Evolving Magazine

FEATURE

 

Unleashing Human Potential:

Q&A with Christopher August, CEO of Beats and Breath

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In a world where the pace of life can often drown out our inner voices, Christopher August, the visionary CEO and founder of the transformative Guided Breathwork app, Beats and Breath, emerges as a beacon of conscious living. Dedicated to activating human potential through the profound synergy of breath and sound, Christopher is on a mission to guide individuals toward unlocking the greatness that already resides within them.

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With over 15 years of experience in personal, leadership, and business development training, coupled with a master's degree in Organizational Development and Leadership, Christopher brings a unique blend of expertise and passion to his work. His journey is marked by a deep commitment to inspiring a new paradigm of conscious, connected living on planet Earth. From redefining the way we breathe to transforming the way we lead, create, and relate, Christopher's teachings aim to ignite a transformative journey toward self-discovery and fulfillment.

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In this Q&A article, we delve into Christopher's insights, philosophy, and the principles that underpin Beats and Breath.

 

Evolving Magazine: Who inspired you to embark on the journey of becoming a master breathwork and meditation facilitator, and how has this path transformed your own life?

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Christopher August: I was living and working in Tanzania, Africa from 2013 to 2015 serving as a Peace Corps volunteer. Aside from supporting the local community through health and business development, I spent a lot of time reading, writing, and practicing meditation and yoga. One day I was given a USB drive from another volunteer and on it were these kundalini videos. At that time I had never heard of kundalini, but something about the name and the practice resonated with me so I gave it a try. After just one session I felt my energy shift and I knew that there was something profound about this practice. One of the main components of kundalini is breath, specifically a practice called ‘breath of fire.’ It involves rapid breathing in and out of the nose while pumping the diaphragm. This activates the kundalini or life-force energy within you. Over the coming weeks and months, I experienced profound transformations and knew that I wanted to go deeper. Shortly after returning back to the States in late 2015, I began to research breathwork training, and not long after I became certified from Soma Breath. This path as a facilitator has changed my life on many levels as I’ve witnessed the healing and transformation of thousands of people, including myself.

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Q: What led you to establish the Guided Breathwork app, Beats and Breath, and how does it contribute to activating human potential through breath and sound?

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A: In 2020 my business partner, Johnny Buffalo and I cosmically collided at a men’s circle in Buffalo, NY just a few days after Johnny returned home from living almost eight years in New York City as a musician and beatboxer. I was facilitating a breathwork journey at this men’s circle and afterwards, Johnny came up to me and asked who made my music. At that time I was using Soma Breath samples and replied “No one, but I’m looking for someone.” He said, ‘I’m a musician and would love to help you.” Within 8 weeks we created our first breathwork compilation called SoulRise which was comprised of five, 33-minute elemental-themed breathwork journeys. We released it in December 2020 and sold over 600 copies in just a few months. We knew that we had something special based on the incredible feedback we were receiving and so in 2021 Beats and Breath was born. Both breath and sound are the primordial forces of life and have been used for thousands of years to create and heal. Our Sonic Breathwork™ technology and practice blend together rhythmic breathing and cutting-edge musical compositions and the latest advancements in bioacoustics to elevate physical, mental, emotional, and energetic well-being. As a result of feeling relaxed, present, and more connected from doing Sonic Breathwork, one can tap into heightened states of consciousness, allowing them to experience more of their innate power and potential.

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Q: How does the Beats and Breath app cater to individuals at different stages of their wellness journey, from beginners to experienced practitioners?

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A: One of our main intentions when starting Beats and Breath was to appeal to all levels of practitioners and therefore we’ve made our sessions easy, fun, and approachable through not only the musical component by mixing together both ancient and modern genres of music, but the breathing style itself which is steady and rhythmic. This offers a way for people to turn down the volume of their thoughts and become fully immersed and present within themselves, allowing them to experience the profound benefits of breathwork.

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Q: Why is breathwork such a powerful tool for personal transformation, and how can it help individuals release trauma, overcome inner blocks, and experience greater clarity, vitality, and peace?

 

A: At the core of all true healing is a balanced and harmonized nervous system. The nervous system is the central control mechanism of how our body and mind function. Most people in today’s society are stuck in a sympathetic, fight-or-flight state, meaning they’re perpetually stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed. This is often the result of unprocessed energy and emotions that stem from childhood trauma and wounding. If left unchecked, this will create a whole host of problems, manifesting itself in various ways from self-sabotaging, and negative behaviors to disease and illness. This is why breathwork is incredibly important. By working consciously and intentionally with your breath on a daily basis, one naturally begins to enter a more parasympathetic state, allowing them to become more centered, calm, and grounded. This allows more life-force energy to flow within and old, stagnant energy to become transformed and liberated, resulting in greater levels of clarity, vitality, and peace. Alongside a daily breathwork practice, one may also find it beneficial to work with a trained coach or psychotherapist to support them in processing and integrating their trauma.

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Q: Where did your passion for the spirituality of breathing originate, and how can individuals awaken intuition, unlock creative potential, and manifest their desired lives through breathwork?

 

A: Since the beginning, I’ve always viewed breathing as a spiritual practice. My experiences with breathwork early on were very transcendent and brought me to heightened states almost immediately. As a result, my perception of myself and the world began to shift and change. I realized that the more I did breathwork, the more I felt ‘in the flow’ and I would receive creative and intuitive insights that would guide my business, my relationships, and my life. Aside from recalibrating the nervous system, breathwork is also an excellent tool for rewiring the subconscious mind and slowing down the brainwaves into an alpha and theta state where higher wisdom and guidance can be accessed and integrated. Not only does the practitioner become one with this creative life-force energy, but over time is able to use it to consciously design and architect his or her reality. I speak to this concept of breathwork for manifestation in my upcoming book.

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Q: How do you approach tailoring breathwork practices to meet the diverse needs of individuals, considering factors such as their unique challenges, experiences, and wellness goals?

 

A: As I mentioned above, the breathwork I facilitate is rhythmic in nature and can benefit anyone at any level, therefore I don’t necessarily tailor the practice to anyone, rather I allow the breath to be the guide and do the work. I view the breath like I do plant medicines. It has its own consciousness and will facilitate the healing needed for each individual. As a facilitator, it’s my job and responsibility to guide that process and hold space for whatever energy arises, but I leave it to the intelligence of the breath to do the real work.

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Q: How do you incorporate the wisdom of the Gene Keys in helping people find freedom, heal wounds, discover unique gifts, and unlock higher purposes?

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A: The Gene Keys is a synthesis of wisdom that combines astrology and the Chinese iChing to support you in awakening and activating your highest potential that is coded within your DNA. By exploring and contemplating the wisdom of the Gene Keys, you will gain a deeper understanding of yourself, your life path, and your unique gifts, all of which will lead you to a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment and allow you to thrive in all aspects of life; health, wealth, relationships and business. When combined with an embodiment practice such as breathwork, the teachings become a catalyst for personal and spiritual expansion.

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Q: What advice do you have for individuals who may be hesitant or skeptical about incorporating breathwork into their daily lives, and how can they begin to experience its transformative benefits?

 

A: Breathing is a natural process that everyone does. Breathwork is just bringing awareness and attention to this process to create change and transformation from the inside out. If you have a pair of lungs, you can do breathwork. What do you have to lose? You don’t know until you try.

9. In your opinion, how does the practice of breathwork contribute to the creation of a more conscious, connected world, and what role can individuals play in this collective evolution?

Breathwork, put simply, is a tool for self-discovery and healing. When you heal and release the blocks, barriers, and limitations within, you discover more of who you truly are; the self that is beyond the conditioning, programming, and fear. As a result of you awakening to your true nature of love and wholeness, that has a ripple effect on the collective energy. There’s not much you have to do or say to make an impact, your healing is the work that is needed to create a more conscious, connected world.

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Q: Were there any unexpected lessons or insights gained during your travels that significantly impacted your approach as a transformation teacher and breathwork facilitator?

 

A: There have been many lessons I’ve learned along my journey, all of which could be written into a book, but one of the most important, yet simple lessons I’ve learned is to trust the process. I’ve learned that everything has its own timing and rhythm and the more we can get out of our own way by letting go of the attachments, beliefs, and stories that limit us and allow life to do its thing, the more we will experience magic and miracles. I used to try and control and force the flow of my life to fit what my ego-mind desired, but by doing that I would often run into a brick wall and find myself disappointed. I realized that my only job was to follow my excitement, take inspired action from my heart, and surrender to the journey while bringing gratitude and love to all that was present. Life has become much more easy and fulfilling as a result.