The Way Forward with Alec Zeck

Ep 105: The Breath Shall Set You Free with Christopher August

17 snips
Jul 8, 2024
Guest
Christopher August
Christopher August, coach and co-founder of Beats and Breath, shares his breathwork journey from Tanzania to darkroom retreats. He explores breath as a bridge to spirit, techniques to calm anxiety and energize the body, links between breath and DMT, and how music, plant medicines, and sonic practices shape powerful healing sessions.
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ANECDOTE

Near Death On The Zambezi Reframed Breath

  • While whitewater rafting on the Zambezi, Christopher was ejected, nearly drowned, and then was pulled out, vomiting water and regaining breath — a near-death event that reframed his relationship to breathing.
  • The rescue and subsequent gratitude for breath catalyzed his commitment to breathwork as foundational to life and healing.
INSIGHT

Breath As Ancestral Technology

  • Ancient cultures shifted from plant brews like Soma to breath as a reproducible technology to induce expanded states and healing.
  • Practices from Kundalini, Wim Hof, and yogis show breath manipulation can slow heart rate or awaken powerful states without substances.
ADVICE

Use 4-8 Diaphragmatic Breaths To Calm Anxiety

  • Do a simple 4-in 8-out diaphragmatic breath when anxious to shift into parasympathetic calm.
  • Close eyes, ground feet, observe current breath, then inhale deep into the diaphragm and exhale gently for several minutes.
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