The Science of SOMA

"It is really that simple: breathwork and holding your breath is they key to your physical, emotional, energetic, and spiritual well-being. It’s the key to your creativity, your intuition, living in flow state, living authentically, and living in pure joy.

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Most people choosing to “exit the Matrix” and live differently or spiritually know some type of

breathing practice. Whether they use it or not is another matter, but the knowledge is still there.

With knowledge comes power: the power to change your life.

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There is something about breathwork that changes our mindset:

we notice more clarity, less reaction, more response

We can deal more effectively with stress. We feel happier, more hopeful. We start to see the best

in the world and others. We can see the potential for positive change, and what’s more,

we want to be a driving force in that.

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Breathing practices are central to Yogic, Tantric, and Shamanic cultures. The latin root of the word spiritual actually comes from the verb to breathe. We are told to breathe deeply by modern gurus to purify and cleanse our bodies and become “more spiritual”. In fact, the ancient rituals of modern organized religions often have a breathwork component to them as they are believed to lead you

closer to God.

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Today we see growing scientific evidence for the benefits of breathwork. Breathwork techniques can regulate and maintain a healthy flow of cerebrospinal fluid (Aktas et al., 2019), improve memory and cognitive function (Arshamian et al., 2018), activate the peripheral nervous system (Jerath et al., 2006), can unblock your nose, lower blood pressure (Grossman et al., 2001), and relieve symptoms depression (Lalande et al., 2012).

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When we add a breath holding component to our breathwork, some really incredible things start to happen. When you are able to hold your breath for a few minutes, it can create a hypoxic environment, meaning there is less oxygen (Malshe, 2011). This could trigger the release of bone marrow stem cells to circulate around the body. Stem cells are specialised cells which can turn into tissue or organ specific cells: that’s why we have stem cell therapy.

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Imagine! Researchers are studying how to remove stem cells from one part of our body and put them in another, when we could already create the ideal conditions for stem cell circulation. All it could take is learning to hold our breath and sit with discomfort.

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During the process of normal cell division in the body, some damage is done to DNA. There are natural repair processes for this, but if the damage goes beyond that repair, something called p53 is comes into play to do the work. Hypoxia produces p53 (Matouk et al., 2010), which is also known as the “guardian of the genome” and for preventing the growth of cancer cells (Efeyan & Serrano, 2007).

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However, it is often taken for granted that the breathwork practices referred to by ancient mystics is only half of the magic. They’re a great introduction to the breath, to connecting mind and body. A breathing practice can oxygenate our bodies for a bit more concentration, it can give us more energy, and help us relax and relieve the stress from our robotised lifestyles, and it can help us slow our thoughts when we practice mindfulness. But a breathing practice actually teaches us to breathe correctly in preparation for the higher practices of breath holding.

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If practiced correctly according to Legend, this breathwork and breath holding ritual will lead to eternal youth and immortality by producing Amrita, also known as the Nectar of the Gods. Perhaps Amrita is in fact the movement of stem cells around the body.

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Holding your breath creates periods of brief intermittent hypoxia, which means you are creating lower than normal blood oxygen levels for a short time (Serebrovskaya et al., 2011). This can encourage the circulation of stem cells throughout the body, which keeps your bloodstream healthy, your immune system strong, and helps your body to heal and regenerate.

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Russian researchers have been using machinery and laboratories to create intermittent hypoxia since the 1930s. They have used intermittent hypoxia to treat diseases such as coronary artery disease, and to increase recovery time after injury. It also improves stamina and endurance as intermittent hypoxia stimulates the production of new muscle tissue, red blood cells, and even blood vessels.

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Using a combination of scientifically proven breathwork and Pranayama techniques, rhythmical and euphoric music, guided meditation, and visualisation techniques, SOMA Breath is a remarkable process for reaching heightened states of consciousness and ecstatic bliss.

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Through a therapeutic variation of the same process, the layers of your mask peel away

and reveal your true nature.

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You connect deeply to who you really are. Through this awareness comes the path to your truth. Through this profound truth you learn exactly the difference between what is good for you

and what is no longer serving you. You can remove negativity and attachment to the past,

fully embrace the present, and be at your very best every single day and into the future."

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-Soma Breath- Niraj Naik