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Integrative Breathwork – Relaxation for the body, opening for the soul
Integrative breathwork works with different breathing techniques aiming at integrating body, soul and spirit. The breath is used as an interface of these levels of human experience as it is a physical function which can be influenced rather easily, which is closely related to emotional experiences and which has been used as a powerful access to meditation.  
Liberating the breathing from blocks is a crucial step to emotional and holistic healing. Integrative breathwork uses a combination of different methods which are adapted to the actual needs of the client. So the breathing patterns of a client can be optimised which is connected to releasing psychological tensions. Without pressure or directive interventions, the inherent tendency of the client’s breathing to deepening and strengthening is supported. This can be done by using specific music, verbal instructions and physical interventions. According to the personality structure of a person or a given problem, the deepening of the breathing can go into deeper relaxation or cathartic emotional expression, and often, one session has different phases usually coming to an end in profound relaxation.  
An integrative breathwork session is commonly connected with verbal exchange before or after the breathing cycle. It can be easily combined with other methods of psychotherapy e.g. counselling, imaginative techniques, hypnotherapy etc.  
Excellent practical results can be reported in cases of different physical problems, especially breathing problems, stress, psychological disorders. It is a way to self experience on a deep level and to transpersonal opening. A session usually needs one to two hours until the deepest level of relaxation and of positive feelings is reached.
 
 
 
Literature: 
 
Dowling Catherine: Rebirthing and Breathwork. A Powerful Technique for Personal Transformation. London: Piatkus 2000 
 
Ehrmann Wilfried: Handbuch der Atemtherapie. Ahlstedt: Param 2004 
 
Platteel-Deur Tilke: Die Kunst der Integrativen Atemtherapie. Die Vergangenheit auf Seelenebene heilen. Verlag Der Rheinländer o.J. (2010)
Rebirthing – Connected Breathing
Breathing is an exchange between our inner self and the atmosphere which surrounds us. When we are breathing, we do not only inhale oxygen but also the reality around us. This is why an optimal way of breathing is crucial for our physical and emotional well-being. On the physical level, our way of breathing has a deep impact on the health of our inner organs which depend on the level of oxygen in the blood. But our breathing influences also the mental and spiritual aspects of our being. 
Rebirthing or conscious breathing is a specific technique of breathing. We are breathing relaxed as most people do during deep sleep. The inhale is connected to the exhale. We can experience the breathing as a circle which supplies the body with fresh energy on the inhale and relieves it from toxins and old patterns on the exhale. This breathing pattern initiates a natural cleansing process on the physical and mental level. Feelings and body sensations can arise which are connected to unresolved experiences in our past and which can be integrated with the help of the breath. Step by step, blocks are resolved which inhibit the free flow of the energy in the body. 
Compared to many other modern techniques of breathing, rebirthing is characterized by an exclusive concentration on the breathing. A relaxed and open breathing profile is considered as key to our inner self. Each thought and each emotion can be seen as form of energy which finds its expression as a breathing pattern. So we see the value of this technique as we have to change our breathing when body and mind need to be healed. 
The name Rebirthing was formed by Leonard Orr in the seventies and refers to the feeling of being newborn which is often experienced after the breathing session. Memories of one’s birth can also arise during the breathing process. But rebirthing should not be mistaken for working with past lives or previous incarnations.
 
 
Literature:  
 
Dowling Catherine: Rebirthing and Breathwork. A Powerful Technique for Personal Transformation. London: Piatkus 2000 
Griebl Günther: Die Schwingen der Freiheit. Rebirthing- die Wiedergeburt der Lebensfreude. München: Theta 1988 
Minett Gunnel: Rebirthing. Heilung für Körper und Seele. München: Droemer-Knaur 1997
Holotropic Breathing
Holotropic Breathing was developed by Dr. Stanislav Grof und Christina Grof in the seventies. Holotrop means: Moving towards wholeness. Grof said, "that we are not really whole in our normal state of consciousness; we are fragmented and identified with only a glimpse of what we truly are." 
 
In Holotropic Breathwork, accelerated breathing and evocative music evoke extraordinary states of consciousness which intiates deep healing processes. Holotropic experiences have been induced and practiced over thousands of years in many cultures, using rhythmical dances, drumming, chanting, meditation, changes in breathing and ritual use of psychodelic substances. The healing, transformational and developmental potential of holotropic breathing draws a new map of the human psyche. 
 
Due to his intense research with extraordinary states of consciousness, Grof had to expand the conventional western concept of the psyche by two big realms. Besides holotropic experiences on the biographical level, people experience also the access to the area of birth and to the transpersonal level. So holotropic breathwork also provides important contributions to transpersonal psychology and to the understanding of "spiritual crisis". 
 
A holotropic breathwork session which lasts about two hours or more is not focussed around a certain "issue", as opposed to other methods of psychotherapy. It is crucial to let go of any expectations and concepts at the beginning of the session. Grof talks about an inner radar system which selects automatically the most relevant and emtionally loaded material from the unconsciousness and brings it to the surface. 
 
Holotropic breathwork is offered mainly in groups but also in single sessions. Thematically accentuated music is used as additional tool.
Integrative Breathing Gymnastic
Breath – Movement - Voice 
 
„Integrative Breathing Gymnastik“ is a summary of very different highly affecting exercises from a various directions of breathing. These will bring us fast out of the mindsided state into the here and now.
They let physical and psychic tension flow off, open the path to a more free and deeper breathing and open a sensual access to your own physicality.
 
Also the own voice will be lured out of it´s prison. We release the emotional tension which weighs on our shoulders with sighing, moaning, screeming and sound and find silence in us. Mindful touching exercises build bridges to the "you".
 
The exercises are simple to practice and suitable for all groups of age. It is simple to implement them into educational, therapeutic, social or creative activities. They have prooven best at:
reduced breathing
frequent colds
physical and psychic stress
acute and chronic tension
nervosity, lack of concentration and sleep
chronic introvertion, silent voice
feeling of isolation and depression
Interactive Breathing
Interaction is part of every guided breathwork session. Yet verbal exchange is usually very restricted to supportive words of the facilitator and feedback from the breather. In interactive breathing though, verbal exchange has more space. 
 
In this method, the client gets prepared for the possibility of talking during the session. He has the choice of responding to a question from the facilitator or not according to his inner state. The session starts with focusing on breathing in a deeper way, possibly supported by music. After ten to twenty minutes, when the breath is flowing and the attention of the client is with the breathing, the facilitator can gently start to ask questions related to the sensations and feelings of the breather. It is important to leave enough time for the client as he should not interrupt the breathing process abruptly but respond out of this process, still in connection with the flow of breath.  
 
So there should be as much verbal contact as possible without disturbing the breathing process. By this, the breather connects cognitive and emotional levels and keeps a certain amount of control of the process. 
 
As a general guideline, verbal exploration should start with body sensations, which is the basic information we can be aware of. Feelings consist of sensations and images consist of feelings. Finally, thoughts can arise from sensations, feelings and images with a different quality when compared to mind-generated thoughts. 
Coherent Breathing
How to achieve more relaxation and equanimity? 
How to care for conserving our health? 
This book explains the way to breath-heart-coherence: With coherent breathing, we balance our autonomic nervous system and improve our heart rate variability. 
You find everything you need for understanding the method and using it for yourself. It is recommended for anyone interested in one‘s health and well-being and for all who support others in helping and therapeutic professions. 
With coherent breathing, you can harmonize your autonomic nervous system and attune heart rate and blood circulation. This method not only helps to release stress and to easily regain calmness, but also strengthens your resilience to strain. On the physiological level, it supports the heart in managing blood circulation. Thus it is helpful with irregularities and problems of the heart and the blood circulation. Many people suffer from high blood pressure, and this can be corrected by practicing coherent breathing.
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