Psychedelic Breathwork

Candice O’Reilly is based in the Cayman Islands and is currently studying to be a psychedelic therapist. She is also an energy healing guide working towards combining both modalities. Psilocybin is Candice’s focus at the moment, and she has been studying how a traditional Velada is done. Cannabis, even though not traditionally viewed as a psychedelic, is also a plant she frequently works with.

“Cannabis is great to learn with, as it’s super safe and easy to switch gears in a session that may be traumatic.” 

As this edition is focused on Stanislav Grof and his Holotropic Breathwork, Funga wants to highlight the power and importance of working with the breath. Holotropic Breathwork, DMT breathing, or Psychedelic Breathwork are all very similar practices. Breathing in this way will allow you to enter a non-ordinary state of consciousness without needing to take a substance, on top of many other benefits, such as boosting circulation and releasing toxins out of your bloodstream. Participants breathe rapidly and evenly to induce an altered state from which it is believed that a deeper understanding of oneself can be derived. Some describe this experience as a more intense form of meditation. Psychedelic Breathwork is also great for people who are nervous about trying psychedelics but want to get a sense of what it would feel like to be in that state.

Funga asked her to introduced Psychedelic Breathwork:

Candice also demonstrates a simple breathing exercise, you can practice whenever you feel anxious or stressed or simply to wind down at the end of the day: