Date: Friday 29th, Saturday 30th & Sunday 31st March 2013

Time: 9.30 am—5:30 pm

Location: 

Gladstone’s Library
Church Lane
Hawarden
Flintshire
CH5 3DF

Tel: +44 (0) 1244 532350

Email: enquiries@gladlib.org

Suggested Donation: £90 for the 3 days or £60 for 2 days ( excluding accommodation)

If you prefer to just attend the first 2 days that is possible as we will cover the 6 basic steps of the meditation technique. If you would like to stay for the third day, we will introduce a more advanced practice. On the third day we will maintain noble silence.

Room are available if you would like to stay overnight, please contact the Gladstone Library directly to book. We have reserved 10 rooms for participants of the course so please mention that you are part of the Traditional Yoga group. Meals will be served in the Gladstone resturant but if you prefer to bring a pack lunch that is also fine.

Bookings: Advance bookings only. Please contact us if you have any questions or would like to book a place.

Thanks to everyone from the last course for giving your feedback:

I have enjoyed the weekend and have found the introduction so well presented and supported with vast knowledge and detailed explanations.

Wonderfully presented, extremely helpful in explaining what we are doing in meditation and why.  Allowed me to “fit pieces together” in the jigsaw, really helped give me some insight into the theory behind the practice – Inspiring.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge, and for a technique I can now maintain a faithful focus on.

An insightful experience, the term “Breathe of Life” will have a whole, new expanded meaning.

A fabulous weekend in a truly welcome and relaxed atmosphere, with great teachers.  Particularly liked the teaching method, given with love and attention in a very clear and clarified manner.  Very open and sharing style.  Many thanks to all.

The presentation was high quality and the variation of tutors was refreshing and motivating (appreciate the humour and pace). Looking forward to the next opportunities.Venue very good!

Liked the pace of the 2 day.  Also enjoyed the theory, it was interesting, informative and inspiring.

Thank You.  I’ve really enjoyed it.

Really wonderful.  Excellent information, well delivered, great balance of theory and practice and suitable breaks.  In addition lovely venue and lovely people.

I have clarified – or rather you have clarified some important aspects of the practice for me which I hope to take on board in due course.  I found BB work very helpful, clear and concise.  I look forward to more of these weekends.  Many thanks.

Brilliant

Well presented.  Both days excellent.  thought provoking.  Hope to continue the practice.  Thank you.

Eyeopening!! – My first meditation workshop.

Excellent teaching – good balance between theory and practice.  Left me wanting to know more.  Thank You.

I was very happy I was able to come to the course this weekend.  A great balance of meditation practice and teaching.  Very clear explanations, coupled with helpful guidance during the meditation sessions.  I have no improvements to recommend; It would be great to have more courses like this.

Enjoyed the relaxed and friendly approach.  Appreciated the knowledge of the team.

Very insightful.  Great teaching and really enjoyed the discourse.  It made things make sense.

I have really enjoyed the structured, progressive approach to teaching the technique.

“Yoga means getting on well with everything in life: getting on well with the food we eat, the air we breathe, the environment we live in, the people we live with and the work we do.”

Location:

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

4a Castletown Road

West Kensington

London W14 9HE United Kingdom

Dates: 

Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28, 2013 (9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.)

Donation: 

90 pounds for both days (suggested minimum)

Experience Levels:

Suitable for complete beginners as well as experienced practitioners and teachers

Overview:

This workshop is suitable for beginners who would like to gain an overview of all the limbs of yoga, as well as advanced practitioners and teachers looking to deepen their knowledge and learn new techniques — many of which are not commonly known in the West. It will also be of interest to people who are looking to improve their health and well-being and help others to do the same.

Bookings: 

Advance bookings only. Please contact us if you have any questions or would like to book a place.

Course Contents:

External Yoga

• The traditional definition of Yoga

• The Hatha Yoga lineage, historical and contemporary systems of yoga

• An overview of the five limbs of hatha yoga ( Shat Kriya, Asana, Pranayama, Mudra Bandhana and Kundalini)

• Shat Kriyas (six cleansing techniques) to be practiced as a preparation for the other limbs of hatha yoga.

• Suryanamaskaras (salute to the sun) and Chandranamaskaras (salute to the moon) from various traditions and with accompanying mantras.

• Asanas (postures) and the importance of correct sequencing using the system of vargas ( sequential groups of postures) based on the energy flow principle of the five elements.

• Angabandanas and Angachalanas (simple joint exercises involving movement, that can be practiced by beginners, as a warm up or as a restorative routine)

• Therapeutic asanas and pranayamas  that can be practiced as a treatment for a range of health issues and diseases ranging from sinus problems to PCOS to obesity and diabetes (based on the traditional text, ‘The Hatha Ratnavali’)

• Mudra and Bandhana ( Energy channeling and energy locking techniques)

• Pranayamas ( breathing techniques), including lesser-known and advanced techniques.

• Kundalini practices (visualization and cyclical breathing relaxation techniques)

The external yoga aspect of the course is based on the ancient texts such as Hatha Yoga Pradeepika, Hatha Ratnavali, Siva Samhitha, Gheranda Samhitha, Kurnataka Yoga and Kapala Kurnataka Yoga and informed by Kumar’s experience of studying in 37 yoga schools throughout India. The internal yoga ( meditation) aspect of the course is based on the teachings of Buddha, Patanjali, and Shankaracharya.

Internal Yoga

• The purpose of meditation

• Techniques, tools, advantages, experiences, and obstacles

• Conditioning and Deconditioning meditation techniques

• Subjective and objective meditation techniques and the difference.

• Different streams of Yoga — Bhakti Yoga (the path of devotion), Karma Yoga (the path of action), Jnana Yoga ( the path of knowledge), and Raja Yoga ( the purification of the mind).

• Patanjali Yoga Sutras, focusing on his eight step methodology.

• Antakaranas: the five faculties of the mind

• Buddha’s Ashtanga Magga and Patanajali’s Asthanga Yoga

Diet, Nutrition, and Healing

• PH balancing and glycemic index

• Healthy and unhealthy food combinations

• Alternative therapies and dietary advice for common problems, including thyroidism, obesity, arthritis, blood pressure, and hypertension diabetes.

• Yoga Kayachikitsa and Kayasamvadhana ( yoga physiotherapy and massage) A therapeutic branch of yoga that is used to heal the body and treat a range of health issues by deploying methods derived from different yoga postures.

Why practice meditation?

In the world today, people come to meditation for many different reasons. For many it is a tool to deal with the immediate challenges of daily life, to find peace amid the chaos. Simply a strategy to become less reactive, more tranquil, more harmonious with those around us. For a few, the goal of enlightenment is a very real motivation and a long term aim.

Whether the purpose is modest or ambitious, the fundamental motivation as with all human activity is to gain increasing happiness and therefore to remove suffering. The correct practice of deconditioning meditation brings incomparable peace and happiness that is permanent not transitory. As we achieve this for ourselves we are in a position to share it with others.

Many people think, ‘I am happy as I am’, I don’t need anything else. People claim that the highs and lows of life are part and parcel of being human and life would lose its richness if we did not experience the downs with the ups. Yet, all our choices in life are for the pursuit of either short term or long term happiness. Given the choice, all of us would prefer to experience joy, peace, love, rather than agitation, sadness and anger.

At the moment, for most of us, we are dependent on external factors for our happiness.

One of the aims of meditation is to make us own our happiness independently and self-sufficiently, not to depend on our families, our work, our relationship, our environment.

As we practice, this increasing independence brings a sense of freedom and security. We become masters of our destiny and not reliant on the uncertainties of life for our happiness.

We know that when you are feeling negative it is very difficult for those around you to feel happy. Happiness and unhappiness is infectious. A peaceful mind radiates only good will and creates harmony. When we are unhappy we tend to blame others and look for faults in the world around us. Our responsibility as a human is to gain our own peacefulness that we can then share with others. In this way, spirituality when properly understood, is the foundation of a world which lives in harmony.

The development of the volition to help others, develops automatically as one purifies the mind through meditation. The qualities of pure love, compassion, appreciative joy and equanimity, give one the intention and skills to effectively share happiness with others. All the great teachers emphasize the importance of these qualities and the value of helping others through thought, word and action.

CONDITIONING AND DECONDITIONING YOGA IN BRIEF:

Pravritthi and Nivritthi Yoga

Meditation is broadly divided into 2 categories, conditioning meditation and de-conditioning meditation or in Sanskrit, Pravritthi yoga and Nivritthi yoga.

Pravritthi yoga is given by all religions in different forms. Nivritthi yoga however is not associated with religion, it is an entirely objective, scientific methodology. All yoga practices in both hatha and raja yoga are Nivritthi so entirely secular.

Pravritthi yoga: the paths of bhakti, karma and jnana:

Pravritthi conditioning practices are given by religions to help us lead a successful householder life and to create order in society. They are useful as they work to develop qualities which we need to live life successfully as well as preparing us to meditate successfully, these qualities include devotion, working without expectation and knowledge:

1.Bhakti, devotion.

The quality of devotion is important not the object of devotion. Devotion can be to anything in life such as work, family etc. It does not have to be towards a deity.

The main purpose of devotion is to develop the quality of interest and concentration, also when directed towards God or a saint, it enables us to develop humility and to unburden the mind. Devotion should open the mind, if it is narrowing the mind then it is being wrongly practiced. It should never be blind.

2. Karma, selfless service/ working without expectation.

This is to develop the ability to work hard without expectation and to develop charity/ generosity. If we work without expectations we feel grateful and happy for everything.

Self-less service also helps us to overcome selfishness.

3. Jnana, knowledge.

The qualitive aspect of religion, reading scriptures and gaining an intellectual understanding of the principles.

Pravritthi meditation

Most meditation practices in the world today belong to Pravritthi dharma. This can be considered as the science of mastering or taming the mind. The mind is likened to a wild elephant or stray dog, always moving, rarely at rest, not within our control. Our first job as a meditator is to gain control over the mind so that it does not run wild but is able to achieve a level of concentration and focus, stability. For this there are many meditation objects available such as mantras, forms, contemplating on concepts such as pure love or compassion etc.

These meditations work at the conscious level of the mind. Our conscious mind is very pure but also very weak compared to the unconscious which easily overpowers it, so gaining control is a way of strengthening it. Pravritthi meditations develop Samadhi, which is tranquility, concentration. There are various levels of Samadhi as the mind gets deeply concentrated and one can experience increasing levels of absorbtion and bliss in meditation.

These experiences however are transitory like any pleasant experience and they only work at the level of the conscious mind. Samadhi is not the route to bring about lasting change to the habit patterns of the mind which are rooted in the unconscious.

Pravritthi yoga is to prepare the mind for the practice of Nivritthi yoga, the science of working with the unconscious mind.

The problem in the world today is that the bliss of Samadhi is mistaken for enlightenment and pravritthi meditations are practiced as leading to the ultimate goal. In fact if practiced without proper understanding or on a long term basis, they cause a deep attachment and can become an obstacle to enlightenment.

Nivritthi yoga

Nivritthi yoga has three main steps. These steps are given by both Patanjali and Buddha:

1. Stop performing unwholesome actions.

2. Mastering the mind. Samatha/ Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi

3. Developing discriminatory wisdom. Pragnya/ vijja.

1. Stop performing unwholesome actions. 

Buddha and Patanjali both gave an 8 step path to achieve total deconditioning of the mind. Patanjali called it Ashtanga Yoga, Buddha called it Ashtanga Magga. These 8 steps lead to the development of a discriminatory wisdom that allows us to realize nirvana, enlightenment.

Both these great teachers emphasized the importance of the first step. Buddha called it Sila and Patanjali called it Yama. It is based on the universal principal that right action brings happiness and wrong action brings unhappiness. To stop doing actions which hurt yourself or other and to do more actions which help yourself and others. For example every time we abuse someone, the anger in our unconscious increases and therefore our unhappiness increases.

At this stage we cannot prevent anger altogether (that develops as we practice nivrithhi meditation) but we can make a resolution to as much as possible stop doing actions which support and increase anger or any other negative qualities of the mind. To purify the mind it is essential to first stop adding new impurities. In order to calm down the mind so we can work with it we should not do any actions which increase mental agitation. This is why the 5 precepts are given:

Ahimsa ( non violence)

Asteya ( non stealing)

Satya ( non lying)

Brahmacharya ( non sexual misconduct)

Apaarigraha ( non intoxication/ addiction)

2. Mastering the mind. Samatha/ Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi

This stage corresponds to the pravritthi meditation practices. It involves developing a level of Samadhi  but only to the extent that one is in a position to work with the unconscious mind. Before we start that job, we have to at least be able to concentrate and make the mind tranquil and subtle.

However, only one meditation will allow us to develop ‘wholesome samadhi’, this is meditating on the natural ( uncontrolled) breath. It is essential that we do not to get attached to any Samadhi experience but rather to develop strong detachment to any experience in meditation and working with the natural breath allows us to do this.

Why is the natural breath as the only suitable meditation object to gain wholesome Samadhi? Why was it given as a deocnditioning technique by Patanjali, Buddha and Shankaracharya?

Because the natural breath is connected to the conscious mind, the body and the unconscious mind.

It also has the following qualities:

1. REALITY

It is the reality of the unconscious mind. It trains the mind to work with reality, the mind is usually avoiding reality and that is why we become unhappy. The process of observing the natural breath sharpens our awareness of subtler reality.

2. AWARENESS

It is a changing reality, each breath is new and different. Therefore it not only develops Samadhi ( concentration) but also develops awareness.

3. PRESENT

Our breath is always in the present. You cannot watch a past breath or a future breath.

Our mind is always running into the past or the future. To keep the breath in the present gives the mind enormous rest and relief, de-stresses it and therefore makes it more efficient.

4. CHOICELESS

There is no conditioning, i.e. no liking or disliking for the breath. It is neutral and therefore 100% objective.

5. IT DOES NOT BELONG TO YOU

It is always with you and yet it does not belong to you. We do not have a feeling of ownership over our own breath. We do not try to hold on to any one breath.

3. Developing discriminatory wisdom.

The final step to enlightenment is to develop what patanjali calls ‘pragnya’ and Buddha calls ‘paññā’. It is also referred to as ‘vidya’ in the Vedas. It means wisdom, an experiential understanding of reality as witnessed in meditation. It is this ‘vidya’ that removes ‘avidya’, also called the ‘ego’ or ‘ignorance’, the collection of negative roots in the unconscious mind.

The application of this pragnya in meditation ultimately leads to enlightenment. It is the process of the conscious mind objectively observing the unconscious mind and the culmination of Buddha and Patanjali’s eight steps.

Deconditioning meditation works at the level of the unconscious mind to change negative mental habit patterns or in other words remove the negative qualities that cause unhappiness such as anger, fear , jealousy, greed etc. Buddha called these ‘kleshas’, Patanjali used the term ‘sankhara’. These deep rooted habit patterns can only be changed by working in meditation directly with the unconscious mind. The removal of these roots, ( also referred to collectively as the ego) leads to enlightenment.  Buddha categorizes these into 14 main roots. There are 4 stages of Enlightenment as progressively the 14 main kleshas are removed from the mind.

“This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Nibbana.”- Buddha

Kumar believes that it is essential for everyone interested in practicing raja yoga to understand the purpose and context of each type of meditation technique, of which there are hundreds.  He teaches the science of meditation in a rational and systematic way with a clear understanding of which category each meditation technique belongs, at which level of the mind it is working, and the effect that it will have. He emphasizes the difference between ‘samadhi,’ concentration and ‘pragnya,’ insight. It is clear that samadhi is not the ultimate goal but rather a tool with which to develop pragnya. It is pragnya, insight that leads one to ultimate happiness, enlightenment. Although Samadhi is essential to strengthen the conscious mind, pragnya works to purify the unconscious mind. This is the goal of raja yoga, the complete purification and release of the mind.

Hatha Yoga, inherited over thousands of years, from generation to generation, teacher to disciple, yogi to yogi was developed and preserved by the lineage of Nath Gurus in Northern India.

“Today the techniques taught in these texts are not found in any single school of contemporary yoga. The traditional schools, in which these techniques are preserved, are unfamiliar to many yoga practitioners. Today’s yoga generally consists of practices originating from traditions less than a hundred years old. Traditional methodologies are often changed and adapted. Traditional Yoga is an attempt to present the knowledge contained within the traditional texts in its original, whole and undiluted practical form for the benefit of all practioners and teachers.”-Kumar

Swatmarama in Hatha Yoga Pradipika states the purpose of hatha yoga:

Verse 1: Salutations to the highest primal guru, Sri Adinath, who instructed the knowledge of hatha yoga which shines forth as a stairway for those who wish to ascend to the highest stage of yoga, raja yoga.

Verse 2: Prostrating first to the guru, Yogi Swatmarama instructs the knowledge of hatha yoga only for ( raja yoga) the highest state of yoga.

The purpose of hatha yoga is to keep the yoga aspirant healthy and free from disease in order to facilitate the practice of raja yoga as given by Patanjali for the purification of the mind. We have 360 joints, 206 bones, 380 muscles, 150 trillion cells, and 14 trillion neurons. Hatha yoga cleans the physical channels and raja yoga cleans the mental channels.

The health benefits of hatha yoga are well known in the world today. In the West it is mainly used to give the body suppleness, strength and stamina and to exercise and relax the body and mind. Hatha yoga has a healing effect that can be used to treat a whole host of ailments from back problems, to diabetes, to infertility. One of it’s lesser known branches, kayachikitsa can be used as a therapeutic treatment for those who are unable to practice hatha yoga for themselves.

The deep purification of the body through hatha yoga makes the job of purifying the mind much easier. It also develops a very subtle awareness within the body that begins the process of cultivating the meditative faculty of sati, mindfulness/ awareness, one of the essential steps in Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path and an enlightenment factor. It is important to practice hatha yoga with full awareness and concentration within the body. While practicing asanas the breath should be coordinated with the movement of the body.

The entire system of hatha yoga is built around the system of nadis, or neural networks. A nadi is a neuron transmission channel. The word Ha relates to the Ida nadi of the parasympathetic nervous system and the word tha relates to the Pingala nadi of the sympathetic nervous system. ( Please note that hatha yoga is a traditional term and does not relate to any contemporary yoga style). Sushumna nadi is the central channel, canalis centralis. Hatha yoga is based on the balancing of these two systems and the channelising of the energies in the body. There are 14 principle nadis, that are sub-divided into 6000 nadis and further into 84,000 nadis.

The six chakras ( wheels) are principle centres of neuron transmission channels or nadi centres, also called plexus. All these centres are supported by the muscular skeletal system and are located at various points along the spine. Each chakra is connected to a particular system of the body and it’s related element. For example, the swadishtana is located at the sacral plexus. It is the centre for the reproductive and urinary system which is dominated by the liquid element.

The principle chakras are as follows:

Sanskrit name/ English name/ system/ element

Muladhara/ Coccygeal plexus/ excretory system/ solid element

Swadisthana /Sacral plexus/ urinary and reproductive system/ liquid element

Manipura/ Solar plexus/ digestive system/ fire element

Anahata/ Cardiac plexus/ circulatory and respiratory system/ air element

Visuddhi/ Pharyngeal plexus/ autonomous nervous system, lymphatic, thyroid, parathyroid/ space element

Ajna/ forehead centre/ pineal and pituitary gland/ consciousness element

Sahasrara/ Hypothalamus centre/ central nervous system/ superconsciousness.

Hatha yoga has 5 main parts:

1. Shat kriyas- Six cleansing techniques

2. Asana-postures

3. Pranayama-breathing techniques

4. Mudra and Bandana- energy locking techniques

5. Kundalini- movement of energy

Shat kriyas

When fat or mucus is excessive, shatkarma: the six cleansing techniques, should be practiced before. Others, in whom the doshas, i.e. phlegm, wind, bile, are balanced should not do them.-Hatha Yoga Pradeepika Chapter 2 Verse 21

The shat kriyas cleanse the six gross impurities of the body. They are the first step in hatha yoga as they prepare the body to practice the subsequent steps for which a minimum level of health is required. For example, it is very difficult to practice pranayama with a blocked nose so the first step is to clear the sinus and nasal passages.

• Nethi- to cleanse the  nasal passages, respiratory channels, eyes and ears.
• Dauthi-to cleanse the digestive system and treat acidity, gastritis, nausea.
• Vasthi-to cleanse the colon and intestinal food pipe.
• Kapalbathi-to remove the fat from the belly.
• Nauli-to cleanse the urinary and reproductive systems.
• Trataka-to develop concentration and treat mental disorders such as ADHD

Asanas-postures

 Prior to everything, asana is spoken of as the first part of hatha yoga. Having done asana one gets steadiness of the body and mind; diseaselessness and lightness of the limbs.-Hatha Yoga Pradeepika Chapter 1 Verse 17

Asanas work from the bone level to the exterior cell level. There are 84, 000 asanas, just as there are 84,000 nadis.

In asana practice the sequence is very important as it creates a flow of energy upwards from one plexus to the next, from muladara chakra at the base of the spine, to sahasrara chakra at the crown of the head. This direction moves energy systematically from the gross to subtle centres.

Modern yoga often fragments the asanas so that the sequence is somewhat arbitrary and the practitioner does not gain the full benefits of the postures.  Although the stretch has been achieved, the flow of energy has not been channeled properly and the result is much less effective. By following the correct sequence, people notice make much swifter progress and notice that they are able to gain enormous flexibility in the short span of a few months.

Asanas are divided into five main categories; standing, sitting, prone, supine and inverted. Traditionally, each of these categories is sub divided into a series of vargas, group of postures. Each varga works on a particular system of the body and one varga leads to the next. Within each varga, there is a specified sequence of asanas that also works in a flow. In Western yoga studios, standing postures are often emphasized and some vargas are largely neglected. It is important to balance all the vargas in order to work on all the systems equally, therefore creating balance within the overall functioning of the body.

In the traditional sequence, we begin with standing postures and finish with inverted postures:

• Standing postures work at the level of the muscular skeletal system. Within the body bone is the highest density, i.e. the grossest matter.

• Second come sitting postures that move energy upwards from the coccygeal to the sacral plexus and they work on the excretory, urinary and reproductive system purifying the solid and liquid elements.

• Third we practice prone postures, lying on the stomach. These work on the solar plexus and cardiac plexus, moving energy upwards through the digestive and then circulatory/ respiratory system, the fire and air elements.

• Fourth are the supine postures, practiced lying down on the back. Supine postures work on the cardiac plexus, followed by the pharyngeal and forehead plexus, so the circulatory/ respiratory system, autonomous nervous system and pineal and pituatary gland. These purify the air, space and consciousness elements.

• Fifth we practice inverted postures, working on the hypothalamus centre and the central nervous system.

For a full sequence of vargas and asanas please see click here

All limbs of hatha yoga including asanas can be used therapeutically to treat particular health conditions. Each varga works on a particular system of the body, so for instance if one is suffering from a problem related to the digestive system then it is beneficial to practice prone postures. In addition to that, Hatha Ratnavali, Yoga Rahasya and Hatha Yoga Rahasya suggest particular asanas and pranayama for specific health problems.

Surya Namaskaras-sun salutations

Sun salutations were originally part of Hindu religious practices performed by priests, not part of hatha yoga. They were absorbed into hatha yoga practice because of their powerful ability to lubricate the entire spine and maintain the healthy functioning of the endochrine system.

Nowadays sun salutations are mostly practiced in yoga as only postures without mantras and by hindu priests as only mantras without accompanying postures. When the two aspects are integrated they become more effective.

Sun salutations are to be practiced with Sanskrit syllables, i.e. seed mantras for the healing effect of the sound vibrations on the various plexus and corresponding systems of the body.  When practiced with contemplative mantras their purpose is to give a positive motivation to the mind.

There are a range of traditional sun salutations variants, each working on a particular plexus. They can be used as an effective warm up before asana practice.

Sun salutations energize the system and are best practiced at dawn. Moon salutations cool down the system and are best practiced at dusk. Moon salutations are also most effective when practiced with mantras.

Pranayama-breathing techniques

Thus being established in asana and having control (of the body), taking a balanced diet; pranayama should be practiced according to the instructions of the guru.-Hatha Yoga Pradeepika Chapter 2 Verse 1

The pranamayakosha is sometimes called the life-force body or the body of aura ( why-explain). It is the microscopic level of our physiology containing cells and chromosomes. We have 150 trillion cells in our bodies, a complex system that has evolved over 14.5 billion years from our origins as single cell organisms.

The pranamayakosha is made of of five principle elements:

Prana-oxygen

Apana-enzymes, catalysts and hormones

Samana-cells in the digestive system

Udana-cells in the respiratory system

Vyana-inside the cells, the krebs cycle.

There are two kinds of breathing techniques: Aerobic ( external) and Anaerobic ( internal).

Aerobic breathing techniques involve slow inhalation and slow exhalation. They pump oxygen into the lungs and blood stream, opening up the bronchioles and providing oxygen to the outer layer of the cellular body. They increase the lung capacity and are for  those suffering from respiratory problems such as asthma or for smokers. They are a preparation for anaerobic techniques which require a healthy lung capacity. Smokers or those with weak lungs should practice aerobic techniques for 2 to 3 months until their lung capacity increases, before moving into anaerobic techniques.

Anaerobic breathing techniques such as bastrika and kapalbathi  pump oxygen into the internal cellular structure, opening cell receptor blockages and multiplying the number of active mitochondria in the

cells. The number of mitochondria vary according to which organ the cells belong to. An ordinary cell contains between 200-300 mitochondria whereas the each cell of our heart and brain contains over 1000. Mitochondria are cellular power houses because they generate most of the cell’s energy supply. Oxygen and glucose are carried into the cell and the mitochondria convert it into Co2 and ATP (adenosine triphosphate), i.e. energy. If the cell receptors have blockages they are unable to receive the oxygen and glucose into the cell, so rather then being converted into energy it gets stored as fat in the body. Many people who suffer from obesity do so not because they over eat but because their cells are functioning efficiently due to dormant mitochondria. Low oxygen supply to the cell increases the risk of developing cancer. Anaerobic breathing techniques remove blockages in the cell and increase the number if active mitochondria. For this reason they are highly energizing, a powerful tool for losing excess fat and a way of maintaining healthy cells. They are highly beneficial for the digestive and reproductive systems.

Anaerobic techniques take the oxygen from the blood and pump it into the cell by creating a pressure gradient. Therefore it is important to refuel the blood with oxygen by practicing aerobic techniques in between and after anaerobic breathing.

For a full sequence of vargas and asanas please see click here

Mudra and Bandhana-energy locks

“Adinath said they are the bestowers of the eight divine powers (sidhis). They are held in high esteem by all the siddhas and are difficult for even the gods to attain.”-Hatha Yoga Pradeepika Chapter 3 Verse 2

Mudra and bandhana bring stability to the mind. They work at a much deeper and subtler level than asanas. They balance the elements and develop awareness at the level of the organs. They purify the cells at a gross level, cleanse the organs and streamline consciousness in that area.  A mudra is a particular posture that channels energy into particular chakras (plexus) and in turn affects the organs to which it is connected.  Bandhana means a lock. It involves contraction of the muscles and organs causing energy to accumulate at a particular plexus. Gerandha Samhita gives 26 mudras that can be subdivided into a total of 55. 

.

At the moment we have no control over our organs, but an advanced hatha yoga practitioner can control their organ function through these techniques. For example, one of the benefits of kechari mudra is to control and regulate the thyroid gland and the production of T3 and T4 hormones that affect the metabolic rate.

Some mudras and bandhanas are performed with asana and pranayama while others are practiced separately afterwards. For example, Vipareeta karani mudra, is a shoulder stand practiced with the back at a 45 % angle to the floor. It should be practiced in the sequence of asanas before sarvangasana, the straight shoulder stand. It stimulates the thyroid and purifies the visuddhu chakra ( pharyngeal plexus). Similarly, Uddhiyana bandhana, is practiced in the sequence of pranayamas. It involves sharp exhalation and holding of the exhaled breath, while retracting the abdomen and holding it inside until  an inhalation is required. Kechari mudra however is practiced after asana and pranayama.

As is always the case in hatha yoga, the sequence of these techniques is very important to ensure that the flow of energy is upward, from the base of the spine to the crown of the head.

Kundalini-purification of neural network

“Indeed, by guru’s grace this sleeping kundalini is awakened, then all the chakras and knots are opened.”-Hatha Yoga Pradeepika Chapter 3 Verse 2

Kundalini is a very subtle ‘prana’ or life-force energy, considered to be cerebrospinal fluid contained within the central nadi, the sushumna, located at the centre of the spine. At the moment we have no awareness of it due to blockages in the mind. Through the practice of hatha yoga we can gain an awareness of this force. The ‘awakening’ of kundalini refers to our ability to become aware of it starting at the muladhara ( coccygeal plexus) and moving upwards through all the chakras situated along the spine, to the sahasrara (hypothalamus centre). The ‘awakening’ of kundalini  causes both hemispheres of the brain, including the dormant parts, to become active. This brings about a particular experience at the mental level that occurs when perfect balance is gained between ida and pingala, the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. This is achieved when the physical channels of the chakras and nadis are cleaned of all blockages and the channels of the mind are purified.

There are two types of kundalini experience, hot and cold, otherwise called inert and active. A hot kundalini experience can be attained forcibly though meditation on the chakras. It is a Samadhi experinence and does not signal purification of the mind. There has been a lot of interest in kundalini in recent years and unfortunately many people practice without a proper understanding of what they are doing. Forcing kundalini for the sake of an ‘experience’ is dangerous and can lead to serious mental health problems such as schizophrenia.  If kundalini ascends through ida nadi instead of sushumna, people may have fantastic, meaningless experiences but they lose the ability to function in the external world. If it accidentally ascends through pingala nadi, they become lost in a world of hallucination.

Kundalini is a very powerful force that should arise naturally through the process of purifying the body and mind in a systematic way, with proper guidance from an enlightened teacher. If the gross blockages in the chakras and sushumna are removed and the mind has been purified enough through nivritthi yoga ( deconditioning), then kundalini is naturally awakened in the sahasrara and the practitioner will have a cold kundalini experience, also known as bhavanga nana. This is one of the important stages of purification on the path to enlightenment but not the ultimate goal.

The practice of kundalini in hatha yoga, cleans the neural network of nadis, our hardware. The mind is the software that can only be cleansed through nivritthi yoga. Hatha yoga kundalini techniques include dharana meditations on the chakras that can take one to a level of Samadhi. They work by using a reflux or simulation mechanism that remove the knots in the subtlest channels of the body. This de-atrophication has a deep cleansing effect on the body and the gross levels of the mind and prepare the practitioner for the practice of raja yoga as given by Patanjali.

There is a common misconception that Patanjali is referring to hatha yoga in his Asthanga Yoga, particularly when he mentions asana and pranayama. In fact Patanjali’s science is purely pertaining to the mind. Asana refers to the sitting posture for meditation and pranyama refers to the practice of observing the natural respiration in meditation. His Ashtanga yoga can be and has been applied to hatha yoga in the same way that any fundamental principles of nature can be applied to any practice or situation because they are a universal science.

Gladstone’s Library

Church Lane
Hawarden
Flintshire
CH5 3DF

( please visit: www.st-deiniols.com)

Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st October 2012

9am to 5.30pm on Saturday with morning and afternoon breaks and an hour for lunch.

9am-4.00 pm on Sunday with a morning break and an hour for lunch.

Suggested Donation: 40 pounds for 2 days.

There is a cafe with snacks available, otherwise please bring your own lunch. Accommodation is also available if you would like to stay overnight, it costs 54 pounds for a single en-suite room including dinner and breakfast. Accommodation availability is limited so please book soon.

The course will be taught by experienced meditation teachers trained by Kumar. The focus will be on meditation practice and there will be opportunities to ask questions, discuss the practice and to gain an understanding about the technique and how it works.

This powerful traditional meditation, which involves observation of the natural breath, calms and purifies the mind. It develops awareness and equanimity and is a complete meditation in its own right that can be practiced on an ongoing basis as well as a preparation for working with the mind more deeply if one wishes to attend a residential course. It is a technique taught commonly by Buddha and Patanjali.

Please note: This information for yoga teachers/ experienced pratitioners to refer to who are already familiar with these asanas and pranayamas. If you are not familiar with these postures and breathing techniques, then please contact us for a copy of the  Module 1, 2 and 3 Traditional Yoga DVDs for demonstrations, attend one of our workshops or seek guidance from a qualified yoga teacher.

Standing postures can be practiced first ( in preparation for the below postures) but if you or your student is very overweight be aware that standing postures could put too much pressure on the knees causing strain.

Asanas:

1. Nawasanchalanasan (Rowing boat posture)

Row forwards, taking hands to feet in front then pulling back and leaning back so that head almost touches mat. Forward rowing then reverse rowing. Inhale when moving forward, exhale when moving back. In reverse rowing exhale forward and inhale backward.

2. Chakkiliasan  (Grinding posture)

–Variant 1: rotate arms clockwise and then anticlockwise as if grinding in a large pestle and mortar. First small diameter, then increase to medium diameter and then to full diameter, almost touching ground when you lean back.

3. Shalabhasana (Gross Hopper posture)
 Be in adhvasana.  Keep both hands under the thighs with palms facing upwards and lift both the legs upwards.  The chin should touch the ground.  Do not bend your knees.  Gradually lift your legs over 30, 45, 90 and 180 degrees. A beginner can lift up to 45 degrees.
BENEFITS:  Activates liver, intestines, pancreas, kidneys and lungs.

4. Adanaukasan ( half boat posture, see-saw) Lie on stomach with arms extended forward and legs extended backwards ( like bow posture but without holding ankles.

- Variant 1: Chalana. Rock back and forth on stomach like a see-saw.

5. Dhanurasana
( bow posture). 10 rounds, start with count of 5.  First increase rounds then increase.

- Variant 1: Lie in bekasana and lift the legs holding the ankles with your hands. Lift head and chest up.  Feet should be together.
BENEFITS:  Good for diabetics.
CAUTION: People with lumbar spondilitis should be careful.

-Variant 2: Chalana. Rocking on abdomen in dhanurasana.

Pranayamas:

-If the student has weak lungs, strengthen their lungs with 10-15 days practice of Surya Bedi.

-Students can sit on a chair with knees wide apart if unable to sit cross legged.

-Practice sectional breathing in between each round of Bastrika and Kapalbathi.

-Students may experience stomach cramps initially so should practice gently, after 3 or 4 days this should subside.

- Can be practiced by cancer patients even at an advanced stage. It helps to pump oxygen into the cells. Leave a 6 month gap after surgery before practicing.

-Good for women recovering from historectomy. Leave a 6 month gap after surgery before practicing.

1. Sheetkrama Bastrika: Rapid inhalation and exhalation beating the abdomen in and out. In this bastrika the whole trunk moves with the force of the pull and push motion. Start with 5 rounds then increase to 10/ 15/ 20 rounds.

2. Sheetkrama Kapalabhathi: a)Rapid exhalation with left side, right side, and center part of abdomen pulling in separately. b)Rapid exhalation beating abdomen straight inside. Start with 5 rounds then increase to 10/ 15/ 20 rounds. Each round lasts one minute. By the end they should be experiencing vibrations in head and body.

3. Agnisar: Stand straight. Inhale and in exhalation bend trunk forward then hold the breath after exhalation.  Beat the stomach rapidly in and out until you need to inhale. Perform around 15 to 20 in each round making total 10 rounds. 10 rounds minimum for obesity. Can go up to 40 rounds.  Not to be practiced by pregnant women or women with a contraceptive coil. Can be practiced during menstruation but better not if it feels painful.

Oils for use in Kaya Samvadhana, the massage aspect of KayaChikitsa:

Bring all the ingredients except the turmeric to the boil stir on a very low heat until the colour becomes darker. Add the turmeric towards the end.  Sieve through muslin.

For abdominal massage and joints use 250 ML extra virgin olive oil, add 20grams of camphor and 10 ML of eucalyptus oil.

For asthma, heart problems 250ML mustard oil, add 20grams of camphor, 5 ML menthol and 10 ML of eucalyptus oil

Sinus oil for steam inhalation:

Bring all ingredients to the boil, stir on a low heat for 10 mins. Sieve through muslin

 Please click here for daily mantras, Shankaracharya and Gheranda/ Siva Samhita 

An intensive 15 day meditation and yoga course to purify mind and body. Held in the peaceful natural surroundings of a national forest in Karnataka, South India. Taught by renowned yoga master Kumar.

“The single goal of everything we do in our day to day life is just to stay happy. So to reach that goal of happiness, there is a path, there is a science. This is the science of yoga. Yoga makes you realise the destiny. The destiny of happiness is called enlightenment. “- Kumar

The course offers full-time guidance from Kumar who teaches a clear, structured methodology to purify the mind and body based on the common teachings of Patanjali, Buddha and Adi Shakaracharya. His teaching is informed by his own profound experience and wide knowledge of the ancient texts and modern science. In addition to group meditation practice, Kumar offers personal one to one guidance for each course participant.

Course location and accommodation:

The course will be held at a Banana County resort in the Western Ghat region of Karnataka South India, an area of outstanding natural beauty and spirituality. Please see www.bananacountyresort.com.

We are happy to give travel advice and organize travel from the airport to the resort if you would like help with that.

Banana County is a family run resort within a banana plantation in a peaceful,  forested mountain region. The food is high quality and made according to our requirements.

The rooms are comfortable, clean and high standard self-contained cottages with en-suite bathrooms and a king-sized bed, the cottages are surrounded by  gardens within the grounds of the resort.

Daily Routine:

Each day begins at 5am with meditation, each session will last about 1 hour and there will be approximately 7 meditations per day. In order to relax the body there will be gentle stretching for 10-15 minutes between each mediation, followed by a break when ayurvedic herbal tea will be served. Meals are home-cooked with nourishing vegetarian food. After lunch there is a period for rest before the afternoon meditations begin. Every evening Kumar gives a discourse clarifying the theory behind the techniques given, sharing his knowledge and experience of the spiritual path and illustrating, with humour and intelligence, how we can apply these teachings to daily life.

Noble Silence:

For the duration of the course all students maintain ‘noble silence’ and resolve to practice Yama, a code of conduct given by Patanjali. The aim of this is to allow focus and awareness to stay within, rather than in the outside world. Kumar says that the ‘Mind is like a room, if the room is to be cleaned, first we have to close all the doors and windows so that no additional dust comes in.’

Course Donation:

1000 pounds to share a room

1250 for a single room

This price  includes accommodation for 15 nights, 3 vegetarian meals per day plus herbal tea and refreshments, and a donation for the teaching. If you would like to order a meditation cushion for the course please let us know.

If you are interested in attending this course, please contact us for further information.

Some feedback from the last course:

“Kumar is one of the most generous, experienced and loving people who I have had a chance to meet in my life and it was a privilege to study with him. Working together with him and a small and lovely group of people in ideal conditions was a real gift.”

“Kumar has been really significant for me, he has helped me to put into the right perspective the meaning of spirituality and he helped me to focus on the right path.”

“I went on my first ten day workshop with Kumar as a complete beginner to yoga and with not much meditation experience.  I now practice every day.  The quality and clarity of the teaching is exemplary and focuses on individual needs.  The atmosphere is friendly and inviting.  These retreats offer a really valuable opportunity to go deeply into this practice guided at the very highest level.  An opportunity not to be missed.”

“After Kumar taught me insight meditation I experienced significant changes in my daily life. I feel less reactive, more clear and energetic. His skill as a teacher, his level of awareness and his compassion creates an opportunity to undertake the challenging task of really removing old habitual patterns.”

“With intelligence, compassion and humour, Kumar guided me to deeper insight and an understanding of how to apply what I had learnt to my daily life in a very practical way.  After my first course with Kumar I was much calmer and happier and now, after 2 years, this has intensified in a way I would not have imagined possible.”

Location:

Mold, Flintshire, North Wales

Dates:

Monday, August 12, 2013, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (please bring a packed lunch)

Donation:

20 pounds (suggested donation)

Experience Levels:

Suitable for beginners as well as experienced practitioners and teachers

Overview:

Patanjali, the great scientist of the mind, advocates a spirituality based on an analytical and practical methodology. This enables one to purify all levels of the mind and reach the ultimate goal of enlightenment. Kumar will introduce the fundamental principles of the spiritual path of Yoga by chanting each sutra, translating the meaning into English, and giving a discourse to clarify its practical application in everyday life.