Altered states of consciousness induced by breathwork accompanied by music

This is a really strange comment section. The average person sharing their experiences seems very unlike the average HN user.

I feel like I can barely relate to those people, and understanding what they're saying is nigh impossible. The definitions of most things are really vague - even the article of this thread only defines breathwork as "cyclic breathing without pausing, accompanied by progressively evocative music". So... faster breathing while intensifying music is playing?

One issue for me is how anything connected to these topics seems to attract a healthy mix of rational observation, psychedelic users and religious people (old and new). Deciphering which is which is really difficult without already having a foot in the door on this topic.

I suspect that's because these topics aren't discussed nearly as frequently as others here.

My input as a non-religious, non-psychedelic user who has done some breathwork: it is simply changing something about the normal functioning of the body (such as oxygen levels) and does induce a mildy altered (but pleasant) state of consciousness for me.

Can you explain how exactly that process happens? The article is still really vague about it, as are most people here. Is it about forcing yourself to hyperventilate? Or forcing your breathing to be at a certain rhythm, regardless of what the rest of your body demands naturally? And how does the music come into play here?

Also, is it dangerous? I know the human body is very sensitive to abnormal blood saturation, so I'm curious what it can do to you.