Workshops
Kumar offers a range of practical and theoretical workshops and lectures in addition to longer courses. He works with individuals as well as groups, including one to one sessions for health advice and treatment using Yoga Kayachikitsa. Below are some of the subjects covered in his workshops, lectures and courses:
Please see the schedule page for details of the 2010 courses.
Practical
- Shat Kriyas-6 purification techniques
- Yoga Asanas, beginner and advanced
- Pranayamas-40 kinds
- Mudras and Bandanas-35-40 covering all the systems of the body
- Meditation
- Yoga Kayachikitsa
Theoretical
- The relationship between consciousness and the unconscious forces of the mind.
- Raja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga and Jnana Yoga.
- The connection between Buddhism and Hinduism, Yoga and Dhamma.
- The entire Hatha Yoga: Origin, the dynasty, the different schools, the differences between vaidik and tantra.
- The eight limbs of yoga or the eightfold path.
- The theory behind correct sequencing and practice of asanas, pranayama, mudras and bandanas. The cleansing of the anamayakosha and pranamayakosha.
- Hatha and Raja yoga, the culmination of Bhakti, Karma and Jnana yoga, the scriptures of Hatha Yoga including Pradipika.
- Ratnavali, Garanda and Siva Sanhita, Rahasyam, Kapala and Kurantaka Yoga.
- The spiritual texts of the Vedas, Puranas and the Gita from the six basic schools of Indian philosophy.
- Anarsha sampradaya (non-Vedic traditions): Buddhism and Jainism.
- The origin and purpose of kundalini, various approaches including therapeutic, premature kundalini and how to work with it.
- What is Samadhi? Different types and levels, wholesome and unwholesome Samadhi.
Meditations
- Japa, Ajapa
- Mantra
- Tantra
- Arupa
- Nirguna
- Antakarana Shuddhi etc.
- Theory as required by the participants.
Hatha Yoga theory and practice:
Kriyas:
What are the kriyas, why, and for whom. The importance and classification of kriyas, kriyas in yoga and kriyas in ayurveda.
Asanas:
The Anamayakosha-Saptha dhatus and the importance. Different methodologies of practice based on types of personalities, What is the importance of order and correct sequence in asanas based on neural centers or chakras? The therapeutic approach of hatha yoga based on the neural network. The varga or group classification of asanas based on the tantra system. The cleansing of annamayakosha or physical body, and removing of free radicals from saptha dhatus or seven levels of body. Why only asanas? The purpose of asanas, the scope of asanas and various texts. The Northern and Southern traditions, and their differences.
Pranayamas:
The Pranamayakosha. The five pranas and the origin and purpose of pranayama. Ushnakriyas-Heat generating -increasing metabolic rate, Samashitoshna kriyas-Balancing heat, Sheetalikarana kriyas-cooling down breathing techniques. The types of pranayamas to be practiced depending on personalities. Therapeutic pranayamas. What are aerobic and anaerobic breathing techniques and their importance. Types of aerobic and anaerobic pranayamas and special pranayamas of vaidik and tantra schools.
Mudras and Bandanas:
The origin and purpose of mudra and bandana in hatha yoga. The physiology of mudra and bandana. Both rajayoga and tantra mudras. The classification and types. Karamudras-hand mudras, different angabandanas –lockings of body parts. Asana type,pranayama type and concentration type and specialized mudras and bandanas, vanishing technics. Therapeutic approach of mudras and bandanas in treating acute and chronic cases.
Kundalini:
What is the origin and purpose? The tantra and kundalini. What are the kinds of kundalini? What are Nadis and neural centers? The different approaches to kundalini and different techniques of jada or kevala and dynamic or chetana kundalini. The approach of kriyayoga and other disciplines to kundalini. Conditioned kundalini and deconditioned kundalini -the difference. Different experiences of kundalini and therapeutic approach. Premature kundalini and its effects and how to work with it.