What is Circular Breathing?
Circular breathing is an umbrella term for breathing practices that leave no pause between inhalation and exhalation and are practiced to reach a state of altered consciousness. In the context of modern therapeutic breathwork, circular breathing is a continuous breath pattern without pauses between inhale and exhale that differs fundamentally from the ancient wind instrument technique of the same name.
The practice involves breathing in a rhythmic, connected pattern—typically through the mouth—where there is no pause between the inhale and exhale. The aim of all circular breathing practices is to increase the amount of oxygen in the blood, increasing the flow of energy or ‘prana’ in the body and, with that, bringing movement inside the body. Unlike traditional pranayama, which incorporates breath retention (kumbhaka) and aims for stillness, circular breathing practices are practiced to experience a profound inner journey comparable with a psilocybin trip.
This modality encompasses several schools including Rebirthing, Holotropic Breathwork, Conscious Connected Breathing, and Transformational Breath. While techniques vary—some use two-stage inhales (belly then chest), others use single continuous breaths—all share the defining characteristic of eliminating the pause between breaths to create physiological and psychological shifts.
Origins & Lineage
In modern times, the 1960s and 1970s saw the emergence of new therapeutic breathwork methods in California — notably Holotropic® Breathwork developed by Dr. Stanislav Grof, and Rebirthing Breathwork by Leonard Orr — as alternatives to LSD and other psychedelics, which had been banned in psychotherapy.
Leonard Orr devised breathwork (or ‘rebirthing’) as a form of alternative medicine first in the 1970s. Orr gradually discovered Rebirthing between 1962 and 1976. In 1962, he had an experience in the bath of regressing to prenatal and birth states of consciousness. He then spent years returning to and exploring these experiences, and he gradually remembered much of his conception, prenatal memories, and birth. During sessions, he observed that people were all breathing this similar connected rhythm merging the inhale with the exhale. He intuitively started to guide people into this connected breathing rhythm to complete ‘energy cycles’.
Parallel to Orr’s work, Holotropic breathwork was developed in the 1970s by psychiatrist Stanislav Grof, MD, and his wife Christina Grof. Stanislav had spent the previous decade researching altered states of consciousness through LSD-assisted psychotherapy—among the earliest researchers to do so systematically. In 1974, during a sabbatical at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, the Grofs experimented with rapid breathing methods inspired by observations from psychedelic sessions, leading to the formalization of holotropic breathwork as a group-based experiential technique. In the mid-1970s, as the method crystallized, Stanislav Grof coined the term “holotropic” to describe the approach. Derived from Greek roots “holos” (whole) and “trepein” (moving toward), “holotropic” literally means “moving toward wholeness.”
Sondra Ray became known as the ‘Mother of Rebirthing’ after studying with Orr in 1974, helping to spread the practice globally throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
While modern circular breathing emerged in 1970s California, the use of the breath to access heightened states of consciousness for healing and reaching union with the Divine is found in all cultures and religions and many ancient practices will have been lost over time.
How It’s Practiced
Circular breathing sessions typically last 60 to 90 minutes, though Holotropic sessions can extend to two or three hours. Participants lie on their back, fully dressed in comfortable clothing, covered with a blanket, and wearing an eye mask to boost melatonin and block out distractions. The session is accompanied by a pre-prepared playlist created for that specific journey, and participants can breathe with the rhythm of the music or at their own pace.
The breathing pattern varies by school. It’s a circular, conscious, connected breathing pattern through the mouth: one inhale into the belly, a second inhale into the chest, and one natural exhale out. Other approaches use a single continuous inhale followed immediately by exhale with no pause.
Breathing this way changes the proportions of gases in the blood — increasing oxygen and decreasing carbon dioxide — which shifts the body’s physiology and activates the sympathetic nervous system. Practitioners may experience tingling in the hands and feet (tetany), temperature changes, emotional waves, vivid imagery, and physical releases. Circular Breathwork taps into your autonomic nervous system, moving you out of fight-or-flight and into deep release. You may feel tingling, heat, or emotional waves, but that’s your body clearing out old tension.
Sessions are typically facilitated by trained practitioners who provide guidance, music curation, and physical or energetic support as needed. Some schools practice in pairs (breather and sitter), while others work in group settings with facilitators.
Circular Breathing Today
Circular breathing has evolved into numerous schools and approaches while retaining the core principle of continuous, connected breathing. Seekers encounter this practice through weekend workshops, multi-day retreats, online group sessions, and certification training programs. The modality has gained visibility in wellness communities, yoga studios, spiritual centers, and alternative healing spaces worldwide.
Contemporary variations include Transformational Breath (developed by Judith Kravitz in the 1970s), Clarity Breathwork, Vivation (developed by Jim Leonard), and Soma Breath (developed by Niraj Naik), each adding distinct frameworks around music, bodywork, or spiritual philosophy. The practice has also merged with other modalities—appearing in sound healing sessions, cacao ceremonies, ecstatic dance gatherings, and plant medicine integration circles.
The rise of breathwork facilitator trainings has created a new professional category within the conscious community. Certification programs typically require 100-200 hours of study combining technique, nervous system regulation, trauma awareness, and ethical space-holding.
Common Misconceptions
It is not the same as the wind instrument technique. The term “circular breathing” has two completely different meanings. In music, circular breathing is a breathing technique used by players of some wind instruments to produce a continuous tone without interruption by inhaling through the nose while simultaneously pushing air out through the mouth using air stored in the cheeks. The therapeutic practice differs from connected breathing or conscious connected breathing, which is used in transformational breathwork sessions for emotional release/catharsis and altered states of consciousness.
It is not traditional pranayama. The most significant difference is in the pause between the respirations. Pranayama always has the three components of breathing in, breathing out, and pausing/breath retention. Pranayama is being practiced to reach a place of stillness, bliss and to calm your system, whereas circular breathing aims to activate and release.
It is not always gentle. Most breathwork practices ask you to slow down: lengthen the exhale, soften the belly, settle the nervous system. Holotropic breathwork moves in the opposite direction. Breathe faster, breathe deeper, and stay with whatever arises.
It is not appropriate for everyone. Intense breathwork may not be suitable for everyone. Individuals who are pregnant or have a history of cardiovascular issues, severe hypertension, or certain psychological conditions should consult with their doctor before beginning an intense breathwork practice.
Memories of birth trauma may be constructed. There is no evidence that individuals can remember their births. Memories of one’s birth that appear to resurface during a rebirthing-breathwork practice are believed to be the result of false memories.
How to Begin
Start by attending a facilitated session rather than practicing alone. While some breathwork practices can be done alone, more intense forms like holotropic breathwork are best practiced with a trained breathwork facilitator. Look for certified practitioners through organizations like the Global Professional Breathwork Alliance, Grof Transpersonal Training, or Rebirthing Breathwork International.
Begin with a single introductory session or weekend workshop before committing to a series. Many facilitators offer both in-person and online group sessions. Expect to complete a health intake form and discuss any medical or psychological conditions with the facilitator beforehand.
For those interested in self-study, foundational texts include Stanislav Grof’s Holotropic Breathwork: A New Approach to Self-Exploration and Therapy and Leonard Orr’s writings on Rebirthing. Dan Brulé’s Just Breathe offers a contemporary overview of multiple breathwork lineages.
Approach the practice with realistic expectations. One session can be like a year of talk therapy, but profound releases may also take multiple sessions to unfold. Integration support—through journaling, therapy, or facilitator follow-up—helps ground insights that emerge during altered states.