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, and co-founder of integrative breath, 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 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. At this stage recovery was simply a matter of survival and determination not to relapse, but as distance began to grow between her and her past, her resilience grew with it and new possibilities opened up.
Steph took herself from the dark world (literally no windows!) of her first post addiction job in casinos and gambling, to art school where she found great expression for her story through her art. Her work was recognised at the end of her degree in the Whitworth Young Contemporaries Exhibition which honours bright new emerging talent in the field of fine art. Steph has spent over 3 decades working with the human body and psyche, primarily driven in the desire to understand and heal her own roots, and later to support others. 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 Summit present with a huge passion for building community.
Her primary essence is love and her pathway through darkness has amplified her deep knowing that all beings can heal when the environment and timing is aligned with the resources and the determination. You can discover more about Steph HERE
in healing her story, steph DISCOVERED shamanism and plant medicines which fast tracked her though her own shadow aspects and eventually led her to the breath as the root of all healing.
“My (our) approach fosters the intrinsic value of accepting that we cannot ‘know’ everything through the brain-mind and science, and that indeed, most scientific breakthroughs come from unexpected ineffable mystical moments. We can all understand the science of how the eagle flies but we may never truly know the experience of that, and it is this connection in the Sacred Dance between SCIENCE and the mystery of CONSCIOUSNESS that is life. When we think we know everything we become dangerous. When we think we know nothing, we dishonour our inherent wisdom. This approach sits at the heart of our program. Balance, humility and integration must co-exist for true wisdom to be present.” As co-founder (with Dr Rae Riedel) of Integrative Breath, our sister program, Steph is proud of the legacy training programs that we have created.
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, a powerful symbol 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 ones 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!
