NDB INTEGRATION

Welcome to my blog, where I'll take you on a journey exploring the fascinating world of Online NeuroDynamic Breathwork (NDB) integration. Derived from my dissertation research, this journey began with a dream—an unexpected introduction to breathwork that initially felt like a gift, but quickly turned into a type of hell. I believe it was what is called “a bad trip” for psychedelics. As such it had an impact on me. The level of pain in my body during the night following the breathwork session was extreme. Yet, from that seemingly hellish experience emerged a profound sense of purpose and a deep conviction in the power of breathwork to facilitate personal and collective transformation. So, I decided to research this vital part of the breathwork experience, the integration process.

Integration

In the context of a Non-Ordinary States of Consciousness (NOSC) experience in general, integration refers to the process of incorporating the insights, lessons, and transformations gained during such states into one's everyday life and worldview. This involves bridging the gap between the profound or NOSC and the ordinary, mundane reality of daily existence.

Background

In the current societal turmoil exacerbated by the pandemic and ongoing conflicts, there is a pressing need for methods to elevate collective consciousness and foster global healing. Implementing breathwork on a wide scale can enhance self-awareness and promote consciousness growth. Grof and Grof (2010) stated that the global crisis is rooted in humanity's level of consciousness and that intensive inner work could foster global citizenship. His Holotropic Breathwork (HB) stimulates innate healing but hasn't reached enough people to significantly impact global consciousness, possibly due to accessibility and affordability issues.

Breathwork

Breathwork is an ancient modality and includes many different approaches. The extensive and diverse history of employing breathwork, conscious breathing techniques for physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual healing realms is significant (Brouillette 1997; Grof, 1988; Taylor, 1994; Victoria & Caldwell, 2013).

NeuroDynamic Breathwork (NDB) emerged from the expertise of a former Holotropic breathwork (HB) Facilitator Michael Stone whose primary aim is to make breathwork accessible to everyone, regardless of location or financial constraints, by offering affordable and convenient practice sessions through an online platform (Jon, 2018). HB and NDB differ mainly in accessibility, the duration of breathing sessions, availability, and affordability (Jon, 2020).

The Study

The research objective was to answer the following question: through investigating the reported integration of online NDB participants subscribers after at least ten, 60-90-minute NDB sessions, what are the factors that contributed to the participants’ integration and its resulting outcomes? I chose the qualitative case study research approach to answer my question, allowing me to deeply explore multiple cases in real-life scenarios.

Subscribers pay monthly to join a global online community focused on self-discovery, healing, and transformation. This community enjoys 24 live facilitated Breathwork sessions monthly, breathwork integration, breathwork meditation, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), and webinars on Breathwork, healing, and self-empowerment.

I interviewed five participants from a pool of 310 NDB online subscribers facilitated by the NDB gatekeeper, who identified 23 potential participants initially. Interviews took place on the Google Meet platform and the participants ' pseudonyms became: Lily, Clematis, Orchid, Rose, and Peony (Table 1).

Table 1

Participant Pseudonyms

Findings

The results indicate that due to the breathwork and its integration each participant underwent personal growth through self-discovery, enriching their self-awareness and relationships with others. Lily said: ‘… a lot more self-tolerance. I am tiptoeing into self-love … backing away from self loathing. I look at myself in the mirror … feel a sense of affection.”

Transformation was experienced by all and guided them to transcend their spiritual boundaries and embrace interconnectedness and healing. Clematis met God, he said: “I started as an agnostic, finished as being touched by God … I was embraced by God and no one could tell me otherwise.”

Orchid experienced oneness she stated: “Then I became the wave, I was the wave and the ocean, and the wave and ocean were in me, rhythmic powerful energy. I was being moved and being the energy that drove the movement.” Rose, expressed her healing by saying: “I don't take any antidepressants anymore. I don't feel depressed … there was … a lot of fears and anxiety and anger and violence and suffering to express.”

The steps towards the spiritual realm during integration was expressed in different ways by the participants as showed in Figure 1. A deeper awareness of the world and our interdependence fostered by the integration is exemplified in Figure 2.

Figure 1

How Participants Expressed Their Spiritual Evolution

Figure 2

The Ways Participants Expressed Interconnectedness

Journaling, meditation, and group sharing served as primary methods for integration (Figure 3). Journaling emerged as the most popular method for integrating the NDB experience, with each participant undertaking journaling in their unique fashion summarized in Figure 4.

Figure 3

The Main Integration Method for Each Participant

Figure 4

Purpose for Journaling

Peony expressed her understanding: “if you write ... just the pages of stream of consciousness, then it starts to come out, and then you read it back and you're like, Oh, my God. Yeah. I got it.”

Implications & Future Directions

This research adds to the field of transpersonal psychology, particularly concerning NOSC experiences. It emphasizes the significance of the integration phase over solely depending on the inherent potency of an experience to induce enduring lasting changes.

As there is no one-size-fits-all approach to integration, it can be pursued individually or with support from peers, the community, coaches, guides, or therapists. Future research should focus on differentiating individuals who can integrate NOSC independently from those needing professional help, considering factors like personality and trauma history. Additionally, studying breathwork integration for stress and depression could provide valuable insights into its effects on specific populations.

The NDB holds the potential to propagate a method that empowers individuals with authority and self-reliance for self-exploration, transformation, healing, and ultimately fostering compassionate connections with the world.

References

Brouillette, G. (1997). Reported effects of Holotropic Breathwork: An integrative technique for healing and personal change (Publication No. DP14336) [Doctoral dissertation, Institute of Transpersonal Psychology]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database.

Grof, S. (1988). The adventure of self-discovery: Dimensions of consciousness and new perspectives in psychotherapy and inner exploration. SUNY Press.

Grof, S., & Grof, C. (2010). Holotropic Breathwork: A new approach to self-exploration and therapy. SUNY Pres

Jon. (2018, March 17). Breathwork online preparatory information for first-time participants. NeuroDynamic Breathwork. https://breathworkonline.com/breathwork-online-preparatory-information/

Jon. (2020, May 8). What is the difference between Neurodynamic Breathwork and Holotropic Breathwork? NeuroDynamic Breathwork. https://breathworkonline.com/neurodynamic-breathwork-vs-holotropic-breathwork/

Taylor, K. (1994). The holotropic experience: Exploration and healing in non-ordinary states of consciousness. Hanford Mead

Victoria, H. K., & Caldwell, C. (2013). Breathwork in body psychotherapy: Clinical applications. Body, Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy, 8(4), 216–228. https://doi.org/10.1080/1742979.2013.828657