Usually in flow yoga classes, you can expect to move in sync with your inhale and exhale, however, in 'slow flow yoga', you are holding the yoga poses for longer, often for several breaths at a time. This slower moving, or remaining in poses for longer helps to make sure that the poses are done correctly which is gerat for beginners making it a safe yoga practice.

There are fewer transitions between poses than, for example, a Vinyasa flow yoga class. Slow Flow Yoga can help you find the space between poses while still retaining the gentle rhythm of your breath.

Throughout the yoga class the emphasis lies with slowing down the breathing to about 6 breaths per minute and taking in a little less air volume per breath too (about 30% less). The benefit here is to bring about a calm in the mind stimulating the para sympathetic nervous system.

Primarily, the emphasis of this practice is to focus the mind, and secondarily to bring flexibility and strength into your body with the overall outcome to be able to 'self regulate', learning to disengage from thoughts coming into the mind and becoming more present in the moment.

The name 'Yin' comes from Yin Yang philosophy reflecting the balance between opposing forces. More energetic styles of yoga like Ashtanga yoga are considered 'yang' as they are faster flowing and can incoporate strong yoga poses while 'yin' yoga poses are aiming to balance these energetic practices with calm, and deeper stretches holding the poses for lolnger periods.

Yin yoga at our retreat will be held in the afternoons, and as the second yoga session of the day, this gentle yoga practice will help you to slow down, relax physically and mentally and turn inward. It helps to alleviate stress and restore your energy levels.

In the 1970s Stanislav Grof and his wife Christina explored how altered states of mind, or consciousness, could affect individuals and how it could help in traditional counseling and psychoanalytic therapy.

They developed a breathing method called Holotropic Breathwork at the Ellen Institute in Big Sur, California USA to help people bring suppressed feelings to the conscious mind. Through this new experimental method, they learnt that fast and deep breathing triggering the ‘fight and flight’ response which makes us panic or anxious, could also affect our brain positively.

Breathing in this rapidly and deep pattern can bring about a dream-like experience, or altered state of consciousness and through it access parts of your consciousness that are hard to reach.

The word ‘holotropic’ comes from the Greek words ‘holos’,which means ‘whole’ and ‘trepein', meaning ‘to move in the direction of something', moving towards wholeness.

Always do holotropic breathing with a certified breathwork practitioner and consult your doctor or health practitioner before participating in a holotropic practice.

The breathwork session is usually conducted with you lying down comfortably on a yoga mat. The practice should be performed in a safe environment, away from water. If required, use bolsters, cushions and a blanket so that you will be comfortable throught the breathing session.

You close your eyes and follow your practitioner’s instruction. Begin to breathe fast and deep in an even pattern. Continuously breathe rapid without pauses between inhales and exhales. Your instructor will encourage you to make any movements or sounds that just come naturally. The fast breathing technique continuous for anywhere between 30 up to 50 minutes, or even longer.

Often, beautiful music, or drumming is played during the session to help you enter an altered state of consciousness. Holotropic breathwork sessions are mostly done in group settings and should always be conducted by a certified breathwork instructor.

It may help relieve mental health conditions such as:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• Substance use disorder

• Negativity

• Tension

• Chronic stress

• Emotional release

Mostly people say that they exeperience an emotional release. It can be manifest in feelings of sadness or bursts of anger. You may sob, and your body shakes. Others experience a profound sense of happiness and it can be very relaxing.

It is different for each person, but mostly people say that holotropic breathing has helped them dissolve unresolved emotions which are stored in the mind and body and that the rapid breathing helps them to ‘unlock’ stuck emotions and which is followed by a deep sense of relief.

It can help to:

• Boost your immunity

• Release physical and emotional stress

• Promote the release of toxins from your bloodstream and tissue

• Lower your blood pressure and increase blood circulation

• Boost your immune system

• Create new neuropathways in your brain

• Improve your digestion

• Promote mental clarity, focus and creativity

Holotropic breathwork is not recommended for people who are pregnant or are breastfeeding. Always consult a doctor or health practitioner before participating in a holotropic breathwork session to ensure it is safe for you.