TLDR: Tape your move shut when you sleep; flow state is the ultimate human advantage over AI.
Breathwork and flow state are powerful, accessible, research-backed tools that unlock enhanced wellbeing, creativity and performance. They are modalities I often suggest to clients to self-regulate, create and lead.
Dave Murphy is a leading breathwork and flow state facilitator in Australia and I got to pick his brain to more deeply understand the transformative potential of these practices. Below, Dave shares his personal journey into the world of breathwork, explains the key benefits, and provides practical tips for beginners. He also delves into the science behind flow state and how it can be cultivated through conscious breathing techniques.
If you read just one thing today, let it be this! You’ll learn so much about breathwork and flow state – what they are, how they are interconnected, and how to start incorporating them into your own life for improved mental, physical, and emotional health.
Scroll to the bottom for information on how to work with Dave and a discount code!
Can you explain what breathwork and flow state are and how they are interconnected?
At its core, breathwork simply refers to the act of consciously practicing a particular breathing technique over a specific period of time. There are lots of different kinds of breathwork which can be used for a range of healing, developmental or spiritual purposes.
Flow State, on the other hand, is a specific state of consciousness – I would argue the optimal state of consciousness – where you feel and perform at your best. While practicing breathwork requires your conscious attention, to access flow state you actually need to release any sense of self-consciousness.
In flow state, you become so completely immersed in your task that you lose all sense of fear, doubt, distraction or anything else that may be holding you back from performing at your best.
Breathwork can be used to help induce flow states by quietening down our prefrontal cortex (the thinking part of our brain) and allowing us to access alternate states of consciousness – often referred to as brain frequencies – that are more conducive to insight, clarity and creativity.
How did you get started in this field, and what drew you to it?
I had my first experience with breathwork at a psychedelic retreat in the Netherlands in 2017. I had never heard of it before, and had no idea how transformative it could be.
We did holotropic breathwork (the deepest kind of breathwork you can do!) which was incredibly intense, and definitely planted a seed as to the power and potential of breathwork. It was like I’d stumbled upon this secret tool that ironically everyone has access to every single day.
I remember one of the facilitators at the retreat saying that some people actually find the breathwork session to be more impactful than their psychedelic experience which I didn’t believe at the time, but can now totally see how that’s possible.
Years later, as I was preparing to leave the corporate world in 2021, I used breathwork to help me find clarity, and probably more importantly, the conviction required to go and set up my own consulting business.
I didn’t know at the time that I’d eventually set up another business as a breathwork and flow state facilitator, but I kept following the cues (and my curiosity) to where I am today.
What are some of the key benefits of practicing breathwork?
There are many, and it seems like almost every month that a major new study comes out to reinforce the benefits of breathwork. Some of the main ones include:
- Regulating the nervous system
- Reducing anxiety and stress (including lowering cortisol, heart rate and blood pressure)
- Increasing energy levels
- Enhancing creativity and mental clarity
- Detoxifying the body & improving overall wellbeing
- Improving immune system function
- Reprograming limiting beliefs
- Processing emotion and releasing trauma
- Optimising sleep
- Experiences of self-discovery and personal transformation.
If you are curious to learn more I highly recommend starting with James Nestor’s best selling book Breathe. I’ve never heard anyone say it hasn’t significantly improved their overall wellbeing.
Can you share a simple breathwork technique that beginners can try at home?
The average adult takes around 25,000 breaths a day, but usually aren’t consciously aware of any of them. For most people, simply becoming aware of your breath will already have a positive impact on your breathing technique.
As a general rule, it’s very beneficial to slow your breathing down, breathe lower into your belly (instead of your chest) and breathe in through your nose (instead of the mouth).
In terms of specific techniques, box breathing is probably the most simple and effective way to regulate the nervous system and put yourself into a state of calm (our ‘rest and digest’ state). It’s great because it’s probably the most accessible of all breathing techniques as you can do it anytime, anywhere.
That said, personally I believe the most impactful thing anyone can do is tape their mouth shut at night (which sounds a bit crazy I know). Given we spend almost a third of our days – and lives – asleep, it’s an incredibly efficient way to dramatically improve your breathing and overall well being.
I tape my mouth shut every night and it’s been a game changer for my sleep quality. It also produces a range of other benefits including regulating blood pressure, improving oral health, strengthening the immune system and, if you share a bed with a partner they’ll be pleased to know it significantly reduces any snoring, teeth grinding and general tossing and turning.
Most people hate it for the first couple of nights or so, but I really encourage you to stick with it – and use this handy guide if you need help getting started. I swear by it now and feel weird when I don’t tape it shut.
What are some common challenges people face when trying to practice breathwork and how can they overcome them to maintain a consistent practice?
Like all new habits, it can be hard to start. For those that have tried to form a meditation practice before, they’ll know that one of the main challenges is committing to finding the time. The good news is that with breathwork, the benefits are immediate, and you’ll feel a tangible difference as soon as you’re done, so that often makes it easier to find the motivation.
The biggest challenge I see people struggle with is getting ‘stuck in their head’. It can be hard to drop out of the mind and into the body (especially when people are new to it as they often bring a lot of expectations) so people can sometimes feel like their first couple of experiences are relatively light or shallow.
I find doing classes with a facilitator (either 1:1 or in a group) is a great way to overcome any resistance or blockages and personally find that I have the best sessions when I’m doing group classes.
That said, there are some great apps now such as Othership, Insight Timer, Wim Hof Method App, and Mastry that provide great on-demand sessions to do privately at home.
How would you describe the experience of being in flow state?
Flow is defined as an altered state of consciousness where we feel and perform our best. When we’re in flow, we lose all sense of time and become totally absorbed in our present experience. Our awareness merges with our action which basically means we become completely free from any self consciousness, fear, doubt or distraction. Being in flow dramatically increases our sense of creativity and overall performance levels.
Flow also induces neurochemical changes that feel amazing. This includes a surge of the happy hormones dopamine and serotonin, as well as a spike in anandamide which is often referred to as the ‘bliss molecule’. Anandamide acts as a natural antidepressant and enhances creativity and problem-solving abilities as well as motivation, joy and happiness.
Most people have probably experienced being in a flow state at some point – some common flow inducing activities are surfing, cooking, dancing, reading, coding, gaming, drawing, writing (if you like writing!), gardening and playing music.
Being in flow is one of the most enjoyable, satisfying experiences humans can have, and the best part is that there’s a trainable set of flow triggers – a process for getting into flow – that can allow you to access flow state on demand.
Can you share a memorable success story where breathwork significantly impacted someone’s life?
I’ve seen breathwork have a profound effect on people from both personal and professional perspectives. A mother who had lost a child attended one of my group classes last year and told me afterwards (through happy tears) that that one breathwork experience was more helpful to her than the previous 5 years of talk therapy, which was a beautiful moment.
I’ve also seen multiple working professionals release deep limiting beliefs from their subconscious (such as fear of public speaking, fear of failure, lack of self worth) that have allowed them to take big leaps forward in their careers.
How has practicing breathwork and achieving a flow state personally transformed your life?
I was in the midst of a big career transition (or perhaps it was an existential crisis?!) in 2021 and turned to breathwork to help get me through it. I booked a series of private one on one sessions with an amazing facilitator in Sydney which helped me find the clarity and conviction to step out and start my own business.
It also allowed me to release a lot of baggage I was holding onto around self worth, self belief, self confidence as well as certain family dynamics. There’s still plenty more to go, but that was a massive starting point.
I had no idea at the time that I’d go on to complete my own breathwork facilitator certification (along with an intrinsic health certification), but I do know that those private breathwork experiences were pivotal in giving me a new sense of direction and purpose in my life.
I then went on to complete my flow state certification in 2023 which in many ways felt like the missing piece. I knew that I wanted to share breathwork and holistic wellbeing with corporate audiences, but it wasn’t until I saw that combining it with a program designed around flow state and optimal performance that I truly felt clarity around what my vision was.
How do you see the field of breathwork and flow evolving in the next few years?
Breathwork is the fastest growing wellness modality on the planet. I believe that’s because the results are tangible and instantaneous.
While it’s certainly a lot more popular than it was even a few years ago, it’s still on the relative fringes, so I definitely see it becoming more mainstream, and increasingly utilised in corporate/business environments to help employees feel and perform better.
Our understanding of flow states is also rapidly evolving, largely thanks to the work being done out of the Flow Research Collective in the US. As a concept, it’s also still relatively new to most people, so I see it becoming an increasingly popular topic, with a greater understanding of how workplaces, schedules and spaces can be redesigned to better facilitate flow amongst their people.
As technology (and specifically AI) continues to increase its influence over our lives, I also see huge potential benefits for humans to better understand how to access altered, optimal states in order to do the uniquely creative work that is most important to them (the kind of work the machines can’t do, for now!).
Are there any new developments or innovations you are excited about?
There are lots of interesting apps emerging, but what I’m excited to see are the physical spaces and experiences that are starting to open up.
Gyms are the obvious starting point here, and we’re seeing a number of them start to incorporate a more holistic approach to wellbeing. That includes an understanding and appreciation of the mental and neurochemical side of wellbeing and not only offering breathwork experiences, but other mindset and spiritual practices too.
I’m probably biased here but I’m also really excited to see more businesses starting to recognise the value in this work and incorporating holistic wellbeing, breathwork and flow state practices and programs into their overall business strategy and operations.
How can people work with you?
I primarily work with businesses and teams offering a range of breathwork workshops and flow state programs.
My core program is The Flow Advantage which is designed for leaders and teams to help them learn how to access flow state on demand. The program combines everything I’ve learnt about breathwork, holistic wellbeing, nervous system regulation, mindset, motivation, creativity, flow state and the neuroscience of optimal states of consciousness. You can learn more about it here.
My next public breathwork event is on Thursday August 8th at 6:30pm in North Bondi, you can join via this link here.
Or if you’d like to try it for yourself at home first with a pre-recorded experience you can do so here.
Please use code AMELIA for 15% off any or all of the above and find more information on Dave on his website and instagram.
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