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Anyone have experience with holotropic breathing?


Jamie

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So, I just found out about this thing called holotropic breathing, which, from my limited experience of it, is something like a light trance state while hyperventilating to the point of inducing hallucinations and the like. I watched a video of it, read a bit, then hopped right in with a guided video.

 

About thirty seconds into breathing to the rhythm of some fast music, I got a pounding headache and my entire head and neck felt light and airy. I lasted about two minutes, until Gavin popped up and said, "No, no, no, you are going to pass out, this is not wise." I don't know what person could ever do two full hours without passing out.

 

So... I do not recommended this, if not for the immediately clear health risks, then just the fact that it was discomforting, even compared to long vipassana sessions. I think, had I continued, I probably could have hallucinated, but I don't think I would have had much control of my experience by that point. After I stopped the breathing, I felt a rush of adrenaline and started laughing, felt loopy for a hot minute.

 

I think solid meditation and perhaps mild sleep deprivation is a much better path to imposition. I have no plans to try this again- in fact, I feel a little silly for trying it.

 

Anyone else tried this? Had a better/worse experience? Those people who start shaking and things... they aren't acting. The effect is strong and quick- because, again, you're basically hyperventilating while in a light trance, until you're almost passed out.

 

-J

(switched back in just to hyperventilate and get a headache... sorry Cassidy...)

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I have hyperventilated before, but it was because I was stressed out and felt hopeless. Usually, passing out was the goal, not hallucinating.

 

What ended up happening is I probably sat there for 30-45 minutes hyperventilating and sobbing but I don't remember hallucinating. I eventually became so tired and exhausted that it overwhelmed my sadness and I eventually fell asleep for a crappy night's rest.

 

I am sensitive when my blood sugar or my carbon dioxide levels drop. It felt like a bad head rush only everything was tingling and I was dizzy. That lonely cold feeling must have been present too, because that's how I feel when remembering that.

 

Perhaps that moment when the despair turns into numbness saved me from pushing hyperventilating further. Some people who hyperventilate will actually pass out, but once passed out their body will fix their breathing pattern...or at least that's what I was told by a friend who worked in the medical field for 18 years.

 

Hyperventilation sucks. I don't recommend it.

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Seems to be pretty easy at least. Would it hurt to try just out of curiosity? I'm really bad at everything when it comes to keeping focus and hyperventilating is pretty much my strongest, if it was a meditation technique. Could do it to some 160bpm hardbass or something. I'll update if I end up having some experience, but I'll give up if it only brings too much pain.

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man when are people going to stop hurting themselves and their bodies to try and hallucinate? it just doesn't work, meditate instead

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I like that people are brave enough to try things, i've done things, but eh, one of the side effects of hyperventilation is constriction of the blood supply to the heart which can trigger heart failure. Unconsiousness is the leading side effect. Not worth the risk.

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Well, you're not supposed to do it for twenty minutes. Also, you're not supposed to do it alone. It was created by Stanislav Grof , who use to do LSD and DMT research, and his research in DMT was really interesting but it got shut down by the US. Here's the thing about DMT. Your brain makes it naturally, and there is evidence that it is regulated or connected to breathing. Under the right conditions, usually with a ritualistic process, people can have specific transpersonal experiences. Scaffolding is really important in these, other wise they can be random, and sometimes unpleasant.

 

I read a 'stormy Search for self,' by Stanislov, and am presently reading "When the impossible happens," and I recommend the first one, but leaning towards not recommending the second one, because, well, I don't know yet, except maybe it feels more like a rationalization for his personal perspective, which even though I agree with the perspective, I am not sure how his anecdotes increase the validity of that viewpoint. The breath technique works, and can introduce an altered state, but then, lots of things can bring on an altered state. If I remember right, holotropic breath technique is one of the chapters in "Get High Now: without drugs" by James Nestor. I am not fond of the name 'holotropic' breath work, and I am kind of in a perpetual state of 'perturbed' because some of Stanislov's books and research strongly advocate for LSD DMT, in clinical psychological settings, and then to turn and promote a 'weaker variation' which may or may not result in experiences that have therapeutic outcomes when you know for a fact that a shot of iowaska or DMT will result in an experience, then I have to wonder if a person is selling technique or science... I am really struggling to say this right. Stanislov seems more like a guru in the lines of Depak Chopra, where his earlier work, promoting clinical trials of substance of psychotherapeutic outcomes, seemed more legit.

 

But you don't have to do holotropic breathwork to have experiences. You can have them with meditation. the H B technique is another short cut, and not even a guarantee.

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Guest LanceReilyn

You shouldn't do it at all. I was trying to give first aid to a woman who had gone from an asthma attack to anxiety attack to hyperventilation to hypocapnia. She lost feeling in her arms and legs (also called "clubbing"), and started to become woozy and unresponsive, which increased her anxiety even more. When an ambulance finally arrived, the paramedics couldn't do anything for her besides wait and tell her to calm down.

 

"Because the brain stem regulates breathing by monitoring the level of blood CO2 instead of O2, hypocapnia can suppress breathing to the point of blackout from cerebral hypoxia"

 

Seriously, this is only slightly safer than beating one's head against a wall to "see funny stuff".

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Godnugget no! I don't want anyone to risk getting hurt. I talked with Xar and he won't try it, he said. Please don't! You can achieve hallucinations with sleeping pills easily, though I don't want Xar to risk anything for some quick visualization boost so no thanks. I just don't want any precious friends to get hurt, alright? I won't stop you if you want to try though (except Xar) but I just want you guys to know that it's not worth risking your health so much for something you can achieve safer. 

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You shouldn't do it at all. I was trying to give first aid to a woman who had gone from an asthma attack to anxiety attack to hyperventilation to hypocapnia. She lost feeling in her arms and legs (also called "clubbing"), and started to become woozy and unresponsive, which increased her anxiety even more. When an ambulance finally arrived, the paramedics couldn't do anything for her besides wait and tell her to calm down.

 

"Because the brain stem regulates breathing by monitoring the level of blood CO2 instead of O2, hypocapnia can suppress breathing to the point of blackout from cerebral hypoxia"

 

Seriously, this is only slightly safer than beating one's head against a wall to "see funny stuff".

 

all of that information is correct. holotropic breathing is a specific technique that is not 'hypventalating.' when it was first done, it was always done in the presence of a medical doctor, specifically a licensed psychiatrist. The techniques is now done by 'techs.' It is considered 'controlled breathing' and it is done under supervision, in a very specific way, and what I am writing an endorsement of the protocol, but just acknowledgement that this technique is out there, and no one should watch a youtube video and emulate, causes that's not scientific...

 

human beings have engaged in altering perceptions from the start. just spinning in circles as a kid is an exploration of altering perception. I personally couldn't do that, cause I'd sick up and loose interest really fast, but then there is that oh Sikh that took spinning to a level that I might sick up just watching, but they 'go' places...

 

But what my esteem peers have said: don't take short cuts. Like that other thread, the guy avoiding sleep to hallucinate... Not a great idea. This is not something to engage in lightly, but if one does, it should be done with trained experts...

 

If anyone wants a short cut that I can find no fault with, try to find an isolation tank in your area. they call them float spas now. I love float tanks. It's the closest to zero g you will get, and in the absence, technically minimal sensory input, the brain goes inwards for stimulation, and can sometimes hallucinate. No drugs. There are some folks in Australia using it because there is evidence it increases the healing rate, but this would be the equivalent of meditation on steroids... In the dallas fort worth metroplex, the place I go is called 'the float spot'

 

http://thefloatspot.com/

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