This article recaps the Psychedelic Support webinar “Holotropic Breathwork®: Connecting Breathwork, Psychedelics, and Transformation,” presented by Cary Sparks, MA, Director of the Institute for Holotropics and a long-time facilitator, teacher, and lineage steward of Holotropic Breathwork®.
As interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy continues to grow, so does curiosity about non-drug pathways to expanded states of consciousness. In this session, Cary offers a grounded, experience-based exploration of Holotropic Breathwork® (HB): where it came from, how it works, how it compares with psychedelic experiences, and why it remains a vital modality for healing, insight, and transformation—both on its own and alongside psychedelic preparation and integration.
Rather than positioning breathwork as a substitute for psychedelics, Cary invites a more nuanced understanding: one that honors shared phenomenology, different mechanisms, and distinct ethical and safety considerations.
🎥 Watch the Webinar Replay: Holotropic Breathwork®: Connecting Breathwork, Psychedelics, and Transformation with Cary Sparks, MA
The Origins of Holotropic Breathwork®
Holotropic Breathwork® emerged in the 1970s through the work of psychiatrist Stanislav Grof and his late wife, Christina Grof. As psychedelic research became restricted, the Grofs sought ways to continue exploring non-ordinary states of consciousness without pharmacological substances.
Their insight was both radical and simple: human consciousness has innate pathways to expanded states. Breath, music, and focused inner attention—when held within a safe, supportive container—can reliably open those pathways.
The term holotropic means “moving toward wholeness.” This orientation is foundational. Rather than targeting symptoms or outcomes, Holotropic Breathwork® trusts the psyche’s intrinsic intelligence to surface what is ready to be experienced, expressed, and integrated.
As Cary emphasizes, this is not about inducing specific experiences. It is about creating conditions in which deep psychological, somatic, biographical, and transpersonal material can emerge organically.
What the Practice Looks Like
Holotropic Breathwork® is typically practiced in a group setting, guided by trained facilitators. Participants work in pairs, alternating between breather and sitter roles.
Key elements include:
- Accelerated, circular breathing sustained for an extended period
- Evocative music that supports emotional, somatic, and transpersonal processes
- Inner-directed focus, encouraging participants to follow their own experience rather than external instruction
- Non-interventional facilitation, with support offered only when needed for safety or grounding
- Expressive integration, often including mandala drawing and group sharing
Sessions can last several hours, allowing experiences to unfold at their own pace. Unlike many contemporary breathwork styles, Holotropic Breathwork® is intentionally non-directive. There is no prescribed goal, catharsis, or insight to achieve.
“The experience knows where it’s going,” Cary notes. “Our job is to support the process, not steer it.”
Phenomenological Overlap with Psychedelics
One of the most compelling aspects of the webinar is Cary’s clear articulation of where Holotropic Breathwork® and psychedelic experiences overlap—and where they diverge.
Participants in both modalities commonly report:
- Access to non-ordinary states of consciousness
- Ego dissolution or shifts in identity
- Mystical or spiritual experiences, including unity and transcendence
- Emotional release and trauma processing
- Somatic activation and completion
- Encounters with archetypal or symbolic imagery
Recent research supports these parallels. A 2025 study found that circular breathwork reliably induced altered states resembling those reported in psychedelic settings, including ego dissolution, oceanic boundlessness, and improved well-being [1]. EEG studies similarly show changes in brain activity and mood states comparable to psychedelic experiences [2].
From a clinical perspective, both pathways can facilitate insight, emotional resolution, and long-term shifts in perception and meaning.
Different Pathways, Different Considerations
Despite surface similarities, Cary is careful not to conflate breathwork and psychedelics.
The mechanisms differ. Psychedelics act through pharmacological modulation of neurochemical systems. Holotropic Breathwork® works through physiological changes—particularly shifts in oxygen and carbon dioxide levels—combined with music-driven emotional activation and focused attention.
The containment differs as well. Breathwork sessions typically involve active participation over several hours, with facilitators able to respond in real time. Psychedelic experiences may extend far beyond the session itself and require different preparation, dosage considerations, and aftercare.
And critically, the risk profiles differ. While breathwork avoids legal and pharmacological risks associated with substances, it is not universally appropriate. Cary emphasizes the importance of screening for contraindications such as certain cardiovascular conditions, severe psychiatric instability, or recent major surgery.
“Substance-free does not mean risk-free,” she reminds participants.
Explore Breathwork, Non-Ordinary States & Integration
Explore how breathwork, mindfulness, and psychospiritual frameworks support non-ordinary states of consciousness and their integration:
- Holotropic Breathwork and Psychedelic Therapy — Examine how Holotropic Breathwork complements and parallels psychedelic-assisted healing.
- Breathwork as a Psychoactive Substance — Understand breathwork as an endogenous pathway to altered states.
- Can You Trip Without Psychedelics? — Explore non-pharmacological routes to visionary and expanded consciousness.
- Psychospiritual Integration of Non-Ordinary States of Consciousness — Make meaning of transformative experiences beyond peak states.
- The Mindfulness of Psychedelic Integration — Cultivate presence, awareness, and grounding after non-ordinary experiences.
A Role in Psychedelic Preparation and Integration
For clinicians, facilitators, and individuals working with psychedelics, Holotropic Breathwork® can serve as a powerful complementary practice.
In preparation, breathwork can help participants:
- Develop familiarity with non-ordinary states
- Build trust in their capacity to navigate intense experiences
- Surface unresolved material before psychedelic work
- Strengthen somatic awareness and emotional regulation
In integration, it can support:
- Continued processing of material that emerged during psychedelic sessions
- Somatic completion of experiences that felt unfinished
- Meaning-making without re-exposure to substances
- Ongoing relationship with expanded states in a grounded way
Because Holotropic Breathwork® engages the psyche’s self-organizing intelligence, it aligns naturally with integration-oriented frameworks rather than symptom-focused intervention.
Follow your Curiosity
Sign up to receive our free psychedelic courses, 45 page eBook, and special offers delivered to your inbox.Training, Ethics, and Lineage
A significant portion of the conversation addresses facilitator responsibility. Cary speaks candidly about the depth of training required to hold these states ethically and skillfully.
Holotropic Breathwork® facilitator training spans multiple years and includes extensive personal experience, supervision, and theoretical grounding in transpersonal psychology. This rigor reflects the intensity of the states involved.
Cary’s own lineage—training directly with Stanislav and Christina Grof and later co-directing Grof Transpersonal Training—anchors her emphasis on humility, integrity, and respect for the work.
“These states are powerful,” she says. “They deserve care, context, and containment.”
Research and Emerging Evidence
Following the webinar, Cary shared recent research highlighting growing scientific interest in breathwork-Following the webinar, Cary shared recent research highlighting growing scientific interest in breathwork-induced altered states:
- Controlled studies demonstrate that reductions in CO₂ during circular breathwork correlate with the emergence of altered states comparable to those seen in psychedelic research [1].
- EEG and mood-state research shows changes associated with spiritual insight, emotional well-being, and oceanic boundlessness [2].
- Observational studies of Holotropic Breathwork® report long-term improvements in non-judgment, life satisfaction, and reduced stress after a single session [3].
- Comparative reviews suggest that breathwork and psychedelics can facilitate similar therapeutic processes—via different physiological and psychological pathways [4].
These findings support what facilitators have observed for decades: breathwork offers a viable, non-drug route to deep experiential work.des: breathwork offers a viable, non-drug route to deep experiential work.
“Holotropic Breathwork® trusts the psyche’s intrinsic intelligence to surface what is ready to be experienced, expressed, and integrated.”
— Psychedelic Support, Nina van den Berg
Holotropic Breathwork® in a Changing Landscape
As psychedelic therapy enters more mainstream clinical contexts, Cary invites discernment rather than polarization. Holotropic Breathwork® is neither a replacement for psychedelics nor an inferior alternative.
It is its own path—one that reminds us that substances do not own altered states, and that healing intelligence arises from within rather than coming from outside the self.
For some, breathwork will be the primary doorway. For others, it will serve as preparation, integration, or ongoing practice alongside psychedelic work. In all cases, Cary emphasizes respect for readiness, boundaries, and the uniqueness of each person’s journey.
“Transformation doesn’t come from the tool,” she reflects. “It comes from the relationship we build with ourselves through the experience.”
About Cary Sparks, MA
Cary Sparks is Director of the Institute for Holotropics (IFH), a nonprofit dedicated to education, integrity, and training in Holotropic Breathwork® and the holotropic perspective. With nearly four decades of experience, she has facilitated and organized hundreds of workshops and professional trainings worldwide.
Trained directly by Stanislav and the late Christina Grof beginning in 1990, Cary later co-directed Grof Transpersonal Training with her late husband, Tav Sparks. She has served on the Board of the International Transpersonal Association and held key roles in several international conferences.
In addition to breathwork education, Cary offers programs exploring transpersonal approaches to grief, death, and the afterlife.
Resources from the Webinar
🌐 Learn More About & Connect with Cary
- Check out the Institute for Holotropics to connect with Cary: holotropic.com
- Find the Holotropic Breathwork Retreats page on Facebook
📚 Books & Links from the Webinar
- Find the Esalen Institute’s website: esalen.org
- Explore Dr Stanislav Grof’s work: stangrof.com
- Access Exploring Holotropic Breathwork™ and other works by Kylea Taylor, MS, LMFT
- Listen to the audience-shared playlist: Grof Holotropic Breathwork Maija Jakobsen
🎓 Courses & Continuing Education
- Conscious Journey Course (Online) + Workbook (Print): Navigating Psychedelic Exploration and Self-Discovery
- Integration Intensive + Practitioners Integration Retreats
- Sign Up for Our Free Courses
- All CE/CME Courses: Psychedelic Therapy Education & Training Programs
- Earn CE for Webinar Events: Psychedelic Therapy Continuing Education Series (CE) – $120 for the entire series!
👀 Further Reading on Transformative Practices and Integration
- Integrating Mystical Experiences and Non-ordinary States of Consciousness
- Grounding a Psychedelic Experience
- Psychedelic Integration: Grounding the Journey
- Can You Experience the Benefits of Psychedelics Without the Trip?
- Articles tagged with the words “Mindfulness”
References
- Havenith, M. N., Leidenberger, M., Brasanac, J., Corvacho, M., Figueiredo, I. C., Schwarz, L., Uthaug, M., Rakusa, S., Bernardic, M., Vasquez-Mock, L., Rosal, S. P., Carhart-Harris, R., Gold, S. M., Jungaberle, H., & Jungaberle, A. (2025). Decreased Co₂ Saturation During Circular Breathwork Supports Emergence of Altered States of Consciousness. Communications Psychology, 3(1), 59. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44271-025-00247-0
- Bahi, C., Irrmischer, M., Franken, K., Fejer, G., Schlenker, A., Deijen, J. B., & Engelbregt, H. (2023). Effects of Conscious Connected Breathing on Cortical Brain Activity, Mood and State of Consciousness in Healthy Adults. Current Psychology, 43(12), 10578–10589. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-05119-6
- Fincham, G. W., Kartar, A., Uthaug, M. V., Anderson, B., Hall, L., Nagai, Y., Critchley, H., & Colasanti, A. (2023). High Ventilation Breathwork Practices: An Overview of Their Effects, Mechanisms, and Considerations for Clinical Applications. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 155, 105453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105453
- Comparative reviews on breathwork and psychedelic therapy mechanisms (various sources cited in webinar).
