Tap into the psychedelic power of the Holotropic Breathwork® method in an experiential residential with Yoga in the Stars in Epping Forest 

Join us for 3 night, 4 day Experiential Residential 

Friday 23rd: Arrival 5pm onwards (1st night stay)

Saturday 24th: 9:00AM - 8:00PM (2nd night stay)

Sunday 25th: 9:00AM - 8:00PM (3rd night stay)

Monday 26th: 9:00AM - 12:00PM (leave site by 12pm)

Who is this workshop for?

This workshop is suited for those who want to explore the practice of Grof®  (aka Holotropic) Breathwork for their own personal development.

It also offers the opportunity to practice the 'role of the sitter' according to the requirements of the Grof® and Holotropic Breathwork training and, other psychedelic-assisted therapy training.

Note: Please contact Basia Zieniewicz to set up a phone call first. The call and filling out some forms are part of the registration for this intensive process.  Whatsapp +447756880357or basia@yogainthestars.com
 

THE METHOD

Grof® Breathwork is a profoundly immersive practice for personal and spiritual growth through deep inner exploration. It is widely used in psychedelic-assisted therapy training, providing firsthand experience of Non-Ordinary States of Consciousness (NOSC) and the sitter’s role. It is also considered a prerequisite for participation in entheogenic substance-supported healing ceremonies.

The Inner healer

At the core of Stan Grof’s work is the belief that our 'inner healer' holds the wisdom to guide us, bringing forth what is most healing at any given moment.

THE PROCESS

The breathwork process combines accelerated breathing with evocative music to amplify experiences and release unconscious or stuck material. Sessions are conducted in pairs: Breathers lie on mats with eyes closed, using breath and music to enter NOSC. Sitters provide support for their partners, ensuring safety and presence. These states activate inner wisdom, leading to healing, insights, and emotional release.

1. Preparation

• Opening circle and check-in. 

• Introduction to Grof® Breathwork theory and practice. 

• Overview of Stan Grof's work and consciousness model.

2. Experience

• Each participant completes two, three-hour sessions: one as a breather and one as a sitter. 

• Following each session, participants create mandalas to integrate their experiences (no artistic skills required!).

3. Integration

• Focused bodywork for releasing energy and promoting healing. 

• Group sharing circles for processing insights. 

• Integration activities, including movement, breath practices, yoga nidra, partner massage, and a Q&A. 

• An online follow-up integration call to reinforce learning and insights.

SCHEDULE

Full attendance is required for the entire retreat. Breaks are included throughout for rest, meals, and hydration.

🕔 Friday, May 23

Arrival from 5:00 PM

• Welcome & settling in

• Dinner

• Preparation session: Theoretical framework & participant pairing

🌀 Saturday, May 24

9:00 AM – 8:00 PM

• 3-hour Holotropic Breathwork session

• 3-hour Sitter session

• Mandala creation

• Sharing circle

🌀 Sunday, May 25

9:00 AM – 8:00 PM

• 3-hour Holotropic Breathwork session

• 3-hour Sitter session

• Mandala creation

• Sharing circle

🌿 Monday, May 26

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

• Final integration session

• Closing circle

Participants are encouraged to treat Monday as a slow, restorative day to support ongoing integration and self-care after departure.

YOUR FACILITATORS

Francesc Guinart 

Francesc Guinart Francesc is a dedicated advocate for self-discovery and deep personal connection. From an early age, yoga and breathwork profoundly shaped his life, leading him on a path of introspection and transformation that now allows him to guide others on their own journeys. Based in Spain, Francesc has trained with esteemed masters in disciplines such as Caycedian Sophrology, Holotropic Breathwork®, non-dual philosophy, and sacred plant therapies. Since 2008, he has been supporting therapeutic processes, integrating both microdoses and macrodoses of sacred plants alongside the MindDetox Method, a therapeutic approach designed to release deep-seated stress and anxiety. 

In addition to organising Holotropic Breathwork® workshops, he has been leading silent retreats since 2018, providing participants with a space to explore their inner world, heal, and reconnect with their most authentic essence. His approach is rooted in integral attention, addressing the physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of each individual. Believing in the transformative power of silence and deep reflection, Francesc creates opportunities for participants to release what no longer serves them and embrace new possibilities. His retreats offer a sacred pause—a chance to step back, realign, and reconnect with one’s centre. He is committed to accompanying others on this profound journey of self-exploration and healing.

Basia Zieniewicz

Co-founder of Yoga in The Stars, B.Ed., PGDip Integrative Art Therapy, PGCert Psychedelics, Altered States & Transpersonal Psychology, EMCC PGC Psychosynthesis Leadership Coaching Psychology, Reiki Master, IYN RYT, certified Grof® Psychedelic-Assisted Therapist, and in her final year of 4 as a trainee of Grof® Breathwork through the Grof Legacy Training®

Inspired by an interweaving of esoteric mysticism, sacred arts, and evidence-based modalities, Basia's special interest is in the liminal spaces, supporting individuals who seek inner and outer balance to resource their heart's desire. She offers constructive guidance in both the preparation and integration of NOSC, with tender care, helping clients navigate their experiences into lasting transformation.

LOCATION

The Hive, Epping Forest

Nestled within seven acres of blissful woodland and thriving habitats in Epping Forest, we invite you to join us for a rare and spacious Holotropic Breathwork immersion — an internal spring clearing for the psyche, the heart, and the body. 

This retreat is held at The Hive, a simple yet thoughtfully modern facility, renowned for its longstanding commitment to reconnecting people with the natural world. Acknowledged by Sir David Attenborough for its decades of inspiring children with a love of nature, The Hive continues to offer an atmosphere of care, reverence, and environmental intelligence. 

Over thirty years of scientific research has revealed that the air in ancient woodland carries significantly higher levels of oxygen, along with beneficial essential oils known as phytoncides — natural compounds emitted by trees and plants that support immune health and wellbeing. Breathing in this air, while slowing down and immersing yourself in nature, becomes part of the medicine.

WHAT TO EXPECT

✅ INCLUDED

Accommodation & Facilities

• Residential stay in a 2-person shared pod with heated flooring (option to upgrade to private pod)

• Nutrient-dense, nourishing meals (homemade & hearty, vegetarian world fusion)

• Brand new modern lodge for breathing & dining

• Full access to shower and toilet facilities, plus compost loos

• On-site nature trail

🌀 Compulsory Components

• Theoretical preparation evening: Introducing Grof’s Cartography of the Psyche

• 2 × 3 hr Holotropic Breathwork sessions

• 2 × 3 hr Holotropic Sitter sessions

• Daily integration circles for meaning-making and emotional grounding

• Mandala creation

• Silent time for self-reflection

• Closing embodiment and breathwork practice on Monday morning

• Final shared lunch before departure to stay grounded in nature

• Two online integration circles post-retreat to support the unfolding process

🌱 Optional On-Site Enrichment Activities

Supporting your personal integration journey:

• Morning movement practices

• Forest bathing and the simplicity of unstructured time

• Evening fire circles

💌 Post-Retreat Ongoing Support

• Complimentary unlimited Yoga In The Stars membership for one month

• A workbook to support preparation and integration

• Invitation to join a growing alumni community

❌ NOT INCLUDED

Please bring your own:

• Bedding: single sheet (or two), duvet, pillow

• Eye mask

• Hygiene toiletries

• Towel

• Ear plugs

Retreat Ethos

This retreat is intentionally spacious — there is no packed schedule or pressure to process. We’ve created room for rest, wandering the forest, silent reflection, and integration. Evenings will be gentle, with the option to gather around the fire. Mornings begin quietly with curious and contemplative movement. We will be guided by the rhythm of nature, inspired by breath and grounded by the forest.

WHO IS THIS RETREAT FOR?

🌿 Who Is This For?
 

All participants will be asked to complete a confidential medical screening form and 1:1 interview before attending, to ensure safety and appropriateness.

While Holotropic / Grof® Breathwork is an advanced practice, this retreat warmly welcomes both first-time breathers and experienced inner explorers. Whether you’re stepping into this work for the first time or returning for deeper integration, this space is designed to meet you where you are.

This retreat may be especially supportive if you:

• Are a therapist, coach, or facilitator seeking a direct and embodied understanding of expanded states

• Are preparing for or integrating a psychedelic journey

• Feel curious about non-ordinary states and want a substance-free way to safely explore them

• Are in recovery from substance misuse and seeking a self-directed, empowering way to connect to something deeper within

• Are navigating grief, transition, or burnout

• Experience anxiety, low mood, or persistent tension, and want to access more clarity and release

• Are called to reconnect with your authentic self, purpose, or creativity

• Support others through spiritual emergency, emotional overwhelm, or integration of expanded state experiences

Holotropic Breathwork offers a non-verbal, body-based way to access and release what may otherwise remain locked in the unconscious. Whether you’re looking to clear residue from the past, soften into what’s unfolding now, or make space for what’s next — this retreat is an invitation to gently reset, replenish, and reconnect.

This is inner spring cleaning — not through force, but by creating space for what is ready to be seen, felt, and released.

⚠️ Who Is This Not For?

Because Holotropic / Grof® Breathwork can involve intense emotional, physical, or energetic releases, it is not suitable for everyone.

You should not participate if you have a history of:

• Cardiovascular conditions (including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke risk)

• Epilepsy or seizure disorders

• Glaucoma or retinal detachment

• Recent surgery or physical injury

• Psychiatric conditions involving psychosis, dissociation, or current psychiatric instability

• Pregnancy, up to 16 weeks postpartum, or currently breastfeeding

• Use of medications or conditions where a doctor advises against intense physical or emotional release

If you’re unsure whether this is suitable for you, we invite you to reach out directly. 

All participants will be asked to complete a confidential medical screening form and 1:1 interview before attending, to ensure safety and appropriateness.
 

MORE INFO ON SANISLAV GROF - HOLOTROPIC BREATHING

REFUNDS POLICY: Please note, we do not arrange refunds or exchanges. When possible we encourage reselling on Ticketswap.

ACCESS:  We do our best to include everyone in our events, regardless of health circumstances. If you have access requirements please email the event organiser directly to discuss. Many facilitators are able to offer reduced ticket prices for those truly unable to afford the ticket price. If this applies to you, do please get in touch with the event organiser.

For PSYCHEDELIC KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES please check out the Psychedelic Society website. 

Our facilitators have agreed to our code of conduct. Learn about our procedure for raising concerns

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