Infinite Breath for a Finite Day: From Hustle Pride to Healing

Your breath can change your day. And your day can change your life.

In this episode of Breathwork Magic, Amanda Russo sits down with Veronique to explore how conscious breathing can transform discomfort into growth and scarcity into trust. From silent meditation retreats and awkward first yoga classes to a deeply embodied practice, their conversation unpacks why our culture praises exhaustion, how shame around being a beginner keeps us small, and why breathing on purpose is one of the most generous acts of self-care for the nervous system.

Listeners are guided through an infinite breath practice, slow, straw-sip inhales, lingering exhales, and a gentle pause in emptiness—designed to expand capacity and reconnect with possibility.

They explore how to personalize breathwork when group practices feel overwhelming, how to recognize and release false urgency, and how to move from default to design in everyday life. From washing one dish with full attention to stacking breath with toothbrushing, this episode offers practical tools that fit real life.

The conversation also brings breath off the mat and into relationships, pausing before speaking, creating space in conflict, and softening the body in moments of tension. For grief and anxiety, breath becomes a quiet alchemist, loosening the stories we carry. And when the breath feels stuck indoors, stepping outside to breathe with trees becomes a simple pathway back to awe, wonder, and trust.

If this episode resonates, try taking five conscious breaths before your feet hit the floor tomorrow and notice what shifts. 

If you enjoyed the conversation, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a review to help more listeners discover the magic of Breathwork.

🔹 Connect with Amanda Russo, The Breathing Goddess:

• Book a 1:1 Breathwork Session HERE
• Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess 

Transcript

Welcome And Show Framing

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to Breathwork Magic, the podcast that explores the life-changing power of your breath. Breathwork isn't just a practice, it's a gateway to healing, transformation, and shifting to a new mindset by letting go of the past and embracing the possibilities of the present moment. I'm Amanda Russo, your host, a certified breathwork facilitator, level two Reiki practitioner, and creator of the Mando's Mindset Podcast. On my own journey, breathwork has been a powerful tool for releasing what no longer serves me and shifting my perspective to step into my fullest and greatest potential. Each week, I'm joined by inspiring guests, breathwork facilitators, healers, and wellness enthusiasts who share how this practice has helped them and their clients heal, grow, and embrace lasting change. So take a deep breath. In and out. Settle in.

SPEAKER_01 1:44

And I am here today with Verenik, and I am so excited to speak with her today. Thank you so much for joining me. Thank you, Amanda. I'm happy to be here. So when did you discover the power of our breath?

Hustle Culture And Constricted Breathing

Beginners’ Mind And Learning To Fail

SPEAKER_02 2:03

This has come in through so many different layers. I normally say it was the week of Hurricane Sandy where I went to that fateful yoga class when I was living in New York, and it just rocked me and set me on this path of yoga. But really, it started earlier before I really fully knew that it started. I was a nanny for a little family when I was living in Los Angeles, and the father was leading workshops and retreats, and he asked if I would be his assistant at the Eselin Institute. And it was a silent meditation retreat. And he guided really beautiful practices that I felt like, oh, I'm really good at this. The silent meals, the stillness, the connection to breath, the soft belly breath. And that started when I was 20. And I was with that family for about five years. And here and there he would pepper in different invitations to meditate and be a part of the conversation of mindfulness. And I felt like it was a homecoming and a deeper knowing that perhaps I had traveled through in different lifetimes in different ways. And I had always wanted to connect to that side of myself, but I was pursuing theater and film and thought that the pathway of storytelling and creativity was what I was meant to do in a lot of ways. It was my childhood dream that I held on to for a very long time. And so as I travel back in time and bring us back to New York City, it was around that time where I felt like I was pounding the pavement like you do, and moving through the things where there was a pride in the hustle, a pride in the busyness, and almost like a pride in holding your breath in a certain way of not thriving. In fact, like there's like a survival kind of pride where we all commiserate, like I'm like exhausted too. And um, I've been meditating on that a lot lately, actually. Like, why is that the thing that we celebrate? Like, why is that the thing that people like bond on of like, yeah, I'm broke and I can't breathe and I'm exhausted. And I really hope to to really shake the etch a sketch on that drawing for me, for all of us, where actually like the thing to to come together on is actually a deep resident breath, like hand to belly and heart. Like, how are we able to uplift one another? How are we able to celebrate? And how can we actually be thriving in a way? And I think that that is such a beautiful pathway of the breath. I remember that first yoga instructor that really changed this course for me. She was meditating on abundance. And for her, in the moment, it was about money. And a lot of the time it feels like, okay, like how can I increase clients, or how can I ask for a raise? Or it feels like very like transactional. And what she said, it actually has really stayed with me from moments like this of, oh, actually, how can I breathe deeper? How can I really extend the inhales and the exhales and embrace the abundance and everything that is without seeking to change, without being in the conversation of grasping or needing for more, actually? And and it's such a it's such a beautiful meditation in trust that when we are connected to all the abundance that is, and the profound and simplicity of the breath being the anchor, it's like, oh, actually, when we're tapped into that, all is possible and it's it's nothing that's outside of ourselves.

SPEAKER_01 7:07

Now, when you began yoga back around how king sandy time, was that your first time experiencing yoga?

Capacity, Practice, And Client Insights

Abundance, Celebration, And Expansion

Introducing The Infinite Breath

SPEAKER_02 7:17

There were a couple false starts over the years. I actually like to tell this story because a lot of times people they say that they can't do yoga because they're not good at it, or they're not flexible, or they can't still their mind. And what's so fun about these excuses, as you know, true as they are for each person, is is actually the reason to practice. But with that, there needs to be a space of receptivity, there needs to be a connection to the teacher, to the moment. There, there needs to be a provocation of a certain amount of urgency, right? Like if there isn't a need, if there isn't a certain kind of engine in the belly to ignite a practice that feels grounding and uplifting in the ways that one is wanting to move through life, right? There's there's a certain bliss in not knowing, oh, I could just be on this treadmill or the gerbil wheel or whatever the metaphor wants to be. And I was brought to a yoga class when I was 20 something in LA by a friend. And I probably I probably was very awkward, but in my mind, I thought I did really well. And, you know, there was nothing that I remember that was particularly challenging. And the teacher came up to me afterwards and he said, Oh, actually, the beginner class is at this different time. And I was so embarrassed. And it's so funny because I I've held on to that story for many years, like, oh, that was like so shameful that he, you know, told me that I wasn't welcome in his class, basically, that I should go to this beginner class before I was like ready for his class. But actually, I was a beginner. So why should I be offended? You know, all these many years later, if someone were to come to my class, I welcome them. I'm not going to turn them away. If the day and the time works, if they connect to my voice, my teaching, if a friend brought them there, I feel like if the teacher is able to hold the space for different levels, then all should be welcome, right? However, something that's been coming through in my meditations lately is how often we are immobilized by being in the seat of the beginner, right? Like we don't want to look like we don't know what we're doing, we don't want to appear to be stupid or that we aren't following along with the rest of the people, but we're all showing up with a different set of experiences at different times. You know, we're not born out of the womb in sun salutations and knowing how to breathe in and out through the nose at equal length, breath, or in whatever pranayama style that you come to know and love and practice daily. And so what I think the move is now that I've been trying on, and it's actually brought up like a lot of like raw, like old childhood wounds of being made to feel I'm not good enough in different ways of like not having a comprehensity level or like a comprehension level in a certain subject, and then just like pulling back because I'd rather not do it and feel like protecting this like air of competency, which is like, you know, how can I control what other people think about me? How can we, how can anyone? And yet there's like this this like bubble of like, oh, like I just want to like stay in the safe zone. And so when we move through that and actually seek opportunities to be the beginner, to mess up, to falter, to fail, perhaps. That's actually where the growth edges get get really exciting. I actually shared recently. So I'm originally from Montreal. I grew up speaking French and English, and then my dad's job transferred when I was six years old to upstate New York, and I did most of my schooling in in the New York area. And I've had this like sadness around not speaking French, and I would like go home to Montreal, and I would have this sort of like six-year-old, kind of like stunted vocabulary, and I would kind of have to navigate around what I like really wanted to say because I I studied theater and I love language, I love poetic language and descriptive words, and I would like feel like so sad that I like didn't know how to say it exactly how I can say it in English. And it's actually brought up like a lot of like strong sad emotion around being with family and like connection to culture and roots. And um, I finally signed up for a French class this week, which I found. I was like, like, oh my gosh, I'm gonna like lose it with this guy in a virtual session. And he's like, you know, he's telling me in French to tell him like what my experience is with French. And I'm just kind of like, oh, like, I don't want to say anything wrong, you know, because what will he think of me, this perfect stranger? Right. And like, same thing with that yoga instructor, like him like calling me out as a beginner. And it's like we can only know what we know and the timing that we know it. And really, like, how can we breathe through these discomforts and actually move through them? And so I think the breath is so important in terms of transmuting these like deeply felt emotions, like these old like childhood wounds. It's like, oh, actually, I don't have to hold on to this. Like, I have agency to work on this if I want to, or I have agency to let it go, forgive myself, or you know, whatever the thing is that's swirling about. And and it requires so much courage just to rock the heart open and be like, okay, I'm just gonna show up, I'm gonna be vulnerable. And that's like the life school that we get to be in, right? It's like, okay, I'm just going to breathe through the discomfort. And actually, I would rather seek to feel the discomfort than not. There's like such a fallacy of wanting things to be comfortable, or like we've sort of like defined safety or belonging, or you know, holding up these protective barriers around this validation that we seek from external sources. And and it's so it's so wild how that can kind of like hold us in place. And even just talking about it, it's like the breath is restricted. I'm like tight in my chest. But then when it like drops into the belly and there's like freedom to move, then the possibilities start to open up, and then there's there's a freedom that shows up. But it took probably 10 years before I jumped from that first yoga class of being outed as a beginner to arriving to the class in New York at certain at the, you know, in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. And then even still like showing up and like breathing through the discomfort, I still in the back of my mind was so intimidated. I was like, oh my gosh, all these people, they can stand on their hands. Like, how can they do that? I'll never be able to do that. And then just continuing to show up and breathe through it, it was like, I don't know, like the just a light bulb went off where I thought, what if I could, you know, like it just kind of like held this like flame of hope. What if I'm actually wrong? And I think that that's been proven time and time again, right? Like these instances of like I picked up the guitar a year ago. Like I've had this guitar and I it's just been sitting there and I thought, maybe I'll just take lessons. And it's so wild, it's like you just keep showing up and somehow like you just improve, right? Like you keep showing up to yoga or you keep showing up to breath practice, and and it's just it expands because that's the law of our capacity to hold growth, is when it's in alignment with our highest purpose. It's like, of course, we're going to have a facility that that feels like we're expanding our awareness or expanding our capacity to learn, or you know, whether it's the framework of increasing uh a breath hold, which it's so wild. Like when I start working with clients who have never consciously breathed in their entire lives, which is which is a little bit wild, right? It's like all of these human beings doing this involuntary action, and yet like the conscious breaths are very few and far between. And it's like, okay, we're gonna like breathe in for the slow count, and it's like very like shallow and very, you know, almost in a staccato fashion. And it's and it takes practice, you know, like all of these things. And so yeah, it's been wild to to witness, but I think that piece of just being receptive to it is is been that's been such a gateway. I found that for myself, from for my clients, and it's so illuminating once you almost like see the film clear of like, okay, I didn't know this before, but I didn't even know that I didn't know it. And now, okay, great. Now what's possible? And you realize, like, okay, the more you know, the more you realize actually how much you don't know. So you could you pour into this this galaxy of possibility.

SPEAKER_01 19:02

Thank you for sharing that that comment that was said to you about the beginning of yoga's class. You know, it might have been a small comment, but I am sure so everybody listening to us, whether it was yoga or even something completely different, has had something similar said to them that's been playing in the back of their mind. We all can relate to that. So I think it's amazing though that even though it took you that long to get back there, like that you did, like you gave it another shot. That's amazing. I love how you were mentioning about breathing through the discomfort. You know, instead of avoiding it, instead of pushing it down, numbing it, like breathing through it. What whatever sort of discomfort that is, I think that can help in so many instances. Whether we're stressed, whether we're excited, whether we're not enjoying something, we want to experience something, but we're nervous too, breathe through it. Unclenched the jaw, drop your shoulders, take a breath. I love how you mentioned about like I'm backtracking a tad, but about how it's so seen, like, even more so I feel like in corporate America, maybe other countries that can't relate to this, but the badge of honor from that hustle that like you're not breathing, that you haven't sat down. You're working your I related to that because my I feel like it's a past life, but about five years ago, I was a paralegal. So before getting into the breath practice, I worked with attorneys who did not know how to boot that all. So that transition, it's wild, you know. Like now looking at it from the place that I'm in now, like, why is that a badge of honor?

SPEAKER_02 20:49

Yeah, yeah. And it stretches to so many different industries. You know, I found it in in the entertainment business. I've definitely seen it in the yoga community. There's there's actually like a pride, which is so interesting about not having enough that that things are hard and that there's like this like grit almost. Like I think of it as like, you know, someone like from the streets. I, for example, like I was couch hopping for a while when I first landed in New York City. And it was like, yeah, I don't know where I'm sleeping tomorrow. Like it's just like in a certain way, it's like, oh my gosh, like, why is that a thing to share with pride versus like it almost feels uncomfortable to say, oh, I have a warm bed to sleep in tonight, and I am very grateful to have central air. Even like I almost clench because I think, oh gosh, like not everyone has that. And I'm very aware of that. And so it feels like, oh, like I don't want to share the things that I have just in case like people don't have that, and then they feel uncomfortable. But it's like, oh, if we're all kind of like shrinking, right? And then connecting to this breath, right? It's and what my teacher was sharing of, oh, if we can just breathe more expansively, then we can have more expansively. And if we all are doing that and we give permission for all of us to do that, then guess what? We all are thriving in ways that resonate for each of us. But if we're all constricting, if we're all holding our breath, then there's like this individual and also this collective tightening happens. And it's it's such a mind trip that I've still been massaging in my brain of gosh, I don't want to offend anyone. So let me just be quiet. And what I think is so important, I'm not sure when people would be listening to this, but I think it's apropos, no matter when, it's like, how can we celebrate full stop, right? Like that we can share the things that we are proud of, not in a way to gloat or make anyone feel like we're in comparison, but rather, oh wow, like I worked really hard for this, or I dedicated time to this. And this is what emerged like from an open heart, wanting to invite a sense of sharing that feels inspiring for all of us. And so that's a different kind of quality, and it still even feels tender. I can feel like, oh gosh. I'm still processing that. And I think what's so important about a conversation like this is so I think of, you know, our human bodies being mostly water. So I think like, okay, is this thought, is this word, is this action, does it make me feel like ice or does it make me feel like steam? Right? Does it make me feel constricted or does it make me feel expansive? Is my breath feeling labored and tight, or am I able to breathe really fully? So I invite this idea of infinite breath in my own personal practice, as well as inviting that of my clients and my students, this idea like, what if this inhale lasted forever? And so you like siphon the breath through a straw, and you just like as far as you could possibly go. And it's like you think you're full and there's like a little bit more. And so it creates this idea of, and really, you know, it's a believing, it's a trust, right? That we are connected to infinite. And so if we if we really believe that, then the fact that one person in it, that one person is thriving or one person is expansive, however you want to describe it, it actually creates the possibility that we all are. And so that's part of the believing in magic that we can't possibly know in our human minds how that would look or how that might manifest, but it leaves for that possibility that there's something swirling that's even more magical than we could possibly come up with on our own.

Personalizing Breathwork And Agency

SPEAKER_01 25:38

I love that. The infinite breath. Do you want to guide us in the infinite breath now? No pressure. No pressure.

SPEAKER_02 25:47

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, so okay, so if you're in a place to close your eyes, you do. Just take a moment and observe the quality of the breath as it is. Where is it living? Where is it swirling? Maybe just try to allow it to be without making it be something that you think it should be. And then little by little you can start to deepen the breath in and out through the nose. If it feels natural, maybe allow the breath to have a little sound. And then we'll we'll ride the breath together. So we'll sync up, you can let the breath play out a few more times, just let it come naturally in and out through the nose, letting the belly be full on the inhales, and the belly draws in on the exhales, the shoulders release away from the ears, and maybe you sit up a little bit taller. And then as you arrive to your next inhale, just start to siphon it through a straw. So you sip in really slowly and get really, really full. Try to sip in a little bit more at the top, a little bit more, a little bit more, let it grow through the crown, expand the entire sphere around you. And then only only when you feel really, really full, then you slowly siphon it through the straw. You allow the exhale to come out just really slowly, just get into a trance with it. It's like this is the high right here. Only when you feel empty, you try to get emptier and emptier. Offer it to the earth, and then slowly resist the rush. It's like, could you be empty for a bit? And then only when it feels right, then you allow the breath to come in. You slowly breathe it in, siphon it up that straw. You might trace the breath up the spine and just let it extend to the places in the body that need a little extra little light dance. Getting a little bit fuller and fuller at the top, let it swirl above the crown. It's like connecting to a sparkle all around you. And only when it feels right, you allow the breath to start to empty, and you trace it down the spine and down and down, down into the earth. Maybe staying empty at the bottom a little bit longer and just feeling that trust that the next inhale will arrive when it needs to. And then you can allow the next inhale to come in naturally and just return to a natural cadence, allowing the breath to flow in and out. Just feeling a little bit more spacious, a little bit more tapped into that expansive quality.

SPEAKER_01 30:23

Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 30:25

You're welcome. Thanks for the invitation. Nice. Yeah. Right away it's like okay, that's all we need.

SPEAKER_01 30:36

Let's just all that out of the prescription. That was beautiful. I loved that. Thank you. And I love the the sucking info a little bit more. Mm-hmm. There's almost always a little more.

SPEAKER_02 30:54

Yeah. Yeah. I know it's like, oh no, we're full. And it's like, oh, there's actually, yeah. It's such a great reminder because we think like this is my capacity. Like, I can't take anymore. And then you realize, oh, actually you can't. The person's so true.

SPEAKER_01 31:11

Right. It's so true. When did you experience breath work for the first time?

Default Versus Design In Daily Life

SPEAKER_02 31:17

I think it was at the Esselin Institute when I was assisting the father that I was nannying for his kids. I'm pretty sure that was the first time at about like 20, 21 years old, something like that.

SPEAKER_01 31:33

What type of breath work was it?

Breath In Movement And Tough Conversations

Presence, Spirals, And Slowing Down

SPEAKER_02 31:36

It wasn't anything so specific, I don't believe. It wasn't until many years later that I started to learn about different styles of pranayama at the yoga studios where there would be meditation and very specific breath before the practice that was part of the centering. And there it was equal part breath, you know, Nadi Shodana, the alternate nostril breathing, breath of fire, and breath of joy, and all the different kinds of kundalini breath work connecting movement with the breath. And um, yeah, over the years, Wim Hof and you know, so many different styles. Yeah, but I it's so funny when I'm asked what breath I prefer, I say infinite. I just really love the breath of possibility rather than it being so prescriptive or so I'm prone to panic attacks, to anxiety. And so sometimes like the the breath that is short or has a shorter count than I want to breathe, I find it to to produce a little bit of anxiety in my body. And I think it's important to share that, you know, because part of that is is sort of left to each of us to have that discernment to know what is actually serviceable. Sometimes it's like, oh, like I showed up to this practice and they guided this breath because it's supposed to reduce anxiety or it's supposed to calm the nervous system. But as we know, we're all different. We all have different needs, we all have different experiences, different traumas that we've moved through. And so you can always know that you have agency if you're in a group setting to breathe in a way that feels natural to you. This is actually, you know, it goes in line with what I was sharing earlier is letting go of wanting to fit in, right? So like this is the same as like, why are we boasting about being busy? Like, why are we doing this breath if we know that it doesn't feel good in our body? Like, why are we doing anything that feels like it's inflammatory to our nervous system, just so that we're not letting this person down or we're not falling short on expectations. And so there's a big dismantling on the way that we're thinking that we're keeping the peace by sacrificing our needs so other people are more comfortable. And it's like, oh my gosh, let's please stop doing that. It's not protecting the peace, it's actually causing so much resentment and imbalance within ourselves. And it's also assumed, right? Like we think, oh, well, I've always done it this way. So I don't want, you know, this person to be upset or to, you know, not want me to be there. And so like I think about that in terms of group breath sessions. It's so tempting to fold in, right? If you're like in a group of 30 people or, you know, however many people and everyone's doing this like very fast-paced breath, like you don't want to, you don't want anyone to be like, oh, why aren't they joining in? What's so great is most people are so tuned into what they're doing that they won't even notice. And so I think it's so important in the same way that in the yoga class, never feel like you have to do any of it. You know, it's very rare that someone takes me up on this, but in my centering, you might be in a seated meditation, let's say, in the breath. And then I'll say, if you want to linger in stillness for the duration, please do. If you're craving movement, and then I'll guide, you know, what the movement is. Very rarely does someone actually stay in stillness for the duration. But one time one did. And it's brave because people are moving. You can't help but sort of clock what other people in the room are doing, even if you have your eyes closed, there's moments where you might open your eyes and just kind of peek and see what's going on. But there is so much power and sinking in the breath work in a group. But the caveat I just want to highlight is that it actually feels aligned for all the people that are participating because there's definitely a dissonance, right? If if someone is participating and it's not aligning for them, then it's actually not a synchronized breath. You know, it would be like going to like a choral concert and one person is like off key. Like you can't help but notice that. Like it was definitely in the column of checklist. You know, I'm gonna do my breath work and then I'm gonna meditate, and then I'm gonna journal, I'm gonna kill this mindfulness practice. And there's definitely a lot of that still in me, even though I've lived in Florida for seven years now. There's you know, there's a huge fire in my belly to get after like whatever it is that I'm doing. There's a drive, right? But it's so important to just check in what am I doing by default and what am I doing by design? And it's it like starts with the thought, then it's the words, then it's the actions, and then just being in that curiosity, like getting in that beginner seat as often as possible, like getting uncomfortable and actually seeking to feel because we think, oh, like this is uncomfortable. Like, how do I like bounce out of this as quickly as possible? But rather, like, oh, actually, how can I breathe through this with as much grace and grin as possible? Because why would I rob myself of feeling this? Right. If the pain is so great, it means that the love was so great. It means that I care that much. And so, why would I rob myself of feeling that much? It's definitely been like a very strong era of loss this year. I I mean, just before this call, I found out about a friend's mom. It was it was expected, but she passed away. And it's every time I turn around, there's loss. And I don't know if it's one of those things where you're just like tapped into a certain energy, and it feels like everything is falling apart. But it definitely feels like it's been very much at the surface this year in particular. And one of my old coping mechanisms was drinking a lot, seeking to not feel that, to like really dull intentionally. And that was like also still meditating in the breath, continuing to practice yoga, but it was like I can't feel that much, like it's too raw. And then when I was ready to, and I think this is so important because we're not necessarily always ready to feel so much, right? It's so raw sometimes, it's just the grief that gets into your bones and it's it's Mobilizing. And this is where I think the breath work is really powerful is the things that we're holding on to, we're actually holding on to them. Right? The stories, the griefs, the traumas, like we're because there's a safety in like this happened. And maybe it's like seeking a way to make it mean something. And sometimes that doesn't come, right? Like the person doesn't say the perfect thing that you're ready to forgive them. There isn't like this perfect magic moment of closure where it's like, okay, like now I can exhale. Like that piece is it's an internal practice where it's like, okay, I can come to a certain reckoning of yes, I perhaps move through something that was really painful, whatever the the thing that's allowing one to hold their breath, or like feeling that sense of constricted part of the breath showing up. So how can I use the breath as an alchemist to seek for where the growth is? And so this is like the full circle moment of coming back to the beginner's mind of like, oh, what if the story I've been telling myself is from this one perspective? And if I were to see it from sort of like bird's eye view of, oh, like through this, what is possible? On the other side of it, what is possible? And so coming back to that expansive quality, that infinite wrath, it's like, oh, actually, everything is possible.

SPEAKER_01 42:36

I love that. Everything is possible. I love that. It makes a lot of sense though, everything you were saying. And so those times many of us are not ready to feel or process so certain things. I also love how you mentioned are you are we doing this by default or by design? I I think that is so no matter what we're doing, no matter what we're doing, even like places you go, are you doing it because it's this default and it's just habit? Or do you want to show up there? I related that to so much in life. Is this default? Is this something you're just accustomed to? Uh are you designing your life to show up there?

Nature As A Breath Partner

How To Connect And Closing Reflections

SPEAKER_02 43:18

Yeah, yeah. But so wild is you know, there's this attention to, and this is you know very prevalent in the states, but I think in just the modern world in general, it's like, oh, I want more time, or I want more money, or I want more things. There's like a seeking for validation, or it's like, okay, I'm going to feel happy when. Because I guarantee you that the things that actually mean the most to each of us, particularly those listening to this, I would probably gather it's time with our favorite people in nature. What are we doing otherwise? Moving our body, eating good food, being in conversations that uplift one another, where we feel inspired, right? Where we can actually feel our breath and we're able to breathe slow, steady breaths, because that's an indication that we are at peace, we are safe, we belong. And so, how can we shed the things that are not that? And those could be like micro shifts. Doesn't have to be like, oh gosh, I have to quit my job and leave my relationship, and it doesn't have to be like I'm blowing up my life. Maybe all of those things are great for you. I'm not suggesting otherwise. Please, please don't mistake that. And so maybe it's guess what? In the beginning of the day, before I do anything, I'm going to take myself out on a nature walk, or I'm going to leave my phone in the other room, and I'm just going to have this cup of coffee or tea or water, whatever it is I'm drinking, and I'm just going to cast my eyes as far as they can see. I'm going to connect to my breath. And this is a five-minute practice or even five breath practice. We all can do that. And then just see what shifts, right? It doesn't have to be so monumental, but then as a result, it is monumental. Because then, how does that affect the way that you're showing up in your relationships at work, the way that you're having conversations with people? It's like a much different situation to like show up at a place, say you're, you know, checking out at the grocery store. And so like this might be like a rote thing, like, I got the groceries, here's my card, or like whatever the transaction is. And so maybe it's like you're getting rung up, and instead of checking your email for the 18th time in this day, maybe you just are present with the person that's checking you out. And it's like, okay, if I can slow my breath down and trust that later the things on the to-do list will get done. I don't have to try to multitask every moment of the day. Because hand to heart in the deep breath, like what is your life by design? Like, what do you actually want to be doing right now? And if the answer is, oh, I don't even want to be grocery shopping, okay. Can you outsource that? Can you order some kind of online delivery service? Get that off of your plate, right? Like, there's so many ways that we don't have to be having these energy leaks. And so it's so interesting, right? Like the ways that we habitually complain about the thing. It's like, then don't do that anymore. Oh, but I can't just not do that anymore. Then maybe breathe through it. And that's like your meditation. It's a much different thing to be like, okay, a meditation is I'm washing this one dish and I'm just giving it all of my attention, right? And you just are like, oh, I'm really love this soap. It like reminds me of lavender fields or you know, whatever the thing is, which is a much different thing of like, let me just hurry up and do this until I can get to the next thing. Which I don't know, maybe you're thinking, well, that's not really practical. Like my kids are beckoning my attention, or I have to do this other thing, or I'm working three jobs, or like whatever the thing is. What I've noticed is when we slow our breath down, right? When we practice infinite breath, that actually the infinite is possible. And this is like such a mind trip, right? When we slow down, we actually create more space. And that's a law. And this is why, like, when people come on retreats with me, they're like, oh my gosh, it's only Monday. Yes. Like we started yesterday, and it feels like we've done so much. Like, how is time moving so slowly? It's like, oh, this is because you're only doing the things that light you up. Like, you're not needing to make your bed, you're not making your meals, you're not trying to figure out like what your kids are doing or work or like all these other attentions. Like, you literally get to wake up, cast your eyes to this beautiful site, have your morning beverage, have your morning practice, and then you have this beautiful meal waiting for you. And then it's like, what's the adventure today? Do I want to go on a nature walk? What's it gonna be? But we can cultivate that, you know, in our daily rhythm in different ways, right? Depending on where we live, we get to have different kinds of adventures, depending on the hemisphere that we're in, the season that we're in, we can create these different adventures for ourselves. And so maybe that's the question of the moment of how can I align to a life of design where my breath can be as infinite as possible so that I'm open to infinite magic. And that's the mantra of the moment.

SPEAKER_01 50:55

I like that. I really like that. I think what you mentioned about the five breaths versus even five minutes, like I'm not a mom myself, so I will not pretend to understand the hecticness of it, but I've got moms who do breath work with me and come to my classes, and I think a lot of them would relate to that versus, you know, like five breaths is gonna be shorter than five minutes, and even while you're doing the dishes that you're doing, anyways, you know, taking those breaths, those conscious, meaningful breaths that you're paying attention to. And I think majority of us would have time for the five breaths, you know, even if it is while you are doing the dishes, while you're grocery shopping, while you're whatever, to push through. I don't even know that I want to say push through, but to do the thing that you don't necessarily want to do, you know, and to make it that you're not just trying to not think about it, but it's more peaceful doing it.

Host Wrap-Up And Invitations

SPEAKER_02 52:01

Mm-hmm. Yeah, and there's there's ways to create space. So before you get out of bed in the morning, it could be hand to belly in those breaths. And it's like, okay, I'm only putting my feet to the floor when I feel centered, when I feel ready. Maybe, you know, you take 15 breaths that morning. But I think it's such a great way to set the tone for the day of like, I get to wake up and this is gonna be the best day. It's a different kind of energy versus like, oh, okay, let me just get the coffee going or whatever the habits are. And so there's great power in setting that framework right when you wake up. If I were to recommend when to implement that would definitely be one. I'm a really big advocate of habit stacking. So I love the mindfulness and brushing your teeth. So it's like upper floor of the teeth. I call the balcony. It's like, okay, I'm in the breath here. You might pepper in, like lifting a foot, practicing your balance. How can you breathe while you're practicing your balance? Was sharing with I had a new client today, and he, this is his first foray at practicing yoga. And he's like, Oh, I don't know if I'll be able to put my feet behind my head. And I said, Well, it's definitely not the point where we're tailoring it to what brought you here. What do you want to focus on? And so what was so interesting is like the look at actually intentionally creating stress in the body. And so it's like, okay, this is actually one of the rare practices where we're intentionally creating stress, right? Whether we're activating muscles or we're creating mobility or functional range of motion, or we're stretching, or whatever the thing is, that is creating a certain tension. But what is the quality of the breath when we're in the tension? What is the quality of the face when we're in the tension? And then how readily are we able to come back to slow and steady breaths? And so we practice that in the physical practice of yoga. And so that's like such a great coupling of can I breathe when I'm holding a shape that's challenging, which is the same as can I breathe when I'm having this really uncomfortable conversation with a loved one. It's a much different quality, right? If I like sit down to have a conversation with a loved one and I'm like, I have to tell you something, and I just am like really nervous and like I'm like talking really fast and I'm not breathing versus like, okay, I'm actually gonna speak really slowly so that I know that I'm in connection with my breath. I'm actually not gonna even start this conversation until I feel like I'm in my breath. Right. So this is actually it's so important just in terms of interpersonal relationships of, oh, actually, we're not even gonna start until we're in the breath. And so only then is it like, okay, I'm gonna allow for space. And if I hear something that's triggering, or if this person looks at me in a certain way that's triggering, I am going to create a pause because I have agency to do so, right? I don't have to have these knee-jerk reactions because I've practiced breathing through discomfort. And so in that pause, I can choose differently. And it's like, okay, I can scan the options of response, like, okay, here's a snarky response, here's a passive aggressive response, here's a way that I think I'm going to get back at this person or prove, like in that like defensive kind of manner, where it's like, oh, actually, I'm approaching this conversation to seek to understand. It's coming from a place of compassion. And so if we're in agreement on that, then I need to allow for space so that I can respond from that intention. And so it's a it's such a great way to bring the breath practice off of the meditation cushion, off of the yoga mat, into our daily rhythm, because that's when it can be actually really magical and really transformative, where we realize, oh, I need to breathe all the time. That we get to have the breath as much as the heart is beating. And then in that extension of the breath, then for certain, the things that used to trigger me don't have that effect anymore because I'm more resourced. And I'm sure that you've witnessed this, right? It's like, oh wow, like a previous version of myself would have like really told that person off, or like would have like really flipped out, or like I would be really spiraling right now. And so I think that in this space, something else that's been coming through a lot is really looking at what are the false urgencies that you are putting upon yourself. And so if there's this need to respond right away or to do something right away, what I've started to do is I pull way back. Right. If I'm trying to be in the infinite breath, and someone is trying to accelerate me to do something faster than feels safe for me, whether that's like rushing to make a decision about something, or it could be very, or it could be like even as you know, seemingly harmless as like, oh, like we need to leave right now, you know, to make it to whatever the appointment is. There's a different kind of quality of rushing to do something versus pulling back. And it's like, oh, I actually this means a lot to me, and I feel like I would be better to slow down, or I feel like we would show up with more mindfulness if we allowed for more space. Like, you know, do you mind if we slow down? Right. Not from a place of of needing to have things in some kind of prescriptive long timeline that is not realistic. I recognize that there's appointments and things that we want to show up for, but I think I think you understand what I mean, where the false urgencies are versus actually needing to do something that that is a real emergency, which is very few and far between unless you're, you know, working in the emergency room particularly. There's like very few like real emergencies.

SPEAKER_01 59:50

That's completely true. And I love how you brought up about creating space. I I love that. No, it's it's true and how it allows for so much more. And I think it I loved your example of the people noticing at the retreat. You know, I think that gives people an opportunity to notice. I am curious. You mentioned your favorite breath work practice, but I'm curious what you would say overall, breath work has helped you with the most.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:23

I think breath work has helped me most with. Presencing when I'm spiraling in my head, I love to plan, I love to forecast into the future. I also love to trace back to the past and I'll like try to unpack a past relationship where I'll like replay certain conversations and then I'll like arrive to the present and be like, okay, like why is this showing up again? And then I'll and then I'll try to. So I'm kind of like always in this dance of past, present, future. And so sometimes when I'm in that space of introspection, I'll catch myself like I'm kind of like stuck on a certain thought loop. Does anyone relate to that setting? Where it's like, oh my gosh, why am I still processing this thing? And so I'll have to shape shift what the rhythm is. And so for me, I really love changing the setting. So I've spent the last two years on like a pretty significant travel tour where I gave myself the challenge to go to a different place every month. And it was supposed to be just last year, and then I ended up doing it again this year. And I arrived to this most recent travel where it was like long lines, they lost my luggage for four days, like all of these different things that are triggering, right? And I know the tools, right? It's like you can like know them cognitively. It's like, okay, I have an arsenal of things that I could pull from. And then there's like a moment of, but it's just not fair, right? Like when we're in this like wrestling of the things that are out of our control that we like really want to control. And then, of course, like in my brain, I'm like, I ran a nonprofit for 17 years. Like, why does this airline like not know how to do this? Like texting my favorite stage manager in LA, like, you would run this airline better than these people. It just was like on a rampage. And so I just share that like I haven't like arrived to some enlightened space, you know, like we're all human, doing our human thing. There are moments where I have trigger, there are moments where I get a little spicy, I have like reactions sometimes where I'm like, oh, maybe that wasn't like the thing to say. But I I do think that I am better at discovering it as soon as in real time as possible. And it is very centered on the breath. So my clients will will attest to this where they'll ask me something, and I very rarely answer right away. I usually take a breath, kind of like let the question land. And very rarely it's like me giving an answer. It's more like holding space for the question. And I think that that's so important where we hold spaces for the question without seeking to fix. We're like such like in this like hypercritical needing to fix culture of like, I could look around my house and be like, oh, I need this add to cart, like constantly like doing this dance of wanting to fill the needs in these different ways. And there's almost like this bias of seeking the things that are out of place. And I think like when we can tune into the expansion of the breath, one of the beautiful things that I really love to remember and remember again is all the abundance that's already here. And like we started this conversation, it's like, oh, if I can connect to abundant breath, that gives me a sense of deep knowing that everything that I need is already here. That isn't to say that there's a space of complacency of not dreaming big or manifesting deep dreams. That's definitely in play. It's also this deep gratitude for what is while also being in the dreaming, while also taking action to continue to grow. So these things happen simultaneously. And so I think that's been the biggest piece with the breath is the realization of not seeking outside of myself, which is a forever practice because there's a lot of stimulus that tries to convince us about these external things. But I think more and more it's like, oh, just this is pretty spectacular.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:03

I love that. I completely agree. That's amazing though, that that you were able to shift that, you know, and I get there's always gonna be the external things, but to mostly come back to yourself is that's amazing.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:20

Thank you. Yeah, it's a journey. And I think sometimes this might be helpful to people listening. Sometimes the breath is elusive, like if we're in a space of deep trigger, deep grief, or it feels um, I think sometimes like being indoors, and particularly if you're in a cold climate right now, like it's hard to breathe. And so if you can take it, especially if you're in a cold climate, I do really recommend getting outdoors first thing in the morning and communing with the trees. There's something really powerful about being in breath relationship with trees and plants. If you're not able to go outside, bring the plants inside of your home. But it best is feet on the ground in relationship with trees. When I lived in New York City, so if you're in an urban environment, it's like just get on a train and find the trees. It's going to be like your greatest gateway to re-committing to your breath practice. It's like, it's like, oh, you're breathing and I'm breathing, we're breathing together. Like you might think that you're like tripping at a certain moment. Sometimes it's like, am I high? Like, I'm just like so entranced by like how the light is coming through the leaves and like how the leaves are moving, and you feel like, okay, like I'm just like in the breath. And you just, and I think it what's so wonderful about that is you turn the volume up on awe, you turn the volume up on wonderment, you you get into a space of that beginner's mind of like, oh wow, like I don't understand it. There was a seed at some point that planted itself right here. Now, all of a sudden, this magnificent tree is way taller than I am and has stood the test of time through all the elements. Perhaps blizzards and different things have come through, and this tree is still standing, and like I get to bear witness to it and be in breath with the tree. What else do we need to be doing?

SPEAKER_01 1:08:43

I love that suggestion. Thank you so much for speaking with me. Oh, you're welcome. Yeah, I'm happy to be in the breath with you. Thank you so much. Yeah, absolutely. And where is the best place for listeners to connect with you?

SPEAKER_02 1:09:01

Yeah, I'd love to connect. I'm on Instagram. My handle is at Veronique Ori. I have a website. It's yoga with Veronique.com. You can learn about my offerings there. There's retreats and there's a book that I wrote called Shine On and Off the Mat that has an interactive element of 20-minute practices that are meant to be woven into your daily rhythm. There's journal prompts and there's also links to my music playlist on Spotify. And so it's meant to be an interactive journey. So whatever feels like it can connect you to your breath, it's like, okay, here are the different things. Do you want to travel with me? Do you want to do this self-led journey? Whatever feels most resonant, you can learn about all of that on my website. And then definitely feel free to send me a message on Instagram. I think there's been like this culture of observing or listening. And I hope that everyone feels like we can be a part of this conversation together. That I think the more we connect to one another, right? Like, what is the life by design? Do we want to be just observing things happening or like just listening to things, or how can we actually be an active participant in this life? So please, please reach out. Don't be shy. It's one of my favorite things to connect. So looking forward to being in the breath with all of you.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:47

I love that. And I will link that in the show notes. Thank you so much. I really, really appreciate this. Thank you so much. And thank you guys for tuning in to another episode of Breathwork Magic.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:07

Thank you for tuning in to Breathwork Magic. I hope today's episode inspires you to connect more deeply with your breath and embrace the transformation it can bring. Remember, as long as you have your breath, you have options. You're not stuck. You can make a change. You can make a shift. Each inhale is a new beginning. And every exhale is a chance to let go of what no longer serves you. If you're craving a reset, I'd love to invite you to Mindful Mindset Mondays, now held on the last Monday of every month. It's a virtual pay what you can break work session designed to help you recharge and realign. You'll find all the info in the show notes. And if you're ready to go even deeper, you can always schedule a one-on-one breath work session with me. This is your space to work through what's coming up and move energy in a more personalized way. As always, thank you so much for listening. If you loved this episode, it would mean the world if you shared it with a friend or left a review. Your support helps more people discover the magic of breath work and the shifts it can bring. Until next time, keep breathing, keep shifting, and keep embracing the magic with inside of you. I'm proud of you, I'm rooting for you, and you got this.