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Breathwork at Phoenix

You’ve been breathing your whole life. This goes deeper.

At Phoenix there are three ways to work with the breath: Conscious Connected Breathwork, Functional Breathing and Pranayama.

They are different practices, with different purposes and different experiences. Use the cards below to make those differences clear.

The practices

Three ways to work with the breath

Conscious Connected Breathwork

Immersive guided breathing using a continuous connected breath.

Usually practised lying down in dedicated Breathwork sessions.

Functional Breathing

Practical work with the way you breathe in everyday life.

You’ll sit, move and explore nasal, light, slow and diaphragmatic breathing.

Pranayama

Traditional yogic breath regulation.

Taught as part of Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin and other Phoenix yoga classes.

Everyday breathing

Functional Breathing

Functional Breathing looks at the way we breathe during ordinary life: sitting, working, sleeping, walking and exercising.

Sessions may include:

  • sitting and moving
  • awareness of the diaphragm and ribs
  • gentle movement through the shoulders and upper back
  • nasal breathing
  • light and slow breathing
  • diaphragmatic breathing
  • simple exercises you can practise outside the studio

“Deep” does not mean taking the biggest possible breath. It means breathing lower, using the diaphragm.

Read Rachel’s Journal article: Are You Breathing Properly? →

Functional Breathing is taught by Rachel Graves.

Mats and props prepared for breathwork at Phoenix Yoga
An immersive guided practice

Conscious Connected Breathwork

You arrive off Upper Richmond Road — the buses, the noise, the Tuesday afternoon of it all. You take your shoes off at the door. The studio is quiet in the way that feels particular to this room: not silent, but settled. The wooden floor. The light from the high windows. The bolsters already laid out.

Kaya starts with a few minutes of orientation. She explains the technique, checks in with the room and makes it clear that you can work at whatever level feels right. Then you lie down and breathe continuously while she guides the rhythm and watches the room.

The last stretch is rest: lying there, breathing normally, while the room settles around you. When it’s over, people tend to be slow to get up.

Conscious Connected Breathwork is taught by Kaya. Meet Kaya →

Kaya, who teaches Conscious Connected Breathwork at Phoenix Yoga
Choose a route

Which one might suit me?

I want an immersive guided experience

Try Conscious Connected Breathwork.

I’m curious about how I breathe in everyday life

Try Functional Breathing.

I want to explore breath as part of yoga

Explore Pranayama within Phoenix yoga classes.

Before you come

Very little preparation required

Wear

Comfortable clothing that lets you sit, move or lie down easily.

Bring

Nothing unless you want to. Phoenix provides mats, blankets, bolsters and other props where relevant.

Experience

None required. The teacher explains the practice before you begin.

Conscious Connected Breathwork: Some techniques may not suit everyone. If you have a heart condition, epilepsy or high blood pressure, or if you are pregnant, seek advice from your healthcare professional and contact us before booking.

Functional Breathing: Some exercises may not be suitable during pregnancy or for people with cardiovascular conditions. Please check with us before attending if this applies to you.

Questions

Common questions

At Phoenix

Ways to practise at Phoenix