For more than 60 years, Prof. Ilse Middendorf of Berlin, Germany has been developing The Experience of Breath, a somatic work, based on the autonomic mode of breathing. This approach promotes a conscious experience of breath, free from control of the human will,

Breath not only reaches our inner world and moves us, it also connects us to the world outside. Breath that comes and goes on its own creates movements both inward and outward, in an ever-continuing act of filling and emptying, receiving and giving, the masculine and the feminine in a dialogue, searching for balance and growth.

Breath Movement becomes meaningful. Through simple exercises we become aware of breath laws and principles, and use them as a tool to experience and understand breath movements as the source of our creative forces as well as an outlet for their expression. The Self becomes embodied through the movements and gestures that are initiated by breath. We enter a self-analytical process of growth and development. Body, soul, and spirit can be experienced as one.

Every single breath cycle actualizes past, present and perspective of our being. By learning to listen to our breath we connect with a source that can help to direct and lead us through an appropriate process of integration. Breath becomes our teacher and healer.
 

BACKGROUND

Since its inception, this artistic form of breathing education, developed by Professor Ilse Middendorf, has achieved international attention for its effectiveness as a somatic healing and growth process. Professor Middendorf began practicing her work in 1935. In 1965 in Berlin, she founded the Institute for the Perceptible Breath (now called The Experience of Breath), which certifies practitioners in the Middendorf Breathwork.

This work has seen a pattern of steady growth, so there are now several Middendorf schools in Europe. Each year these schools graduate between seventy and ninety new practitioners who work in a variety of areas of private practice music and acting schools, clinics for rehabilitation, and psychology, counseling offices, etc..

In 1986, Advanced Seminars of Berkeley, California, a center for Feldenkrais education and other somatic explorations, together with the Berlin Middendorf Breath Institute, sponsored the introduction of Professor Middendorf's work to the United States. Since then, Ilse Middendorf and her close associate, Juerg Roffler, returned each year to conduct workshops and training seminars. In 1989, to support the growing interest in the Middendorf Breathwork, Juerg Roffler, initiated the first training program leading to the certification of Middendorf practitioners in the United States. In 1991 Juerg founded the Middendorf Breath Institute and the first group of certified practitioners graduated in April, 1992. The newly formatted 3 block Professional Training Program is offered in the Bay Area and New York City. The Berlin and Berkeley Institutes use the same curriculum for the certification and training program.

In 1995, The Breath Center of San Francisco (BCSF) was founded as a non-profit organization for the advancement of the Middendorf Breathwork. The Middendorf Breath Institute and BCSF are closely related.

The Professional Training and Certification Program is approved by the California Council for Private Post-secondary and Vocational Education. The Application for Continuing Education is in process.
 

PARTICIPATION

The Middendorf Training Program is designed for professionals working in the somatic, psychological, artistic, or educational fields, or for persons who want to further their own personal growth. Experience working with groups is desirable.
 

PREREQUISITES

Participants must be in good physical and mental health, and able to take responsibility for any influence the program may have in those areas.

Participants must provide proof of completion of basic knowledge of anatomy. If the anatomy requirement is not fulfilled before entering the third block of the training (full certification), students take a course in anatomy from Faith Hornbacher, staff member of the U.S. Middendorf Breath Institute, Berkeley.
 

TEACHERS

JUERG ROFFLER, Director of the Middendorf Breath Institute, is a certified Middendorf practitioner and former instructor at the Berlin Institute for the Perceptible Breath (The Experience of Breath). He has more than twenty five years of training and experience in breath therapy, body work, and psychotherapy based in humanistic psychology. Juerg conducts workshops throughout the United States and Europe. Since founding the Middendorf Breath Institute as an independent educational institute, he also maintains an active relationship with the Berlin Institute. Juerg teaches most of the segments in the 3 block training programs.

ASSISTANT TEACHERS

KAI EHRHARDT is a certified practitioner of Middendorf Breathwork with a private practiced in New York and San Francisco. He also studied with the Body Electric School, the International Breath Institute, and the Ohashi Institute. He has been a professional therapist since 1996.

STEVEN FEHER is a certified practitioner of Middendorf Breathwork, with a private practice in New York and San Francisco. He is also a certified Massage Therapist. He has over ten years of experience in Middendorf Breath Work and Iyengar Yoga.

GUEST TEACHERS

ILSE MIDDENDORF, is a professor, who originated and developed the Middendorf Breathwork. In 1965 she founded the Institute for the Perceptible Breath (now called The Experience of Breath), in Berlin, where she currently lives and works. In Europe, her work is recognized as one of the major practices in somatic education.

MARGOT BIESTMAN is a certified practitioner of Middendorf Breathwork with a private practice in Sausalito and The Sea Ranch. She is also an author and artist, and teaches classes in Creative Living. She has more than 30 years of experience in education with people from ages 3-93. Margot is a member of the teaching staff of the Middendorf Breath Institute.

FAITH HORNBACHER is a certified practitioner of Middendorf Breathwork, with a private practice in Palo Alto. She is also a certified practitioner of Aston-Patterning and has been in practice for 25 years. She is an artist and has illustrated books in the field of health education. Faith is a member of the teaching staff of the Middendorf Breath Institute, and teaches a course in anatomy.

Over the course of each training program, other certified Middendorf teachers from Europe and the United States, will visit and assist in the training.

TRAINERS IN AN INDEPENDENT TRAINING PROGRAM

To become a trainer of a Middendorf Training Program independent of the Middendorf Breath Institute, the requirements are to: 1) actively practice Middendorf Breathwork for seven years after certification; 2) participate in at least three post-graduate training courses in a period of five years; 3) become an assistant teacher in a training program for at least three years; 4) demonstrate depth of understanding; and 5) attain authorization from Ilse Middendorf and Juerg Roffler.

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM:
NEW FORMAT AND CURRICULUM

The format and curriculum of the Professional Training has been updated. The 3+ year training is now divided into three blocks. According to their needs and commitment, students can now customize their training in the Middendorf Breath Work, The Experience of Breath:
 

BLOCK I
Personal Growth