A breathwork retreat in the Blue Ridge mountains

A breathwork retreat is a residential program built around guided breathing techniques, usually paired with meditation. In Andrew Keaveney's version, breath is the way into meditation: the breathing practice settles the body and the mind, and sitting practice follows naturally. It is a four-day stay in Boone with a teacher who has spent more than 17 years on exactly this.

A breathwork workshop is usually a single session or a short class. A retreat spans several days with lodging on site, which gives the practice time to settle in. Andrew's current listings are residential retreats.

No online breathwork classes are listed at the moment. Online, the best way to learn how Andrew thinks about breath is his podcast conversations. In “How Breathwork Opens the Door to Meditation” with The Inspired Yogi and “How to Actually Calm Your Nervous System (Not Just Breathe)” with Dr. Z, he explains the ideas he teaches in person. He also appeared on 3audio podcasts, including “The Breath Is the Bridge” (podcast, episode 122).

• How to Actually Calm Your Nervous System (Not Just “Breathe”)with Dr. Z(opens on YouTube)
• The Healing Power of Breath: Transform Your Brain, Body & LifeSusan LoPresti Guzman(opens on YouTube)
• How Breathwork Opens the Door to MeditationThe Inspired Yogi(opens on YouTube)
• The Pause That Wasn’t There: Sky Breath in RecoveryAlchemist Recovery(opens on YouTube)

Two of Andrew's films follow people using breathwork in hard circumstances: students facing burnout, and people in Ohio who share how breathwork transformed their addiction. The student burnout film features SKY, the rhythmic breathing practice taught in Art of Living programs.

• Stemming Student Burnout with SKY(opens on YouTube)
• Breathwork Transformed My Addiction: Stories from Ohio(opens on YouTube)

1. 1.

   Listen first

   Play “How Breathwork Opens the Door to Meditation” to understand the approach.

2. 2.

   Check the program

   Read the Breathwork & Meditation Retreat listing for schedule, lodging and requirements.

3. 3.

   Register

   Use the upcoming retreats link to reach registration at the retreat center.

4. 4.

   Keep it going

   After the retreat, a 10 to 20 minute daily session helps the practice last.

See all meditation retreats with Andrew Keaveney or every podcast conversation on breath.

What is a breathwork retreat?

A breathwork retreat is a residential program built around guided breathing techniques, often paired with meditation. Andrew’s Breathwork & Meditation Retreat, listed for Nov 5 to 8, is held at the Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone, North Carolina. Andrew has taught breathwork for over 17 years.

What is the difference between a breathwork workshop and a breathwork retreat?

A breathwork workshop is usually a single session or short class, while a retreat spans several days with lodging on site. Andrew’s current listings are residential retreats of three to four days. For shorter formats offered at the Boone center, browse all programs on the Art of Living Retreat Center website.

Does Andrew offer online breathwork classes?

No online breathwork classes are currently listed. Andrew’s breathwork teaching is listed as residential retreats in Boone, North Carolina. Online, you can hear him explain breathwork in podcast conversations such as “How Breathwork Opens the Door to Meditation” and “The Healing Power of Breath,” which are collected on the podcasts page of this library.

What is SKY breath?

SKY is a rhythmic breathing practice taught in Art of Living programs. It appears in Andrew’s work in the film “Stemming Student Burnout with SKY” and the conversation “The Pause That Wasn’t There: Sky Breath in Recovery.” For whether a specific retreat teaches SKY, check that program’s listing at the Art of Living Retreat Center.

How does breathwork relate to meditation?

Andrew teaches the two together, using breath as a way into meditation. He discusses the idea in the podcast “How Breathwork Opens the Door to Meditation” and in “The Breath Is the Bridge,” episode 122 of a podcast he appeared on. His retreat in Boone is titled the Breathwork & Meditation Retreat.

Do I need meditation experience to join a breathwork retreat?

Prerequisites are set per program, so check the listing for the specific retreat on the Art of Living Retreat Center website. As a starting point, Andrew’s 10 minute and 15 minute guided meditations give you a feel for his teaching before you travel. Both are free on YouTube.

Read all questions about meditation retreats, breathwork and guided audio