A Brief History of the International Breathwork Foundation
The International Breathwork Foundation [IBF} is a non-profit international network open to everyone interested in conscious breathing and breathwork. This includes Conscious Connected Breathwork Professionals, organisations and schools as well as individuals and practitioners interested in conscious breathing or those whose lives have been touched by this experience.
“The purpose of the IBF is to promote a heart-centred approach to breathwork, its theory and practice, for the expansion of consciousness and for personal and global transformation.”
The IBF was officially incorporated as a non-profit organisation in The Netherlands in June 2000. Principal funding of the International Breathwork Foundation is by annual membership fees.
Breathwork in all its richness and diversity of forms has been developing and evolving constantly over the last forty years. Although some countries had very active national associations and organizations for breath-oriented practices, international activities and global cooperation was still waiting to be fully developed. It was with this understanding in mind that the original concept of the Global Inspiration Conference was formed by Gunnel Minett, author of Breath & Spirit (The Aquarian Press, 1994). In collaboration with Bo Wahlström and Lena Kristina Tuulse, founders of the Swedish Breathwork Institute, the first Global Inspiration Conference was organized in Sweden in 1994. An important common desire emerging amongst participants at the first conference was to lay a foundation for closer international co-operation between people interested in Breathwork. The inspiration generated by this first meeting led to the birth of the IBF. In the spirit of co-operation and cross-pollination, many minds are always better than one. This synergy has been carried over into IBF’s ongoing activities.
The IBF was officially incorporated as a non-profit organisation in The Netherlands in June 2000. Principal funding of the International Breathwork Foundation is by annual membership fees. The IBF has an open, respectful and inclusive spirit to all nations, races, religions, spiritual traditions and breathing techniques and does not adhere to any specific tradition, religious or otherwise.
The IBF serves as a research and documentation centre for collecting, collating and disseminating information from around the world about Breathwork and its diverse theories, techniques, practices, schools and trainings.
A Global Inspiration Conference is held annually under the auspices of the IBF and is hosted in a different country each year. During the conference the IBF holds its Annual General Meeting (AGM). All registered participants at the conference are welcome to participate in the AGM where decisions regarding the future direction of the IBF and its relationship to Breathwork are mad. Since its conception, conferences have been hosted in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Ecuador, England, Estonia, France, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, United States, Venezuela, India, Ireland, Tenerife and South Africa.
The International Breathwork Foundation offers the possibility to all people devoted to Conscious Breathing, independent of modality, to creatively participate in a global activity that promotes and honours the breath as a transformational tool for healing and personal growth. All are welcome to join the IBF network.
The IBF represents more than 35 countries worldwide and was granted Special Consultative Status with the ECOSOC (United Nations) in 2016.
More up to date information can be found on the IBF facebook page
A panorama of some of the participants at the Global Inspiration Conference 2014 in Galway, Ireland:
