Breathwork & Belief Programming
What are subconscious limiting beliefs?
Limiting beliefs, such as “I need to earn the affection of others”, are stored within our subconscious, and mostly obtained through our caregivers, our environment or society. These limiting beliefs are not objectively true, but we experience them as being true.
Actions speak louder than words.
We are often not aware of our subconscious beliefs - they mainly show themselves through our actions and our behaviour. For example, by how we take care of ourselves, or what types of behaviour of others we tolerate. Our patterns and relationships with others are one of the best reflections of our subconscious limiting beliefs.
Our subconscious blocks us to protect us.
Whenever we try something new that challenges a limiting belief, we will feel unsafe, shameful or guilty. For example, if we refuse to take on a task that we don’t want to do, we might feel guilty and fearful of negative consequences. This is because our subconscious considers anything opposing our limiting beliefs as a threat. The strong emotional response from our subconscious typically holds us back and keeps us locked in old, familiar patterns.
How to remove limiting beliefs with Breathwork?
Removing limiting beliefs is challenging. Removing limiting beliefs corresponds to creating new neural-pathways in our brain. It essentially requires us to repeatedly take new, different decisions and actions to break our old patterns.
This is very hard, for the following reasons:
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Embodiment
We need to embody and act like a person we have never been before. For example, consider that we want to remove the belief that we are not lovable just the way we are. If we have never felt lovable in our lives, it is very hard to embody that and make corresponding choices. -
Highway versus jungle
If we manage to be aware of other options for our behaviour, it’s still hard to choose them: our old, familiar patterns are like highways in our brain that we have been using many times. The new behaviour that we want to embody doesn’t have a proper pathway yet, and so choosing it (especially the first time) will feel like cutting out a path through a jungle. The highway is much more comfortable! -
Emotional release
If we manage to take the new pathway, we still need to handle the fear, shame or guilt we feel when making new choices. This emotional release can feel very overwhelming and disheartening.
Breathwork can help on all three fronts.
During Breathwork you embody the person you wish to become.
Breathwork will bring you to an altered state of consciousness. This is why during a typical Diamond breathwork session, you will embody the very person you wish to become, without the limiting belief(s). For example, you might feel how safe, lovable and precious you are, in every cell of your body. You will most likely see your current life from the perspective of the person you want to become. For example, you might see new sides to a struggle you have with someone or something in your life. You might receive answers to open questions.
Breathwork creates a footpath through your brain's jungle.
During a typical Breathwork session, you will create new neural-pathways in your brain. In other words, you will be cutting out a pathway through your brain’s jungle. Your old patterns will still be the main highway, but there is already a new footpath which will make it easier to make different choices in the future.
Breathwork initiates a softer emotional release.
The release during Breathwork is often on a softer level, for example through sneezing or yawning, and therefore often allows your body to release emotions in a less painful way. Note that this will not fully remove the emotional discomfort that comes with change. I recommend to work with a therapist or coach if you feel you are struggling with the emotional releases.
The Belief Programming Process
A typical timeline to reprogram your subconscious regarding a specific goal, such as "I want to embody more self love", using the Belief Programming process.
Breathwork session 1: Initiation
A Breathwork session (ideally 120min) during which we initiate the Belief Programming process by activating the subconscious for the particular change, and creating new neuro-pathways.
Inner work phase 1
First phase of integrating the initiation experience. You will start to behave differently, and will experience emotional release. Support through psychotherapy or coaching can be beneficial during this phase.
Breathwork session 2: Strengthening
The second Breathwork session strengthens the foundations that are being built through the initiation and inner work. It helps to avoid falling back into old patterns, re-ignites the goal, and often brings further insights and new perspectives.
Inner work phase 2
Vital phase of inner work, where you are further invited to show up differently, release underlying emotions and focus on your goals. The more you show up, the deeper the change. Support from your psychotherapist or coach can be very nourishing during this time.
Breathwork session 3: Finalising
The third Breathwork session further fortifies the inner alchemy and supports you in showing up differently during the last inner work phase, where you finalse the change in your subconscious. Recommended are 90min or 120min sessions.
Inner work phase 3
Final critical inner work phase where you strengthen your new neuro-pathways strongly enough so that they are starting to become your new default choice. Congratulations, you are more and more embodying the person you were aiming to be!
The number of Breathwork sessions depends on the depth of change you are aiming for, and on how easily you manage to implement the change during the inner work phase. Typically one Breathwork session alone is not enough for sustainable change, but from my experience, 3 sessions often are. We can also adapt the interval to your needs.
The two stages of belief programming
Belief programming works iteratively in two stages: a Breathwork session followed by layers of inner work.
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Breathwork session
Initiates the change within you: it creates new pathways in your brain and allows you to experience your new self, receive insights and new perspectives. It activates your subconscious for change. In other words: the Breathwork session provides you with the tools to fortify the change within yourself. -
Inner work after Breathwork Session
The time after the Breathwork session is vital to fortify inner change. The Breathwork session sets the stage and creates initial pathways. That is a huge leap forward, but it requires further steps to strengthen these new pathways, to create lasting change: behave differently in familiar situations, release the emotions that come up, and repeatedly focus on the person you want to become. It can be supportive to be accompanied by a psychotherapist or coach during this time. I will also provide you with support material after your breathwork session.
Support for your inner work phase
I will provide you with supportive material to assist you during the inner work phase after your Breathwork session. Your psychotherapist or coach can also assist you during this time.
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Emotional Release
You are likely to experience some form of emotional release, such as feeling fear, grief, shame, guilt, etc after your Breathwork session. This is completely normal and actually desired: as you feel these emotions, they are leaving your system, forever. In other words: you are getting rid of emotional baggage. Nevertheless, this experience can be very uncomfortable and painful. I will provide you with some support material, but you might also want to reach out for individualised support from your psychotherapist or coach. -
Behaving differently
Inner change shows through your actions: you show up differently in familiar situations, take new decisions, try out new things. It will most likely feel uncomfortable, but this is a good sign: you are growing. Behaving differently is really important to strengthen the new pathways in your brain. -
Focus on your goals
It is likely that you will feel some sort of disorientation or doubt about new behaviours or perspectives. This is completely normal and it can help to focus on who you want to become rather than fall into old patterns of self-criticism or paralysis.
My role as Breathwork facilitator
The journey of inner change and growth can be likened to mountaineering: you want to reach the mountain peak, but don't know the path, the terrain, or the pitfalls. You might be afraid to get lost or to get stuck. Maybe even too scared to even get started.
I’m your guide up the mountain. I have much experience doing inner work, and I know how to keep you safe, even when some situations seem scary. The Breathwork sessions will illuminate parts of your path and reveal the beauty at the peak, so you remember why you are on your journey.
However, I cannot carry you up your mountain, and I cannot carry your load, nobody can but yourself. You will only succeed if you are willing to climb the mountain yourself. Then you will be rewarded not just by reaching your peak, but by letting go of the baggage that has been weighing you down.
Book your free 20 min info call to find out if I can support you
