My journey into the transformative world of breathwork began during my first profound encounter with Mother Ayahuasca in the serene Spanish countryside near the Mediterranean coast. This sacred amazonian plant is for good reason called 'the vine of the soul'.

Immersed in a shared sacred space with like-minded seekers and guided by skilled Peruvian shamans, I felt the doors to higher consciousness slowly opening...

After a weekend of two long nights in the embrace of Ayahuesca and its deep transformation, we ventured to a nearby coastal town to bask in the sun, rest and integrate our profound experiences.

It was there that someone introduced me to the legendary Wim Hof, famously known as the "Ice Man," and his awe-inspiring "mind over body" techniques, rooted deeply in the power of breath.

Back in London, my curiosity ignited, I delved into everything I could learn about Wim Hof. The idea of a weekend workshop combining intense breathwork and ice baths felt like a calling—and a challenge. As someone who had always detested the cold, this felt like an opportunity to grow beyond my self-imposed perceived limits. The workshop proved unforgettable, offering not only the theory and practice of powerful breath techniques but also meditation and the art of staying present. By the end, I found myself immersed in an ice-cold bath—an experience I previously thought unimaginable. This remarkable feat became my personal gateway into understanding further the profound interplay between mind and body.

I was so empowered by this transformative weekend, I became a regular at Hampstead Heath’s Ladies Pond and the Hyde Park's Serpentine lido, challenging myself to swim in the frigid waters of early mornings few times a week, even during the coldest winter months. Starting with mere seconds in the icy embrace on my first swim, I gradually built my resilience to 25-minute swims—a testament to the strength and discipline cultivated through breathwork.

Although Wim Hof’s methods brought breathwork into modern mainstream awareness, I later discovered its ancient roots. Breathwork practices in various forms have been embraced for centuries, if not millennia. My curiosity expanded, leading me to explore Tantric Breathwork, Holotropic techniques, rebirthing practices, Shamanic Breathwork, and Somatic Embodied Breathwork. Each modality opened a new door, offering its unique gifts of healing, energy, and insigh to me.

My favorite breathwork practice is Holotropic Breathwork which I have tried several occassions —a transformative journey through rhythmic, intentional hyperventilation. As the session progresses, I feel immense waves of warm, shifting energy coursing through my body and flowing through my chakras. On two occassions I experienced Kundalini Rising some of my most blissful experiences of my life, resulting in an intense crygasm (emotional release while crying), removal of blockages and a profound peace. The experience gently dissolves the ego, leaving me immersed in pure awareness and consciousness. In this state, the constructs of time and space fade away, revealing the raw beauty of the present moment, an indescribable love, and a sense of eternity.

This practice can be deeply healing, allowing for the release of tensions, including those stored at the cellular level, and freeing what no longer serves me. Breath truly becomes a substance, capable of producing our own DMT—a doorway into profound states of being, whether through breath, deep meditation, or other sacred practices.

As with anything there are contraindications to intense breathwork or any psychedelics, for example people with schizophrenia, bipolar should stay away from any mind altering experience which could cause further deterioration of their state.

What ever intense breathwork or any other mind altering practices we would like to go ahead with, we need a safe and comfortable set and setting alongside a sitter who would assist if need be. The landscape of our inner psyche can take all sorts of turns and it is safest to have a kind soul next to us to comfort if need be. I have seen all sorts of various reactions during Holotropic Breathwork sessions where people can as well revisit deep past traumas in their state of deep inner journeying where assistance can be crucial.

Since embarking on my breathwork journey, my curiosity has only deepened. I have read various books on breath, its benefits and experience. Each practice reveals more of the unseen world, and I eagerly look forward to uncovering the limitless mysteries that lie beyond the veil. Meditation, breathwork, occassional psychonautics, Tantra and other sacred practices can all help to put pieces of puzzle together.

With Breathing Wishes

Joy xx