In case you haven't seen it, the AHBI (Association for Holotropic Breathwork International) has a good comprehensive description of HB. Great place to find ways to describe it for yourself, or to which you can point others to get answers to FAQs: http://www.grof-holotropic-breathwork.net/page/hb-faqs
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Hi Bonnie,
I am happy to share what I can. There is a woman in North Carolina who trained with Stan Grof and is willing to travel to facilitate the sessions. I met her at an IANDS (International Association For Near Death Experiences) meeting. There is an IANDS group that meets once a month on the north side of Chicago. She requested that the group be limited to 4 individuals. She will be the sitter for all 4 of us. We have begun a special diet and will be gathering from about 5 on Friday until about noon on Sunday. The breathing session will go from noon to about 7 on Saturday.
I had been considering a descent to do the Ayahuasca for some time and decided to do it after my first experience with Stan. There are many ways to engage non ordinary consciousness and I think the plants are more powerful. This view was further strengthened last September when I participated in another HB session with Stan and Tav and heard the comments of members of my group. I am grateful that the Shaman we worked with, Juan Flores, has great range and compassion. My first two sessions (we did 5 in all over a period of about 12 days) were very difficult. I felt I was just beginning to learn how to work with non ordinary consciousness when it was time to leave. I agree with Stan's view that non ordinary consciousness is a powerful therapeutic technique because the material is going to come from the individual no matter what orientation or philosophy the therapist holds. What I can tell you is that my ego was unbelievably distressed during those first sessions. Even though my ego consciousness was aware (was chorded) with the experience, it had nothing to say about any of it (that is, it had nothing to say about what I was going to experience). If you would like to see the place I went to, you can see a wonderful youtube of Mayantuyacu. Put in the words Juan Flores and Ayahuasca and look for the segment that is about 81/2 minutes. The segment was blended with the sound studio of someone in Canada who has worked with Juan for many years. Juan has been doing Shamanic work since very early in his life.
Hi Sharon: Thanks so much for sharing. You have a way of articulating your experience in a way that is very clear and easy to follow--especially for a topic that can feel extremely foreign for many people. It sounds like a powerful ordeal, and I can certainly see how your "ego/self" must have been distressed. I checked out the video you suggested, and of course, found many more on the topic at the same time. One can get a good feel for some of it through video, but no doubt there's much more that can't be described in words.
Meanwhile, I forget if you are a member of the shamanism group, but your post would certainly be welcomed and appreciated there as well if you're willing or have a chance to copy and paste it.
And, just for clarification for anyone reading this exchange--since this is in the Holotropic Breathwork group--of course, Grof Holotropic Breathwork doesn't use external substances but rather uses the breath and evocative music to enter a non-ordinary state. In my opinion, It is hard, though, to separate everything--particularly since Stan was first (and maybe still most) known for his clinical work with LSD.
Again, thanks. I hope you have had a chance to integrate your experiences a bit--though it sounds like it may take some time.