What are the benefits?

    So many! Physically, it improves the energy levels and oxygen levels in the body, helps to break patterns/addictions, balances the flow of energy in the body, helps to balance the endocrine system, helps to alleviate stress, respiratory ailments, and psychosomatic illness.

    Emotionally, Breathwork helps to clear past traumas from grief, guilt, shame, anger. It helps to reduce worry and anxiety, connects us to our intuition and truth, connects us to SPIRIT, heightens awareness of self-sabotaging patterns so you can work through them, increases our JOY and GRATITUDE, lets us tap in to the ancient wisdom of the body necessary to heal, and relieves depression and negative emotions.

    Breathwork Chelcy Pine

    What can we expect to feel when we practice Breathwork?

    You can feel an entire spectrum of feelings, sensations. Oftentimes, the body actually tingles or vibrates and may feel grounded for the first time or even like it is floating because so much energy moves. Because we are using the Breathwork to access stored emotions in the body, we may also experience the movement and release of sadness, fear, anger, or even joy!

    It is very common to laugh, to yell, or to cry for a larger portion of the Breathwork session. This is ENCOURAGED when it is authentic, because the Breath is allowing for the body to finally process emotion that has been trapped for a lifetime in a healthy and effective way. You will feel the truth.

    Do you know the origins of Breathwork? Where did it come from?

    I studied Transformational Breathwork under the Foundation of Transformation Breathwork by Judith Kravitz, my teacher who developed this style nearly 40 years ago. She actually studied Rebirthing and Water Breathwork and drew a lot of her experience in to this Breath Academy. She used it every day for a year and was able to actually cure her own thyroid cancer without any Western treatment!

    Her school is my favorite because it is the most informative, experiential, and intelligent that I found in all of my studies. I do believe a lot of Breathwork was drawn all the way back from different “Pranayama” Exercises under the school of Yoga and Kundalini Technology as well as different Eastern studies. But Judith Kravitz herself is American.

    What are the most common questions or concerns you get from people who have never tried it?

    I often get asked why it helps to release emotion and how it is actually creating so much sensation in the physical body! People are often VERY surprised, whether they have just heard about it or tried it for the first time themselves with me, at how powerful of an effect and how much awareness can come to them simply by breathing, something that we all do all of the time.

    I often explain that if Breath is the thing keeping us alive and the thing we can only go minutes without, imagine what we would be capable of, or what our potential would be if we started there and enhanced that. It expands you in every way: physically, emotionally, spiritually, mentally.

    Often concerns of clients who seek me out and are unfamiliar with the work are that they don’t know if they are ready to face what the Breath might bring up, as far as old emotions, experiences, or traumatic memories go.

    My response to that is this: that if your breath is what keeps you alive, it is ultimately the most ancient wisdom we have, and will only reveal to us what we are ready to face (whether we mentally believe that or not) and will only support us in getting us through, as it always fights to keep us alive and will only do the same in Breathwork.

    You are definitely a powerful healer. How can we work with you? What are all the services and classes you offer?

    You angel. Thank you so much. I offer a collective Breath community (online, via Zoom!) every single Sunday from 5:00-6:30 PAC: named Breath Church.

    This is a group class where I set a theme, guide the students through about 40 minutes of Breath followed by a 10-15 minute Integration Period (stillness, or savasana) and then we process together afterwards in what I have called Spirit Council. This community is very special to me as Breathwork is a very deep and sacred practice, so processing together is powerful.

    I also hold one-on-one and small group sessions out of a home office here in Golden Hill, San Diego. I facilitate Transformational Breathwork as well as Kundalini Yoga and practice Reiki Energy Medicine.

    And I also lead Reiki Level 1 & 2 Trainings, in addition to a Seven Month long Reiki Mastership Academy. These are my favorite as of late—moving in to teaching facilitators how to facilitate!

    Chelcy’s San Diego Teaching Schedule (as of 9/2020):

    TUESDAYS

    THURSDAYS

    • 6 AM KUNDALINI YOGA at reUnify in Ocean Beach

    You can find all up-to-date details on classes and booking on her website: http://www.chelcypine.com

    Be sure to find Chelcy in San Diego or work with her online!

    » Song Vibes «

    This is Chelcy’s Sunday Breath Church playlist, a perfect one to do a Breathwork session with!

    Have you tried Breathwork before? Share what you think in the Disqus Comments section below.

    xo,

    Amy

    Photos belong to Chelcy Pine