Leonard Orr, the founder of the modern day, world-wide Breathwork movement, passed away on September 6, 2019, at the age of 82. He was a life-long student of self-transformation, body mastery, and one of the pioneers of the New Age. He was a modern day yogi, visionary, teacher, author, businessman, and leader in the fields of longevity and physical immortality. But what was the cause of his death? And how did his death affect his followers and critics?
Contents
The Controversy of Physical Immortality
One of the concepts that Leonard Orr is most famous for is the idea of physical immortality and the daily practices that support this idea as a very solid and practical human experience. He claimed that he learned this concept from Babaji, a legendary immortal master who he met in India in 1971. He also claimed that he met other immortals who lived in their bodies for hundreds or thousands of years, such as Devraha Baba and Giri Bala. He encouraged his students to find and learn from these immortals and to practice the healing techniques he taught, such as breathing, bathing, fasting, and fire purification.
However, his idea of physical immortality was met with skepticism and criticism from many people, especially after his death from a heart attack in 2019. Some people accused him of being a fraud, a cult leader, or a delusional person who misled his followers and failed to live up to his own teachings. They argued that his death proved that physical immortality was impossible and that his practices were harmful or ineffective.
The Legacy of Rebirthing Breathwork
Despite the controversy of physical immortality, Leonard Orr’s main contribution to the world was the development of Rebirthing Breathwork, a powerful technique of conscious breathing that can influence a person’s mental, emotional, or physical state, with a therapeutic effect. He discovered this technique in 1962, when he had his first rebirthing experience in his bathtub. He realized that his breathing pattern was connected to his subconscious mind and that by changing his breathing, he could heal his trauma, release his negative emotions, and access his higher self. He spent the next decades refining and teaching this technique to thousands of people around the world, creating a global network of rebirthers and breathworkers.
Rebirthing Breathwork has been proven to be beneficial for relaxation, stress relief, personal growth, and spiritual development. Many people have reported positive changes in their lives after practicing Rebirthing Breathwork, such as improved health, happiness, relationships, creativity, and purpose. Rebirthing Breathwork has also inspired and influenced many other forms of breathwork, such as Holotropic Breathwork, Transformational Breath, and Breath Awareness. Rebirthing Breathwork is still practiced and taught today by many of Leonard Orr’s students and successors, who continue to spread his mission and love in the world.
The Conclusion
Leonard Orr was a remarkable man who dedicated his life to exploring the mysteries of life and sharing his discoveries with others. He was not a perfect master, but a human being who had his own challenges and limitations. He was not a fraud, but a visionary who had his own insights and perspectives. He was not a delusional person, but a seeker who had his own questions and answers. He was a pioneer, a teacher, a friend, and a leader who left a lasting impact on the world. His cause of death may be a matter of debate, but his legacy of Rebirthing Breathwork is undeniable. He was a breath of fresh air who taught us how to breathe and live better.