The science and psychology of transformational states of consciousness.
Transformational or ‘non-ordinary’ states of consciousness can be powerful tools for personal growth and development, making them particularly valuable in executive coaching programs. By incorporating these altered states of awareness into their development, executives can unlock new perspectives, enhance creativity, and foster personal transformation that directly impacts their professional performance.
Research in neuroscience and psychology suggests these altered states of consciousness can provide -
enhanced neuroplasticity
heightened mental clarity and focus
enhanced emotional intelligence and empathy
improved stress management and resilience
greater capacity for complex decision-making
profound shifts in perspective
and much more.
Transformational states can be accessed via several evidence-based practices.
In our Australian practice, we primarily focus on Breathwork to achieve such a state.
The modern development of Breathwork for altering states of consciousness.
Breathwork has its roots in traditional healing and mystic practices that have been around for thousands of years. For instance, Pranayama, still practised today, is thought to have originated around the fifth century BCE and is mentioned in early yogic texts such as the Bhagavad Gita. Qigong is another breath practice that originated around 4,000 years ago and is still widely used today.
In its modern form, Breathwork is a generic term for various breathing practices that focus on conscious control of breathing, generally for improving health, relaxation, and generating altered states of consciousness. Those styles focussed on a safe and natural way to explore non-ordinary states of consciousness revolve around intensive breathing processes.
Often profound in their effect, these techniques are not for general everyday situations. Instead, participation in such practices often takes place as a part of specialised workshops and retreats as a psychological and emotional circuit breaker or intervention. They reliably induce altered states that can be harnessed to reset the mind, loosening old habits of thought and behaviour. Participants often describe such practices as feeling like ‘ten years of growth’ in a day.
Breathwork as a drug-free alternative to psychedelic medicines.
Contemporary research into the use of Breathwork for altering states of consciousness was born out of the altogether different, yet in some ways related, realm of psychedelic medicines. Research during the 1950s and ‘60s demonstrated that such medicines were highly effective in treating people with a range of psychological conditions, along with those seeking growth and transformation.
But then the US Congress enacted the Controlled Substances Act in 1970, placing hallucinogenic drugs into Schedule 1—the category reserved for those considered most dangerous and with no medical benefit—bringing research and its funding to a screaming halt virtually overnight.
Many psychotherapists gave up on researching psychedelic compounds and transformational states at that point. However, a psychiatrist named Stanislav Grof was not to be deterred. At the time, Grof was a clinical and research Fellow at the Henry Phipps Clinic, part of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. At the time these new restrictions were passed, he had already spent years studying the effects of LSD and its impact on altered states of consciousness, along with how it could be used in psycho-spiritual healing and growth.
Joined by his wife, Christina Grof MD, they searched for alternative legal methods of inducing such altered states, ultimately developing an approach based on fast and intense breathing in the early 70s. They named this approach Holotropic Breathwork after the Greek words holos, meaning whole, and trepein, meaning to move toward. Moving toward wholeness.
They found their breathing techniques allowed people to reach fully hallucinogenic states without the use of banned substances. Others in the fields of psychology and psychospiritual development started developing similar practices around the same time, with similar results.
The benefits.
Breathwork is not just a technique; it's an experience that allows for a drug-free way to explore deep psychological realms, facilitating profound personal insights and opportunities for change. Our normal defences are down-regulated, and our inner dialogue quietens down. We are more open to new options and new ideas. And we give the unconscious mind the space and opportunity to do a little rewiring (Eyerman, J., 2013).
Common experiences include -
‘…a profound sense of calm’.
‘…waves of gratitude seemed to wash over me’.
‘…I felt like I was floating just outside my body, yet still incredibly present at the same time’.
‘…I felt more connected to my body than I could remember having ever been, and my mind and emotions were in a state of elated calm’.
‘…a powerful sense of the cathartic - like I’d received an emotional enema via a firehose’.
Some research has specifically identified a reduction in activity in the brain’s Default Mode Network (DMN), temporarily reducing “chatter” between its component regions (Rhinewine, J. P., & Williams, O. J., 2007). Like a “reboot” of the brain, this interruption of the DMN allows a break from rigid patterns of thought and behaviour.
The brain, freed of the controls normally imposed by the DMN, can enter a state of consciousness that is less dominated by our usual beliefs and more open to new ways of thinking and feeling, while also allowing greater access to unconscious material without the usual sense of judgment.
How we do it.
It’s simple. Join me for our regular two-day Breathwork intensive retreat. During this time, you will explore altered states of consciousness safely and naturally, unlocking deep personal insights and learning how to integrate your transformative experience with your personal and professional goals.
Whether you're a curious individual seeking personal growth or a professional looking to reach your full potential, this retreat is designed for you.
References
1. Eyerman, J. (2013). A Clinical Report of Holotropic Breathwork in 11,000 Psychiatric Inpatients in a Community Hospital Setting, Psychedelics in Psychology and Psychiatry, Spring Vol.23 (1).
2. Rhinewine, J. P., & Williams, O. J. (2007). Holotropic breathwork: The potential role of a prolonged, voluntary hyperventilation procedure as an adjunct to psychotherapy. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 13(7), 771–776.