Life is filled with pain and suffering. There are many approaches to this pain and suffering, some more acceptable than others, some less destructive to the human person than others. One most common and readily available means to escape is alcohol and drugs; perhaps another is fantasy. Other addictions could be added to this list. There are also acceptable, common avoidances such as religion and work and sheer daydreaming.

In my own personal history, I have become more and more willing to face pain and suffering directly, with less escape and fantasy. As I have matured and grown wiser and I have explored ways toward this approach that would be less destructive than alcohol and drugs to my body and soul I have used many forms of spirituality and psychotherapy toward this end. It was not however until I discovered Holotropic Breathwork that I began to understand a deeper reason why to alter one's consciousness.

Holotropic Breathwork, which has similarities with other similar practices including rebirthing and some forms of meditation, uses breath to alter one's consciousness. Holotropic means "moving toward wholeness" from the Greek holos and trepein "moving in the direction of something." It is safe and natural. Done in a safe community, with experienced and certified practitioners, it allows one to explore, heal, integrate one's personal biography, including that which is dark, shadowy and traumatic, and which might well be from past lifetimes or at least in cellular memory, as well as that which is transpersonal and transhistorical.

Again, Breathwork is best done in a community and with trained facilitators. One typically gathers into a group of about 10 with two facilitators for an all-day Saturday workshop. After everyone introduces himself or herself and safety is established, the breathwork can begin. Participants are paired into "breather" and "sitter." Sitters act as caretakers for any needs that the breathers might have, always and only at the request of the breathers. This way, breathers can get unconditional love, with respect for their boundaries, sometimes for the first time in their lives. The directions given by the facilitators for holotropic breathing are simple: to follow the breath, perhaps to breathe a little faster and deeper than normal. One simplistic explanation for the effects of this breathing is that this kind of breathing creates a change in brain chemistry. The science behind this breathing and breathwork is found in the works of Stanislav Grof, MD. This breathing also takes place in the context of a group, with evocative music. These help facilitate the changes in brain chemistry and expanded consciousness, which seem more difficult to achieve when one is alone. Also having the safety of a sitter and facilitators allows one to have anything on the physical plane attended to, as well as the containment to explore dark and frightening parts of the psyche should this occur during the session and if one chooses to explore them.

Breathwork can help heal the biographical trauma some of us have experienced in our early development, including sexual and physical abuse, deprivation, as well as shame and homophobia, as well as the human trauma that most of us experienced in the stages of birthing. Breathers lie on mats, perhaps with eyeshades. The directions are quite simple, "to go with the breath." Loud, percussive, specially designed course of music is played. Participants breathe, enter their altered states, move as they chose, request what they need on the physical plane, including bodywork from the facilitators. Being in community helps this process. And this context for altered states is safe: one is always fully conscious of the present, and can simply return to an alert and grounded present by opening one's eyes and breathing normally. After about three hours, participants return to full consciousness, and are invited to draw a mandala, to help for later understanding and remembering of the process, which similar to a dream is often multilayered and forgotten. After nourishment, the roles are reversed for the sitter to become the breather. The very-full day ends with processing the experience.

For the science of Holotropic Breathwork, read the book by the founder, Stanislav Grof, MD, The Holotropic Mind: The Three Levels of Human Consciousness and How They Shape the Mind.Grof's website is http://www.holotropic.com.

The pioneering facilitator in the New York area, Oliver Williams, can be found at http://www.journeywork.net

For myself, after experiencing Holotropic Breathwork, I came more deeply to understand all the other forms of spirituality and psychotherapy that I had been practicing for many years, which were leading to healing and recovery and integration of my body, mind & spirit, including addictions and recovery, meditation and spiritual ecstasy, bodywork and ritual. Holotropic Breathwork has become an important component of my journey and life.

And I came to an answer why altered states. We seek such an altered state such as breathwork can provide to come to higher consciousness. Such a journey out of ourselves is truly into ourselves. This kind of out-of-body experience is truly an into-body experience. Rather than fantasy and dissociation and dreaming, we become more awake. We become more present. We achieve a Higher and Deeper Consciousness. We become more ecstatic, but again, in our bodies. We also become awe and wonder struck, grateful, delighted and joyful, respectful and compassionate.