The word pranayama is not a single word but rather a combination of two Sanskrit words: prana and ayama. Prana could be translated as vital energy or the cosmic energy that causes any kind of movement. Even the movement of the electrons around the nucleus within an...
Over ten years ago, a yogi friend went hiking up a steep mountain. She was wearing good shoes and enjoying the challenge, as well as the stunning view upon reaching the peak. Soon after she began her descent, she slipped and badly twisted her ankle. Immediately, she...
On Saturday & Sunday, Oct. 30 & 31, 2021, from 8 – 10 am & 12 – 2 pm EDT, Integral Yoga master teacher Swami Karunananda will teach this special workshop on "The Dynamic Power of Breath." The yogic science of pranayama, or working with the breath, is a...
The yogic science of pranayama, or breath control, is a powerful key to a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life. This ONLINE workshop from October 30 – 31, 2021 will help you experience techniques that can energize, detoxify, rejuvenate, and relax the body, while...
From Yoga, we learn titiksha, a Sanskrit term meaning: patient endurance as a practical approach to ride out the storm of suffering. Titiksha teaches us that what we are perceiving in this moment will change. You need only put one foot in front of the other, one...
In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is understood that our lungs are a delicate entry point connecting us to the outside world. One of its functions is dispersing and spreading defensive or protective (wei) qi. This subcategory of qi lies just under our skin and...
In 2017, CNN's Anderson Cooper interviewed former First Lady Hillary Clinton about her new book and her mention of her Yoga practice in the book. It was Dr. Dean Ornish (a senior student of Swami Satchidananda and pioneering lifestyle medicine researcher), who first...
In our modern world, many of us are wondering how to protect ourselves against illness. We can, it turns out, strengthen our lungs so that they stand a chance against a nasty virus. Read on to find out how ancient breathing practices could be the armour you need this...
Pranayama, often described as yogic breathing, is one of the most powerful, yet subtle practices in Yoga. Certainly, we use yogic breathing techniques to practice pranayama—but if we mistake these techniques for the intent, we cut ourselves off from the full scope of...
Many health care providers have addressed the importance of keeping the lungs healthy, especially during the pandemic. The classical practice of deergha swasam (deep, 3 part-breathing) is an ideal practice for its health—body/mind—and spiritual benefits. This...
Question: Can pranayama really help one’s physical and mental health? Swami Satchidananda: First of all, pranayama helps you to live! It helps you lead a full life. What you are living is not a complete life. You are only living 1/7th of your capacity but with...
Often in life, we overlook the value of the simple and familiar: a kind word, a helping hand, a timely smile. Such everyday gestures impart meaning and a sense of connectedness as we wend our way through time and space. Similarly, the breath is our constant companion,...
Quite other than this physical sheath which consists of food and interior to it is the energy sheath that consists of breath. This is encased in the physical sheath and has the same form. The one is filed with the other. This first has the likeness of a human being,...
In this article, Swami Asokananda reflects upon the journey that took him from novice pranayama student to one of Integral Yoga’s master teachers. He shares the challenges and triumphs of having a regular pranayama practice, as well as the insights and wisdom he...
Gary Kraftsow asserts that pranayama is among the most uniquely potent parts of Yoga practice. He explains that there’s no other tradition that has the sophistication of the yogic science of breath. In this article, he eloquently explains the ways you can use...
Written in 1935, Sri Swami Sivananda’s book, classic book, The Science of Pranayama, is available for free download as a PDF and it is also available in hard copy from Integral Yoga Distribution or from the Divine Life Society of Rishikesh who generously has made the...