The Unalome Breath

The Unalome Breath When trusted, breath can be a path to healing and personal freedom from patterns caused by past experiences. Breathwork-related information and events.

My name is Lina Jan. I am a trauma-informed psychologist, NeuroDynamic breathwork facilitator and life and experience integration coach.

11/08/2025

Feeling is something that comes second - if that - to reason in our current world.

It is misguided, for our thoughts and ability to reason are very much subject to how we're feeling (and vice versa). We will have all observed how, depending on the day we're having, accidentally stepping on a Lego piece may send us laughing or into rage; a cheeky driver pulling in front of us can kick start a rage response or simply go over our heads.

We cultivate our reasoning skills, but neglect our feeling skills.

I invite you to stop and simply feel for a short while.

Below, is a short extract.

Full length can be accessed here: https://open.substack.com/pub/ljredrew/p/it-feels-vulnerable?r=2132ao&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web×tamp=53.1&showWelcomeOnShare=false

07/08/2025

‘The function of reason is to direct the passion in a more constructive direction.’ - P. Singer & Shih Chao-Hwei ‘The Buddhist and the Ethicist’, pg. 17

*

What do you do with your reason?

Do you employ it to guide your passion?

Or do you let it dampen down your passion?

Assuming that when we become aware, we are starting from ground zero.
04/08/2025

Assuming that when we become aware, we are starting from ground zero.

This was meant to be a post but, as I let my stream of consciousness flow, I remembered that trying to squeeze myself in...
09/07/2025

This was meant to be a post but, as I let my stream of consciousness flow, I remembered that trying to squeeze myself into a short form is k!ll!ng me inside. So it turned into a Substack.

'At first, it can come with feelings of confusion, of dumbfoundedness, of disbelief.

When acceptance finally comes, we may feel untethered.

Exhausted not only from having had to hold ourselves upright for so long already, but also from the realisation that there isn’t, in fact, anything to lean against. That there isn’t a prospect where we can give ourselves permission to slump down in safety and security.

That the world – and adulting in it – isn’t what we *knew* it to be.'

https://open.substack.com/pub/ljredrew/p/untethered?r=2132ao&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

How mindful and deliberate are you when you softening your edges to fit in?
02/07/2025

How mindful and deliberate are you when you softening your edges to fit in?

Yesterday, a beautiful fellow consciousness I call a friend shared Albert Einstein's quote with me: '"There are two ways...
29/05/2025

Yesterday, a beautiful fellow consciousness I call a friend shared Albert Einstein's quote with me: '"There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle, or you can live as if everything is a miracle."

It hit home.

But I prefer the sense of continuity, of omnipresence, so I made my own rendition of it.

P.S. Did you know that breathwork can induce expanded consciousness, magic-like experiences? A bit like mind-altering substances, only it's legal and it's within us for us to access anytime we need to be reminded that magic is everywhere.

I wrote something. Something UNpopular.Gosh, did it feel freeing not to be limited by character allowances or worry abou...
29/05/2025

I wrote something. Something UNpopular.

Gosh, did it feel freeing not to be limited by character allowances or worry about perceptions!

For the curious ones with time on their hands, it can be accessed here: https://ljredrew.substack.com/p/why-those-of-us-in-the-wellbeing?r=2132ao

(Image description: Words 'Why those of us in the ‘wellbeing space’ should consider activism, too' plonked on a black background.)

Mental Health Awareness ’25 week, day two.In yesterday’s LinkedIn post (for those curious with time to spare, see here h...
13/05/2025

Mental Health Awareness ’25 week, day two.

In yesterday’s LinkedIn post (for those curious with time to spare, see here https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lina-j-a6723bb6_on-this-first-day-of-mental-health-awareness-activity-7327628409772142594-69WG?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=member_desktop_web&rcm=ACoAABiYey8BQ12YUYnGFOZRbZyyvcM7qiGr_gI ), I spoke about hyper-individualism and the potential harms to our individual and collective mental health of the balance (between individualism and being a part of) lost.

Today, I think it is important to touch on another aspect – or underlying, all-encompassing philosophy of our times (not limited to, as we shall see later) in our so-referred to Western world – that has an impact on the way we feel about ourselves (which can be a strong factor impacting our mental health) and how we treat (definition of ‘treat’ as per yesterday’s post) mental unwellness.

That aspect is ‘normality’ (this is where I recommend Gabor Mate’s book ‘The Myth of Normal’).

The very existence of a term and concept of ‘normality’ implies the existence of the ‘other-than-normality’.

But does ‘normality’ really exist?

Some examples of the previously-‘objective’ ‘disorders’:

Drapetomania – a supposed mental illness in enslaved people, causing them to flee their owners.

Dromomania – a strong desire to wander or travel.

Female hysteria.

Homose(x)uality.

Practices like lobotomy and blood-letting.

You might’ve even seen the infamous Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum ‘reasons for admission’ list that includes things like ‘imaginary female trouble’, ‘time of life’ (WTH?! lol), ‘bad company’, ‘deranged m@sturbation’, greed (they might’ve been onto something with this one), to name a few.

The examples are infinite.

*

Could it be that ‘normality’ is often defined by the dominating narrative of times and places? Sometimes out of ignorance, other times for convenience?

*
Should we not have learnt from history that there isn’t such a thing as an objective ‘normality’?

Should we not, then, considering how ‘normality’ changes over time, be a little more critical when approaching the mental health subject and, consequently, collective treatment of it in our societies?

Of course, there are observable and felt neurophysiological, psychological and emotional reasons and things for which people need support.

But how different a place would we start from – both when judging ourselves and others AND when attending to those in need – if we were a little more critical when subscribing to the myth of normal (yes, I am highly influenced by Gabor Mate’s thought)?

Just a thought.

(Image: a plate-full of radish and spring onion on rye bread sandwiches because why not.)

Today, Monday, the 12th of May, marks the beginning of the Mental Health Awareness week. To mark the occasion, I invite ...
12/05/2025

Today, Monday, the 12th of May, marks the beginning of the Mental Health Awareness week. To mark the occasion, I invite you to tune in to the free Summit that I'll be speaking at.

Usually, these summits cram as many speakers as they possibly can, with short slots and no room for any reflection - or even a breather - in between.

This one is different. The organiser of this summit knows a thing or two about deeper learning and what it takes. They selected a few speakers so that attendees can actually take time to integrate what they are learning.

It will be rich.

It will be balanced.

It will feel good. Not rushed. Not crammed. Balanced.

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I cannot speak for other speakers, but here's a glimpse into what I'll be talking about: mental health.

Mental health underlies EVERYTHING. The way we show up for our loved ones, for our colleagues and, most importantly, for ourselves. It moderates how we deal with our everyday.

Work.

School.

Business.

Home.

Community.

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Have you ever caught yourself asking a question - or a question to the effect of - ‘What is wrong with me?’

Many of us have. Many a time. We question why we feel like we do, we beat ourselves if we deem that the situation does not warrant us feeling like we do, our self-image becomes shaky…

On Saturday, the 17th of May, I’ll be speaking about redefining resilience and suggesting that maybe, just maybe, there is nothing wrong with us.

I am all the more excited for it because I’ll actually have a long enough slot not only to sow the seed of a different way of relating to our environment, but to also share practical tools, both intellectual and embodied, to help us deal with stressful stuff, from our personal microcosmos to the macrocosmos of the world happenings that we cannot help but be affected by.

If you’re free on Saturday, the 17th, the summit is free to attend.

Book here: https://www.zoethompson.uk/event-details-registration/spring-online-summit-the-virtual-summit-for-success-ambition-alignment-impact

PLEASE HELP!I know it’s Monday and everyone is readying for the kick off of the new week but if you can spare a minute o...
14/04/2025

PLEASE HELP!

I know it’s Monday and everyone is readying for the kick off of the new week but if you can spare a minute of two, it’d be of great assistance.

I have some strongly held ideas about the topic, but I need to test if they are true or whether I’m too reliant on my assumptions.

If I asked you what causes/leads to/creates/exacerbates psychological and emotional suffering (commonly referred to as ‘mental health problems’ - a term with which I’m not entirely comfortable but I’ll leave this for another day), what would you say?

(Image* description: a seagull on a patch of green grass looking down as if looking for food.)

*Image unrelated to the topic, simply for algorithm tax. I tried to find as neutral an image as possible not give away my own ideas about the topic and/or not to induce any associations so not to affect your answers.

‘Somatic awareness involves learning to both pay attention to, and live inside of, our sensations and aliveness. This me...
13/04/2025

‘Somatic awareness involves learning to both pay attention to, and live inside of, our sensations and aliveness. This means connecting to sensations like temperature, movement, and pressure, in an ongoing way. Through increased somatic awareness, sensations become sources of information. You can think of sensations as the foundational language of life. Overriding or numbing sensations, while a good survival strategy, leaves us disconnected from a key source of information and satisfaction. Feeling our organic aliveness lets us connect with ourselves; feel what we care about and long for; build empathy and connection with others; and feel what needs to be attended to, acted upon, or healed.’ - Staci K. Haines ‘The Politics of Trauma’, pg. 22-23

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