Hawai’i GROF® Breathwork Retreat

Immerse yourself in the transformative power of Grof® Breathwork at the beautiful Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa on the flanks of Hualālai volcano. 

Our work will be held not only by the breathwork space itself, but also in the power of the ʻāina (land). This Spring retreat will offer four breathwork experiences, two as a breather and two as a sitter, as well as time to arrive early or stay late, should your travel plans allow, to explore the sun-kissed Kona Coast.

What is Grof® Breathwork?

Grof® Breathwork represents the authentic lineage of holotropic breathwork, authorized by Stan and Brigitte Grof. Born at California's legendary Esalen Institute in 1974, this powerful modality uses three elegantly simple tools to unlock profound states of awareness: accelerated breathing, evocative music, and focused bodywork.

By activating the unconscious and mobilizing blocked energies, holotropic breathwork creates access to the full spectrum of human experience—from unresolved biographical material and emotional wounds to perinatal memories, death-rebirth sequences, and transpersonal realms that touch the mythological and archetypal.

Facilitation Team

Marianne Murray

Marianne is an eclectic and experiential practitioner in the field of learning. Her academic studies include master’s degrees in transpersonal psychology and mindfulness-based psychotherapy and a doctoral degree in transformative learning and change in human systems. Integral to her work has been her training with Stanislav Grof – she completed the Grof Transpersonal Training in 2001, is a certified GROF® Breathwork facilitator, and has facilitated holotropic breathwork in the US, UK and Europe, Kenya, and India. She is certified also as a facilitator of Bert Hellinger’s systemic constellation work and completed her training as a massage therapist, both of which inform her practice as a facilitator. Marianne had the good fortune to study with Stan during the mid-1990s, both in breathwork training and as a student at CIIS. Living into Stan’s insights on the nature of consciousness and his cartography of consciousness catalyzed not only deep personal healing, but also radically informed her work with group facilitation in the field of personal learning and change.

A faculty member at the Academy for the Love of Learning in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Marianne has been intimately involved with the development of their Leading by Being curriculum and helped to establish the Academy’s overall pedagogy. Topics that motivate her include: somatic awareness as an integral aspect of learning (and un-learning) as we explore unconscious, and semi-conscious, beliefs and biases. The role of facilitator presence in individual and group learning and healing. Now in her mid-70s she can’t help but ask, too, what is the conscious completion of a life’s journey?

Marianne is senior faculty/teacher for the GROF® Legacy Training USA, serves on the Board of Directors for GROF® Legacy Project, and is a Mind and Life Fellow.

Jay Dufrechou

Jay Dufrechou, J.D., PhD is the Director of Grof Legacy Training USA, the United States branch of the international training organization founded in 2020 by Stanislav and Brigitte Grof. Along with Marianne Murray, Jay leads the teaching and facilitation team for Grof Breathwork training programs in the US.

In the mid-90s, while working as an attorney, experiences of “spiritual emergence” changed Jay’s understanding of the cosmos and led him to the doctoral program at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (ITP), now Sofia University, to follow and integrate his experiences. Earning a Ph.D. in 2002 in Transpersonal Psychology, Jay has taught for various transpersonal-related schools and supervised dissertation research, often involving Stan Grof’s work.

Jay first experienced Stan Grof’s Breathwork in 1995, immediately realizing the power of the technique for personal growth and healing. He came back to breathwork in the mid-2000s and started the facilitator training path in 2009, receiving certification in 2015. He has worked as a holotropic breathwork and Grof Breathwork facilitator across the US, as well as in the UK, Europe, Canada, India and China.

When not traveling for work in Grof programs, Jay divides his time between Helena, Montana, and Panama City Beach, Florida, where he lives with his partner Rob Sharp. Jay is the proud father of three children and “papa” to three grandchildren.

Elle Luna, Apprentice

Elle Luna is a designer, painter, and writer — most well known for her 2015 book The Crossroads of Should and Must, which has been translated into over a dozen languages. She previously worked as a designer at IDEO, with teams on apps and websites, including MIT, Medium, Mailbox, and Uber, and facilitated the global, online project #The100DayProject, encouraging people to take one step toward what they must do every day for 100 days. Her current studio practice combines art-making with Grof Holotropic Breathwork, exploring how creativity and conscious breathing can guide us toward our own innate wisdom and wholeness.

Tyler Barrell, Apprentice

Tentative Schedule

Friday, March 6, 5:30pm - 7:30pm - Welcome, introductions, breathwork orientation (arrival and registration begins at 5:00pm)

Saturday, March 7: 8:30am - 8:00pm - Breathworks 1 & 2

Sunday, March 8: 8:30am - 8:00pm - Breathworks 3 & 4

Monday, March 9: 8:30am - 12:30pm - Closing

Note: There will be an optional Post-Workshop Zoom Integration session, a few days after the retreat.

Accommodations

The cost of the workshop does not include accommodations. However, we have secured a limited number of discounted rooms at the Outrigger Kona Resort and Spa for $289/night plus taxes, available in both King Bed and Double Queen configurations. Take advantage of this special rate for up to 3 days before and after the event—check in as early as March 3rd or depart as late as March 12th. Discounted room blocks are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis—book early to secure your spot! Use this link to book your room with the discounted rate.

Guests staying at the Outrigger also receive a discounted price on workshop registration.

Contraindications

Grof® Breathwork is a transformative experience designed to facilitate deep self-exploration and healing. Due to the intense physical and emotional nature of the practice, certain health conditions may pose risks during breathwork sessions. To ensure the safety and well-being of all participants, please review our health considerations before registering for a workshop. You may also view our health questionnaire prior to registration.

Payment Options

We offer Afterpay and Klarna options at checkout, allowing you to split your payment into manageable monthly installments. If you choose one of these options, you'll be redirected to their site after registering to set up your payment plan.

We strive to create a welcome and inclusive community that engenders a sense of belonging, respect, openness, and safety in order to facilitate a personally meaningful process for each participant.  Our intent is to support all participants in their work of self-exploration and discovery. Thus, limited sliding scale opportunities are available. Please inquire directly with Tyler at tylerbarrell@gmail.com.