Breath is the one thing we do more than anything else, yet most of us give it almost no thought. We assume it takes care of itself. In this episode of Great Books, Great Voices, that assumption gets gently but decisively challenged. In this conversation, I sat down with Joe Simote, a functional breathing specialist whose own journey into breathwork began not with curiosity, but with pain. As a yoga teacher dealing with chronic back issues, Joe discovered that many well-intentioned movement and breathing practices were not helping him heal. They were, in some cases, making things worse. That realization sent him down a path of careful study, experimentation, and unlearning. What emerges in this dialogue is a refreshingly grounded view of breath. Joe pushes back against the modern obsession with “big breathing,” forceful inhales, and dramatic techniques. Instead, he makes a compelling case for something far more subtle and far more difficult to master: soft, quiet, nasal breathing sustained throughout the day. The kind of breathing that restores carbon dioxide tolerance, stabilizes the nervous system, and brings the body back into balance. We also explore how modern life has quietly sabotaged our respiratory health. Drawing on the work of authors like James Nestor (Breath) and Patrick McKeown (Oxygen Advantage), Joe explains how lifestyle, posture, stress, and even cultural ideas about fitness have physically and chemically altered how we breathe. The result is a population that is over-breathing, under-recovering, and often disconnected from its own internal signals. At its core, this conversation is about stability in an overstimulated world. Joe introduces his Elite Breathing framework not as a quick fix, but as a skill, one built through consistency, awareness, and patience. If you have ever felt ungrounded, anxious, fatigued, or simply curious about how something so simple could be so powerful, this interview offers a calm, clarifying place to begin. Here at Great Books, Great Minds, we create intimate circles, high-energy literary salons, and author conversations that spark connection and ignite transformative dialogue. Our movement now includes 10,367 followers and 4,447 subscribers across all 50 states and 94 countries who remain thirsty for the power of a great book. There are no Substack paywalls here. Everything remains open because the heart of this work is community, conversation, and shared discovery. If these gatherings, essays, and exchanges enrich your life, I invite you to join us as a free subscriber or as a paid supporter. Paid support helps me offer small writer fees to contributing voices like Marc Friedman whose work deepens the conversations we hold. Your presence matters. Your support keeps this space alive. And your generosity, even a bit of coffeehouse love for a dirty chai, helps us continue exploring together, page by page. Diamond-Michael Scott Independent Journalist and Global Book Ambassador Great Books, Great Minds This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit greatbooksgreatminds.substack.com/subscribe
