Breath is life—and yet, the word “breathwork” has become a tangled umbrella, used to describe everything from calming exercises to ancient yogic rituals, leaving many newcomers wondering: what exactly is breathwork—and how do all these different practices really compare?
While the term “breathwork” was originally coined in the 1960’s to describe the practice of conscious connected breathing (CCB), it has since been broadly repurposed. Today, it refers to a wide range of breath-related techniques—from stress-reduction exercises and functional breathing to ancient yogic practices like pranayama. This shift has caused confusion, especially for those new to the breath world.
Although all these methods involve the breath, their intentions, techniques, and outcomes vary significantly. Some focus on nervous system regulation, others on improving respiratory efficiency, and some on inducing altered states of consciousness for deep healing and transformation.
As the term breathwork continues to be applied to various breathing modalities and grows in popularity, it’s helpful to understand the key differences between:
- Breathwork (in its original meaning, referring specifically to conscious connected breathing)
- Pranayama (ancient yogic breath control techniques)
- Functional breathing (breath training for optimal health and performance)
- Breath practices (breath-based techniques for stress relief or focus)
In this article, we’ll explore the four distinct breathing modalities. Then, we’ll take a closer look at breathwork in its original meaning—conscious connected breathwork (CCB)—and explain how it differs from other breath-based modalites.
What is Pranayama?
Pranayama is an ancient yogic breath practice centered on controlling the breath to direct life force energy, known as Prana. It helps prepare the mind for meditation and serves as a purifying practice. While some yoga and tantra teachers may call Pranayama “Breathwork,” using the correct term is important to avoid confusion. If you see a class labeled “Breath Work” (two words) or “Yoga & Breath Work” at a yoga studio, it’s likely a Pranayama class.
Pranayama and Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB) come from different traditions and have distinct intentions. Pranayama focuses on breath and mind control, while CCB emphasizes altered states of consciousness, connecting with inner wisdom, self-healoing, and fully surrendering to what arises. Additionally, CCB is usually practiced lying down with eyes closed, whereas Pranayama typically involves sitting upright.
What is Functional Breathing?
Functional breathing (sometimes called “functional breathwork”) is often grouped under the broader term “breathwork,” but its techniques and goals are fundamentally different. The primary aim of functional breathing is to retrain the body to breathe more efficiently for improved health. It’s commonly used by athletes to boost performance and endurance by optimizing oxygen delivery and reducing stress on the body’s systems.
This modality focuses on correcting dysfunctional breathing patterns, increasing lung capacity, and preventing the harmful effects of chronic mouth breathing. A core principle is the consistent use of nasal breathing and the conscious retraining of unconscious mouth breathing habits. Notable leaders in this field include James Nestor and Patrick McKeown—and you may have heard of the popular trend of mouth taping, which stems from their teachings.
In contrast, Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB) intentionally uses open-mouth breathing to create specific biochemical and physiological shifts that lead to altered states of consciousness. These states support deep emotional release and self-healing—making CCB a profoundly different practice from functional breathing.
What Are Breath Practices and Exercises?
Breath practices and exercises are increasingly being labeled as “breathwork” by some, but they are quite different from Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB). These techniques typically involve consciously manipulating the breath to achieve specific physical, mental, or emotional outcomes. They are usually short in duration, don’t aim to alter consciousness, and aren’t primarily focused on transformation or deep emotional healing.
Most of these practices are self-guided and don’t require a facilitator. Popular examples include heart coherence breathing, box breathing, extended exhales, and slow diaphragmatic breathing. (Click here for a booklet of breathing exercises for anxiety.) Their main goal is often to activate the parasympathetic nervous system—the body’s “rest and digest” state—to reduce stress and promote relaxation. This is the opposite of CCB, which intentionally activates the sympathetic nervous system to energize the psyche, heighten awareness, and open the door to deep insight and trauma release.
What Is Breathwork (in it’s original meaning)?
The term “breathwork”—written as one word without a space—was first coined by Dr. Stanislav Grof in the 1960s as part of the practice he developed called Holotropic Breathwork. This technique involves connected breathing, where the breather inhales and exhales in a continuous, circular rhythm without pauses. The goal is to access altered states of consciousness for healing, insight, and transformation.
This method of breathing is also widely known as:
- Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB)
- Connected Breathwork
- Circular Breathwork
- Circular Breathing
While styles may vary, these terms generally refer to the same core practice of connected breathing—used to induce altered states of awareness and access the body’s innate healing intelligence. This type of breathwork is typically facilitated and can be done online or in person, either one-on-one or in a group setting (find out whether a private of group breathwork would be better for you here).
A Growing Movement
While Holotropic and Rebirthing Breathwork (developed by Leonard Orr) both emerged in the 1960s and 70s, the popularity of breathwork has grown significantly in the last six years and there are now hundres of offshoots. If you see an offering described as a “Breathwork Journey” or a “Breathwork session” focused on deep healing, trauma release, or altered states, it’s very likely referring to CCB.
Some leading organizations in the space include:
Make Some Breathing Space, Owaken, Unity Breathwork, Alchemy of Breath, Transformational Breath, Biodynamic Breathwork, Neurodynamic Breathwork, Rebirthing, Clarity Breathwork, and Breath of Bliss.
💡 Curious about how modern breathwork evolved? Click here to find out.
Benefits and Overview of a Conscious Connected Breathing (CCB) Session
Conscious connected breathwork induces altered states of consciousness, often described as similar to the effects of psychedelics and plant medicine. Each session is unique—the breath serves as both medicine and guide, leading the breather exactly where they need to go for their highest healing.
Session lengths can vary widely, from 20 minutes to over 3 hours. Because this practice is activating and can bring up intense physical and emotional experiences, there are some contraindications to be aware of. For safety and to ensure the deepest, most supported journey, it is strongly recommended to practice under the guidance of a trauma-informed facilitator who can provide expert support throughout the session.
What We Offer at Unity Breathwork
At Unity Breathwork, we specialize in trauma-informed and responsive conscious connected breathwork sessions, retreats, and training. Our sessions last 2 hours, with 60 full minutes of active breathing. This length hits the ideal balance. It’s long enough to create profound altered states and deep healing. Yet, it remains manageable for most people’s busy schedules.
Concluding Thoughts on What Is Breathwork
Despite the vast distinctions among the above breathing modalities, the exploration of breath remains a common thread, highlighting the diverse ways in which breath is harnessed for physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Each variant, offers unique benefits and is worthy of exploration. If you’re curious to experience the many benefits of conscious connected breathwork, I invite you to join a group session in Cabo, or Whitby—or reach out to schedule a private or online group session. You’re also warmly welcome to join us at our upcoming breathwork retreat in Mexico.
If you’re already experienced in breathwork and feel called to deepen your path through the most comprehensive training available, you can learn more about our 450-hour trauma-informed training here.
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