Breathwork For Boundaries: The Rose & The Breath

Three-Part Breathwork for Heart-Centered Awareness

Begin by settling into a comfortable position and grounding into your body before moving into a three-part breath. Breathing in through the mouth, you’ll first draw the breath into the belly, then continue the inhale into the chest before releasing the full breath out. As you find your rhythm and cadence, bring your awareness toward the heart space and allow each breath to create more room for sensation, emotion, and inner awareness. This active breathwork practice encourages you to stay connected to the body while exploring what your heart may be experiencing in the present moment.

The Rose as a Symbol of Boundaries

Throughout the practice, Dr. Sarah invites you to visualize a beautiful red rose blossoming within your heart, with soft scarlet petals opening and unfurling with each breath. The rose becomes a powerful symbol for exploring boundaries because she holds both softness and thorns: she can represent an open, compassionate heart while also offering protection. You’ll be invited to reflect on whether you have too many walls around your heart or whether you could benefit from creating stronger boundaries and more protection in your life. Through this visualization, the rose offers a way to explore boundaries not as barriers, but as loving forms of protection and self-care.

Rose Visualization for Grounding & Self-Connection

As the active breath softens into a natural resting breath, you’ll return to the image of the rose and visualize it transforming into a soft pink light within your heart. With each inhale, the light becomes brighter, and with each exhale, it expands throughout the body and beyond, before gradually returning to your heart space. This closing visualization invites you to gather your energy back into yourself and reconnect with the heart at the center of your practice. Finish with a few grounding breaths and carry the rose as a reminder that you can cultivate boundaries that offer protection while still allowing space for softness, love, curiosity, and connection.

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About Dr. Sarah Rothman

Dr. Sarah Rothman is a Naturopathic Doctor, Acupuncturist, Breathwork Facilitator, Retreat Leader, and mother of two. She leads global wellness talks, breathwork events, retreats, and teacher trainings rooted in functional medicine, mindfulness, and magic. Inspired by nature, plant medicine, laughter, and connection, she sees healing as sacred alchemy and is devoted to holding space for transformation in all its forms.

For more information on Dr. Sarah Rothman checkout her website and Instagram- @drsarahannerothman.