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This ancient healing modality works for everyone, every time, the first time.
And yet, even in resistance, there is something to learn. There always is—because in breathwork, something is always happening beneath the surface.
If you find yourself facing resistance, whether in breathwork or any other area of life, today’s blog offers valuable insight to help you navigate it with awareness and intention, turning it into an opportunity for deeper growth.
Resistance is common in breathwork. In fact, it’s inevitable. The human mind is wired to resist change—our ego works tirelessly to keep us in the familiar, even when that familiarity is pain or stagnation.
And here’s the truth: if you’re resisting in breathwork, you’re resisting somewhere in your life.
When you feel stuck in a breathwork session, you will almost certainly find that same stuckness showing up in other areas—your relationships, career, healing journey, or personal growth. But here’s the key: that stuckness didn’t originate in breathwork. It’s simply being illuminated by the breath.
The ego fears change. It thrives on predictability and will do everything in its power to keep things exactly as they are. To maintain its grip, it employs a range of tactics:
• Boredom (“This isn’t working.”)
• Fear (“What if I lose control?”)
• Anxiety (“I can’t handle what might come up.”)
• Drowsiness (“I’m suddenly exhausted.”)
• Monkey Mind (“I have a million thoughts racing right now.”)
• Future-Tripping (“I need to figure everything out.”)
• Stuckness (“I just don’t feel anything.”)
When these sensations arise, recognize them for what they are: proof that you’re on the edge of transformation. The ego resists the hardest right before a breakthrough. This isn’t a stop sign. It’s an invitation to push forward.
If you experience resistance to the breath itself or the session as a whole, this is the very reason to keep going. Often, the greater the resistance, the greater the breakthrough waiting on the other side.
1. Redirect Your Focus
If your mind refuses to settle, remember: you don’t have to control your thoughts, but you can choose where to direct your attention. Instead of engaging with mental noise, shift your focus to:
• The rhythm of your breath
• The beat of your heart
• The rise and fall of your chest
• The sensation of your fingers or toes moving
Your mind lives in the past and future. Your body only exists in the present. Dropping into your body weakens the grip of the ego and brings you back to the moment.
2. Reframe Resistance as an Opportunity
Feeling stuck isn’t a failure—it’s the lesson breathwork is bringing you. Ask yourself:
• How do I respond to stuckness in my life?
• Do I avoid it? Get frustrated? Numb out? Push too hard?
• What would happen if I met it with curiosity instead?
Your response to being stuck in breathwork mirrors how you respond to stuckness in life. How you work through it here is how you will work through it everywhere.
3. Thank Your Inner Intelligence
Your resistance isn’t random. It’s your inner intelligence revealing something that’s been waiting to be seen. Instead of fighting it, thank it.
Reconnect with why you’re here. What called you to breathwork? What transformation do you seek? Let your vision reignite your commitment.
4. Stop Resisting the Stuckness—Feel It Fully
Paradoxically, the way to move through resistance is to stop resisting it.
• Let yourself be 1,000% stuck.
• Feel it in every cell of your body.
• Observe what emotions surface—frustration, anger, sadness. Let them rise.
• If you resist, they persist. If you embrace, they release.
5. Notice the Stories Your Mind Tells You
When resistance shows up, the mind creates stories:
• “This isn’t working.”
• “I’ll always feel this way.”
• “I don’t have time for this.”
Notice these thoughts. Acknowledge that they are just stories—not truth. Then, let them go. Recommit to your body, your breath, the music, or the raw emotions moving through you.
6. Express What Needs to Be Released
Whatever arises, drop into it fully.
• Make sound. Let out a sigh, a yell, a sob—whatever wants to move.
• Move your body. Shake, stretch, stomp, sway.
• Let it out. Don’t analyze it—just let it move through you.
This is how you free yourself.
Resistance isn’t a roadblock—it’s a doorway. When it shows up in breathwork, lean in. Let it teach you. Let it guide you.
Give yourself grace and realize regardless of your expectations, and a session perhaps letting you down, you are one of a small percentage of people who is brave enough to face themselves in a way that takes an imense amount of courage and conviction.
This ancient healing modality works for everyone, every time, the first time.
