In an inspiring interview with MysticMag, Trish Brewer delves into the transformative journey that led her to embrace breathwork and Reiki in her healing practices.
Confronted with the harsh realities of burnout and a personal health scare, Brewer’s path to recovery began with a critical decision to prioritize her well-being, incorporating meditation, therapy, and energy work into her daily routine. Her life-altering experience with breathwork in Stratton, Vermont, emerged as a profound turning point, revealing the depths of unresolved trauma and setting the stage for profound personal growth and healing.
Brewer’s narrative, shared with MysticMag, underscores the profound impact of personal healing on individual lives and its cascading effect on the community at large, highlighting the interconnectedness of our individual journeys and collective well-being.
What inspired you to focus on breathwork and Reiki in your healing practices?
The culmination of years of burnout, the overwhelm of working mom guilt, unrealistic expectations, juggling multiple roles and responsibilities, and the lack of self-care and boundaries landed me in the hospital for a week. This medical emergency knocked me out of my comfort zone and forced a change in my lifestyle. I could no longer ignore my own needs. I realized to take care of the ones I loved I would have to start with myself. And so began my recovery to heal not just my body, but all of me, finally recognizing the connection of the body/mind/ spirit. I started to meditate daily and journal my thoughts and feelings. I went to therapy and received Reiki and acupuncture.
Then, two years later on a June afternoon in Stratton, Vermont, breathwork found me. An unfolding began as deep layers of stored trauma surfaced. From there, the healing within began and rippled outward. More moved through me in those forty-five minutes than in a lifetime. And,
I had been doing “the work.” I even co-led a women’s group centered around spiritual empowerment. But breathwork cracked me wide open! It was the healing modality that called me home. My body trembled and cramped as the energy coursed through it. Tears flowed as the trauma of old wounds came to the surface and then left. I felt the warm embrace of my Nona Santina as she put my heart and mind at ease through it all. I saw the face of my dad come to me, filling me with strength. It was sad, it was gut-wrenching, and it was beautiful, all at once. It left me longing for more. I knew I had just barely scraped the surface of my healing. That summer I continued to peel back the layers through many virtual sessions.
By the end of the summer, I had completed my first level of breathwork training and by the end of the following summer, I had completed the first of my certifications. To say breathwork has changed the trajectory of my life would be an understatement. I liken it to more of a remembering. I returned from Vermont with purpose. It gave me a peace I didn’t know before.
Breathwork was the breakthrough for me. It was the next level of energy work that peeled back a layer of my life and made me see with such clarity and peace what was necessary.
How does breathwork serve as an active meditation in your sessions?
It is best to start by defining the categories of breathwork. There are two basic categories: breath tools and breath healing.
Breath tools refer to specific techniques or exercises used to control and regulate the breath in the moment. These can include box breath, alternate nostril breathing, 4:7:8, Wim Hoff, and other techniques that can be incorporated into daily practice for a healthier, less stressful life. Consider these techniques part of your handy tool kit in your pocket.
Breath healing, on the other hand, is a more holistic approach to breathwork that focuses on using the breath to help heal emotional wounds and promote spiritual growth. This involves working with a trained breathwork practitioner who will guide you through specific breathing exercises designed to help you release emotional blockages and negative thought patterns. These practices include Rebirthing by Leonard Orr, Holotropic by Christina Grof and Stanislav Grof, and Breathwork by David Elliott. It is like a gentle embrace for your soul.
Breath Healing is an active, efficient, and effective technique that allows you to disconnect from the thinking mind and enter a heightened state of consciousness. This is the active meditation we refer to. It is like a gentle embrace for your soul.
Can you describe the process and benefits of attending a breathwork circle?
Breathwork connects you to your body, moves stuck energy, and opens your heart by using a specific three-step pranayama technique. It is a beautiful, simple, and powerful practice that can help deepen your self-knowledge and provide clarity. It is great for reducing anxiety, depression, and stress as well as connecting to your intuition and creativity. This type of breathwork is not meant to calm and relax, but rather move and release energy from your body so you can heal. Often, it leaves you feeling lighter, less burdened, and more open-hearted. The practice is simple…the results are profound.
When done in a group setting the movement of energy is even more palpable. In a Breathwork Circle, you will find community, support, and like-minded souls that will hold you close to their hearts as you will them.
How do you ensure that Reiki sessions provide both stress relief and relaxation?
As a Reiki practitioner, ensuring that Reiki sessions provide both stress relief and relaxation is integral to the practice. Here are some ways I ensure this:
Creating a Calm Environment: I begin by creating a tranquil environment for the session. This includes dimming the lights, playing soft, soothing music, and ensuring the temperature is comfortable. A peaceful setting helps clients to relax more deeply.
Encouraging Deep Breathing: Before starting the session, I encourage the client to take slow, deep breaths. Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and reducing stress levels.
Grounding and Centering: After the deep breaths, I guide the client through a grounding meditation. This helps them to release any tension or anxiety they may be holding onto and allows them to enter a state of calm receptivity.
Setting Clear Intentions: I work with the client to set clear intentions for the session. By aligning our intentions, we can more effectively channel healing energy to where it is needed most.
Gentle Touch and Energy Flow: During the session, I use gentle touch or hover my hands over the client’s body, allowing Reiki energy to flow freely. This gentle touch helps to promote relaxation while facilitating the release of stress and tension held within the body.
Providing Post-Session Guidance: After the session, I offer guidance on how clients can continue to promote stress relief and relaxation in their daily lives. This may include incorporating mindfulness techniques or making lifestyle changes to reduce stress.
By incorporating these practices into Reiki sessions, I aim to ensure that clients experience profound stress relief and relaxation, leaving them feeling rejuvenated and balanced.
What changes have you observed in clients after they undergo your healing sessions?
I have been blessed to witness so many!
Expansion has been the most notable transformation I’ve observed. Numerous clients, whether they excel in the realms of creativity or healing, have successfully translated their dreams into tangible realities. Witnessing their journey unfold has been a profound privilege.
Another significant change I’ve noticed involves the re-establishment of a connection with oneself.
How do you believe personal healing influences the broader community, based on your philosophy?
I work with individuals committed to inner healing through trauma-informed processing of misbeliefs using energy work, including breathwork, Reiki, and intuitive guidance. By holding a nurturing and compassionate space, folks are empowered to break deep-seated patterns that allow for positive change which ripples outward and impacts not only their healing but those of their families and communities.
I believe that when we allow ourselves to be supported, we expedite our healing and self-discovery. I know this to be true from my own experience. The impact of this choice ripples well beyond our individual lives. The positivity and change you bring to your life will touch the people around you in equally profound ways.
This is based on the concept that we are all connected. That what we do can and does affect each other. Hurt people hurt people. Healing people do not use their past hurt as an excuse to hurt others. Healing people find compassion and grace, for others and themselves.
“When we heal ourselves, we heal the world. For as the body is only as healthy as its individual cells, the world is only as healthy as its individual souls.”
― Mark Nepo, The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have
Find out more at: www.trishbrewer.com
