Breathe to Heal Our World

Join us for a mindful breathing event to foster inner and outer peace on the International Day of Peace, September 21, 2025, at Noon. In a world often filled with stress and turmoil, finding moments of calm and connection is more vital than ever. This year, on the United Nations International Day of Peace, we invite you to participate in a special breathing event, led by Dr. Richard P. Brown, designed to cultivate peace within ourselves and extend it to the world around us. Let's come together to breathe in peace and breathe out connection, sowing the seeds of a more peaceful world. We look forward to sharing this experience with you. The event will be translated into multiple languages by BBM teachers worldwide.

BBM Level 3 instructor Nicolás Dumit Estévez Raful has been invited to teach as a SPCUNY Scholar-in-Residence for the 2025-26 year. Nicolás’s work blends performance, pedagogy, and ritual, focusing on presence, care, and radical belonging to inspire social change. He will lead the Spring 2026 Seminar, mentor Fellows across disciplines, and develop programs connecting classrooms with broader cultural communities, embodying SPCUNY’s commitment to justice-centered arts education.

Dr. Richard Brown, cofounder of Breath-Body-Mind, recently appeared on Dirk Winter’s Developing Meaning podcast to share insights on the transformative power of ancient breathing techniques. He discusses how BBM practices effectively heal trauma, boost physical wellbeing, and foster joy. Dr. Brown also reflects on his personal journey: how childhood bullying sparked his interest in martial arts and led him to a deep understanding of traditional methods for promoting both physical and mental health. Listen to the episode below:

Dr. Patricia Gerbarg's discusses how breathing can help with stress, emotions, and overall health, using research to connect breathing with better mental health and trauma recovery. Next, she teaches a method called Coherent Breathing, where participants learn to breathe in and out for equal counts, usually aiming for five breaths per minute. This practice helps create calmness, builds emotional strength, and enhances self-connection.

WFMH is sponsoring World Mental Health Day on October 10, and they invited Dr. Richard Brown, Dr. Patricia Gerbarg and Jyoti Manuel to do webinars as part of mental health awareness.

The BBMF logo has been chosen as an Honorable Mention in Graphis’ international Design 2023 competition by a jury of award-winning industry professionals. It was designed by Yael Dresdner, a Level II BBM teacher.

Breath-Body-Mind Foundation is partnering with Partners in Dementia, a UK not-for-profit organization supporting individuals affected by dementia and unpaid caregivers in the York area. Funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, this three-year project (2025–2028) focuses on helping people with dementia maintain their highest possible functioning through Cognitive Rehabilitation. Concurrently, unpaid caregivers will participate in Breath-Body-Mind courses designed to reduce stress and anxiety, thereby supporting them in their caregiving roles. These six-week courses teach simple breath-centered and movement exercises aimed at building resilience and promoting ongoing practice beyond the course duration.

Jyoti Jo Manuel is the founder of Special Yoga, a global training organization that was founded in 2003. The organization was established to provide and develop sustainable and accessible yoga-based programs for children with special and additional needs within education, therapeutic settings and within the family.