Prana-Atmen^© – The Future of Consciousness

What is Prana-Atmen^©?

Prana-Atmen^© is a breathing and awareness practice developed by Helmut-Whitey Kritzinger. As the method describes itself, it combines elements of conscious or connected breathwork with influences from pranayama and other breathing traditions. Its focus is not the quick optimisation of individual symptoms, but a conscious awareness of the human being in their physical, emotional and mental experience.

In the accompanying foundational text, the method is described as part of a broader culture of awareness: breathwork is not to be viewed in isolation, but in relation to perception, biography, self-reflection, the capacity for encounter and personal development.

Not higher, faster, further – but perceiving more clearly.

From breath to a culture of awareness

The underlying text “Prana-Atmen^© für eine neue Bewusstseinskultur” (Prana-Atmen^© for a new culture of awareness) places breath in a broader cultural context. Breath is understood there not merely as a physiological process, but as the starting point for exploring perception, self-understanding and the question of how people shape their lives consciously.

01 Breath

Breath as a direct physical experience and as an object of conscious perception.

02 Body

Bodily awareness not as a wellness product, but as part of human self-awareness.

03 Consciousness

The ability to observe and place one's own perceptions, thoughts and reactions more consciously.

04 Culture

The question of how individual awareness is connected with encounter, responsibility, communication and the culture of society.

Awareness of awareness: perceiving that we perceive

In the Prana-Atmen concept, “awareness of awareness” – also called “meta-awareness” in the foundational text – describes a level of self-awareness at which not only thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations are experienced, but the act of perceiving itself comes into view. The approach links this with the idea of developing greater inner clarity and distance from automatic reactions through breath and attention work. It is a term of this approach, not an established technical term.

Not just experiencing. Perceiving your own experience.

Not separating body and mind

Prana-Atmen^© understands breath, bodily awareness and mental attention as one connected experience. The training seminar therefore does not focus exclusively on breathing technique. It also explores how perception, emotion, thinking and bodily experience relate to one another.

Further physiological, neurobiological or energetic interpretations, as found in the foundational text, are part of the author's methodological self-understanding. They are not medically or scientifically established facts.

What does a culture of awareness mean?

A culture of awareness here describes an attitude in which personal development is not understood as a self-optimisation project. The focus is on attention, personal responsibility, the capacity to perceive and the possibility of looking at habitual reactions in a new way.

The foundational text connects this perspective with the idea of a more authentic life: less determined by rigid social routines, more shaped by conscious perception and self-determined decisions.

Awareness is not just a private matter. The way we perceive shapes the way we live, work and encounter one another.

The development of the original Kritzinger method

Helmut-Whitey Kritzinger describes the development of his breathwork as the result of a long engagement with different breathing and meditation traditions. The foundational text mentions, among other things, contacts and experiences in India and New Mexico as well as influences from pranayama traditions.

From the late 1980s onwards, by his own account, Kritzinger developed this into an independent approach that combines breathwork with awareness and meditation practice.

No wellness. No promise of healing. No self-optimisation programme.

Not a wellness technique

Breath is not presented as a short-term relaxation product.

Not an esoteric doctrine of salvation

This page avoids mystical promises and claims of absolute truth.

Not psychotherapy

The training seminar does not replace medical, psychological or psychotherapeutic diagnosis or treatment.

Not performance optimisation

The aim is not to make people more efficient, but to deepen perception and reflection.

For people who want to understand breathwork seriously

• People from therapeutic, advisory, educational and social professions
• Executives and decision-makers engaging with perception and a culture of awareness
• People with a well-founded interest in breathwork
• People looking for a structured personal exploration
• People who want to get to know Prana-Atmen^© in the context of awareness, culture and personal development

Subjects of the training

• conscious breath awareness
• breath and bodily experience
• attention and self-awareness
• emotional awareness
• biographical self-reflection
• awareness of awareness / meta-awareness as a concept of the approach
• meditation and secular attention practice
• capacity for encounter and social perception
• culture of awareness and self-determination
• methodological classification of Prana-Atmen^©

Between experience, method and scientific context

Breathwork is a field in which physiological processes, subjective experience, psychological interpretation and cultural traditions meet. Prana-Atmen^© is an independent methodological approach by Helmut-Whitey Kritzinger. Statements made by the approach about consciousness, energy, meditation or personal development should therefore be understood as part of this approach – not as scientifically proven effects.

We provide the foundational text “Prana-Atmen^© für eine neue Bewusstseinskultur” (PDF, in German) as background. It reflects the author's position; any health-related statements it contains are not scientifically proven.

The training seminar

• Information seminar (start): one day in Darmstadt
• Training: all in-person modules in Obernai (Alsace)
• Led by: Helmut-Whitey Kritzinger
• Language: German
• Qualification: the previous training series concluded with a diploma; for new series this will be confirmed together with the dates.
• Dates, scope, fee, prerequisites and registration deadline: new dates for 2027/2028 will be published here as soon as they are confirmed.

Previous training series 2025–2026 (completed)

Prana-Atmen^© – therapists' group 2025–2026 with diploma
Registration deadline: 1 May 2025
Information seminar (1 day): 9 May 2025 in Darmstadt
Module 1: 9–11 May 2025
Module 2: 3–8 June 2025
Module 3: 30 September – 5 October 2025
Module 4: 1–6 December 2025
Module 5: 7–8 February 2026
All training modules took place in Obernai.
Total fee: €4,998 (net) · Information seminar: €390
Complete bookings only; the cost of the information seminar was not credited.

These dates are in the past and can no longer be booked.

Helmut-Whitey Kritzinger

Helmut-Whitey Kritzinger is an author, seminar leader and the developer of the Prana-Atmen^© method. His work on kritzinger.de combines topics from awareness education, dialogue, personal development and culture. By his own account, the Prana-Atmen^© work grew out of a long engagement with breathing and meditation traditions and was developed into an independent training approach.

About Helmut-Whitey Kritzinger · All seminars and training programmes · Books in the shop · Contact

FAQ – Frequently asked questions

What is Prana-Atmen^©?

Prana-Atmen^© is a breathing and awareness practice developed by Helmut-Whitey Kritzinger. It combines breathwork with bodily awareness, attention and an exploration of a culture of awareness.

Who developed Prana-Atmen^©?

The method was developed by Helmut-Whitey Kritzinger.

Is Prana-Atmen^© a breathing technique?

Breathing technique is one component. However, the approach understands Prana-Atmen^© more broadly as a combination of breath, bodily awareness, attention and awareness work.

What does “culture of awareness” mean?

On this page, a culture of awareness means a conscious engagement with perception, thinking, bodily experience, self-determination, encounter and the shaping of one's own life.

Is Prana-Atmen^© psychotherapy?

No. The seminar is an offer for personal development and self-experience and does not replace medical, psychological or psychotherapeutic diagnosis or treatment.

Is Prana-Atmen^© esoteric?

This page explicitly does not present the approach as an esoteric doctrine of salvation. Historical influences from breathing and meditation traditions are named, but placed in a modern educational and awareness context.

Where does the training take place?

The one-day information seminar takes place in Darmstadt; the entire training, with all in-person modules, takes place in Obernai.

Is there a diploma?

The previous training series concluded with a diploma. For new training series this will be confirmed together with the dates.

When does the next training take place?

New dates for 2027/2028 will be published on this page as soon as they are confirmed. You can register your interest without obligation via “Register interest in new dates”; registering interest is not yet a confirmed place.

Note: Prana-Atmen^© and the associated seminars are intended for personal development and self-experience. They do not replace medical, psychological or psychotherapeutic diagnosis or treatment. No promises of healing are made.

Prana-Atmen^© is a protected trademark (EU and Switzerland, since 2004).