A Psychedelic Experience Without a Psychedelic
Breath work methods such as Holotropic Breathwork, developed by Dr. Stanislov Grof, one of the foremost researchers in non-ordinary states of consciousness, create similar experiences to those encountered using psychedelics such as psilocybin.
My partner, Eddie LeShure, and I mentor and support individuals who wish to evolve spiritually. Many are interested in coming home to their true self and want to prepare for and integrate a psilocybin journey. Eddie and I now recognize breathwork, which we have known and appreciated for years, as a perfect dress rehearsal for clients new to the intentional therapeutic use of psychedelic medicine for spiritual growth. The package of services we offer includes several sessions for building trust, getting to know the client, and assessing their readiness to engage with the energy of the mushrooms. It is not appropriate for us to work with some clients, such as those in early recovery from substance misuse, those using certain psychiatric medications such as anti-depressants, or those experiencing symptoms of severe mental illness.
The program includes both of us sitting throughout the day of the journey, offering a balance of male/female energy and, most importantly, at least four sessions of integration support afterward. For clients for whom psilocybin seems a good fit, especially if they are new to using psychedelics therapeutically, breathwork is a welcome entryway for developing a relationship with the mystical space of expanded consciousness. One of the most convincing qualities that make breathwork unique is the lack of a therapeutic intervention! The inner healer within the breather is entirely in control of their experience. Neither the breather nor the sitter/counselor need to direct the experience. The organic wisdom of the system handles those details, similar to psychedelic medicine, within the context of a supportive set and setting.
We call our method "Integrative" because of the wide range of ways it nudges our physical, mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual aspects toward a sense of wholeness. We remind our clients that we all have infinitely powerful inner resources, namely breathing, moving, and witnessing the activity of the mind. Integrative Breathwork invites us to breathe faster, more deeply and continuously while listening to carefully selected music with eyes covered. It also encourages us to intensify whatever is coming up by making sounds and expressing emotions through movement.
When either practicing breathwork or ingesting a psychedelic, our default mode network (DMN) seems to loosen its grip to allow a peek into an enhanced state of awake awareness. The unconscious part that typically manages, protects, and defends us from overwhelming emotions loosens up. The answers we have been searching for outside ourselves reveal their internal home base.
Clients interested in working with psilocybin or any psychedelic medicine might wonder, "What if too much happens?" and "What if not enough happens?" Introducing them to integrative breathwork highlights their inherent inner resources and cultivates reassuring and empowering self-confidence. Trusting inner guidance and goodness is the most direct route we can choose to travel as we follow our unique map to wholeness.
"Trust the process and let go" is a helpful mantra, but the nourishing groundwork of trust must be established and tested, which typically takes time. Having a direct experience of one's own competence and confidence can come quickly through the practice of breathwork. The breathwork session is a two-hour experience with about 25 minutes dedicated to introducing the method, an hour of listening to music, and about 30 minutes for reflection and integration.
Our business, A Mindful Emergence, LLC, offers in-person and online Integrative Breathwork sessions. Please consider joining us for a session. For more information, go to: https://amindfulemergence.com/how-we-help/breathing-practices/
