Holotropic breathing is a form of modified breathing coupled with musical sequences that allow access to a deep state of consciousness. This fact sheet is designed to teach you more about the method. Ready, set, go!

Where does this technique come from?

The word holotropic comes from the Greek words ‘holos’ and ‘trepein’, meaning ‘all’ and ‘to move’ respectively. This breathing work is a form of self-exploration and rediscovery. Stanislav Grof, a Czech-born American psychiatrist, created this method with his wife Christina Gercault. His research work began in 1950, after his research into LSD was interrupted. The psychiatrist was invited to the United States to take charge of an LSD research laboratory. This cooperation came to nothing, however, due to the effects of LSD’s uncontrolled use. Holotropic respiration was an idea to facilitate the modification of states of consciousness.

Since time immemorial, people have been looking for a way to modify their consciousness and states of self-expansion. The etymology of the word itself already states what therapy enables man to do. The etymology of the word itself already states what therapy enables man to do: “A mode of growth oriented towards the search for unity towards the absolute”. This method is similar to the rebirthing technique. While the aim of conscious breathing is to help people rid themselves of their birth traumas, Grof’s breathing is geared towards the discovery of the individual as a whole. The practice of this method is still somewhat reserved.

Holotropic breathing: a traditional system or scientific knowledge?

Holotropic therapy combines breathing with musical pauses, but why? Grof’s idea was to facilitate the modification of states of consciousness. But he also found that music could put people into a trance. Many rituals are based on music, such as the Sufi ritual or the Gnawa ritual among Moroccans. From the combination of these two elements, he has developed a respiratory and musical therapeutic process that encourages exploration of the depths of being. This new therapy does not simply emanate from science.

It also has its origins in the rituals of traditional societies, notably shamanism. Shamanism is a traditional Siberian ritual based on meditation. Holotropic breathing was born of this practice and discoveries in neurophysiology. It is not a purely scientific or traditional therapy, but a subtle blend that leads to an exploration of the self.

The principle of holotropic therapy

“The alpha and omega of all therapy is to breathe deeply”

Grof’s breathing is based on the principle that the human being we consider normal is in fact an average human being who has not reached his full potential. As a result, he evolves far below his true potential and abilities. This is because he focuses on just one part of himself: the ego. We are more than our personal identity, more than what we believe ourselves to be. Identifying with the ego creates a limit to self-fulfilment, and causes dysfunction within the self. What’s more, the ego forms a sum of undesirable elements within us that we absolutely must destroy. Holotropic breathing, rebirthing, hypnosis and all the other approaches that open us up to unconsciousness enable us to transcend towards ourselves, to reveal ourselves to ourselves.

Although holotropic therapy is a therapy of self-exploration, it can help heal many other everyday problems, because these disorders are a form of expression of the unconscious. There are no studies to prove this. However, the satisfaction of patients who have used it speaks volumes about the effectiveness of the method. It can be used to help a person get rid of anxieties and phobias, to treat certain somatic illnesses such as migraines, skin diseases, asthma, chronic digestive problems, past traumas and anxiety. All that’s needed is for the individual to be willing to encounter the unknown and feel ready for a process of change.

How does it work in practice?

Grof breathing is nothing more than controlled hyperventilation. Once breathing begins, the right hemisphere is deprived of CO2. This deprivation causes it to let go of its control functions over the individual. In this way, buried memories and recollections are released. As for anguish, anxiety and fears, they are simply the expression of certain unfinished events. Once therapy is complete, these events are filed away in the psyche and the individual is freed.

Therapy can take place in a group or on an individual basis. The session can last a whole day or even two. It all depends on the individual’s capacity for integration. At the start of the holotropic breathing session, the leader introduces all participants to the concept of holotropic theory. The group is then divided in two. One group is a practitioner, the other a companion, and then the roles are reversed.

It’s important to practice holotropic therapy in this way, and to experience both sides of the coin in different ways. Practitioners are people trained at the Holotropic Institute, which is still run by Stanislav Grof himself. It’s a fairly comprehensive training program that includes 150 hours of personal experience, workshops and, of course, practice.

At the end of the holotropic breathing session, the individual draws a picture and verbalizes what he or she has experienced. This enables them to integrate the session into their personal experience, to capitalize on and reorganize their psyche, and to integrate all these changes into their daily life. After integration, the subject becomes independent, creative, confident and serene.

What’s your decision? Will you continue to be a slave to your ego?