Interview with Jaan Sanaam (Jerabek)

Jaan Sanaam (Jerabek) is Founder of Global Transformative Education, large breathwork training and therapy organization in the southern hemisphere.  Based north of Sydney, Australia, he is Director of The Depression Solution, trainer of breathwork-orientated psychotherapists, and a new generation of therapists who value pioneering approaches to therapy.

His unique approach to Advanced Breathwork Therapy led him to become one of the most sought after and successful teachers who has even led programs on route to Antarctica.  He runs regular retreats and programs. He and his graduates tailor services to small groups.

Its fascinating how the universe works. About a year ago, my husband attended a packed Business Success Systems breakfast in Melbourne and Jaan was the speaker. Hence, a pamphlet about this wellness guru and his group retreats reached me.  Intuitively, I researched into his programs, watched Youtube videos and discovered we have some mutual colleagues. I attended one of his retreats, connected with some of his past students, and experienced the power of breathwork directly.

This said, as the result of training under the supervision of Jaan and senior students, turns out there is more to this man than meets the eye.  Thus, I am pleased to invite him to engage in an interview here.

Thank you Jaan, for reserving time in your busy life to share glimpses of your personal journey. 

Please tell people about your origin? How did you end up Down Under?

I was born in Czechoslovakia.  At age 6, I immigrated with my parents to Australia. My parents wanted my brother and I to have greater opportunities, and by god, did we ever.

Share some of the milestones that you lead you to create who you are right now.

My journey started at the age of 14. I came across a book about how ‘Ninjas’ attained their powers they are known for, and that was through meditation. Like any teenager, living in their dream world, I was determined to access these powers, so I started meditating daily for an hour. My atheist parents understandably found this a bit strange, but, let me go on with my dream of ‘attaining powers’, humouring their young child’s ‘fantasy world’. By the age of 15, after researching the ‘Yogi’s’ way of meditation and their level of mystical abilities and states they experienced, I upped my meditation to 2-3 hours a day.

That sounds like a very dedicated practice early on. I sense this invites readers to step back and view events in their own lives from a very different place. Would you say this is soul-driven?

I did not know it at the time, but I was well into the ‘full swing’ of my destiny. As much as I know I am writing this now, feeling the keys beneath my fingertips, I know on a ‘Soul Level’ I set my life up, so I could ‘get onto the tracks of my destiny’ – My sadhana – final Yogic stage where daily meditation, chants, purifications etc finish off the final stage…. Which has many stages itself.

And your sense of sadhana, what role does it play on the spiritual path?

Sadhana does not mean any one specific activity.  Rather, sadhana means using everything as a tool for well-being.  There is a lot to it.

So then, its not simply traditional meditation practices per se.  It is the insight we gain into ourselves through this process. 

Yes. sadhana is about how we eat, sit, stand, conduct the body, mind, sense energies and emotions, as well as the how we breathe.

Ah-ha! Tell us about breathwork.  This feels like a huge part of your calling.  What is it exactly?More than basic pranayama? Which life experiences guided you to get into breathwork? 

Going back a bit, At the age of 17, I had my first ‘Re-birthing Breathwork’ session. It was a turning point. I quickly experienced ‘Re-birthing Breathwork’ (RBW).  The emotional & psychological side is like using a hammer and chisel to break-through an emotional block – as if the emotional block was a huge cube of concrete. Cathartic Breathwork, however, invented and refined by me, is like taking a sledgehammer or sledgehammer to it 4 – 6 blows and the ‘Block’ – cement cube – breaks and crumbles.

How did developing this unique approach to breathwork change your life?

By age 20, I was a qualified Breathwork Facilitator, began seeing clients on a professional basis and facilitating workshops on personal and spiritual growth. At 21, I had a vision to bring Re-birthing Style Breathwork into mainstream healing. I was the founder and initial driving force of the body that has grown into the Australian Breathwork Association. This body is dedicated to raising the profile of Breathwork so it may claim its rightful perception as a valid, effective healing and psychotherapeutic technique.

Love that inner changes are reflected as external changes. Many people are noticing restlessness within themselves and shifts accelerating in the world around them. What you say about your journey with Breathwork reminds me of Arthur Schopenhauer who says, "All truth passes through three stages; First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." It reminds us to act when it feels right, and to hang in there and trust.

Now, on your site, you offer a free cathartic breathwork ebook.  Why is it a useful introduction?

It offers only a glimpse and invites you to explore further. That’s why I focus in hosting my 7-day residentials.  This involves 7 days of advanced Cathartic Breathwork Techniques plus a handful of other psych-therapeutic therapies I feel are 'the best of the best.'  If you are willing, using my techniques guarantee your transformation. Over 12 years of teaching them shows that my techniques work. 

The mystical aspect of breathwork and your early interest in ninja techniques reminds me of the mentor of Doctor Strange from the recent popular marvel comics movie. The protagonist relates that he was once a brilliant but ego-driven surgeon. After a car accident severely damages his hands and hinders his ability to perform surgery, he searches the globe for ways to repair them and encounters the Ancient One. After becoming one of the old Sorcerer Supreme's pupils, he follows his detiny as practitioner of both the mystical and martial arts. He also discovers what is involved in Mastering Time. This sparks one's curiosity about your teachings.

Yet for now, let's shift to focus on breathwork which is both technical and mystical. Who discovered, created key techniques in the West?

‘Holotropic Breathwork’ was discovered in Czech by a Doctor of Psychiatry in 1950’S – Stanislav Grof. ALSO, it was re-discovered at roughly the same time by Leonard Orr – An American spiritual explorer. What are the chances of this occurring?

Only synchronicity exists, when one is ready to see. The world must be ready for this phenomenon that presents as one of many ways to expand consciousness.

Exactly! This beautiful & precious jewel we call planet Earth, has paid for it collective Karma enough, to finally be given a tool that makes enlighten-ment, not to mention healing anxiety, depression, seemingly ‘no-way-out’ relationship blocks, and a whole range of inner issues - especially the ‘SELF WORTH’ ISSUE – which virtually no-one escapes from childhood with intact.

Karma, or the Law of cause and effect, is a huge, open-ended matter.  The healing potential of open-ended consciousness is also a significant development and tool for self-healing. 

Life experience and pioneering work has led you to be viewed as an authority on consciousness and evolution. For those unfamilliar with your work, please expand. What do you really do?

I teach about kundalini awakening. Did you know the real ‘Awakening of the Kundalini includes 3 very distinct stages? Each stage requiring a total different approach and and set of techniques for each of those stages. (yes, there are as many symptoms of the kundalini awakening as there are people on planet earth.) How do I know all this? First-hand experience.

You are a man who wears many hats; therapist, teacher, director, workshop facilitator and others. Who are you really?

I am Sanaam – Sanskrit for ‘Body of Bliss. Otherwise know as Ananda. Swami Muktananda, Nityananda, Sanannda etc. Sanaam is another word for the matrix of Bliss we have our cells arranged on and we access in love, child-parent love, universal Love etc; I am just not worthy – established 100% of the time in Ananda – Then I have a right to call myself ‘Sanaam’ and my name, which already is to a certain degree an access to Shakti Energy – To Heaven It-self, will within 10 years approx… become a mantra itself, so much shakti will be charged into it.

It is said we grow into our names; they evolve with us and us with them. What is in this name?

Jaan Sanaam Jerabek - My name has evolved and continues to evolve during the moment of my energetic evolution, I was born Ja'n Honzik Jerabek.  At school, John Jerabek out of a desperate desire to be accepted. Ja'n become John Jarabek. Changing the name felt temporarily normal. Changed back to Ja'n at 22 as it was truly me (at that stage). I stopped being insecure about my name.  At that point, I had no idea Jaan meant 'love & life' in Hindi.

Age 28 my Maha Guru - the real deal - put me into heaven bliss by pure divine will power - a state that surpasses orgasm, love you feel for someone, ant type pf experience of beauty...

One day I was initiated and realize I was 'Anananda' - the bliss behind everything..., I had experiences of giving prole experiences of Bliss till that point, but they were far and few between, it was not at my conscious control. I was the biss that reality is built upon, I creamed this whilst running after my maha guru....Her response...; Excellent'', You've done it, but I need you to establish yourself in that bliss, live, sleep, eat and have your being in it. Since your 1st name is Love & Life, I will give you a diifferent
version of Amnanda -You are Sanaam - The Body Of bliss -  Love, the Body of Bliss, and one day you will experience yourself as the bliss behind everything in existance, simultaneously, That's when you can
call yourself a real Guru, an embodiment of bliss and people just by repeating your name 'Sanaam' will enter the'Kingdom of heaven'. What you have worked so hard for over 26.27 years has just been your
university, your training Ground - Your Sadhanna. You cannot even fathom what awaits for you.

Would you say then, you offer unique insight into enlightenment? Many people seek this path.

The real nature of enlightenment is- Gradual. It is not arriving at a place, like all life, like all energy, it is a process. Having a ‘God Experience’ or ‘Momentary Enlightenment Experience’ is where things go wrong, People mistake this for enlightenment when it is simply an ’glimpse’ of enlightenment. How do I know this? in my late teens I decided to join my individual mind with the universal mind, spark with the great flame –The result I gain access to truths you will never read about unless from someone whom has done the same

How to you use direct insight as a teaching tool to empower others to transform their lives? 

THE TECHNIQUES I USE ACCELERATE EVOLUTION. I run a ‘Spiritual Bootcamp’ for Disciples, where healing depression, anxiety and inner conflict also a natural by-product of releasing the baggage that hinders true enlightenment.

It would be helpful to offer a testimonial:

Recently, a partner in a law firm said – ‘’I feel this year with you Jaan has enabled me to by-pass 10 -20 years of butting my head against the wall with my psychologist and other ‘therapists’’’.  

I am not wanting to blow my own horn, (well, maybe a little ), but my system works. It is the ‘Most Powerful Personal Development & Therapy Program available in Australia today. THIS WORKS! AND IT WORKS RELATIVELY FAST.

In addition, I am also happy to speak with anyone about my own-life changing experiences as the result of this Cathartic Breathwork training.

How long have you been teaching? After all, longevity makes a statement about staying power.

I have refined it over the last 20 years to take it out of a ‘close your eyes, and make an intention – a mental level regression occurs, usually very ‘Hit and Miss‘. You will most likely people told ‘what a great session, you cried, had an insight etc’’, But what about each and everytime’hitting’ the root cause of what you want to transform in your life, in a very precision, laser type surgery depending on your issue, depends what leading edge ‘psycho-therapeutic’ tool, is called for. IT IS NOT THE OLD, EVERYONE LAY DOWN, BREATHE, HALF OF YOU FALL ASLEEP AND SOME OF YOU CRY OR SCREAM INTO A TOWEL or HIT a PILLOW…. The dark, early days of Breathwork. It is now a ‘laser precision guided technique’ – to get at the core of your issues.                              

How do you envision your approach to breathwork evolving in the public eye?                  

Watch 20 years or so…we’ll have it on Medicare (I am the founder of what is now ‘The Australian Breathwork Association’ – a body to educate the public, constructed ethical guidelines and boundaries, access indemnity insurance).  Now, 20 years later, we do not yet have access to Medicare and private health funds. It will happen soon.  What is being ‘prescribed initially -Psychologists who have done little on no work on themselves get their knowledge from ‘other people, ‘case studies in textbooks’ COMBINED with drugs that are unhealthier than Cocaine & Heroin combined (at least they come directly from natural plant ‘alkaloid’). The pharmaceuticals (Greek for ‘mixing of poisons’) are often ineffective and, in my experience, usually makes matters worse.  Breathwork is the Future of Therapy. It is here to be used by all who are ready for it.

Who are greatest inspirations or mentors? How do they shape your life purpose and sense of being here? 

Leonard Orr and teachers on higher planes guiding me though the experience of my destiny.

What is the Anxiety-Depression Solution? How did this brainchild come to be? How do you envision that project evolving? Is there any connection between this program, breathwork retreats and your other projects?

I go into detail by answering questions on my website. Invite readers here to check it out.

Many people are experiencing noticeable changes in their lives and events appear to happen faster.  What kind of advice can you offer them?

Explore Breathwork – easy – It is the long lost ‘Siamese Twin’ of meditation.  What do I mean by this, 3 things:

1)      IT ‘IS’ the Future of Therapy. The collective takes a long time to catch up. IT IS A FACT. Did you know CBT - Cognitive Behavioural Therapy – the main ‘so called therapy’, used by ‘Psychologists’ (who spend the 1^st 5 years of full time Uni studying statistics and then if they want to specialize in treating people they get taught CBT in the 6^th year), CBT was ‘invented’ in the 1960’s!! Imagine using the same surgery technique Doctors used in the1960’s now on people!?! What would result be? Our Organization – The largest Breathwork Training & Therapy Organization in the Southern Hemisphere –  get to speak to many people on the ‘front line’ of ‘mental illness’. I constantly hear reports along these lines…’’I have had 40 sessions with my psychologist and I still think negative thoughts and feel depressed and that’s even though I am also on 2 different ‘Anti-Depressants’’ – This was a call I had only yesterday. So, think of seeing a Psychologist for your depression or anxiety? Think hard. As ‘Well meaning’ as they are, unless they have the up to date tools/ and or have done years or decades of their own ‘inner work/ serious therapy, you are in for a long and frustrated (in most cases, fruitless I HATE to say) journey. 

2)      Breathwork, CATHARTIC Breathwork (CBW)I call it these days as I specialize in using it to release even womb and birth trauma, let alone early childhood * dysfunctional parenting trauma – works from the 1^st session onwards. You do not need to practise it or even believe in it, it just works automatically on everyone. It is actually something I recommend and get you to sign a disclaimer you will not be using it at home. Dangerous unless super-vised by a trained & experienced facilitator.

3)      Why, do I call it the ‘Long Lost Siamese Twin’ of Meditation. Easy, anybody can shut themselves of in their room and close their eyes and after a chunk of practise they can experience ‘Transcendence’. Rise above their issues, enter into the higher chakras – Crown and beyond and have a bit of quiet…but then they leave the room, interact with their partner, parents, boss, siblings etc and BANG! The same triggers are there. They lose their ‘peace and go back into their ‘normal’ state. Usually at the mercy of their triggers.

Does breathwork allow transcendence? In other words, is it a stepping stone to enlightenment?  

Breathwork does not enable you to ‘Temporarily Transcend’ It allows you to ‘Permanently Transform’. You see the root of ALL Your uncontrolled thinking, your monkey mind has at its core a trauma that has not been resolved/ integrated. that’s why you worry about the future, ruminate about the past, not allowed to live in the present Now, in the moment, where God Lives. Cathartic Breathwork enables the root of the automatic thinking patterns to be released permanently – the end result – a life in a permanent state of peace, what the Yogis call ‘Living in Meditation’. I used to be such a thing-a-holic I would at times not even sleep my mind went around and around, no…it’s as if a had a lobotomy. And how did this look like? The Kundalini awakening.  

Do  many of your students compare the experience of breathwork to lucid dreaming?

Many people ask me about lucid dreaming, projecting your 3^rd eye, listening great distances, Experiences of God/ Enlightened states, clearing the chakras, Experiencing the bliss, Love & joy we really are, Best Meditation techniques to achieve all of these and more….

Take Lucid Dreaming, becoming aware on the lower Astral plane to be more scientific and accurate about it. You see. If you want to learn ‘Lucid Dreaming’ instantly tells me, your energy bodies are at a certain level of vibration, where you are not becoming ‘conscious’ / ‘aware’ on the astral plane. It means you have a low vibration filled Etheric body (Your Emotional Body) so the bridge in your consciousness between your physical brain and astral body is clogged up with emotion – The Etheric Body. A.k.the emotional Body, needs to be cleared for Lucid Dreaming Nightly & ‘OBE’ – out of Body experiences. Now you could set months aside and form new channels, around the clogged ones that are already there. You program your mind, telling yourself each night ‘’ As soon as I start to dream I will ‘wake up’/ become conscious. You cut meat and other dense animal and chemical foods out of your diet to help things, eat nuts, use special oils and music - but this is not enough.

What is absolutely necessary to allow enlightenment to happen?

THE answer to all this is always the same. The kundalini awakening which has many stages to it, has to occur if you wish for any permanent affecting ‘Enlightened states’. The ‘Awakening of your Kundalini’ does not occur once and then that it, is open.

It is a matter of repetitious practise of a discipline, until the Kundalini starts to ‘Stir’ and starts to let you experience your powers automatically. 

Can you give readers a sneak peak of what they are in for, from your perspective?

I will give you a shortcut as a gift and enable you to experience where.

To speed things up, you need start to learn the art of transferring your consciousness to your astral body by imaging a double of yourself on the astral/ in a luminous darkness (astral comes from the Latin word for ‘starry darkness’ which the lower to higher astral plain looks like) and keep imagining using the arms, legs, torso of this ‘astral double you imagine’. See through its eyes, use its appendages etc With enough practise you eventually build a bridge between your physical brain and your astral level of awareness and eventually, your nightly programming –‘’as soon as I start to dream I will become conscious’’ and daily intention – you really have to want/ desire this strongly, so re-enforce this desire during the day hours, for months at least putting any goal or practice aside and eventually you will get your reward.

You see, we can all develop any power with enough training.  Yet, as you awaken the Kundalini, all the powers come to you one by one…for good. The Yogis called the people who spent months and years training themselves to acquire a power, as the misfortunate ones who were caught by the ‘trap’ – the acquisition of powers. Unfortunate, because they could have spent those months and years working on their ‘Sadhana’ – their final enlightenment process, after which, if they attained, they were given ALL the powers anyway. Permanently. Even into the next lifetime. For the psychic powers you develop individually, in the manner I just described, are a skill, there are not integrated into your soul level consciousness and you are born next life without the power to 90% of the degree. You do not get to ‘carry over’ your ‘learned skill’ into the next life time. This applies to all ‘learned ‘psychic abilities.’

Music is often a sought after tool for inspiration. It is widely assumed music or specific vibratins can induce meditative states and to promote lucid/ astral travel.  What is your feeling about this?

No music. It anchors you into material place. Music is cheating. I could put moving and emotional music to make you open up ur heart and cry. Cheating, I am here to help you master your breath. Not an emotional dj. Music has zero to do with lucid dreams and obe’s. Cheating otherwise. That is if beats and music helped failitate lucid dream. It can effect a true yoga nodes meditation but most fall asleep before 1 hour is up. No short cuts.

If you could offer readers some life changing advice, what would it be?

Listen to your heart. Do what other people fear to do. You, yourself are the knowledge. Only you can access it, but first, you have to discover how to feel and get out of your own way.

Thanks Jaan, for sharing this insight and inviting readers of this blog to discover the wisdom that awaits them through exploring options in Global Transformative Education. For more information on his programs, 7-Day Advanced Life Transformation Intensive and other retreats, the Depression Anxiety Clinic explore his website and contact him directly.