I created Galactic Breathing, my own method, inspired by Wim Hof and Stan Grof (I did not train with either of them), years as a distance runner, and a long meditation practice. I want to be clear that I'm not certified in Holotropic Breathwork, and I don't claim to be. What I can speak to honestly is what's generally understood about breath and the nervous system, and how that shows up in the work I facilitate.
The basics of breath and the nervous system
This is well established, general physiology, not anything specific to my practice. Breathing has a direct, two way relationship with the nervous system's state. Slower, fuller breaths are broadly associated with the body shifting toward a calmer, more settled state. Faster, shallower breathing tends to accompany a more alert or activated state. This is part of why slowing your breath is a common, widely taught tool for managing acute stress.
Breath rate also affects carbon dioxide levels in the blood. Holding the breath, or breathing in certain patterns, changes that balance, which in turn affects how the body and brain respond. Extended or patterned breathing practices, of the kind used in many breathwork traditions, can produce noticeable shifts in sensation and awareness through these basic, well documented mechanisms. I won't cite specific numbers or studies here, because I don't have verified data to point to, but the general relationship between breath rate, blood gas balance, and nervous system state is not in dispute in broad terms.
Why intensity builds gradually in a session
This is part of why Galactic Breathing is structured in three rounds, each building on the last. The first round is closer to a stretch: gentle, gradual, enough for most people to feel some shift. The second and third rounds build intensity, and the third is where people most often report altered states of consciousness. Building gradually rather than starting at full intensity gives the nervous system room to adjust rather than being overwhelmed, which matters both for physical comfort and for genuine emotional release rather than a stress response taking over.
Emotional release as a nervous system event
When people talk about "release" during breathwork, in general terms, what's happening is connected to the nervous system moving out of a held, activated state. Emotion that's been stored or suppressed, sometimes for years, can surface as the body finally has the conditions, safety, stillness, altered breath, to let go of some of that holding pattern. This isn't a metaphor. It reflects a real physiological process, even though the deeper spiritual dimension of what surfaces, messages from guides, ancestors, a felt sense of the divine, goes beyond what physiology alone explains.
As a pre-licensed marriage and family therapist, I bring real awareness of trauma reactions into how I guide these sessions: tracking the body, redirecting when needed, keeping people in a place of calm presence rather than pushing past what's safe. This is a gentle practice. There's no screaming or forcing. Most people only need the first round.
What's not established, and what I won't claim
I won't tell you breathwork resolves anxiety, trauma, or any diagnosed condition on its own, because that's not accurate and it's not how this work functions. I also won't cite specific percentages or named studies about breathwork's effects, because I don't have verified research to point you to, and inventing numbers would be dishonest. What I can say is that the general mechanism, breath affecting nervous system state, is well accepted physiology, and that many people, myself included through years of distance running and meditation, have directly experienced real shifts in state through changed breathing.
If you're navigating a diagnosed mental health condition, breathwork is complementary and does not replace therapy, medication, or psychiatric care. If you're in crisis, please call 988 in the US.
How this shows up in a Galactic Breathing session
A session moves through light movement, usually Qigong, guided meditation and intention setting, heart centered energy work, then the three rounds of breath, each ending in an inhale, hold, release, and rest. After the deepest round, there's a longer pause, often with channeled messages, before a grounded return and integration. Eating and drinking lightly for the hour before a session matters, since a full stomach can make the intensity of the breathing uncomfortable.
This is about remembering rather than fixing, surrender rather than figuring something out. The physiological shift creates the conditions. What actually moves through in that space, for each person, is their own.
Frequently asked questions
Is Galactic Breathing the same as Holotropic Breathwork?
No. I'm not certified in Holotropic Breathwork. Galactic Breathing is my own method, inspired by Wim Hof and Stan Grof (I did not train with either), along with years of distance running and meditation practice.
Is there scientific research specifically on Galactic Breathing?
Not that I can point you to. What's well established is general physiology around breath, blood gas levels, and nervous system state. The specific ceremonial and spiritual elements of a session go beyond what physiological research addresses.
Can breathwork replace therapy for trauma?
No. It's complementary and does not replace licensed mental health care. If you're navigating trauma, please keep your existing support in place alongside this work.
Why does the session build in three rounds instead of starting intense?
Gradual building lets the nervous system adjust rather than being overwhelmed. Most people only need the first round to feel a real shift. The later rounds are there for those who want to go deeper.
What if I'm in crisis right now?
Please call 988 in the US for immediate support. Breathwork is not designed or appropriate as a crisis intervention.
If you want to feel this directly, book a Galactic Breathing session, read about the nervous system and energy healing if Sekhem work also interests you, or explore Sekhem energy healing itself for a different way into the same calm.
Ninety minutes, three rounds, and whatever wants to move.
Book a Breathwork Session