Seven Directions® breathwork. The meeting point of science
& mysticism
“I just refer to myself as being Spirit, Mind and Body like everybody else and working toward the mastery of my natural divinity and the healing of my emotional mind."
— Leonard Orr.”
How we came to be
Steph Magenta, Founder of Seven Directions® Breathwork, tells her story.
As a young runaway, at the age of seventeen, Steph found herself immersed in London gang culture, serious addiction, sex work, and dysfunctional relationships without the maturity or wisdom to recognise how to help herself change. In traversing many dark nights of the soul through these hard years of repeated cycles of addiction and withdrawal, violence, crime, unhealthy sexual expression, encounters with the criminal justice system, her partner’s prison sentence and her own isolation, she eventually found herself at a critical turning point in her life - give up or get well.
Her story from this moment became one of committing to the challenging journey of addiction recovery through a methadone reduction program in a drug rehabilitation unit in hospital. This was where Steph recognised the painful truth that you can’t heal the ‘symptoms’ without understanding the cause, and here began her quest to find the courage to clear her past and build a new life.
Steph took herself from the darkness of the London Underworld with a determination to find her way back to health. She has spent over 3 decades working with the human body and psyche, primarily driven by the desire to understand and heal her own roots, and later to support others in doing the same.
She is a published author, double award nominated sexual freedom advocate and seeker of truth and justice. She spent over 5 years working intensively with many plant medicine teachers which she feels expedited her healing enormously, leaving her with the integration of those pieces of insight becoming her personal spiritual ‘work’. Steph is a Shift Network Faculty Member and Breathwork Summit presenter. She has a huge ongoing passion for community building.
You can discover more about Steph HERE
Why client centered breathwork®
Our approach fosters the intrinsic value of recognising that every ‘body’ holds a unique template of functionality, largely influenced by our social and cultural conditioning, our early years experiences and the residue of how these experiences structure our nervous systems. As we move through Life, a nervous systems continue to wire and fire in maladaptive ways, causing us to experience habitual reactivity rather than composed responding.
It's very important at Seven Directions® Breathwork that we recognise the agency and autonomy of every single person who brings themselves to a breathwork (or other somatic healing) session. We are not here to fix, heal, parent or otherwise dictate the boundaries and experiences of another human being. Instead, we choose to open space for each person to identify their own answers at their own pace. Shifting the focus to the individual allows for greater sovereignty in the experience of breathwork.
We welcome you to our program and we are confident that by the time you leave our training, you will feel well equipped to hold ethical consenting practice at the heart of all you do.
discover more about What we offer & how we work
We offer a grounded understanding of trauma, and provide students with comprehensive knowledge on how to recognise and hold trauma release in safe and ethical ways. We teach you how to create a supportive and secure environment for healing and transformation to take place within breathwork practice.
We educate you about the scientific foundations behind breathwork, somatics, and the psychology of trauma.
We build non-heirarchical structures which enable you to safely bring deep inquiry into your personal study process and eventual facilitation skills.
We teach alternative breathwork techniques for individuals who may need to downregulate or for whom activating practices may be less suitable.
We encourage learning within the framework of the Sacred Circle and the Seven Directions, which create a powerful container as used in many traditions to understand oneself, the cycles of life, and the interconnectedness of all things. The Circle represents the holistic nature of existence and offers guidance for living in harmony with oneself, others, and the natural world.
We work on the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual bodies, and understand the connection between all of these aspects of self
Our approach emphasises the importance of honoring and learning from community and the wisdom of the natural world. It recognizes the value of ancestral knowledge, indigenous traditions, and the wisdom of the earth. This reverence fosters a deeper connection with our ancestral roots, the land, and the spirits of nature. How does this apply to you and our program? It honours your walk through this life and all you commit to as part of your personal journey.
By "Walking in Beauty", a Navajo/Diné concept rooted in indigenous wisdom referring to living in alignment with one’s highest values and the natural harmony of the world, we recognise our part in that. We encompass a state of balance, gratitude, and respect for oneself, others, and the environment. We commit to the cultivation of a sense of inner peace, authenticity, and interconnectedness.
Our approach when integrated with breathwork teachings creates a bridge between ancient wisdom and modern understanding. It acknowledges scientific advancements and psychological insights while honouring the timeless wisdom and spiritual practices found in ancient traditions. We are mindful not to just ‘take’ from other cultures and endeavour to work in reciprocity giving thanks and gratitude for all we receive.
What is The Sacred Circle?
Listen to one of Steph’s key Shamanic teachers, Chris Lüttichau, offer an outline of the Sacred Hoop.
We are very clear that we are not offering a training in shamanic breathwork. Our focus is on breathwork facilitation which acknowledges the ‘Great Mystery’ of the Human experience whilst fully backed by science, placing value on both aspects of the work.
Whilst we do incorporate elements of ceremonial shamanic practices from various traditions, and the ‘Sun Wheel’ as a map for life in the program, you do not have to be interested in shamanism to join this training. You will not find an overwhelming amount of reference to shamanic teachings, but you will discover the guiding principles which have both formed and continue to inform this program.
Seven Directions® Breathwork offers a heart centred, deeply embodied, integrated training in Breathwork Facilitation. You are most welcome!
