Inside Out Consult
03/23/2024
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Imagine if you could access a deep well of healing and insight within yourself without using any substances – just the power of accelerated breathing and music. Holotropic Breathwork is a powerful experiential practice that allows people to tap into non-ordinary states of consciousness for the purpose of self-exploration, emotional release, and trauma healing. The word “holotropic” comes from Greek roots meaning “moving toward wholeness,” and that’s exactly what this technique aims to do (Should You Try Holotropic Breathwork?) – to help individuals move toward a sense of wholeness by accessing parts of the psyche that are normally out of reach in our everyday awareness (Should You Try Holotropic Breathwork?) (Should You Try Holotropic Breathwork?).
Developed in the 1970s by psychiatrist Dr. Stanislav Grof and his wife Christina Grof, holotropic breathwork emerged as a legal, drug-free alternative to LSD therapy once psychedelic research was restricted. Over decades, it has evolved into a well-structured practice used worldwide in workshops and therapeutic settings. Now, integrative psychiatry centers, including forward-thinking ones in India, are recognizing the value of holotropic breathwork as a complement to traditional therapy. At Arka’s integrative psychiatry department in Bangalore, we incorporate holotropic-style breathwork sessions for those seeking profound healing from past trauma, chronic stress, or simply looking for deeper self-understanding in a safe, supportive environment.
This blog will guide you through what holotropic breathwork is, what a session typically involves, the kind of experiences and benefits people report, and how it fits into a holistic model of mental health care. Whether you’re a trauma survivor looking for alternative paths to healing, or a curious seeker intrigued by mind-body explorations, holotropic breathwork offers a transformative journey that could very well be a turning point in your emotional wellness.
Epigenetics refers to how your behaviors and environment can cause changes in the way your genes workcdc.gov. Think of your genes as a library of books (DNA) – epigenetics is like the bookmarks and highlights telling your body which chapters to read. Unlike permanent genetic mutations, epigenetic changes are reversiblecdc.gov. Life experiences such as nutrition, stress, trauma, and toxins add chemical tags to your DNA, effectively switching certain genes on or off. This influences which proteins and brain chemicals get produced. In mental health, these switches can affect mood-regulating genes. For example, chronic stress might dim the activity of genes that regulate stress hormones, leading to higher anxiety, while mindfulness practices could remove some of those “dimmer switches,” restoring balance. In short, epigenetics is the bridge between nature and nurture – showing how nurturing your body and mind can change even the expression of your nature (genes).
Holotropic breathwork can sound a bit mysterious, so let’s demystify what the actual session might look and feel like.
When you come for a holotropic breathwork session, especially at a place like Arka in Bangalore, here’s a general outline of how things proceed:
You would have a pre-session orientation. Facilitators explain the process, set ground rules (like confidentiality, respect for others, and instructions such as keeping your eyes closed during the breathwork to focus inward). You’ll be asked about any medical conditions. Safety note: Holotropic breathwork is generally safe for most, but it’s not recommended if you have certain health issues like significant heart problems, uncontrolled high blood pressure, glaucoma, or if you’re pregnant, because the intense breathing can affect these conditions. The facilitators ensure everyone present is a suitable candidate or has medical clearance if needed.
You’ll find a comfortable spot – usually a mat or mattress on the floor with a cushion and maybe a blanket. Loose comfortable clothing is best. You might want an eye mask to help keep your eyes closed. Often, participants pair up (if it’s a workshop setting). If you’re the breather first, your partner will be the sitter, who basically is there to support by fetching tissues or water, or grounding you if needed. Later, roles swap in a second session so each gets a turn to breathe.
The room gets darkened or you might wear eyeshades. The facilitators start the music – beginning maybe with rhythmic drumming or world music with a strong beat. You start breathing faster and deeper – typically through the mouth to allow volume – and you keep this cyclic breath going. In the beginning, your mind might wander – “Am I doing this right? Is anything happening?” – but as you persist, the altered state gradually takes over. The effect can be psychedelic in nature, meaning your consciousness shifts away from the ordinary. Time may become distorted (some people feel like an hour passed in what was 10 minutes, or vice versa).
As you enter a holotropic state, you may experience a variety of sensations and visions:
This is most common. You might suddenly feel a wave of sadness, and you start crying intensely for a few minutes (without a clear thought trigger – just emotion releasing) (Should You Try Holotropic Breathwork?). Or you might feel fear surging up, or anger – sometimes participants yell or pound the mattress (safe ways to physically express the emotion) while breathing. On the flip side, you might also burst into laughter or feel overwhelming love or joy. The spectrum is broad. Facilitators encourage you to fully express whatever comes (safely) – this is part of the catharsis. As one facilitator noted, it’s like undergoing a “therapeutic crisis” to flush out negative energy (Holotropic Breathwork Benefits and Risks).
Some people have vivid experiences of revisiting past events, sometimes from childhood or other significant times. It can be both positive memories or difficult ones. For example, someone might re-experience a forgotten childhood trauma not just as a memory but as if it’s happening, which allows them to finally process and release feelings around it. This can be intense but ultimately healing – you get to complete “unfinished emotional business.” Alternatively, one might recall beautiful moments or lost loved ones and feel a sense of resolution or connection.
It’s not just emotions – the body can react too. It’s not uncommon to feel tingling or vibrations in your hands, face, or legs due to the sustained hyperventilation (a known effect of lowered CO2, sometimes called tetany, causing temporary cramping or claw-like hands). This can be managed and usually passes (Should You Try Holotropic Breathwork?). Movement is encouraged if it arises – some people naturally rock, or even adopt birthing-like postures, or do spontaneous yoga-like movements. The idea is to let the body “express” whatever it needs. Sound is also common – humming, chanting, or simply making whatever noise feels right (hence the group privacy and loud music to mask individual sounds). As Williams, a therapist, explained, people might scream, sob, shake, etc., which can look like an “emotional roller coaster” but is part of the process (Should You Try Holotropic Breathwork?).
This is where holotropic breathwork can get mystical. “Transpersonal” refers to experiences beyond the personal self. Some breathers report feeling a sense of unity with the universe, encountering spiritual figures, seeing mandalas or archetypal symbols, or even recalling what feels like past-life memories. Others have creative insights or a sense of ego dissolution similar to high-dose meditation or psychedelic states. For instance, feeling at one with a light, or experiencing a rebirth sequence (not uncommon – people often report sensations of being born, which Grof theorized as re-experiencing the birth process). Not everyone has these, but they are documented in many workshops. Even if it sounds far-out, in the context of the session, it often feels natural and profoundly meaningful to the person.
Importantly, throughout this journey, the facilitators and possibly your sitter are watching over you. If you look physically distressed or ask for help, they will intervene gently. Otherwise, they largely let you work through it, because that’s where the inner healing happens. You are in control in the sense you can stop or slow down if it’s too much (simply slowing the breath will start pulling you out of the state). But typically, participants feel safe enough to surrender to the process knowing caring people are around.
The breathing and music intensity usually go on for a significant period (often an hour or more). Eventually, the music shifts to a more calming tone, signalling the descent phase. Your breathing will naturally slow down by this point. You might feel utterly spent or deeply peaceful. Some describe it as after a storm, the sun breaks through the clouds. You might have powerful insights at this stage, a feeling of relief, or even euphoria.
Once the active session ends, you’ll rest quietly for a while. This is a time of reflection and gentle return to normal consciousness. You might journal a few notes about what you experienced so you don’t forget, or simply lie in stillness.
Then comes integration time. In a classic holotropic workshop, participants draw a mandala (a circular drawing) to express the experience visually (Holotropic Breathwork Benefits and Risks). You don’t have to be an artist – it’s about symbolism and expression. Someone might draw abstract colors that represent their emotions, others sketch a scene they saw. It’s a way to communicate with your conscious mind about what your subconscious just processed.
Often, there’s a sharing circle. Everyone (who wants to) can share highlights of their journey. It’s always optional – you can keep your experience private if you prefer. But many find power in voicing it and hearing others (which normalizes the sometimes strange things that happen). The facilitators help by offering supportive comments or context, but they do not interpret your experience for you – they trust each person finds their own meaning.
You’ll also get guidance on self-care after such an intense experience: staying hydrated, being gentle with yourself for a day or two (because you might feel emotionally raw or “open”), and perhaps doing some grounding activities (like walking barefoot on grass, having a hearty meal, journaling more). Sometimes emotions can still bubble up in the days after, as part of continued processing.
In India, many individuals also face stigma around taking psychiatric medication or may not respond to the limited options available. This is where an epigenetic perspective becomes valuable – it expands the menu of treatment possibilities by revealing underlying biological and environmental influences. The limitation of conventional psychiatry is not lack of care or effort; it’s that human beings are biologically complex, and mental health is influenced by more than just brain chemistry. Without considering epigenetics, treatment can feel like shooting in the dark.
So, why go through such an intense process? What are the benefits, especially for those dealing with trauma or chronic stress?
Holotropic breathwork has been reported to facilitate:
Traditional talk therapy operates largely at the conscious level and through dialogue. But trauma, especially, is often stored in the body and deeper layers of the mind, sometimes beyond verbal access. Holotropic breathwork provides a direct route to those layers. By bypassing the thinking mind, it can bring out those stuck emotions and physiological stress responses (fight, flight, freeze energy) and allow them to be expressed and resolved (Should You Try Holotropic Breathwork?) (Should You Try Holotropic Breathwork?). For many, one session might accomplish what months of talking could not – a catharsis that they feel viscerally. It’s not uncommon for someone to say, “I finally let out the grief/anger/fear I’ve been holding for years.” This release can translate into relief from symptoms of PTSD, depression, or anxiety.
In the altered state, people often report gaining clarity on personal issues, seeing their life story or trauma from a new, more compassionate perspective. For example, someone might have an experience of connecting with a deceased loved one and saying an emotional goodbye, bringing peace. Or someone might see a “life review” that helps them understand and forgive themselves and others. These insights can be profoundly healing. They can break loops of negative thinking or self-blame that plague a person. It’s somewhat akin to the breakthroughs people report in psychedelic therapy research – confronting and recontextualizing trauma, but here it’s done with breath.
After the intense emotional storm, people often report a deep calm in the days and weeks after. It’s as if the nervous system had a “reset.” For trauma survivors who are hyper-vigilant (chronically in fight-or-flight), going through a controlled intense experience and coming out safe on the other side can teach the body that it can endure and release safely. Many have fewer flashbacks or panic symptoms afterward. Studies and anecdotal reports suggest improved stress-related symptoms and even measures like greater self-awareness and life satisfaction ([PDF] The Perceived Impact of Holotropic Breathwork). One study indicated participants had reductions in stress and increases in non-judgment (an aspect of mindfulness) after holotropic breathwork experiences ([PDF] The Perceived Impact of Holotropic Breathwork).
Holotropic breathwork is often described as a journey towards wholeness. That might mean different things for different people. Some might heal the “inner child” – effectively reuniting a fragmented part of their psyche. Others might overcome a sense of isolation by feeling connected to something larger than themselves during the experience (whether that’s humanity, nature, or a spiritual essence). Trauma and chronic stress can make one feel broken or disconnected; holotropic experiences can counter that by providing a felt sense of unity and wholeness. This can boost one’s capacity to engage in relationships and life with more openness.
Beyond psychological aspects, people sometimes notice physical improvements. For example, someone with psychosomatic pain or tension (like chronic neck tightness related to holding in emotions) might find that pain significantly reduced after releasing emotion in breathwork. The intense breathing also increases oxygenation and circulation; some say it leaves them feeling detoxified (indeed, practitioners claim it can help release toxins though the evidence is anecdotal). There’s also a claim that it can boost immunity or overall vitality by the cathartic “reset” – at the very least, stress reduction itself has positive physical health outcomes.
It’s important to note, holotropic breathwork is intense and not a magic cure-all. It’s one powerful tool among many. Some individuals might need multiple sessions to peel layers of the onion; others might use it in combination with ongoing therapy. And some may find it’s not their cup of tea – that’s okay. There are gentler breathwork and somatic therapies if holotropic is too much. The key is that it offers a unique pathway to healing that doesn’t rely on intellectual analysis or medication – it leans on the wisdom of your own inner mind-body connection.
At Arka Anugraha Hospital, our integrative psychiatry philosophy is all about blending the best conventional treatments with effective complementary therapies. Holotropic breathwork sits on the more alternative end of the spectrum, but we consider it when appropriate for patients who could benefit from such deep work. Here’s how we approach it:
We don’t just throw someone into a holotropic session. Our psychiatrists/psychologists first ensure that the patient is psychologically and physically ready. If someone is extremely fragile or psychotic, this might not be advisable immediately. But many trauma patients who feel “stuck” in progress or those dealing with persistent depression/PTSD despite therapy might be good candidates. We educate them about the process, address fears, and prepare them with some basic breathwork practice and relaxation techniques in advance.
Conducting holotropic breathwork in a hospital/clinic setting like ours means we have medical support on hand if needed (though emergencies are exceedingly rare, it’s a reassurance). We also ensure integration therapy is built in. For instance, after a breathwork session, the patient might have a one-on-one therapy session the next day to further process anything that came up, tying it into their ongoing therapeutic journey. This is crucial – we don’t want someone to have a big experience and then feel emotionally adrift; we are there to help anchor and make meaning of it in context of their life.
Often, we might combine holotropic breathwork with other holistic modalities. For example, a few days after a session, we might suggest a far infrared sauna or a gentle yoga therapy session to help the body relax and recover (sauna can help release muscle tension and detoxify, aligning with the physical release aspect). Or we might employ bodywork (like massage or acupuncture) to further release any residual tensions. Limbic system retraining exercises or neurofeedback can also be interwoven in the program to reinforce the calmer brain patterns achieved.
Sometimes we host small group workshops for holotropic breathwork (open to our patients and others interested). These create a sense of community – people realize they are not alone in having deep wounds or seeking profound healing. The group energy can be incredibly validating. We ensure aftercare by having check-ins – perhaps a follow-up group meeting a week later, or at least phone calls – to see how everyone is doing and gently remind them about self-care practices. We might encourage journaling or creative expression in the weeks after to continue integrating insights. In essence, we treat holotropic breathwork not as a one-off event, but as part of a continuum of healing.
One of our patient success stories involves Neha, a 38-year-old school teacher who came to us with severe PTSD from a traumatic incident in her early twenties. Traditional therapy helped her cope day-to-day, but nightmares and a deep-seated fear persisted. She described it as “My mind understands I’m safe now, but my body doesn’t.” We proposed a holotropic breathwork session as a way to let her body and unconscious release the trauma. During the session, Neha re-experienced elements of her trauma (with the facilitators ensuring she was safe) but this time, she expressed a torrent of anger and grief physically – something she’d never been able to do at the time of the trauma. It was intense, but she emerged from it with a kind of calm she hadn’t felt in years. In her integration session, she said, “I confronted my worst fear and I survived it… I feel free.” In the following months, her nightmares reduced drastically. With continued therapy and practices like breathwork (she now does gentler forms on her own), she has reclaimed much of her life and joy.
Holotropic breathwork is not always that dramatic for everyone, but it often provides exactly what its name implies – a move towards wholeness. It’s a journey, sometimes a hero’s journey inward, where you might face dragons (inner fears) and find treasure (self-healing).
If you’re considering this practice, it’s normal to feel a mix of curiosity and apprehension. It certainly isn’t as commonly discussed as yoga or typical meditation. Here are some thoughts to help you decide:
Are you open to an intense experience and willing to surrender to where it takes you? You don’t have to fully know what to expect (no one does, each journey is unique), but a certain level of openness and trust in the process is needed to benefit from it.
Doing this with proper facilitators (and ideally therapeutic support) is key. We wouldn’t recommend trying to do full holotropic breathwork alone at home; guidance is very important. But if you have access to a safe, guided opportunity (like with us at Arka or a reputable facilitator), that’s the way to go.
You don’t need a super specific intention (in fact, letting the unconscious lead is good), but having a general intention like “I want to heal” or “I want clarity” can be helpful. Notably, holotropic breathwork isn’t only for those with trauma – anyone feeling stuck or seeking self-discovery might gain from it. But if you do have trauma or high stress, your intention may revolve around release or understanding of those.
Plan to give yourself gentle time after. Doing it on a weekend or when you can take the next day easy is wise. Emotional vulnerability can linger for a short while – which is why being in a supportive environment or with loved ones who understand is helpful.
In the integrative model, think of holotropic breathwork as one tool in a rich toolbox. For some, it might be the tool that finally cracks open a breakthrough. For others, a softer tool might work better – and that’s okay. Our approach is personalized: we might recommend holotropic breathwork to one person, and for another, maybe a combination of mild breathwork, EMDR (a trauma therapy), and meditation if that suits them better. The ultimate goal is healing and wholeness – and there are many roads to get there.
Holotropic Breathwork, however, holds a special place because of its transformative potential in a relatively short time. It’s like doing a deep dive versus wading in the shallows. And sometimes, that deep dive is exactly what a soul needs to heal.
If you feel a resonance or a call towards this kind of inner journey, we encourage you to learn more and reach out. Under the right guidance, it can be one of the most meaningful experiences of your life – a journey through the breath to the very core of your being, and back, healed and whole.
Book a Free Discovery Call with our team if you’re interested in holotropic breathwork sessions or our integrative trauma healing programs. We can discuss whether this approach fits your healing journey. Your path to wholeness is unique – and we’re here to support you, every breath of the way.
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