1: Don't overdo it.
Go slow and take days off. When starting a practice, doing it every other day is recommended — one day practice, one day off. After about a month, increase to two days practice and one day off. Increase slowly in this manner, but never practice more than six days in a row. "Even God rests one day a week."
You want to progress slowly and steadily because profound changes occur in your nervous and hormonal systems. The body needs integration time, and the space between sessions allows you to observe these changes and immediate effects.
For the first six months, practice only once daily, but after a while you could add a second session on some days.
2: Tension.
There should be little to no unnecessary tension in the body while retaining breath. Develop a habit of scanning for tension during breathing, especially during retentions. If agitation or pain appears, ease off slightly.
Breathwork can potentially bring more agitation and stress to the nervous system if done improperly, so don't push yourself too hard. A shorter, smooth retention is preferable to a longer one causing tension or blackout.
Be especially aware of the neck, shoulders, upper back, facial muscles, and muscles surrounding the cranium. Breathwork is a practice of mindfulness.
3: When to practice breathwork.
The best results come from practicing first thing in the morning after yoga or light stretching. The mind remains quiet and focused. Notice that the retentions are longer and more comfortable when the mind is calm and quiet.
Practice on an empty stomach — this is essential, and makes external retention far more comfortable.
4: Where to practice breathwork.
Breath work can be intense and should be done in a safe environment, both physically and emotionally.
You can experience lightheadedness or even fainting if you overdo intense breathing practices like the Wim Hof method or other advanced yogic pranayamas.
If you do this is a sure sign you are overdoing it but even when taking precautions these things can happen, so make sure to stay seated or laying down while practicing, and DO NOT do these practices while driving or being in water, even if shallow!
During practice, intense, heavy or difficult emotions might come up; and having support during this process is crucial. If practice becomes too intense, please seek guidance from experienced support personnel.
5: Diet.
Pranayama moves substantial energy through the system. In ancient times, breathwork was restricted to those who had completed preliminary yoga, cleansing, and followed specific dietary practices.
Work with the wind element requires clean, grounding food. In early practice stages, sufficient healthy fats are vital — ghee from ethically-raised cows, high-quality fish oil, or saturated fats from nuts and coconut.
Saturated fats matter for two reasons: the body and brain create new neural pathways requiring fats for myelin insulation, and glandular hormonal secretions may shift as underperforming glands activate and overactive ones calm down. Saturated fats support healthy hormonal balance for both men and women.
6: Am I doing it right?
Signs you might be overdoing it:
Headaches. If practice causes headaches during or immediately after, you're pushing too hard. However, detoxification might cause headaches from toxins entering the bloodstream. Consult trusted health professionals for guidance.
Agitation, anxiety and anger during the day. Breathwork can trigger emotional "detoxification." Feeling spacey, agitated, or tense afterward might indicate healing, but can disrupt daily life. Take a day off, restart slowly, and avoid maximal breath retentions. Monitor for tension during retention.
Sincerely, and with much love
@yornaath