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RAMANAND PATEL'S YOGA INSTRUCTIONS
List of Recordings

Updated November 17, 2023

This Table contains a list of past recordings, showing Date of Recoding, Focus or Title, Brief Description of Class, Cost of Recording

To purchase the recording, please contact Ramanand by email at [email protected]

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2021 2021 2021----2021----2021----2021 2021
DATE TITLE/FOCUS BRIEF DESCRIPTION COST (US$)
Tu210601
Pranayama		 12
Tu210706
Pranayama		 12
Tu210713
Pranayama		 12
Tu210727
Pranayama		 12
Tu210803
Pranayama		 12
Tu210803 Kapalbhatti
Pranayama		 Different Seated Asana for Pranayama including Mulabandha. Kapalbhatti practice details - different variations(single/multi burst exhalation); Manipur Cakra & Agni Mudra; introjection of senses (eyes/ears/throat) to quieten the mind; Mantra/chants to recite during pranayama 12
Tu211005 Nadi Shodhana
Pranayama		 Finger Placement. Right vs. Left Hand. Mudra & Cakra. Pavanmuktasana in supine/standing positions 12
Tu211012
Tu211019
Tu211026
Tu211207
Tu2112014
Tu211221
Tu211228
Th211007 Untucking in Forward Bends
 Meaning of MAYA. Nadis origin. Tadasana/Dandasana - how to lift the trunk. Trikonasana - how to make back leg heavy. Uttasana, Vrksasana, Janu Sirasana - how to untuck. Supta padagusthasan, Baddha Konasna - staying longer; repetitive action to increase untucking of pelvis. Setubandha - how to lift upper chest. 15
Th211014 Asana for Organic effect
Virasana - how to adjust sit bones/skin on shin. Mind function - desires, exaggerations etc. Effect of pressing/unpressing Toes/Fingers/Heel on different organs; breathe in various seated/standing poses. Duration to stay in Asana for organic effect. How to stretch flank of the body in forward bend. 15
Th211021 Organic, Pranic, Sensory effects
 SELF, GOD & CREATION
How to deepen sense of perception, becoming more receptive; introjection of senses. Appropriate degree of tucking/untucking Sending pranic energy to body/mind limitations. Baddhakonasana: working on abdominal column, pelvic girdle and releasing tail bone. Working on sensory level - sight, sound, touch. Pavanmuktasana, Trikonasana, Tadasana, Dandasana 		15
Th211028 Awareness in Asana
 What gets in way of enlightenment - sense of individuality. More on enlightenment.
Navasana - how to do it correctly, areas to target and focus on, shortening of trunk and lengthening of back legs, applying that in Ardha Chandrasna.
Extended practice in understanding Lines of Awareness from inner ear all the way to the feet, with primary focus on posterior chain, taking that and applying it in various standing/seated poses		 15
Th211104 Techniques for
Organic & Pranic work		 What is Consciousness and what is it NOT.
Head diaphragm breathing.
Hamstring stretch in Supta Padangusthasana. Three stretching techniques to apply: (a) Stretching the bone; (b) Creating boundaries and breathe into it; (c) Using belts.
Uttanasana, Ardha Navasana, Tadasana		 15
Th211111 Breathing in Asana Understanding Mind; live/focus in the present.
Pranic energy origin in pelvic region for: Tadasana, Vrksasana, Dandasana with open and closed eyes; introject senses (eyes) when doing with closed eyes.
Almost always any action done with exhalation; exception is when jumping to standing poses, like for Trikonasana "take a dip inhalation and jump the feet apart".
Ardha Chandrasana - lift from inner thigh; see that the leg comes up as though the lengthening lifts it up rather simply lifting. Lying down Pelvic work - alternating single leg raises followed by both legs simultaneously focusing on breath; raise the pelvis in steps using blocks.
Viparita Karni.		 15
Th211118 Twists and Forward Folds Sequence in asana and it’s significance
Ascending/Descending colon - in general work left side first, for twisted poses twist to right 1st, standing pose start with right leg, Janu Sirsana start with left leg straight first
Chakra and imaginary lines of awareness
Forward Fods: Baddhkonsana fold forward by rotating thighs. Janu Sirsana untuck more on bent leg and instead of forcing slowly release the tension to remove any blockage caused by excess of earth element, use head diaphragm as reference for how much force to apply.
TriangMukh: untuck more on extended leg, create space in front of tailbone and release the spine towards the front. Supta padangusthasana untuck on raised leg.
Seated Twist from Baddha Konasana and from Ardha Vira-Siddhasana.		 15
Th211125 Seated and Supine Asana In Supta Virasana:             
-Focus on tucking untucking action             
-How to Keep lumbar spine neutral             
-How to Raise Clavical chest
Various aspects of physical, physiological, organic, pranic, sensory and meditative effects based on duration of asana.
Circular breathing work on ascending and descending colon.
Forward Fold stretch from flank of the body.
Downward Dog lift cervical chest away from floor before raising the knees off the floor retaining the height of the chest.
Downwards facing Supta virasana.
Tadasana with one leg in padmasana facing the wall.
Supta baddha konasana using belt. Supta padmasana.
How to open hip joint using rolled blankets.		 15
Th211202 Knee and
Lower Back		 Continuous refinement while getting into the pose
Types of suffering - physical, psychological, spiritual.
Recognising boundary around pain and breathing Parna into it.
Working on knee with a belt in standing poses.
Parsvakonasana - weight on back foot. Ardha Chandrasana - Lifting leg from thigh.
Seated forward folds - releasing lumbar. Utkatasana drop/ground the femur. Inverted poses against the wall.		 15
Th211209 Wide Sacrum
happy sacrum		 Complete session was on how to create space in sacrum by circular rotation of hip bones in standing and seated asana.
Supta Virasana - how to deepen the pose
Forward stretch in Virasana - stretch by side flank of the body
Adhomukha savasna - lift chest first
Dandasana - how to sit on front of sit bone
Baddhakonasana move hip bone in circular motion causing untucking on that side, focus on sacrum, back of the body more

Standing asana : Tadasana, Uttanasana, Trikonasana with variations of back foot much back.

Baddhakonasana twist with focus on pelvic twist eventually lifting inner chest 		15
Th211216
15
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15
Th
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2022 2022 2022----2022----2022----2022 2022
DATE TITLE/FOCUS BRIEF DESCRIPTION COST (US$)
Tu220104
Tu220104
Tu220111
Tu220118
Tu220125
Tu220201
Tu220208
Tu220215
Tu220222
Tu220301
Tu220308
Tu220315
Tu220322
Tu220329
Tu220405
Tu220412
Tu220419
Tu220426
Tu220503
Tu220510
Tu220517
Tu220524
Tu220531
Tu220607
Tu220614
Tu220621
Tu220628
Tu220705
Tu220906 Nadi Shodhana
Pranayama		 12
Tu220913 Nadi Shodhana
Pranayama		 12
Tu220920 Nadi Shodhana
Pranayama		 Middle Chest Diaphragm in Supine and Seated positions. Length of Inhalation and Exhalation. 12
Tu221004 Nadi Shodhana
Pranayama		 Introduction to Muladhar Cakra; Meditation with "Cidananda Rupah" 12
Tu221025 Ujjayi
Pranayama		 Introducing Various Cakras. Mudras and eliments related Cakras. Meditation with "Cidananda Rupah" including Mudras seated on a boulder in a river under the Sun. Taking the chant to Muladhar, the listening to chant from Muldhar followed by silence. 12
Tu221115 12
Tu221206 12
Tu221227
Th220609 15
Th220908 Forward Folds Aurvedic root of Hathyoga.
Meeting point of two sensation in the back at the level of the sacrum. in Tadasana, Dandasana, Baddhakonasana, Standing poses, Seutbandha (and variations), Viprita JKarni, Paschimottanasana		 15
Th220915
Th220922
2023 2023 2023----2023----2023----2023 2023
DATE TITLE/FOCUS BRIEF DESCRIPTION COST (US$)
Tu230110 Nadi Shodhana Virasana — Why do yoga? Main reason to seek enlightenment…. Yoga addresses the mind's confusion about Who I am. Method of chakras — each chakra indicates a different kind of attachment you have to life. Muladhara chakra shows you your attachment to material things.

Today’s focus — While doing Pranayama with each breath stay focused on examining the mind, how is the mind engaged in the practice and what is happening to the mind as you do it. While practicing Nadi Shodana fingers are there only to help alternating nostrils. Minimize their use.

Technique, sense of movement — Skin of back body moves forward on inhalation and retention. On exhalation ribs come to relax into that skin. Sensation in the brain should be on inhalation the brain seems to move in. On exhalation brain releases out. Watch what happens to the sense organs. Anything you feel, you are sensing, is ultimately the brain that’s doing the seeing, hearing, tasting. Pay attention to the brain, to what is being sensed and how the sensation comes will help you to see who you really are, that you are a conscious being. Everything else is an outer facade. Nature of consciousness is happiness because it doesn’t lack anything. In Pranayama practice is your mind reflecting consciousness as it is?

Savasana rib cage supported - Nadi Shodhana without fingers — As you inhale watch sensation of skin of back body being lifted off support by the breath. On exhale skin not dropped, upper clavicle chest not dropped. Brain in on inhalation out on exhalation. Donn’t disturb the outer gate of the nostrils. On inhalation breath touches the outer nostrils, on exhalation the inner nostrils. Think of drinking the air as if the air directly goes to your throat. Don’t let the air hit the brain.

Seated — Nadi Shodhana — Begin your practice without pride, recognizing that consciousness is universal. Lift chest to chin so feels as if chest supporting the chin. Try to keep speed of breath uniform, sound of breath uniform. Even though the hand is up, the skin of the arm drops toward the elbow. Brain alert but passively watching, aware happy.

Savasana — Like a meditation in the sense that all the senses are withdrawn in such a way that nothing from outside disturbs you.		 12
Tu230124 12
Tu230207 12
Tu230221 12
Tu230307 12
Tu230321 12
Tu230404 12
Tu230418 12
Tu230502 12
Tu230516 12
Tu230523 12
Tu230530 12
Tu230613 12
Tu230711 12
Tu230725 12
W230104 Engaging pelvic floor to activate the thymus gland Virasana — Why we do yoga: asanas to prepare the body for pranayama, pranayama to prepare the mind for meditation, meditation to prepare the brain to help the mind to look at conclusions about "Who am I". In asana though instructions are about the body the effect is on the brain.

Dandasana — make every movement with the breath.

Setu Bandha on progressively higher blocks — Engage the pelvic floor to lift and lower the legs, Keep the lift of chest (thymus gland) towards the head without disturbing lumbar.

Tadasana — Lift thymus gland. Rotate thighs in, hip bones toward each other, wide sacrum, release tailbone forward.

Uttanasana — Rotate thighs in, stamp on outer heels. Wide sacrum, hip bones toward each other.

Adho Mukha Svanasana — Yes you are holding the posture but with every exhalation attempt to improve it. I am working with the brain.

Trikonasana — Add to previous instructions femurs away from each other. Engage Ashwini Mudra, Mula Bandha and see the effect on the thymus and the brain.

Vrksasana — Close the eyes. Balance from the brain

Parsvakonasana, Ardha Chandrasana — See action as an action of the brain rather than just the physical body. Use the breath to make the connection with the brain.

Tadasana - holding weights twist side to side, Supta Tadasana lift weight from side to opposite side overhead, twist upper body

Sarvangasana — Each time you exhale make the legs a little more firm. See effect on brain.

Setu Bandha block in center and to each side,

Viparita Karani, Setu Bandha, Paschimottanasanna — Inner lift of thymus, chest toward head should never be dropped

Savasana 		15
W230118 15
W230215 15
W230301 15
W230329 Bandhas in Asana How to engage Asvini Mudra, Mulabandha, and Uddiyana Bandha.
How to create more subtle vertical space in a particular area of the vertebrae column, with inhalation and exhalation in Virasana, Vrksasana, Trikonasana, Parsvakonasana, Long Janu Sirsasana, Trianga Mukha and Halasana to strengthen the spine and train the mind. Sarvangasana, Setu Bandha, Viparita Karini		 15
W230412 Geometry of Asana Best way to get into prone standing poses; why bend left knee first in Janu Sirsasana Janu Sirsasana, Baddha Konasana
Supta Padangustasana — Uniform stretch in back of leg, evenness on sit bones.
Supine and Prone Tadasana, Trikonasana, Parivritta Trikonasana — mind learning geometry of positioning
Bandha Konasana and Padmasana in Viparita Karani 		15
W230426 Primary qualities of consciousness: Satyama, Jnanama Ananthama Bramha. Questions: Any guidance for tinnitus? vertigo? The clearer the understanding that my reality is consciousness the easier it would be to deal with these kind of problems. And more specific recommendations.
Virasana — Find a stable posture and hold it. If you do that in a variety of poses you begin to scratch the understanding of consciousness. The primary purpose of asana to be able to sit for a long time without any problem pulling on the mind. All other benefits should be looked at as a bonus.
Dandasana — Find stability in the pose, no shaking.
Bandha Konasana — Consciousness does not do asana but without consciousness the body wouldn’t be able to do it. Vedanta. Who am I? Drop away everything you are not.
Krounchasana — Keep sit bones equally away from center. Tailbone moves toward pubis then height in the pelvis happens. 2nd Round — lifted leg heel on wall.
Adho Mukha Svanasana, Adho Mukha Vrksasana, Uttanasana, Sarvangasana
Chaturanga Dandasana feet to wall upper arms on blocks — learn to lift the place between the two shoulder blades.
Paschimottanasana,
Savasana.		 15
W230510 Go beyond the physical Virasana — Is Kundalini energy different from Pranic energy?
Kundalini energy is a psychic, psychological movement which stays within the spine ultimately rising up to the Sahasrara chakra considered close to a state of enlightenment.
Pranic movement gives energy to the whole of the body and gives the sense of lift. Several stories and examples of these. Stories about how logic is limiting. Attempt to go beyond what is a logical restriction.
When a space is sensed in front of the tailbone, the release of the tailbone forward into that space gives a feeling of height in the pelvis as if the hip bones vertically move away from the sit bones; since physically this cannot happen, it is pranic or energetic height, that continues up behind the sternum.
Stretch the thigh bone toward the knee; nothing physically really moves but it creates a certain energy hard to put into words.
Dandasana — Grounding of the femur has nothing to do with the ground. The back of the thigh is the ground into which the thigh bone is pushed. The more one is able to do that, the deeper the pelvic floor will drop which allows the apana vayu to go down more. This takes pressure away from the diaphragm so the thoracic diaphragm can function more freely allowing the Pranic energy in the chest to get deeper. Introject the eyes, ears, tongue.
Baddha Konasana / Parsva Supta Baddha Konasana twist — Attempt to increase the length of the thigh bones. Introject the senses to the reticular formation. Balance apana and prana vayus.
Hatha means not giving up, a relentless attitude. What I cannot do I cannot do, but why begin with that. Begin with I can and I will. You do certain preparations and meditation naturally follows, a state where the outer world disappears, the ego naturally falls away.
One leg to Virasana, second leg to Siddhasana Twist Series — Keep theme going of lengthen the femur bones, introject the eyes ears tongue, balance apana and prana vayus, and discover the effect of that on the reticular formation.
Sarvangasana; Setu Bandha, if depleted go to Viparita Karani instead of Savasana		 15
W230524 Working with Chakras Technics of working with Chakras in Virasana, Dandasana, Baddha Konasana, Standing Pavanmuktasana, Tadasana, Uttanasana or Wall Hang, Trikonasana, Parsvakonsana, Ardha Chandrasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Sarvangasana, Baddha Konasana, Savasana. Physical, psychological, Sensory etc. aspects, culminating in enlightenment. 15
W230607 Meditation through a chosen organ Virasana — Scientists look into nature with thought. Yogis look into this through meditation. Words are ultimately restricting unless coupled with the heart process arrived at through meditation.

Meditation in:
Dandasana
Baddha Konasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana; Tadasana; Trikonasana; Parsvakonasana; Ardha Chandrasana; Uttanasana;

Thought and logic are necessary to get to correct posture, but then there is a very different world, a world of silence where you only consider with the help of your breath how this chosen organ feels.

Sarvangasana
Jathara Parivartenasana
Brick Setu Bandha— Look at chosen organ and let there be complete silence in that organ.
Savasana

Any sensation experienced in the organ will increase in intensity before it subsides. Over a period the difference between the seen and the seer will disappear leading to greater sense of freedom. Then the need for freedom will go away. 		15
W230621 Deeper look at Th230615 Virasana — How does Virasana feel? To describe a feeling don’t say I feel good or normal etc.
Say instead I’m sensing even weight on my sit bones, my right sit bone is a little further back, etc.
After organizing the sitting posture pay attention to the movement of Prana, life giving force, which moves with the breath, can the mind send that sensation to the pelvic floor?
Details of the mechanism of breathing, prana vayu, apana vayu, and mulabandha.
Guruji emphasised standing poses to bring intelligence to the pelvic floor to help it function properly.
Create the sensation of the femur grounding and watch the sensation of apana vayu in the back of the body below the diaphragm as far down as you can.
Savasana position with towel under the lumbar — Sense along the vertebral column and find a gap along the left or right side where sensation is lacking, where the energy is suffocated. Slowly and gently learn to let go of the binding there.

Virasana twist — Focus as in Thursday June 15th class. Each breath becomes like a prayer, not attacking the body with ego, each inhalation a God given gift, each exhalation a surrender to the Divine.

Baddha Konasana twist, Trikonasana, Parsvakonasana, Ardha Chandrasana, Uttanasana, Sarvangasana, Paschimottanasana, Savasana. 		15
W230705 Arm Work Virasana — Question about arm positions in poses. Rely on the position that feels better for your breathing and brain diaphram. Go by what feels better, not what is easier.

Dandasana — Press palms by sides. Each time you inhale lift the front armpit chest more. Rotate the arms externally, see that the chest moves forward more; then rotate the arms in keeping chest forward. Repeat. Notice left/right difference.

Purvottanasana — Initiate lift of pelvis with lift of armpit chest Externally rotate arms. Keep cool dude brain. Repeat and or hold.

Belt party trick — For flexibility

Chaturanga Dandasana — External rotation of arms. Lift index finger, then middle finger etc. then most difficult finger. Notice left /right difference

Urdhva Dhanurasana - wrists and forearms against wall, lift onto head position. Keep weight on hands, upper arms parallel.

Holding weights in your hands, externally rotate arms and lift the weights, keeping elbows close together behind your back. Bring hands down by stretching pectoral area of chest.

Tadasana arms out at shoulder height — Maximum external rotation arms, palms up or down. Draw shoulder blades down, lift pectoral chest up.

Uttanasana wall rope shoulder stretch — Face wall, hold rope behind, hang pelvis away from wall.

Uttanasana arms over — Fingers interlocked wrists together if possible. Move heads of humerus toward knees dropping arms toward floor; then move head of humerus away from knees without lifting arms.

Paschimottanasana — Sit bones on blanket on floor, blocks against feet, reach forward with knees bent to hold blocks then straighten legs sliding sit bones back

Baddha Konasana — 1/2 amount of blankets as usual, block in front. Stretch forward to block and back up to Dandasana several times, before hold. Press elbows on thighs equally. Go to Janu Sirsasans R leg bent lifting head as little as possible in transition. Back to Baddha Konasana, Janusirsasana L leg bent. Back to Baddha Konasana. Trianga Mukha Eka Pada Pashcimottanasana, Baddha Konasana, Marichiasana 1, Baddha Konasanna, Adho Mukha Virasana, Baddha Konasana, Urdhva Paschimottanasana, Baddha Konasana,Paschimottanasana

Setu Bandha

Savasana — Release by watching...jaws, legs, arms, organs hang from inner ears, depth in inner ears, brain falls to muladhara chakra before dissolving. Breath washes, bathes, cleanses muladhara chakra. Add breath going to Anahata chakra. As everything falls to the floor, the heart opens to the ceiling. 		15
W230719 Padmasana, Pranic Lift Virasana — Addresses question: How to keep life issues out the door?

Adho Mukha Virasana — Push arms forward from the pelvis and from the left/right flanks of the body. Release the skin of the back of the spine in the opposite direction. Release brain in/out on inhalation/exhalation. Stretch the front body more than the back body.

Adho Mukha Svanasana — Consider the leg stretch coming from the shoulder girdle, the arm stretch from the pelvis. Cross connect, from the left half of the pelvis stretch the right arm and visa versa. Consider lines from the pelvis to the opposite shoulder and where the two intersect, create a backbend. Release the spine there towards the front.

Ardha Padmasana — Use belts to bring the knees closer and top femurs apart. Rotate the hip bones toward each other to lateral stretch in back of the sacrum. Next, discover space in front of the sacrum and the tailbone; release the tailbone forward. Connect the front of tailbone to the area behind the sternum and lift the chest by releasing that line forward. The line of action from the tailbone comes to the point where the two lines intersect between the shoulders and pelvis. Release that vertebrae further forward just like the tailbone is released forward for a more subtle lift of the body. Engage Ashwini Mudra releasing the tailbone back and up. Releasing the tailbone forward and back in successive movement lifts the body much more energetically. Then add Mula Bandha.

Dandasana — Femur should remain as grounded as when the foot was crossed on it. Legs rotate in. Use two belts to release top femur bones apart. Tailbone to cross connecting point gives lift.

Supta Padmasana or Ardha Padmasanna — Belt knees to keep thighs more parallel. Lower legs to floor, chair or wall keeping normal lordosis. Knees toward each other, top femurs away from each other, hip bones toward each other, wide space in sacrum....Ashwini Mudra

Supta Baddha Konasana legs belted or ball of the feet to wall — Same actions

Prone Supta Baddha Konasana with feet flat on wall blanket under knees — Ashwini Mudra, Mula Bandha

Prasaritta Padottanasana legs on wall — Release heads of femurs into outer thighs. Ashwini Mudra ...

Prasaritta Padottanasana standing — Widen femurs. Stamp more on outer heels. Hip bones toward each other....To take head down release the spine into body.

Trikonasana, Parsvakonasana with chair or block support, Ardha Chandrasana, Uttanasana — Previous actions, Ashini Mudra, Mula Bandha, eyes, ears, tongue soft, senses introjected.

Sarvangasana — Hand support to lift the ribs toward ceiling, skin of back toward floor for a better action of Jalandhara Bandha. Tailbone actively released toward pubis. Rotate thighs in.... Ashwini Mudra.

Setu Bandha — Lift chest toward head rather than ceiling. Ashini Mudra, Mula Bandha, ...

Viparitta Karani

Savasana — Engage Ashwini Mudra and Mula Bandha for 1-2 breaths then release any tension created by them. If a natural lift remains don’t interfere with it. Be free of doership, free of becoming. I am nothing, and in that sense of I am nothing I am everything. 		15
Th230112 Shoulder joint; watching mind/brain. Virasana — Asana practice is to seek enlightenment. Consciousness doesn’t come and go. It is. How is stretching the arms helping state of enlightenment. Whatever you enjoy, that state of enjoyment is borrowed from consciousness. Baby is happy for jusy BEING - no reason at all. Today don’t focus on the physical struggle. See what is the effect on the brain, mind.

Dandasana

Tadasana with weights in front lift weights to shoulders, elbows out. Draw shoulder blades down when lowering weights 30X / Same with weights behind.

Adho Mukha Svanasana — Toes wide, heels wide, top femurs roll in without collapsing ankles, stamp on outer heels. Lift the arms as though taking them into your pelvis.

Pincha Mayurasana — Block between hands, belt elbows. Gradually tighten belt until elbows together.

Rowing a boat — Start palms facing thighs 30X / Same palms facing away from thighs. Lift the whole flank of the body as the hands lift up, as if the head of the humerus is in the pelvic floor.

Supta Tadasana weights in hands elbows bent into sides — Externally rotate arms, take weights down to floor and up. Repeat 30X, then hold 1 minute. As arms go down lift armpit chest.

Belt trick — To take shoulder joint through range. Breathe freely to watch what is happening in brain.

Trikonasana, Parsvakonasana, Ardha Chandrasana, Adho Mukha Svasana or Uttanasana between — Keep chest open, watch the mind, see how pattern in the brain keeps changing. Watch difference between left and right sides.

Baddha Konasana twists, Virasana/Siddhasana twists series.

Viparita Karani with Padmasana — Chant

Savasana — Not something you do. It takes place. You watch it happen. Brain drops into the inner ears, I gets to zero, the world disappears.		 15
Th230118 Leg actions in forward bends Virasana — Yoga practice is intended to do something to the brain so it becomes clear about Who I am. Don’t give any more reality than necessary to all that I am doing. The real I is not related to whatever is going on. If I am doing Paschimottanasana the body is doing it, I am just watching it.

Dandasana — Notice the nature of the mind is different if you do forward bends, twists, backbends… Generally in forward bends the mind can be more calm, contemplative.

Baddha Konasana — Sit so femur near knee lower than top thigh so easier to keep concavity in lumbar spine. Press fingertips on floor to lift chest. When you stop pressing where does the first collapse come? The leg action collapses first. Lift in the lumbar and chest comes from the leg action. Heels press, thighs rotate internally and lengthen toward knees, lower leg shortens, untuck pelvis.
Fold forward toward block, movement first then stay. Keep flank of body long and lower lumbar concave. Keep sacrum wide, hip bones toward each other. Release the spinal muscles away from each other, tailbone toward pubis, lumbar toward navel, dorsal toward sternum, cervical spine toward throat.

Paschimottanasana — Press hands down lift trunk. Keep legs very long and grounded so you have the support to lift the trunk when you stop pressing. Fold forward and back up a few times then stay. Good for high blood pressure with heavy weight on supported head.

Janusirsasana — Same actions as above. If working for an organic effect bend the left knee first to clear the descending colon first.

Triang Mukha Eka Pada Paschimottanasana — Ability to fold forward depends on how well the legs are working. Push the Virasana femur toward the knee so the straight leg sit bone feels lifted up. Release the spine forward as though doing a backbend. Ardha Padma Paschimottanasana — Bend the right knee first to unblock the descending colon.

Supta Padangustasana — Keep the lower leg long. Learn to release the binding in the head of the femur.

Sarvangasana — Keep the legs very long, senses introjected.

Setu Bandha — Rotate top femurs in to get a sense that the two hip bones are lifting, the pubis dropping, so there’s a sense of depth in the pelvis.

Savasana — Meditation on 9 points in muladhara chakra , 3-5 chants each point.		 15
Th230126 15
Th230209 15
Th230309 15
Th230323 Two Basic Types of Joint Pains Apart from other aspects pain can be due compression or overstretch. How to work in the posture differently depending on whether the joint pain is from compression or overstretch. This is a physical approach.
For psychological approach, ask the mind to draw a boundary around the pain; then on inhalation feed prana into that boundary; on exhalation find the breath washing away the compression, the overstretch and/or pain, starting at the periphery.
Add subtlety of chant. The decrease in the size of the boundary indicates the exaggeration of the pain created by the mind. One can let go of that exaggeration and help speedy reccovery.
Affirming I am not the body is a meditative approach.
Uttanasana, Trikonasana, Parsvakonasana standing and supine, Sarvangasana.		 15
Th230406 Pranic Movement of skin on the back. proper way to establish lordosis of lumbar. Without gaining some clarity about Who am I? yoga is just gymnastics. The brain that has learned to watch subtle sensations in asanas has a very different experience in meditation. These subtle sensations include an ongoing reminder that the freedom we have to take an action itself is a blessing. We have no control over the result of the action; therefore, if the result is not liked, learn to change the action.
Virasana, Dandasana, Baddha Konasana — create a proper amount of lordosis at the top of the pelvis, not at the floating ribs in seated poses and forward folds.
Janu Sirsasana — Ground the femurs, lift the frontal chest more than the back, release the vertebral column towards the frontal body in a more subtle way, like in Pranayama, use the inhalation to feel as though the skin from the back body comes to meet the frontal skin and on exhalation the ribs appear to move as though resting on that skin without the skin moving back.
L to Virasana, R to Siddhasana twist, supine Trikonasana and Parivritta Trikonasana — Look at the skin of the back of the pelvis on the left side when twisting right and vice versa.
Setu Bandha — move the uppermost part of the back toward the head.		 15
Th230420 Mind-Tailbone Connection How much to tuck pelvic and tailbone in Setu Bandha?
Groin Opening and Allergies Connection

First DO the best Virasana that body will permit, using the necessary props. Then make the mind an OBSERVER rather than a DOER. The mind observes the space in the front of the tailbone (In case the mind cannot sense the space, learn to sense it by very gently repeatedly tucking a little more and reversing the action). In becoming an observer one deepens the subtle increase of this space. Repeat with sensing the space in armpit with similar double action of chest and upper arms. Note the increase in groin space as the armpit space increases.

Sit on chair; Cross connect belts; then stand in Tadasana — Rotating top femurs in creates more space in groins (Keep a slightly greater space in the bottom of the groin compared to the top of the groin) helping to create essential space in front of tailbone. When you RELEASE not tuck, the tailbone into that space the spine should shoot up. Double action. Compare the left side with the right. Apply this knowledge of tucking the pelvis and anteriorly releasing tailbone to standing poses like Trikonsana to help the spine.

For groin opening in Dandasana: Sit in Dandasana with right leg straight, left knee at 900 angle, inner knee on a block. Repeat with torso vertical, then reclining on forearm and then lying down. Repeat all three on second side: then repeat the whole cycle with the the leg that was straight in two other positions.

Setu Bandha — Rotate thighs out, release tailbone upward, then rotate thighs in without losing tailbone position.

Savasana — Tailbone can now release upward even more with thighs rotated out.		 15
Th230504 Introject Senses to Reticular Formation Methods of how to know God fall short of conveying the message. Best situation to get a glimpse of this is in total silence where all distractions are dissolved.

Long hold forward fold of your choice — Introject sense of sight, taste, touch into reticular formation. Trace each vertebrae from the atlas to the tailbone. Keep the mind very receptive to the sensation. Penetrate not as an investigation but as a feeling. Let the breath guide you to go deeper. At the base of the tailbone see that there is complete quiet. Quiet from sensation of sight, taste, touch. Surrender any sense of I, ego, that is left, at the base of the spine.

Uttanasana, Supta Padangustasanna, Trikonasana, Parsvakonasana, Ardha Chandrasana, Adho Mukha Savasana, Sarvangasana and variations, Setu Bandha, Viparitta Karani — Introject senses of sight, taste, touch, to the reticular formation. Any instruction given to the body is given from the back brain.
Savasana — Observing is a response from reticular formation. Observe that all sense of doing/wanting to do subsides. The brain drops into the space in the inner ears making the sense of ego become smaller and smaller. 		15
Th230518 Sirsasana and Parsva Setu Bandha Virasana — Belt looped under ankles, over tops of thighs and belted tight. The heavier the ankle, the more it will take the top femur toward the floor. Should not hurt the knees.
Clarifying how much support to use under the head in Sirsasana and hand, arm, shoulder blade position.
Lolasana — Legs belted. Keep sense of vertical height in wrists. Increase wide space between shoulder blades.
Dandasana — Take top femur down and lengthen leg so knee receives that action.
Parsva Setu Bandha on bench demo — 5 primary poses for health: Sirsasana, Sarvangasana, Halasana, Setu Bandha, Viparita Karani. Mr. Iyengar would use Setu Bandha with a lateral twist and weight on the legs often therapeutically. How to adjust the props for the correct height and angle. How to adjust the placement of weight to release abdominal tension.
— Stretch should be in the abdominal area not the head of the femur. Move pelvis and legs to side adjusting block, lying flat and various possible heights.
Baddha Konasana — Lengthen flank to block or chair, relax brain to reticular formation and let it become wider there. Release spinal muscles away from each other, tailbone to pubis, lumbar to navel, thoracic to sternum.
Supta Padangustasana — More focus on long and grounded lower leg. Top leg - wide foot, ankle, knee, narrow thigh.
Draw stretched hamstring close to bone. Create space around femur head and let leg slowly release towards the head.
Parsva Supta Padangustasana — Ankle ideally in line of shoulders. Balance sitting bones.
Supta Padangustasana top leg to opposite side. When lower foot points to the ceiling, effect of the twist goes into pelvic area; when lower instep is parellel to the floor, the effect of the twist goes higher up in body. Keep top of femur heavily grounded, inner top thighs away from each other.
Paschimottanasana, Sarvangasana, Viparita Karani 		15
Th230601 Backbends to lengthen the Spine Virasana — Energy movement through chakras. Energy created by thought in compliance with dharma.
Tadasana - Strong inner rotation of thighs using belts and tucking pelvis to find the spine shooting up.
Standing back arch — Incorporating double action learned in Tadasana. With legs straight and then with knees bent.
Refine this understanding with the help of another person pressing down on clavicle -to Urdhva Dhanurasana and art of coming back to Tadasana.
Salabhasana — Bolsters or chair under thighs, with one or two helpers, learn to length the spine.

To counter the effect of backbends do poses which retain the strength of the spine as well as the length.
Rest on back, lift feet off floor till thighs vertical, knees bent, hands interlocked behind head. Elbow to opposite knee - twists.
Supta Padangusthasana leg across — Maximum space floating ribs to hip bones. Keep lumbar concave.
Supta Tadasana twists followed by Cross bent legs twist.
Malasana with brick between sacrum and wall, shoulders to wall — Lower body in forward bend, upper body in backbend.
Seated symmetrical forward bends.		 15
Th230615 Balancing left/right twist in lower lumbar vertebrae Virasana — Question: What is a sensory pose? Try to absorb the sense into something to stop it from going here there and everywhere rather than trying to cut off the sense. Pratyahara. Begin by internalizing the organ first rather than projecting it outward, then internalize the sense itself. Senses work by being receptive, not something I do, it happens. Question: If we sense a difference in the ability to twist to the left or right side how do we work with that? Look for where the nerves originate in the vertebral column. It’s hard to sense the nerves, but we can sense the movement of apana vayu. On inhalation we sense the energy moving down the back of the vertebral column to the pelvic floor. There may be a gap in what the mind is able to feel. Where it is not able to sense a movement in a particular vertebrae on one side of the spine there is a suffocation happening, meaning meninges are not free, which blocks the movement of apana vayu and pulls the vertebrae back on that side, so there may be a slight twist that we are not aware of. Let’s say it twists to the left for the purposes of the rest of the class. So when twisting to the right lead the twist from that vertebrae instead of the base of the spine. When twisting left twist from the base of the spine. Resist twisting, even twist the opposite way, with that vertebrae so habit doesn’t take over that action. Pay attention to this in all poses, a very refined practice. Keep connecting it again and again. A yogi through practice changes the body intelligence so it automatically does correct movement without having to think about it. Savasana position — With folded towel in lower lumbar sense pelvic breath in back of vertebral column on inhalation. Compare left and right sides and discover a gap in the movement of apana vayu. Work with the vertebrae in that gap for the rest of the poses today Chair twist — Why do you want to pay this kind of attention to the body? To train the mind to be able to work later in meditation. Think of an injury as a gift to train the mind. Feel connection from inner ear to that vertebras and see the change that happens in the twist from the top and bottom of that vertebrae as you turn your head to one side or other. Virasana — Discussion on receptive touch. Trikonasana — While the posture begins at a physical level it turns into meditation by using first dharana, concentration. Begin working with the lowest collapsed vertebrae first. Tadasana between sides to sense the pranic energy. Uttanasana — Release the vertebral column towards the front of the body. Where the vertebrae is collapsing back begin the release from there rather than the tailbone. Deeper pranic movement comes from observing this again and again. The world disappears. You are not doing Uttanasana, you are Uttanasana. Taadasana, Parsvakonasana, Ardha Chandrasana, Adho Mukha Svasana, Parivritta Trikonasana Parivritta Parsvakonasana, Uttanasana, Sarvangasana, Setu Bandha, Viparitta Karani Savasana — Be a witness to see what is happening. What is the effect of the work you have done in the vertebral column? 15
Th230629 Pranic movement in Cervical area / Back body Virasana — Sensing the brain and left/right balance — A good beginning is to try to even the left/right pranic movement in the lower body using muscular effort, tucking, untucking, etc. Ultimately see that the asana is such that the brain releases in/out properly with inhalation/exhalation. In yoga the intention is to learn something about the brain which will lead you through the limbs toward meditation. Train the tiger in your mind. Approach subject joyfully; don’t call this journey another problem. More description of pranic movement.
Sarvangasana heels or feet on wall — Begin here to better sense pranic movement in neck. Belt elbows and rotate upper arms out to bring weight on the outside of the head of humorous, not on cervical vertebrae. Bones of hands support the bones of the back; do not push the skin upwards. Look at movement of breath in chest, then below diaphram, then in neck, then from tailbone to top of spine. Sense difference in movement of prana in left/right sides of neck and learn to release binding. If able to balance the sensations in ears and eyes will become even also.
Karnapidasana — Same focus on sensing pranic movement in neck and balancing the two sides, with brain in/out on inhalation/exhalation. Learn to let go of binding. Supta Padangustasana Neck Release, Adho Mukha Svanasana.
Parsva Karnapidasana — wall to side/without wall. Supta Padangustasana Neck Release, Adho Mukha Savasana
Trikonasana, Parsvakonasana, Ardha Chandrasana, Parivritta Trikonasana, Parivriitta Parsvakonasana, Parivritta Ardha Chandrasana, Jumpings, Paschimottanasana, Viparita Karani — In all these poses sense pranic energy from the lower body all the way to the neck. On inhalation down along the spine to the pelvic floor, on exhalation upward. Watch the energy as you breathe in the back body. Let the mind dwell in the back body. Guruji called that living in the unconscious.
Virasana/Dandasana — Keep thought on recognizing that you have a body and mind; however, you are not your body or mind. Body and mind change, but you the consciousness doesn’t. In the beginning "I am" is considered consciousness. Slowly the "I" drops away; the "am-ness" remains. The mind-body become; Consciousness does not. Body-mind happiness comes and goes. Consciousness is joy itself, not subject the time (change).
Savasana		 15
Th230713 Move with the Breath Virasana — Discourse on: How can we use yoga to calm ourselves down when dealing with emotional fear and on Pranic movement. When the mind makes a decision I want to go to Dandsana, don’t go immediately to the muscles. Breathe. Connect through the breath to pranic energy which flows to move the legs.

Dandasana — Pay attention to what happens to the brain diaphragm moving in on inhalation, out on exhalation.

Baddha Konasana twists and Virasana/Siddhasana twists — detailed descriptions.

Adho Mukha Svanasana — To observe the effect of Prana on your yoga practice, observe "does the trunk feel taller".

Bhekasana one leg at time — Lift the knee up and lengthen the femur, Tuck the pelvis more on that side to bring the knee down.

Tadasanna facing wall hold one knee bent — First let the knee move toward the wall, tuck the pelvis, don’t let it untuck as you move the knee back. This will help to tuck the pelvis in other poses.

Supta Virasana — Lift the knees, tuck the pelvis and keep it tucked while bringing the knees down, so that the stretch goes directly to the quadriceps. Most effective posture for toning the digestive system. Make the breath do the movement. Thighs rotate in, sit bones circularly away from each other, hip bones toward each other, increase width in sacrum. Use breath to find if there’s space in front of sacrum; if yes, release tailbone into that space, which creates sense of height in pelvis. Take that height all the way up to behind the sternum.

Adho Mukha Svanasana, Trikonasana — Same actions

Uttanasana — Pull the trunk towards the head with left/right flanks of body. Release the vertebral column into the body.

Supta Padangustasana — Ground the lower leg. In the lifted leg where you feel the stretch move the muscle close to the bone. Where you don’t feel the stretch push the bone back towards the skin. Then rather than stretching the hamstring more take mind to the head of the femur and learn to let go the binding there so the leg will drop easily.

Setu Bandha — Don’t lift the floating ribs on purpose. Lift the pelvis towards the top of the chin so the chest moves towards the head. Height you are creating in the chest is an action of the breath itself. Lift on inhalation, on exhalation don’t drop that height.

Viparita Karani

Savasana — Release with the breath as if the breath is washing, cleansing, bathing. As you breathe in/out the pranic energy creates space, so the bones flesh skin feel as if falling away from each other. Be completely free of any sense of doing. Surrender into the lap of Mother Earth.		 15
Th230727 Chest shoulder actions Virasana — Femurs in padmasana. Demonstration of how to assist to move top femur out while keeping head of femur and padmasana knee in. Actions of shoulder girdle. Pectoral area should be very wide and firm and head of humerus should have lots of room.

Reclining exercise with weights — For maximum external rotation of head of humerus. Stretch pectoral muscles from center of chest. Sitting same exercise but with rolls in armpits to keep head of humerus wide.

Tadasana with arms lifted shoulder height — Palms up for maximum external rotation. Widen chest to stretch head of humerus away from center of chest and straighten arms.

Trikonasana, Parsvakonasana, Ardha Chandrasana — Rotate arms out and from center of chest push arms apart. Wide space between inner border of shoulder blades will make it easier to turn head.

Adho Mukha Svanasana — Keep maximum weight on index finger side but do not push thumbs down.

Tadasana with Trikonasana arms; Trikonasana stretching belts or rubber band between hands

Baddha Konasana fold forward — Release skin of back toward pelvis, frontal body forward. Stretch flanks of body more than center of spine. Introject eyes ears and tongue. Look into lungs to introject sense of sight. To relax eyes properly use sense of touch.

Baddha Konasana twist, Virasana/Siddhasana twists — Details of actions to stretch trunk. Introject eyes.

Supta Baddha Konasana legs belted or feet against wall.

Sarvangasana — Externally rotate arms. Support chest up but draw skin and flesh down. Introject eyes and sense of sight.

Setu Bandha/Viparita Karani — Introject eyes.

Savasana — On inhalation consider you’re washing bathing cleansing the toes…. Bones flesh skin all fall away from each other. Vast space in toes, ankles, knees…hands... On exhalation throw any resistance out. Keep eyes introjected……Be free of all doing and all pressure to do. All doing is connected to a sense of becoming. Drop that becoming so moment to moment you are complete. 		15

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