1349. Why Breathwork Feels Like a Euphoric Drug

Breathwork is one of the most powerful tools in biohacking, yet most people only experience the surface level techniques. When you use it the right way, breathwork can upgrade your brain, strengthen your nervous system, improve sleep, and open awareness states that amplify longevity and human performance.  

This episode features Ishan Shivanand, a globally celebrated yogic scholar, mental health researcher, and bestselling author who was raised in the monasteries of India under Mahasiddha Avdhoot Shivanand. He carries one of the world’s oldest Shiv Yogi lineages and created the clinically validated Yoga of Immortals method, which has helped millions reverse anxiety, depression, insomnia, burnout, and trauma. Together, Host Dave Asprey and Ishan reveal how lineage level breath practices shape consciousness, neuroplasticity, and emotional resilience. 

Host Dave Asprey and Ishan explore the full arc of ancient yogic training, from how breathwork directs prana through the body to how chanting alters brain states, emotional regulation, and nervous system function. They break down the role of visualization in building neuroplasticity, the symbolism and physics of sacred sound, and the science of moving awareness through the spine. The conversation moves into rarely discussed topics including the yogic art of choosing one’s death, how advanced practitioners leave the body, the meaning of immortality in spiritual traditions, and how dharma shapes whether long life becomes a blessing or a burden. You will hear how ancient monks trained through martial arts, mantra repetition, sacred geometry, gold symbolism, alchemy, and the cultivation of higher states of consciousness, and how these practices compare to modern biohacking tools like fasting, ketosis, nootropics, supplements, sleep optimization, functional medicine, and mitochondrial support. This episode shows you how Eastern mystical training and Western performance science intersect and how these teachings fit naturally within the Smarter Not Harder framework. 

This conversation also covers plant medicine, psychedelics, and the difference between ancient ceremonial use and modern recreational misuse.  You will hear how lineage based training uses breath, awareness, and mantra to alter redox balance, regulate the autonomic nervous system, strengthen energy production, and shape brain optimization at the deepest levels. 

You’ll Learn: 

• Why breathwork changes brain states faster than basic meditation and how it drives neuroplasticity
• How chanting affects the vagus nerve, emotional regulation, and nervous system balance
• How visualization strengthens nerve pathways, trauma resolution, and sleep optimization
• The meaning behind sacred sound, vibration, and the origins of consciousness in ancient lineage training
• Why monks train with martial arts, mantra repetition, and sacred geometry to enhance awareness
• How yogic philosophy approaches immortality, choosing one’s death, and leaving the body consciously
• Why dharma shapes whether long life becomes a blessing or a curse
• How plant medicine differs when used ceremonially versus recreationally
• How to integrate these teachings into your own longevity, performance, and human potential strategy

 Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade brings you the knowledge to take control of your biology, extend your longevity, and optimize every system in your body and mind. Each episode delivers cutting-edge insights in health, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, biohacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living. 

New episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (BONUS). Dave asks the questions no one else will and gives you real tools to become stronger, smarter, and more resilient. 

Keywords: advanced breathwork techniques, prana movement training, mantra induced trance states, sacred sound vibration science, visualization neuroplasticity practice, yogic spinal awareness training, autonomic nervous system regulation, ancient Himalayan lineage meditation, art of conscious death practice, yogic immortality teachings, dharma based longevity strategy, astral body leaving techniques, yogic alchemy and transformation, sacred geometry meditation, pranic channel activation, ceremonial plant medicine use, trauma release breathwork, nervous system coherence chanting, biohacking consciousness optimization, mitochondrial and prana synergy 

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