What is Breathwork?
Breathwork is a general term describing numerous available modalities that use the breath as a main tool for exploring alternate states of consciousness, meditation as well as in therapy.
People around the world, seeing the power of it, have used breath as a healing tool since ancient times. Even Latin words for breath and spirit are the same. Breathwork utilizes conscious manipulation or controlling of breathing patterns to achieve a certain desired results. The amounts of O2 and CO2 we take in, expel or maintain in our blood levels have direct effect of on our physical bodies and well-being. Various breathwork modalities make use of scientific information available to us about effects of levels oxygenation on our organism. These modalities utilize special breathing techniques, which support increasing or decreasing levels of oxygen in our body to achieve a desired result.
A direct connection between our breath and our emotional responses is utilized by many existing Breathwork modalities. Many modern body-oriented psychotherapy modalities, such as Bioenergetic Therapy founded by Alexander Lowen, as well as mainstream therapies rooted in foundation of the work of famous body-oriented psychologist Wilhelm Reich use breath as one of their main tools.
A famous psychologist and LSD researcher Stanislav Grof, a creator of Holotropic Breathwork and a pioneer in this field, popularized breathwork in the West and brought this approach to the worldwide community of personal seekers. Focus of Holotropic Breathwork is on exploring alternate states of consciousness.
BBTRS – BioDynamic Breathwork & Trauma Release
BBTRS created by Giten Tonkov is a therapeutic approach that uses breath as a main tool with the help of supporting elements such as movement, touch, sound, conscious emotional expression and meditation to support trauma release and healing on the somatic level. BioDynamic Breathwork heals trauma by releasing core tension and supporting clients to complete arrested trauma-related Fight/Flight or Dissociated responses.
Breathwork when administered by a skilled facilitator with proper knowledge, intention and suitable context has a potential to release the effects of long unresolved traumas, thus supporting general healing of our physical organism and psyche. Breath work can prevent an onset of debilitating and potentially life-threatening trauma-related diseases. Conscious use of breath by many existing breathwork modalities can help individuals to live with vitality and radiant health.
