Rebirthing Breathwork also known as Conscious Connected Breathing or Conscious Energy Breathing is a powerful healing modality developed by Leonard Orr in the 1960s. It uses continuous, circular breathing (no pause between inhale and exhale) to gently release stored stress and trauma. In a guided session, you lie down and breathe in a relaxed, connected rhythm under a trained facilitator’s care. This safe setting allows unresolved emotions and deep patterns (often rooted in early life) to surface and dissolve through the breathing process. By the end of a session, most people report feeling deeply calm, clear, and renewed.

Core Principles of Rebirthing Breathwork

• Conscious Circular Breathing: Uninterrupted inhalation-exhalation that keeps life-force prana flowing freely. This steady, intuitive breath is the heart of Rebirthing, enabling gradual emotional release.
• Safe, Supportive Environment: Sessions are led by certified facilitators who provide a calming, private setting. Feeling secure helps the mind relax so suppressed feelings can emerge gently without resistance.
• Energy & Emotion Awareness: As you breathe, you stay mindful of any sensations, images, or feelings that arise. The breath moves energy through the body, transforming tension into peace.
• Integration and Release: Rebirthing untangles subconscious patterns (including birth and childhood imprints) by allowing you to breathe through them. Over time, this can break old cycles and free you from limiting habits.
• Spiritual Renewal: Many describe the process as a “rebirth” of awareness. The practice often leads to insights, greater self-compassion, and a sense of oneness or inner clarity.

Unlike structured yogic pranayama (which uses counts and breath holds), Rebirthing is intuitive and free-form. Its focus is on gentle emotional healing rather than precision breathing.

What Happens in a Rebirthing Breathwork Session?

A typical session lasts about 60–90 minutes. You lie down on a mat, often with cushions or bolsters, and begin the connected breathing pattern as your facilitator watches over the process. As you breathe, the nervous system relaxes and an expanded state of consciousness may emerge. It’s common to experience physical and emotional releases – people often feel tingling or vibrations, may cry or laugh spontaneously, and report profound shifts in feeling. By the end, practitioners typically feel very relaxed, with an increased sense of joy, clarity, and inner peace. Each session is unique, but many describe a sensation of being “reborn,” as if starting life anew.

How to Practice Rebirthing Safely

• Work with a Trained Facilitator: Beginners should learn Rebirthing under professional guidance. A certified teacher ensures the breath is paced correctly and that strong emotions are managed safely.
• Set Up a Quiet Space: Lie on a padded mat in a calm, private room. Remove distractions (phone, etc.) and use eye cover if it helps you relax.
• Begin with Relaxed, Connected Breathing: Close your eyes and start breathing in and out continuously. Do not hold or force the breath – simply let each exhale flow naturally into the next inhale. The rhythm should be smooth and comfortable.
• Observe What Arises: As you breathe more deeply, memories or feelings may surface. Allow them to come up without judgment. Keep breathing steadily through any discomfort; the breath will help move the energy of those emotions.
• Integration: After about 45–60 minutes of connected breathing, gradually slow your breath and rest. Spend a few minutes lying quietly, then sit up slowly. You may want to journal or talk with your facilitator about any insights.
• . Always disclose any health issues to your facilitator.

Benefits of Rebirthing Breathwork

Through this practice, many people experience:

• Release of Trauma and Emotional Blockages: Unblocks old patterns from birth or childhood.
• Deep Relaxation and Stress Relief: Activates the parasympathetic nervous system, lowering cortisol and anxiety.
• Greater Clarity and Vitality: Boosts energy and mental focus by clearing mental “fog”.
• Improved Breathing and Health: Frees shallow breathing habits, increasing lung capacity and oxygenation.
• Spiritual Insight: Enhances intuition and a sense of connectedness or “oneness”.

Recent research supports these effects. A 2023 meta-analysis found that guided breathwork significantly reduced stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in participants. In other words, scientific studies now confirm that breath-based practices like Rebirthing can meaningfully improve mental and emotional well-being.

Rebirthing vs. Other Breathwork Techniques

Breathwork is an umbrella term. Some popular modalities include:

• Holotropic Breathwork: Fast, rhythmic breathing with loud music, often inducing very intense catharsis. It’s much more vigorous than Rebirthing.
• Transformational Breath: Combines circular breathing with specific bodywork or affirmations for energy shifts.
• Traditional Pranayama: Structured yogic breathing (with holds and ratios) aimed at channeling prana for meditation.

Rebirthing Breathwork is distinct in its gentle, flowing style. It uses conscious connected breathing to softly release emotional charge. In contrast to pranayama’s strict control or Holotropic’s intensity, Rebirthing is accessible to beginners and focuses squarely on emotional healing through breathing.

Sunrise meditation by the water – a serene setting like Bali’s landscapes can deepen the transformative effect of Breathwork.

Technique	Focus	Method	Intensity
Rebirthing Breathwork	Emotional healing, inner peace	Gentle connected breathing	Moderate
Holotropic Breathwork	Deep catharsis	Fast breathing + loud music	Intense
Pranayama	Energy control & balance	Structured breathing ratios	Gentle–Moderate
Transformational Breathwork	Energy activation	Connected breath with bodywork	Moderate

Rebirthing is ideal for those seeking deep emotional healing and gentle spiritual awakening.

Training and Certification (Where to Learn in Bali)

For those inspired to master Rebirthing Breathwork, comprehensive training is key. Bali has become a global hub for breath training. Bali Yoga Center (part of the Mantra Yoga & Meditation School in Ubud) offers internationally recognized Breathwork and Pranayama Teacher Training courses. These programs are Yoga Alliance–registered (RYT 200/300/500) and led by Sarvottam Ji – a renowned teacher and author of “Therapeutic Pranayama and Breathwork for Living.” The curriculum blends classical yogic techniques with modern therapeutic Rebirthing methods. For example, their Meditation & Breathwork TTC teaches structured pranayama alongside therapeutic breathwork (including Rebirthing) in a safe, supportive format. Graduates receive a globally recognized certification, empowering them to lead breathwork sessions worldwide.

A yoga practitioner raising her arms in tranquility – symbolic of the openness and renewal that Rebirthing Breathwork fosters. Bali’s peaceful environment makes it an ideal place to study and practice these techniques.

Why Bali and Bali Yoga Center?

Bali’s spiritual energy and natural beauty enhance healing practices. Ubud’s rice terraces, temples, and jungle create a sanctuary for introspection. Bali Yoga Center specifically emphasizes safety and integration: their classes include emotional processing and medical screening to ensure every session is nurturing. Many students describe the Bali breathwork training as truly transformative – a full “rebirth” experience in every sense. With expert guidance, tranquil surroundings, and a like-minded community of seekers, it’s widely regarded as one of the best places in the world to learn Rebirthing Breathwork.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Rebirthing Breathwork safe?
Yes, when practiced with a qualified facilitator. The technique is non-invasive and relies on your natural breath. Common side effects are mild (e.g. tingling, changes in heart rate, or emotional shifts). However, because the breathing is deep, it can amplify feelings – so the presence of a guide and a supportive space is important. People with major health issues (heart conditions, severe hypertension, glaucoma, or psychiatric disorders) should avoid it or get medical advice beforehand.

2. How many sessions are needed?
For lasting results, many practitioners recommend a series of sessions (often 5–10) over time. Each session can release different layers of tension, so multiple sittings allow for deeper integration.

3. Can I do Rebirthing online?
Beginners benefit most from in-person guidance. Once you learn the basics, it can be practiced at home with recorded guidance. But for your first sessions, being physically present with an experienced teacher is safest.

4. How is Rebirthing different from Pranayama?
Pranayama is the ancient yoga discipline of breath control (with specific patterns and holds) aimed at balancing energy and preparing for meditation. Rebirthing is a modern therapeutic practice using continuous breathing without holds. Its goal is emotional release and trauma healing, whereas pranayama often targets spiritual attainment and subtle-body purification.

5. Where can I learn Rebirthing Breathwork in Bali?
The Bali Yoga Center (Mantra Yoga School) in Ubud is highly recommended. They offer a dedicated Breathwork/Pranayama Teacher Training led by Sarvottam Ji, covering Rebirthing techniques. All their programs are internationally certified and focused on therapeutic breathwork, making it one of the best places to learn authentic Rebirthing in 2025.

Peaceful meditation setting – an illustration highlighting the calm, supportive atmosphere ideal for a Rebirthing Breathwork session.

Conclusion

Rebirthing Breathwork is more than a breathing exercise it’s a journey of letting go. By breathing continuously, old wounds and mental blocks can surface and be released, leading to greater clarity, health, and even spiritual awakening. In Bali, you can deepen this practice at the Bali Yoga Center, where ancient yogic wisdom and modern healing science come together. Whether you seek stress relief, personal transformation, or a new career as a breathwork teacher, the path begins with a single, powerful breath.

Conceptual image of revitalizing breath: highlighting the lungs and calm atmosphere to represent the physiological and emotional renewal that Rebirthing Breathwork can bring.