Barbara Stamis sees the breath as a tool, one that can help us access
“peace that is within all of us, at all times.”

Stamis, a facilitator, healer, and educator, believes intentional breathing can invite us to really be with our emotions—however uncomfortable they may feel. “Breath is a way to not wash away any emotion and pretend it’s not there,” she says. “Breath is a way to find neutral so that you can then move from a neutral space, analyze, and go into the emotions that are calling to you.”

We asked Stamis for a simple introductory breathwork practice that we can turn to no matter where we find ourselves. What she offers is liberating. It is a portal, as she says, to help navigate our complex feelings, even fear. As Stamis sees it, when we’re feeling fearful, we can lean into this transformative breathing technique to move from a fight-or-flight state to a presence that is clear, grounded, and heart-centered.

“The coolest thing about the breath is that you can have an immediate response,” she tells us. “You might feel peace right after, but when you practice consistently, you build resilience, you strengthen your system over time, and you will then be able to stay in these peaceful, neutral phases, out of fight or flight, for longer periods. And that’s the ultimate goal.”