LeVaughn Flynn helps others reset through 9D Breathwork

The COVID-19 pandemic marked the beginning of an unexpected wellness journey for communications manager LeVaughn Flynn.

Drawn to holistic healing modalities, Flynn discovered breathwork during the global health crisis. Today, he is introducing others to 9D Breathwork, a guided breathing practice designed to soothe the nervous system and help people regulate their mental, physical and emotional well-being.

According to Flynn, his interest began during COVID-19.

“I was always interested in holistic healing modalities, so that drew me to breathwork and sound therapy, and I was then introduced to the 9D breathwork system. I realised how powerful it is in terms of how they merge breathwork with sound spatial audio. This led me to want to be certified and share it with others, as people need to be made aware of the power they have within themselves.”

With its own ecosystem, 9D Breathwork encompasses an understanding of the physiology and mechanics of breathing. With a competent facilitator, participants are introduced to the concept, where they are made aware of what to expect, the mental, physical and emotional responses that may happen, as well as the benefits.

While to the casual observer it may seem simple enough, Flynn said its benefits are tremendous.

“It can regulate your blood pressure, improve your heart rate variability, slow down your brainwaves from a very active beta brainwaves to a more theta meditative brainwave state. And that happens primarily because breathwork activates the vagus nerve, one of 12 cranial nerves in our system that runs from the brain stem to most of our tissues and organs in our body, which sends a signal to the body that you are safe and that keeps you in an optimal state of calm and relaxation. So I like to look at breathwork as the master system because it controls your respiratory, immune, digestive, and nervous systems.”

Breathwork combined with advanced sound technology takes the session up a notch as 9D Breathwork boasts guided coaching delivered through headphones at a special frequency, such as 432 hertz, which is both harmonising and relaxing.

AMAZING SYNERGY

“Plus, you have bioacoustic, or nature sounds with positive subliminal messages; so when you combine all of that, it has this amazing synergetic effect which can trigger the body’s healing intelligence.”

Globally, breathwork is fast rising in the wellness industry. Flynn, who is a public relations manager at Flow, has also brought the practice into the workplace.

“What makes it both effective and accessible is that we are working with the breath, which everyone has access to. It is also one of the best solutions for corporate burnout. I have the privilege of working with one of Jamaica’s largest corporate companies, and I have used it with the staff, and it has been really well accepted, as we have to recognise that we are living in an environment that demands a lot from us. But, ultimately, it is our responsibility to learn how to regulate ourselves; so it is a good practice for companies to embrace different wellness modalities that are out there.”

The practice of 9D Breathwork should be taught by trained facilitators, as all of its layers cannot be shared with persons who have some underlying health conditions. There are essentially two types of breathwork: down-regulation breathwork with gentle nasal breathing and up-regulation, or active breathing, which is more advanced and is done more through the mouth. The latter is not recommended for persons who are pregnant, have heart issues, chronic respiratory conditions or a history of fainting, because you are flooding the body with oxygen.

The down-regulatory type is more accessible and very good at regulating blood pressure and improving your heart rate, while bringing participants to a state of calm.

For 75-year-old Sanita Burrowes, who has been on a wellness journey for the past 50 years, this is an added tool which she utilises to keep relaxed and stress-free.

“Because I have been a yoga teacher, I understand the power of the breath. And for me, it is the most important thing in our lives, because once we learn how to breathe properly and how to manipulate the breath, it puts us in a whole different place to relieve stress, anxiety, and just have a much more positive frame of mind.”

nicola.cunningham@gleanerjm.com