What is Holotropic Breathwork?

Written by Jeffrey Charles Warren, Certified Holotropic Breathwork Facilitator

Holotropic Breathwork is a revolutionary practice of radical self-empowerment based on world tradition wisdom and consciousness research.

Holotropic Breathwork® was developed by Stanislav Grof, M.D. and his late wife Christina as an experiential method for accessing non-ordinary states of consciousness for personal discovery, healing and transformation. Laying comfortably on a mat each participant uses the power of their own breathe along with the loud evocative music to enter a non-ordinary state of consciousness. Participants are encouraged to work with whatever material or experience is authentically emerging from within as well as to express anything that arises to its fullest extent.

Participants commonly report re-experiencing situations from their own life and personal biography, their pre-natal life as well as past lives and events within the collective consciousness. Expressive emotional and energetic releases are common as well as incredibly cathartic experiences. Participants engage with their own inner healing wisdom and consciousness, diving deeply into their psyche and the cosmos at large.

Participants work in pairs, taking turns as breather and sitter. Each participant will breathe for one session and sit for one session. Each session lasts approximately 2.5 to 3 hours. Once the session comes to a close the breather is invited into the mandala space where they are able to draw, paint or express themselves non-verbal way on paper. This serves as the first step towards integration and also as a reminder of the session. Participants are encouraged to keep their mandalas visible in their lives over the following weeks, as they can continue to gain insight and awareness around them as time goes on.

Once both partners have gone through this process the workshop is closed with group sharing and processing along with an intimate chat about integrating the experience as we step forward into our ordinary / daily lives.

These workshops are one day workshops, weekend workshops and even weeklong retreats. Participants often report powerful, deeply transformative, expansive and mystical experiences.

Private 1:1 sessions are also available with some certified facilitators as well. This is a good option for those who are not ready to join a group for such deep work.

Grof Transpersonal Training (G.T.T.) is the certifying organization of Holotropic Breathwork® facilitators. Only those who have successfully completed the intensive 2-year minimum program and additional requirements are permitted to use the Holotropic Breathwork® trademark.

This is not a buzzword. Being certified and maintaining certification is a signifier of individuals who have done deep personal work and been trained extensively to support this transformational process with incredible care, compassion and safety.

Holotropic Breathwork is truly a psychology of the future.

Explore our upcoming workshops and retreats below or contact us to schedule a private appointment.