Breathwork

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Breathwork refers to many forms of conscious alteration of breathing, such as hyperventilation or connecting the inhale and exhale, when used within psychotherapy or meditation. Proponents believe the technique may be used to attain alternate states of consciousness, and that sustained practice of breathwork techniques may result in spiritual or psychological benefits.

Contents

Origins of breathwork

Breathwork has been used as a label for yogic Pranayama and Tibetan Tantric Tummo, traditional spiritual practices from which the modern Western therapies most probably derive. Occasional use of the term Breathwork to describe Buddhist Anapanasati, “mindfulness of breathing” or "conscious breathing" appears to be misleading, because the meditator breathes naturally, without attempting to change the length or depth of the breath, simply observing it. This too can be debated as some practitioner would contend that whenever attention is focused and the object of attention changes, in this case breathing typically becomes longer, deeper and more relaxed.citation needed

While using movement, Tai Chi and Qigong also make conscious use of the breath.

When the modern breath-oriented therapies were first developed in the 1970s, they were often, as well as the previous spiritual and therapeutic history of breathwork, influenced by ideas from psychotherapy or the human potential movement.

Leonard Orr and Stanislav Grof are two practitioners from whose work many of the more recently created types of breathwork have derived the basis of their techniques.

Types of breathwork

Leonard Orr's style of Breathwork, Rebirthing-Breathwork is based on the technique of conscious connected breathing; connecting the inhale and exhale without pause or lock in between them. Stanislav Grof's Holotropic Breathwork can include hyperventilation, which Grof believes can aid emotional integration.1 Kris Cassidy's Breakthrough Breathwork uses connected breathing at different paces to open up to transformational energy.

Orr founded conscious breathing as one of the five aspects of spiritual purification that he still supports today. In his low intervention approach, there is breathing guidance at different points and no encouragement for movement or externalising emotion.

Grof founded conscious breathing that has a distinct emphasis on pressure and force on the breath where the sessions are client directed. In the background is loud and powerful drumming music that induces movement and emotion - some of which can be extreme - with specific support from trained facilitators who respectfully place pressure by touching certain points in the body that are tight or in "spasm". Grof's main interest is in the healing potential of non-ordinary states.

Kris Cassidy's Breakthrough Breathwork combines music, massage, and energy work with verbal support to facilitate profound physical, emotional, mental and spiritual breakthroughs. Physical movement and emotional release are encouraged to promote a deeper connection with the Higher Self. See more at www.breakthroughbreathwork.com

Over the last twenty years, the Western therapies centering on Breathwork have experienced greater diversity. They have developed into many different types such as Conscious Connected Breathing, Breakthrough Breathwork, Vivation, Transformational Breathwork, Radiance Breathwork, and others. Older techniques such as Yoga, Pranayama, Tai Chi, and Chi Kung are also offered as classes and written about in the West more frequently than in the past. New books about the modern forms of Breathwork are still being written.

Criticism

There have been several criticisms of breathwork's safety, with critics pointing out the well-known physiological dangers associated with hyperventilation, such as hypoxia. There is little peer reviewed scientific evidence of its effectiveness in treating illness.2 Although altering the breathing can be relaxing to some people, hyperventilation is also a symptom of panic disorder.

Some psychiatrists have suggested that more extreme forms of breathwork might bring about psychotic episodes in some people. Other believers in the earlier esoteric ideas underlying much Breathwork have also raised concerns about unskilful or premature psychospiritual awakening of patients or meditators.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Grof, S. "Physical Manifestations of Emotional disorders:Observations from the study of non-ordinary states of consciousness" in Exploring Holotropic breathwork: Selected Articles from a Decade of the Inner Door. Taylor, K [Ed.] Hanford Mead, 2003
  2. ^ ACS :: Breathwork

References

  • Lukoff, David; Lu Francis G. & Turner, Robert P. (1998) From Spiritual Emergency to Spiritual Problem: The Transpersonal Roots of the New DSM-IV Category. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 38(2), 21-50 [1]
  • Brown,R.P and Gerbarg,P.L "Sudarshan Kriya Yogic Breathing in the Treatment of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression: Part I Neurophysiologic Model" in The Journal of Alternative And Complementary Medicine, Vol 11, No 4, 2005, pp 189-201
  • Brown,R.P and Gerbarg,P.L "Sudarshan Kriya Yogic Breathing in the Treatment of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression: Part II Clinical Applications and Guidelines" in The Journal of Alternative And Complementary Medicine, Vol 11, No 4, 2005, pp 711-171
  • N.Janakiramaiah,B.N.Gangadhar,P.J.Naga Venkatesha Murthy,M.G.Harish,D.K.Subbakrishna,A.Vedamurthachar "Antidepressant efficacy of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga(SKY)in melancholia:a randomized comparison with electroconvulsive therapy(ECT) and imipramine", Journal of Affective Disorders, Vol 57, 2000, pp 255-259
  • Heyda, A., 2003, An Impact of Conscious Connected Breathing on Emotional States, The Healing Breath Journal – a Journal of Breathwork Practice, Spirituality and Psychotherapy, vol.5, no 2 p. 9-18 www.healingbreathjournal.org
  • Heyda, A., 2003b, "Application of Breathwork in Psychotherapy of Oncological Patients (Zastosowanie pracy z oddechem w psychoterapii pacjentów onkologicznych)", Reports Of Practical Oncology And Radiotherapy, vol.8, suppl.2, str 179
  • Heyda A,. Jurkowski MK, Głowala - Kosińska M, Czuba A, Składowski K, 2007, "Conscious Connected Breathing Training Decreases Level of Anxiety and Depression and Increases NK Cell Counts in Breast Cancer Patients: Preliminary Report". poster presentation, World Congress of Psycho-Oncology, London 17-19 September 2007, Psycho-Oncology, vol.16, no 9 suppl, September 2007, p.224-225
  • Heyda A, Jurkowski MK, Składowski K, 2008, Emotional Stress, Cortisol and Peripheral Blood Cells in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Breathork Training During Radical Radiotherapy, Psycho-Oncology, vol.17, no 6 suppl, June 2008, p.266-267
  • Rajski, P. 2002, "Alcoholism and Rebirthing.", International Journal for the Advancement of Counseling 24: 123-136
  • Rajski, P., Delgado, T., Dowling, C., Heyda, A., Sudres, JL., Vignali, E., 2003, Standards of Rebirthing-Breathwork as Therapy, The Healing Breath Journal – a Journal of Breathwork Practice, Spirituality and Psychotherapy, vol.5 no 3, p. 6-26, www.healingbreathjournal.org
  • Rubin B.K., 1983. "Cognitive, Affective and Physiological Outcomes of Rebirthing". Washington, American University.

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