Breathwork for QT Holiday Stress

This can be a rough time of year.

If you need a place to just...breathe...this event is for you. 

Breathwork for QT Holiday Stress is a community space where folks can come to breathe in community with other queer, trans, and gender expansive folks. It is a space where you can stop holding your breath, and let your breath hold you instead! If you have never done breathwork before, that's fine! I will teach you the breathing pattern, and also teach you how to modify it. What is breathwork? Well, breathwork means many different things to different folks. We will be doing a specific breathing pattern, but you will be empowered to modify it if needed. 

This offering is meant to be very financially accessible. The sliding scale is $12/$25/$40, and scholarships are available for those who can not afford the $12 community rate (if that's you, email me). I have also set each event at a different time so that, hopefully, all folks who want to will be able to join at least one. I want everyone who wants or needs to be a part of this space to be able to join! 

The type of breathing we will be doing is called the three part breath.  

This means that we will breathe through the mouth - first inhaling into the belly, then inhaling into the chest, before exhaling, all through the mouth. You can try it right now if you want to, and I will also take you through the breathing pattern before we start. Again, you are in control of your experience, so you can switch to breathing through the nose if you want it to be less intense, you can slow down or speed up. 

Ideally, you will lie flat while we do this breath. You can lie in bed, on your couch, or on the floor - anywhere that you can be flat and lay comfortably for 40 minutes or so. If you have COPD or if lying flat is not comfortable for you, you can lay in a recliner or prop yourself up with pillows. Feel free to put a flat/thin pillow under your head and/or a bolster/pillow under your knees. It is important that your airway is unrestricted, so you don’t want your head pushed forward or falling backward.  

It is good to be hydrated before you start breathing. Don’t drink a ton of water (you’ll just have to pee in the middle), just whatever amount helps you feel comfortably hydrated. You will also want to have a blanket available. Temperature fluctuations are common during breathwork and its good and comforting to have a blanket in case you get cold. 

You will likely be invited to vocalize. I will start with a loud sigh and encourage folks to get louder from there. If this might bother housemates. feel free to vocalize into a pillow, but I recommend letting folks know you might make some unexpected noises so you can freely and comfortably vocalize, if possible.

Agenda

• Welcome and Opening
• Intention Setting
  • Out loud, in the chat, privately
• Breathwork instructions and preparation
  • Soundcheck
• Bio break/getting your space set up
• Breathwork to music (~25 minutes)
• Integration (~10 minutes)
• Sharing time
• Close out

The good thing about breathwork is that you are always 100% in control of your experience. This means that if you don’t like or feel comfortable with something that is happening, you can slow down the breath or switch to simple deep breathing (or switch out of focusing on breath and focus instead on gentle movement! The options are wide ranging) and that thing will abate. Everything I say in the session is a suggestion - you decide how you engage.

You will need to read and sign this waiver (after purchasing a ticket) if you would like to join. You can read the waiver before you purchase a ticket, and email me with any questions. The waiver includes a list of contraindications - please note, if you have one of these, it doesn’t mean you can’t participate! I’ve been trained with a lot of different accommodations and workarounds. I just need to know so I can effectively guide you through the experience as safely as possible. If you have a serious contraindication, please speak with your doctor and let me know before joining. 

Recommended Items:

• Headphones
• Blanket
• Water
• Thin pillow for neck (if needed)
• Bolster or pillow for knees (if needed)
• Journal & Pen

Scholarships & Tickets

I have tried to make this event as affordable as possible, knowing that it is the holidays and money may be tight! If you need a scholarship, just email me for a code. You do not need to give me any information or explanation, just let me know you need a scholarship and I will get you the code. 

Dates and Times

There are 4 different breathwork sessions. You may attend any number of them, but you must buy a ticket for each event you're attending. 

The sessions are: 

Sunday, November 26th, at 2 pm - 3:30 pm PT

Monday, December 4th, at 5 pm - 6:30 pm PT

Saturday, December 9th, at 10 am - 11:30 am PT

Sunday, December 17th, at 3 pm - 4:30 pm PT

Recording

These sessions will be recorded, and the recordings will not be downloadable. All recordings will be set to expire on January 15th, 2024. 

Terms & Conditions

You can find the full terms and conditions here. Please note that there will be no refunds for any reason. 

About Me

Hi! I'm Eli, The Gender Doula. I provide full-spectrum support for folks who are questioning, exploring, or transitioning their gender through classes, workshops, somatic practices, and one on one sessions. I was trained in breathwork by Chauna Bryant of Breath Liberation Society. If you want to read more about me, you can find my full bio right here on my website! You can also sign up for my mailing list right here!