My Experience with Shamanic Breathwork

Have you ever felt like you’re stuck in a rut, unable to make decisions and feeling anxious and overwhelmed? I’ve been there, and I know how it feels. While backpacking in Southeast Asia I stumbled upon this technique known as shamanic Breathwork, a powerful practice that combines deep breathing techniques with spiritual exploration.

Breathwork is an ancient technique that has been used for centuries to promote healing, personal growth, and spiritual development. In recent years, shamanic breathwork has gained popularity as a powerful tool for self-exploration and transformation. I had the opportunity to experience this myself during a shamanic breathwork session in a serene villa in the heart of Bali.

What is Shamanic Breathwork?

Shamanic breathwork is a form of breathing exercise that involves deep, rhythmic breathing to enter into an altered state of consciousness. In a session, you lie down and breathe in a fast, continuous, connected rhythm to music or drumming, with a facilitator guiding the group.

As a named method, Shamanic Breathwork was created by Linda Star Wolf, founder of Venus Rising Association for Transformation. She trained in Stanislav Grof’s Holotropic Breathwork and blended it with shamanic teachings and depth psychology. Shamanic traditions are old, but this breathing method is modern. Older practices like pranayama usually slow the breath down instead.

Shamanic breathwork is an excellent tool for many healthy adults looking to break free from their limiting beliefs and connect with their inner selves.

My Experience with Shamanic Breathwork

I discovered shamanic breathwork while on a trip to a small village in Bali, Indonesia. I was feeling overwhelmed and looking for a way to escape the fast pace of my business routine. That’s when I stumbled upon a shamanic breathwork workshop, and it piqued my interest.

The facilitator, Krishna with two tattoos on his hands was no less than an urban monk to me. The long ponytail and brown mix white hair was telling he had easily lived for more than fifty years on this planet. Krishna was a long-time traveller who had spent long time in India and South America. He was a US citizen who had been living in Bali for many years.

The location

For us, the event took place in a peaceful setting surrounded by Bali’s lush rice fields. The location was a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, offering a tranquil environment that was conducive to deep self-exploration and healing.

The surroundings were simple, yet beautiful. The rice fields stretched out as far as the eye could see, providing a stunning backdrop for the transformative breathwork session. The location was quiet and serene, with the only sounds being the gentle rustling of the wind through the rice stalks.

The natural beauty and simplicity of the surroundings helped to create a calming and supportive atmosphere that was essential for the participants to explore their inner selves.

The experience

It started with rhythmic breathing and a little bit of explanation around the work. A few words about pranayama and then shamanism and music. Then the master asked for our consent to touch our bodies. At that time, I had no clue what am I about to enter in and why this consent was even there… was it going to be too intense that someone had to touch my body to bring me back?

At first, the breathing was slow and steady, and I felt relaxed. However, as the session progressed, the breathing became more intense, and I could feel my body reacting in a way that I had never experienced before.

I felt a rush of emotions, and it was overwhelming. I was going through a lot of anxiety and delayed decisions, and at one point, I had to let go and surrender to what the universe was telling me to do.

After almost 30 minutes I found myself slowly letting go of all emotions! By this time my body was stiff and I couldn’t move any part of it. I felt my lips had taken a round shape and got glued to each other. I felt little tingling in my fingers that slowly spread all over my body… Sensations, thoughts and pictures of jungle and water! where was I?

As I continued to breathe, I found myself in a deep meditative state. I had never felt so connected to my inner self before. It was a surreal experience, and I could feel my body and mind being transformed.

I could hear people crying in fear and agitation around me! Some times Krishna was touching different parts of our body to bring us back to the body. You could hear the music in the background whenever you were coming back to the consciousness.

Eventually, the breathing slowed down, and the session came to an end. I felt a sense of calm wash over me, and it was a blissful experience.

After the event

Once the experience ended, Krishna asked us to drink water and to not drive vehicle for another 30 minutes. I tried to stand up and walk but I couldn’t. So I decided to dip my feet in the pool and sit in silence. Everyone around had blissful smiles on their faces. Next few days were decisive. I could see everything around me much clearly than before… I knew it was something incredible.

Why You Might Wanna Try Shamanic Breathwork

For me, shamanic breathwork was a way to break free from limiting beliefs and connect with my inner self.

The stiff body, the round, “glued” lips and the tingling I felt are typical effects of over-breathing. As CO2 drops, the blood chemistry shifts. Research on breathwork in general shows a small to medium effect on self-reported stress, according to a 2023 meta-analysis of 12 trials. I couldn’t find any controlled trials of Shamanic Breathwork itself.

In today’s busy lifestyle, it’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind and forget about our inner selves. As the most advertised generation ever, we rarely sit still long enough to notice. Shamanic breathwork is a way to slow down, connect with your breath, and tap into your inner self.

If you’re interested in trying shamanic breathwork, there are many resources available to help you get started. You can search for workshops and retreats in your area or online. It’s essential to find a reputable facilitator who can guide you through the process and create a safe and supportive environment.

What it gave me

My experience with shamanic breathwork was life-changing. I recommend it to anyone who is healthy enough for it and wants to connect with their inner self and find inner peace. You might be surprised at what you discover. For me, it unlocked decisions I had been delaying.

It is also part of the wider shift toward consciousness work I see among travellers, and it made me look harder at why we do what we do.

Shamanic breathwork FAQ

What is shamanic breathwork?

Shamanic Breathwork is a modern breathing practice created by Linda Star Wolf. You lie down and breathe in a fast, continuous, connected rhythm to music or drumming, with a facilitator guiding the group. Afterwards, you talk through or reflect on what came up.

Is shamanic breathwork safe?

For most healthy adults with a trained facilitator, it is generally well tolerated, but it is intense. Facilitators usually screen out people with heart conditions, high blood pressure, glaucoma, seizures or pregnancy. A history of psychosis or panic attacks is another reason to talk to a doctor first.

Why do hands tingle or cramp during breathwork?

Fast breathing lowers the carbon dioxide in your blood, which shifts its pH and lowers ionized calcium. That causes tingling around the mouth and in the hands, and sometimes cramping or stiffness, which fades once breathing returns to normal.

How is shamanic breathwork different from holotropic breathwork?

Holotropic Breathwork was developed by Stanislav and Christina Grof as a method of self-exploration and therapy. Linda Star Wolf trained in it and built Shamanic Breathwork on top, adding shamanic teachings, ritual and depth psychology.