Benefits of Breathexperience™

"Breath comes and goes on its own . . . and with a peaceful rest . . .
we trust that the next breath cycle will come again on its own."
Ilse Middendorf

Breathexperience™ (Middendorf Breathwork), developed by Ilse Middendorf, is a gentle, non-intrusive, yet powerful movement and breath dialogue (hands-on) approach for bringing balance to the physical, emotional, and spiritual being through breath—the healthy life-giving force.

In classes and individual sessions, we discover that healing occurs within the balanced rhythm that natural breath movement creates as it comes and goes on its own—free from control or our will.

We learn that when we consciously experience breath movement, it has the power and wisdom to clear through restrictions and patterns of holding which can cause pain and chronic or acute illness.

Breath moves us!

As breath supports healing of the Self, with its natural breath rhythm, it also opens spaces within the body so . . .

muscles and joints perform efficiently
posture re-aligns from the inside
circulation improves
the immune system, nervous system, metabolism have a chance to work in harmony
heart and cranial-sacral rhythms can come into balance
thoughts and decisions become clear
organs function well
emotions are integrated
spiritual life grows

This work leads to personal growth and transformation so people are free to live up to their full potential.

With immediate beneficial effects, breathexperience™--has gained renown and wide-spread influence in more than 65 years of exploration and experience in schools throughout Europe, and now in this country. Juerg Roffler, a close associate of Professor Middendorf is founder and director of The U.S. Middendorf Breath Institute, which began in San Francisco in 1991, and is now in Berkeley, California.

Benefits

The most powerful benefit in Middendorf Breathwork is in its ability to provide support in which all the body systems can rejuvenate, and come into balance. Our own natural breath movement has immense healing power from within, when it is consciously sensed and experienced.

For example—for those in dis-ease

Asthma patients can experience a sense of ease and well-being, when their breath rhythm comes into balance.
Arthritis is eased when breath opens pathways through joints.
Pains, depression, immune deficiencies, chronic symptoms, and long-term illnesses, can be minimized or relieved as they are more integrated into the total system through breath movement.

Breath moves us dynamically, from our inner being, to the outside world—without our need to manipulate, control, or push ourselves.

"One of the finest things about this work is being self-responsible. Breathexperience™ really helps people to develop their talents and their own special qualities, so that each person can be what he or she was meant to be." Ilse Middendorf

Practitioner's Training

All teachers and practitioners are certified after a three-and-one-half-year intensive training program, which includes in depth work in classes and individual sessions, as well as supervised teaching and hands-on practice.

Background

Margot Biestman is a certified practitioner of Middendorf Breathwork, a staff member of the U.S. Middendorf Breath Institute in Berkeley, California, with a private practice in Sausalito and Sonoma, California. She is director of the Marin-Sonoma Center of the Middendorf Institute for Breathexperience™, and conducts breath classes, workshops, and is a founding member and past President of The Breath Center of San Francisco, a non-profit organization. She has participated in a research study at Osher Integrative Medicine Clinic at UCSF, conducted by W.E. Mehling, MD, using breathexperience for patients with chronic low-back pain, was also a featured workshop presenter at the U.S. Association for Body Psychotherapists at their national conference in Tucson, Arizona, June 2005, and teaches in the Integrative Medicine Clinic of Sonoma Valley Hospital. Margot has 45 years of experience in education, and is an author and artist.