Press Kit working6 - The Holotropic Breathwork Community · 2009-01-28 · Stanislav Grof, M.D. and his wife, Christina Grof, developed this powerful and natural technique in the

Last updated 01/2009 For more info, contact: [email protected] or call 415-637-3748 1

Press Kit – Holotropic Breathwork

Intro Many of us actively seek healing and wholeness. Healing frequently begins with an intention to access our own inner wisdom that allows us to work toward physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual healing, and developmental change. Holotropic Breathwork™ operates under the principle that we are our own best healers and that each of us has an Inner Healer, which can best do its work in non-ordinary states of consciousness. Throughout history, virtually every culture has provided an opportunity and a method to access non-ordinary states of consciousness for inner exploration and healing. These methods have included drumming, chanting, dancing, fasting, ingesting psychoactive plants, altering breathing patterns, and many others. Drawing from centuries of such wisdom and adding insights from modern consciousness research, Holotropic Breathwork facilitates access to all levels of human experience, enabling people to resolve unfinished issues from their past, clear birth trauma and residues of trauma stored in the body; as well as exploring the deeper dimensions of mind to find inspiration and greater awareness.

FAQs

Q: What is Holotropic Breathwork?

The term holotropic is derived from Greek roots, holos, meaning “whole” and trepein, meaning “to turn, lead, guide”. Thus, Holotropic Breathwork may be defined as “breathwork that leads to or turns us toward wholeness”. Holotropic Breathwork combines accelerated breathing with evocative music and close one-on-one supervision in order to access insight and healing in non-ordinary states of consciousness. Holotropic Breathwork is presented by facilitators certified by Grof Transpersonal Training. With the eyes closed and lying on a mat, each person uses their own breathing – supported by the music -- to enter a non-ordinary state of consciousness. Holotropic breathing is faster and deeper than usual; generally no other specific instructions are given before or during the session as to the rate, pattern, and nature of breathing. The experience is entirely internal and largely non-verbal, without interventions. Entering a non-ordinary consciousness, in this context, activates the natural inner healing process, generating experiences unique to each person for that particular time and place. Breathers often experience recurring themes, but no two breathwork sessions are ever the same. Holotropic Breathwork is usually done in a group context, although each person has an individual experience. People work in pairs and alternate in the roles of “breather” and "sitter." The sitter's role is simply to be available to assist the breather by providing blankets, pillows, tissues, etc., and not to interfere or interrupt the process. The same is true for trained facilitators, who oversee the group and step in to help when requested.


If requested by a breather, facilitators provide focused bodywork – or other forms of support – to help breathers relieve tension or complete the experience. After the session, participants give creative expression to what happened through mandala drawing, and then are invited to tell their experiences to the group. These techniques help participants integrate the process. During the sharing and discussion sessions, the facilitator does not give interpretations of the material. The facilitator might simply ask the participant for further elaboration and clarification , i.e. his or her insights from the session. Jungian amplification—in the form of mythological and anthropological references--can be very useful in understanding holotropic experiences and mandalas. On occasion, references to the facilitator’s own experiences in the past or experiences of other people might be appropriate.

Q: What are the origins of Holotropic Breathwork?

Stanislav Grof, M.D. and his wife, Christina Grof, developed this powerful and natural technique in the mid-1970's from modern consciousness research and their study of ancient spiritual systems. Dr. Grof is a psychiatrist with more than forty years of experience of research in psychotherapy and non-ordinary states of consciousness. His early research was at the Psychiatric Research Institute in Prague, where he was Principal Investigator of a program systematically exploring the heuristic and therapeutic potential of LSD and other psychedelic substances. Later, Dr. Grof conducted psychedelic research as Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University and Chief of Psychiatric Research at the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. He also spent fourteen years as Scholar-in-Residence at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California. With the ban on the use of LSD for research purposes in the late 1960s, the Grofs developed Holotropic Breathwork as a powerful drug-free way to access non-ordinary states of consciousness. They began facilitating workshops in 1976 and offered their first structured training programs in 1987. Together they have facilitated Holotropic Breathwork sessions for more than 25,000 people from 1987-1994. Stanislav Grof ’s many books, including Realms of the Human Unconscious (1975), Beyond the Brain (1985), Psychology of the Future (2002), and The Ultimate Journey (2006) have contributed to the steady rise of interest in the Holotropic Breathwork technique and transpersonal psychology. Christina Grof is the author of The Thirst for Wholeness, and together the Grofs’ authored The Stormy Search for the Self, considered an indispensible guide for people experiencing psycho-spiritual crisis (“spiritual emergency”) and their friends, families and caregivers. Dr. Grof is one of the founders (with Abraham Maslow) and chief theoreticians of transpersonal psychology, and he is the founding President of the International Transpersonal Association. Stanislav Grof and his staff in the Grof Transpersonal Training have trained almost a thousand certified practitioners of Holotropic Breathwork, who are now practicing in many countries around the world.

Q: Why do people choose Holotropic Breathwork?

Holotropic Breathwork is based on the assumption that we all have a mechanism that serves as an inner healer, a drive for pursuing wholeness, which can be accessed within a suitable context such as Holotropic Breathwork provides. Anyone seeking healing for trauma, malaise, illness or depression may benefit from the practice, as well as those seeking insight or guidance.


Participants regularly report that HB has helped them to: a) relieve chronic pain, b) shift depression, c) release anger, d) improve medical conditions such as asthma, migraine, or pre-menstrual tension, e) support recovery from addiction, f) receive intuitive insights, and g) clarify troublesome areas of their lives. In addition, participants report that it helped them find meaning and purpose in their life, get rid of negative thoughts, diminish their fear of death, release accumulated stress and trauma, and a feel a sense of greater connection with physical, emotional, and spiritual parts of themselves.

Q: What are the benefits of Holotropic Breathwork?

In his book, Psychology of the Future, Stanislav Grof, co-founder of Holotropic Breathwork explains, "in holotropic states, we can transcend the narrow boundaries of the body ego and reclaim our full identity." Holotropic Breathwork assists this process by inducing a non-ordinary state of consciousness in a safe context, enabling participants to reconnect with self, others, the natural world, and spirit. When the body and mind enter a non-ordinary state of consciousness through controlled breathing, in an appropriate context, the inner wisdom uses the opportunity to work toward physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual healing, and developmental change. Holotropic Breathwork operates under the principle that we are our own best healers, in that each of us has an inner healing mechanism, which can best do its work in non-ordinary states of consciousness.

Q: Who should practice Holotropic Breathwork?

Anyone who wants to: • access healing and insight • expand his or her consciousness • tap into more creativity • release stress or anxiety • move past stuckness and re-energize their life • release emotional or physical symptoms and unproductive behavior patterns • transform the negative side effects of long-forgotten events buried deep in their unconscious. • heal trauma • connect more deeply or get in touch with their spiritual essence • be supported through a period of mourning or grieving • explore feelings about the state of the world around them • work through physical illness by exploring emotional issues associated with the illness • discover their higher calling or vocation • experience mystical states • move on from depression • overcome feelings of discouragement, listlessness, or disorientation • become empowered • deepen their capacity to support themselves and their loved ones • access their inner wisdom and intuition • know themselves more deeply • create a more fulfilling life


Q: How many people have tried Holotropic Breathwork?

As of January 2009 there were 619 Facilitators trained and certified by Grof Transpersonal Training offering workshops in 36 countries. AHBI estimates that, in the twenty years since the first training group graduated in 1988, approximately 100,000 individuals have experienced Holotropic Breathwork. Internal research suggests participants, on average, return for an average of 10 sessions each; thus at least one million Holotropic Breathwork sessions have taken place the past two decades.

Q: What research has been conducted in the arena of Holotropic Breathwork?

Over 37 papers, by scholars and researchers in many countries, address and examine the healing potential of HB; these include peer-reviewed articles, dissertations and scholarly papers.The following are conclusions reached by researchers in peer-reviewed journal research:

• In 1994, Spivak et al analysed the dynamics of brain evoked potentials concluding, “Consciousness alterations, occurring during HB, have not only phenomenal features but also physiological correlates”.

• In 1995, Terekhin tested the external respiration function in HB during the course of psychotherapeutic treatment. In conclusion Terekhin states: “The results of the tests on external respiration during the HB(W) psychotherapeutic treatment confirm the non-ordinary consciousness inducing mechanisms described in this work”.

• In 1996, Sarah Holmes et al investigated in a controlled study the relationship between the use of HB and therapeutic changes in levels of distress associated with self-identified problems, death anxiety, self esteem, and sense of affiliation with others. In conclusion Holmes states: “The HB group showed significant reductions in death anxiety and increases in self esteem compared with the control group…” and “…results suggest that experiential approaches to psychotherapy may be useful in ameliorating some types of psychological problems.”

• In 2003 Binarova investigated the effect of a single or repeated Holotropic Breathwork session on certain personality properties, attitudes, and values orientations. In conclusion, Binarova states: “Subjectively, all participants evaluated the experience from the Holotropic Breathwork session as contributing to better communication with people, to a deeper knowledge of the surrounding world, and to a higher acceptance of previously rejected opinions and thoughts.”

Additionally, multiple peer-reviewed journal articles and papers on the topic of Holotropic Breathwork have been published in recent years, including Rhinewine (2007), Robedee (2008). Visit the Research section of the AHBI website a www.ahbi.org to find out more.

Q: What can I expect during a Holotropic Breathwork session?

Holotropic Breathwork combines use of controlled breathing, music, and body work with an intention to heal. The process involves working in pairs where one person is in the role of “breather” and the other takes the role of "sitter". Sessions last for two to three hours. The sitter's role is simply to be available to assist the breather, not to interfere or interrupt the process. The same is true for trained facilitators, who are available as helpers if necessary.


Breathers lie down on mats on the floor while the sitter sits nearby. Participants are advised that it is better not to have a goal or specific agenda when beginning a breathwork, but rather to trust that whatever happens is the best outcome for healing. The facilitators lead a guided relaxation to help the breather relax the body in preparation for the breathing. The Holotropic Breathwork experience is, for the most part, internal and largely nonverbal, without interventions. Although facilitators suggest to breathers, at the beginning of the session, that they increase the pace and depth of the breath, breathers are also encouraged to find their own pace and rhythm. Thus, after the breathwork session begins, breathers are not "coached" in any particular way of breathing. The facilitators play evocative or rhythmic music as the breathing deepens. With the help of the breath, evocative music, a safe atmosphere, relaxation, and a willingness to embrace the experiences, breathers are guided by their own inner healing function to whatever experience will bring them healing and transformation. The music continues for two to three hours. Sitters watch over their breather, providing a sense of shelter and support. During the breathwork process, the breather can have quite a wide range of possible experiences. What is visible from the outside varies. Some people are very still while others rock, cry out, or move to the music. Experiences can include a variety of physical sensations, deep feelings of joy or serenity, “yogic sleep,” meditative states, or re-experiencing and releasing trauma or traumas or the birth process. Some people report encounters with mythic or archetypal storylines, past-life experiences, or direct spiritual or religious awakenings. Many see emotionally charged visual images, feel energy moving through their bodies, receive intuitive insights, and clarify troublesome issues in their lives. Often participants report that they release accumulated stress, release emotions from old traumas, gain an increased trust in themselves and their bodies, and feel that they have understood and can now transcend old patterns of behavior that have brought unwanted results. The experiences vary from individual to individual and from session to session. The same individual will often have different experiences each time he or she does Breathwork. At the end of the session, the facilitator checks in with the breather. If the breathwork has not resolved all of the emotional and physical tensions activated during the session, the facilitator may offer focused work to help release any stuck energy .

Q: How should I prepare for a Holotropic Breathwork session?

You might want to read an introductory book by Stanislav Grof, such as The Holotropic Mind or The Adventure of Self-Discovery, to get a deeper understanding of the process. Get it touch with a facilitator near you, ask any questions you have, and make sure that you have a good feeling of trust with that facilitator. (Many facilitators offer introductory talks that are open to the public.) Be sure that you have discussed, in advance, any possible medical contraindications. If you are currently in therapy, it is a good idea to talk about your intention to attend a Holotropic Breathwork workshop with your therapist in advance.

In the week prior to attending a workshop, you might find that you start to dream more vividly, feel more emotional, or even some fear or anxiety about attending the workshop. This is all normal: your unconscious is aware that you are about to go on an adventure. Some of these feelings could simply be resistance to change, and others could be the “first edge” of the holotropic process making an appearance.


Before attending a workshop, it is helpful to plan for your return to your regular environment. Returning to a pleasant, relaxed and loving environment, will allow you space and support to integrate whatever has taken place in your psyche during the Breathwork session. In anticipation of your process, you may want to create a sacred space at home, arrange to stay with a sympathetic friend, or at least alert your family that you will need some space.

By all means, do not plan to attend a party or an important meeting – or any occasion at which you have to ‘perform’ -- on the evening after your workshop. You will need some quiet time to be with your thoughts and feelings. It’s also a good idea to arrange to have a day off, or at least a very light schedule, for a day or two after the workshop. You might also want to schedule, in advance, a follow-up massage or other form of bodywork, which might help you integrate the experience afterwards. Many people find that, for about a week following a workshop, they have heightened sensitivities (emotional and physical), and an increased need for reflective time, so it is best to plan for this in advance.

Q: What happens after a Breathwork session?

When the breathwork session is complete, the breather is invited to paint or draw what happened during their session within the form of a circle, called a "mandala.” Those who wish to share what happened in their Breathwork session, often using this mandala as a map or guide, are given the opportunity to do so in small groups. These groups provide a supportive and non-judgmental environment in which the breather can begin to integrate her or his experience.

Q: How can I integrate my experience after a Breathwork session?

Exploration of images and insights received allows Breathwork participants to integrate them more fully and deeply into daily life. People do this in a variety of ways, including psychotherapy, bodywork, creative expression, dance, meditation, and prayer. It’s a good idea to keep your mandala present and look at it, or contemplate it, often: it will keep teaching you. If you are feeling spacey or ungrounded after a workshop, it’s a good idea to use your body, do some gardening, and eat heavier food. Alternately, you may feel the need to de-tox: to eat lightly, meditate more, take lots of baths. If you have any concerns about how you feel or your state-of-mind after a workshop, please contact your facilitator to discuss this. Other modalities like direct body sensing, inquiry, naming, and allowing also help people learn to trust their own inner wisdom to guide their healing process.

Q: How often should I do a Holotropic Breathwork session?

There is no ‘right’ answer here. Some people have a life-changing experience in their very first HB session, and feel no need for another session. Some people, if they are in an active or intense healing process, might choose to do HB regularly – sometimes as often as once or twice per month, during this acute phase of their process. Many people feel that HB gives a boost to their regular form of therapy, so they will do a HB session perhaps every six months, or whenever they feel blocked, and then explore the insights from that session in the following months with their therapists. Other people consider HB to be their primary form of therapy, or might attend a workshop every couple of months to relieve stress and maintain contact with their inner life. Many HB participants find that it opens the door to a particular spiritual path, one that feels authentic to


them, and they then stop doing HB to focus more on that spiritual path. Then again, for others, HB is their spiritual path.

Q: What are the contraindications?

Because this workshop can promote strong physical and emotional release, it is not advised for persons with a history of cardiovascular disease, including angina or heart attack, high blood pressure, glaucoma, retinal detachment, osteoporosis, significant recent physical injuries or surgery. This workshop is also not advised for persons with severe mental illness or seizure disorders or for persons using major medications. It is also unsuitable for anyone with a personal or family history of aneurisms. Pregnant women are advised against taking this workshop. Persons with asthma should bring their inhaler and consult with the facilitators. Persons with infectious or communicable diseases are asked to avoid Holotropic Breathwork. This workshop is deeply experiential. It may involve intense and energetic emotional release. The workshop does not substitute for psychotherapy, but it can significantly deepen and enhance psychotherapy and other healing and personal growth efforts.

Q: How can I get more involved in Holotropic Breathwork?

Start by participating in the AHBI online community, asking questions, and getting to know people. Or find a Holotropic Breathwork™ facilitator near you, go to an introductory talk, try a workshop or attend a training module – no experience is required. You can find facilitators, workshops, or upcoming in the Events section at www.ahbi.org. And by joining AHBI (Association for Holotropic Breathwork International) you will stay better informed about HB developments, and receive our quarterly newsletter.

Q: How can I train as a facilitator in Holotropic Breathwork?

Certification in the GTT (Grof Transpersonal Training) requires about 600 hours of training that takes at least two years to complete. This allows time for integration of the life-changing material that inevitably arises when people do breathwork over an extended period and provides a community context for support of rapid change. All of the training modules are six-day residential retreats. Some of them do not require any previous experience with Holotropic Breathwork (or an application to the training) and may be taken by anyone with an interest in Holotropic Breathwork. Each person can participate at their own pace depending on their own process, available time, and financial considerations. Modules are held at retreat centers in the United States and many other international locations. For those who wish to become certified, there are two tracks, Educational and Practitioner. Both require attendance at seven modules (four on required topics and three optional), and a two-week closing intensive. In addition, the training includes ten hours of consultation with a certified practitioner and an additional150 total hours (including those done before starting the training) of participation in HB workshops led by Stan Grof or a certified practitioner. In addition, those wishing to become independent workshop leaders (Practitioners), must apprentice at least four times at workshops with previously certified practitioners before leading groups of their own. Practitioner certification is not guaranteed, but is at the discretion of Stan Grof and the training staff. For more information on training as a facilitator, visit www.holotropic.com.


FAQs About AHBI (The Association for Holotropic Breathwork International)

Q: What is AHBI?

The Association for Holotropic Breathwork International became an official non-profit membership-operated organization in 1989. Incorporating officers, Cary Sparks, Kylea Taylor, and Laurie Weaver held the first meeting on April 8, 1990, and together with Stanislav and Christina Grof present, developed a statement of purpose. Laurie Weaver was elected as the first AHBI President and Kylea Taylor remained the acting editor of the publication, The Inner Door until 2007 when she retired from AHBI.

Q: Who are the Advisory Board members of AHBI?

Current Advisory Board members include: Stanislav Grof, MD, PhD, co-creator of Holotropic Breathwork and one of the founders and chief theoreticians of transpersonal psychology; Christina Grof, author, teacher, artist, psychotherapist, founder of the Spiritual Emergence Network, and co-creator of Holotropic Breathwork; Jack Kornfield, PhD, founding teacher of the Insight Meditation Society and Spirit Rock and author of multiple books including A Path with Heart;

Richard Tarnas, PhD, professor at the California Institute of Integral Studies, and author of The Passion of the Western Mind and Cosmos and Psyche, winner of the Book of the Year Prize from the Scientific and Medical Network in England; Chris Bache, PhD, award-winning professor, Director of Transformative Learning at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, and author of Lifecycles and Dark Night, Early Dawn; and Kylea Taylor, M.S., M.F.T., one of the three initial incorporators of AHBI, who served as Editor of the newsletter and member of the Exeutive Committee until 2006. She is the author of The Breathwork Experience, The Holotropic Breathwork Workshop Manual, and is the editor of the AHBI anthology, Exploring Holotropic Breathwork, among others.

Q: What is the mission of AHBI?

The mission of the Association for Holotropic Breathwork International is to support the practice of Holotropic Breathwork as a resource for healing and transformation.

AHBI does this by: 1) Striving to make Holotropic Breathwork available to all who might benefit from it, 2) Supporting the practice of Holotropic Breathwork facilitators and participants, 3) Enabling connections and communications among all who are interested in Holotropic Breathwork, 4) Promoting awareness about Holotropic Breathwork by distributing information and research in a variety of languages and formats, and 5) Supporting research into the theory, practice, and effects of Holotropic Breathwork.


You can support the publishing of HB research and research projects by becoming a member of AHBI or donating to AHBI. Contact AHBI or find out more at www.ahbi.org.. AHBI provides an extensive online community web site where interested parties can gain understanding about Holotropic Breathwork, communicate with practitioners and trained facilitators, find Breathwork workshops, and discover additional reading materials and resources.

Q: Who can join AHBI (The Association for Holotropic Breathwork International)?

Membership in AHBI is open to anyone who cares about Holotropic Breathwork for a set annual membership cost, part or all of which may be tax-deductible for U.S. residents working in a related field.

Q: What is the Cost for Membership in AHBI (The Association for Holotropic Breathwork International)?

AHBI Membership is just $65 per year (or $35 for those on low incomes or from developing countries).

Q: What are the benefits of joining AHBI (The Association for Holotropic Breathwork International)?

AHBI members have a unique opportunity to directly support the practice of Holotropic Breathwork, research into Holotropic Breathwork, and to help make it available to ever-greater range of people who seek insight, healing, and improvement in their everyday lives. AHBI members receive a quarterly publication, The Inner Door -- the only regular publication exploring issues of interest to those on the holotropic journey. They also enjoy free access to an online archive of Inner Door articles. Certified facilitators also receive a free searchable listing on the AHBI web site.

Q: How can I contact AHBI or find out more?

Visit the web site and online community at www.ahbi.org (Special thanks to Stan Grof, Kylea Taylor, Ted Riskin, Martin Boroson, Ken Sloan, Lenny Gibson, Oliver Williams and GTT (Grof Transpersonal Training) for their generous contribution to this vast collection of information!)


Examples of Experiences from Holotropic Breathwork • One participant experienced a healing conversation with her father who had passed away

suddenly a year before. • Another found himself running through a jungle pursued by shadowy figures and was

prompted to seek to understand challenges he was running away from in ordinary life in order to turn and face them.

• One woman felt herself contained in a box, unable to escape until she was given a creative solution during the breathwork. This provided a strong metaphor that carried into her waking life and allowed her to find a creative solution for a place where she was “stuck” there as well.

Quotes & Testimonials Holotropic Breathwork is "among the deepest and most profoundly comprehensive work of the spirit being offered today." --Jack Kornfield, author of A Path With Heart

“Over and over again, I’m impressed by the power of the breath and its ability to correct specific health problems and promote our general wellness.”—Andrew Weil, M.D., from Breathing: The Master Key to Self-Healing

“Stanislav Grof is arguably the world’s greatest living psychologist. He is certainly a pioneer in every sense of the word, and one of the most comprehensive psychological thinkers of our era.” – Ken Wilber, The Eye of the Spirit

“For me personally, this…almost metaphysical dimension of [Grof’s] teaching speaks to me and continues to captivate me” -- Vaclav Havel, writer, dramatist, and former President of Czechoslovakia “I know of no work that so well incorporates the findings of Freud, Jung and Rank, adding fresh insights, which the methods of those psychotherapists could never have achieved. I do not doubt that many others working in this field would find Dr. Grof´s discoveries a basis for a whole new strategy of research.”-- Joseph Campbell, author of The Hero with a Thousand Faces, The Masks of God “Grof's work is the most important contribution to personality theory in several decades.”- Abraham Maslow, founder of Humanistic Psychology


Recommended Reading The Breathwork Experience: Exploration and Healing in Nonordinary States of Consciousness�by Kylea Taylor. �Hanford Mead Publishers, Santa Cruz, CA, c1994. �ISBN: 0-9643158-0-7 (Provides a thorough and easy-to-read overview of Holotropic Breathwork that is easily accessible for the general public) The Adventure of Self-Discovery�by Stanislov Grof. University of New York Press, c1988. �ISBN 0-88706-541-4 (Describes the theory and practice of Holotropic Breathwork and nonordinary states of consciousness in detail for those with more advanced interest) Radar to the Infinite, article by Martin Boroson in Exploring Holotropic Breathwork™, edited by Kylea Taylor, Hanford Mead, c2003. (Provides a major exposition of Holotropic Breathwork and its place as a meta-technique which embraces and assists many paths and processes.) ��

Contact Info

All press inquiries to: [email protected] or call 415-637-3748


Mandalas Below are examples of how the Holotropic Breathwork experience can be integrated into mandala work. (Please note: the use of these mandala images is generously provided courtesy of John Ablett, a member of the Holotropic Breathwork community. All copyrights remain with the artist.)


Photos (Note: Photos courtesy of the web site of Stan Grof at www.StanislavGrof.com. All copyrights apply.)

Stanislav Grof

Stan and Christina Grof


(Note: Photos courtesy of the web site of Stan Grof at www.StanislavGrof.com. All copyrights apply.)

Holotropic Breathwork session

Group sharing of mandalas

Documents

Press Kit working6 - The Holotropic Breathwork Community · 2009-01-28 · Stanislav Grof, M.D. and his wife, Christina Grof, developed this powerful and natural technique in the