Breathwork retreats explained: Holotropic vs Wim Hof vs SOMA

Short answer: Holotropic Breathwork is two to three hours of faster breathing to evocative music, with a partner (a sitter) beside you. The Wim Hof Method is about 15 minutes of breathing rounds, and its official workshops add an optional ice bath. SOMA Breath combines rhythmic breathing, breath holds and music in classes of about an hour. All three publish lists of people who should not take part, and the Wim Hof Method warns never to do its breathing in water, in the shower or while driving, because it can make you faint.

“Breathwork retreat” is a category, not a product. Three people can book three weekends with the same label and get a long partnered session, a short daily routine with cold water, or a music-led class with breath holds.

This guide sets out what each method’s own organization says about how it works, who should not take part, and what US events cost. Prices and rules were checked on October 26, 2026.

Breathwork safety rules to read before you book

Fast breathing can make you faint. The Wim Hof Method says its breathing techniques “can cause lightheadedness and even loss of consciousness”, and it sets three rules:

• Stay on dry land. “Never practice in water, in the shower, or while driving.” The method’s FAQ explains that the breathing “can lead to fainting, which is more dangerous around a body of water”. The CDC reported two healthy young men who drowned after they “became unconscious underwater after performing intentional hyperventilation before submersion” (CDC, 2015).
• Do not push the breath hold. Hold “until you feel the urge to breathe again”; the method itself says “longer retention times are not the point of the exercise”. In a 2024 study, over-breathing before breath holds in a fasted state “may increase the susceptibility to a hypoxic blackout” (Elia and colleagues, 2024).
• In cold water, breathe normally. “You should breathe normally during any type of cold exposure involving water”, says the Wim Hof Method. Cleveland Clinic advises: “Avoid going below 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius). For beginners, a safe starting range is 50 to 59 F (10 to 15 C)”, and “Beginners should limit their sessions to a minute or two.”

Who each breathwork method says should not take part

	Wim Hof Method	Holotropic Breathwork	SOMA Breath
Pregnancy	Advises against the method	“A relative contraindication” (Stanislav Grof); not appropriate at Menla’s GTT-approved workshops	Fast breathing and long holds “should NOT be practiced”
Epilepsy	Advises against	On Menla’s list	Not unless your doctor gives specific permission
Heart and blood pressure	Advises against with coronary heart disease, a history of heart failure or stroke, or high blood pressure treated with medication	Uncontrolled high blood pressure, arrhythmia, past stroke or heart attack, or an aneurysm “could mean a serious risk”	A pacemaker or irregular heartbeat, unless your doctor permits; severe uncontrolled hypertension
Eyes	Not listed	Glaucoma or retinal detachment (Menla)	Not listed
Mental health	A serious medical or psychological condition: see a healthcare professional first	Severe mental illness and bipolar disorder (Menla)	Do not take part with “past or existing concerns about your mental health”
Other	Shortly after an operation; cold urticaria, kidney failure, Raynaud’s (Type II)	Recent surgery or injury, osteoporosis, recent infectious disease; bring your inhaler if you have asthma (Menla)	Organ failure; severe illness that impairs breathing

Sources: the Wim Hof Method FAQ, Grof Legacy Training, Menla’s Holotropic workshop page and the SOMA Breath FAQ.

Fill in the medical form honestly. The form for Grof Transpersonal Training (GTT) workshops says the work “may not be appropriate for individuals with certain medical, psychiatric, or neurological conditions.” Our guide to whether breathwork is safe covers the risks in more depth.

Holotropic, Wim Hof and SOMA at a glance

	Holotropic Breathwork	Wim Hof Method	SOMA Breath
Developed by	Stanislav and Christina Grof, at the Esalen Institute in 1974	Wim Hof	Niraj Naik
A session	Usually two to three hours	About 15 minutes of breathing; 20 minutes a day suggested	About an hour (the Awakening class); ceremonies run one to two hours
What happens	Faster breathing to evocative music, with a sitter beside you	30 deep breaths, a breath hold, a recovery breath held for 15 seconds, repeated 3 to 4 times	Rhythmic breathing to music, breath holds and vocal toning, in rounds
Cold water	None	An optional ice bath at official workshops	None

Holotropic Breathwork

Stanislav and Christina Grof developed Holotropic Breathwork at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, in 1974. GTT, which certifies its facilitators, calls Christina Grof its “co-creator”. It followed six years of psychedelic research at the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center; Stanislav Grof writes that “psychedelics were illegal” at Esalen and that it was difficult to receive more funding for new projects.

The method “combines accelerated breathing with evocative music in a special set and setting” (GTT). Sessions last “usually between two and three hours”, according to the Grofs’ published principles. Each breather has a partner, the sitter, whose role “is simply to be present and available to assist the breather”, and the two switch roles for a second session.

What it can feel like: GTT says participants “may encounter memories, emotions, physical sensations, imagery, insights”. Breathing faster lowers the carbon dioxide in your blood, which MedlinePlus says can cause numbness and tingling in the arms or around the mouth. Experiences vary, and no outcome is promised.

It is not therapy. GTT’s medical form says Holotropic Breathwork “is not a substitute for psychotherapy, medical treatment, or psychiatric care”, and GTT warns that without proper training, screening, preparation and integration, it “can lead to panic, retraumatization, or even serious psychological consequences”.

GTT’s weekends need no prior experience: “No previous experience with Holotropic Breathwork® is necessary.” Stanislav Grof suggests follow-up such as “therapy with a good facilitator, writing the content of the experience”.

Wim Hof Method

Wim Hof, whom the Wim Hof Method describes as a Dutch extreme athlete, developed the method as “a combination of breathing, cold therapy and commitment”.

The breathing, in the method’s own words:

1. “Take 30 deep breaths, in through the nose or mouth, letting the belly rise, then let the breath fall out without forcing it.”
2. “After the final exhalation, hold your breath until you feel the urge to breathe again.”
3. “Draw one giant breath, once again letting your belly expand fully. Hold that breath for 15 seconds, then let go.”
4. Repeat the cycle 3 to 4 times. The organization suggests about 20 minutes a day.

The cold is optional. Its Fundamentals Workshops always include “a breathing session and an (optional) ice bath”, and its expedition in Sweden says “Cold exposure is gradual and optional.” To start at home, it suggests ending a regular shower with 30 seconds of cold water, adding a little more each week. Do the breathing first, out of the shower.

What the studies found: in a 2014 trial, 12 healthy volunteers trained for 10 days in the method’s breathing, cold exposure and meditation, then received an injection of bacterial endotoxin. Compared with 12 untrained volunteers, they had much higher epinephrine and a weaker inflammatory response (Kox and colleagues, 2014).

Results on stress are mixed: one trial found day-to-day gains in self-reported energy and ability to handle stress (Fox and colleagues, 2025), another found that daily practice “did not exert positive effects on cardiovascular and psychological parameters” (Ketelhut and colleagues, 2023). A 2024 review urged caution “to avoid a miscalibration between hype and evidence” (Almahayni and Hammond, 2024).

SOMA Breath

SOMA Breath was founded by Niraj Naik. It describes itself as “a complete holistic system of Pranayama techniques”, combining “3 core techniques of rhythmic breathing, breath retention and vocal toning”. Its signature routine is the 3-round Awakening, taught as a one-hour class, and its Awakening ceremonies run one to two hours. SOMA says the practice “will alter your state of consciousness in a profound way without the need for ingesting psychedelics”.

The breath holds go deep. SOMA’s 21-day course sets “A target spO2 level of 80-85% for 2-3 mins duration of breath retention”. MedlinePlus: “A normal oxygen saturation level ranges between 95% and 100%.” SOMA’s FAQ adds that “Pregnant women and menstruating women should avoid The Awakening.” We found no trial of SOMA Breath itself in PubMed.

On October 26, 2026, SOMA’s own events page listed in-person instructor trainings in Bali and Ibiza and an Awakening retreat in Austria, none in the US. Its 21-day course runs online.

Is breathwork like a psychedelic?

Fast breathing in general can produce such states. Experts reviewing high-ventilation breathwork found it “can induce altered states of consciousness with phenomenological similarities to those reported following administration of serotonergic psychedelics” (Lueken and colleagues, 2026). One study comparing approaches found that “different breathwork approaches produced highly similar outcomes” (Havenith and colleagues, 2025). GTT says Holotropic Breathwork “is generally safer than taking psychedelic substances, but it is equally powerful work.”

No study ranks the three methods by depth. Pick by format and by the safety lists, not by reputation.

What breathwork events cost in the US

Prices as each organizer published them on October 26, 2026.

Method	Event	Published price	What the listing says
Holotropic	GTT weekend workshop, San Francisco, January 29 to 31, 2027	$395 early rate through December 4, $445 after	Saturday lunch and snack included; hotel not included
Holotropic	Midwest Breathwork weekend near St. Paul, MN, November 13 to 15, 2026, replacing a cancelled GTT workshop	$440	Saturday lunch and dinner included; led by a certified facilitator
Holotropic	Menla, Phoenicia, NY, a GTT-approved residential workshop, March 29 to April 2, 2026 (past)	$904.20 to $1,221.00 by room type
Wim Hof	Fundamentals Workshop with a certified instructor, Boulder, CO, November 1, 2026, 1 to 5 pm	$120	A breathing session and an optional ice bath; up to 30 participants
Wim Hof, with Wim Hof himself	Weekends in Australia and the Netherlands; a 5-day expedition in Sweden	A$2,299; €1,499; €2,999	Outside the US
SOMA	21-day Awakening course, online	$397 self-study, $497 live group

How to choose a breathwork retreat

1. Check the safety lists first. If one of your conditions is on a method’s list, that settles it.
2. Pick the format you want. A long single session with a partner (Holotropic), a short daily routine you can keep at home (Wim Hof’s breathing), or music-led classes with long breath holds (SOMA).
3. Plan the time after. Holotropic sessions are followed by integration, and Grof recommends follow-up. Leave the rest of the day free.

What to ask a breathwork retreat before you book

• Is the lead facilitator certified by the method’s own organization? “Only practitioners certified through GTT are allowed to practice Holotropic Breathwork®.” The Wim Hof Method warns that “Many self-styled coaches offer breathing classes and retreats without the requisite training”. SOMA trains its instructors in “screening, contraindications and safe facilitation”.
• What is the screening process? GTT says imitations often leave out “proper screening, careful preparation, and thorough integration”. No medical form is a red flag.
• How large is the group, and how many facilitators are there?
• What does integration look like, and how much time is built in?
• What is the refund policy if you have to step out for medical reasons? The Wim Hof Method, for example, gives a 50% refund on requests made up to 30 days before an event.

FAQ: breathwork retreats

Is breathwork safe? Each method publishes a list of people who should not take part, including pregnancy and epilepsy for the Wim Hof Method and SOMA Breath, and fast breathing can make you faint. Our guide to whether breathwork is safe covers the risks in more depth.

Can you do Wim Hof breathing in the shower or an ice bath? No. The Wim Hof Method says: “Never practice in water, in the shower, or while driving.” In cold water, breathe normally, and finish the breathing exercise on dry land first.

How long is a Holotropic Breathwork session? Usually two to three hours; GTT says a session normally takes 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Partners then switch roles for a second session.

How cold should a Wim Hof ice bath be for a beginner? The Wim Hof Method calls cold exposure at its events “gradual and optional”. Cleveland Clinic advises beginners to start at 50 to 59°F for a minute or two and never to go below 40°F. Our ice bath guide covers the rest.

Is there a SOMA Breath retreat in the US? Not on SOMA’s own events page on October 26, 2026: its in-person events were instructor trainings in Bali and Ibiza and a retreat in Austria. Its 21-day Awakening course runs online.

The bottom line on breathwork retreats

The three methods share a label but not a format: a long partnered session (Holotropic), a short daily routine with optional cold (Wim Hof), or music-led classes with breath holds (SOMA). Read each method’s own list of who should not take part, never combine fast breathing with water or driving, and book a facilitator certified by the method’s own organization. Our guide to breathwork benefits covers what the research shows.