Use your Breath to Guide you on a Journey of Self Exploration & Discovery.

Say the word "breathwork" to people, and you could be referring to a number of different things. Yogi's will share their experiences with different pranayama techniques and meditations. Therapists will talk about breathing techniques to activate the vagus nerve to combat stress and anxiety. Athletes will demonstrate the new technique they are using to increase lung capacity and performance. Holotropic is a term that not everyone is familiar with, yet it is a powerful form of somatic healing therapy. It is historically rooted in clinical psychology, as a means for doctors and highly trained therapists to help patients process through trauma and PTSD. It was also closely studied for its ability to lead people into a state of altered consciousness, similar to LSD and plant psychedelics.  So how did this unique, hallucinagenic style of breathing find its way into the mainstream of health and wellness?

What is Holotropic Breathing?

The word “HOLOTROPIC” comes from the Greek words, “holos”, or ‘whole’, and “trepein”, which means to move in the direction of something. Therefore, holotropic breathing is the practice of using our breath to move towards wholeness. Similar to how our pranayama practice connects our breath or our life force energy, with our body, mind, and soul, holotropic breathwork seeks to merge our conscious and subconscious minds, leading us to a more present state of being.  

Simply stated, holotropic breathing is a controlled breathing technique that facilitates inner healing, including emotional wellbeing and personal growth. In a session, participants breathe in a rapid, controlled breathing pattern that promotes a dream-like experience, or some might describe, an “altered state of consciousness”. When we arrive in this space, we are able to access parts of your consciousness that have been buried deep in your subconscious mind and are difficult to reach and process. 

Some mental and physical conditions & symptoms that holotropic can help to relieve include:

• Depression
• Substance abuse/addiction
• PTSD
• Anxiety
• Negative thinking
• Chronic Stress
• Tension
• Avoidance behaviors

In addition increasing your emotional wellbeing, there are numerous other health benefits to this technique:

• Promote the release of toxins from your bloodstream and tissue
• Lower blood pressure by increasing circulation
• Boost the immune system
• Improve digestion by reducing stress on your liver and kidneys.
• Increase mental clarity and creativity

Breathing is good for the brain.

Scientists and researchers have also shown that holotropic breathing can actually help create new neural pathways in the brain. Rhythmic breathing creates electrical activity in the human brain which enhances emotional judgment and memory recall. It has also been reported that controlled breathing, when used to facilitate meditation, can cause a slight increase in brain size. The brain can also experience growth in areas that deal with attention and the processing of sensory input. 

Is holotropic breathing right for you?

Consider trying this technique if you are currently on a path of self-healing, or if you are ready to begin the healing process. In my opinion, the secret sauce of this technique is the absence of needing to talk through your problems. While talk therapy is time tested and absolutely essential to raising self-awareness and understanding the experiences and relationships we have had, sometimes talking just isn't enough. There needs to be active movement in the physical body to help release haunting memories and negative experiences from being stored in our muscle tissue and fascia. Moving the diaphragm, our primary respiratory muscle, during deep breathing initiates the release of trauma at a cellular level, without having to remember and retell the exact events.

Anyone can participate in holotropic breathing because you control how deep you want to go. Even in a group setting, breathwork is an intimate experience of self-exploration. You decide whether you are looking to just reduce anxiety, or release a deeply rooted fear by managing your rate and depth of breathing. 

What to expect in a guided holotropic style breathing session.

When you attend a breathwork journey, expect to begin with some light movement to awaken the body and establish connection with your breath. The journey itself will last fron 30-45 minutes, includes a guided meditation, breath encouragement and a playlist of motivational, healing music. The journey ends with a savasana style meditation. The last piece of class is an optional creative moment to help you integrate your experience with the present moment.  During the practice you may just experience a blissful meditative state. Some participants may experience deep emotional release, which can feel like waves of sadness, bursts of anger, shaking or trembling from fear, and either slow tears or full sobbing.  My priority is to hold a safe space for you to feel all the emotions that arise, release what needs to be let go, and regain balance in the present moment.  In every class there are highly trained energy healers with experience in helping people release trauma and clear blocks to their chakra system. These healers act as "sitters", and are prepared to help breathers that experience deep emotional release and need support and grounding during the breathwork session.

This transformative, meditative, healing breathwork is becoming more popular as people begin to recognize the potential for helping themselves heal emotionally and physically. Yet, even more important, is the opportunity it provides to release our past so we can start to live fully in the present moment.

Ready to take the plunge and dive deep into your subconscious?  We offer guided transformative breathwork journeys both live and virtually.  Live events are held every 4th Saturday of the month at the Blue Lotus Yoga Studio in Kailua at 4:00pm. Events fill up quickly as space is limited, so reserve your spots early!  Can't make it live? Check out our New Moon Intentions Virtual Breathwork Sessions.  

Any questions or concerns? Feel free to email me directly at [email protected] I would love to discuss the benefits of holotropic breathwork further with you!