Rebirthing

One author defines rebirthing as “an American form of prana yoga that is closest to Kriya Yoga. It may be called scientific breathing rhythm or spiritual breathing.” Another describes it as a “controversial new age therapy” that is commonly called “breathwork.”’ Sessions can include breathing exercises, yoga, or—here comes the controversy—a re-enactment of the patient’s or counselee’s birth.

One might say that people engaged in breathwork are encouraged to hyperventilate, which supposedly has positive physical and mental benefits. In particular, it is said to conjure up suppressed memories of one’s birth.

However, devotees stress that rebirthing is NOT hyperventilating. Leonard Orr, who developed rebirthing in the 1970s, said its goal is to resolve repressed attitudes and emotions that supposedly originated with prenatal and perinatal experiences.

The practice has acquired something of a cult status, with many practitioners who approach it as a sort of religious or spiritual experience. But, again, its fans stress that rebirthing is not some Christian cult.

As you might have guesses, I’ve never actually participated in a rebirthing session, so it’s hard for me to fully understand it. However, this wouldl appear to be a good definition of what rebirthing is supposed to be,,,

A healing process that engages the body and mind in cleansing oneself of toxins and unpleasant memories

Warning

Unfortunately, rebirthing can be fatal. For example, ten-year-old Candace Newmaker died after she was wrapped from head to toe and surrounded by pillows. Therapists ignored her cries that she was suffocating. They were convicted of reckless child abuse, and rebirthing was banned in the state of Colorado for one year.

Of course, that’s an extreme case. But what do people do in “normal” rebirthing sessions? One source says rebirthing is typically taught in ten to twenty weekly sessions, each lasting one to three hours. A typical session consists of one hour of concentrated breathwork and half an hour to two hours of counseling and discussion.

The breathwork — designed “to stimulate the consciousness of the individual cells of the body, and promote the merging of the ‘conscious’ and ‘subconscious’ minds”— is mostly done “dry” (lying on a bed or mattress with a blanket). However, students, patients or guinea pigs may move up to “wet” sessions where they breathe through snorkels.

Practitioners may spend an hour with their eyes closed, focusing on breathing according to a special technique. (The experts debate whether it’s best to breathe through the mouth, the nose or both.) Maintaining a breathing rhythm is said to be extremely important.

However, there is no official rebirthing program. Therapists are free to add their personal touches. In general, they try to create a warm, safe place that rekindles memories of the womb. But rebirthing sessions can deviate wildly in diverse directions, picking up aspects of meditation, religion, New Age science or quackery that could be dangerous.

Verdict

It might be unfair to diss rebirthing because of quacks, cultists or people who simply aren’t qualified to conduct breathwork sessions. On the other hand, we can’t recommend any practice as poorly understood and regulated as rebirthing.

The American Psychiatric Association doesn’t beat around the bush. It opposes rebirthing, noting that it can be fatal and claiming that its effectiveness isn’t supported by scientific evidence.