Grof Breathwork
As part of her training and involvement in the Grof Legacy Training program (GLT), Lisa co-facilitates breathwork retreat days and weekends alongside fellow trainees and trainers of the course.
Grof Breathwork is an incredible tool to access and release deep seated pain, unprocessed unconscious material and trauma (especially very early trauma). The safe re-living of these experiences and the cathartic release of stored emotions associated with these experiences are experienced as being profoundly healing.
Holotropic states of consciousness can also give us access to material from the collective and universal consciousness, bringing us in touch with primal, archetypal and spiritual aspects of being, which often lead to an increased feeling of personal growth
Grof Breathwork is distinctively different to many other forms of breathwork and is deeply therapeutic. The breathwork sessions last approx 3 hours and are only conducted with specifically trained facilitators that can offer support and specific bodywork to help the cathartic release of emotions and trauma out of the body.
Grof Breatwork (formerly known as holotropic breathwork) was developed by Stand Grof and his wife Christina Grof after the therapeutic use of psychedlics was banned in the 1950ies and Stan could no longer continue his research and clinical work with LSD Psychotherapy.
Grof breathwork very safely brings us into altered stated of consciousness without any of the risks or legal issues that psychedelic therapy involves.
More about Grof Breathwork
Grof Breathwork (formerly known as “holotropic breathwork”) is a therapeutic breathing practice that is intended to help with emotional healing and personal growth. It was developed by the Psychiatrist and Transpersonal Psychotherapist Stan Grof, together with his wife, Christina Grof.
Stan Grof was one of the pioneering clinicians and researchers of psychedelic therapy in the early 1950ies, spending over 20 years researching the beneficial and healing benefits of these “holotropic” states of altered consciousness. After the medicinal use of psychedelics was banned in 1971, Stan developed “holotropic breathwork”, which allowed participants to experience deep, altered states of consciousness similar to those experienced in a psychedelic session, without the need of substances.
In a Grof Breathwork session, participants are instructed in a particular way of breathing. This together with evocative music and support from specifically trained facilitators, can lead participants into a deep space of altered consciousness. Stan Grof termed these “holotropic” states of consciousness.
In a holotropic state of consciousness, participants have access to unconscious material that is often not otherwise accessible to the conscious mind. This makes it an incredible tool to help with the healing of trauma and deep seated pain. Themes that for example often come up in holotropic states are birth, infancy and early childhood experiences and trauma. The safe re-living of these experiences and the cathartic release of stored emotions associated with these experiences are experienced as being profoundly healing.
Holotropic states of consciousness can also give us access to material from the collective and universal consciousness, bringing us in touch with primal, archetypal and spiritual aspects of being, which often lead to an increased feeling of personal growth.
Grof Breathwork sessions are a very safe way to explore holotropic states, as the participants themselves can regulate with their breath how far and deep they want to go.
Specially trained facilitators are with the participants at all times, offering support and special bodywork, to help the safe experience and release of any emotional material surfacing. Also, each participant has an assigned “sitter”, another fellow participant who doesnt engage in the breathwork, but sits beside the “breather” the entire time, offering practical help such as providing water, tissues, accompaniment to the bathroom, etc. whenever needed.