Knowledge Centre

Frequently Asked
Questions

Everything you need to know about breathwork, sound healing, and wellness at Mint Sanctuary — answered clearly, honestly, and backed by science.

Breathwork Sound Healing Sessions & Booking Corporate Athletes Safety & Science Practical Info
A calming wellness scene featuring a woman in a flowing neutral outfit holding a crystal singing bowl and mallet, surrounded by multiple sound healing bowls. The setting reflects Mint Sanctuary’s holistic approach to healing, using sound therapy to restore balance, reduce stress, and promote inner peace.
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Breathwork 23,000 breaths per day — most unconscious
About Breathwork

Your Questions
Answered

Breathwork is the intentional practice of controlling your breathing pattern to produce specific physical, mental, and emotional outcomes. By consciously changing the rhythm, depth, and pace of your breath, you directly influence your autonomic nervous system — shifting from the stress response (fight-or-flight) into deep calm (rest-and-digest).

At Mint Sanctuary, our certified facilitators use evidence-based techniques including Box Breathing, Holotropic Breathwork, and diaphragmatic breathing — tailored to your specific goals.

Meditation typically involves passively observing your thoughts and breath. Breathwork is active — you consciously manipulate your breathing to produce specific physiological changes.

A 2023 Stanford study found that cyclic sighing (a breathwork technique) produced greater improvements in positive mood and cognitive performance than mindfulness meditation in the same timeframe. Both are valuable; breathwork often produces faster, measurable results for stress relief and performance enhancement.

The research is robust and growing. Key findings include:

  • Stanford (2023): Cyclic sighing reduces anxiety more effectively than mindfulness meditation
  • Journal of Psychiatric Research (2022): Holotropic Breathwork comparable to SSRI medication for depression and anxiety at 8 weeks
  • Employee study (2024): Twice-weekly breathwork significantly reduced burnout scores in 400 corporate employees
  • Sports science: Breathwork improves VO2 max, HRV, and cognitive performance under physical fatigue in athletes

Breathwork is one of the fastest-acting wellness tools available. Even five minutes of slow-paced breathing has been shown to significantly reduce heart rate and self-reported stress. Most clients notice a meaningful shift in energy, clarity, and calm within a single session.

Lasting nervous system change builds over 4–6 consistent sessions — which is why we offer session packs designed to build real, sustained results.

Explore Breathwork Sessions
About Sound Healing

The Science of
Frequency

Sound healing uses brainwave entrainment — when specific frequencies produced by Tibetan singing bowls, crystal bowls, gongs, and tuning forks enter your auditory field, your brain's electrical activity synchronises with them, shifting from high-stress beta states into calm alpha and theta states.

The vibrations also physically pass through body tissue, reducing muscular tension and stimulating the vagus nerve — your body's primary pathway to the parasympathetic (calm) nervous system.

Mint Sanctuary sessions use a curated selection of Tibetan singing bowls (432–528Hz), crystal singing bowls, gongs, and tuning forks. Each instrument produces different frequency ranges targeting different physiological and emotional outcomes — from deep grounding to emotional release to clarity and focus.

Most clients describe sound healing as deeply restful — similar to the feeling just before falling asleep, but with full awareness. You may feel a pleasant vibration in your body, experience vivid imagery or colours, feel emotions surface and release, or simply drift into a state of profound stillness.

There is no right or wrong experience. Every session is different, and your facilitator will support whatever arises.

A Sound Bath is a group sound healing experience where participants lie down comfortably and are "bathed" in layers of live sound. The facilitator plays multiple instruments simultaneously, creating an immersive sonic environment. Sound Baths are ideal for teams, community groups, and events — from 5 to 200+ participants. Prices start at R550/person.

Book a Sound Healing Session
A peaceful indoor meditation scene featuring a woman seated cross-legged in a bright, natural space surrounded by plants and calming elements. The image is enhanced with Mint Sanctuary branding, representing a holistic approach to wellness, healing, and balance for mind, body, and soul.
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Sound Healing 432–528Hz frequencies proven to shift brainwave states
5 min

of breathwork to lower stress hormones

23%

faster HRV recovery with sound healing post-training

1 session

for most clients to notice meaningful improvement

96%

Mint Sanctuary client satisfaction rate

Sessions & Booking

Everything About
Your Session

Mint Sanctuary is designed for three primary audiences: corporate professionals managing high-pressure environments; gymnastic and elite athletes seeking mental recovery and competitive edge; and individuals navigating burnout, anxiety, or seeking deeper restoration. No prior experience is needed — our facilitators adapt every session to your level.

Individual sessions run 60–90 minutes, including intake conversation and post-session integration. Corporate sessions are customised — from 45-minute team experiences to full-day programmes. A free 15-minute discovery call is available for those exploring their options.

Your first session begins with a brief intake conversation. Your facilitator will understand your goals and any health background, then guide you through the chosen practice in a calm, safe, supported space. Afterwards, there is time for integration and questions, plus a personalised home practice recommendation. The pace is entirely led by your comfort.

Most clients notice a meaningful shift after a single session — particularly in sleep quality and stress levels. Lasting nervous system change typically builds over 4–6 consistent sessions. Our 4-Session Pack (R3,400) is designed to establish real, sustained results. Corporate and athlete programmes track measurable outcomes across HRV, sleep, and stress markers.

Yes. Breathwork sessions are fully effective online and available to clients anywhere in South Africa. Sound healing is also available virtually — we guide you on optimising your home setup. Sessions are conducted via Zoom and are equivalent in quality to in-person experiences for most practices.

  • Individual breathwork / wellness session — from R950
  • Sound healing 60 min — R1,100 · 90 min — R1,500
  • Group Sound Bath — R550/person
  • Athlete recovery session — R1,200
  • 4-Session Pack — R3,400
  • Monthly individual support — from R2,800/month
  • Free discovery call — R0 · Always available

We recommend avoiding heavy meals 2 hours before your session. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. For breathwork, bring a blanket if you tend to feel cold. For sound healing, an eye mask enhances the experience. We send a personalised preparation guide after each booking confirmation.

Yes. You can reschedule with no penalty up to 24 hours before your session. Please contact us as early as possible at 074 311 6922 or wellness@mintsanctuary.co.za. We understand that life happens and will always work to find a suitable alternative time for you.

Two women practicing assisted yoga stretch outdoors with Mint Sanctuary wellness branding, promoting balance, healing, and mindful movement
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Corporate Wellness R40B lost to presenteeism annually in SA
For Organisations

Corporate Wellness
Questions

Yes. Mint Sanctuary offers fully customised corporate wellness programmes for organisations of any size. Options include:

  • Half-day wellness workshop — from R12,000
  • Full-day wellness programme — from R22,000
  • Monthly on-site retainer — from R8,500/month
  • Virtual team wellness sessions — custom quoted

All corporate programmes include outcomes tracking and a follow-up report for HR teams.

Deloitte's 2024 Global Human Capital Trends report found that companies with strong wellness programmes outperform industry peers by 21% on productivity metrics. South African businesses lose an estimated R40 billion per year to presenteeism (employees present but underperforming due to unaddressed stress). Mint Sanctuary programmes directly target the root cause of this loss.

Yes. We deliver on-site across Gauteng and by arrangement nationally. We bring everything required — instruments, mats, facilitation materials — and set up in your boardroom, open-plan area, or event space. Minimum space required is approximately 2m² per participant.

We accommodate groups from 5 to 200+ participants. Small team sessions (5–20 people) are intimate and highly personalised. Large group sound baths and breathwork events can be designed for entire companies. We've delivered sessions for teams as small as 6 and events with over 150 attendees.

Get a Corporate Quote
For Athletes

Mental Recovery
Questions

Our athlete mental recovery programme combines breathwork (nervous system reset), sound healing (faster HRV restoration — up to 23% post-training), visualisation training, and somatic techniques for composure under pressure. We offer pre-competition preparation protocols, post-competition recovery sessions, and seasonal programmes coordinated with coaching staff.

Yes — and both are essential. Physical recovery addresses muscles, joints, and energy stores. Mental recovery targets the nervous system — reducing cortisol, restoring HRV, and resetting the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Without mental recovery, even perfect physical recovery leaves athletes operating below their full cognitive and emotional capacity on competition day.

Our programmes are especially effective for gymnastics (composure, precision, competitive anxiety), track and field, swimming, team sports, and any discipline where mental focus and stress management directly impact performance. We customise protocols in coordination with your existing coaching and sports science team.

Yes, with appropriate adaptations. Breathwork and sound healing techniques are age-appropriate for athletes from approximately 14 years upward. For younger athletes, we use gentler, more accessible techniques and always involve coaching staff or parents/guardians in the programme design. Contact us to discuss your specific needs.

Athlete Recovery Programmes
A calming sound healing session featuring multiple crystal singing bowls used for meditation, energy alignment, and deep relaxation at Mint Sanctuar
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Athlete Recovery Mental conditioning — the final competitive edge
Safety & Science

Evidence-Based,
Safely Delivered

Mint Sanctuary's practices are grounded in peer-reviewed research and delivered by certified facilitators with extensive clinical experience.

Breathwork is safe for the vast majority of people. However, it is not recommended without prior medical clearance for those with:

  • A history of cardiovascular disease or heart attack
  • Uncontrolled high blood pressure or glaucoma
  • Seizure disorders or severe mental illness
  • Recent surgery or significant physical injuries
  • Pregnancy (without physician approval)

Our intake process screens for all relevant health considerations before every session.

Yes. Every Mint Sanctuary facilitator holds formal certification in their specific modality with a minimum of 500 hours of clinical and applied practice. We do not use generalist wellness coaches for specialised breathwork or sound healing delivery. Facilitators undergo continuous professional development and regular performance review.

The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in the body, connecting the brain to the heart, lungs, and gut. It is the primary pathway of the parasympathetic nervous system — your body's rest-and-recovery mode. Both breathwork and sound healing directly stimulate the vagus nerve, increasing what is called "vagal tone" — your body's ability to shift quickly from stress to calm. Higher vagal tone is associated with better heart health, emotional regulation, and stress resilience.

No. Mint Sanctuary's services are complementary wellness practices, not medical or psychotherapeutic treatment. They work powerfully alongside existing medical or mental health care, and many clients use our sessions as part of a broader wellness strategy that includes their GP or therapist. If you are managing a clinical condition, we recommend informing your healthcare provider and our team before beginning sessions.

Practical Information

Location, Booking
& More

Mint Sanctuary's studio is in Sandton, Johannesburg, Gauteng. We also deliver on-site at client offices and venues across Gauteng, and by arrangement nationally. Virtual sessions are available to clients anywhere in South Africa. Contact us at wellness@mintsanctuary.co.za or 074 311 6922 to discuss logistics.

Yes. Mint Sanctuary is a service of Mint Health & Wellness — a South African holistic health and athleisure platform. Operating within this ecosystem means our clients benefit from broader wellness resources, expertise, and community beyond individual sessions.

We accept EFT (bank transfer), credit/debit card, and corporate invoice for business clients. Payment is processed after booking confirmation. Corporate clients can arrange 30-day invoicing terms with a signed programme agreement.

This is completely normal, especially for people who are highly analytical or new to somatic practices. The nervous system has often spent years in chronic stress — it doesn't always release immediately. Most clients who feel little in session one notice significantly more in sessions two and three as their body learns to trust the process. We also offer a satisfaction guarantee on first sessions.

Still Have Questions?

We're Happy
to Help

Can't find what you're looking for? Reach out directly — our team responds personally to every enquiry within one business day.

Schedule a Free Discovery Call Send Us a Message
📞 074 311 6922 ✉️ wellness@mintsanctuary.co.za 📸 @mint_sanctuary