In this episode of The Meditation Podcast, Roy sits down with Jon Paul Crimi — Breathwork pioneer, celebrity trainer, and sobriety coach based in Bend, Oregon. Jon Paul shares how his late friend Matthew Perry first introduced him to Breathwork, how a single session sent him "down the rabbit hole," and how he transformed a niche, mystical practice into a grounded, results-driven method that's now certified over 3,000 instructors worldwide.
The conversation covers the science behind "tetany" (the hand-cramping sensation common in circular breathwork), why Jon Paul's mouth-breathing technique differs from nose-breathing methods like Wim Hof, how trauma stored in the nervous system gets released through the breath, and why he believes breathwork produces results comparable to psychedelics — without the logistical downsides. He also opens up about his own sobriety (26 years), his father's Alzheimer's diagnosis, his experience bringing breathwork into corporations like Nike and LinkedIn, and how to spot unqualified instructors in an unregulated industry.
What we Discussed
0:02 – Introduction and welcome
0:53 – How Jon Paul got into breathwork through Matthew Perry
2:08 – What "breathwork" actually means (it's an umbrella term)
2:48 – Jon Paul's mouth-breathing technique vs. nose-breathing methods
7:41 – Full-circle moment: teaching at a Tony Robbins Life Mastery Seminar
8:16 – Leading the largest in-person circular breathwork class (900 people, Switzerland)
10:20 – What causes "tetany" (the hand-cramping) — and how to stop it
14:25 – Why trauma surfaces during breathwork (and why that's a good thing)
17:13 – How long sessions should last, and why headphones matter
19:03 – Transient hypofrontality — quieting the inner critic
20:43 – Breathwork vs. psychedelics (ayahuasca, microdosing)
24:18 – Recommended frequency of practice
25:13 – Age recommendations for breathwork with children
26:21 – Alzheimer's, PTSD research, and where the science currently stands
28:05 – How to spot underqualified or unsafe instructors
31:02 – Inside his certification process (in-person vs. online, pricing)
43:57 – Bringing breathwork into corporations (Nike, LinkedIn)
51:03 – Breathwork's pop culture moment — the show Flaked with Will Arnett
54:24 – Where to find Jon Paul and closing thoughts
Contact Details
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