“I have decided to take part in a Holotropic Breathwork Seminar, what should I do now?” Organizers and instructors of holotropic breathing are often asked questions, the general meaning of which is included in the title of this article. Let's look at the most typical of them. The most frequently asked question is perhaps this: “Do I need to formulate for myself a certain topic (problem) that I would like to work through at a seminar (“breathe”)?” The roots of this question are very clear: many people have experience of going through various types of trainings, where they explain to clients that the more accurately they formulate the desired result of their work, the more accurately this result will be realized. All this is true and correct. But not in relation to holotropic breathing and other breathing psychotechniques (intensive integrative psychotechnologies, IIPT). The whole point is that when working with holotropic breathing methods, and getting into the space of altered states of consciousness, each person comes face to face with his own past, with his own dynamics unconscious. From this moment on, we have to trust the principle that S. Grof (author of holotropic breathing) designated as “the internal wisdom of the body.” The essence of this principle is that in the holotropic process, on the one hand, only those problems and experiences that are most significant (traumatic) for a person are processed, and on the other hand, only those that the client has all the resources to cope with. In practice, this means that although we can be aware of what kind of difficulties we have encountered along the path of life, and consciously really want to change our lives in a certain direction, but, as paradoxical as it sounds, we cannot always correctly decide what kind of changes will be for It's really for our good. This is possible for the following reasons. Firstly, we do not have memories of all our stresses and traumas (for example, no adult remembers the circumstances of his birth, or the past may be so painful that we simply do not remember it), and what we do not remember is and we don’t try to fix it. Secondly, not all of our past difficulties and traumas can be processed in the present period of time. Sometimes the time has not yet come to resolve some of our internal difficulties; the personal structures on which we can rely on to make serious progress in our development have not matured. Then, before global personal changes, it is necessary to “prepare the ground” and start small. And it is precisely this “small” that will be the focus of holotropic therapy. Despite some theoretical vagueness, in practice this principle works with mathematical precision. Thousands of holotropic processes carried out around the world have confirmed this. Therefore, the best answer to the question posed above would be advice not to try to create a catalog of problems that need to be worked out in a holotropic breathwork workshop, but to let yourself go into the flow of breath, to meet this new experience with an open mind and trust. Expecting nothing, not setting any goals, just joyfully relaxing and accepting everything that will happen. Another frequently asked question goes something like this: “What kind of literature should I read before the seminar? Which books by Grof (and not only) makes sense to study so that the holotrope is... understandable?” Such a question cannot but please a psychologist. It is always more interesting for a specialist to work with a person who is so highly motivated that he is even willing to spend time studying specialized literature. But, as always, there is one small “but.” The “but” is that although, of course, literature on holotropic breathwork exists, studying it before the seminar is more likely to create some difficulties for you than to help you. The fact is that with serious theoretical training, your perception will be determined by what you read, you will expect the experiences described in books, and you will miss something extremely important only to you. ExceptMoreover, it is necessary to keep in mind that the literature describes the most striking, “indicative” cases, and your experience may be profoundly different from what you read. If we talk about Grof’s books, then the vast majority of them describe the experience of psychedelic therapy. In his works, Grof wrote very little specifically about holotropic therapy; he only emphasized that holotropic breathing is a worthy replacement for psychedelic therapy. It should be borne in mind that breathing psychotechniques in general have a much less pronounced “intensity” of figurative experiences, which, of course, does not detract from their therapeutic value. Thus, when you read Grof's books, you are not reading books about holotropic breathwork. You just need to keep this in mind. If all these arguments do not convince you personally, dear reader, then I can recommend you a couple of worthy books: S. Grof “Holotropic Consciousness” (one of Grof’s most popular works, easy to read for non-professionals) and Kozlov V.V. “Psychotechnologies of altered states of consciousness” (the book is very professional, but easily written). Another question that you often hear is: “What should I eat both the day before and during the seminar?” The question is very clear. Most often, such questions are asked by people who are engaged in any type of psycho-spiritual training (yoga, qi gong, etc.) and are familiar with the effect that nutrition has on breathing. If you are accustomed to observing certain dietary restrictions due to your classes, for example, yoga, then, of course, continuing such a diet will give you lightness and good health during the process of holotropic breathing. It would be unreasonable to deny that a diet with an emphasis on vegetables and cereals, with the exclusion of large amounts of fatty, floury and starchy foods, facilitates the functioning of both the digestive and respiratory systems, and optimizes metabolic processes in the body. But one should not think that holotropic breathing is something like a “cleansing” of the body, during which it is necessary to follow a special diet. If you are used to eating the most ordinary, traditional food, then you should not become a vegetarian (raw foodist, follower of separate meals, etc.) for three days for the sake of a seminar on holotropic breathing. Try to understand that during the days of the seminar your body will have to feel a very serious load, and it is hardly worth increasing it with an unusual diet, which, moreover, you will discard immediately after the end of the seminar. Thus, try to adhere to the nutritional system that you follow in your daily life. If possible, avoid overeating. If the seminar is off-site (for example, held at a tourist center), and you have some dietary preferences and preferences, discuss this with the organizer of the seminar. If your culinary preferences are somewhat unusual (well, life without pineapples in champagne is not good for you!), take the necessary products with you. Take care of your comfort in advance, and the seminar will be most beneficial for you. The next frequently asked question is close to the previous one: “Is it possible to drink alcohol the day before or during the seminar?” The answer to this question cannot be unambiguous. It all depends on the individual and his habits in everyday life. If it is perfectly acceptable for you to drink a glass of wine (or a glass of stronger drink) for dinner, then there will be no special problems if you maintain this habit during the seminar. Here’s what you definitely shouldn’t do – “have too much” on the eve of the seminar or on the days of it. The fact is that in the presence of alcohol intoxication, the most key issue for the body will be the removal of toxins. Then, in the process of holotropic breathing, not psychotherapy and personal growth will occur, but banal detoxification (let me explain that breathing psychotechnics are used for non-drug detoxification for drug and alcohol abuse), and such a seminar will not bring you any global life changes. In general, “think for yourself, decide for yourself” what is more interesting to you in.