"What is Breathwork" (as adapted from an article by Peter Kane)

Breathwork involves breathing in a full, free manner (as guided by a trained breathworker); the result is an increase in the level of physical and spiritual energy in our body, thus cleansing the many tensions held there. The result of the physical cleansing is that the mental and emotional origins of tension come back into consciousness and can then be healed. By learning to breathe consciously and fully, we discover and release the core issues now held in our mind and emotions. The lineage that I practice from is called Rebirthing Breathwork.  It  was named Rebirthing because when Leonard Orr developed it in the early 70s both he and his first clients relived their births, discovering the tremendous impact birth had had on them. Rebirthing has since undergone many changes to become a more holistic process, addressing our entire childhood and life experience; some Rebirthers have not changed the name because understanding the birth experience is one of the valuable results of Rebirthing.

Breathwork sessions are about two hours in length and consist of counseling and the breathing process. The breathing process usually takes between an hour and an hour-and-a-half. The experience during the breathing portion varies from session to session, and from client to client. The most basic experience is usually described as tingling or vibrating. Breathworkers refer to this as an energy release, a cellular cleansing of tension stored in the body. This is a result of the breathing process increasing the level of physical and spiritual energy in the body, which washes away old tensions.

Most simply, rebirthing or breathwork begins by working with the physical body and as a result it cleanses the emotional and spiritual bodies. This almost always leaves the client in a state somewhere between peace and ecstasy.