description of holotropic breathwork™ workshop

Holotropic means “moving toward wholeness.” Leaving ordinary time and entering sacred time, Holotropic Breathwork™ combines . . .

  1. deep and rapid breathing,
  2. evocative music,
  3. focused bodywork (as requested),
  4. integrative artwork, and
  5. group process.

The first three components activate non-ordinary states of consciousness which allow access to personal and transpersonal experiences that facilitate deep healing of our body-mind-hearts, and open us to the truth of our interconnectedness in the great Web of Life. The last two are integrative components.

Holotropic Breathwork™ is experienced in dyads, so you will have the opportunity to witness and support another person in his or her inner journey, and receive the same for yourself. This “sitting” for your partner can be a profound teaching about the true nature of helping. For some people, the sitting experience is filled with as much emotion, insight, and self-discovery as the breathing experience. You do not need to register with a partner, although some people do.

Dori Langevin, M.A. (creative arts therapy), Psy.D. (clinical psychology) was certified in Holotropic Breathwork™ by Stan and Christina Grof in 1988 and has been conducting workshops since 1989. Dori is a student and teacher of Buddhist meditation which combined with 35 years of addiction recovery informs and guides her work with others. Holotropic Breathwork™ is most often offered in the group setting, although some people prefer private sessions with Dori. Contact Dori for more details.

registration

$120 postmarked by 5/13; $135 after 5/13. Workshop is limited to 8-10 people. If a payment plan would help, you can send $75 deposit and pay the balance in cash at the workshop. A confirmation letter will be emailed to you with a description of the Five Components of HB, driving directions, and details about what to bring including a potluck dish to share for Saturday dinner. Pay Pal options on registration form.

refund policy

50% (of total fee) refund if you telephone on or before 5/20. A full refund is always made if your place is filled from the waitlist. 509-928-3948

Friday evening will open with a circle to create the intention (set) and the environment (setting), including introductions, discussion of Stan Grof’s map of the unconscious (to provide the big picture of what you might experience), discussion of the Breathwork components, and the role of the sitter. Together we will “weave the basket” that will support and contain your experience. You will also choose a partner for the breathing. You will return home or to local lodging for the night.

On Saturday, we will return to the circle to acknowledge our intentions, gather our energy, and reconnect with one another. Our time together will flow between the personal and the transpersonal, inner and outer attention, and the individual and the group. There will be two breathing sessions, each lasting approximately 2½ hours, followed by potluck dinner. We will close the day by returning to our circle — to give voice to our experiences and cross the threshold from the Heroine ~ Hero’s Journey back into the world of everyday life, transitioning from the holotropic (moving toward wholeness) reality to the hylotropic (everyday) reality.

contraindications

Holotropic Breathwork™ opens the door to a wide range of physical, emotional, and spiritual experiences, which cannot be predicted in advance. The process can evoke strong emotional and physical stress and can put people with the following conditions at risk. These conditions include pregnancy, serious heart conditions, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, epilepsy, glaucoma, retinal detachment, history of severe mental or emotional disorders, acute infectious disease and recent injury or surgery. If you are allergic to cats, this may not be a good setting for you to do the Breathwork as we have two in our home although they will be sequestered during the workshop.

If you have questions about the contraindications, the refund policy or the Breathwork in general, please feel free to call Dori at 509-928-3948 or email [email protected]

expectations

Your presence for the entire time on both days is required for your benefit and the benefit of the group. The integration time at the end of Saturday is important for a smooth transition to the outer world. In order to allow yourself maximum permission to dive in deeply, it is advisable to avoid making social plans for Saturday after the workshop. This is an opening experience thus the continuation of insights, feelings and awareness often occurs during the days following the workshop. If possible, let Sunday to be a day of rest and relaxation, creative expression, contact with nature or people who support you in your exploration of non-ordinary states of consciousness. Post-workshop individual sessions can be scheduled to facilitate a deeper integration of the holotropic experiences ($75-95 per hour).