Inner Space: Breathwork with Breath of One
2 breathwork sessions for grounding + uplifting
After the success of June’s guided meditation with Kelsey Hayden, I’m so excited to introduce you guys to my next guests, Andrea Ochoa Avanzini and her husband, Gregorio Avanzini. Andrea and I connected last year through a mutual friend, and instantly we both found a kindred spirit within the other. Maybe because we’re both Geminis, manifesting generators and live for a good mood board.
Andrea is an artist, designer, branding master, meditation teacher and life coach. After graduating from Parsons School of Design, she worked for nearly 10 years with brands such as L’Oreal, Calvin Klein, and Victoria’s Secret, until she followed the call to create a new, unconventional life. In her work today, she integrates her creativity, corporate knowledge and spiritual perspective, to awaken and connect people and brands to the core of what they’re passionate about.
Gregorio is a Fulbright Scholar, architect, transformational coach, meditation facilitator and entrepreneur. As a great life experimenter, he gleans knowledge from firsthand, sometimes extreme, experiences like 45-day fasting and 11-days alone in a darkroom. He also learns from top mentors, engaging in 1-on-1 conversations with powerful leaders like Richard Branson and Don Miguel Ruiz. Through his work, Gregorio loves to support people in reminding themselves how to follow their hearts, embody their highest potential and live life to the fullest.
Together, Andrea and Gregorio are Breath of One. Through in-person immersive experiences and their online program, Breathe Your Freedom, Andrea and Gregorio facilitate breathwork as a powerful and highly effective form of daily meditation practice.
Today Andrea and Gregorio are sharing 2 breathwork sessions with you to give you a taste of what they’re all about. A longer, 15-minute one for grounding and calming, and a shorter 4-minute one for energizing and uplifting. I also sat down with the couple to chat with them about breathwork, why they love it and have built a life around it, the exciting immersive retreat they are hosting this September and more!
For a longer, grounding practice:
For a quick, energizing boost:
Alison: What lead you to breathwork and what made you want to share it with others?
Andrea: Nearly 5 years ago, my husband Gregorio introduced me to breathwork, and it literally changed my life. I was at a turning point, wanting to leave my corporate job of 10 years but held back by the fear of the unknown. I had been doing a lot of self-growth yet traditional meditation didn't quite work. Breathwork was the only meditation that actually worked.
During my first session, I had a profound experience, I released emotional baggage and blockages of limiting beliefs, which created space for a new me. After that session with a new-found sense of confidence and trust, I made the leap to change my life. Soon after, we had an incredible opportunity to bring a private breathwork session to the co-founder of Instagram and his friends at the same time my big project at work was ending, and my next step was crystal clear.
This was the start of our journey to bring the Breath of One to the world together. Breathwork is such an empowering tool that is effective, which is why I'm passionate to show others what's possible through this practice.
Gregorio: After an intense five-year journey, studying about 16 hours daily, I finally completed my Master's in Architecture. Three weeks after, I experienced one of the most transformative moments of my life. After that, I stumbled across Merkabah meditation, and although I had experienced meditation, this was different, because it was breathwork. I gave it my all, and it ignited an energy that pulsated through me, something I had never felt before—a profound connection to my soul and spirit. I did another session a few weeks later where I literally transcended into oneness. It was a revelation, and it was clear, my mission became sharing this with the world despite my passion for architecture.
I then took a leap of faith and went from event to event, sharing this powerful method. As I practiced and learned new techniques, it grew into something unique and powerful, which I eventually named the Breath of One. Word of mouth led to nearly 8,000 people worldwide experiencing it. Some of these people are: Don Jose Ruiz (co-author of ‘The Fifth Agreement’), Mike Krieger (co-founder of Instagram), Naval Ravikant (VC and founder of AngelList), Vishen Lakhiani (founder of Mindvalley, best-selling author), and many more.
I'm deeply grateful for this journey that led me to share this life-changing practice with my wife Andrea. We are devoted to expanding its transformative power with the world.
Alison: How has breathwork helped you personally?
Andrea: Breathwork is my ultimate tool, always there whenever I feel stressed, off-center, or overwhelmed by intense emotions. It's my lifeline—accessible anytime, anywhere, especially for a busy mind like mine. With each breath, I find grounding, clarity, and the confidence to make decisions rooted in certainty, without self-doubt.
Gregorio: I tried so many different practices and breathwork is the first that gave me tangible results. Everything in my life became better. In my experience, no other meditation practice compares. Even my 10-day silent Vipassana, meditating 11 hours a day, didn’t match what breathwork did for me in just 20 minutes. It's my go-to practice, offering a superpower that recharges me and helps me to release pain, to process emotions and find peace. Whether I'm seated with closed eyes in a long session, or simply taking as little as one breath on the go, breathwork is always there. It's one of the most powerful tools I use to tap into whatever I want, whenever I like.
Alison: How does Breathe of One aim to make breathwork more accessible?
Andrea + Gregorio: Our mission is simple: we want to share the life-changing benefits of breathwork with as many people as possible by making it fun and easy. We made Breath of One accessible by creating an online program called Breathe Your Freedom where we use our unique method, which we call ‘The fun meditation approach’. Here, music, joy, and freedom are at its core.
We teach a range of techniques, each designed for different benefits such as energy, stress relief, sleep, inner peace and much more. Our practice allows you to find joy in meditation with a highly curated and diverse genre of music ranging from techno to classical, and EDM to downtempo. Through fun and meditation, we help people master happiness, find extreme joy and experience bliss with ease.
Experience a taste of it’s magic here.
Alison: What are you most excited about thats coming in the next 6 months or year?
A + G: We are most excited about Remember Gathering, our next live 5-day immersion in the Italian countryside. It’s a blend of everything we love the most: fun, growth, exploration, connection, breathwork, movement, art, music, great food, and so much more… all gamified.
Imagine an epic adventure, that is a blend of a summer camp for adults, meets a self-development retreat, meets Burning Man. At Remember Gathering, we lose track of time, we laugh until our stomachs hurt, and we step into a world where anything is possible.
Our recipe is based on remembering how to use the energy of our inner child to play our way to even more joy. A deep sense of belonging that brings serenity and happiness. A feeling that makes you high on life without drugs or alcohol. This is the secret sauce you will take home with you to create a life where you can have everything you desire.
The next Remember Gathering is happening at the end of September! There are still a few spots left, so if you are inspired to join us, we welcome you!
Alison: What inspired you to create Remember Gathering and what made you want to share it with others?
The concept was birthed from our purpose, our wedding and the essence of who we are. We are here to spread joy and help people live better lives, and this was the intention for our guests on our wedding day. We wanted to invite them into our world and provide a space for transformation. We curated a conscious wedding and substituted alcohol with a full day of games.
The feedback was so positive, that we just knew the next step was creating an immersive experience out of this idea to keep expanding the work that we do. Our first edition last year was a massive success and we are thrilled to do the next one this September.
Alison: How can people find you and your work?
A+G: We are currently nomadic, expanding what we do live around the world. You can also work with us remotely in many different ways. Please say hi through our various channels, reach out with any questions on your breathwork journeys and stay connected with us!
What a treat to start my day with this today. Thank you for sharing <3