Yogaraum
Alex Fraim. Ayurveda. Yoga. Transformation.
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Holotropic Breathwork& Transpersonal Healing

...and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.
T.S. Eliot
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Dr. Stanislav & Christina Grof

Holotropic Breathwork



Holotropic Breathwork is a powerful and experiential method for self-exploration, emotional healing, and spiritual development. Developed in the 1970s by psychiatrist Dr. Stanislav Grof and his wife Christina Grof at the Esalen Institute in California, it combines ancient wisdom with insights from modern consciousness research.

As a certified Grof® Breathwork Facilitator, I offer Grof® Breathwork – the official and further developed form of this method as taught in the Grof® Legacy Training. It provides a safe and structured framework for accessing expanded states of consciousness and catalyzing deep inner transformation.

The Core Elements of the Method

Each session of Grof® Breathwork is based on four key elements:
  • Deepened, conscious breathing – a voluntary increase in breath intensity that facilitates access to non-ordinary states.
  • Evocative music – a carefully selected musical journey that supports and deepens the inner process.
  • Bodywork – applied sensitively when needed to help release emotional or energetic blockages.
  • Integration practices – such as Mandala drawing and group sharing to reflect on and ground the experience.

The term holotropic comes from Greek and means “moving toward wholeness.” In the "altered states" accessed through this practice, unconscious material can surface: unresolved emotions, psychological patterns, physical tension, or archetypal imagery – often from biographical, perinatal, or transpersonal realms.

Rather than analyzing with the mind, participants are invited to surrender to the inner intelligence of the process. Many describe these sessions as profound journeys that allow for release, insight, healing, and spiritual awakening.
It is always there, exactly where you are; if you look for it, then of course you will not find it.
Muso Kokushi (1275-1351)
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What to Expect / The Structure of a Session

A typical breathwork session lasts around 3 to 4 hours. Participants work in pairs, alternating between the roles of breather and sitter (support person), with the facilitators ensuring a safe and supportive setting throughout.

The breather lies down on a comfortable mattress, with eyes covered by a blindfold to support the inward journey (optional but recommended). The sitter remains present throughout the session to ensure the breather’s comfort and safety—offering water, assisting with movement (e.g., going to the bathroom), or providing physical support such as holding a hand, if needed. The sitter does not interpret or guide the experience but serves as a compassionate and grounded presence.

During the session, carefully curated music plays throughout the room. The musical arc is designed to evoke and support an inner journey, often moving through different phases: an opening or “initiation,” a trance-like deepening, a dramatic or climactic peak, a heart-opening section, and finally a meditative, grounding conclusion.

After the session, time is given for creative and embodied integration. Participants are invited to draw a mandala—an image that often reflects and anchors the inner journey. This is followed by a gentle group sharing circle, where each person can (but is not required to) speak about their experience.

At the end of a retreat or weekend seminar, a final integration circle offers space for reflection—on what has emerged and how it might inform each participant’s ongoing path.

Benefits & Potential

Holotropic Breathwork can support:
  • The release of emotional blockages
  • Access to unconscious patterns and inner guidance
  • Resolution of psychosomatic tension
  • Profound spiritual or mystical experiences
  • Personal insight, growth, and inner peace
  • A greater sense of connectedness and vitality

Participants often report a renewed sense of purpose, deeper clarity, and a more compassionate relationship with themselves.

Read what past participants have said about their experiences: View testimonials >>

Prerequisites & Contraindications

Because this method can be very intense, good physical and psychological health is required. All participants must fill out a medical intake form in advance.

In certain cases, participation is unfortunately not possible. These include:
  • Pregnancy
  • Severe cardiovascular issues
  • Glaucoma or retinal detachment
  • Epilepsy
  • Diagnosed psychiatric instability

If you are unsure whether Grof® Breathwork is right for you, please feel free to reach out. I would be happy to schedule a personal conversation to explore your questions and clarify your individual situation.

"An incredibly transformative experience that brings you closer to yourself. All experiences gained through the Breathwork process are lovingly supported by the competent teachers and integrated together. A wonderful experience that resonates at a high frequency for a long time, and wonderful people, both teachers and participants, whom I would not want to miss on my journey to the self. Thank you for the family-like dedication and love and the many pointers to the light."
Claudia, Waldkirch, Germany
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Transpersonal Healing & Process Work


Awakening, Healing, and Transformation

A holistic path for deep personal transformation, nervous system regulation, and spiritual awakening.

True transformation is not just about integrating what has happened—it’s about awakening to who you truly are. Whether you are navigating a spiritual awakening, healing trauma, or seeking a deeper connection between body, mind, and consciousness, Transpersonal work offers a grounded yet expansive path for profound self-discovery and healing.

This work brings together principles from psychology, somatic awareness, and expanded states of consciousness to help you process emotional, spiritual, and existential shifts in a deeply embodied way. It supports you in stabilizing, embodying, and integrating powerful inner experiences—so that they don’t remain abstract insights, but become living realities in your nervous system, emotions, and daily life.

At the heart of this approach is the understanding that true healing comes from within. By creating a safe, supportive, and spacious container, this work activates the inner healer we all carry inside—the innate intelligence of the psyche and body to move toward wholeness when the right conditions are present.

Who This Is For

This work may resonate with you if you:
  • Are going through a spiritual awakening or intense inner transformation and feel overwhelmed, ungrounded, or unsure how to make sense of it.
  • Feel emotionally blocked, disconnected from yourself, or stuck in old patterns—and are seeking a holistic, body-centered approach to healing.
  • Have experienced altered states of consciousness (through breathwork, meditation, psychedelics, or spontaneous awakenings) and are looking for skillful integration.
  • Are working through trauma or nervous system dysregulation and want to reconnect with your body and inner wisdom in a safe, supported way.
  • Long for deeper self-inquiry—one that includes not only the psychological, but also the somatic, energetic, and spiritual dimensions of healing.

If any of this speaks to you, this work can support you in integrating your experiences, embodying your truth, and living with greater clarity, resilience, and authenticity.


Thought is the result of the past acting in the present; the past is constantly sweeping over the present. The present, the new, is ever being absorbed by the past, by the known. To live in the eternal present there must be death to the past, to memory; in this death there is timeless renewal.
J. Krishnamurti

How the Process Works

Each person brings his/her own themes and needs, but a typical process often looks like this:

Step 1: Initial Consultation
A deep-dive session to assess where you are on your journey and what you need. This includes understanding your current challenges, experiences, and intentions.

Step 2: Personalized Sessions
Depending on your needs, sessions may incorporate:
  • Transpersonal exploration (guiding self-inquiry, working with expanded states, and processing existential themes).
  • Somatic and nervous system regulation techniques (Yoga, gentle body-based awareness, and trauma integration).
  • Embodiment practices to reconnect with your body, emotions, and authentic self.

In addition to these modalities, I also draw on over two decades of experience in Ayurvedic medicine to support the process when appropriate. This may include the use of specific herbs to strengthen and balance the body and mind, or working with Ayurvedic principles to energetically regulate the nervous system and support deeper integration.

Step 3: Integration & Embodiment
Transformation is only powerful when it is embodied in daily life. You will receive:
  • Practical tools for ongoing self-regulation, grounding, and integration.
  • Personalized guidance to help you apply insights and maintain balance.
  • A roadmap for continued growth so that your transformation remains sustainable and empowering.

This process is not about escaping reality but learning to live fully, consciously, and authentically within it.

Note: Unlike Holotropic Breathwork, this work can also be done online (however, in-person is recommended if possible).

Book a Session:

If you resonate with this approach and feel called to explore this path further, I invite you to reach out or schedule a session. Together, we can create a space for healing, integration, and transformation.

Schedule a Session

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© Alexander Fraim