Galactic Breathing in Kea'au

Galactic Breathing for people in Kea'au runs 90 minutes for $222. Jason Donaldson lives in Hawaiian Paradise Park, a short drive up on Hwy 130 from the Highway 11 junction, and offers the session online, which is the main way to work with him right now. In person is by request.

Kea'au grew up around the old sugar plantation, and the town still carries a working, practical character even as it's become Puna's main commercial center. That no-frills quality shapes the sessions here too. There's no pretense to it, just a quiet room, a clear structure, and three rounds of guided breath.

How the session unfolds

Jason opens with a short settling-in period, then moves into light movement, usually a form of Qigong, followed by guided meditation and intention setting. From there, the breathing itself begins: three rounds, each one deepening, each ending with an inhale, a hold, a release, and rest. The first round is typically enough for most people to notice a real shift. The second and third rounds build intensity for anyone ready to go further, sometimes opening into an altered state where channeled messages or a sense of connection to guides and ancestors comes through. A longer pause follows the third round, then a grounded return and time to talk through what surfaced.

Jason created this method himself, shaped by years of distance running, a long meditation practice, inspired by Wim Hof and Stanislav Grof. He ran it as a weekly, sometimes twice-weekly, Big Island experience for guests from around the world for over two years before settling into the practice as it runs today.

Why Kea'au clients book breathwork specifically

Kea'au sits at the point where residents from Pāhoa, Hawaiian Paradise Park, and Orchidland Estates pass through on their way to Hilo, and a lot of Galactic Breathing bookings here come from people already living a somatic or nature-oriented lifestyle, the kind of client who runs, gardens, or spends real time outdoors. Some pair a breathwork session with a Sekhem energy healing appointment around the same time, treating it as a single, longer commitment rather than something to repeat weekly.

A gentler intensity than it sounds

Despite the depth some clients reach in the third round, nothing about the session involves screaming, forced breath, or pushing past discomfort. Jason trained as a pre-licensed marriage and family therapist, and that background informs how he tracks a client's nervous system throughout, watching for trauma responses and keeping the pace calm even as intensity builds. "This is a very gentle, very calm breathwork practice that can build an intensity," is how he describes it, and the sessions hold to that exactly.

What to bring and how to prepare

Eat and drink lightly for about an hour before your session. Wear clothing you're comfortable lying down in for an extended period. No prior breathwork experience is assumed or required. The method was built from the start to work for people at every level of fitness and practice, since the original Big Island groups drew guests from wildly different backgrounds and physical conditions.

After the ceremony

Integration happens at the end of every session, a chance to share whatever came through before heading back out. Online clients simply step back into their own home, which many find eases the transition. For in-person work Jason offers the studio at 10am, 11am or noon, since the afternoons get hot after 2pm, or a home visit by arrangement during regular business hours.

The practical side of three rounds

Each round of breathing builds on the one before it, which is a deliberate design choice rather than an accident. Jason created it this way because the original Big Island groups included people at every level of health and fitness, and a single, long, undifferentiated breathing exercise would have left some people behind while under-challenging others. Breaking the ceremony into three distinct rounds, each with its own hold, release, and rest, means anyone can stop after round one and still get a complete, meaningful session, while anyone ready to go further has the structure to do it safely.

A town that doesn't ask you to perform

Kea'au's history as a plantation town shows up in small ways even now, in the layout of older neighborhoods and in a general resistance to anything flashy or overly polished. That character extends to how Jason works. There's no elaborate studio setup, no wellness-industry aesthetic layered on top of the work. It's a quiet room, a clear structure, and three rounds of breath, which suits a lot of clients who came looking for the practice itself rather than an experience built around appearances.

Setting up an online session

For an online ceremony, choose a room where you can lie down undisturbed for the full 90 minutes, with the door closed, your phone silenced, and a blanket or mat underneath you. Keep water within reach for afterward. Jason walks you through the movement, the meditation, and each of the three rounds by video, and he stays with you through the return and the closing conversation, so nothing about the ceremony is lost by doing it from home.

Frequently asked questions

Where does an in-person session take place?

By request, at Jason's small studio in Hawaiian Paradise Park, or at a home by arrangement. He has no office in Kea'au. Write first and he confirms the details.

Can I combine Galactic Breathing with Sekhem?

Ask when booking. Some clients pair the two services around the same time rather than scheduling separate visits.

Is Galactic Breathing physically demanding?

No. The breathing itself can build intensity in the second and third rounds, but the practice is designed to work for any level of fitness or health, with the first round alone enough for most people.

How far in advance should I book?

As far ahead as fits your schedule. Online times are visible on the booking calendar, and in-person sessions are arranged once you write.

What if I've never experienced an altered state before?

That's common and not a problem. Many first-time clients stay fully present through all three rounds without reaching an altered state, and that's a complete, valid session on its own.

Sekhem energy healing in Kea'au | Galactic Breathing | Kea'au | Puna District | Hilo | All locations