By Rebecca Drew
THIS WOMAN rarely has an appetite for SOLID FOOD after discovering the pranic lifestyle and now gets her energy from BREATHING and fasts for up to NINETY-SEVEN DAYS at a time â saying that food âGETS IN THE WAYâ of her âENJOYMENT OF LIFEâ.
Audra Bear (25) from Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, has had a lifelong interest in health and healing and has tried various diets over the years in an attempt to achieve optimum health and was vegan and raw vegan for four years before she discovered pranic living and breatharianism eight months ago.
Having read stories about people following a pranic and breatharian lifestyle, Audra was intrigued but never thought she would be able to do it herself as she used to love eating food. But eight months ago, things started to change for her when she discovered the power of fasting and breathing to receive energy and nourishment as part of a pranic lifestyle.
Audra started by practicing breathwork for 40 minutes a day and after five days she no longer had a hunger for dense foods and her first fast lasted 97 days where she consumed only teas, juices and smoothies.
Now Audra practices breathwork anywhere between one and three hours a day and she has realised that she no longer needs food to survive despite initially never intending to give it up.
She now only usually eats solid foods on occasion, usually when she is with her family and friends. Since adopting the pranic lifestyle, Audra has lost 1st 1lb and says she has more energy than ever before and she feels more relaxed about life.
âPrana is another word for energy, also known as Qi or Chi. It is a life-giving force that flows in, through and around all things, itâs in the air we breathe, the sunshine, nature, connections with people and all living things. It is a powerful energy that actually has the ability to fuel and sustain us as humans,â said Audra.
âLiving a pranic lifestyle is about shifting your focus from nourishing your body with denser sources (food) to less denser sources (energy), all the while keeping in mind that food is not bad, you can enjoy food if you want to but the abundance comes in knowing that you donât need it to survive.
âI had heard about people living this way but I never thought that would be me! I used to love eating. It wasnât until I started practicing the breathing exercises that I realised I had no appetite for solid or dense foods.
âIt started by practicing breathwork. There is something magical about conscious, controlled breathing that brings you with a face to face meeting with yourself, it brings you back to the core of your being.
âBreathwork helps you to realise who you are and what you need or donât need. I never intended to âquit foodâ I just started practicing for 40 minutes a day and after about five days I no longer had a hunger for dense foods. My first fast lasted 97 days.
âMy favourite way of receiving pranic energy is through conscious breathing. Breathwork is the base of healing and detoxification for the physical and emotional body, 70 per cent of toxins in the body are released through respiration.
âIt gently guides your body into para sympathetic nervous system which relieves stress, aids digestion, stops cravings, increases mentally clarity and happiness. I wouldnât recommend anyone to fast, cleanse or restrict without first learning about the breath. You can also experience prana through time in nature, sunbathing, earthing, creating and playing.
âYou can eat if you choose to, for entertainment or social settings, know your energy is sourced from the life-force all around you. Most days I just drink teas, fruit juices, green juices and fresh coconut waters. I do eat occasionally now, but more for celebratory reasons.
âMy energy is heightened, my senses are stronger, and Iâm feeling the healthiest Iâve ever been. I feel relaxed about life and a deeper connection to myself.â
Prana means energy and when breathing in, people inhale both air and prana which is found in all air and space.
Those who follow a pranic lifestyle are nourished from prana and are no longer dependent on other sources of nourishment but usually still consume water and juices. A breatharian is nourished by the air only and sees no need for water or juices.
Misconceptions surrounding this way of life are that itâs about restricting, something that Audra firmly disagrees with and says she feels freer than ever before thanks to her lifestyle without having to worry about food getting in the way.
Audra believes that everybody has the ability to live a pranic lifestyle as they already are to a certain extent through breathing to stay alive, she shares her pranic lifestyle on Instagram.
âI always do a breathwork session first thing in the morning. I do about 45 minutes of conscious controlled slow diaphragmatic breathing. Then Iâll practice yoga, sunbathe, more breathwork, spend time in nature, walks and hikes,â she said.
âI travel a lot so itâs always different things in different places. This lifestyle is about playing and having fun, doing the things that you truly enjoy doing. I enjoy making my own juices, so fruit and veg shopping is always fun to me too.
âI believe everybody already is [living like this] in some way, we all breathe every day, itâs what keeps us alive. I feel so much abundance living this way because it is about enjoying the things you love in life. Traveling, creating, dancing and playing.
âItâs like the feeling you have when you are a kid and youâre playing outside with your friends and your mum calls you in for dinner, you donât want to stop what you are doing and you realise you are having so much fun you donât even want to eat. Thatâs how life feels for me, like food gets in the way of my enjoyment of life.
âI feel like a lot of people eat of out habit not necessarily because they feel like they need it. Thatâs how this lifestyle can free up so much time, money and energy for you to love, express, create and play.
âThis is not about restriction or living in lack. Living in this way is very big step away from a traditional life but the lifestyle also brings about so much abundance, health and happiness. That is where my focus will always be.â
For more information see www.instagram.com/audrabear
