Traditionally there are five separate Yogas. Each, like a spoke of a wheel, leads to the hub, to oneness or union with the Divine. Hatha, the way of the body; Raja, the way of the mind; Karma, the way of service; and Bhakti, the way of the heart. “Some people think...
Hatha Yoga relates to the restraint of breath (pranayama), asanas, bandhas and mudras. “Ha” and “tha” mean the union of the sun and the moon, union of prana and apana vayus. “Hatha” means any tenacious practice till the object or end is achieved. Hatha Yoga is...
By Catherine Ghosh (Krishna Kanta Dasi) In this column, Catherine Ghosh delves deeply inside an asana to explore the inner symbolism and rich depth of vrikshasana, the tree pose For many sacred traditions, enlightenment occurs under the shelter of a grand tree. Entire...
An Interview with Dr. David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri) During the Yoga and Ayurveda training program that Dr. Frawley conducted in Yogaville this past summer, he gave an in-depth talk on the sacred nature of prana. Here, he shares these insights and emphasizes...
An Interview with Richard Rosen In this interview, Richard Rosen shares his expertise on pranayama from the perspective of a practitioner and a master teacher. He explains the importance of connecting with one’s authentic breath and promises that developing a practice...
Sample from the Summer 2008 issue of Integral Yoga Magazine By Catherine Ghosh Ancient sages inform us that breath is the mirror of our ever flowing emotions. It reflects the way we each perceive and process external stimuli, and how we position our consciousness in...
You may, at some point, feel inspired to make a transition from being a Hatha Yoga class attendee to being a more involved yogi. This means developing a personal practice, where you make the connection to your own inner peace on a daily basis. In fact, this connection...
There are some classic books on the practice of pranayama, the theory and philosophy of the subtle, vital pranic force and Swami Satchidananda’s “Breath of Life” CD that includes a guided pranic healing visualization. 1. Breath of Life CD: Integral Yoga Pranayama...
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...
Meditation starts with concentration. Meditation actually begins when the mind is well-focused and it learns to become totally still. When the mind becomes completely still it seems to be losing itself. That is what you call transcending the mental state. All...
Recommended Seated Postures Any sitting posture may be used for performing pranayama as long as the spine is erect and the hands rest on the knees. However, it is optimal if one of the meditation postures is assumed. The main meditative poses are Padmaasana (Lotus...
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,...
Both a renowned Sanskrit scholar and yogi, Swami Venkatesananda—like his spiritual master, Swami Sivananda—can be regarded as a sage of practical wisdom. In this talk at Yasodhara Ashram (British Columbia) in the 1970s, he speaks about the underlying philosophy behind...