Today we’d like to introduce you to Hope Gorman.
Hi Hope, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was pulled towards the holistic community when I experienced debilitating symptoms soon after college. I was lucky enough to find doctors that taught me about my mind and body connection. To my surprise I was neglecting my body including my heart. Despite doing vigorous workouts most days, and being vegan at the time, my body was far from well.
Furthermore, even though I was able to celebrate my college degrees, certificates, and participated in exciting internships my body – my heart was inflamed, heavy, and empty.
I was not connected to my body. I was navigating life with my mind. I was holding unexpressed emotions including my dad’s death by suicide back in high school.
Closing my eyes & focusing on breathing can help with getting out the mind & into the body. Our bodies tend to remember what our mind forgets. We usually think with our mind but breathwork allows us to feel with our body or heart.
Slowly but surely I remembered how to reconnect with my body and heart. I got honest with myself and others. It became clear that the life I built was no longer one I wanted. I let go of people, places, things and ideas that I didn’t even consciously choose for myself. I let myself feel and express all the changes.
There were many conflicts between my mind and heart. Even though my mind tried to keep me safe and stay the same, I kept choosing my heart. Eventually life got quiet. Then my mind eventually got calm and quiet. Then my body and heart came back to me better then ever! We learned how to work together.
Like a quiet whisper numbness floated into sensation. Sensation turned passion. The hustle softened into dedication. The worry shifted to trust. Shame bloomed into love.
I found myself. I love myself- mind, body, and soul. I thought this was as good as it gets! But it got better.
Soon after, right around the corner, my partner and I found each other and it keeps getting better.
I didn’t learn it in school. I learned it by letting myself feel life, being honest, and expressing who I am. That can look many different ways for people! The good news is the answers are already inside you- in your body, in your heart. The answers have been and always will be inside you. It was always you!
I knew I wanted to offer some healing practice to others. I saw a breathwork class and I knew- that was it!
Breathing can be controlled conscious in your mind or unconscious in your body. It can be a bridge to what your body and heart are unconscious telling you. Our bodies don’t communicate with words like our mind. Our body tend to communicate with feelings.
Close your eyes, breath, and you may very well see what you have been missing.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
A hard part was when I started to be more authentic and be myself. So not being what other people wanted me to be. I lost some people when I no longer played the roles. But I see now I was not doing any people, places or things any favors by holding onto them inauthentically. It wasn’t a real connection. It wasn’t really me.
Also, I continue to grow in life and still definitely feel stress along the way. However, I understand the how and why behind the stress much more and have tools to navigate it. The best resource being the unconditionally love I have for myself and from my partner! I work with the stress and all other emotions that come up.
Lastly, a hard part is suspecting that other people are not connected with who they are and not being themselves. For, I want to see and understand people for who they are. But that can only happen if they choose to show me.
As you know, we’re big fans of Breathwork Balance . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I’m very proud that these meditative breathwork classes help people connect with their own individual unconscious mind and body. It’s a free and empowering skill that is vital to unlocking things like imagination, individuality and purpose.
Long answer:
Breathwork can access stress that’s in our unconscious body. Individuals tend to have a hard time accessing their unconscious stress. Most people seem to navigate life by thinking consciously with their head, not their unconscious mind, body – or heart.
The unconscious mind contains hidden feelings & memories. Some of which are too stressful, difficult, frustrating, embarrassing, shameful or painful to feel & express. Even though we’re not aware of our unconscious mind, it greatly affects us daily. For it can guide our core beliefs, motivations, desires, habits & instincts.
Additionally, our unconscious mind may hold us back in life such as, forming our insecurities, fears & self sabotaging behavior. This can be a mental burden – by keeping us stuck in old patterns of feeling, thinking & doing.
Our bodies, much like our minds, can hold on to & store memories as well – but as energy or feelings. Everything vibrates at a certain energy. There’re many energy centers in our body. Main energy centers are commonly known as chakras. Energy and feelings move in & out of our bodies. However, similarly to our unconscious mind, our bodies can hold on to & store unconscious memories too, but as energy.
These energies cause our bodies to vary anywhere from: beneficial ease & rest to detrimental dis-ease(s) & stress. If our bodies are holding on to unconscious stress it may very well cause a dis-ease in the body.
***What does our unconscious mind & body have to do with breathing?
First, in the class we start with a guided meditation. It is designed to activate our unconscious mind/imagination. The meditation is more or less a dream-like story. The story tends to have rhythm or rhymes to ease the body and expand the logical mind. Much like a dream, your mind may wonder and gain unconscious symbolic information.
Second, breathing plays a large role towards our overall body and nervous system. The states vary from stressed to relaxed. These states are often referred to as – fight or flight & rest & digest. Second, breathing is one of the few bodily functions that can be controlled continuously or unconsciously!
So, as we continuously use our breath we can turn on our body’s stressed state known as fight or flight.
In this state lives the old energy/ feelings of unconscious stressors that were too difficult, frustrating, embarrassing, shameful or painful – to feel, express & intergrade. Leaving them to form insecurities, fears, self sabotaging behaviors & or physical diseases.
Until now, breathwork sessions can allow us to find, express & intergrade what has been holding us back mentally (with imagination) & or physically (with the breath). When we clear out what’s been unconsciously holding us back. Therefore, becoming more conscious.
We can become more conscious of our feelings, thoughts & actions – towards our hopes, dreams & goals! (individuality and purpose.)
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Playing with my siblings. I would make up many games. I’m a triplet!
– No, we are not identical
– Yes, I am the oldest
Pricing:
- Hasting: Meditative Breathwork class $15
Contact Info:
- Website: https://breathworkbalance.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hope_gorman_?igsh=MWh4azRtMDQxbmtraQ==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092897043574
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hope-gorman-7a7ba6111
- Other: https://spiralyogamn.com/
