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Eleanor Curtis

Eleanor Curtis is the founder of The Breathing Practice. Eleanor brings a unique blend of techniques to her teachings stemming from her vast experience in the water as a certified freediver, open water swimmer and competitive triathlete. She has established and teaches the Curtis Method of breathing – an amalgamation of breathing practices that bring calm to both body and mind.

Eleanor was inspired to share the goodness and benefits of breathing practice during her intensive study of breathwork while training as a freediver over the last 10 years. Her early experience and learnings of pranayama breathing techniques in her mid 20s and her teachings as a diving instructor around the same time has harnessed her own practice over many many years, and has resulted in a deep understanding of breathing and breathwork generally.

Eleanor is based in London. She worked internationally in the Middle East and Africa as a journalist and photographer for many years. Later in her career, she qualified as an English lawyer and set up her own legal consultancy specialising in family law in 2014. As a comment on her legal work, she says “I have seen it all” witnessing first hand the dramatic and sometimes negative impact family change can have on individuals, but at the same time observing how breathwork can empower and boost emotional resilience in such difficult circumstances. Eleanor is slowly putting her law books away and is currently focusing her time on developing and teaching the Curtis Method of breathing. She is also writing about breathwork.

Eleanor is passionate about ocean conservation and was recently appointed to the Board of Trustees to the Manta Trust, a UK based charity.

Eleanor’s photography can be viewed here.

If you’d like to get in touch with Eleanor please email her at eleanor@thebreathingpractice.co.uk

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Sophia Razvi

Sophia is a story-teller. She combines her background in communication, social media management, editorial and copywriting, and professional actor training to bring positivity, creativity and a wonderful visual drive to the Breathing Practice’s marketing.

Sophia says: “As a RADA-trained actor, I know how hard it is to make your voice heard in a sea of noise. I also know the profound power of a clear message, and how this message can move its listener to action when told with authenticity, clarity and conviction. My passion is helping independent businesses grow, and I use my skills in storytelling plus a deep understanding of messaging to ensure that your brand’s true authentic voice is heard — and heard by the right people.”

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Martine Rutten

Hiking Guide

Martine Rutten is our hiking guide in Bad Gastein. She fell in love with hiking in the mountains at the top of Monte d’Oro in Corsica in her early twenties and decided to become a hiking guide while hiking in Patagonia in 2023. She has worked almost 20 years in science and education in the fields of water resources management, climate adaptation and sustainability in Europe, Asia and Africa. Martine enjoys practicing yoga, Pilates and dance and is interested in healthy living styles.

Her guided hikes into the Hohe Tauren National Park are an excellent opportunity to comfortably explore and enjoy the power of nature in combination with physical exercise. Martine says:

“The changing scenery and company inspire good conversation and valuable moments of silence.”

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Ernst Schlögelhofer

Hiking Guide

My name is Ernst Schlögelhofer, I have been coming to the Gastein valley since my early childhood. Before I met Eleanor, I thought in the summer that Gastein is more beautiful in winter and in winter I said to my self: “Well Gastein is much nicer in the summer.” Eleanor’s breathing classes, right here at the edge of the largest national park of central Europe, changed my questionable mindset. Through her guided breathing exercises, I soft landed right here in the present. I can tell you, that now, Bad Gastein is beautiful in winter, in summer as well as spring and autumn, and at its most beautiful right now in the present.

The Gastein valley’s orientation points towards the south, but its main river, the “Ache” runs north on its way to meet the “Salzach”. Gastein is a place with many contradictions. The Romans came across it on their way north, then there was gold and silver mining, and it was noticed that the miners, despite their hard work appeared exceedingly healthy. It turned out that it was the thermal waters and their components, that had this positive affect. Later, In the 19th century, and in the wake of a newly built train station, Bad Gastein became a fashionable resort to escape the summer heat and to take the waters, very much like Bath in England or Baden Baden in Germany. Grand hotels were precariously squeezed on both sides of the roaring waterfall that was and still is Bad Gastein’s unforgettable feature.

Today, Bad Gastein has the aura of a Wes Anderson film set, while right behind the edge of the town 3000 meter height mountains with glaciers and clear mountain streams remind us that this is not a film set, but alpine nature at its purest.

In the heart of the national park nature is left to be itself – wild and free. When a tree falls it remains where it fell. Entering this world of prestige untamed wilderness simply takes our breath away. Which nicely brings us back to Eleanor’s breathing classes. Between the morning and evening breathing exercises, I invite you to join me. As Lord Byron said: “There is pleasure in the pathless woods …”. In this spirit, I will take you on my most favourite hikes. We will huff and puff uphill, rest on the fallen tree mentioned above, wade barefoot through high alpine moorlands, swim in lakes at altitudes of 2000 meters, walk along remote mountain sides used by hunters and mushroom gatherers, while faithfully applying the breathing techniques that Eleanor introduced us to, this morning.

I look forward to see you in Bad Gastein, in winter, in summer and in-between.

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