DMT breathwork and transcendence

DMT Breathwork: Can Circular Breathing Release DMT?

Megan, Trauma-Informed Breathwork Facilitator & Teacher, Yoga Instructor, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Holistic Nutritionist, Reiki 2 Megan, Trauma-Informed Breathwork Facilitator & Teacher, Yoga Instructor, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Holistic Nutritionist, Reiki 2

The term – DMT breathwork – has become increasingly popular, sparking curiosity about whether breathwork can truly release DMT in the body.

Conscious Connected Breathwork induces non-ordinary states of consciousness and visionary experiences that many enthusiasts liken to psychedelic journeys. Practitioners often draw parallels between their breathwork experiences and the effects of substances like Ayahuasca, renowned for its high DMT content. Additionally, the benefits reported from breathwork frequently resemble those associated with DMT and other psychedelic plant medicines.

Some Commonly Shared Benefits of DMT & Breathwork Include:

  • Transpersonal or mystical experiences
  • Feelings of unity or oneness with the universe
  • The processing and release of trauma
  • Physical and emotional healing
  • Divine encounters and messages
  • Exploration of deep aspects of the self
  • Inner child meetings and healing
  • Meetings with deceased loved-ones
  • Life-altering breakthroughs or insights
  • Spiritual awakening

The striking similarities in benefits and effects have led to the compelling idea that connected breathwork might stimulate the endogenous release of DMT in the brain. Some breathwork facilitators even promote their methods as “DMT Breathwork,” highlighting the perceived connection between the two. However, validating this claim has proven challenging due to the lack of direct studies investigating this correlation. Researchers are only beginning to understand the role of DMT in the human body.

Despite the absence of definitive evidence, we conducted an in-depth exploration of this potential connection. In the following sections, we will reveal the findings of our investigation.

What is DMT (N,N-Dimethyltryptamine)

DMT (N, N-Dimethyltryptamine) stands as a hallucinogenic tryptamine chemical within the psychedelic class alongside LSD and psilocybin [1]. While most recognized as the key psychoactive component in the plant-based concoction Ayahuasca, DMT is not confined to this usage, as it occurs abundantly in various plants, animals, and intriguingly, in the human body itself [2], [3]. Remarkably, DMT is the sole naturally occurring psychedelic molecule identified within the human body, with studies detecting its presence in human blood, brain, and cerebrospinal fluid [4],[5].

Boasting the title of the most potent psychedelic on Earth, DMT, when ingested, elicits profound psychedelic and often mystical-type experiences. Notably, it mimics the near-death experience, wherein individuals describe transcending their physical bodies and entering alternate realms. This unique attribute led researcher Rick Strassman, M.D. from the University of New Mexico, to dub DMT the “spirit molecule” [6]. Strassman posits that DMT facilitates the soul’s movement in and out of the body, playing a pivotal role in birth, death experiences, and the deepest states of meditation [7]. Intriguingly, there is also speculation about DMT’s involvement in deep REM sleep, and dreaming, and its purported to have played a role in the evolution of human consciousness.

In an interesting aside, Holotropic Breathwork, one of the original branches of modern Breathwork, emerged in the 1960s through the pioneering work of Psychiatrist and LSD-facilitated therapy researcher Stanislav Grof. Grof achieved notable success in utilizing LSD to assist his patients in overcoming severe PTSD. However, when LSD became illegal in the United States, he discovered that connected breathing could naturally produce similar psychedelic-like states that facilitated profound healing.

Exploring the Natural Production of DMT in the Human Body

In the mid-1990s, Dr. Strassman conducted groundbreaking experiments on DMT, ultimately attributing its production and secretion to the pineal gland. Nestled deep within the center of the brain, this small organ has fascinated researchers for years, earning names like ‘the seat of the soul’ and ‘the third eye.

Despite the prevailing belief in the exclusive synthesis of DMT within the pineal gland, a 2019 study published in Scientific Reports unveiled a different reality. This research revealed that brain neurons containing the two essential enzymes for DMT synthesis are not limited to the pineal gland but are also present in other brain regions critical for higher-order functions.

DMT Breathwork: Three Ways Conscious Connected Breatwork May Cause the Natural Release of DMT

  1. Potential DMT Release in Breathwork Through Stress States

    While the exact mechanisms governing the production and release of DMT in the body remain unknown, it has been proven that highly stressful situations can lead to a release of high quantities of DMT in the brain of rats, and this phenomenon may occur similarly in human brains [9],[10]. Breathwork sessions are known to alter the carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen ratio in the body, leading to an increase in pH. These rapid physiological changes may subject the system to mild stress. Theoretically, this induced state of stress during Connected Breathwork could potentially be associated with the release of DMT. However, further research is needed to validate and understand the intricate details of this complex relationship.

  2. Potential DMT Breathwork Release Through Reduced Oxygen Levels

    Another conceivable mechanism through which Breathwork may instigate the natural release of DMT is by inducing mild hypoxia, characterized by reduced oxygen levels in tissues. Despite the common misbelief that breathwork increases oxygen levels, the rapid breathing inherent in Breathwork does the opposite. It induces a rise in pH and a decrease in CO2 levels, initiating vasoconstriction—the narrowing of blood vessels. CO2 is essential for facilitating the release of oxygen from the blood into tissues and organs, a phenomenon known as the Bohr effect. And as a result of vasoconstriction and the Bohr effect, breathwork actually diminishes oxygen levels in the tissues [11],[12].

    Intriguingly, studies have revealed that DMT may have a protective effect on human cells in low-oxygen environments, suggesting that the reduction in oxygen levels induced by breathwork could trigger the release of DMT as a natural survival mechanism.

  3. Potential DMT Breathwork Release Through Brainwave Alterations & Cerebrospinal Fluid

    A third avenue through which Breathwork might induce the release of DMT involves the modulation of brainwaves and cerebrospinal fluid dynamics. Gamma brainwaves, associated with states of profound meditation, heightened awareness, and elevated cognitive functions are activated during Connected Breathwork and other deeply meditative practices [14]. Notably, a correlation between gamma waves and DMT release exists, suggesting a reciprocal stimulation between the two [15],[16].

    Preliminary research suggests that connected breathing may influence the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid, which contains the highest concentrations of DMT outside the brain. This implies that deliberate breath modulation during connected breathwork could stimulate the flow of this DMT-rich fluid, potentially stimulating the distribution of DMT throughout the brain and body [17.

Concluding Thoughts on DMT Breathwork: Everything You Need is Already within You!

While we may not have definitive answers about the validity of ‘DMT Breathwork,’ the profound efficacy and benefits of breathwork itself are undeniable. Its transformative and healing effects stand unparalleled, bringing subconscious experiences to the forefront, purging physical, emotional, and mental toxicity, and paving the way for self-discovery and spiritual growth. Moreover, Breathwork is a safe, all-natural practice that empowers individuals to become their own healers. The journey within holds the key to unlocking the innate wisdom and healing potential that resides within each of us!

Ever since my very first Connected Breathwork session which left me feeling ‘reborn’, I have made it my mission to help make Breathwork as popular and accessible as yoga. As part of that mission, I research and write about breathwork, offer an international trauma-informed breathwork facilitator training, and facilitate both private and group breathwork sessions. Additionally, I organize biannual breathwork retreats in Sayulita Mexico.

If you’d like to book an in-person or online Breathwork session with myself or one of my highly trained graduates, or to find out more about any of our offerings, please reach out here.

* If you want to find out more about DMT in the human body, it’s effects, and it’s potential connection to Breathwork, you can watch DMT Quest Documentary (we have no affiliation with this link or video). 

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Megan, Trauma-Informed Breathwork Facilitator & Teacher, Yoga Instructor, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Holistic Nutritionist, Reiki 2
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