Shadow Work - Evolving Beyond Breathwork

Meeting of people working with breathing methods that induce non-ordinary states of consciousness such as holotropic breathwork, transpersonal breatwork, maitri breathwork, neo-shamanic breathwork or the newly practiced method of grofian breathwork and others.

The purpose of the meeting is to explore the potential and risks of breathing methods used to induce non-ordinary states of consciousness, especially working with Shadow issues, which are not too often addressed . They are  the risks of retraumatization, the risk of addiction to intense abreactive processes, ego inflation, the development of transpersonal narcissism and spiritual bypassing,  the tendency of communities to guruism and sectarian behavior and others.

Qualifying criteria

• The workshop is designed for professionals working with breathing methods that induce non-ordinary states of consciousness and for students of these methods with a foundation of practice; 
• It is open also for motivated practitioners in the field of self-knowledge and personal development who are interested in exploring the methods in more depth;
• If you are interested in the event and are not sure if you are the right participant, please do not hesitate to contact us; 

Intentions

• Identification of the potential and downsides of breathing methods
• Exploring modalities in trauma therapy next to breathwork - the work of Ursula Wirtz, Bessel van der Kolk, Babette Rothschild, Gabor Maté and others;
• Ilumination and shadow shifting in breathwork systems
• Developing and deepening facilitation skills and competencies (through the mastermind approach)
• Panel discussions, sharing circles            

Cost: On line participation - voluntary contribution.  The organizers work on a volunteer basis, the cost of the event will be collected in a transparent account and any balance will be distributed to selected organizations based on the consensus of the meeting participants. 

Program

Wednesday 9/10 2024

17:00 Opening Circle

20:00 Introductory lecture

 James Frazier: The Shadow - Exploring the structure and dynamics of the Shadow from persona to archetype in individuals and organizations

Thursday 10/10 2024

17:00 Opening of work with the Shadow - Silver Fox Circle

20:00 Lecture - to be confirmed,  Original speaker's - Joan Halifax -  schedule will not allow attendance in the end, however we recommend watching at least her inspiring TED talk Compassion and the True Meaning of Empathy

Friday 11/10 2024

17:00 Working with the Shadow - Immersion - Coyote Circle

20:00 Working with the Shadow - Enantiodromia

Saturday 12/10 2024

17:00 Mastermind workshop on modalities in trauma therapy - Bessel van der Kolk, Babette Rothschild, Ursula Wirtz, Gabor Maté

20:00 Conclusion of the work with the Shadow - synthesis to the Self

22:00 Closing circle

Suggested reading/study materials before the workshop:

Shadow Work 

Harald Walach articles on transpersonal narcissism; Sylvia Brinton Perera: The Scapegoat Complex

Elaine Pagels: The Gnostic Evangelia; Elaine Pagels: The Origin of Satan: How Christians Demonized Jews, Pagans, and Heretics

Trauma therapy modalities:

Bessel van der Kolk: The Body Keeps the Score

Babette Rothschild: The Body Remembers

Ursula Wirtz: Trauma and Beyond: The Mystery of Transformation

Ursula Wirtz: Seelenmord Inzest und Therapie (no English translation yet published)

Videos of talks by aforementioned authors (YouTube, Podcasts, etc)