A post about Wintering, Breath work and beyond with Billie. Billie joined me on the podcast to share her love of wintering and discuss the importance of breath work.
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Date: 30th January 2023
Podcast: The Slow Living Collective Podcast
Episode: 025: Wintering, Breath work and beyond with Billie
Summary: Wintering, Breath work and beyond with Billie
In this episode we’re joined by Billie from Each Mindful day. Billie is a teacher and breath work coach. Today we’re talking about wintering, from embracing the seasonality of winter, slowing down with the natural ebbs and flows of our own life and Billie shares why breath work is a key part of her practice.
Key Topics & Chapter Markers
Wintering & living seasonally [2:00]
Welcome to Billie and welcome to the slow living collective podcast. Billie and I are so similar in our outlook on life, along with many of the things we are passionate about but also so different too. It’s great to come together and celebrate those unique parts of us.
In this episode we’re talking about how we embrace the seasonal flow of winter, but also how we implement these things in those natural ebbs and flows of our lives.
Billie explains what winter means to her, that the idea of wintering is something she has been practicing more over the last 4-5 years. That it means leaning into knowing when rest and retreat is most needed, and that these things that we can apply in winter can be applied to our life whatever the season, whenever we need to embrace slowing down. Billie talks about how we generally follow a linear track through life which isn’t really how we were made to be.
Amy discusses the wonder that is living more seasonally and how when you start to embrace living with the seasons you suddenly get it, and it all of a sudden seems quite obvious.
Deep in January we talk about the emergence of the new year and how we are expected to be switched on and ready to set your goals, and it doesn’t feel the most natural.
We talk about how lockdowns during the pandemic taught us so much, encouraged us to slow down and how the doom and gloom and doom scrolling was difficult to absorb. Amy shares how coming out the pandemic she realised that she didn’t want to get back to normal, a phrase that the media was quick to dish out.
Billie talks about how our bodies aren’t designed to live the life society tells us to live and instead, by embracing seasonal living we are able to create a life that feels right. She talks about having a life throughout winter that reflects the bare bones of the season. It is about spending more time at home, creating a home space that feels good for the family to relax in and embracing the ways we traditionally used to live.
Amy talks about how we’re so disconnected from this natural way of living in the modern world, and we know these things [about living seasonally] but we don’t know that we know because we’re so disconnected. We’ve largely grown up with the ‘new year, new me’ mentality and it’s hard to shift ourselves away from that.
Billie talks about using the winter season to quietly plan things but not act on them yet, and instead put plans into action in the emergence of spring.
How to protect your mental health through winter [14:20]
Winter isn’t an easy season for many and Billie explains that she embraces the season with reading, writing, journal and breathing. She also ensures she has time with her family, are mindful of what they are eating and nourishing themselves with. Understanding the connection between gut health and mental health is also key.
Breath work & being a breath work coach [16:30]
Billie talks about her experience with breath work and her decision to become a breath work coach. Her intention is to get the awareness of breath work out there and help to empower people with the techniques to help them with every area of their lives
Billie also talks us through breath awareness and conscious breathing; Being breath aware where the breath breathes you and conscious breathing where you breathe the breath. Billie also shared her win of the week in uploading her first track on insight timer, you can find the links to everywhere Billie is online at the bottom of these show notes. She also explained her seasonal sessions which she holds.
Amy asked Billie what inspired her to start practicing breath work and then becoming a breath work coach? Billie said lock down and being paralysed by everything that was going on and noticing that nothing was switching off her mind. She found breath work and started to feel a little lighter, and from there she felt compelled to join training to become a breath work coach. Starting training as a breath work coach pushed her outside her comfort zone but her instructor gave her the confidence to push ahead. Billie explained that she had long felt inspired and pulled by people in the wellness space but never believed she had the right to be there. Taking the plunge completely changed her life. It’s not just the breathing and techniques using on herself, but this backed by science practice is wonderful to teach, and seeing others finding that wow moment too.
How do you balance it all [25:11]
Living in the modern world, being women, mothers etc can sometimes be difficult to manage it all. Amy askes Billie how does she balance all the things? Billie has worked part time for 8 years and so has had time to embed those routines and rituals. She explains including her children in everything she does, inviting them to slow down, being at the allotment, getting them involved, showing them the importance of self care and living within that life together.
Amy talks about how she wants her children to know how to slow down and nourish themselves from birth, for all of this to just be a natural way of life.
Where to connect
If you want to follow Billie and her breath work, you can find her on Instagram @each.mindful.day and on Insight Timer too.
If you are looking for more ways to learn about living seasonally come and follow along with my seasonal living life on Instagram. You can find me @lifeonplot44. You can also follow this podcast @theslowlivingcollective.