Conscious Connected Breathing: What It Is, What You Feel and How It Differs from Rebirthing

Imagine breathing without ever stopping. The air comes in, full. The air goes out, without forcing it. And straight back in. No pause at the top, no pause at the bottom. A circle.

It is called conscious connected breathing. Circular, because the in-breath and the out-breath follow one another like a ring. Connected, because between one and the other there is no break. It is the heart of rebirthing and of many deep breathing practices. Here I tell you what happens, what you can feel and who it is for.

Breathing without pauses

In everyday breathing there are two small pauses: one at the top of the in-breath, one at the bottom of the out-breath. In connected breathing they disappear. You breathe in fully and actively. You let the air out without pushing it. You start again straight away.

The rhythm is faster and fuller than your daily one. You hold it for 45-60 minutes, lying down, with the voice of a facilitator accompanying you. It is precisely the continuity that makes the difference: the body enters a state it does not know in everyday life.

What happens in the body

For a limited time, connected breathing changes the balance of gases in the blood and the way the nervous system works. You may feel tingling in your hands and face. Warmth, or cold. A slight stiffness in the fingers. Waves of energy. These are known, passing effects of the practice, and I tell you about them before, not after.

Then there is what happens inside. Connected breathing loosens the control you usually hold. Emotions you did not know you were holding can rise. Tears. Laughter. Images, memories. And then, almost always, a deep stillness.

What you can feel

Every session is different. The same person can have two opposite ones.

Some feel a clear physical release, as if their shoulders had dropped by ten centimetres. Some move through an intense emotion. Some feel little during and a lot in the days after: a different kind of sleep, a calm they cannot explain.

There is no right feeling to have. None of these responses is worth more than the others. And no one will ever tell you that you did not feel enough.

The other practices, in brief

• Rebirthing. The one-to-one session that uses conscious connected breathing, with a conversation, screening and integration. Conscious connected breathing is the breath, rebirthing is the whole experience.
• Holotropic breathwork. A similar breath, but in a group, with intense music and longer sessions. It was born in a psychotherapeutic setting.
• Pranayama. The breathing techniques of yoga, which work the other way round, on control and breath retention. They are the root of many rhythmic breathing circles.
• Functional breathing. Everyday breathing, through the nose and slow. The base to start from, and the right door for those who cannot do the intense practices.

Who it is for, and who it is not for

For those looking for an experience, not just an explanation. A passage in life. A period of tension the body will not let go of. The curiosity to feel what the breath can move.

Safety comes before the experience. Connected breathing is 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. If in doubt, your doctor is the person to ask.

The place

At Masseria Montanari, in Carpignano Salentino, one-to-one rebirthing sessions take place in the stone vaulted hall, 25 minutes from Lecce. You are accompanied by Davide, breath coach and facilitator, who works with Masseria Montanari. All around, the silence of the countryside and the olive trees. You can also try a gentle version of connected breathing in the group breathing circle.

Frequently asked questions

Can I do it on my own at home? Intense connected breathing, no: it needs a facilitator present, because of the physical sensations it brings and the time needed to integrate. At home you practise functional breathing, which is gentle.

How long does the effect last? The lightness and the calm generally last a few days. The deeper change comes with several sessions spaced out over time and with everyday functional breathing.

Is it like hyperventilating? No. Connected breathing raises the rhythm for a limited, guided time, with a facilitator who regulates the intensity. It is a practice with rules, timings and contraindications, not uncontrolled hyperventilation.

Book a session

You do not have to know how it is done already. 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 where to start. 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.