Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amit Anand. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Amit thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.

The day COVID 19 arrived in the US and Boston shut down! I am an ICU physician and was watching the spectacle that played out in the nursing home in Seattle with my colleagues. As a provider, we knew we would be at the frontline of this pandemic when it arrived in Massachusetts There was a tangible sense of dread, not knowing what we were dealing with and given the rage with which it spread across the country, There was also a palpable fear in knowing we were putting our families at risk with our work as caregivers in the ICU, taking care of patients with high exposure to the virus. It was the first time in my life, that I began to question my mortality and the future I wanted to create, should we get to the other side of the dark tunnel that lay ahead of us. Thankfully, we did and I was quiet certain of the choices I needed to make to live a fuller and more meaningful life going forward. I became a breathwork practitioner and subsequently, an instructor with the singular mission of teaching my patients, friends and family ‘HOW’ to breathe. I embraced the wisdom teachings of Pranayama and remain a dedicated student to this day.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Physician. All of my sub specialty training is glued together by breath. Despite having studied at some of the most well recognized medical centers in the world, I knew That my training was incomplete. I never learnt and therefore could never teach my patients how to breathe. This, despite my proficiency in working through their symptoms and helping them recover from respiratory setbacks. I turned my attention to the wisdom tradition of ‘Pranayama’ to help familiarize myself with the basic tenets of breath extension and control. It has now become a part of my daily practice and it is my endeavor to impart some of these teachings to my patients, family and friends for the promotion of human health and happiness. I have created a platform, www.breathonance.com, to provide these lesson plans for the naive breather to incorporate into their lives.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

Physicians are excellent at data gathering and accumulation of knowledge. They are , in general, not taught to ‘listen’. I believe this is an invaluable skillset for a doctor in training as well as one in clinical practice. The more refined the ability to listen to a patient, the more likely that they will be a partner in their patient’s health. I have observed that my listening skills are best after I have settled the turbulence in my mind. Good sleep, adequate exercise and a daily dose of mindfulness goes a long way in fostering these traits.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

Serendipity! I have been teaching Breath-work for a few years. One of my students, a musician, began to experiment with these techniques, setting them to musical melodies. Breath and music are inherently rhythmic in nature. One takes you into yourself, the other out of yourself. We began harmonizing breathing practices with musical melodies and www.breathonance.com was born. The marriage of pranayama breath training with music to maximize their power and healing potential for the promotion of human health and happiness.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.breathonance.com
• Instagram: breathonance.com
• Youtube: breathonance.com