Breathwork: What It Is, How It Works and Why Everyone Is Talking About It

You hear about it everywhere. In podcasts, at the gym, on retreats. Breathwork. Work on the breath. But what does it mean, really?

The word covers very different practices, from the gentlest to the most intense. Here I put them in order, tell you what happens in a session and why in recent years the breath has come back to the centre.

Why everyone is talking about it

Because you feel it quickly. And because it does not ask you to believe in anything.

The breath is the only automatic function of the body that you can guide. And guiding it changes the state of the nervous system in a few minutes. A slow, nasal breath brings calm. A full, continuous breath can bring to the surface what the body is holding.

In an age of constant tension, a tool you always carry with you and feel straight away in the body becomes precious.

The three doors

At the masseria we have given breathwork an arc in three doors. It works as a map to find your way anywhere.

Learning to breathe. Everyday functional breathing: nasal, slow, diaphragmatic. It is not an experience, it is a habit, and everyone needs it. You learn it in one session or in a cycle of four meetings.

Loosening. The breathing circle: two hours of rhythmic breathing with music, in a group, with holds and release. The simplest way to try intense breathwork.

Transforming. Rebirthing: the one-to-one session of conscious connected breathing, 90-120 minutes with a conversation, screening and integration. The deep experience, for those looking for a passage.

The differences between the practices, pranayama and holotropic included, are in a separate guide.

What happens in an intense session

First, a conversation. Always.

Then you lie down and breathe, guided by a voice. In the first minutes there is effort. Then the physical sensations: tingling, warmth, energy. Then, for many, a release: tears or laughter without explanation. And at the end a deep stillness.

Then the time to come back: silence, a cup of tea, words if they come.

There is no right feeling to have. If the first time you feel nothing in particular, you have done nothing wrong.

Who it is for, and who it is not for

For those who live with stress and want a concrete tool. For those going through a passage. For those who are curious.

Safety comes before the experience. Intense practices are not advised in pregnancy, or with epilepsy, cardiovascular conditions, glaucoma, psychiatric conditions under treatment, recent surgery. In these cases the right door is functional breathing, which is gentle and safe.

Breathwork is an experience of wellbeing and awareness, not a therapy. It is not a remedy for anything. It can accompany a medical or psychological path, without ever replacing it.

The place

At Masseria Montanari, in Carpignano Salentino, 25 minutes from Lecce, the three doors are in the same place. You are accompanied by Davide, breath coach and facilitator, who works with Masseria Montanari. In the stone vaulted hall, or among the olive trees in the warm months. If you are coming from far away, you can sleep at the masseria and turn a session into a weekend.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a breathwork session cost? Indicative ranges at the masseria: breathing circle 20-30 euros, one-to-one rebirthing 60-90 euros, functional breathing on quotation.

Do I need to believe in something? No. Breathwork works on the physiology of the breath and the nervous system. Each person brings to it the meaning they want.

Where do I start if I am undecided? From the breathing circle: two hours, no commitment, and at the end you know whether you want to go further. Or write "I don't know" in the form.

Book a session

You do not have to know where to start. Tell me how you are and what you are looking for on the Breath page: you do not need to write much. I will reply myself, usually within a day, and together we will work out which experience to start from. If you are coming from far away, you can stay the night at the masseria.

Breathing practices are experiences of wellbeing and awareness offered under Italian Law 4/2013: they are not a remedy for anything and do not replace medical or psychological care.