- Introduction to Shamanic Breathing : Leo introduces a potent breathwork technique for healing, psychotherapy, and inducing psychedelic-like states solely through breathing. He emphasizes the profound, often underappreciated power of breath in releasing deeply wired emotional blockages in the subconscious.
- Stan Grof's Pioneering LSD Research : Stan Grof, a key figure in transpersonal psychology, conducted groundbreaking clinical trials with LSD in the '50s and '60s, aiding severely disturbed patients. His studies revealed patients' profound, often traumatic experiences leading to therapeutic breakthroughs.
- Government's Prohibition of LSD : After significant therapeutic findings, government crackdowns in the late '60s halted LSD research and clinical trials, impacting the progress of psychiatric treatment and setting back the potential benefits by decades.
- Invention of Holotropic Breathwork : In response to the LSD ban, Grof developed holotropic breathwork, a method for accessing similar states achieved with psychedelics, through intensive breathing practices. The technique is powerful, can lead to psychedelic-like states, and is practiced in workshops worldwide, with facilitators guiding participants through emotional experiences.
- Leo Gura's Shamanic Breathing Adaptation : Preferring independent personal development, Gura creates his own variation of breathwork, suitable for solo practice and therapeutic self-work, which he refers to as shamanic breathing.
- Underestimation of the Breath : Gura notes that despite breath's simplicity, it's intricately connected to the mind and body, capable of emotional healing, and inducing altered states of consciousness, with historical significance in various spiritual and shamanistic traditions.
- Warnings and Precautions : The shamanic breathing technique is powerful and poses risks including hallucinations, panic attacks, intense fear, psychological destabilization, and potential out-of-body experiences. Gura emphasizes caution and advises against practice for individuals with health issues like pregnancy, mental instability, or heart problems.
- Shamanic Breathing Practice Guidelines : Detailed preparation for the practice involves clearing sinuses, hydrating the mouth, and using chapstick to prevent dryness during the 30-minute mouth-breathing session. Gura stresses starting the practice gently and gradually increasing intensity to avoid strain.
- Preparation for Shamanic Breathing : Create a comfortable space on your floor with a flat carpet or blanket and pillows for support, ensuring ample room to stretch out without obstructions.
- Setting the Timer and Music : Set a timer for a 30-minute session and play relaxing or drumming music to aid the breathing process.
- Starting the Breathing Technique : Breathe through your mouth with an equal rhythm of inhalation and exhalation, continuously without pauses, focusing on both belly and chest breathing while lying flat like a "starfish".
- Maintaining Proper Pace : Ensure the breathing pace is steady and relaxed without overstraining or overfilling the lungs, avoiding excessive speeds or depth that can cause discomfort.
- Physical and Mental Experience Post 10 Minutes : Expect to feel physical tiredness in the mouth and throat, spinning sensations, and tingling in extremities as the oxygenation increases, leading to an altered state similar to a psychedelic experience.
- Emotional and Traumatic Responses : Be prepared for a range of emotions and potentially resurfacing traumas or memories, from ecstatic to frightening. It's important to observe these feelings post-session without judgment or resistance.
- Post-practice Mindfulness : After the 30-minute breathing session, spend an additional 10-20 minutes lying down, observing the altered state's peak and gradual decrease before returning to baseline.
- Ego Backlash Warning : Be aware of potential "ego backlash" after the session, where the mind tries to revert to its previous state. Remaining mindful can help mitigate these effects.
- Application Advice : Integration of the technique is key for transformative results, so Leo encourages actual practice over theoretical learning.
- Supplemental Technique : Shamanic breathing acts as a supplementary practice to enhance meditation and psychedelic explorations by processing emotional baggage before diving into deeper existential insights.
- Gradual Ramp-Up : Initially, you might start with 15-20 minutes of shamanic breathing and gradually increase to 30, later aiming for sessions beyond 60 minutes. Be cautious as longer sessions can lead to deep states of consciousness.
- Weekend Practice & Integration Time: It's recommended to practice shamanic breathing on weekends when you can take the next day to integrate the experience, as it can evoke emotional responses and disturb sleep patterns.
- Yearly Schedule : Committing to a once-a-week session for a year can transform and stabilize the psyche. This consistent practice helps release old emotions and neuroses, offering benefits similar to therapy.
- Intensive Week : Another approach is practicing daily for a week, then taking a few weeks off. This intense "Shark Week" for breathing can deeply cleanse accumulated emotional baggage.
- All-In-One-Day : A potent option is performing three 90-minute sessions in a single day, with breaks in between. This mirrors holotropic breathwork workshops and requires a day off afterwards for recuperation.
- Regular Meditation and Practices : Shamanic breathing should supplement rather than replace regular meditation and self-inquiry practices for holistic growth.
- Holotropic Breathwork Workshops : If possible, attend guided group holotropic breathwork workshops to gain deeper insights and compare results with solo practice.
- Skeptic Experience : Skeptics, such as atheists, can benefit from the breathing technique as it's therapeutic and has the potential to debunk a materialist paradigm by providing altered states of consciousness as reference experiences.
- Emphasis on Technique Application : The transformative value lies in applying the techniques, not just absorbing the theory. Start practicing to experience significant growth.
- Recognizing the Experiential Deficit : Intellectual understanding is insufficient; firsthand experiences are crucial to realize the full potential and benefits of these techniques.
- Self-Actualization Journey : Leo will continue sharing new techniques as tools for self-actualization, the ongoing process of realizing and expressing one's innate abilities and potentials.