A Week of Holotrophic Breathwork
24 Nov 2023A First Experience
A week ago today - last Friday night - I was in Wellington and staying overnight in a hotel. I had been exploring new tools and techniques for my therapy practice and I had started reading about holotrophic breathwork. It was claimed that holotropic breathwork was like the expansion of mind that comes by taking mind-altering substances like Psilocybin (magic mushrooms).
Searching for Help for Depression
I have always loved normal mushrooms and I have been interested in growing some for use in our dinners and weekend breakfasts. I came across the Netflix series “Fabulous Fungi” and learned a bit about how fungi are valuable not only as food, but also in supporting good mental health. I won’t cover the entire documentary here, but suffice it to say that Psilocybin is being researched at various institutions - including Johns Hopkins University - as an aid for depression. Some participants seem to be “cured” entirely of depression with just a single use of Psilocybin. Now, to note here, I am NOT advocating that you use these - they are currently illegal in Aotearoa New Zealand - I am just discussing how I began to consider what other options might be available, rather than our talking cure and standard pharmacological solutions.
Holotropic Breathwork Benefits
Anyway, I was reading about the many uses of mushrooms and I was researching breathwork and I came across Holotrophic Breathwork. This technique was developed by a famous researcher into psychedelics, once these drugs became illegal. By practicing specific breathing techniques that are coupled with complementary music and movements, Stan Grof claims that you can expand your mind in a similar fashion to what occurs when using substances like magic mushrooms. All of the benefits, with none of the risks - why won’t I try it (especially if I could further help clients)???
Trying Holotropic Breathwork
I have a background in meditation (20 years) and wondered how this could be different, but tried to keep an open mind. At worst, nothing would happen. At best, I would be able to expand my own consciousness and help my clients.
My First Attempt
So, last Friday night, I settled into bed in my hotel room and began working through my first experience in Holotrophic Breathwork. How did it go? I ended up very relaxed, but felt nothing more. I figured this was a once-off experience and drifted off to sleep. When I told my wife about it, I wasn’t terribly excited, but something told me to try it again.
Continuing Holotropic Breathwork
So, through this week since I returned home, I have been practicing this breathwork. I have found a place to put a pallet on the floor, have put a bluetooth speaker at my head, have found relevant audio files (including music) and today was my sixth attempt at the practice.
Holotropic Breathwork Music Track
This was my first complementary music track (which I began listening to on my fifth session):
Initial Reflections on Holotropic Breathwork
What has happened? As I have continued my breathwork, I have remembered things from my childhood that I had thought forgotten. I have had moments of clarity about things I have been considering. I have contemplated aspects of existence which have been part of my Buddhist readings during twenty years of meditative practice. I have found myself even more centred than usual. There have been moments during my breathwork practice when my mind reached a calmness which is hard to describe. I can reach this state in meditation, but it takes much longer in the practice.
Holotropic Breathwork Playlist
There are only a few tracks on this Holotrophic Breathwork list so far, but I hope to add more as my practice continues:
Further Exploration
What is next? More practice, including adding physical movements to the practice.