Why Breathwork is a Powerful Tool for Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy
by Sadaf Naji
Breathwork has emerged as one of the most effective and versatile tools to support psychedelic-assisted therapy. It has a unique ability to help individuals prepare for, navigate during, and integrate the profound experiences that often arise in these altered states of consciousness. Below, we'll explore how breathwork can be a powerful ally at each stage of the process.
Preparation: Cultivating Inner Readiness
Before embarking on a psychedelic journey, preparation is essential. Breathwork offers a safe and accessible way to begin exploring altered states without the use of the medicine. Through conscious breathing techniques, individuals can access expanded states of awareness, bringing unconscious material to the surface in a manageable way. This practice helps create a sense of familiarity with the non-ordinary states that psychedelics induce, reducing anxiety and helping individuals feel more grounded and open to whatever arises.
Breathwork also serves as a form of emotional and psychological preparation. By practicing deep, intentional breathing, people can learn to observe and regulate their nervous systems. This ability to modulate one’s emotional responses becomes especially valuable when entering the unpredictable terrain of a psychedelic experience.
During the Journey: Anchoring the Psyche
During a psychedelic experience, breath acts as an anchor, offering a simple yet profound way to remain connected to the body. Psychedelics can dissolve boundaries and shift perceptions in ways that may feel overwhelming. In these moments, breathwork provides a direct pathway back to the present moment, allowing individuals to ride the waves of the experience with more trust and less resistance.
Conscious breathing techniques, such as deep belly breathing, can also serve as a tool for managing intense emotions, anxiety, or physical sensations that may arise during the journey. By returning to the breath, participants can find a sense of stability amidst the chaos, enabling them to move through challenging aspects of their experience with greater ease.
Integration: Bridging the Psychedelic and Everyday World
The real work of a psychedelic journey often begins in the days and weeks following the experience. Psychedelic integration involves taking the insights, emotions, and realizations from the altered state and weaving them into everyday life. Breathwork plays a crucial role here as well.
By continuing to engage in breathwork post-experience, individuals can revisit aspects of the journey in a gentle and embodied way. Breathwork creates space for reflection, helping to ground abstract insights into the body and mind. It can also help process any unresolved emotions or sensations that may still linger, allowing for a more complete and holistic integration of the experience.
Moreover, breathwork fosters a practice of self-care and mindfulness that can support long-term transformation. As participants continue to breathe consciously, they create space for ongoing healing, maintaining a connection to the lessons learned during their psychedelic experience.
The Healing Power of Breath
Breathwork is a profound complement to psychedelic-assisted therapy, offering benefits at every stage of the process. It prepares individuals by building emotional resilience and familiarity with altered states, supports them during the journey by anchoring the psyche, and aids in integration by fostering deep reflection and ongoing healing. Breathwork is not just a tool for one part of the process; it is a versatile practice that can support the entire arc of transformation.
In a world where healing can take many forms, the power of the breath remains one of the simplest, yet most profound, tools available.
Meet Sadaf
Sadaf Naji is a Registered Counsellor, Certified Compassionate Inquiry Practitioner, and Certified Breathwork Facilitator who guides clients to find healthy connections to themselves. She is also a Certified Psychedelic assisted therapist who guides you with tools so you can know yourself as peaceful, whole and safe.
