2026 | Breathing in Constellations

Breathwork is a foundational somatic healing practice using a 3-part pranayama breath pattern. This style of Breathwork consists of 25 to 35 minutes of active breathing done through the mouth, followed by a 10-minute resting period after the active breath is released. The pattern gives your mind something to focus on, so you can begin to tune into your body, noticing areas of constriction, and allow that energy to expand and begin to move and release with your breath. As a result, we can free stuck energies, clear limiting beliefs, and metabolize unprocessed emotions. While you are actively breathing, parts of your mind that don't normally communicate with one another have an opportunity to connect. In these sessions, it's not uncommon to connect the dots, receive downloads, and get insights to understand where you might be getting in your own way. Our breath is prescriptive, the right “medicine”, in the right dose, so every Breathwork session is a unique opportunity to heal and nurture yourself with love and compassion. 

Family Constellations is a somatically based therapy that acknowledges that we are who we are because of all those who came before us. It is our human need to belong, and when someone is left out of a family system, they hold an energy until they are acknowledged and included. Epigenetically, what was left unhealed or unresolved in the past affects the generations that follow and is passed down through our DNA. Not only do we inherit our family genes, but we also inherit their behavior patterns, belief systems, and the unresolved stories of our ancestors. When we choose to do a Family Constellation, not only do we heal the traumas and unresolved issues from our ancestors, but we also heal something within ourselves, our children, and the generations that are yet to come. Family Constellations work like frequencies or waves of energy; once they are set in motion, they continue to vibrate through the universe.

Not only do these two modalities pair beautifully together, but Hemla and Courtney have known each other for years and have been wanting to do this work together because we have experienced the power and the potency of it firsthand. By using the active breath pattern to clear surface energetic residue and undigested emotional debris, we create a space, an opening. What remains in this opening after we have “cleared the decks” is what we are ready to examine, constellate, and heal.  One way to think of it, Constellations is examining the shells that the wave of breath brings up for healing, revealing treasures you didn't know were there.

What to expect during this retreat:

• We will begin each day with a meditation practice 

• Breathwork sessions and Family Constellations

• Ending each day with walking the labyrinth, movement, including Enneagram mat work, reflection, and journaling

Where is it:

This retreat will be held at the Jesuit Retreat Center of Los Altos: Retreats | Jesuit Retreat Center | Los Altos, CA

Retreat Schedule

Check-in time is 1 pm. (Please arrive by 1 pm THURSDAY, April 9th, our opening circle will be at 2 pm.) 

Departure is SATURDAY, APRIL 11, at 2 pm

If you are interested in arriving the day before and leaving the day after, please contact Ashley Serpa here: reservations@jrclosaltos.org

Payment Options

1. Venmo: Hemla Makan-Dullabh - please book directly with Hemla

2. Zelle: 650-798-4168 - please book directly with Hemla

3. PayPal: Please note there will be an additional processing fee for PayPal payments.

4. Credit Card: Please note there will be an additional processing fee for credit card payments.