Holotropic Breathwork weekend 

Dance with all the senses

31 May- 2 June 2024  3day workshop in Warsaw

We invite you to join us for a 3day retreat with Holotorpic breathwork and Trance Dance® experience



The workshop "Dance with all the senses" emerged from the need to reconnect with the body, to experience oneself and others within a group. Through Trance Dance on the first day, we will deepen our connection with our senses and explore altered states of consciousness in preparation for holotropic breathwork sessions on the second day.

Holotropic breathwork was developed by Stanislav Grof, one of the pioneers of transpersonal psychology, and his wife, Christina. The method was inspired by Grof's earlier work with psychedelic therapy during a time when it was still legal. The results of this therapy, where patients experienced profound, often spiritual, experiences, were promising enough that after the legal restrictions were imposed, Grof worked extensively to develop a similar method that would allow for deep experiences of consciousness without the use of psychoactive substances.

Holotropic breathwork combines elements of shamanism, depth psychology, art therapy, and various group process mechanisms. It can be beneficial for individuals experiencing significant suffering (from traumatic experiences and difficult childhoods to various crises) as well as for those who are doing well and seeking an intense tool for deeper engagement with life. 

"A trance dance is a powerful experience, that invites you to return home, deep within yourself. In many contemporary forms of dance the emphasis lies on recreational and social aspects, such as watching and being watched. Trance dancing is usually not intended to communicate with the outside world, but takes place within the context of spirituality, personal growth and inner transformation. A contemporary trance dance is a powerful experience that invites you to drop your masks of limited conditioning and separation and come home deep within yourself." - we will use this technic as a preparation for Saturday breathwork sessions. 

WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE WORKSHOP?

Describing what you'll experience during these three days is complicated because the process can take unexpected turns. Trusting our inner wisdom and allowing it to guide the experience is one of the fundamental principles of this approach. It's uncertain whether the stories described in Grof's books will also happen to you. Therefore, while we want to provide an honest offer, we cannot promise what you'll definitely experience or take away from the workshop.

We want to emphasize that holotropic breathwork is not a method that magically solves all your life problems, especially after just one weekend workshop.

HEALING PAINFUL AND TRAUMATIC LIFE SITUATIONS - During sessions, you may repeatedly relive many unpleasant experiences, which are thus released and have less impact on us. This applies to both long-forgotten experiences (but still lingering in the depths of the psyche) and those we think about far too often.

SPIRITUAL AND MYSTICAL EXPERIENCES - Similar to many cultures where various shamanic techniques have been successfully used, spiritual experiences also occur quite often here. These may resemble descriptions from mystical literature. Regular practitioners of this method mention systematic, highly intensive spiritual practice.

SUPPORTIVE EXPERIENCES AND TOTAL ACCEPTANCE - Creating the right atmosphere is one of the most important tasks for the facilitators. This element is heavily emphasized during training. Both during preparations - which allows participants to open up more to the process - and during sessions, where facilitators are available as much as needed (often embracing someone for hours). For many participants, this is the first experience where they feel so safe and cared for.

TRUST IN ONESELF AND ONE'S OWN RESOURCES - Although understanding this usually comes after your own experience, the method is not based on suggestions or interventions by others, but on your own intuition and following your own process. Regardless of whether facilitators assisted in the process or not, the session ends with an increased sense of responsibility for changes in your life.

FULL EXPRESSION - Situations where you can allow for absolute expression, both physical and vocal (of course, with safety measures in place, which are heavily emphasized during the workshop). This alone can have a very strong therapeutic effect.

CONNECTING WITH SIMILAR PEOPLE - Very diverse people come to holotropic workshops, but they usually have one common denominator: a high level of openness, readiness to work on themselves and confront difficult truths about themselves, and acceptance of different processes of others, which allows for a very comfortable atmosphere to be created.

BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF ONE'S OWN LIFE - In a deep state of consciousness, various life situations often appear before your eyes, which sometimes come together as a whole that you hadn't seen before. Looking at them from a distance, you see much more than usual.

WORKING WITH EXPERIENCED FACILITATORS - The authorization to lead holotropic workshops is not obtained after a weekend workshop but is a process that lasts several years and involves very intensive training lasting at least several hundred hours. Therefore, you can be sure that the facilitators are experienced individuals in working with people and can help in very difficult situations.

ADVENTURE - Besides the therapeutic and spiritual aspects, there's also an adventurous and entertaining aspect. During sessions, along with many vivid memories, you may experience various kinds of visions, such as riding a horse, climbing a snowy peak, or feeling the urge to dance wildly and joyfully.

BETTER CONNECTION WITH THE BODY - Since the session deeply engages our body and involves many intense sensations, a side effect of regular practice with this method is much greater body awareness and getting rid of many blocks stored in it.

1st day:

Friday we meet the first day to learn about breathwork during introductin lecuture and sit in a opening cicrle. 

After lunch break we will learn more about Trance Dance to be able to dance all together in the evening. 

2nd day:

Saturday is dedicated to breathwork sessions, each participant gets one session as a breather and one as a sitter. 

3rd day: 

Sunday we focus on integration and landing.