Holotropic Breathwork Training
So you figure out how to perform holotropic breathing and discovered the holotropic breathwork benefits , so you’ve been wondering about holotropic breathwork training in order to help others have the same experience? Logically the next step will be to find some training so that you’re suitably qualified to be able to do so. Holotropic breathwork training requires you to undertake 600 hours of training before you’re deemed competent enough to teach; some other schools or types of breathwork will not set the bar so high, which is a good thing as your followers or students will be aware of the quality.
Training for traditional holotropic breathwork is done through the Grof Transpersonal Training, which Stanislav stepped away several years ago to establish a new school, so if you hoped to learn from one of the creators, Stanislav Grof, then you’ll have to seek out training through his relatively recent new courses. This new training, established in 2020, is said to represent his life’s work and be the legacy he leaves behind; it has helped educate and train many people in the art of transformational breathing since the ’60s. He’s now in his early 90’s.
His most current wife, Brigitte, assists other independent teachers in working with altered states of consciousness through holotropic breathwork.
Holotropic Breathwork And Stanislav Grof
This original methodology is taught under the Grof Transpersonal Therapy (GTT) brand, with the trademark Holotropic Breathwork owned by Tav & Cary Sparks. Initially created by Stanislav and Cristina Grof and now taught by many of their trained students throughout the world, if you’re considering becoming a facilitator yourself, this might be where to get started.
Under their guidance, GTT grew and has since given rise to thousands of students across the globe who can reach others in need of help. Originally developed to replace the LSD that had been made illegal, Stan and Cristina sought a new way to recreate the same experiences they had encountered whilst experimenting with LSD. Reasoning that the body could access these altered states of consciousness without mind-altering substances, he developed the breathwork based system instead, which gives access to similar life-altering visions and healing.
After partnering with Tav and Cary Spark to expand their operations, Stan and Cristina concentrated more on lectures, talks and educating those interested in their ways. Tav and Carey assumed the running of workshops and student training courses in order for this treatment to become more widely accepted and acknowledged for the ability to heal.
Holotropic Breathwork Training
The co-creator of this expansive and exploratory breathing style, he developed this along with his wife at the time, Cristina. He is considered a pioneer in this field and highly regarded and respected for the work he’s done over the last few decades. If you’d like to become trained in this GTT Holotropic Breathwork, then you have two options:
- Practitioner (facilitator)
- Educational
Both paths will deepen your knowledge and understanding, but only practitioners can host and lead independent sessions based on the guidelines and format. To find out more about them and potentially book yourself into a class or course, we recommend visiting their website, which is here.
Naturally, to become a facilitator, the requirements for additional modules and more extensive training are in place, including being a floater in other teachers’ classes. You must be a Certified Holotropic Breathwork® facilitator before running your own classes, retreats or events. For those who have trained, the expectation to attend refreshers, participate in classes led by others and seek out CPD courses is there, in some cases being a requirement.
Therefore this route is a serious ongoing commitment.
How Do I Learn Holotropic Breathwork
When you decide that a new path is calling, start off by doing do some research, so when the opportunity to retrain presents itself, the first step is trying it yourself. While this isn’t a pre-requisite for learning holotropic breathwork, it is helpful in that gain insights into modules before deciding if the path is right for you.
Should you decide to progress and learn how to perform holotropic breathwork, then your options are:
- Find a class or session nearby.
- Search for and book onto a multi-day retreat
- Schedule a virtual one-to-one or group session
- Watch some videos and tutorials online.
- Read books, articles or content that will give you foundational knowledge or theoretical one but can’t replace the first-hand experience.
How Do I Learn Holotropic Breathwork As A Beginner
For complete beginners into the world of holotropic breathwork, it is not generally advised to have a go at this on your own at home, but instead to seek out guidance from a suitably trained person. This allows for the best experience possible within a safe environment; reading up beforehand or watching some videos can be helpful for some people although, it could lead to some preconceived ideas or expectations.
With this or any other therapeutic practise, your inner guidance can serve as the best informant, and by attending a session or two in-person or led by a trained facilitator, you can get the most from your time.
Conclusion
If you would like to potentially explore holotropic breathwork to become a teacher or facilitator yourself, then a good starting point will be to participate in sessions. In many situations, these initial sessions can count towards your overall hours retrospectively should you decide to venture down the path of becoming an instructor.
The reality is that until you’ve tried it first hand, it will be challenging to know if you want to train in this field unless, of course, your inner guidance is so strong that you almost feel magnetized to do so. Take caution when getting started if you have suffered or are still suffering from health conditions or have undergone recent surgery.
In this case, seek guidance from a registered healthcare professional; this is very important as specific issues can be contraindications and prevent you from taking part. Please do check our other articles for further insights into holotropic breathwork as a healing modality and possible treatment for you.
Want to learn more about psychedelics and holotropic breathwork? Take a look at our Ultimate Psychedelics and Mental Wellness Guide!
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