Join Madrone Kalil of Taproot Journeys for a five-part Breathwork Metamorphosis immersive series inspired by Francis Weller's Five Gates of Grief. Through conscious breathing, chakra-attuned music, somatic experience, creative expression, and community sharing, participants are invited to explore grief as a pathway toward healing, meaning, and transformation.
It is rare in life that four hours has the potential to profoundly change our outlook, feeling, or insight but breathwork does just that–it takes you on a journey, in a safe container, offering meaningful ways to reimagine your life.
What to Expect
Practical pre-event guidance for preparing for your breathwork experience
An introduction to one of Francis Weller's Five Gates of Grief (one each session)
Guided conscious circular breathing with a chakra-attuned music journey (approximately 60 minutes)
Creative integration through art and/or journaling (see examples here)
Optional group sharing and reflection in a supportive, compassionate space
Benefits of Conscious Breathing
The breathwork process provides a framework for individuals to move stuck energy, release outdated programming, unhealthy patterns and behaviors, and limiting beliefs. One example of releasing stuck energy is through our tears.
When we are born, in our first breath we cry using our voices, this is our beginning medicine, our prescription giving us permission to release. We intuitively know that this is a healthy way to express ourselves and expel stuck energy. When you think about it, after childhood we are often not allowed to cry freely to truly express our grief without judgement or comment from others.
Breathwork can assist with:
Moving through aspects of grief work shifting from grieving to mourning
Release stuck energy
Emotional, mental, and physical release
Spiritual growth and awareness
Greater connection between your mind and body
More energy and better function of your body in general
What People Are Saying about Breathwork
“Breathwork with Madrone is an honest soul journey of letting go of ego and being faced with your honest self. I had a major breakthrough in my anxiety journey and being disconnected from myself. I was able to discover what presence with my true self feels like and it is incredible clarity.” - Bette R.
"Going into breathwork I had no idea what to expect. I'm an over-thinker by nature and wanted to 'plan' out my experience. Madrone was there for me with calming words and a steady spirit and I had a beautiful, profound and cleansing spiritual experience." - Stephanie W.
This Series May Be Helpful If You Are
Navigating grief, loss, or a major life transition
Feeling emotionally stuck or disconnected from yourself
Seeking deeper healing, clarity, or spiritual growth
Curious about grief as a practice of tending, honoring, and transformation
Looking for an embodied approach to creating change that goes beyond talking alone
Sessions & Themes
Gate One: Everything We Love We Will Lose I Saturday, August 15, 2026 | 10 am–2 pm
Gate Five: Ancestral Grief I Saturday, October 17, 2026 | 10 am–2 pm
Gate Two: The Places That Have Not Known Love I Saturday, March 6, 2027 | 10 am–2 pm
Gate Three: The Sorrows of the World I Saturday, April 3, 2027 | 10 am–2 pm
Gate Four: What We Expected and Did Not Receive I Saturday, June 5, 2027 | 10 am–2 pm
*Come as you are–just be 18 or older!
Investment
$125 (Those with less means)
$140 (Standard rate)
$155 (Those with more means)
All five gates of grief: $550 ($110/session)
Attend a single session in any order, or register for the full five-part series at a discounted rate. Scholarships are offered for those who need additional support. Please contact Madrone at madrone@taprootjourneys.com for details.]
About The Host
Madrone Kalil, Ph.D. (Communication Studies), is a retired Professor Emerita from Northern Arizona University where she taught for eighteen years.
She is a published author, speaker, educator, Warrior Goddess and Warrior Heart Coach, and end-of-life doula and death concierge who guides individuals and communities through moments of transition and transformation.
She is the founder of Taproot Journeys and Bridge of Fire Consulting, where she develops retreats, workshops, and ceremonial experiences designed to help people meet change with intention and live more fully.
She relocated to Portland with her wife and fur kiddos a little over a year ago but has been traveling to the PNW for a once-a-year ceremony since 2006 so this area has a special place in her heart. Her work with community ceremony practice spans over twenty years.
You can find Madrone here: taprootjourneys.com