Rebirthing, Breathwork, Pranayama: the Differences Explained Simply
Breathwork. Rebirthing. Connected breathing. Holotropic. Pranayama. Functional breathing. Rhythmic breathing. You come closer to the breath and find a thicket of names. Some are synonyms. Others are very different practices.
Here I put them in order, in simple words, so that you can choose knowing what you are choosing. And because the first question to ask yourself is not "which method", but "what do I need right now".
Breathwork: the name for everything
Breathwork means "work on the breath" and covers everything: from the gentle everyday techniques to the intense group sessions. When someone says "I do breathwork" they may mean very different things.
There are two questions to ask. Is it a gentle or an intense practice? One-to-one or in a group?
Functional breathing: the base
It is everyday breathing done well. Nasal, slow, diaphragmatic. It is not an experience, it is a habit.
Everyone needs it. It has no contraindications. And it is the right door for those who cannot do the intense practices too. You learn it in a few sessions and practise it on your own.
Pranayama: the root
The breathing techniques of yoga, thousands of years old. Alternate nostril breathing, breath holds, precise rhythms. They work on control and concentration.
Many modern rhythmic breathing practices with music are children of pranayama, with holds on empty or full lungs as the central moment.
Rhythmic group breathing: the circle
Guided group sessions, with music. You follow a breathing rhythm with intense phases and holds. It is the format of breathing circles: accessible, no experience needed, with a release you can feel in the body. Intense enough to have some contraindications.
Conscious connected breathing and rebirthing: the deep end
Conscious connected breathing is full breathing without pauses, for 45-60 minutes. Rebirthing is the one-to-one session that uses it, with a conversation, screening and integration.
It is the deep experience. It brings to the surface what the body is holding and lets it go. It has precise contraindications (pregnancy, epilepsy, cardiovascular conditions, glaucoma, psychiatric conditions under treatment, recent surgery) and should be done with someone who knows how to accompany you.
Holotropic breathwork
Similar to conscious connected breathing, but in a group, with intense music and three-hour sessions. It was born in a psychotherapeutic setting in the 1970s. In Salento it is not widespread.
Which to choose
| You are looking for | The right door | |---|---| | everyday calm, sleep, sport | functional breathing | | trying breathwork without commitment | breathing circle | | a deep experience, a passage | rebirthing | | you do not know | write it, and I will suggest where to start |
At Masseria Montanari, in Carpignano Salentino, the three doors are in the same place and with the same person: Davide, breath coach and facilitator, who works with Masseria Montanari. You come in through any one of them. You can move to the others whenever you want, at your own pace. In the stone vaulted hall, 25 minutes from Lecce, or among the olive trees in the warm months.
Frequently asked questions
Can I do several practices together? Yes, in sequence. Functional breathing as a daily base, a circle now and then, rebirthing at important passages. Not the two intense ones on the same day.
Which practice is the safest? Functional breathing has no contraindications. Circle and rebirthing are intense and come with screening. Rebirthing, being one-to-one, is the most closely accompanied.
Do I need yoga experience? No. None of the three doors requires it. Pranayama is the historical root, not a prerequisite.
Book a session
You do not have to know beforehand. 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 door to come in through. 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.