Breath Odyssey w. Dr Ryan Pope and Amber Hawken [Wed 17th Dec]

A community breathwork journey to gather together to pause and integrate life through the wisdom of the body and breath.

Breath Odyssey brings us back to two things many of us have grown distant from — conscious breath and ceremony.

Together, they restore harmony in the body, in relationships, and in how we show up in the world.

At its core, Breath Odyssey is about community and ceremony, which are both essential for human wellbeing.

If the word ‘ceremony’ feels abstract, think of it like this: it’s taking time to acknowledge life, everything that happens between your first breath and your last.

The breath can do a lot. It’s our first sign of life — and when it stops, the confirmation of death.

Breath, and the element of air, teach us how to bridge intention and action, supporting us to live in our bodies, not just our heads.

We live in a world that moves faster than our primitive nervous systems can handle without consequence, which unfortunately are common symptoms (anxiety, stress, inability to feel content with slowing down) in many people's everyday lives.

Time for pause and integration — the process of actually absorbing and embodying experience — requires slowness, rest, and space. The breath is the simplest, and arguably the most stable, bridge we have: between mind and body, self and others, conscious and unconscious, life and death.

Every physiological and emotional state has a corresponding breathing pattern. Change one, and the other shifts. So, this is what we gather and connect to, with and hold a great deal of intention about where it can lead us.

The style of breath we’ll practice during this evening is a circular breath pattern (conscious connected breathing) that supports access to deeper states — emotional release, energetic recalibration, insight, and sometimes altered states of awareness.

Potential Benefits & Outcomes

Each breathwork journey meets you where you are, offering the possibility of:

• Coming home to your body and its innate intelligence
• Gaining clarity where there’s been confusion or stuckness
• Softening long-held tension and habitual holding patterns
• Releasing emotions that have been quietly stored away
• Strengthening your nervous system’s capacity to regulate and restore balance
• Expanding your awareness and ability to witness without judgement
• Feeling more grounded, centred, and present in your life
• Reconnecting with the natural rhythm of your breath—and your being
• Cultivating resilience in the face of life’s inevitable tides
• Completing cycles, integrating what’s ready to be integrated
• Renewed vitality, ease, and coherence that carries into everyday living
• Remembering the simple, profound relationship between breath, body, and self

While conscious connected breathing is the foundation of our work, we also draw from a range of breath styles, somatic energetics, and principles of nervous system regulation. This means that rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, we guide, adjust, and encourage participants to explore what best serves them—individually and as a collective. Breathwork can stir deep currents, and we hold a firm focus on ensuring that what arises does not overwhelm but instead integrates, settles, and brings coherence to the body and mind.

This is breathwork that respects your pace. There is no ‘right’ way to do this, only a willingness to stay with yourself. Whether your journey leads you into deep stillness or into movement, laughter, tears, or release, we hold a space where all of it is welcome.

You’ll be guided by Amber Hawken and Dr. Ryan Pope, who weave breath with presence, energetic awareness, and an understanding of the nervous system to create an experience that is both expansive and grounding.

Come as you are.

The Science and Art of Connected Breathing

Breath is more than just air in and out—it is a bridge between our conscious and unconscious, between body and mind, between stress and rest.

Some breathwork styles push intensity, aiming for big breakthroughs. Breath Odyssey is different. We don’t force the body to surrender; we create the conditions where it feels safe enough to do so on its own.

Conscious connected breathing is a continuous, unbroken breathing pattern that has been used for centuries in various traditions, now backed by neuroscience and modern breath mastery. It works in layers—on the nervous system, the emotions, and the body’s ability to process, regulate, and integrate experiences.

How Breath Impacts the Nervous System

Breathwork isn’t just about relaxation—it’s about recalibration.

The way we breathe shapes how we feel, think, and respond to life. Some of the effects include:

• Regulating the Autonomic Nervous System: Breath can shift us between fight-or-flight (sympathetic) and rest-and-digest (parasympathetic) states. Slower, rhythmic breathing activates the vagus nerve, which in turn lowers cortisol levels and increases a sense of calm.
• Emotional Processing & Release: Breath allows stored emotions to surface safely, completing cycles of held tension. Whether it’s grief, joy, or something in between, the body knows what to move when given the space.
• Cognitive Clarity & Focus: Oxygenating the brain enhances mental sharpness and decision-making, helping to clear mental fog and overthinking.
• Physical Wellbeing: Deep breathing improves circulation, detoxifies the system, and supports overall vitality by bringing oxygen to the cells more efficiently.

Some breath patterns stimulate, some calm, and some—like conscious connected breathing—create space for what wants to come through. This is breath as an ally, not a weapon.

Preparation & What to Bring

To ensure the best experience, please:

Fast for at least 3 hours prior to the session.

Bring a yoga mat or something soft to lay on.

Bring a pillow for under the knees (if needed for back support) and a small, flat pillow for under your head (if preferred).

Bring an eye covering that leaves the face exposed.

Bring a blanket for warmth.

Have a water bottle nearby.

Bring notepaper and a pen for journaling afterwards, if desired.

Your Facilitators

Dr. Ryan Pope

Ryan is a chiropractor, breathwork facilitator, and practitioner of somatic energetics. With over a decade of experience in chiropractic and nervous system health, he understands how breath, structure, and energy weave together to create healing. His work bridges the science of the body with the depth of the breath, ensuring that each journey is both expansive and integrative, without overwhelming the system.

Amber Hawken

Amber Hawken is an integrated therapist, Rites of Passage facilitator, ceremonialist, and Mother and is trained to guide individuals back to their truth and wholeness through various modalities of healing. Breathwork is one of them."To the best of my ability, I facilitate deep remembering, guided by my great teachers, lived experiences, and Life's intelligence. I believe that within our bodies lies a great wisdom that the ancients have spoken of since the beginning. Our work is to tend to the distortions within ourselves, allowing this wisdom to flow effortlessly."If you feel called to explore the breath—not as something to fix or force, but as something to listen to—we welcome you. No prior experience is necessary, only curiosity and an open heart.

Please ensure you have read and understood the contraindications before registering. Your safety and wellbeing are our priority.

We look forward to breathing with you.

Amber & Ryan

Acknowledgment of Country

We hold great respect for the land we live and work on, the lands of the Kombumerri Country of the Yugambeh speaking people. We honour their connection to the land, waters, and culture and pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging.

Contraindications

Breathwork is a powerful practice, but it is not suitable for everyone. Please consult your doctor before attending if you have:

• Cardiovascular issues (high blood pressure, heart disease, history of stroke)
• Severe respiratory conditions (asthma, COPD, emphysema)
• Epilepsy or a history of seizures
• Pregnancy
• Recent surgeries, injuries, or physical conditions where deep breathing could be contraindicated
• Severe psychiatric conditions (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, recent hospitalization for mental health reasons)
• Use of prescription blood thinners (e.g., Coumadin)