How a retreat unfolds
Retreats at Danu Lodge are residential — three to four days of held space in which you breathe, integrate, walk the land, eat well and rest. Each breathwork session follows the classic three-part Holotropic structure: Breathing, Music and Focused Energy-Release Bodywork, followed by mandala art-making and a sharing circle for integration.
Participants work in pairs, taking turns to breathe and sit. The held container — facilitators, music, peer support and the land itself — allows people to go deep safely.
What people work with
Breathwork can be a powerful tool of personal transformation: insight into light and shadow, re-integration of fragmented parts of self that have split off through guilt, shame, fear, anger or grief, and access to the transpersonal realms artists and seekers describe across every spiritual tradition.
It is widely used as a complement to psychotherapy, by people on a contemplative path, and by anyone moving through a significant life transition — bereavement, divorce, the work of midlife, recovery, awakening.
Facilitators & lineage
Retreats are led by Kate Curtis and Claire Mathews. Kate and Claire are trained with the Grof legacy and Grof Transpersonal schools. Both are certified Transpersonal therapists, and Holotropic breathwork facilitators through Grof Transpersonal Training (GTT) - Kate certified in 2012; Claire certified in 2016, and Grof Legacy Training (GLT) - ( Both Certified in 2021 and 2022) - the lineage carried forward by Stan, Christina and Brigitte Grof, since 2020. Both Certified in 2021 and 2022
Common questions
Frequently asked
Do I need any experience to attend a retreat?+
No. Most participants are new to breathwork. Facilitators guide you through preparation, the session itself and integration.
Is it safe?+
Breathwork is generally very safe but is not appropriate for some conditions — including pregnancy, recent surgery, cardiovascular disease, epilepsy, glaucoma, retinal detachment, severe asthma, or active psychosis. A health screening form is part of the booking process.
Is it the same as Wim Hof or rebirthing?+
No. Celtic Holotropic retreats are a longer, deeper, music-led process aimed at psycho-spiritual exploration. Wim Hof is shorter and primarily physiological. Both are valuable; they are different tools.
What about Holotropic Breathwork?+
Celtic Holotropic retreats and Holotropic Breathwork share the same root. Holotropic Breathwork was the original name used by Stan and Christina Grof; Celtic Holotropic retreats are the form taught by the post-2020 Grof Legacy Training school.
Further reading
Registration open
Grof Weekend Holotropic Breathwork · 25–27 September
25 September — 27 September 2026 · Danu Lodge, Gorey, Co. Wexford
Descent — a residential Grof-style circle at Danu Lodge
Click here to register