10 April 2025
Most mornings here start at a slow pace—wake up, have chai, shower, sort out clothes, do some work, find breakfast, and then decide what the rest of the day will look like. Today was no different, although I did wake up with excitement for the breathwork session and tattoo appointment I had this afternoon.
After the usual late breakfast, I headed down to Divine Circle to meet Amanda for the three-hour session. Our teacher had prepared the space beautifully, and the energy was already charged with expectation. Before each session starts, he really takes time to connect with each person in the group, and by doing so, creates a very safe and comfortable space for each one to open and share their emotions and experiences. He explained the kind of breathing we would be doing and made sure we all understood and felt safe.
Holotropic breathing is a technique designed to facilitate self-exploration and healing by inducing altered states of consciousness. It often involves rapid, deep breathing—this time through the mouth—and is combined with evocative music and body work to help individuals access and process unconscious material. The process is intended to promote emotional release, increase self-awareness, and potentially lead to profound spiritual experiences.
I was amazed at how quickly my being started reacting to the deep breathing. Consciously breathing in deeply and exhaling through the mouth was already activating an emotional response. Vishnu is a powerfully intuitive teacher, and he went around the group as needed to help move energy or hold space when someone needed his support. His energy is filled with love, genuine awareness, and care, and we all had deep healing experiences.
At the end of the session, he gave us paper and crayons—drawing what you feel in a moment like that is often a fantastic way to process and integrate the experience. Sweet little heart-shaped cookies were then passed around, and he received grateful smiles for the kind treat to end off the session.
I felt tired but refreshed. Emotions still in a sensitive state of awareness, I was ready to get my new tattoo. A custom-drawn symbol for fire priestess/dragon, hand poked, it had been specifically designed to be a visual representation of an element of my purpose in this life. Getting it done the traditional way was a little ritual that made it that much more special.
I met the artist a while back during the cacao ceremony at 12 Monks hostel and instantly knew that I had found the right person for the job. She has the same tattoo on her arm as I have on my chest—a tiny, simplistic drawing of a hand holding a new moon. We both decided this was a sign—literally—and I made my appointment with Urja Pokes only a few days later.
I was ready, and even though it obviously hurt to have the ink poked into the skin dot by dot, it wasn’t as bad as I expected—or maybe I was still high from the breathwork and my pain threshold was higher. Happily, I watched the tiny piece of art take shape, and I am excited to carry this symbol with me into the next phase of my awareness.
To top off an already beautiful day, we are now listening to RAIN falling outside! I haven’t seen rain since January, and it has been dry, dusty, and hot. This is simply divine icing on a delicious cake!
