Glossary
Key terms used throughout the courses, explained. These definitions also appear as hover tooltips the first time a term shows up in a lesson.
A
- Activating intensity
- The energizing, stimulating quality of music, typically characterized by driving rhythms, faster tempos, and dynamic movement; music that propels the breathwork forward and supports physical and emotional release, most prominent during the building and peak phases.
- Affective Intensity
- The emotional power and depth of music; its capacity to evoke strong feelings, memories, or psychological states regardless of volume or tempo. Music with high affective intensity can be quiet yet profoundly moving, or loud and cathartic.
- Ambient soundscapes
- Atmospheric, textural music without strong rhythm or melody.
- Arc
- The overall trajectory of the breathwork session, moving through distinct phases from activation to integration.
C
- Creative process
- The artistic, exploratory approach to assembling a music set.
- Crescendo
- A gradual increase in volume and/or intensity.
- Curation
- The thoughtful, intentional process of selecting and ordering music for the session.
D
- Decibel (dB)
- The unit of measurement for sound volume/loudness; in Holotropic Breathwork, music typically ranges from soft ambient levels (60-70 dB) during opening and closing phases to louder levels (80-90 dB) during peak phases, though specific levels vary based on room acoustics and facilitator preference.
- Driving rhythm
- A strong, propulsive beat that energizes and activates the breathwork.
- Drone
- Sustained tones or harmonies that create a meditative foundation.
- Duration
- The total length of the music set, typically 2-3 hours for a full session.
- Dynamics
- The variations in loudness, softness, and intensity throughout a piece.
E
- Emotional range
- The spectrum of feelings a piece of music can evoke.
- Evocative music
- Music that powerfully elicits emotions, memories, or states of consciousness.
F
- Facilitator's journey
- The personal, creative process the facilitator undergoes while creating the music set.
- Fade in / fade out
- Gradual increases or decreases in volume at the beginning or end of tracks.
- Flow
- The seamless progression of music that maintains continuity throughout the session.
H
- Holotropic
- Moving toward wholeness; describes both the breathwork method and the facilitator's intuitive process of music selection.
I
- Instrumental
- Music without vocals, relying on instruments alone.
- Intensity
- The overall power, energy, or emotional force of the music.
- Intuitive selection
- Choosing music based on inner guidance and felt sense rather than purely intellectual criteria.
M
- Music library
- The facilitator's collection of available music for breathwork sessions.
- Musical container
- The supportive structure created by the music that holds the breathwork experience.
N
- Non-directive music
- Music that provides support without imposing a specific narrative or experience on the breather.
P
- Percussion
- Drum-based or rhythmic elements that provide grounding and drive.
- Playlist
- The ordered list of musical tracks comprising the set.
- Playlist management
- The organizational approach to maintaining and updating music sets.
R
- Repetitive patterns
- Recurring musical phrases that support trance-like states.
- Rhythm
- The pattern of beats and timing that drives the music forward.
S
- Selection process
- The facilitator's method of choosing music, often involving intuitive and holotropic approaches.
- Set
- The complete, pre-selected sequence of music for a breathwork session, typically 2-3 hours in duration.
- Set list
- A written document listing the order and details of tracks in the music set.
- Sonic landscape
- The auditory environment created by the music through which breathers navigate their inner journey.
- Spaciousness
- The level of complexity in the music. Pieces that have many layers that are tightly concentrated have a very low spaciousness score, while tracks that are more minimal and have a reduced danceability score tend to be more spacious.
- Streaming service
- Digital platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.) used to access and organize music.
T
- Tempo
- The speed or pace of the music, measured in beats per minute.
- Three phases / Three hours
- The essential structural framework: opening/building, peak/breakthrough, and integration/return. At various times we will refer to music as belonging to the first, second or third hour. This terminology stands regardless of the length of the music set you are creating — whether it be 20 minutes, 1 hour, 3 hours or beyond.
- Timing
- The strategic placement and length of musical pieces within the arc.
- Transitions
- The shifts between musical pieces or phases, ideally smooth and intentional.
V
- Vocals
- Sung elements, including chanting, singing, or voice as instrument.
- Volume
- The loudness level of the music, adjusted to support but not overwhelm.