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the Eternal by Swami Prabhavananda. As a king employs officials to rule over different portions of his kingdom, so Prāna associates with himself four other Prāna-s, each a portion of himself and each assigned a separate function. The Prāna himself dwells in eye, ear, mouth, and nose; the Apāna, which is the second Prāna, rules the organs of excretion and generation; the Samāna, which is the third Prāna, inhabits the navel, and governs digestion and assimilation. The Self dwells in the lotus of the heart, whence radiate a hundred and one nerves. From each of these proceed one hundred others, which are smaller, and from each of these, again, seventy-two thousand others, which are smaller still. In all these moves the Vyāna, which is the fourth Prāna. And then at the moment of death, through the nerve in the center of the spine, the Udāna, which is the fifth Prāna, leads the virtuous man upward to higher birth, the sinful man downward to lower birth, and the man who is both virtuous and sinful to rebirth in the world of men. The sun is the Prāna of the universe. It rises to help the Prāna in the eye of man to see. The power of earth maintains the Apāna in man. The ether between the sun and the earth is the Samāna, and the all-pervading air is the Vyāna. The Udāna is fire, and therefore he whose bodily heat has gone out dies, after which his senses are absorbed in the mind, and he is born again. Whatever his thought at the moment of death, this it is that unites a man with Prāna, who in turn, uniting himself with Udāna and with the Self, leads the man to be reborn in the world he merits. The progeny of him who knows Prāna as I have revealed him to you is never cut off; and he himself becomes immortal. It was said of old: one who knows the Prāna--whence he has his source, how he enters the body, how he lives there after dividing himself five-fold, what are his inner workings--such as one attains to immortality, yea, even to immortality.” For the readings it is important to understand that yoga looks as breath more than a body function. Prāna is our life force and is more important than our consciousness. It manifests in two different levels: unmanifest aspect is the energy of pure awareness which pervades the body and transcends the manifested form. It is the essence of all creation. The manifest form of prāna is the force of creation itself. It arises from rajas guṇa as a modification of the air element. The flow of prāna is guided by the concepts of the prāṇavāyu. The Praśna Upaniṣad and the Gorakṣa Samhitā speaks of five. The Gorakṣa Samhitā says in verse 30: “In the heart region resides the prāṇa vāyu, in the anus region apāna vāyu, in the naval region, samāna vāya, in the throat region udāna vāyu, and in the whole body vyāna vāyu.” There are ten recorded in the classical texts. Śiva Samhitā 3.4 - 5: Prāṇa, Apāna, Udāna, Samāna, Vyāna, Nāga, Kūrma, Kṛkara, Devadatta, and Dhanañjaya. These are the ten principal names, describe by me in this Sastra; the perform all the functions, incited thereto by their own actions. 3.8 - The five remaining vāyu, the nāga, etc. perform the following functions int he body: Eructation, opening the eyes, hunger and thirst, gaping or yawning and lastly hiccup. Their functions are discussed in texts as a guide for our use in the Hatha Yoga tradition: Hatha Yoga

blood is purified only slightly. In people who do regular physical exercise, there is moderate physical purification of the blood. In the body of a sādhaka whose prāna is fully released, the blood is eventually purified completely. This blood purification produces great physical vitality. This vitality tries to become ascendant through the sexual center. From this attempt passion arises. The secrets of the teachings are hidden in the "panchmakars". Although originally this sadhana was very holy, truthful and of the highest, presently it is the opposite. Today this sadhana is born out of the yoga distractions of "brantidarśana" and it is well nourished by the non-understanding of the secret meanings hidden in the slokas of the ancient yoga scriptures. All the paths, big and small, are connected with pranotthana. Classical Writings on Prāna Prāna writings are not exclusive to Swami Kripalu. Other teachings dominate many classical yoga texts. The texts indicate we can purify the body and cleanse the nadī with prāna. Āsana, ṣaṭ karma, mudrā and prānāyāma have the power to effect prāna. Prāna is our life force. It manifests subtly and more superficially as Vata and breath. Therefore, we have tools to free prāna. Let us look at some texts and see what they say about prāna. The first texts tell us we are made from prāna. The Praśna Upaniṣad discusses the functions of Prāna and the final readings of Swami Kripalu tell the actions of prāna and the powers we have to overcome obstacles and āsana with prāna control. Taittiriya Upaniṣad translated by Nikhilananda Chapter 2 - Different from the food sheathe is another self, which consists of the vital breath (prāna). By this the former is filled. This too has the shape of a man.. . . Prāna (upward breath), indeed, is its head; vyāna (the diffused breath) is its right wing; apāna (the downward breath) is its left wing; ākāśā (samāna) is its trunk; the earth is its tail, its support. Chapter 3 - The Gods breathe after the prāna, so also do men and cattle; for the prāna is life of creatures. . . . Chandogya Upaniṣad translated by Swami Nikhilanananda Section Five Chapter One, the Supremacy of Prāna 5.1-15 Om, HE WHO knows what is the oldest and greatest becomes himself the oldest and greatest. The prāna, indeed, is the oldest and greatest. He who knows what is the most excellent, vaiśiṣṭa, becomes the most excellent among his kinsmen. The organ of speech, indeed, is the most excellent. He who knows what has [the attributes of]firmness, pratiṣṭā, becomes firm in this world and the next. The eye, indeed, is endowed with firmness. He who knows prosperity, sampad, his wishes are fulfilled- both divine and human wishes. The ear, indeed, is prosperity. He who knows the abode, ayatana, becomes the abode of his kinsmen. The mind, indeed, is the abode. The prāna (sense-organs)disputed among themselves about who was the best[among them], [each] saying: “I am the best,” “I am the best.” They went to Prajāpatī, their progenitor, and said:”O reversed Sir, who is the best among us?” He said to them:”He by whose departure the body looks worse than the worst is the best among you.” The organ of speech departed. After being away for a whole year, it came back and said:”How have you been able to live without me?” The others organs replied:”We lived just as dumb people live, without speaking, but breathing with the prāna(nose), seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear, and thinking with the mind.” Then the organ of speech entered [the body]. The eye departed. After being

summary the word prāṇa is used in three ways: In general sense of prāṇa śakti or life-force. In a specific sense according to the various biological functions. As breath. According to the Praśna Upaniṣad, Self and Prāṇa are one and the same. “Prāṇa comes from the Self, from Brahman. Everything is derived from the Self. “It compares the prāṇa a body’s shadow.“ Where does the shadow come from? It comes from the body. Similarly, Prāṇa comes from Ātman, the Soul. You cannot separate Prāṇa from the Self, just as you cannot separate the shadow from the body. If Prāṇa leaves the body, the heart stops beating. Bāhya MātṛkaNyāsa The Bāhya Mātṛka are vibrational sub-stations that regulate or alter the flow of prāṇa from the grounded energy that has anchored Spirit to the arms and hands. Notice that is begins in the right knee and hip and channels the prāṇa upward and into reaching into the world through the karmendriya of the upper appendages. क ka = right shoulder ख kha = right elbow ग ga = right wrist घ gha = right root of fingers ङ na = right finger tips च ca = left shoulder छ cha = left elbow ज ja = left wrist झ jha = left root of fingers ञ na = left finger tips ट ṭa = right hip ठ ṭha = right knee Marma of each Anāhata Petal The marma of the cakra are related to the arms heart and right hip and knee. Sūkṣma Śarīra Tanmātra are the subtle elements and the potential for the sense perceptions for the ahāṁkara. They are predominantly tamas in nature. As the foundation on which the manifest plane is built, they are the subtle existence that allows recognition of the diverse patterns experienced through the five senses. Tanmātra are invaluable tools that help ahaṁkāra differentiate the myriad of perceptions of the manifest world. Sparśā, the recognition of different kinds of touch or contact is the specific tanmātra of anāhata. Jñānendriya are the potential for organs to support the power of sense perception Sparśā, touch or contact is also known as tvak, the peel, rind, cover, bark, skin. Skin is the largest organ of the body and is considered one of the most important parts of the body. It is the primary boundary line between the external and internal environments. It is also the human suit’s first line of defense from external influences. The skin protects against pathogens; regulates temperature; acts as an insulation; produces vitamin D and prevents excessive water loss. On a subtle level, skin is representative of the outer self, a veneer, mask or the persona presented to the manifest world that covers the true Self. Tanmātra function in conjunction with jñānendriya result in production of extra-sensory experiences. Jñānendriya are on manifest plane and the therefore bound by laws of physics. Karmendriya - the energy that normally circulates through the organs. Paṇi is related to the hands, palm and fingers. The hands are extremely expressive and flexible. They are second only to the face in their ability to express and convey feelings. There are about one hundred touch receptors in each fingertip, making them one of the most sensitive areas of the body. Hands are closely related to how an individual expresses beyond the level of words. A touch can be gentle or harsh. Hands can grasp, give and receive. Hands take care of others as well as self. Transactional energy of the hands can come from a place of: Oblation, the self-less offering from the heart. Obligation, the self-centered place of duty, moral imperative.

organs, mind and awareness. Prāna allows consciousness to move from no-thing to things - and in physiology, governs all things. The prānavāyu govern health in many ways. We can enhance the balanced flow of the prānavāyu through conscious selection of yoga practices. From an Āyurveda perspective, a goal is to maintain our natural, constitutional Prakṛti. A person may have a vata provocation and is it manifesting because there is not a proper balance of kapha or pitta. If fire is raging, it will dry out the water and the wind will increase. If there is too much air, fire will grow or get snuffed out, while water will dry out. If wind is stagnant, the fire cannot grow and water will not move. Or, vata may be too rajas or tamas. Who do we address! A difficult component to access is what doṣa is pushing what out of balance. We get excited when we first begin studying āyurveda and look at the manifestations in a linear way. It is not linear! The tools for assessment must always be kept in our mind. An example of the push and pull of the prānavāyu is scoliosis. If one prāna is stronger than another, the one pulls and we lose the equanimity. Prānavāyu seeks the balance of intake and output. The body adjusts to allow the balance of flow. Therefore, our goal as yoga therapist is to create a tri-doṣa practice within each āsana and prānāyāma practice. The more you sit and work with a “practice,” information will reveal more of its true essence and nature. A tri-doṣa experience happens through an understanding of the affect of the prānavāyu on the body. Taittirīya: The Taittirīya Upaniṣad is the heart of the Vedanta teachings. It is a review of the subtle body theory, most well known for the explanation of the kośa, the five sheathes. It actually begins with a discussion on proper Saṁskṛta pronunciation. There is a discussion on our relationship to the galaxies and the reflection within ourself and how these worlds are the essence of the jñanendriya, karmendriya, tanmātra and mahābhūta. Therefore, when we study the sacred word through proper chanting, we touch into our connection with totality of who we are -- body, mind and most importantly the Spirit. 1.6.1 The Lord of Love dwells in the hearts of all. To realize him is ti go beyond death. Between the parietal lobes of the sagittal door, as the lobe swings behind the palate. Through that one goes out chanting bhur, to become one with fire; chanting bhuva-s, to become one with air; chanting suvar, to be one with the sun; chanting mahā to be one with the Lord. Thus one becomes king of his own life, ruler of his passions, senses, and intellect. 2.1.1 They have attained the goal who realize Brahman as the supreme reality, the source of truth, wisdom, and boundless joy. They see the Lord in the cave of the heart and are granted all the blessings of life. From Brahman came space; from space, air; from fire, water; from water, earth; from earth, plants; from plants, food; and from food, the human body, head, arms, legs, and heart. 2.2.1 From food are made all bodies, which become food again for others after their death. Food is the most important of things for the body; therefore it is the best medicine for all the body’s ailments. They who look upon as food as the Lord’s gift shall never lack life’s physical comforts. From food are made all bodies. All bodies feed on food, and it feeds on

the obstacles disappear and simultaneously dawns knowledge of the inner Self.” The Upaniṣad discusses the four states of consciousness: jāgarat - the wake state, svapna - the dream state, suṣupti - the deep sleep state and turīya - the witness state. Praśna: The Praśna is a series of six discussions between teacher and student. All the questions are related to our relationship with prāna, life force. This Upaniṣad is a foundation for work that we explore in yoga, the balance of the prānavāyu. Each section of the six sections is an unfolding understanding of the power of prāna and its relationship to maturing our Spiritual world. It becomes the guidelines for integration of spanda. Inquires include what happens to prāna when we sleep and the power of prāna through sounding om. 3.6 Vyāna, distributor of energy, moves through the myriad vital currents radiating from the heart, where lives the Self. 4.8 Earth, fluids, fire, air, space, and their subtle elements, the eyes and what can be seen, the ears and what can be heard, the nostrils and what can be smelled, the palate and what can be touched, the tongue and what can be spoken, the hands and what can be held, the organ of sex and its object of enjoyment, the organ of excretion and what is excreted, the feet and what they walk on, the mind and what it thinks, the intellect and what it knows, the ego and what it grasps, the heart and what it loves, the light and what it reveals: all things in life find their rest in the Self in dreamless sleep. Praśna Upaniṣad and the PrānaVāyu The most important of these for yoga practices is the vata sub doṣa, the prānavāyu. There are actually ten prānavāyu. Five we cannot control and their power is on a different level of consciousness. The ten are: Prāna, Apāna, Udāna, Samāna, Vyāna, Nāga (burping), Kūrma (blinking), Kṛkara (sneezing), Devadatta (yawning), and Dhanaṁjaya (hiccuping). Unfortunately, none of these mean the American translation and we do not have time to cover the minor vāyu expressions in class. We can’t, through our practices, create a major impact on the fire in the body. We can’t really change the fluid in the body. We can change how the wind moves by our practices. The Praśna Upaniṣad states in one section: “As a king employs officials to rule over different portions of his kingdom, so Prāna associates with himself four other Prāna, each a portion of himself and each assigned a separate function. “The Prāna himself dwells in eye, ear, mouth, and nose; the Apāna, which is the second Prāna, rules the organs of excretion and generation; the Samāna, which is the third Prāna, inhabits the navel, and governs digestion and assimilation. “The Self dwells in the lotus of the heart, whence radiate a hundred and one nerves. From each of these proceed one hundred others, which are smaller, and from each of these, again, seventy-two thousand others, which are smaller still. In all these moves the Vyāna, which is the fourth Prāna. And then at the moment of death, through the nerve in the center of the spine, the Udāna, which is the fifth Prāna, leads the virtuous man upward to higher birth, the sinful man downward to lower birth, and the man who is both virtuous and sinful to rebirth in the world of men. “The sun is the Prāna of the universe. It rises to help the Prāna in the eye of man to see. The power of earth maintains the Apāna in man. The ether between the

others. An interpreted world is not a HOME. Part of the terror is to take back our own listening. To use our own voice. To see our own light." Hildegard Von Bingen "If you don't know where you're going, any path will get you there." Frank Baum “Our culture is practiced at marketing spirituality, creativity, and other authentic experiences, and sometimes it feels that everything is for sale. Many people enjoy jewelry and clothing that bear a spiritual message and if those items remind them of their God-essence, that is great. Ultimately, however, spirituality cannot be bought. The path of spirituality is one of devotion, and the acceptance of this is the beginning of spiritual maturity.” “What I see in others is what I get.” Unknown Īśvara Praṇidhāna Sūtra 2.45: From devotion to the Lord of all, one is given perfect absorption into Spirit.17 Īśvara Praṇidhāna is translated as “surrender to your Divine Higher Self.” It is letting go into the Source. In the Kripalu Code it says, “This is what every heart yearns for. Union. Being in the State of Love. Being in intimate contact with the Divine, with God. It is the experience of being anchored in the Source and allowing our being to contain waves of ecstasy.” Surrender! ! ! Placing all actions at the feet of God. Do you translate this as giving your power away? It is not. It is liberating and empowering. The only way to get this concept is to try it. Why do we keep wandering from one external goal to another? Earning degrees and money, accumulating things, having a family--we keep thinking with the next achievement our inner yearning will be fulfilled. It is . . . for a short time. And. . . . The deepest aspects of Īśvara Praṇidhāna are taking shelter in the Supreme Absolute, regardless of how you choose to call Him/Her/Mother/Father. It may be an external Energy. It may be a place in the heart. It is acting out of the love for, and then, offering the fruits of actions to the Supreme. How can the Source manifest if it is not through our actions? We are the body, the expression of the Source. An intertwining of love, dedication and service become vehicles to move us into the practice. We open to grace. We cultivate faith, dedication, sincerity. We find patience to transcend the ego which defines us as separate. We begin to move past seeing what is wrong and practice seeing what is right in all. We count on blessings. We are powerful and as the Bible says, “Faith can move mountains.” We have the tapaḥ, discipline, patience, contentedness and purity to be in the journey. This is the power of Īśvara Praṇidhāna. Īśvara Praṇidhāna is attuning to the All Knowing Presence that already exists within you. It is allowing the Presence to direct your actions and you reunite with your Self. Steps on the journey begin with loving self and expanding into loving Self. Stage 1: Love for God/Self, desire to serve Stage 2: Selfless service outside your family Stage 3: Adapting qualities of loving service and living them Stage 4: Allowing each grounded action to fulfill self, others and Spirit Stage 5: Living life as an instrument of the Universal Consciousness Stage 6: Being God or the Universal Self without division Affirmation: I cultivate the befriending, understanding and surrender of my ego. I am intimate with my Source. Questions: Do I love Self? Am I willing to allow daily activities to be love manifest? Am I willing to dwell on the Beloved? Do

Bhagwan (or namaste) May there be peace in our hearts, peace in our homes and peace in our world. May we all know peace, may we all know love, may we all know who we really are. Thank you. Jai Bhagwan As we bring our hands up in front of our heart in Anjali mudrā repeat: Surrender you head to your heart (meaning bow your head) Surrender to the beauty and goodness that is inside you and inside all of us. Peace. Lokah Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu. May the whole world find happiness and peace. We honor the divine nature of ourselves, each other, and all beings in the universe. Namaste. May all beings everywhere be happy and free. May our lives contribute to that happiness and that freedom. Śāntiḥ, Śāntiḥ, Śantiḥ Once the class is over, if you have announcements you can make them then. The important closing component is to hold the space until the last student leaves. Don’t just walk out. Don’t run to the phone. etc. Unless, you communicate to the students that you need to move onto to something. The components are a broad stroke overview for classes. There are many details and adjustments that are made based on whether you are doing a series of classes where people learn specific āsana each time, you are creating a spontaneous flow or the class has a specific theme. Sequencing: The BIG Picture Maturing the Flow: Kripalu Basic Technology Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health has been teaching yogāsana and prāṇāyāma for over forty-four years. Although the current technology is different from the early trainings, the essence still remains. People move through a cycle of learning. Kripalu developed a three step process enabling students to mature into the depths of yoga. Each person unfolds in his/her own way and teachers practice “Kripalu” or compassion as they teach. Each stage is practiced in yogāsana. The will and surrender stage and surrender stage offer the journey specific experiences leading to deeper practices. The path includes all aspects of the eight fold path outlined by Patañjali. Kripalu emphasizes that students need to start with a willful practice. A class begins with willful guidance. As the student matures, or as the class develops, the teachers deepens the practice to a “will and surrender,” giving a cue and then allowing the student to hold for multiple breaths. Eventually, the surrender stage occurs through the depth of grace within the practice. As a teacher, you can allow a space for the surrender stage to occur. Three Stages The willful stage of practice emphasizes tapas, discipline. It introduces the yoga āsana and breathing practices with details and techniques. Students consciously explore where the body is open and closed. They attune to alignment and coordination of movement and breath. The practitioner defines safety limits. We discipline ourselves to practice with awareness and consciousness of our body and the messages of the subtle body (ies). Will and surrender opens the door to experience svādyāya in an intentional practice. Increased awareness and lengthening the holding time gives the student an opportunity to learn the habitual tendencies, physical or mental by observing the interplay of body sensations and mental reactions or responses. An opportunity is offered, through the understanding of yoga principles and energy flows, to explore the edge of therapeutic irritation and move beyond limitations present in the moment. Stage three is the integration of īśvara praṇidhāna, the surrender to divine inner guidance. At the place of surrender the deeper practices can manifest automatically. Bapuji (Swami Kripalu) says that āsana flow from grace, anugraha, and any posture, on

Stage 1: Love for God/Self, desire to serve Stage 2: Selfless service outside your family Stage 3: Adapting qualities of loving service and living them Stage 4: Allowing each grounded action to fulfill self, others and Spirit Stage 5: Living life as an instrument of the Universal Consciousness Stage 6: Being God or the Universal Self without division Affirmation: I cultivate the befriending, understanding and surrender of my ego. I am intimate with my Source. Questions: Do I love Self? Am I willing to allow daily activities to be love manifest? Am I willing to dwell on the Beloved? Do I ever feel absorbed by a Presence that resonates the fullness of Life? Quotes to inspire and stimulate thought: “Surrender is the simple but profound wisdom of yielding to rather than opposing the flow of life.” Ekhart Tolle "A sense of devotion and surrender opens us to experiences of being nurtured. We also learn that we have the capacity to become instruments of higher consciousness, serving and giving what we can to help others in their own awakening.” Swami Ajaya “We come from God and we have to go back to him!” Mother Teresa “Surrender is the spiritual practice that separates the mental manipulators from the spiritual expressers” Rev. Diane Harmony “Angels fly because they take themselves lightly.” Unknown "There is no saint without a past, and no sinner without a future." Haidakhanda Baba “Jesus didn’t teach we could move a mountain by standing in overwhelm at its size, but by believing in our heart that it had moved.” “That which this anguished soul feels most deeply is the conviction that God has abandoned it, that He has cast it away into darkness as an abominable thing. Although this happy night brings darkness to the Spirit, it does so only to give it light in everything; although it humbles it and makes it miserable, it does soon to exalt it and raise it up; and, although it impoverishes it and empties it of all natural affection and attachment, it does so only that it may enable it to stretch forward, divinely.” St. John of the Cross "People are like stained glass windows, they sparkle and shine when the sun is out but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light within.” Unknown “ There is a light that shines beyond all things on earth, beyond us all, beyond the heavens, beyond the highest, the very highest heavens. This is the Light that shines in our heart.” Chandoga Upaniṣad Summary Comparison with Other Traditions Yama and Niyama are the foundation. If we are practicing the guidelines of Yama and Niyama, our mind and agendas do not get in the way of the deeper practices. Begin to notice the mental energies surging through your mind as you do āsana. Questions like: Am I doing it right (santoṣa, not content with your effort)? Feel what it is like when you violate ahiṃsā by pushing your body deeper into the pose than it is appropriate for you. Are you serving your Self and where you are now, or are you serving the ego with expectation of where you want/think you should be? Notice if you are truthful to yourself about just about anything! How do you reevaluate beliefs when they are challenged by a different life experience and situation? Yama and Niyama are universal. Following are the Virtues of Buddhism and the Ten Commandments. Reflect on the differences and similarities. Practice Svādyāya. What language holds the truth for you? Buddhist Virtues (1) Kill not, but have

that is. There is a saying that in every relationship there are really four people; who each one IS and whom each one THINKS the other one is. Santoṣa calls us to accept another for who they are and not who we want or need them to be. Each person will have his or her own definition and manner of expressing life. We do not to control others. We need to allow spaciousness for them to unfold their life. A wonderful way to explore Santoṣa is naming all you already do have. Each day write down three things you are thankful for in your life. Affirmations: I am content. I am grateful for what I have. I recognize the good in others. I refrain from criticism and finding fault in others and myself. I relax into life. Life is designed for my awakening Every moment offers an opportunity to learn, grow and evolve. Questions: Santoṣa is not about being apathetic; it is living life with a passion, content and full each moment. Do you have gratitude for all you have? Do you learn and appreciate even the unpleasant experiences? Can you let go of preferences and receive life as it presents itself? What are your agendas/expectations for yourself? For others? And do they serve? Quotes to inspire and stimulate thought: "Delight in whatever fate may bring" Darṣana-Upaniṣad “There is a season for planting and a season for harvesting. In between, you water the plants and pull the weeds.” Unknown “The joy of life is made up of obscure and seemingly mundane victories that give us our own small satisfactions.” Billy Joel “Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.” John Lennon “Content with an ordinary life, you can show all people the way back to their own true nature. “ Lao Tzu “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference. Grant me the patience with the changes that take time, An appreciation of all that I have, Tolerance of those with different struggles And the strength to get up and try again, One day at a time.” Unknown “I have not failed at making a light bulb 10,000 times. I have found 10,000 ways that do not work.” paraphrase Alvin Edison “I am perfect just the way I am, and there is room for improvement.” Buddhist teacher Tapaḥ Sūtra 2.43: Through the intensity of self-discipline and purification comes the dwindling of all impurities and the perfection of the body and sense organs. 13 “Tapaḥ” is “to generate light and heat”. It may be defined as “being in a transformational fire”, or “developing self-discipline.” Tapaḥ is an internal purging. It is time when life's therapeutic irritations move us to purification. In the Kripalu Lifestyle Codes of Conscious Living, it is written: “Tapaḥ - following through with Intention. Discipline. As we all know, none of this (a lifestyle of living yama and niyama) happens with the snap of a finger. Often times we have to practice, practice, practice. We set an intention, follow it, fall on our faces, try again, and again, and again. Using a discipline is part of the re-patterning our inner reality, shifting our conditioning so that we can live in a greater world.” Discipline starts with a vision of where we want to move. It can be a career goal or a spiritual goal. We then build the foundation, framework and finally the stairs to move towards the destination. It is a journey often fraught with obstacles. We

is birthed from Kṛṣṇa. 14.3 - 4. The guṇa are born of prakṛti and bind the immortal Self to the body. He defines the guṇa, the characteristics and the results of being dominated by the guṇa. 14.5 - 18. Yet, if we are wise and know the guṇa, see the action of the guṇa, we can move beyond the guṇa and be in union with God. 14.19 - 20. Arjuna asks the characteristics of those who have gone beyond the guṇa and how they got there. 14.21. Kṛṣṇa’s definition can be summed up in the word of equanimity -- all are equal an one becomes undisturbed by actions. 14.22 - 25. We get passed the guṇa by serving Kṛṣṇa/Brahman. 14.24 - 26. Chapter Fifteen: The Supreme Self The āśvattha tree is a fig tree which, like the banyan tree, roots from above the ground and then branches down into the earth. He likens life to the tree. Stretching in many directions, its source is hard to determine. We are asked to cut down the tree with the axe of detachment. 15.1 - 3 Once detaching, seek the true path and go forward. 15.4 - 5. The eternal realm is defined. 15.6. A part of the eternal enters into the world as prakṛti and its manifestations. 15.7 - 9. The deluded do not see the Self within or without. Those with wisdom see Self. 15.10 -11. Kṛṣṇa describes his presence as essence that pervades all. 15.12 - 15. Kṛṣṇa says there are two types of beings and the Supreme Self is beyond these concepts. Kṛṣṇa is that Supreme. 15.16 - 18. If we see the Divine Self, we find our source and worship with devotion. We then attain wisdom. 15.19 - 20. Chapter 16: Two Paths Kṛṣṇa lists the divine traits of man. 16.1 - 3. He acknowledges qualities that are inhuman (demonic). 16.4. Divine qualities lead to freedom and demonic lead to bondage. Kṛṣṇa says he has defined the divine, it is necessary to describe the demonic. 16.5 - 6. He tells the nature of demonic characteristics which bind them into a dark abyss. 16.7 - 18. These people are caught in the cycle of rebirths. 16.19 - 20. The three gates to demonic life are: lust, anger and greed. You can escape or continue to disregard the teachings and continue to miss the goal of life. 16.21 - 23. Kṛṣṇa tells us to use the scriptures to guide us and act accordingly. 16.24. Chapter Seventeen: The Power of Faith Arjuna knows there are those who live from faith and do not follow the scriptures. He asks about their path and which forces motivate them. 17.1 Kṛṣṇa acknowledges all are born with a faith. The faith of each guṇa has a different quality which he describes. 17.2 - 7. He indicates the faith is reflected even the foods one eats. 17.8 - 10. They perform sacrifices based on their guṇa. 17.11 - 13. There are different ways to offer to the gods through body, speech and mind. These disciplines can be offered in a sattva, rajas or tamas form. 17.14 - 19. How you give is impacted by the guṇa. 17.20 - 22. Om Tat Sat means, “Only That Is” referring to the divine presence of guiding all. Kṛṣṇa shares how we can practice this in our deeds. 17.23 - 27. To practice without the good faith is worthless. 17.28. Chapter Eighteen: Freedom and Renunciation Arjuna asks the difference between saṇyāsa (renunciation) and tyāga (relinquishment). 18.1 Kṛṣṇa defines the two words. Saṇyāsa is refrain from selfish acts. Tyāga is to

slightly lean forward. Double breath inhalation and arch back starting with the muscles in the low back lengthening and building the arch in the spine. Perform a double exhalation during the return to the center. Repeat three times. 15. Upper Spinal Twisting – Step feet apart, extend both arms out in front at shoulder height and stabilize the hips. Tense the arms and swing, rotating to one side. Extend the back hand outward and the front arm touches the chest. Alternate sides three times each. 16. Skull Tapping / Memory Exercise – Tap the skull and forehead all over with your knuckles to stimulate and awaken the brain cells. You can add the mantra, “Awake my brain awake!” 17. Scalp Massage – Massage the scalp, with your fingertips, forward and back left to right. Feel the skin moving as you work with a firm movement. 18. Medulla Massage / Medulla Memory Exercise – Press three fingers of each hand into the notch where the spine connects with the skull. Make small circles with the fingers three times in each direction. With a double breath inhalation and pressing the fingers firmly, move the head into the pressure of your fingers. Then, drop the chin to the notch of the neck with a double breath exhalation. Repeat three times. 19. Biceps Recharging – Bring the hands to your head and interlace the fingers, elbows stretched to the side. Tense the left bicep, then the right side. Repeat three times. 20. Twenty-Part Body Recharging – a) Tense the entire body simultaneously. b) Tense and relax the 20 body parts individually. Tense the area and release before you move to the next part. c) Tense the 20 body parts, holding the tension. Pause. Release in reverse order. Body part sequence: Left foot Right foot Left calf Right calf Left thigh Right thigh Left buttocks Right buttocks Abdomen below the navel Stomach above the navel Left forearm Right forearm Left upper arm Right upper arm Left chest Right chest Left neck Right neck Front of neck Back of neck 21. Weight Lifting in Front – Allow the arms to rest by your side, hands in a fist with palm facing forward. Tense the arms and bend the elbows bringing the fists to the chest with a double breath inhalation. Release the arms to the side with the double breath exhalation. 22. Double Breathing (with elbows touching) – Draw the bent arms out the sides with the upper arm parallel to the ground. Tense the arms and exhale double breath as bring the arms into the center until the elbows touch. Inhale double breath returning the arms to the sides. Repeat three times. 23. Weight Pulling From the Side – Extend the arms to the side at shoulder height with soft fists facing the sky. Tense, with a double inhalation, draw the fists to the head. Relax. Tense and return to starting position with a double exhalation. Repeat three times. 24. Arm Rotation (in small circles) – Make small circles with the arms that are extended to the side at shoulder height. The fists are soft and facing upward. Circle several times in each direction. 25. Weight Pulling from the Front – Allow the fists to rest by your forehead with the upper arms parallel to floor in front of your body. With tension, extend the arms straight out in front with an double breath exhalation. Relax. Tense and draw the arms back to the head using a double breath inhalation. 26. Finger Recharging – Hang the arms by your side and firmly open and close

energy, this mind with they concentration and this soul with they ever new joy. O eternal youth of body and mind, abide in me forever and ever.” The Series: 1. Double Breathing with palms touching – Stand with arms at shoulder height and knees slightly bent. Take a double inhalation. With a double exhale draw the palms to the front, touching the palms, straighten the legs and tense the entire body. 2 and 3. Calf Recharging and Ankle Rotation– Stand on your right leg. Bend the left knee and tense the calf as you draw the heel toward the buttocks. Relax tension at the top. Reengage and straighten the leg. Repeat three times. Rotate ankle three times in one direction and then three times in the other direction. Repeat on the other side. 4. Calf-Forearm/Thigh Upper Arm - Take the left foot forward just a bit, allowing the right leg to bear most of the weight. Tense left calf and forearm. Relax. Then left thigh and upper arm. Repeat for a total of three times. Repeat on the other side. Standing in center, tense both calves and forearms. Relax. Tense both thigh and upper arm. 5. Chest and Buttock Recharging – Tense left buttock and chest muscles. Relax. Repeat on right. Alternate left and right three times. 6. Back Recharging – Tense the lower left back muscles, relax and repeat on right. Alternate three times. Tense middle back (by the shoulder blades) muscles on left, then right. Alternate three times. Tense upper back / shoulder muscles on the left, then right side. Alternate three times. 7. Shoulder Rotation – Let fingers rest on shoulders, elbows to the side. Tense the muscles and rotate arms and shoulders in three circles. forward and three in reverse. 8. Throat Recharging - Tense and relax front of neck three times. Alternate tensing left neck and then right neck. 9. Neck Recharging - Using double breath, exhale, dropping chin towards chest. Double breath inhalation and raise hair line to the sky. 10. Neck Rotation - Create medium tension in the neck muscles and then rotate the head three times in each direction. Repeat with the neck relaxed. 11. Spinal Recharging aka lower back adjustment – Stand with feet apart elbows bent and soft fists positioned at the waist. Twist the upper body in one direction and the hips and lower body in the opposite direction. Briskly move from side to side. 12. Spinal Rotation – Stand with feet apart, hands on hips, bend forward at the waist with soft arched back. Tense the low back. Keep the hips stationary and rotate the trunk in medium circles, three times in each direction. 13. Spinal Stretching – Maintaining stand with feet apart and hands on hips, create tension along the spine. Keep lower body stationary and head in alignment with the spine, bend side to side. Double breath works good with this practice. 14. Spinal Adjustment –Standing in Tāḍāsana, bring the hands to the low back and slightly lean forward. Double breath inhalation and arch back starting with the muscles in the low back lengthening and building the arch in the spine. Perform a double exhalation during the return to the center. Repeat three times. 15. Upper Spinal Twisting – Step feet apart, extend both arms out in front at shoulder height and stabilize the hips. Tense the arms and swing, rotating to one side. Extend the back hand outward and the front arm touches the chest. Alternate sides three times each. 16. Skull Tapping / Memory Exercise – Tap the skull and forehead all over with

assisted. only be touched in a safe and sacred manner. be spoken to and treated respectively and with loving-kindness. expect confidentiality of anything shared in a classroom. establish healthy boundaries for practice – anatomically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. be challenged to explore my therapeutic edge. be allowed and encouraged to be in your inner journey, not just the physical aspect of the practice. stay in integrity and uphold high values at all times. Yoga does not equal āsana (posture) on just the mat – but āsana in my whole life. The benefits of Yoga are availably to many, regardless of age, flexibility or degree of accomplishment. Enjoy, thank you very much and welcome to Yoga Cikitsā. Jai Hansa Contemplative Hatha Yoga Cikitsā Educator Client Documentation: Your Notes The following is an example of a client worksheet. This is a summary of information that I use in developing protocols. The worksheet will be used by students in the training to submit information for class presentations. The form here is abbreviated in the spaces allowed for response. It is a summary of the thinking processes I use in developing protocols. Client Name or Identifier: Basic Vital Information: Age: Weight: Height: Physical Condition: Career: Main Complaint: Subjective key notes in the interview, if relevant: Note, this is a dance between their comments and your interpretation. Please note accordingly. Physical: Vihara (lifestyle) Issues: Dietary Issues: Emotional: Psychosomatic (anything body/ mind related): Spiritual: Objective notes: Physical Observation: Observations during movement: Doṣa: It is okay to say have not done this yet. Can use visual, language used in describing case, actions, etc. Optional, Pulse - Note, I take pulse on less than 25% of my first time clients. Even though this is listed, use it as a tool when you need to reinforce, verify or are trying to sort out reported information. Time of Day: Relationship to Eating? Sleeping? Bathing? Optional, Tongue Reading: Note, I tongue read more than pulse read. It gives me a quick overview of the person’s wellbeing. U Area to address could include physical, doṣa, emotional, vihara, etc. Tools could include āsana, prānāyāma, meditation, mudrā, mantra, etc.. What are the main considerations for synthesizing this into a practice: How long can they practice? How frequently? Doṣa consideration? Other considerations such as endurance, etc. practice? How would you evaluate the totality of all the information? What do you need to do to ensure the priority is addressed? Which tools would ensure moving in the desired direction? Can some of the tools be integrated into the client’s lifestyle? Describe. What are considerations for sequencing your protocol? Protocol: What will you look for in the next visit? What would be potential next steps? Any Last Comments: Developing Protocol: The Big Picture The main complaint in a case is the “take off” point for assessment. In yoga therapy though, we do not address dis-ease or labels, we address the person. Therefore as we begin to develop protocol, we must have enough information that can guide us to wholeness and well being, not just the relief of the immediate symptoms. The work is to evaluate, based on the main complaint, how to explore the wholeness of a person. The protocol, then, will be built from all components. In taking the case, you will divide the material into body sections for analysis, and then build protocol for the entire body. From observing the persons response to either the testing or the movement with the āsana, you can begin to develop protocol. Complications often start in the feet. In our study we will start with the spine = the

or cryptorchidism. Abnormal cells in the testicle called germ cell neoplasia in situ (GCNIS). More than 90% of testicular cancers start in cells known as germ cells. The most common type of testicular cancer is seminoma. Their growth is slow and reacts well to chemotherapy and radiation. Non-seminomas grow more quickly and are less responsive to radiation and chemotherapy. Surgery and additional treatments, including repeated surgery is common. There are rare testicular cancers from cells that support other roles. Leydig cell tumors form from the Leydig cells that make testosterone. Sertoli cell tumors come from the Sertoli cells that support normal sperm growth. Testicular Cancer Stages Stage 0: “Germ Cell Neoplasia In Situ (GCNIS)” is not cancer. It is a pre-warning condition found in the seminal tubules and nowhere else. Stage I (IA, IB, IS) cancer is found only in the testicle and has not spread to nearby lymph nodes. Stage II (IIA, IIB, IIC) indicates the cancer has spread to one or more lymph nodes in the abdomen only. Stage III (IIIA, IIIB, IIIC) cancer has spread beyond the lymph nodes in the abdomen such as in distant lymph nodes or the lungs. Tumor marker levels are high. Symptoms Lumps (masses) in the testicles, often painless. Swelling of the testicles. Feeling of weight in the scrotum. Pain. Often a dull ache in the testicle scrotum or groin. Testicle main feel heavier than the other. Tenderness in the male breast tissue. Often men wait before an evaluation. If there is a growth, it will grow during this time. Symptoms that need medical evaluation if the symptom lasts more than two weeks include: Swelling of the epididymis. If an infection, it is often treated with antibiotics. Testicular torsion: twisting of the testicles which needs to be treated with surgery. Inguinal hernia, when part of the intestine pokes through a weak part of the stomach muscles near the groin. It can be corrected with surgery. Hydrocele, fluid builds up in the scrotum. This often goes away without treatment and it can be a sign of testicular cancer. Self Diagnosis Men can do a testicular self evaluation. Monthly, they should press each testicle, the epididymis and vans deference. The man needs to feel for lumps or swellings. Diagnosis Full exam. Testicular Ultra sound. Blood test. Treatment Surgery. Radiation. Chemotherapy. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (Lung Diseases) Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a term physicians use to refer to two lung diseases – chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Other writing on COPD include other lung diseases. The diseases frequently exist together and both are conditions that cause a blockage of airflow that interferes with normal breathing. Statistics In 2003, 60,714 men died of COPD. (American Lung Association) Between 80 per cent and 90 per cent of COPD deaths are caused by smoking. Men smoke who smoke are twelve times as likely to die from COPD as men who have never smoked according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Symptoms Chronic Bronchitis: Chronic cough, increased mucus, frequent clearing of the throat and shortness of breath. Emphysema: Shortness of breath and a reduced capacity for physical activity – both of which worsen over time. Prevention Smoking is the leading cause of COPD. Also, avoid secondhand smoke. Minimize exposure to workplace chemicals. The American Journal of Epidemiology, states occupational exposure to certain industrial pollutants also may increase the chance of developing COPD. Yoga Tools Men will have a tendency to have a flatter upper back due to the anterior rotation of the pelvis Breathing practices such as Breath of Joy, Hara Pulls, etc. Restorative āsana

limitations. Before we can ‘dissolve’ the limited sense of ego, we need to have a strong sense of what ego is. Define ego. Does your ego give you a safe container for life or limit your possibilities? The mind is only the activities that occupy it. Consciousness Awareness is the Spirit or Atman that is not just the body but the embodied spirit Itself. How do you use the words consciousness and mind? What do they mean to you? What are the characteristics of the mind? Are there levels of the mind? What do you mean by 'levels’ and how do they affect your life? What are your experiences and beliefs about telepathy, clairvoyance, inspiration, intuition? Do you bring repetitiveness or mechanicalness into your mind’s activity? If so how? What are your beliefs about a higher self versus a lower self (Self vs self)? What are your experiences that formed or negated such beliefs ? Journal, It can be open journaling, reflecting on an āsana, or response to a yoga practice, etc. Causal Body – Dhyāna Practices Affirming faith. Identify our needs and mannerisms developed / expressed to connect with our purpose, wealth / abundance, pleasures and freedom. Explore death. Become observant of your language and notice if you talk about life “killing me,” “I would die for . . .” Tantric Tools Tantric tools are not done exclusive to a cakra. Tantric tools are used to purify the nadī, move beyond the mahābhūta, balance the prāna in the ida and piṅgala, balance the prānavāyu and integrate the subtle bodies. Yet, each individual area has components where special awareness may support the prāna flow. Considerations and tools for the mūlādhāra include: Reversing the apāna flow to allow kuṇḍalinī to move upward through proper use of Mūlabandha. Destroying /releasing kuṇḍalinī so prāna can flow into the suśumṇa. Awareness of the location of each cakra, and in the case the grounded foundation of the mūlādhāra. This can be enhanced with visualization, dṛṣṭi and prānāyāma practices. Integration and practice of mūlabandha. A basic practice can be focusing on the perineal point, slowly engage the muscles as if moving up the floors of an elevator, then consciously releasing as the elevator descends. Nāsikāgraha dṛṣṭi. Focus on the tip the nose, home of the tanmātra. Build up to gazing for five minutes. Mahamudrā, Mahabheda, Mahabandha series with inner focus of the prāna flow from the mūlādhāra to the bindu, integrated with prānāyāma. Become aware of the vṛtti arising from the petal manifestations. Planet: Earth representing the plane of form and matter. Solid and stable force. Incense: Cedar Metal: Lead Gemstone: Coral, Garnet, Ruby, and Lodestone Foods: Foods that ground, warming foods and many are slightly rajas. Proteins - eggs, meats, beans, tofu, etc. Vegetables, especially root – carrots, parsnips, radishes, Red foods – apples, radishes Spices - garlic (rajas), horseradish, chives, pepper Gonads Location and description: The male gonads are the testes, an oval organ, are responsible for the production of the spermatozoa. The ovaries are the primary sex organ of the female that produce the ova and the hormones of estrogen and progesterone. The gonads in male and female start with same anatomical structure in the fetus. Once differentiated, they follow separate paths of development. Hormones released and function: The ovaries, in females, produce ovum and the testes, in males, produce sperms plus the respective hormones to support the functions of developing the sexual characteristics of the individual. Testosterone, in males, promotes the development of muscles for the male shape and size, growth of penis, auxiliary hair, mustache, change in voice, etc. The testes

or cryptorchidism. Abnormal cells in the testicle called germ cell neoplasia in situ (GCNIS). More than 90% of testicular cancers start in cells known as germ cells. The most common type of testicular cancer is seminoma. Their growth is slow and reacts well to chemotherapy and radiation. Non-seminomas grow more quickly and are less responsive to radiation and chemotherapy. Surgery and additional treatments, including repeated surgery is common. There are rare testicular cancers from cells that support other roles. Leydig cell tumors form from the Leydig cells that make testosterone. Sertoli cell tumors come from the Sertoli cells that support normal sperm growth. Testicular Cancer Stages Stage 0: “Germ Cell Neoplasia In Situ (GCNIS)” is not cancer. It is a pre-warning condition found in the seminal tubules and nowhere else. Stage I (IA, IB, IS) cancer is found only in the testicle and has not spread to nearby lymph nodes. Stage II (IIA, IIB, IIC) indicates the cancer has spread to one or more lymph nodes in the abdomen only. Stage III (IIIA, IIIB, IIIC) cancer has spread beyond the lymph nodes in the abdomen such as in distant lymph nodes or the lungs. Tumor marker levels are high. Symptoms Lumps (masses) in the testicles, often painless. Swelling of the testicles. Feeling of weight in the scrotum. Pain. Often a dull ache in the testicle scrotum or groin. Testicle main feel heavier than the other. Tenderness in the male breast tissue. Often men wait before an evaluation. If there is a growth, it will grow during this time. Symptoms that need medical evaluation if the symptom lasts more than two weeks include: Swelling of the epididymis. If an infection, it is often treated with antibiotics. Testicular torsion: twisting of the testicles which needs to be treated with surgery. Inguinal hernia, when part of the intestine pokes through a weak part of the stomach muscles near the groin. It can be corrected with surgery. Hydrocele, fluid builds up in the scrotum. This often goes away without treatment and it can be a sign of testicular cancer. Self Diagnosis Men can do a testicular self evaluation. Monthly, they should press each testicle, the epididymis and vans deference. The man needs to feel for lumps or swellings. Diagnosis Full exam. Testicular Ultra sound. Blood test. Treatment Surgery. Radiation. Chemotherapy. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (Lung Diseases) Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a term physicians use to refer to two lung diseases – chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Other writing on COPD include other lung diseases. The diseases frequently exist together and both are conditions that cause a blockage of airflow that interferes with normal breathing. Statistics In 2003, 60,714 men died of COPD. (American Lung Association) Between 80 per cent and 90 per cent of COPD deaths are caused by smoking. Men smoke who smoke are twelve times as likely to die from COPD as men who have never smoked according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Symptoms Chronic Bronchitis: Chronic cough, increased mucus, frequent clearing of the throat and shortness of breath. Emphysema: Shortness of breath and a reduced capacity for physical activity – both of which worsen over time. Prevention Smoking is the leading cause of COPD. Also, avoid secondhand smoke. Minimize exposure to workplace chemicals. The American Journal of Epidemiology, states occupational exposure to certain industrial pollutants also may increase the chance of developing COPD. Yoga Tools Men will have a tendency to have a flatter upper back due to the anterior rotation of the pelvis Breathing practices such as Breath of Joy, Hara Pulls, etc. Restorative āsana

tone Coordination Balance Sensory symptoms tests Sense of touch Vision and eye movement Hearing Psychiatric symptoms Mental status Mood Neuropsychological standard testing for: Memory Reasoning Mental agility Language function Spatial reasoning Psychiatric evaluation is done by a psychiatrist to judge a number of factors that could contribute to your diagnosis, including: Emotional state Patterns of behaviors Quality of judgment Coping skills Signs of disordered thinking Evidence of substance abuse Brain Imaging and Function tests to provide detailed images of the brain structures. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Computerized tomography (CT). Genetic Testing and counseling. If symptoms strongly suggest a diagnosis of Huntington's disease, your doctor may recommend a genetic test for the defective gene. This test can confirm the diagnosis. A genetic test can be given to someone who has a family history of the disease but shows no signs or symptoms. This is called predictive testing. The test result has no treatment benefit, and it doesn't indicate when disease onset will begin or what symptoms are likely to appear first. Treatment HD is classified as a progressive fatal disorder that has no known proven cure. Currently, thee is no treatment that will alter the course of HD. Medication control the various physical and emotional symptoms. It changes through the course of the disease. Medication Tetrabenazine treats chorea, the involuntary writhing movements. Antipsychotic drugs to suppress chorea. Others meds have been shown to suppress the chorea and need to be evaluated on a personal level. For psychiatric disorders medications include: Antidepressants. Antipsychotic. Mood stabilizing drugs. Other treatments include: Psychotherapy. Speech therapy. Physical therapy. Occupational therapy. Alternative Therapy CBD reduces choreography. Stem Cell therapy is being explored. Aromatherapy such as rosemary, frankincense and turmeric oil. Lifestyle Reduce inflammation. Anti inflammation diet. Limit use of harsh chemicals in beauty product. Avoid solvents and cleaning supplies. Maintain physical activity. Adjust diet to control weight. HD people usually loose weight and the goal is to maintain weight. Eat health fats. Cognitive training and skills. Use calendars to keep schedule. Don’t over book schedules. Prioritize important activities over others. Develop a predictable routine. Keeping the living area organized. Maintain social activities. Engage in hobbies. Breaking down difficult tasks into manageable steps. Creating a calm living environment that is structured and has limited uncertainty. Identify stressors and avoid them. Avoiding family conflict, fights and other stressors Avoid smoking. Emerging research suggests that certain natural supplements might be able to help stall the progression of HD. Creatine supplement helps restore ATP and maintain cellular energy. Participate in physical and occupational therapy. Practice yoga and movement exercises. Avoid stress. Ehlers-Danlos Ehlers-Danlos is a rare inherited disorder affecting the connective tissues, especially the skin, joints, and blood vessels. There are thirteen types of Ehlers-Danlos. Symptoms The majority of list is from https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/what-is-eds/ Joints hyper-mobility. Joints may dislocate. Joint instability. Skin that's translucent, elastic, and bruises easily. Skin hyper extensibility. Fragile skin prone to injury and bruising. Muscle pain. Muscle weakness including, for example, the vocal cords or the pelvic floor. Neuropathy. Scoliosis. Abnormal scarring. Structural weakness such as hernias and organ prolapse. Weakness of fascia that can lead to gum and dental disease, eye disease, cardiac valve and life threatening organ ruptures. Rarely, dilation and the potential for a rupture of major blood vessels. Co-morbidity Upper and lower gastrointestinal tract complications such as swallow difficulties and sluggish stomach and large bowel, causing nausea, vomiting, acid reflux, bloating, pain, and absorption and food intolerance concerns. Autonomic disturbances of heart rate and blood pressure, Bowel and bladder dysfunction. Poor temperature regulation. Anxiety, depression, and phobias. Organ / systemic inflammation related to mast

slightly lean forward. Double breath inhalation and arch back starting with the muscles in the low back lengthening and building the arch in the spine. Perform a double exhalation during the return to the center. Repeat three times. 15. Upper Spinal Twisting – Step feet apart, extend both arms out in front at shoulder height and stabilize the hips. Tense the arms and swing, rotating to one side. Extend the back hand outward and the front arm touches the chest. Alternate sides three times each. 16. Skull Tapping / Memory Exercise – Tap the skull and forehead all over with your knuckles to stimulate and awaken the brain cells. You can add the mantra, “Awake my brain awake!” 17. Scalp Massage – Massage the scalp, with your fingertips, forward and back left to right. Feel the skin moving as you work with a firm movement. 18. Medulla Massage / Medulla Memory Exercise – Press three fingers of each hand into the notch where the spine connects with the skull. Make small circles with the fingers three times in each direction. With a double breath inhalation and pressing the fingers firmly, move the head into the pressure of your fingers. Then, drop the chin to the notch of the neck with a double breath exhalation. Repeat three times. 19. Biceps Recharging – Bring the hands to your head and interlace the fingers, elbows stretched to the side. Tense the left bicep, then the right side. Repeat three times. 20. Twenty-Part Body Recharging – a) Tense the entire body simultaneously. b) Tense and relax the 20 body parts individually. Tense the area and release before you move to the next part. c) Tense the 20 body parts, holding the tension. Pause. Release in reverse order. Body part sequence: Left foot Right foot Left calf Right calf Left thigh Right thigh Left buttocks Right buttocks Abdomen below the navel Stomach above the navel Left forearm Right forearm Left upper arm Right upper arm Left chest Right chest Left neck Right neck Front of neck Back of neck 21. Weight Lifting in Front – Allow the arms to rest by your side, hands in a fist with palm facing forward. Tense the arms and bend the elbows bringing the fists to the chest with a double breath inhalation. Release the arms to the side with the double breath exhalation. 22. Double Breathing (with elbows touching) – Draw the bent arms out the sides with the upper arm parallel to the ground. Tense the arms and exhale double breath as bring the arms into the center until the elbows touch. Inhale double breath returning the arms to the sides. Repeat three times. 23. Weight Pulling From the Side – Extend the arms to the side at shoulder height with soft fists facing the sky. Tense, with a double inhalation, draw the fists to the head. Relax. Tense and return to starting position with a double exhalation. Repeat three times. 24. Arm Rotation (in small circles) – Make small circles with the arms that are extended to the side at shoulder height. The fists are soft and facing upward. Circle several times in each direction. 25. Weight Pulling from the Front – Allow the fists to rest by your forehead with the upper arms parallel to floor in front of your body. With tension, extend the arms straight out in front with an double breath exhalation. Relax. Tense and draw the arms back to the head using a double breath inhalation. 26. Finger Recharging – Hang the arms by your side and firmly open and close

energy, this mind with they concentration and this soul with they ever new joy. O eternal youth of body and mind, abide in me forever and ever.” The Series: 1. Double Breathing with palms touching – Stand with arms at shoulder height and knees slightly bent. Take a double inhalation. With a double exhale draw the palms to the front, touching the palms, straighten the legs and tense the entire body. 2 and 3. Calf Recharging and Ankle Rotation– Stand on your right leg. Bend the left knee and tense the calf as you draw the heel toward the buttocks. Relax tension at the top. Reengage and straighten the leg. Repeat three times. Rotate ankle three times in one direction and then three times in the other direction. Repeat on the other side. 4. Calf-Forearm/Thigh Upper Arm - Take the left foot forward just a bit, allowing the right leg to bear most of the weight. Tense left calf and forearm. Relax. Then left thigh and upper arm. Repeat for a total of three times. Repeat on the other side. Standing in center, tense both calves and forearms. Relax. Tense both thigh and upper arm. 5. Chest and Buttock Recharging – Tense left buttock and chest muscles. Relax. Repeat on right. Alternate left and right three times. 6. Back Recharging – Tense the lower left back muscles, relax and repeat on right. Alternate three times. Tense middle back (by the shoulder blades) muscles on left, then right. Alternate three times. Tense upper back / shoulder muscles on the left, then right side. Alternate three times. 7. Shoulder Rotation – Let fingers rest on shoulders, elbows to the side. Tense the muscles and rotate arms and shoulders in three circles. forward and three in reverse. 8. Throat Recharging - Tense and relax front of neck three times. Alternate tensing left neck and then right neck. 9. Neck Recharging - Using double breath, exhale, dropping chin towards chest. Double breath inhalation and raise hair line to the sky. 10. Neck Rotation - Create medium tension in the neck muscles and then rotate the head three times in each direction. Repeat with the neck relaxed. 11. Spinal Recharging aka lower back adjustment – Stand with feet apart elbows bent and soft fists positioned at the waist. Twist the upper body in one direction and the hips and lower body in the opposite direction. Briskly move from side to side. 12. Spinal Rotation – Stand with feet apart, hands on hips, bend forward at the waist with soft arched back. Tense the low back. Keep the hips stationary and rotate the trunk in medium circles, three times in each direction. 13. Spinal Stretching – Maintaining stand with feet apart and hands on hips, create tension along the spine. Keep lower body stationary and head in alignment with the spine, bend side to side. Double breath works good with this practice. 14. Spinal Adjustment –Standing in Tāḍāsana, bring the hands to the low back and slightly lean forward. Double breath inhalation and arch back starting with the muscles in the low back lengthening and building the arch in the spine. Perform a double exhalation during the return to the center. Repeat three times. 15. Upper Spinal Twisting – Step feet apart, extend both arms out in front at shoulder height and stabilize the hips. Tense the arms and swing, rotating to one side. Extend the back hand outward and the front arm touches the chest. Alternate sides three times each. 16. Skull Tapping / Memory Exercise – Tap the skull and forehead all over with

limitations. Before we can ‘dissolve’ the limited sense of ego, we need to have a strong sense of what ego is. Define ego. Does your ego give you a safe container for life or limit your possibilities? The mind is only the activities that occupy it. Consciousness Awareness is the Spirit or Atman that is not just the body but the embodied spirit Itself. How do you use the words consciousness and mind? What do they mean to you? What are the characteristics of the mind? Are there levels of the mind? What do you mean by 'levels’ and how do they affect your life? What are your experiences and beliefs about telepathy, clairvoyance, inspiration, intuition? Do you bring repetitiveness or mechanicalness into your mind’s activity? If so how? What are your beliefs about a higher self versus a lower self (Self vs self)? What are your experiences that formed or negated such beliefs ? Journal, It can be open journaling, reflecting on an āsana, or response to a yoga practice, etc. Causal Body – Dhyāna Practices Affirming faith. Identify our needs and mannerisms developed / expressed to connect with our purpose, wealth / abundance, pleasures and freedom. Explore death. Become observant of your language and notice if you talk about life “killing me,” “I would die for . . .” Tantric Tools Tantric tools are not done exclusive to a cakra. Tantric tools are used to purify the nadī, move beyond the mahābhūta, balance the prāna in the ida and piṅgala, balance the prānavāyu and integrate the subtle bodies. Yet, each individual area has components where special awareness may support the prāna flow. Considerations and tools for the mūlādhāra include: Reversing the apāna flow to allow kuṇḍalinī to move upward through proper use of Mūlabandha. Destroying /releasing kuṇḍalinī so prāna can flow into the suśumṇa. Awareness of the location of each cakra, and in the case the grounded foundation of the mūlādhāra. This can be enhanced with visualization, dṛṣṭi and prānāyāma practices. Integration and practice of mūlabandha. A basic practice can be focusing on the perineal point, slowly engage the muscles as if moving up the floors of an elevator, then consciously releasing as the elevator descends. Nāsikāgraha dṛṣṭi. Focus on the tip the nose, home of the tanmātra. Build up to gazing for five minutes. Mahamudrā, Mahabheda, Mahabandha series with inner focus of the prāna flow from the mūlādhāra to the bindu, integrated with prānāyāma. Become aware of the vṛtti arising from the petal manifestations. Planet: Earth representing the plane of form and matter. Solid and stable force. Incense: Cedar Metal: Lead Gemstone: Coral, Garnet, Ruby, and Lodestone Foods: Foods that ground, warming foods and many are slightly rajas. Proteins - eggs, meats, beans, tofu, etc. Vegetables, especially root – carrots, parsnips, radishes, Red foods – apples, radishes Spices - garlic (rajas), horseradish, chives, pepper Gonads Location and description: The male gonads are the testes, an oval organ, are responsible for the production of the spermatozoa. The ovaries are the primary sex organ of the female that produce the ova and the hormones of estrogen and progesterone. The gonads in male and female start with same anatomical structure in the fetus. Once differentiated, they follow separate paths of development. Hormones released and function: The ovaries, in females, produce ovum and the testes, in males, produce sperms plus the respective hormones to support the functions of developing the sexual characteristics of the individual. Testosterone, in males, promotes the development of muscles for the male shape and size, growth of penis, auxiliary hair, mustache, change in voice, etc. The testes

the gods through body, speech and mind. These disciplines can be offered in a sattva, rajas or tamas form. 17.14 - 19. How you give is impacted by the guṇa. 17.20 - 22. Om Tat Sat means, “Only That Is” referring to the divine presence of guiding all. Kṛṣṇa shares how we can practice this in our deeds. 17.23 - 27. To practice without the good faith is worthless. 17.28. Chapter Eighteen: Freedom and Renunciation Arjuna asks the difference between saṇyāsa (renunciation) and tyāga (relinquishment). 18.1 Kṛṣṇa defines the two words. Saṇyāsa is refrain from selfish acts. Tyāga is to renounce the fruits of action. He says there is discussion among the wise about renunciation and he will give his views. 18.2 - 4 One’s responsibilities, self-sacrifice, giving and discipline should not be renounced and must be done without desire for reward. 18.5 - 7. Renunciation can be governed by the guṇa. 18.8 - 10. Having a body prevents us from total renunciation. We focus on letting go of reward. 18.11 - 12. Five elements effect each accomplishment: body, means, ego, performance of act and divine will. 18.13 - 15. Deluded people think of themselves as individuals. 18.16 . When we are absorbed in God, we are not bound by our actions. 18.17. Knowledge and action can be described according to the guṇa. Kṛṣṇa describes knowledge, work and actions based on the guṇa. 18.18 -28. Kṛṣṇa then describes understanding based on the guṇa. 18.28 - 32. Will and happiness is clarified by guṇa. 18.33 - 39. We all bound by the guṇa. They even manifest in the social order (castes). Kṛṣṇa shares the qualities of the castes influenced by conditioning. 18.40 - 44. We need to follow our own dharma and do our duties. 18.45 - 48. Verse 47: It is better to perform one’s own duties imperfectly than to mater the duties of another. We should free our self from attachments and we will find Brahman. 18.49 - 50. Kṛṣṇa describes the devotee. 18.51 - 57. Kṛṣṇa reminds us it takes discipline to meditate on Him. We must not heed to self will. 18.57 - 58. Delusion can interfere with us following our path. 18.59 - 60. God is in all. If we take refuge, we will have grace. 18.61 - 62 Verse 61 -62: The Lord dwells in the hearts of all creatures and whirls them around upon the wheel of māya. Run to him for refuge with all your strength, and peace profound will be yours through his grace. Kṛṣṇa begins a conclusion. 18.63 - 64. He reminds us to stay aware of Him. 18.65 - 66. He tells us to be cautious about who we share the information. 18.67 - 69. Meditate on the words, worship with devotion and we will be happier. 18.70 - 71. He asks Arjuna to affirm he has heard and Arjuna says, “Yes.” 18.72 - 73. Sañjaya concludes by saying is awe struck and feels blessed to have heard the conversation. He says he will remember Kṛṣṇa’s magnificence and feel joy. 18.74 - 78. Guṇa and a Guide for Life An important component of the last chapters, especially fourteen, seventeen and eighteen is the guidance to practice svādyāya on the way we live our life. The essence of the Gītā is really summarized in the eighteenth pada which calls us to a high level of ownership of our life. Krṣṇa tells us to: Follow your dharma. Love God. The message of the Gītā is simple, yet hard to practice. Tools offered in the Bhagavad Gītā can only be realized through practice.

energy, this mind with they concentration and this soul with they ever new joy. O eternal youth of body and mind, abide in me forever and ever.” The Series: 1. Double Breathing with palms touching – Stand with arms at shoulder height and knees slightly bent. Take a double inhalation. With a double exhale draw the palms to the front, touching the palms, straighten the legs and tense the entire body. 2 and 3. Calf Recharging and Ankle Rotation– Stand on your right leg. Bend the left knee and tense the calf as you draw the heel toward the buttocks. Relax tension at the top. Reengage and straighten the leg. Repeat three times. Rotate ankle three times in one direction and then three times in the other direction. Repeat on the other side. 4. Calf-Forearm/Thigh Upper Arm - Take the left foot forward just a bit, allowing the right leg to bear most of the weight. Tense left calf and forearm. Relax. Then left thigh and upper arm. Repeat for a total of three times. Repeat on the other side. Standing in center, tense both calves and forearms. Relax. Tense both thigh and upper arm. 5. Chest and Buttock Recharging – Tense left buttock and chest muscles. Relax. Repeat on right. Alternate left and right three times. 6. Back Recharging – Tense the lower left back muscles, relax and repeat on right. Alternate three times. Tense middle back (by the shoulder blades) muscles on left, then right. Alternate three times. Tense upper back / shoulder muscles on the left, then right side. Alternate three times. 7. Shoulder Rotation – Let fingers rest on shoulders, elbows to the side. Tense the muscles and rotate arms and shoulders in three circles. forward and three in reverse. 8. Throat Recharging - Tense and relax front of neck three times. Alternate tensing left neck and then right neck. 9. Neck Recharging - Using double breath, exhale, dropping chin towards chest. Double breath inhalation and raise hair line to the sky. 10. Neck Rotation - Create medium tension in the neck muscles and then rotate the head three times in each direction. Repeat with the neck relaxed. 11. Spinal Recharging aka lower back adjustment – Stand with feet apart elbows bent and soft fists positioned at the waist. Twist the upper body in one direction and the hips and lower body in the opposite direction. Briskly move from side to side. 12. Spinal Rotation – Stand with feet apart, hands on hips, bend forward at the waist with soft arched back. Tense the low back. Keep the hips stationary and rotate the trunk in medium circles, three times in each direction. 13. Spinal Stretching – Maintaining stand with feet apart and hands on hips, create tension along the spine. Keep lower body stationary and head in alignment with the spine, bend side to side. Double breath works good with this practice. 14. Spinal Adjustment –Standing in Tāḍāsana, bring the hands to the low back and slightly lean forward. Double breath inhalation and arch back starting with the muscles in the low back lengthening and building the arch in the spine. Perform a double exhalation during the return to the center. Repeat three times. 15. Upper Spinal Twisting – Step feet apart, extend both arms out in front at shoulder height and stabilize the hips. Tense the arms and swing, rotating to one side. Extend the back hand outward and the front arm touches the chest. Alternate sides three times each. 16. Skull Tapping / Memory Exercise – Tap the skull and forehead all over with

is birthed from Kṛṣṇa. 14.3 - 4. The guṇa are born of prakṛti and bind the immortal Self to the body. He defines the guṇa, the characteristics and the results of being dominated by the guṇa. 14.5 - 18. Yet, if we are wise and know the guṇa, see the action of the guṇa, we can move beyond the guṇa and be in union with God. 14.19 - 20. Arjuna asks the characteristics of those who have gone beyond the guṇa and how they got there. 14.21. Kṛṣṇa’s definition can be summed up in the word of equanimity -- all are equal an one becomes undisturbed by actions. 14.22 - 25. We get passed the guṇa by serving Kṛṣṇa/Brahman. 14.24 - 26. Chapter Fifteen: The Supreme Self The āśvattha tree is a fig tree which, like the banyan tree, roots from above the ground and then branches down into the earth. He likens life to the tree. Stretching in many directions, its source is hard to determine. We are asked to cut down the tree with the axe of detachment. 15.1 - 3 Once detaching, seek the true path and go forward. 15.4 - 5. The eternal realm is defined. 15.6. A part of the eternal enters into the world as prakṛti and its manifestations. 15.7 - 9. The deluded do not see the Self within or without. Those with wisdom see Self. 15.10 -11. Kṛṣṇa describes his presence as essence that pervades all. 15.12 - 15. Kṛṣṇa says there are two types of beings and the Supreme Self is beyond these concepts. Kṛṣṇa is that Supreme. 15.16 - 18. If we see the Divine Self, we find our source and worship with devotion. We then attain wisdom. 15.19 - 20. Chapter 16: Two Paths Kṛṣṇa lists the divine traits of man. 16.1 - 3. He acknowledges qualities that are inhuman (demonic). 16.4. Divine qualities lead to freedom and demonic lead to bondage. Kṛṣṇa says he has defined the divine, it is necessary to describe the demonic. 16.5 - 6. He tells the nature of demonic characteristics which bind them into a dark abyss. 16.7 - 18. These people are caught in the cycle of rebirths. 16.19 - 20. The three gates to demonic life are: lust, anger and greed. You can escape or continue to disregard the teachings and continue to miss the goal of life. 16.21 - 23. Kṛṣṇa tells us to use the scriptures to guide us and act accordingly. 16.24. Chapter Seventeen: The Power of Faith Arjuna knows there are those who live from faith and do not follow the scriptures. He asks about their path and which forces motivate them. 17.1 Kṛṣṇa acknowledges all are born with a faith. The faith of each guṇa has a different quality which he describes. 17.2 - 7. He indicates the faith is reflected even the foods one eats. 17.8 - 10. They perform sacrifices based on their guṇa. 17.11 - 13. There are different ways to offer to the gods through body, speech and mind. These disciplines can be offered in a sattva, rajas or tamas form. 17.14 - 19. How you give is impacted by the guṇa. 17.20 - 22. Om Tat Sat means, “Only That Is” referring to the divine presence of guiding all. Kṛṣṇa shares how we can practice this in our deeds. 17.23 - 27. To practice without the good faith is worthless. 17.28. Chapter Eighteen: Freedom and Renunciation Arjuna asks the difference between saṇyāsa (renunciation) and tyāga (relinquishment). 18.1 Kṛṣṇa defines the two words. Saṇyāsa is refrain from selfish acts. Tyāga is to

limitations. Before we can ‘dissolve’ the limited sense of ego, we need to have a strong sense of what ego is. Define ego. Does your ego give you a safe container for life or limit your possibilities? The mind is only the activities that occupy it. Consciousness Awareness is the Spirit or Atman that is not just the body but the embodied spirit Itself. How do you use the words consciousness and mind? What do they mean to you? What are the characteristics of the mind? Are there levels of the mind? What do you mean by 'levels’ and how do they affect your life? What are your experiences and beliefs about telepathy, clairvoyance, inspiration, intuition? Do you bring repetitiveness or mechanicalness into your mind’s activity? If so how? What are your beliefs about a higher self versus a lower self (Self vs self)? What are your experiences that formed or negated such beliefs ? Journal, It can be open journaling, reflecting on an āsana, or response to a yoga practice, etc. Causal Body – Dhyāna Practices Affirming faith. Identify our needs and mannerisms developed / expressed to connect with our purpose, wealth / abundance, pleasures and freedom. Explore death. Become observant of your language and notice if you talk about life “killing me,” “I would die for . . .” Tantric Tools Tantric tools are not done exclusive to a cakra. Tantric tools are used to purify the nadī, move beyond the mahābhūta, balance the prāna in the ida and piṅgala, balance the prānavāyu and integrate the subtle bodies. Yet, each individual area has components where special awareness may support the prāna flow. Considerations and tools for the mūlādhāra include: Reversing the apāna flow to allow kuṇḍalinī to move upward through proper use of Mūlabandha. Destroying /releasing kuṇḍalinī so prāna can flow into the suśumṇa. Awareness of the location of each cakra, and in the case the grounded foundation of the mūlādhāra. This can be enhanced with visualization, dṛṣṭi and prānāyāma practices. Integration and practice of mūlabandha. A basic practice can be focusing on the perineal point, slowly engage the muscles as if moving up the floors of an elevator, then consciously releasing as the elevator descends. Nāsikāgraha dṛṣṭi. Focus on the tip the nose, home of the tanmātra. Build up to gazing for five minutes. Mahamudrā, Mahabheda, Mahabandha series with inner focus of the prāna flow from the mūlādhāra to the bindu, integrated with prānāyāma. Become aware of the vṛtti arising from the petal manifestations. Planet: Earth representing the plane of form and matter. Solid and stable force. Incense: Cedar Metal: Lead Gemstone: Coral, Garnet, Ruby, and Lodestone Foods: Foods that ground, warming foods and many are slightly rajas. Proteins - eggs, meats, beans, tofu, etc. Vegetables, especially root – carrots, parsnips, radishes, Red foods – apples, radishes Spices - garlic (rajas), horseradish, chives, pepper Gonads Location and description: The male gonads are the testes, an oval organ, are responsible for the production of the spermatozoa. The ovaries are the primary sex organ of the female that produce the ova and the hormones of estrogen and progesterone. The gonads in male and female start with same anatomical structure in the fetus. Once differentiated, they follow separate paths of development. Hormones released and function: The ovaries, in females, produce ovum and the testes, in males, produce sperms plus the respective hormones to support the functions of developing the sexual characteristics of the individual. Testosterone, in males, promotes the development of muscles for the male shape and size, growth of penis, auxiliary hair, mustache, change in voice, etc. The testes

eternal enters into the world as Prakṛti and its manifestations. 15.7 - 9. The deluded do not see the Self within or without. Those with wisdom see Self. 15.10 -11. Kṛṣṇa describes his presence as essence that pervades all. 15.12 - 15. Kṛṣṇa says there are two types of beings and the Supreme Self is beyond these concepts. Kṛṣṇa is that Supreme. 15.16 - 18. If we see the Divine Self, we find our source and worship with devotion. We then attain wisdom. 15.19 - 20. Chapter 16: Two Paths Kṛṣṇa lists the divine traits of man. 16.1 - 3. He acknowledges qualities that are inhuman (demonic). 16.4. Divine qualities lead to freedom and demonic lead to bondage. Kṛṣṇa says he has defined the divine, it is necessary to describe the demonic. 16.5 - 6. He tells the nature of demonic characteristics which bind them into a dark abyss. 16.7 - 18. These people are caught in the cycle of rebirths. 16.19 - 20. The three gates to demonic life are: lust, anger and greed. You can escape or continue to disregard the teachings and continue to miss the goal of life. 16.21 - 23. Kṛṣṇa tells us to use the scriptures to guide us and act accordingly. 16.24. Chapter Seventeen: The Power of Faith Arjuna knows there are those who live from faith and do not follow the scriptures. He asks about their path and which forces motivate them. 17.1 Kṛṣṇa acknowledges all are born with a faith. The faith of each guṇa has a different quality which he describes. 17.2 - 7. He indicates the faith is reflected even the foods he eats. 17.8 - 10. They perform sacrifices based on their guṇa. 17.11 - 13. There are different ways to offer to the gods through body, speech and mind. These disciplines can be offered in a sattva, rajas or tamas form. 17.14 - 19. How you give is impacted by the guṇa. 17.20 - 22. Om Tat Sat means, “Only That Is” referring to the divine presence of guiding all. Kṛṣṇa shares how we can practice this in our deeds. 17.23 - 27. To practice without the good faith is worthless. 17.28. Chapter Eighteen: Freedom and Renunciation Arjuna asks the difference between sanyāsa (renunciation) and tyaga (relinquishment). 18.1 Kṛṣṇa defines the two words. Sanyāsa is refrain from selfish acts. Tyaga is to renounce the fruits of action. He says there is discussion among the wise about renunciation and he will give his views. 18.2 - 4 One’s responsibilities, self-sacrifice, giving and discipline should not be renounced and must be done without desire for reward. 18.5 - 7. Renunciation can be governed by the guṇa. 18.8 - 10. Having a body prevents us from total renunciation. We focus on letting go of reward. 18.11 - 12. Five elements effect each accomplishment: body, means, ego, performance of act and divine will. 18.13 - 15. Deluded people think of themselves as individuals. 18.16 . When we are absorbed in God, we are not bound by our actions. 18.17. Knowledge and action can be described according to the guṇa. Kṛṣṇa describes knowledge, work and actions based on the guṇa. 18.18 -28. Kṛṣṇa then describes understanding based on the guṇa. 18.28 - 32. Will and happiness is clarified by guṇa. 18.33 - 39. We all bound by the guṇa. They even manifest in the social order (castes). Kṛṣṇa shares the qualities of the castes influenced by conditioning. 18.40 - 44. We need to follow our own dharma and do our duties. 18.45 - 48. ~Verse 47: It is better to perform one’s

Then the mind stuff is inclined toward discrimination and gravitates towards absoluteness. Sutra 4.27 tacchidresu pratyayantarani samskarebhyah In between, distracting thoughts may arise due to past impressions. Sutra 4.28 hanam esam klesavad uktam They can be removed, as in the case of the obstacles as explained before. Sutra 4.29 prasamkyanepy akusidasya sarvatha vivekakhyater darmamehah samādhih He who, due to his perfect discrimination, is totally disinterested even in the highest rewards remains in constant discriminative discernment which is called dharmamegha samādhi (cloud of dharma). The next sutra in the fourth pada outline the results which include: afflictions, karma, impurities and guṇa cease to exist. Therefore, in our work, the ultimate goal is to first meet the needs of the client, and at the same time, we build to “more than” the physical body. Yoga Sutra and Conflict Resolution Sutra 1.4 - 1.6 and 1.7 - 1.11 Sutra2.2 and 2.3 and 2.4 - 2.9 lots extra on the slides. Fear Questionnaire

limitations. Before we can ‘dissolve’ the limited sense of ego, we need to have a strong sense of what ego is. Define ego. Does your ego give you a safe container for life or limit your possibilities? The mind is only the activities that occupy it. Consciousness Awareness is the Spirit or Atman that is not just the body but the embodied spirit Itself. How do you use the words consciousness and mind? What do they mean to you? What are the characteristics of the mind? Are there levels of the mind? What do you mean by 'levels’ and how do they affect your life? What are your experiences and beliefs about telepathy, clairvoyance, inspiration, intuition? Do you bring repetitiveness or mechanicalness into your mind’s activity? If so how? What are your beliefs about a higher self versus a lower self (Self vs self)? What are your experiences that formed or negated such beliefs ? Journal, It can be open journaling, reflecting on an āsana, or response to a yoga practice, etc. Causal Body – Dhyāna Practices Affirming faith. Identify our needs and mannerisms developed / expressed to connect with our purpose, wealth / abundance, pleasures and freedom. Explore death. Become observant of your language and notice if you talk about life “killing me,” “I would die for . . .” Tantric Tools Tantric tools are not done exclusive to a cakra. Tantric tools are used to purify the nadī, move beyond the mahābhūta, balance the prāna in the ida and piṅgala, balance the prānavāyu and integrate the subtle bodies. Yet, each individual area has components where special awareness may support the prāna flow. Considerations and tools for the mūlādhāra include: Reversing the apāna flow to allow kuṇḍalinī to move upward through proper use of Mūlabandha. Destroying /releasing kuṇḍalinī so prāna can flow into the suśumṇa. Awareness of the location of each cakra, and in the case the grounded foundation of the mūlādhāra. This can be enhanced with visualization, dṛṣṭi and prānāyāma practices. Integration and practice of mūlabandha. A basic practice can be focusing on the perineal point, slowly engage the muscles as if moving up the floors of an elevator, then consciously releasing as the elevator descends. Nāsikāgraha dṛṣṭi. Focus on the tip the nose, home of the tanmātra. Build up to gazing for five minutes. Mahamudrā, Mahabheda, Mahabandha series with inner focus of the prāna flow from the mūlādhāra to the bindu, integrated with prānāyāma. Become aware of the vṛtti arising from the petal manifestations. Planet: Earth representing the plane of form and matter. Solid and stable force. Incense: Cedar Metal: Lead Gemstone: Coral, Garnet, Ruby, and Lodestone Foods: Foods that ground, warming foods and many are slightly rajas. Proteins - eggs, meats, beans, tofu, etc. Vegetables, especially root – carrots, parsnips, radishes, Red foods – apples, radishes Spices - garlic (rajas), horseradish, chives, pepper Gonads Location and description: The male gonads are the testes, an oval organ, are responsible for the production of the spermatozoa. The ovaries are the primary sex organ of the female that produce the ova and the hormones of estrogen and progesterone. The gonads in male and female start with same anatomical structure in the fetus. Once differentiated, they follow separate paths of development. Hormones released and function: The ovaries, in females, produce ovum and the testes, in males, produce sperms plus the respective hormones to support the functions of developing the sexual characteristics of the individual. Testosterone, in males, promotes the development of muscles for the male shape and size, growth of penis, auxiliary hair, mustache, change in voice, etc. The testes

the gods through body, speech and mind. These disciplines can be offered in a sattva, rajas or tamas form. 17.14 - 19. How you give is impacted by the guṇa. 17.20 - 22. Om Tat Sat means, “Only That Is” referring to the divine presence of guiding all. Kṛṣṇa shares how we can practice this in our deeds. 17.23 - 27. To practice without the good faith is worthless. 17.28. Chapter Eighteen: Freedom and Renunciation Arjuna asks the difference between saṇyāsa (renunciation) and tyāga (relinquishment). 18.1 Kṛṣṇa defines the two words. Saṇyāsa is refrain from selfish acts. Tyāga is to renounce the fruits of action. He says there is discussion among the wise about renunciation and he will give his views. 18.2 - 4 One’s responsibilities, self-sacrifice, giving and discipline should not be renounced and must be done without desire for reward. 18.5 - 7. Renunciation can be governed by the guṇa. 18.8 - 10. Having a body prevents us from total renunciation. We focus on letting go of reward. 18.11 - 12. Five elements effect each accomplishment: body, means, ego, performance of act and divine will. 18.13 - 15. Deluded people think of themselves as individuals. 18.16 . When we are absorbed in God, we are not bound by our actions. 18.17. Knowledge and action can be described according to the guṇa. Kṛṣṇa describes knowledge, work and actions based on the guṇa. 18.18 -28. Kṛṣṇa then describes understanding based on the guṇa. 18.28 - 32. Will and happiness is clarified by guṇa. 18.33 - 39. We all bound by the guṇa. They even manifest in the social order (castes). Kṛṣṇa shares the qualities of the castes influenced by conditioning. 18.40 - 44. We need to follow our own dharma and do our duties. 18.45 - 48. Verse 47: It is better to perform one’s own duties imperfectly than to mater the duties of another. We should free our self from attachments and we will find Brahman. 18.49 - 50. Kṛṣṇa describes the devotee. 18.51 - 57. Kṛṣṇa reminds us it takes discipline to meditate on Him. We must not heed to self will. 18.57 - 58. Delusion can interfere with us following our path. 18.59 - 60. God is in all. If we take refuge, we will have grace. 18.61 - 62 Verse 61 -62: The Lord dwells in the hearts of all creatures and whirls them around upon the wheel of māya. Run to him for refuge with all your strength, and peace profound will be yours through his grace. Kṛṣṇa begins a conclusion. 18.63 - 64. He reminds us to stay aware of Him. 18.65 - 66. He tells us to be cautious about who we share the information. 18.67 - 69. Meditate on the words, worship with devotion and we will be happier. 18.70 - 71. He asks Arjuna to affirm he has heard and Arjuna says, “Yes.” 18.72 - 73. Sañjaya concludes by saying is awe struck and feels blessed to have heard the conversation. He says he will remember Kṛṣṇa’s magnificence and feel joy. 18.74 - 78. Guṇa and a Guide for Life An important component of the last chapters, especially fourteen, seventeen and eighteen is the guidance to practice svādyāya on the way we live our life. The essence of the Gītā is really summarized in the eighteenth pada which calls us to a high level of ownership of our life. Krṣṇa tells us to: Follow your dharma. Love God. The message of the Gītā is simple, yet hard to practice. Tools offered in the Bhagavad Gītā can only be realized through practice.

energy, this mind with they concentration and this soul with they ever new joy. O eternal youth of body and mind, abide in me forever and ever.” The Series: 1. Double Breathing with palms touching – Stand with arms at shoulder height and knees slightly bent. Take a double inhalation. With a double exhale draw the palms to the front, touching the palms, straighten the legs and tense the entire body. 2 and 3. Calf Recharging and Ankle Rotation– Stand on your right leg. Bend the left knee and tense the calf as you draw the heel toward the buttocks. Relax tension at the top. Reengage and straighten the leg. Repeat three times. Rotate ankle three times in one direction and then three times in the other direction. Repeat on the other side. 4. Calf-Forearm/Thigh Upper Arm - Take the left foot forward just a bit, allowing the right leg to bear most of the weight. Tense left calf and forearm. Relax. Then left thigh and upper arm. Repeat for a total of three times. Repeat on the other side. Standing in center, tense both calves and forearms. Relax. Tense both thigh and upper arm. 5. Chest and Buttock Recharging – Tense left buttock and chest muscles. Relax. Repeat on right. Alternate left and right three times. 6. Back Recharging – Tense the lower left back muscles, relax and repeat on right. Alternate three times. Tense middle back (by the shoulder blades) muscles on left, then right. Alternate three times. Tense upper back / shoulder muscles on the left, then right side. Alternate three times. 7. Shoulder Rotation – Let fingers rest on shoulders, elbows to the side. Tense the muscles and rotate arms and shoulders in three circles. forward and three in reverse. 8. Throat Recharging - Tense and relax front of neck three times. Alternate tensing left neck and then right neck. 9. Neck Recharging - Using double breath, exhale, dropping chin towards chest. Double breath inhalation and raise hair line to the sky. 10. Neck Rotation - Create medium tension in the neck muscles and then rotate the head three times in each direction. Repeat with the neck relaxed. 11. Spinal Recharging aka lower back adjustment – Stand with feet apart elbows bent and soft fists positioned at the waist. Twist the upper body in one direction and the hips and lower body in the opposite direction. Briskly move from side to side. 12. Spinal Rotation – Stand with feet apart, hands on hips, bend forward at the waist with soft arched back. Tense the low back. Keep the hips stationary and rotate the trunk in medium circles, three times in each direction. 13. Spinal Stretching – Maintaining stand with feet apart and hands on hips, create tension along the spine. Keep lower body stationary and head in alignment with the spine, bend side to side. Double breath works good with this practice. 14. Spinal Adjustment –Standing in Tāḍāsana, bring the hands to the low back and slightly lean forward. Double breath inhalation and arch back starting with the muscles in the low back lengthening and building the arch in the spine. Perform a double exhalation during the return to the center. Repeat three times. 15. Upper Spinal Twisting – Step feet apart, extend both arms out in front at shoulder height and stabilize the hips. Tense the arms and swing, rotating to one side. Extend the back hand outward and the front arm touches the chest. Alternate sides three times each. 16. Skull Tapping / Memory Exercise – Tap the skull and forehead all over with

opens the sixth sense of the wearer, it provides protection from all tribulations, accidents and untimely death. This auspicious bead is recommend for those who always care about their health. Wearer gain health, wealth and success in business and profession too. The fourteen-faced Rudrākṣai of the form of Śṛi Kantha. Its lord is Hanumana .Wearing it begets strength and vigor. According to scriptures, it symbolizes fourteen educations. fourteen worlds. fourteen Manus, and fourteen Indra. It is believed to be capable of literate thought process in the Vedas and philosophy. Fourteen Mukha Rudrākṣa is found most rarely and it pleases Lord Śiva to give the wearer His company. It is the most precious divine thing Deva Mani. It awakens the sixth sense organ by which the wearer foresees the future happenings. Its wearer never fails in his decisions. Its wearer gets rid of all the calamities, miseries, worries. It provides the wearer safety and riches. It is a very powerful antidote for Saturn miseries and provides miraculous cures to several ailments. It is recommended to be worn on chest as a necklace, on forehead on third eye region or on right arm. It helps in achieving moksha (salvation) from the world which is the essence of human life. The wearer of fourteen mukha rudrākṣa becomes divine and becomes dear to Lord Śiva. Fifteen Mukha Rudrākṣa Fifteen Mukha Rudrākṣa It resembles the fourteen mukha in nature. It is all the more rare bead. The thoughts gets easily channelized. The concentration power increases to three-fold due to its power. The Fifteen Mukha is a very rare rudrākṣa. This represents Lord Pashupati and is specially beneficial for economic progress. Its possessor is neither bereft of wealth nor inflicted by any kinds of skin diseases. This Rudrākṣa is a Highly Auspicious Rudrākṣa that influences the gaining of Mukta from Paāha and helps to prevent the loss of attainment of mokṣa in this lifetime. This Rudrākṣa also pacifies emotional disturbance in the mind caused by the limitations caused by Paasha or bondage. The Lord Pashupati Rudrākṣa supports the Spiritual Path to mokṣa in this physical lifetime and enhances Rudra Consciousness that is an aspect of Consciousness based in the process of actively destroying ignorance, suffering and pain that is produced by bondage and or attachment. Sixteen Mukha Rudrākṣa Sixteen Mukha Rudrākṣa One attains Siddhi by wearing this mukha. It makes his task easier in his quest for aiming success and transform into a powerful person. It helps him to achieve all possible comforts and liberates him from all the sins. Sixteen mukha rudrākṣa is Mahāmṛtyuñjaya form of Lord Śiva. This rudrākṣa is form of Mahakali. The wearer becomes fearless and gets victory against the most fearsome of diseases and adverse circumstances. A home in which this rudrākṣa is kept is free from thefts ,fire and accidents. It protects from physical illness due to placement of planets. If one has fear of loss of a loved one or fear of loss of name and fame or loss of faith in oneself or fear of death, then one should wear the ṛtyuñjaya rudrākṣa which is 16 mukha. Mahakali is fearsome form of Lord Śiva which He assumed when Sati burned herself in fire. Even Yama the Lord of Death turns back from the wearer of this rudrākṣa. Seventeen Mukha Rudrākṣa Seventeen Mukha Rudrākṣa. This bead is dedicated to Goddess Sīta and the wearer must remember this. Moksha is easily attainable and so is success. He is successful in getting all the comforts and happiness of life, thus, ridding himself from all sins. One even has the chances of

Stamina Posture Coordination Gait Agility Vata and the Māṁsa Dhātu Muscle tone is defined as sustained state of contraction. This tone is maintained by vata doṣa. The prāna vāyu and Apāna vāyu work together to maintain muscle tone. The pathology of muscle tone is: Increased muscle tone results in muscle rigidity Rigidity due to hypertonia effects upper motor neuron problem (paralysis), a prāna disorder. Decreased muscle tone causes muscle flaccidity. Flaccidity causes lower motor neuron problem such as paralysis and spinal injury. These are and apāna disorder Increase in the vata doṣa is responsible for emaciation, generalized muscle weakness or localized muscle wasting (atrophy). Symptoms can be muscle spasm, tremors, twitching, rigidity or flaccidity, minimal tissue, means lean musculature, showing prominent joints, thin skin and ligaments. Pitta and the Māṁsa Dhātu Healthy pitta doṣa provides proper function. There will be minimal to moderate tissue, medium sized muscles and thickness of skin and ligaments. Kapha and the Māṁsa Dhātu Healthy kapha doṣa provides proper structure for the muscles, ligaments and skin. Excess body tissue, can appear due to alignment and use of the body building tissue where our actions, mobility need the tissues. In the bones, blastocysts build extra bone tissue to support the bone structure based on body alignment, . The excess tissue may be very sturdy bones, joints. Body tissue may build thick skin and ligaments. Yoga Yoga Research on Yoga for the Muscular Skeletal Health The research was originally published in the book "Backache Relief" by Arthur Klein and Dava Sobel. Published in 1985. The survey asked 492 respondents who had been treated for backache to evaluate their practitioners based on the extent of the relief they experienced following their treatment. Yoga instructor fared best, with 96 percent of the respondents experiencing moderate-to-dramatic long-term relief from back pain after practicing the yoga positions they had been taught. Here is the breakdown: Practitioner long-term relief short-term yoga 96% 4% Psychiatrists 86% 0% Physical therapists 65% 8% Acupuncturist 36% 32% Chiropractors 28% 28% Osteopathic physicians 28% 15% Neurosurgeons 26% 8% Orthopedists 23% 9% Family practitioners 20% 14% Massage therapists 10% 63% Neurologists 4% 4% Surgeries complicate studies and it would be interesting to know if any of the respondents had undergone back surgery. Nevertheless, this study does much to affirm the long-term benefits of yoga. You will have to get the actual study to know what they mean by long-term. More research has happened since then, all verifying the efficacy of yoga’s influence on the therapeutic application of yoga therapy. Yoga Awareness - General Musculoskeletal Overview : Annamayākośa Muscles do not move themselves. They need a stimuli to create movement. Anatomically, the movement is initiated in the neural system, a vata doṣa, governed by prāna, our life force and cellular intelligence. Without movement, muscles can atrophy or lose range of motion through accident, trauma (emotional and physical), and lack of use amongst other causes. Muscle health is a major aspect of yogāsana. Yogāsana, done properly, builds core muscle strength, works intrinsic muscles, lengthens muscles, tones them and assists with circulation to feed the muscles.. A balanced practice works most muscles, every class should work all muscles regularly. Frequently, asymmetrical muscle groups do not move in a balanced way. Yoga assists in balancing, toning and strengthening muscles. A balance is created with movement: one muscle group contracts and the opposing muscles relax and lengthen. Active contraction and passive lengthening tone, stimulate muscle fiber and leads to a balance in mobility and flexibility. It is a similar balance required in life to balance activity with rest and right effort with the release

can have different manifestations based on the condition of the muscle. More common definitions of muscle tone and reactions are listed below. Hypotonic condition is when the muscle tone is inadequate. Muscles become lax, weak and can influence disorders such as low blood pressure, drowsiness, obesity etc. Hypertonic condition is when muscle tone is above optimal level. Muscles are more rigid potentially resulting in high blood pressure, insomnia, tremors etc. Stretch reflex happens when a muscle is stretched beyond its limit, creating a contraction reflex. A knee jerk is one example of a stretch reflex. In yoga classes, if we see a person over stretching, the stretched muscle sends a message to the nerve receptors in the spinal cord and a return message brings contraction of the muscle, either in the form of cramp, pain or a tear. The tendon assists in preventing muscle damage. A knob in the tendon has special sensory endings. When stretching results in muscle contraction, the tension in the tendon is increased and it may be ruptured or torn. Isometric contraction is when a muscle cannot shorten and tension is increased in the muscle. Length is not affected. Isometric contraction increases heart rate and blood pressure. It helps us maintain a steady posture and increases our strength. Isotonic contraction is a contracting muscle which shortens, reducing tension and length of muscle. Isotonic contractions and are experienced in warm ups and heat is produced from the action. Stamina and endurance are developed. Muscles require oxygen to function. Oxygen debt is when a muscle does not receive an adequate amount of oxygen. Muscular fatigue develops if there is not enough 02 and accumulated lactic acid and CO2. The circulatory cycle is: The amount of oxygen received by the muscle can be affected by emotions and stress. Stress can make muscles stay in a contracted state, limiting the flow of oxygen into the muscle fibers. Emotions affect the tone of muscles in other ways also. A confident person will often extend, a depressed person will sit in a depressed position. Names of muscles are derived from:: Shape - deltoid, trapezius Action - flexor, extensor Location - tibialis anterior, intercostals Attachments - sternocleidomastoid muscles otherwise known as the SCM Number of divisions - biceps brachii, triceps brachii Size relationship - gluteus maximus, medius and minimus The terms brevis = short and longus = long are often in a muscle name. The following pages are break down of basic muscle groups for reference. Muscles of the face and neck above. Muscles of throat and agglutination below. Muscles of the shoulder girdle Superficial Muscles The scapular is a complex, often misunderstood area. Muscles on the scapular are responsible for lifting the arm! The intrinsic muscles on the scapular are pictured. Externally, the trapezius would overlay these internal muscles. You will observe this on the next page. Muscles of the posterior torso In the above diagram you see the four layers of abdominal muscles. Below these layers are smaller muscle which lie in between the ribs called the intercostal muscles. The anterior muscles of the thigh. The most important muscle, in my opinion is the psoas muscle. It extends from the 12th vertebrae to the femur. The muscles effects the alignment of the lumbar spine and hip, the range of motion for lateral and forward extensions and can greatly influence the breath. Specific attachments of the psoas and the related iliacus muscle. The psoas in relationship to the spine. Posterior gluteal muscles and extrinsic superior thigh muscles. Intrinsic gluteal muscles Lateral Muscles of the lower leg Muscles: back of the leg. Short

of fibrous tissue which attach muscle to bone. They do not have the flexibility of muscles. Muscles are a major part of the body, constituting one half of total body weight. They have many different forms and functions. The major functions include: Locomotion and movement. Posture and maintenance. Assistance in blood circulation, Respiration. Protection and support for the viscera. Production of strength. Assistance in digestion. Defecation and urination. Assists in childbirth. Muscle health is a major aspect of yogāsana. Yogāsana, done properly, builds core muscle strength and focuses works on intrinsic muscles. A balanced practice works most muscles every class and should work all muscles regularly. Āsana lengthens muscles, tones them and assists with circulation to feed the muscles. Muscles can atrophy or lose range of motion through accident, trauma (emotional and physical), and lack of use amongst other causes. Muscles begin to atrophy within 24 - 36 hours of non-use. Frequently, asymmetrical muscle groups do not move in a balanced way. Yoga assists in balancing, toning and strengthening muscles. Prāṇāyāma practices support the oxygen content in the blood, which feed muscle tissue. The sister science of Āyurveda teaches proper diet and lifestyle and assist in maintaining nutrition to muscle fiber. The variation of muscle duties require different shapes and forms for the muscles. There are three types of muscles tissue: skeletal, smooth (attached to organs), cardiac. Skeletal muscles move the joints. Movements are flexion, extension, abduction, adduction and rotation. Arrangement of fibers determines the shape and effects the function of muscle. Cardiac muscle is an involuntary muscle. It is only the heart muscle. Smooth muscle tissue is also called visceral muscle tissue. It is involuntary tissue, forming the walls of organs such as stomach and intestines. It contracts and relaxes slowly and it can remain contracted for a long time. (Unlike skeletal and cardiac muscle.) Muscles work because of a chemical reaction. The function of contraction occurs when a stimuli is received from nerve impulses in the cerebral cortex triggering a chemical reaction causing the contraction. Muscles relax when the chemical reaction and stimuli are no longer present. The picture depicts the message from the spinal cord, moving through the anterior nerve complex to the muscle. A return path exists on the posterior root. The action of a muscle can be voluntary or involuntary depending on nerve impulses. Muscles such as ones for posture are controlled by portion of nervous system called the somatic nervous system (neuromuscular programming) and are controlled by voluntary messages from the brain. Involuntary muscular action is not under mental control and is governed by automatic nervous system and represented by the cardiac and visceral muscles. Muscles never completely relax. Muscle tone is the degree of minimum contraction present in the muscle at rest. Muscle tone effects circulation. As the muscle group contracts, it creates a pump action on blood circulation. Posture is determined by muscle tone. The neural messages send messages to the brain to create stability and balance. The stimulation of a muscle can have different manifestations based on the condition of the muscle. More common definitions of muscle tone and reactions are listed below. Hypotonic condition is when the muscle tone is inadequate. Muscles become lax, weak and can influence disorders such as low blood pressure, drowsiness, obesity etc. Hypertonic condition is when muscle tone is above optimal level. Muscles are more rigid potentially resulting in high blood pressure, insomnia, tremors etc. Stretch reflex happens when a muscle is stretched beyond its limit, creating a contraction reflex. A knee jerk is one example of a stretch reflex. In yoga classes, if we

in the muscle. Length is not affected. Isometric contraction increases heart rate and blood pressure. It helps us maintain a steady posture and increases our strength. Isometric muscle contractions don’t involve movement. It occurs when the muscles push against a fixed resistance and no joint or body movement occurs. Isotonic contraction is a contracting muscle which shortens, reducing tension and length of muscle. Isotonic contractions are experienced in warm ups and heat is produced from the action. Stamina and endurance are developed. Muscles require oxygen to function. Oxygen debt is when a muscle does not receive an adequate amount of oxygen. Muscular fatigue develops if there is not enough 02 and accumulated lactic acid and CO2. The circulatory cycle is roughly summarized in the picture to the left. fully. The amount of oxygen received by the muscle can be effected by emotions and stress. Stress can make muscles stay in a contracted state, limiting the flow of oxygen into the muscle fibers. Emotions effect the tone of muscles in other ways also. A confident person will often extend, a depressed person will sit in a depressed position. Major muscles you should know: Āyurveda Āyurveda Perspective of the Skeletal System We talk about the seven tissues (dhātu) in Āyurveda, and asthi dhātu, the bone tissue, is the fifth dhātu followed by majjā dhātu, the bone marrow (and nervous system) and sixth tissue. The periosteum (asthidhārā kala) is considered the ‘covering’ of the bones in Āyurveda and is very rich in lymphoid tissue. It is said that the bone tissue is the densest tissue in the body. Density is a quality of the Earth element and Earth is rich in mineral salts, iron, copper, zinc and others. It is said that Earth makes 80%, Air 15% and Water 5% of the whole bone structure. Functions of asthi dhātu: Provides internal support, it gives shape, protects delicate vital organs. Creates cavities (by providing walls it creates room). Is an excretory tissue: molecules of toxic heavy metals (arsenic, mercury, lead) are retained in the bone tissue and the body tries to get rid of them through nails and hair. Indirectly maintains electrolyte balance (through molecules of calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium). Conducts sound waves to aid in hearing . Due to the involvement of the thyroid and parathyroid gland in the mineral metabolism there is a strong connection with asthi dhātu. Byproducts of asthi dhātu: Each dhātu produces byproducts and ‘waste’ materials. The upadhātu or superior byproduct are the teeth. The mala or inferior byproduct are hair and nails. So knowing this we pay attention to the density of hair or quality of nails, which gives us information about the health of the asthi dhātu. The seven dhātu are nourished from the top down, which means the food we take in nourishes the first dhātu (rasa), the first dhātu nourishes the second dhātu, rakta dhātu, the second dhātu provides nourishment to the third dhātu, the māṁsa dhātu, meda dhātu, the fourth dhātu, nourishes asthi dhātu, and so forth. Each dhātu needs to be healthy and have strong agni in order to provide good quality nourishment to the following dhātu. There is an immature form of each dhātu and a mature form which is produced by healthy dhātu agni, its unique digestive fire. It takes twenty-five days for the mature asthi dhātu to form, therefore it takes at least twenty-five days for a broken bone to heal. Like Āyurveda teachers say, asthi dhātu is a crystallization of consciousness. Within our bones we carry the seeds of the desires of our past lives. Severe bone disorders

māṁsa dhātu. Kapha is represented by earth tattva, the bulky structure of muscle, the muscle tissue. Fire, the pitta component is the metabolic process necessary for muscle movements Vata’s air inspires and initiates the motion. Muscle is the māṁsa dhātu. Composed of earth and water molecules, they are kapha and account for 40% of body weight. The related upadhātu is the ligaments and the skin. If the māṁsa dhātu is increased by volume but reduced by quality, the muscles may be large and bulky. Increased māṁsa hypertrophy, or the opposite, muscular weakness as seen in myasthenia. Muscle weakness, atrophy or a sunken emaciated appearance can be a sign of decreased māṁsa. If a person’s liver is weak, the māṁsa dhātu will also be weak. Flow of awareness and emotions such as fear, anxiety, sadness and anger may accompany stiff muscles. Sesame oil may help to release emotions by stimulating certain neurotransmitters. The tonsils regulate the immunity of the māṁsa dhātu, in particular they strengthen immunity of the smooth muscles like stomach, pancreas, etc. Related consideration of tonsils and the māṁsa dhātu include: An increased māṁsa dhātu may cause repeated tonsillitis. Tonsillitis may also affect the skeletal muscle, leading to muscular rheumatism and arthritis. Chronic tonsillitis may cause myocarditis as a complication. When the tonsils are removed, the thymus regulates immunity. If one has low māṁsa dhātu agni, the resulting mala is profuse accumulation of ear wax, nasal crust or smegma. Māṁsa is affected by kapha provoking food such as cheese, yogurt, milk, meat and heavy meals. It can be made worse by insufficient eating. Diseases can affect the dhātu which may be indicated be twitching, spasms, rigidity, stiffness, muscle aches and pains or paralysis. Māṁsa dhātu can also be affected by the following disease: typhoid tuberculosis cirrhosis of the liver trauma accidents neuromuscular disorders Māṁsa dhātu and Emotional Well Being Healthy māṁsa dhātu shows as ambition, competition, confidence, courage and determination. It is connected to responsibility (especially muscles of the shoulder – Trapezius) Skin is a byproduct of māṁsa dhātu, when a muscle is stressed, the face and skin are wrinkled. When a muscle is rigid, the flow of awareness is blocked. Emotions, like fear, anxiety, grief, sadness, and anger (in form of neurotransmitters) become stuck in the muscle and create a neuromuscular block. Māṁsa Vaha Srota (Muscle Channel) governs: The main function is the movement of the body. Expression of thoughts, feelings and emotions is done through movement of facial and other muscles Production and governing of body heat. The formation of the organ walls and bodily cavities. Circulation and respiration via the heart muscle and intercostal muscle. Healthy muscle tissue is a symbol of well-being, power, prestige, position, confidence and courage. Māṁsa vaha srota is governed by: Prāna, udāna, samāna, apāna and vyāna vāyu. Sādhaka and bhrājaka pitta. Tarpaka, kledaka and avalambaka kapha. Assessment of Māṁsa Vaha Śrota: Muscle tone and power Skin (tvag) Fascia and small tendons (snāyu) Nasal crust, ear wax, sebaceous secretions, smegma (khamala) Strength Stamina Posture Coordination Gait Agility Vata and the Māṁsa Dhātu Muscle tone is defined as sustained state of contraction. This tone is maintained by vata doṣa. The prāna vāyu and Apāna vāyu work together to maintain muscle tone. The pathology of muscle tone is: Increased muscle tone results in muscle rigidity Rigidity due to hypertonia effects upper motor neuron problem (paralysis), a prāna disorder. Decreased muscle tone causes muscle flaccidity. Flaccidity causes lower motor neuron problem such as paralysis and spinal injury. These are and apāna disorder Increase in the vata doṣa is responsible for emaciation, generalized muscle weakness or

Alignment Standing depends on spine, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Standing erect gracefully and effortlessly is a conscious act. How you stand will tell a lot about you. It indicates the strength of the legs, balance of the hips, alignment of the spine, mobility of the shoulder girdle and placement of the cervical spine and head. Balance, strength and alignment are the keys for all postures. Improper alignment in a posture can cause imbalance or damage to the musculoskeletal system. Another group of muscles will compensate for the improper alignment, expanding the “problem” to another part of the body. Proper alignment is essential to maintain equilibrium in standing āsana and it takes muscular strength to remain in a standing posture. Focus, an aspect of pitta, is necessary to balance. Standing postures become a tool for practicing focus. Gazing at an object while maintaining a balance posture assists in the development of concentration, not just balance. Arms The shoulder girdle has many muscles effecting both the front and back of the body and the range of motion for the arms. Tension in the shoulder and neck region effects the mobility of the arms. Releasing the shoulder girdle becomes an integrated task. First we must isolate the shoulder girdle from the torso and cervical muscles. We do this by opening the chest with back bends, isolating the shoulder muscle movement without using the cervical and torso muscles through work with lateral movements and series of arm movements. The lower arm, associated with carpal tunnel, is stretched in many yoga postures and slow steady relief can be found with consistent yoga therapy. Spinal Muscles The human body is erect because of the spinal muscles. They allow elongation, back bending, forward bending, lateral movement and twists. Flexibility of the back and the opening of the rib cage needs to include movement in all muscles in the back, sides and front. Using all the torso muscles tones the synergistic and antagonistic muscles. Therefore, the thoracic movement is emphasized in yoga movements. Be observant of students who may use the joints to do the thoracic and back movements. Forward Bends Forward extensions open the spine starting from the sacrum, through the lumbar, thoracic and finally cervical muscles. Forward bends massage the internal organs and stretch the hamstrings. They stimulate the parasympathetic nerve system creating a calming and cooling effect on the body. Back Bends Many people depend on the low back and the neck to accomplish back bends. The whole thoracic region must be included in a back bend. The chest, ribs and shoulder girdle open and the lumbar and cervical spine are protected from proper elongation of the spine. Back bends are strenuous, stimulate the nervous system and energize the body. Back bends include a stretch of the quadriceps, a psoas stretch, a release of the hip muscles and then the elongation the lumbar spine. Back bends stimulate the kidneys, adrenals and digestive organs. Expansion of the chest enhances chest breathing and opens the intercostal muscles, allowing a greater opening of the spinal vertebrae. Lateral Āsana We encourage students to work towards opening the spine and deepening the breath. The small intercostal muscles between the ribs can continue to prevent full flexibility. Lateral postures open up the lateral rib cage and muscle of the lower thoracic region. The cervical muscles are integrated into a lateral āsana. Neck The carriage of the neck, too far forward or back, affects the whole body alignment. Tightening in any one area can affect the whole spine, and it is the neck that we most frequently forget to include in our

can make up their "posture" or words based on what they see. Bring in color cards and have them call out colors. Give them simple chants, and build them word by word. Play word games. Have them blow pinwheels. If you discover a hidden talent, see if there is a way to incorporate it into a class. Allow time to talk about childhood memories. Integrate the care giver(s) into the work you are doing! If you are working independently, and with permission, do a śirodhara treatment or encourage the family to arrange for them to have a treatment. MusculoSkeletal: Postural Deviations Hyper lordosis, hyper kyphosis and scoliosis affect Seniors . A lifetime of gravity greatly affects the spine. Use of the spine affects the strength of the muscles. Sitting in chairs without good spine support adds to the problem. Pressure of the compromised posture can also affect the functioning of the organs, especially the movement of the diaphragm and the digestive system. Some musculoskeletal conditions may have a long history. They are old injuries that were not addressed, never healed, or developed through compensation for a previous accident or injury. As the student ages, the bone density and muscle integrity shift and the postural alignment may become more compromising to health. Another postural compromise that can be exaggerated with age is "sitting positions" from life work. If someone has set at a computer and the right arm has extended to the side to old the mouse, the person may have a slight torque to their body. A driver may leaned into the arm rest shortening one side of the spine in comparison to the other side. And, don’t forget the impact of bucket seats and lazy-boy-type chairs, Etc. These deviations may become more prominent in aging. The impact can be impacted by osteoporosis or osteopenia and disc degeneration.Addressing posture deviations can be beneficial as the alignment will eventually compromise the functioning of organs or affect spinal disc and vertebrae integrity. Nervous system messages are sent through the spinal column. If the spine develops compressed discs or vertebrae, messages may not be clear or the pathway or nerve messages may be compromised. This can result in lack of clarity about body movements. Add to this lack of muscle integrity, a person may begin to shuffle their feet or loose the sense of balance. Yoga is a beneficial support through simple movements which innervate, massage and align the spine and related spinal muscles. Spinal lengthening should be the focus. Teaching students to be aware of the left right side of the body so they can find ways to self adjust. Note: as senior age, they may develop a tendency to lean towards one side which leads to hyper kyphosis, lordosis and scoliosis. Gentle back bends can minimize or reduce the progression of kyphosis. The open of the heart movements can open underneath the clavicles which is beneficial for chest expansion. Forward bends can elongate the lumbar area even then they may only move to having hands on thighs, shins, a block or a chair in the cases of having osteoporosis in the pelvis. Laterals open the rib cage and asymmetrically work the spine. Laterals are especially beneficial for scoliosis. Twists are a great tool to loosen up the spine and strengthen the obliques to support posture. We can support the client in learning to sit properly or use cushions to help with alignment. Pay attention to proper alignment to avoid further strain or injury. Modify — watch, listen and adapt. Sometimes their fear is holding them more than Yoga Tools Move the

Start in a comfortable seated position with both legs extended in front of you. Ground your sitz bones into the earth. You may want to explore this foundation by rocking from side to side and pulling the flesh from underneath the sitz bones. Ultimately, find a neutral position allowing your weight to be equal on both sitz bones. Relax your arms beside the body allowing your hands to rest on the floor next to your thighs. Press the palms of your hands into the ground helping to create space between each vertebrae as the crown of the head presses upward. Note: The fingers pointing forward will engage the erector spinae, the fingers facing back will engage the pectorals, intercostals, and trapezius. You may consciously choose the hand adaptation to enhance the students awareness of their body. Inhale and expand the chest, feeling the fullness and strength of your torso. Exhale, gently press the hands in the ground to support the lengthening your spine, through the back body to the crown of your head. Allow the body to find a ninety degree angle between the legs and the torso. Note: The hands are a passive press and support. The do not “do the posture.” Continue with the breath, expanding the rib cage and then elongating during the exhalation, growing the spaciousness in the spinal column pressing the crown of the head upward. Adaptations: For those with a tight psoas, place a slight rolled up mat or wedge under the sitz bones. People with tight hamstrings may need to place a roll under the knees. The hands, fingers facing forward will engage the erector spinae and strengthen the back muscles. The hands, fingers facing back, will engage the pectorals and sub-clavicular muscles. For the more advanced, the arms may be extended over the head. Anatomical and Physiological awarenesses: A posterior rotated pelvis will restrict the lifting of the spine. Properly adapt the posture to support the flexibility in the hips. An anterior rotated pelvis will need to observe over arching the spine. Fingers pointing forward assists in strengthening the erector spinae. Many students today do not have strong back muscles because of sitting in chairs so frequently. Fingers pointing back work the muscles in the upper thoracic including the sub-clavicular, pectoral and intercostals. Anyone with curvature of the spine, whether it be lordosis, kyphosis or scoliosis will have problems with the āsana. Yet, it is a great pose to assist them in balancing the left and right sides of the spine. Physical Benefits: Strengthens the spine muscles. It is a symmetrical stretch for the spine muscles. Tones abdominal muscles. Opens the chest. Astral Benefits: Builds confidence and supports ones presence in the world. Causal Benefits: Balances the ida and piṅgala allowing prāna to move through the suśumṇa. Engages udāna vāyu. Contraindications: There are no contraindications that I know of for this āsana. Teacher Observation Points: Notice where the spine “surrenders.” Include language to assist engaging the specific section of the spine. Watch for a neutral spine. The tailbone may be rolled under or pushed behind causing too strong of an arch in the lumbar spine. Many people do not have an awareness of their spinal alignment and will have a tendency to arch the lumbar spine. The arms are passive, yet engaged in their support. Notice if a practitioner is holding themselves up with their hands. Head should be neutral, chin parallel to the ground. Hand position changes based on engaging front body muscles or back body muscles. The length of the hamstrings is often considered. In reality, sitting up straight is

palms down at shoulder height. If you want to assist the students in deepening their practice, you can add cues to support engaging the mūlabandha: Stand with the feet parallel, hip bone width apart or narrower. Parallel is based on a line drawn from the index toe to the center point, or soft spot between the muscles at the top of foot/leg junction. Notice if your ankles rotate inward or outward. Lift through the foot and adjust the heel position to "square the ankles." For most people this creates a lift in the arch and inside of the leg. Engage the inner muscles of the leg and continue the lift from the top of the ankles, through the inside leg to the groin, softening the knees along the way and allowing the thighs (quads) to support the upward lift. The hamstrings may experience a downward pull to balance upward pull of the quads. The gluteals will be engaged but do not tighten. Slightly, without a strong engagement of the gluteals, elongate the low back. The lumbar area will elongate, lengthening the low back. At the same time, let the pubic bone reach back to "marry" the tailbone and internally lift the pubic bone to the back of the naval. At this point you should feel a shift in the alignment of the hips without the strong use of musculature. Your torso will kind of "sink in" simultaneously creating a lift out of the pelvic girdle. Continue the elongation through the center of the torso. The lift process may feel kind of like pulling on a tight swim suit. When you reach the chest, soften the ribcage and allow your focus to go inside the chest one inch. Lift at the internal heart space which should coincide with the lift that started at the inside of the heels. This movement allows the internal chest to open without the forward thrust of the ribcage. The ribcage will move with the breath, not the musculature of alignment. Carry the internal core lift through the anterior of the cervical spine to the back of the fontanel. Adaptations: The spinal alignment in this posture is the core structure for all āsana, whether you are seated, prone, kneeling or standing. Allow students to practice in any and all positions. Adjust the arms to accommodate the alignment of the shoulder cuff. The torso alignment can be done in a chair. Stand back to back with a partner or against a wall. See if you can become more familiar with the natural curves of the back, looking for the “neutral spine.” Anatomical and physiology awarenesses: The spine has four natural curves: sacrum/ coccyx, lumbar, upper thoracic and cervical. The goal of tāḍāsana is the find the neutral, natural alignment of the spine. We want to be able to lift out of the spine to create spaciousness for the vertebrae. If one leg is shorter than the other leg, a small towel or block could be put under the foot to allow the person to work with hip and spinal alignment. It is important to check and see if the leg is really short or whether the imbalance originates from uneven psoas length. Observe the lumbar spine for evenness. Scoliosis, kyphosis and lordosis will affect the ability of the person to be “picture perfect.” Working with tāḍāsana is a beginning to create a shift in any of these problems. It is not a cure for any of the problems. High blood pressure may affect persons ability to hold for long periods. Shoulder and clavicular alignment may affect the extension

silent communicator of the Spirit. If we are observant we can begin to interpret our body messages. We can get neurotic about our body messages. Stay neutral. I personally believe you must be available to watch and observe and drop the necessary clues for a person to do their emotional and spiritual work or any form of therapy will not be a life long change. And . . . you are not a psychotherapist. Do not take on a role that is not yours. Be a yoga teacher and guide them to ask for appropriate support. I will be sharing some general, ancient teachings about body reading. Some of them, you will find, make common sense when you utilize your understanding of the subtle bodies from the Yogic tradition. Reading Posture Reading posture is basic visualization. Watch the student or client as they enter the room. How do they carry themselves? The information gathered during this basic observation will be used in all areas of evaluation. What to look for: Check the general expression on the face. Is the head aligned with the spine or extending forward or flexed back? Is the neck open or lifted around the ears? Do the shoulders droop? Evenly? Are the shoulders even in height? Does the chest collapse? Is it thrust forward? From where -- inside or externally? Do the arms extend from the shoulders or roll out or in? Do the elbows and hands hang evenly? Is the breath full? Do the hips tilt? Are the hips even? Are the gluteals held tight? How do the legs hang from the hips? Are the knees rolled in or out? Are the calves firm? How are the ankles? Are the feet in a pronated or supinated position? Is the upper and lower body evenly proportioned? Do the clothes hang evenly on the body? Is the person standing straight or does the person drop to one side? If/when the person sits down; do they sit straight, cross legs, sit to one side? Is there body symmetry? Where is the asymmetry? Is it skeletal or muscular? Is there a cross body asymmetrical alignment? Is there hyper mobility in any joints? Potential Information: Physical The observations made in watching the postures become the clues for skeletal alignment, joint wear and tear, muscle length, strength and use and, as you will see in the next section, pressure on the organs of the body. Here are some general comments. A further evaluation is done based on the information gathered. When I do a reading, unless there is an area of the body that really stands out, I evaluate from the bottom to the top. The foundation of the body is the feet. If the feet are pronated, supinated or flat, the rest of the alignment of the body will need to adapt. Follow the body lines for a moment. Notice the impact of the way the feet are grounded. Ankles will often have a tendency to collapse, reflecting the feet or hip position. This is a clue as to whether to be more concerned about strengthening the feet or looking more towards hip and spinal alignment for therapy. Knees reflect the foot and hip alignment. Look both up and down to observe the inciting area of imbalance. Knees are supported from the quadriceps, hamstrings and adductors wrapping around the joint. Alignment of the knee will give clues to strong and weak thigh muscles which you can address. Angle of the pelvis is a major issue. Both skeletal and muscular evaluation can be made as you evaluate the hips. Here are

Neurotransmitters are involved with the experience of pain as well as with emotions. They are responsible for sending information between nerves about the pain and/or emotions being sensed. The main area of the brain where we form and register emotions is the limbic system—a set of midbrain structures surrounding the thamalus, which is the pain-processing center responsible for filtering and prioritizing all the impulses the brain receives. Pain Experienced as Emotion When I ask patients about their pain, eight out of ten words they use to describe their experience are emotional. The three most frequently used terms are anxiety, fear, and anger, but there’s also depression, helplessness, loss of purpose, frustration, guilt, and shame. Pain is protective, and when we feel pain, we experience a set of aversive emotions so that we attempt to move away from whatever is causing it. That’s how we’re circuited. So it’s logical that we would have an emotional response to pain. “As pain becomes chronic, the sensory components become less important and the emotional and behavioral components tend to take on more importance,” says Jodie Ann Trafton, director of the Veterans Administration Palo Alt Health Care Systems Program Evaluation and Resource center in California. “This is because of learning. Having pain is a strong emotional experience. It will reshape your behavior. It will reshape how you interact with the world. And that in itself means your brain is going to respond differently over time.” Emotions Drive the Experience of Pain Based on studies conducted earlier this year and published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, we now have conclusive evidence that the experience of chronic pain is strongly influenced by emotions. The emotional state of the brain can explain why different individuals do not respond the same way to similar injuries. It was possible to predict with 85 percent accuracy whether an individual (out of a group of forty volunteers who each received four brain scans over the course of one year) would go on to develop chronic pain after an injury, or not. These results echo other data and studies in the psychological and medical literature that confirm that changing one’s attitudes—one’s emotions—toward pain decreases the pain.” Medical Intervention Drugs are often the medical recommendation for pain. The drugs mask the symptom and give the person relief from the pain. This allows them to function in their environment. Unfortunately, most pain medications have unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. They may be addictive or require greater doses over time to mediate the pain. Wikipedia describes the analgesic medications, pain reducing medications, as a group of drugs used to achieve analgesia, relief from pain. Analgesic drugs act in various ways on the peripheral and central nervous systems. They are distinct from anesthetics, which temporarily affect, and in some instances completely eliminate, sensation. The following summary list of analgesics is taken mainly from Wikipedia. Basic Analgesic - Paracetamol, known as acetaminophen, is a medication used to treat pain and fever. It is used for mild to moderate pain. In combination with opioid pain medication, paracetamol is used for more severe pain such as cancer pain and post surgery. Effects last between two and four hours. Nonsteroidal Anti-Infammatory Drugs, NSAIDs - This drug class groups together drugs that provide analgesic, pain-killing, and antipyretic, fever-reducing, effects In and, in higher potencies NSAIDs have an anti-inflammatory effect. The most prominent members of this group of drugs include: aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen, are all available over the counter, OTC, in most countries. COX-2 inhibitors are derived from NSAIDs. Research found two specific enzymes in NSAID work together mediated by blocking

living life fully. Yet, the pain persists, causing more stress. This cycle results in physical symptoms. Low energy. Mood disorders called dysthymic. This mood disorder is a less severe form of depression. It causes chronic of long-lasting moodiness such as low, dark moods. Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) a medical name for muscle pain. It is pain and inflammation in the body's soft tissues. Pain may move into different parts of the body over time. It may disrupt sleep. Lower-than-normal mental and physical performance. The overall compromise of the body system may leads one to act more irritable or short tempered. Can lead to irritability, depression and even suicide. Advanced neuro-imaging has shown that chronic pain, unlike acute, or short-term pain, can cause structural changes in the brain that add to the risk of cognitive problems as well as anxiety and depression. Etiology of Pain The associated pain or chronic pain has no medical test to measure its levels. Therefore the acceptance that pain is real, whether it is physical or emotional, is not respected. People living with chronic pain chronic diseases often have their pain or the emotional pain related to their disease minimized by friends, family, and doctors. They are treated as if their pain and concerns are imaginary or exaggerated. Some times they are made to feel they have to prove their pain or disease because it “can’t be all that bad.” Many people with chronic pain will go from one doctor to the next searching for acceptance or an explanation. Add to the complication is determining how to treat the pain because pain is unique and the response to treatment is unique. It is know that chronic pain is related to psychological factors. Factors such influencing the diagnosis of pain include: The circumstances in which the originating pain or injury occurred. Thoughts about the pain, which vary widely from denial “this is nothing serious,” to the opposite thoughts saying “this pain could kill me.” Emotions associated with the chronic pain, such as denial, depression and anxiety versus hopefulness and optimism. Cultural influences leading a person to be more stoic or more dramatic in showing pain to others. Source of Gates Theory: https://www.spine-health.com/conditions/spine-anatomy/pain-signals-brain-spine The Gates theory is one way to explain chronic pain. In the gate control theory, the experience of pain depends on a complex interplay of the peripheral and central nervous system as they each process pain signals in their own way. Upon injury, pain messages originate in nerves associated with the damaged tissue and flow along the peripheral nerves to the spinal cord and on up to the brain. According to the gate control theory, before the messages can reach the brain, the pain messages encounter "nerve gates" in the spinal cord that open or close depending upon a number of factors, possibly including instructions coming down from the brain. When the gates are opening, pain messages "get through" more or less easily and pain can be intense. When the gates close, pain messages are prevented from reaching the brain and may not even be experienced. Many factors determine how the spinal nerve gates will manage the pain signal. These factors include the intensity of the pain message, competition from other incoming nerve messages (such as touch, vibration, heat, etc), and signals from the brain telling the spinal cord to increase or decrease the priority of the pain signal. Depending on how the gate processes the signal, the message can be handled in any of the following ways: Allowed to pass directly to the brain. Altered prior to being forwarded to the brain, for instance,

spinal cord and then up to the brain. These messages can be overridden by other signals in the manner described above.Treatments such as massage, heat, cold, TNS (transcutaneous nerve stimulation), or acupuncture can change a pain message due to some of these differences in nerve fibers. Considerations of Chronic Pain from a Psychological Perspective https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/day-without-pain/201301/Chronic Pain It Is All in Your Head and It is Real This article states beliefs very similar to the yoga thoughts: “All pain is real, and that emotions drive the experience of pain. A person’s experience of pain is unique to the individual, and it can’t be measured from the outside, with the exception of sophisticated brain mapping available with a functional MRI, which is only in a few laboratories across the country. This brings up the natural question as to whether such pain is somehow less important or less “real” than “physical” pain based on visible X-ray changes and sensory input from the nervous system. What I want to explain is that these two cannot be separated: all pain is regulated by the brain—whether there is an actual nail in your thumb or an old injury that should have healed by now but inexplicably keeps hurting—in both cases it is nerve fibers that are sending messages to your brain that cause you to feel pain. Chronic pain refers to pain that continues after an acute injury heals or after the passing of a period of time that should allow for healing. Often, for unknown reasons, the injury or tissue damage doesn’t heal as expected, and because of this, the nerve fibers continue to fire as if there is damage that needs attention. With this unrelenting signal traveling up the spinal column to the brain, eventually the transmission circuits become more efficient at transmitting these signals—like a one-lane road becoming a four-lane highway. The continuous input into these circuits causes more transmission, with the net result being more pain. At the same time the number and array of pain-causing neurotransmitters in the nervous system increase. Over time, the threshold for the pain receptors to fire is lowered, and a less intense stimulus is needed to cause the nerve to discharge and send its signal. What started out as a message from the site of an injury to the brain has become a self-contained feedback loop within the nervous system—a disease of the brain. 80 percent of the experience of chronic pain is emotional. The experience of chronic pain is emotional does not in any way change the reality, the validity, the structure of it—nor its intensity. It’s not about whether it’s real, but rather the universal, integrated way in which the brain processes sensory and emotional experiences which ultimately results in the experience we know as pain. Emotions, just like pain, are creations of the physical brain, specifically the midbrain. Emotions emerge from a complex interaction of electrical and chemical impulses in the brain, resulting in a cascade of nerves firing and chemicals being secreted. Neurotransmitters are involved with the experience of pain as well as with emotions. They are responsible for sending information between nerves about the pain and/or emotions being sensed. The main area of the brain where we form and register emotions is the limbic system—a set of midbrain structures surrounding the thamalus, which is the pain-processing center responsible for filtering and prioritizing all the impulses the brain receives. Pain Experienced as Emotion When I ask patients about their pain, eight out of ten words they use to describe their experience are emotional. The three most frequently used terms are anxiety, fear,

managing chronic diseases. Depression is much higher in people post a myocardial infarction, diabetes, cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, fibromyalgia, chronic pain and more health issues. Mental health is part of every aspect of our life from childhood developmental stages through adulthood. It effects how we handle life! Mental health and includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Our mental fitness and vigor affects how we think, feel, and act. It influences how we handle stress, interact and relate to others and make choices. Pain affects our mental health. Pain is a feeling caused by intense or damaging stimuli. Everything from stubbing a toe, slamming a finger in a door, to breaking a bone sends a message through the nervous system to the brain and indicates something is wrong through the sensation defined as pain. Pain is an unpleasant sensory or emotional experience. It is a symptom of an underlying condition such as tissue damage or an emotional experience. What is Pain? There are many components of defining pain. Considerations could include the following information. The location of pain can be defined as: Focal pain is restricted to the local region of the body and is felt in one place. Multifocal pain has sensations that are broadly distributed and felt in more than one place such as a stomachache. Radiating pain extends from the injured area along a specific nerve route or dermatome, such as sciatica or thoracic outlet syndrome. Referred pain is experienced at a site different from the injured or diseased part. The nerve supply is different from the source of the pain. Compensatory pain is related to an injury in area of the body, and the muscles/ organs are compensatory. The major types of pain include: Somatic pain is associated with structures of the body wall such as a broken limb. Visceral pain is related to internal organs. Nociceptive pain is caused by stimulation of nerve tissue due to tissue injury. It goes away as the tissue heals. This is a common type of musculoskeletal pain. Neuropathic pain results from injury or malfunction in the peripheral or central nervous system. It is triggered by an injury but then persists for months or years beyond the healing of the damaged tissue. This happens from nerve trauma, diabetic neuropathy, vitamin deficiency, etc. Allodynia (allo=other, dynia=pain) is specific pain from stimuli that are not usually experienced as painful. Categories of pain include: Psychogenic pain is associated with psychological factors such as depression or anxiety. Idiopathic pain has an unknown cause and cannot be categorized or source diagnosed. Back pain can fall into this category. Phantom pain is experience when a limb has been amputated. The pain is “real.” Malingering pain is fabricated for purposes of achieving personal reward or satisfaction. Injury and Pain Acute Injuries Acute pain is pain that comes on quickly, can be severe, but lasts only as long as the cause of the pain is present. Examples could include a stubbed toe, burn, or scraped knee. During this stage that the inflammatory reaction begins with the release of chemicals that: Set up edema that limits movement. Call in white blood cells to eat up the debris. Irritate nerve endings that the person feels pain and takes the injury seriously. A recurrent acute pain occurs regularly, or irregularly such as menstrual pain or migraines. Subacute Injuries The client begins to develop newly formed scar tissue in an injured tendon or ligament, they create an internal environment that is conducive to the best possible healing, or without lack of attention, the scar can create adhesions and limitations of

anxiety go hand in hand We have a tendency to demonize these difficult emotions. We think we should always be happy. That is not realistic. We need to be anxious about heights or fire or bully’s because it keeps us safe. We need to develop coping tools for life experiences for safety and protection. The emotions that lead up to knowing we need to act is stress that may manifest as uneasiness moving into anxiety and worry. Where do we receive the message about "this is the issue" "this is part of its source" " this is a potential action step" rather than making the cycle incorrect, wrong and mentally unhealthy. How do we realize that it is okay for millions of people to quite rightly feel uncertain, stressed out and afraid? The world around is consistently changing. Keep on evaluating life experiences! We don’t need to numb the mind’s natural cycle of the amygdala giving a call to action, the prefrontal cortex receiving the message and then sending inquiry to the hippocampus so we can take action! Avoiding and looking for outside solutions reinforces our inner security and ability to take care of ourself. Then, the responses escalate. Rather, when we take action we can feel more competent to deal with life rather than inadequate. In reality, it is our perception, often driven by cultural and societal norms that says we cannot handle a situation. Or, the result should look a certain way. What happens if we slow down, relax and evaluate our tools and ability to address the issue! You can do it! Yoga guides us to confront the disconcerting feeling rather than suppressing the feeling, the anxiety. Meditate Exercise - use your body instead of allowing it to constrict you! It can be through yoga or any kind of movement. Take a walk around the block! Humor- it increases oxytocin, enhancing social bonding. Socialize - people are a mirror for our life. Create seva, selfless service, opportunities. Volunteer Yoga says become aware, let it rise to the surface, name it and then make changes. Learn to know your signs of rising stress and anxiety. Reframe the situation. How: BRFWA Breath —- Relax —- Feel — Watch —- Allow Sometimes breathing is all it takes. The rest automatically fall into place. Coping with Pain A disease is a specific condition stemming from a disorder of a structure or function in the body, that affects part or all of the body. Disease may be caused by external factors such as bacteria and fungus that invade the body or an internal dysfunction often beginning with the immune system. Disease is construed as a medical condition and associated with specific symptoms and signs. During disease or a medical condition, we lose some of our functions, even if temporarily. This often effects our mental health. Statistics indicate a relationship between disease and mental health. The medical condition may be a source for depression anxiety, fear of repeated pain multiply the cost of managing chronic diseases. Depression is much higher in people post a myocardial infarction, diabetes, cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, fibromyalgia, chronic pain and more health issues. Mental health is part of every aspect of our life from childhood developmental stages through adulthood. It effects how we handle life! Mental health and includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Our mental fitness and vigor affects how we think, feel, and act. It influences how we handle stress, interact and relate to others and make choices. Pain affects our mental health. Pain is a feeling caused by intense or damaging stimuli.

calming effect on pain. Svādhāyām Talk to the pain! Pain is a form of protection. What needs to be protective? Have student slow down and be with the pain. If the body is a friend, what message is the pain sending? Is the body trying to communicate something that you have not slowed down to hear? Confront the pain rather than resist. This can be a tool for pratipakṣa also. What would it be like to make peace with pain? Can they live in the mystery of living life with pain? Pratipakṣa Bhāvana How can the student reframe the pain? Note: this is much easier to say than to do! And, help the student exam the source and go internal to see if there is a message. Some people may feel that they deserved the pain. Explore why? Some people may feel there is something wrong with them. Lifestyle Tools Dance, writing / journalling, explore art skills, are outlets during the time of transitioning through different stages of pain. Pain According to Āyurveda Shula, pain, is treated as separate disease in Ayurveda, according to Dr. Lad. The doṣa primarily responsible for pain is vata. Prāna rules nervous system and sensations, the governing mahābhūta of vata. The mobile quality of Vata can cause pain to radiate, and move from one place to another. Vata pain is the stimulation of tissues and the movement of pain in the body. Vata pain: Is pricking, gripping, spasmodic, colicky, often excruciating; Worsens during Vata times of the day, dawn and dusk. Worsens during Vata seasons of fall and spring. Is exacerbated by vata aggravating factors such as exposure to cold, improper food combining and excessive movement. Relieved by heat. Pitta pain happens when Pitta is blocking Vata. If vata cannot move, the tissue “rub together” creating heat resulting in pitta pain. The type of pain may include: Burning which results in inflammation, ulceration, perforation. Increases congestion. Flare ups, tenderness, pain on pressure Pain can be followed by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Is increased during pitta times of day, midday and midnight. Worsens during Pitta summer season. May be increased by exposure to heat and movement. Is decreased by cooling treatments. Kapha pain happens when Kapha blocks Vata. The stagnation allows the flow of vat to accumulate in the tissues. This results in: Deep, dull ache pain. The skin in affected areas will feel cold and clammy. Congestions, swelling, localized rather than radiating or moving pain like Vata or Pitta. Worsens during Kapha time of day, the morning and early evening. Worsens during the kapha seasons or winter and spring. May be relieved by pressure such as deep massage and warming exercises. For pain in Ayurveda there are many terms such as Shula, Vedana, Ruja etc.) This Shula or Vedana is described as symptom of many diseases or as complication of some diseases. Site of pain, Vedana: 1] Mind (manas) and 2] Body along with sense organs Varieties of Pain/Intensity of pain: 1] Severe or Intense -Tīvra 2] Moderate - Madhya 3] Mild - Mṛdu It is also mentioned by Charaka that this pain has got inverse relationship with tolerance , sattva, of a patient. Predominance of Doṣa in Pain(Vedana): Vata is the main Doṣa involved in pain . It is the main factor for generating and spreading the pain but for specific type of pain in specific region a specific fraction of Vāyu is responsible eg. For Generalized pain - Vyāna Vāyu Headache -Prāna and Vyāna Vāyu Abdominal pain - Samāna and Apāna Vāyu Chest pain - Vyāna and Prāna Vāyu Causes of Pain Various causes

of movement. Improper body alignment. Anxiety. Depression. Personal messages. What messages are being given to the body? Psychologic / spiritual inciting factor may need to be considered. Triggers may be more dynamic, quicker and feel more intense. The body is already on heightened alert. Even trying to have an enjoyable time may backfire due to the fear of pain. A latent fight, flight or freeze reaction surfaces easily. If any one of the fight, flight or freeze reactions surface, the body reacts with the traditional stress responses such as high blood pressure, respiration changes, muscles tension, etc. A vata constitution will live in their affirmed fears. Fear of the pain will dominate their thoughts. Pitta people who feel they need to be strong and in control may react to the loss of their image. Kapha people will try to caretake themself to the point of over caring or giving up. Guilt may be demonstrated if they blame themself for getting sick although each doṣa will express the guilt differently. Through the process of resolving or learning to live with chronic pain, there are ebbs and flows. They may start feeling good and then over do it. Then, a student may become hyper vigilant and contract their body, life and muscles or body. The journey may eventually take them to a balanced state, an effective lifestyle where coping with pain does not diminish them. They establish healthy boundaries: Communicating needs. Increasing self control of their life. Clarify quality of life and live in possibility while acknowledging pain triggers. Adjusting diet. Adjusting schedule to accommodate new lifestyle. Limit over doing it. Seeking supportive treatments. Incorporating movement, hopefully yoga, into their life. Incorporating time for self - in - center using tools of awareness such a meditation. Adjusting to losses and claiming new possibilities. Develop a restorative sleep pattern. Reducing medications when possible. There are many tools in yoga to support a person living with chronic pain. The biggest tool is teaching awareness followed by patience. A yoga therapist must be willing to hold the space for the client to explore and be fully in their journey. Rather than teach someone to tighten their core to stabilize spine, which may overdo the spine, teach them to engage and work with the deep front line preventing rigidity. Use empowering words and give options and choices rather than to do’s. Rather than "if in pain do this," give options. Add breath awareness. Let the student know āsana can look different than the "book view." Encourage awareness and learning moment to moment. Remind the āsana is not in a picture in book and the body is not frozen, but a moving, pulsing experience. Remind the person to be in tune with their body, know and honor limitations. Encourage them to find the "edge" or place of "therapeutic irritation." They want to experience sensation but not pain. Use the breath explore living in awareness and experience and accept the moment. Hold the question, "What are you learning from this moment?" Learn to embrace each moment. We can choose to make our self miserable or celebrate every moment alive. Where does the student want to focus? Yoga Tools: Chronic Pain There is a combination of goals. We want to reduce the pain through drawing attention and exploring the edges of pain physically with āsana, use breath to bring prāna to the area, use mental tools to embrace the pain, learn from it and integrate the pain as a learning tool for our life. There is a dance of tools that help us embracing and accepting the pain, distract

2] Moderate - Madhya 3] Mild - Mṛdu It is also mentioned by Charaka that this pain has got inverse relationship with tolerance , sattva, of a patient. Predominance of Doṣa in Pain(Vedana): Vata is the main Doṣa involved in pain . It is the main factor for generating and spreading the pain but for specific type of pain in specific region a specific fraction of Vāyu is responsible eg. For Generalized pain - Vyāna Vāyu Headache -Prāna and Vyāna Vāyu Abdominal pain - Samāna and Apāna Vāyu Chest pain - Vyāna and Prāna Vāyu Causes of Pain Various causes of pain may be grouped as: Adhibhautika, is that which is caused by other bhūta (elements) or living beings, like wild animals, snakes, or enemies. Ādhyātmic is that which is caused by bodily suffering and mental anguish. Ādhidaivika duḥkha is that which is caused by daiva (fate). Note, I am confirming these definitions. Herbs for Pain Relief Drugs useful in relieving pain are listed as Vedanasthapan drugs by Charakacarya. According to him some of the drugs mentioned act by Guṇa , some act by Vipāk, some by vīrya and above all some of the drugs act by Prabhāva. In all types of pain there is predominance of Vāya, therefore all drugs used should have some āyurveda properties that can normalize the vitiated Vāyu . Some of the useful drugs in pain relief are : Headache -Jatamansi ,Brahmī, Haritaki, Gūḍūci etc. Intestinal colic and Gases - Hiṅgu, Lavana, Yavanī etc. Uterine pain -Ashok, Dāruharidrā ,Daṣamūla etc. Renal colic - Gokṣura, Varuna etc. Arthritis -Nirguṇḍī, Guggulu ,Daṣamūla etc. Treatments for pain: Mahanarayan oil for joint pain, muscle pain. Castor oil packs, especially for rheumatoid arthritis PS: It is quite interesting if you look at the “āyurveda drugs/herbs for pain” because there isn’t really one herb for pain. Compare to western medicine, where we often take the same pain medicine for either headache, menstrual pain, or joint pain. This is why a practitioner in Ayurveda will always try to determine the root cause of pain before suggesting a treatment regimen. Pain can be due to many reasons, please see above, and in addition to these, can also be caused by accumulation of toxins in the tissues (due to bad diet, wrong lifestyle, environmental factors, etc.) Root Causes of Chronic Pain: (http://theraj.com/pain/ - Maharishi Ayurveda) According to Āyurveda, the following are the general types of imbalances at the source of most chronic conditions, including chronic pain: Toxins accumulating in tissues and blocking circulation. Poor nutrition. Poor digestion. Imbalance of the nervous system. Accumulation of physical stress. Accumulation of mental stress. Lowering of natural resistance and immunity. Disruption of natural biological rhythms. There is no pain without disturbance of vata, but if vata triggers pitta, it may create sharp, excruciating pitta pain with tenderness (pain on pressure). When kapha blocks vata or mixes with vata, there is deep, dull and aching pain, kapha characteristics. (Ayurvedic Textbook 2, p. 214) There is no pleasure or pain without vata. Pleasure and pain are both sensations. When Vata is imbalanced, it creates pain. When vata is normal, it creates pleasure. If a certain part of the body is numb, there is no pleasure or pain because the part of the body is dead to sensation. Ultimately the knowledge of pleasure and pain is revealed by prāna, the life force. Therefore, sensation is more subtle than simple neurological definitions. (Ayurv. Textbook 2, p. 214) Yoga Perspective: Living with Pain As a yoga therapist we have a concept that early intervention in the healing process can powerfully impact the long-term

without vata. Pleasure and pain are both sensations. When Vata is imbalanced, it creates pain. When vata is normal, it creates pleasure. If a certain part of the body is numb, there is no pleasure or pain because the part of the body is dead to sensation. Ultimately the knowledge of pleasure and pain is revealed by prāna, the life force. Therefore, sensation is more subtle than simple neurological definitions. (Ayurv. Textbook 2, p. 214) Yoga Perspective: Living with Pain As a yoga therapist we have a concept that early intervention in the healing process can powerfully impact the long-term quality of the healed tissue. Early intervention can control inflammation by retraining the muscles to work properly and increase circulation to the area, rehabilitate damaged tissue and balance the body’s compensatory movements preventing further injury. Pain is a call to action. Someone working with pain can ask, "what do I need to learn." It may be a warning we are going down the wrong path. It may be a signal to slow down. Pain may be a protection for ? ? ? It may be encouraging us to move in an expanded direction. If emotional pain dominates the physical pain we can ask what we are cutting our self from experience. Or, why are we being asked to shut down? Is there something that needs to be released. Do we need to reflect on self care? Yoga encourages us to dive deep and release the cellular memory. Cellular memory is about holding on to something that no longer serves us. Until we had tools to live with the inciting factor, whether it came from pārabdha, kriyamāṇa or agama karma, the body supports us holding on. As we mature in our life, we can release deep seated beliefs and the associated pain. A yoga therapist will be encouraging the student to allow it and realize there is nothing to fix. At the same time, they need to be proactive in their awareness of life unfolding into the current moment. Messages for growth and change moves through multiple levels. How do we learn along the journey? Yoga, Acute Injuries and Related Pain A yoga therapist, as a general rule for soft tissue injuries, must respect the acute state of injury. Some types of movement are appropriate with various types of acute injuries, but they are highly specialized and not appropriate for casual experimentation. The length of time in defining an acute injury depends on the injury, the care the injury has received and the most common accepted guideline is 48 hours. During this period, breathing practices or prānāyāma, mantra, meditation and mudrā, pratipakṣa bhāvanā, and self-awareness of mind messages are the tools used along with REST. Yoga, Subacute Injuries and Related Pain The subacute stage is when a yoga therapist can begin treatment. As the client begins to develop newly formed scar tissue in an injured muscle, tendon or ligament, they create an internal environment that is conducive to the best possible healing. Left with out gentle stretching, the scar can create adhesions and limitations of movement. The gentle tense and stretch of the affected muscles, will help determine the orientation of new collagen fibers. Movement will flush out the irritating chemicals that interfere with the inflow of fresh blood. With gentle, conscious movement, yoga therapy may be instrumental in the rehabilitation of an injured tissue so it will relearn to move and behave as though it never was hurt. A yoga therapist can integrate restorative yoga, basic movements using pain as a guide while including the work with Svādyāya. Tapping into

from this moment?" Learn to embrace each moment. We can choose to make our self miserable or celebrate every moment alive. Where does the student want to focus? Yoga Tools: Chronic Pain There is a combination of goals. We want to reduce the pain through drawing attention and exploring the edges of pain physically with āsana, use breath to bring prāna to the area, use mental tools to embrace the pain, learn from it and integrate the pain as a learning tool for our life. There is a dance of tools that help us embracing and accepting the pain, distract the mind so it is not centered on the pain center, integrating the experience as part of their current experience. General tools include: Encourage positive dialogue. Daily movement, yoga according to the health of the student. Breathing practices. Relaxation exercises. Proper medication. Āsana The goal of āsana has multiple possibilities. Movement introduces them gently to the area and begin to build trust so they begin to trust their body again. It can help them relax around the sensation, establish healthy boundaries and begin to befriend the body. Work with .slow gentle movement, restorative practices potentially. Movement can break the pain cycle. Be sure to check for medications. We don’t want to cause injury if they are on pain reducing medication. The client may not have safe boundaries due to the influence of the medication. Support the client in befriending their body. Examine the doing versus being. This is a time to start being. Is the body giving them a message? Prānāyāma The slower the breath, the slower the mind. Breath is an amazing tool to reduce pain. Yoga would say that we are bringing prāna into the area. This helps break up the pain cycle. The cellular intelligence can ease the severity of the pain. This can lead a student to move towards being able to talk to their pain. Yoga Nidrā Svādhyāyam They can learn to dialogue with pain. What is it there to teach them? Can the befriend the pain? Is it a pointer to what they are avoiding in life? Do they need to learn to say no to an aspect of their life that is not working . . . and the pain is a messenger? It is easy to say they are not their body because the body is still saying, “I am here!.” It is important to not minimize the pain. Yet, help them respect their experience. Pratipakṣa Bhāvanā, and Meditation Does being in pain with a knowable source(s) versus thinking it is all in their head make difference? Ask clients if they can be at peace with the pain. Seems simple, and with chronic pain, this feels impossible for someone who has been experiencing pain for an extended period. Yet the work of Jon Kabat Zin, they have found through meditation, pain can be reduced through acceptance of the pain, rather than resisting the pain. Part of the yoga process is to accept what is and to become at peace with pain. Ask them if they can live in the mystery of the pain, or talk to it and ask what message it has for them. Is it something they are resisting such as the pain preventing them form reaching out, stepping forward, holding themself up, etc. We don’t know if reaction to pain is an aspect of karma or a saṃskāra, etc. Here again, we can put out blame and shame. This is an avoidance tactic. It is more important to not blame your doṣa, the kālī yuga, karma, because the pain

the Eternal by Swami Prabhavananda. As a king employs officials to rule over different portions of his kingdom, so Prāna associates with himself four other Prāna-s, each a portion of himself and each assigned a separate function. The Prāna himself dwells in eye, ear, mouth, and nose; the Apāna, which is the second Prāna, rules the organs of excretion and generation; the Samāna, which is the third Prāna, inhabits the navel, and governs digestion and assimilation. The Self dwells in the lotus of the heart, whence radiate a hundred and one nerves. From each of these proceed one hundred others, which are smaller, and from each of these, again, seventy-two thousand others, which are smaller still. In all these moves the Vyāna, which is the fourth Prāna. And then at the moment of death, through the nerve in the center of the spine, the Udāna, which is the fifth Prāna, leads the virtuous man upward to higher birth, the sinful man downward to lower birth, and the man who is both virtuous and sinful to rebirth in the world of men. The sun is the Prāna of the universe. It rises to help the Prāna in the eye of man to see. The power of earth maintains the Apāna in man. The ether between the sun and the earth is the Samāna, and the all-pervading air is the Vyāna. The Udāna is fire, and therefore he whose bodily heat has gone out dies, after which his senses are absorbed in the mind, and he is born again. Whatever his thought at the moment of death, this it is that unites a man with Prāna, who in turn, uniting himself with Udāna and with the Self, leads the man to be reborn in the world he merits. The progeny of him who knows Prāna as I have revealed him to you is never cut off; and he himself becomes immortal. It was said of old: one who knows the Prāna--whence he has his source, how he enters the body, how he lives there after dividing himself five-fold, what are his inner workings--such as one attains to immortality, yea, even to immortality.” For the readings it is important to understand that yoga looks as breath more than a body function. Prāna is our life force and is more important than our consciousness. It manifests in two different levels: unmanifest aspect is the energy of pure awareness which pervades the body and transcends the manifested form. It is the essence of all creation. The manifest form of prāna is the force of creation itself. It arises from rajas guṇa as a modification of the air element. The flow of prāna is guided by the concepts of the prāṇavāyu. The Praśna Upaniṣad and the Gorakṣa Samhitā speaks of five. The Gorakṣa Samhitā says in verse 30: “In the heart region resides the prāṇa vāyu, in the anus region apāna vāyu, in the naval region, samāna vāya, in the throat region udāna vāyu, and in the whole body vyāna vāyu.” There are ten recorded in the classical texts. Śiva Samhitā 3.4 - 5: Prāṇa, Apāna, Udāna, Samāna, Vyāna, Nāga, Kūrma, Kṛkara, Devadatta, and Dhanañjaya. These are the ten principal names, describe by me in this Sastra; the perform all the functions, incited thereto by their own actions. 3.8 - The five remaining vāyu, the nāga, etc. perform the following functions int he body: Eructation, opening the eyes, hunger and thirst, gaping or yawning and lastly hiccup. Their functions are discussed in texts as a guide for our use in the Hatha Yoga tradition: Hatha Yoga

blood is purified only slightly. In people who do regular physical exercise, there is moderate physical purification of the blood. In the body of a sādhaka whose prāna is fully released, the blood is eventually purified completely. This blood purification produces great physical vitality. This vitality tries to become ascendant through the sexual center. From this attempt passion arises. The secrets of the teachings are hidden in the "panchmakars". Although originally this sadhana was very holy, truthful and of the highest, presently it is the opposite. Today this sadhana is born out of the yoga distractions of "brantidarśana" and it is well nourished by the non-understanding of the secret meanings hidden in the slokas of the ancient yoga scriptures. All the paths, big and small, are connected with pranotthana. Classical Writings on Prāna Prāna writings are not exclusive to Swami Kripalu. Other teachings dominate many classical yoga texts. The texts indicate we can purify the body and cleanse the nadī with prāna. Āsana, ṣaṭ karma, mudrā and prānāyāma have the power to effect prāna. Prāna is our life force. It manifests subtly and more superficially as Vata and breath. Therefore, we have tools to free prāna. Let us look at some texts and see what they say about prāna. The first texts tell us we are made from prāna. The Praśna Upaniṣad discusses the functions of Prāna and the final readings of Swami Kripalu tell the actions of prāna and the powers we have to overcome obstacles and āsana with prāna control. Taittiriya Upaniṣad translated by Nikhilananda Chapter 2 - Different from the food sheathe is another self, which consists of the vital breath (prāna). By this the former is filled. This too has the shape of a man.. . . Prāna (upward breath), indeed, is its head; vyāna (the diffused breath) is its right wing; apāna (the downward breath) is its left wing; ākāśā (samāna) is its trunk; the earth is its tail, its support. Chapter 3 - The Gods breathe after the prāna, so also do men and cattle; for the prāna is life of creatures. . . . Chandogya Upaniṣad translated by Swami Nikhilanananda Section Five Chapter One, the Supremacy of Prāna 5.1-15 Om, HE WHO knows what is the oldest and greatest becomes himself the oldest and greatest. The prāna, indeed, is the oldest and greatest. He who knows what is the most excellent, vaiśiṣṭa, becomes the most excellent among his kinsmen. The organ of speech, indeed, is the most excellent. He who knows what has [the attributes of]firmness, pratiṣṭā, becomes firm in this world and the next. The eye, indeed, is endowed with firmness. He who knows prosperity, sampad, his wishes are fulfilled- both divine and human wishes. The ear, indeed, is prosperity. He who knows the abode, ayatana, becomes the abode of his kinsmen. The mind, indeed, is the abode. The prāna (sense-organs)disputed among themselves about who was the best[among them], [each] saying: “I am the best,” “I am the best.” They went to Prajāpatī, their progenitor, and said:”O reversed Sir, who is the best among us?” He said to them:”He by whose departure the body looks worse than the worst is the best among you.” The organ of speech departed. After being away for a whole year, it came back and said:”How have you been able to live without me?” The others organs replied:”We lived just as dumb people live, without speaking, but breathing with the prāna(nose), seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear, and thinking with the mind.” Then the organ of speech entered [the body]. The eye departed. After being

summary the word prāṇa is used in three ways: In general sense of prāṇa śakti or life-force. In a specific sense according to the various biological functions. As breath. According to the Praśna Upaniṣad, Self and Prāṇa are one and the same. “Prāṇa comes from the Self, from Brahman. Everything is derived from the Self. “It compares the prāṇa a body’s shadow.“ Where does the shadow come from? It comes from the body. Similarly, Prāṇa comes from Ātman, the Soul. You cannot separate Prāṇa from the Self, just as you cannot separate the shadow from the body. If Prāṇa leaves the body, the heart stops beating. Bāhya MātṛkaNyāsa The Bāhya Mātṛka are vibrational sub-stations that regulate or alter the flow of prāṇa from the grounded energy that has anchored Spirit to the arms and hands. Notice that is begins in the right knee and hip and channels the prāṇa upward and into reaching into the world through the karmendriya of the upper appendages. क ka = right shoulder ख kha = right elbow ग ga = right wrist घ gha = right root of fingers ङ na = right finger tips च ca = left shoulder छ cha = left elbow ज ja = left wrist झ jha = left root of fingers ञ na = left finger tips ट ṭa = right hip ठ ṭha = right knee Marma of each Anāhata Petal The marma of the cakra are related to the arms heart and right hip and knee. Sūkṣma Śarīra Tanmātra are the subtle elements and the potential for the sense perceptions for the ahāṁkara. They are predominantly tamas in nature. As the foundation on which the manifest plane is built, they are the subtle existence that allows recognition of the diverse patterns experienced through the five senses. Tanmātra are invaluable tools that help ahaṁkāra differentiate the myriad of perceptions of the manifest world. Sparśā, the recognition of different kinds of touch or contact is the specific tanmātra of anāhata. Jñānendriya are the potential for organs to support the power of sense perception Sparśā, touch or contact is also known as tvak, the peel, rind, cover, bark, skin. Skin is the largest organ of the body and is considered one of the most important parts of the body. It is the primary boundary line between the external and internal environments. It is also the human suit’s first line of defense from external influences. The skin protects against pathogens; regulates temperature; acts as an insulation; produces vitamin D and prevents excessive water loss. On a subtle level, skin is representative of the outer self, a veneer, mask or the persona presented to the manifest world that covers the true Self. Tanmātra function in conjunction with jñānendriya result in production of extra-sensory experiences. Jñānendriya are on manifest plane and the therefore bound by laws of physics. Karmendriya - the energy that normally circulates through the organs. Paṇi is related to the hands, palm and fingers. The hands are extremely expressive and flexible. They are second only to the face in their ability to express and convey feelings. There are about one hundred touch receptors in each fingertip, making them one of the most sensitive areas of the body. Hands are closely related to how an individual expresses beyond the level of words. A touch can be gentle or harsh. Hands can grasp, give and receive. Hands take care of others as well as self. Transactional energy of the hands can come from a place of: Oblation, the self-less offering from the heart. Obligation, the self-centered place of duty, moral imperative.

organs, mind and awareness. Prāna allows consciousness to move from no-thing to things - and in physiology, governs all things. The prānavāyu govern health in many ways. We can enhance the balanced flow of the prānavāyu through conscious selection of yoga practices. From an Āyurveda perspective, a goal is to maintain our natural, constitutional Prakṛti. A person may have a vata provocation and is it manifesting because there is not a proper balance of kapha or pitta. If fire is raging, it will dry out the water and the wind will increase. If there is too much air, fire will grow or get snuffed out, while water will dry out. If wind is stagnant, the fire cannot grow and water will not move. Or, vata may be too rajas or tamas. Who do we address! A difficult component to access is what doṣa is pushing what out of balance. We get excited when we first begin studying āyurveda and look at the manifestations in a linear way. It is not linear! The tools for assessment must always be kept in our mind. An example of the push and pull of the prānavāyu is scoliosis. If one prāna is stronger than another, the one pulls and we lose the equanimity. Prānavāyu seeks the balance of intake and output. The body adjusts to allow the balance of flow. Therefore, our goal as yoga therapist is to create a tri-doṣa practice within each āsana and prānāyāma practice. The more you sit and work with a “practice,” information will reveal more of its true essence and nature. A tri-doṣa experience happens through an understanding of the affect of the prānavāyu on the body. Taittirīya: The Taittirīya Upaniṣad is the heart of the Vedanta teachings. It is a review of the subtle body theory, most well known for the explanation of the kośa, the five sheathes. It actually begins with a discussion on proper Saṁskṛta pronunciation. There is a discussion on our relationship to the galaxies and the reflection within ourself and how these worlds are the essence of the jñanendriya, karmendriya, tanmātra and mahābhūta. Therefore, when we study the sacred word through proper chanting, we touch into our connection with totality of who we are -- body, mind and most importantly the Spirit. 1.6.1 The Lord of Love dwells in the hearts of all. To realize him is ti go beyond death. Between the parietal lobes of the sagittal door, as the lobe swings behind the palate. Through that one goes out chanting bhur, to become one with fire; chanting bhuva-s, to become one with air; chanting suvar, to be one with the sun; chanting mahā to be one with the Lord. Thus one becomes king of his own life, ruler of his passions, senses, and intellect. 2.1.1 They have attained the goal who realize Brahman as the supreme reality, the source of truth, wisdom, and boundless joy. They see the Lord in the cave of the heart and are granted all the blessings of life. From Brahman came space; from space, air; from fire, water; from water, earth; from earth, plants; from plants, food; and from food, the human body, head, arms, legs, and heart. 2.2.1 From food are made all bodies, which become food again for others after their death. Food is the most important of things for the body; therefore it is the best medicine for all the body’s ailments. They who look upon as food as the Lord’s gift shall never lack life’s physical comforts. From food are made all bodies. All bodies feed on food, and it feeds on

the obstacles disappear and simultaneously dawns knowledge of the inner Self.” The Upaniṣad discusses the four states of consciousness: jāgarat - the wake state, svapna - the dream state, suṣupti - the deep sleep state and turīya - the witness state. Praśna: The Praśna is a series of six discussions between teacher and student. All the questions are related to our relationship with prāna, life force. This Upaniṣad is a foundation for work that we explore in yoga, the balance of the prānavāyu. Each section of the six sections is an unfolding understanding of the power of prāna and its relationship to maturing our Spiritual world. It becomes the guidelines for integration of spanda. Inquires include what happens to prāna when we sleep and the power of prāna through sounding om. 3.6 Vyāna, distributor of energy, moves through the myriad vital currents radiating from the heart, where lives the Self. 4.8 Earth, fluids, fire, air, space, and their subtle elements, the eyes and what can be seen, the ears and what can be heard, the nostrils and what can be smelled, the palate and what can be touched, the tongue and what can be spoken, the hands and what can be held, the organ of sex and its object of enjoyment, the organ of excretion and what is excreted, the feet and what they walk on, the mind and what it thinks, the intellect and what it knows, the ego and what it grasps, the heart and what it loves, the light and what it reveals: all things in life find their rest in the Self in dreamless sleep. Praśna Upaniṣad and the PrānaVāyu The most important of these for yoga practices is the vata sub doṣa, the prānavāyu. There are actually ten prānavāyu. Five we cannot control and their power is on a different level of consciousness. The ten are: Prāna, Apāna, Udāna, Samāna, Vyāna, Nāga (burping), Kūrma (blinking), Kṛkara (sneezing), Devadatta (yawning), and Dhanaṁjaya (hiccuping). Unfortunately, none of these mean the American translation and we do not have time to cover the minor vāyu expressions in class. We can’t, through our practices, create a major impact on the fire in the body. We can’t really change the fluid in the body. We can change how the wind moves by our practices. The Praśna Upaniṣad states in one section: “As a king employs officials to rule over different portions of his kingdom, so Prāna associates with himself four other Prāna, each a portion of himself and each assigned a separate function. “The Prāna himself dwells in eye, ear, mouth, and nose; the Apāna, which is the second Prāna, rules the organs of excretion and generation; the Samāna, which is the third Prāna, inhabits the navel, and governs digestion and assimilation. “The Self dwells in the lotus of the heart, whence radiate a hundred and one nerves. From each of these proceed one hundred others, which are smaller, and from each of these, again, seventy-two thousand others, which are smaller still. In all these moves the Vyāna, which is the fourth Prāna. And then at the moment of death, through the nerve in the center of the spine, the Udāna, which is the fifth Prāna, leads the virtuous man upward to higher birth, the sinful man downward to lower birth, and the man who is both virtuous and sinful to rebirth in the world of men. “The sun is the Prāna of the universe. It rises to help the Prāna in the eye of man to see. The power of earth maintains the Apāna in man. The ether between the

others. An interpreted world is not a HOME. Part of the terror is to take back our own listening. To use our own voice. To see our own light." Hildegard Von Bingen "If you don't know where you're going, any path will get you there." Frank Baum “Our culture is practiced at marketing spirituality, creativity, and other authentic experiences, and sometimes it feels that everything is for sale. Many people enjoy jewelry and clothing that bear a spiritual message and if those items remind them of their God-essence, that is great. Ultimately, however, spirituality cannot be bought. The path of spirituality is one of devotion, and the acceptance of this is the beginning of spiritual maturity.” “What I see in others is what I get.” Unknown Īśvara Praṇidhāna Sūtra 2.45: From devotion to the Lord of all, one is given perfect absorption into Spirit.17 Īśvara Praṇidhāna is translated as “surrender to your Divine Higher Self.” It is letting go into the Source. In the Kripalu Code it says, “This is what every heart yearns for. Union. Being in the State of Love. Being in intimate contact with the Divine, with God. It is the experience of being anchored in the Source and allowing our being to contain waves of ecstasy.” Surrender! ! ! Placing all actions at the feet of God. Do you translate this as giving your power away? It is not. It is liberating and empowering. The only way to get this concept is to try it. Why do we keep wandering from one external goal to another? Earning degrees and money, accumulating things, having a family--we keep thinking with the next achievement our inner yearning will be fulfilled. It is . . . for a short time. And. . . . The deepest aspects of Īśvara Praṇidhāna are taking shelter in the Supreme Absolute, regardless of how you choose to call Him/Her/Mother/Father. It may be an external Energy. It may be a place in the heart. It is acting out of the love for, and then, offering the fruits of actions to the Supreme. How can the Source manifest if it is not through our actions? We are the body, the expression of the Source. An intertwining of love, dedication and service become vehicles to move us into the practice. We open to grace. We cultivate faith, dedication, sincerity. We find patience to transcend the ego which defines us as separate. We begin to move past seeing what is wrong and practice seeing what is right in all. We count on blessings. We are powerful and as the Bible says, “Faith can move mountains.” We have the tapaḥ, discipline, patience, contentedness and purity to be in the journey. This is the power of Īśvara Praṇidhāna. Īśvara Praṇidhāna is attuning to the All Knowing Presence that already exists within you. It is allowing the Presence to direct your actions and you reunite with your Self. Steps on the journey begin with loving self and expanding into loving Self. Stage 1: Love for God/Self, desire to serve Stage 2: Selfless service outside your family Stage 3: Adapting qualities of loving service and living them Stage 4: Allowing each grounded action to fulfill self, others and Spirit Stage 5: Living life as an instrument of the Universal Consciousness Stage 6: Being God or the Universal Self without division Affirmation: I cultivate the befriending, understanding and surrender of my ego. I am intimate with my Source. Questions: Do I love Self? Am I willing to allow daily activities to be love manifest? Am I willing to dwell on the Beloved? Do

Bhagwan (or namaste) May there be peace in our hearts, peace in our homes and peace in our world. May we all know peace, may we all know love, may we all know who we really are. Thank you. Jai Bhagwan As we bring our hands up in front of our heart in Anjali mudrā repeat: Surrender you head to your heart (meaning bow your head) Surrender to the beauty and goodness that is inside you and inside all of us. Peace. Lokah Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu. May the whole world find happiness and peace. We honor the divine nature of ourselves, each other, and all beings in the universe. Namaste. May all beings everywhere be happy and free. May our lives contribute to that happiness and that freedom. Śāntiḥ, Śāntiḥ, Śantiḥ Once the class is over, if you have announcements you can make them then. The important closing component is to hold the space until the last student leaves. Don’t just walk out. Don’t run to the phone. etc. Unless, you communicate to the students that you need to move onto to something. The components are a broad stroke overview for classes. There are many details and adjustments that are made based on whether you are doing a series of classes where people learn specific āsana each time, you are creating a spontaneous flow or the class has a specific theme. Sequencing: The BIG Picture Maturing the Flow: Kripalu Basic Technology Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health has been teaching yogāsana and prāṇāyāma for over forty-four years. Although the current technology is different from the early trainings, the essence still remains. People move through a cycle of learning. Kripalu developed a three step process enabling students to mature into the depths of yoga. Each person unfolds in his/her own way and teachers practice “Kripalu” or compassion as they teach. Each stage is practiced in yogāsana. The will and surrender stage and surrender stage offer the journey specific experiences leading to deeper practices. The path includes all aspects of the eight fold path outlined by Patañjali. Kripalu emphasizes that students need to start with a willful practice. A class begins with willful guidance. As the student matures, or as the class develops, the teachers deepens the practice to a “will and surrender,” giving a cue and then allowing the student to hold for multiple breaths. Eventually, the surrender stage occurs through the depth of grace within the practice. As a teacher, you can allow a space for the surrender stage to occur. Three Stages The willful stage of practice emphasizes tapas, discipline. It introduces the yoga āsana and breathing practices with details and techniques. Students consciously explore where the body is open and closed. They attune to alignment and coordination of movement and breath. The practitioner defines safety limits. We discipline ourselves to practice with awareness and consciousness of our body and the messages of the subtle body (ies). Will and surrender opens the door to experience svādyāya in an intentional practice. Increased awareness and lengthening the holding time gives the student an opportunity to learn the habitual tendencies, physical or mental by observing the interplay of body sensations and mental reactions or responses. An opportunity is offered, through the understanding of yoga principles and energy flows, to explore the edge of therapeutic irritation and move beyond limitations present in the moment. Stage three is the integration of īśvara praṇidhāna, the surrender to divine inner guidance. At the place of surrender the deeper practices can manifest automatically. Bapuji (Swami Kripalu) says that āsana flow from grace, anugraha, and any posture, on

Stage 1: Love for God/Self, desire to serve Stage 2: Selfless service outside your family Stage 3: Adapting qualities of loving service and living them Stage 4: Allowing each grounded action to fulfill self, others and Spirit Stage 5: Living life as an instrument of the Universal Consciousness Stage 6: Being God or the Universal Self without division Affirmation: I cultivate the befriending, understanding and surrender of my ego. I am intimate with my Source. Questions: Do I love Self? Am I willing to allow daily activities to be love manifest? Am I willing to dwell on the Beloved? Do I ever feel absorbed by a Presence that resonates the fullness of Life? Quotes to inspire and stimulate thought: “Surrender is the simple but profound wisdom of yielding to rather than opposing the flow of life.” Ekhart Tolle "A sense of devotion and surrender opens us to experiences of being nurtured. We also learn that we have the capacity to become instruments of higher consciousness, serving and giving what we can to help others in their own awakening.” Swami Ajaya “We come from God and we have to go back to him!” Mother Teresa “Surrender is the spiritual practice that separates the mental manipulators from the spiritual expressers” Rev. Diane Harmony “Angels fly because they take themselves lightly.” Unknown "There is no saint without a past, and no sinner without a future." Haidakhanda Baba “Jesus didn’t teach we could move a mountain by standing in overwhelm at its size, but by believing in our heart that it had moved.” “That which this anguished soul feels most deeply is the conviction that God has abandoned it, that He has cast it away into darkness as an abominable thing. Although this happy night brings darkness to the Spirit, it does so only to give it light in everything; although it humbles it and makes it miserable, it does soon to exalt it and raise it up; and, although it impoverishes it and empties it of all natural affection and attachment, it does so only that it may enable it to stretch forward, divinely.” St. John of the Cross "People are like stained glass windows, they sparkle and shine when the sun is out but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light within.” Unknown “ There is a light that shines beyond all things on earth, beyond us all, beyond the heavens, beyond the highest, the very highest heavens. This is the Light that shines in our heart.” Chandoga Upaniṣad Summary Comparison with Other Traditions Yama and Niyama are the foundation. If we are practicing the guidelines of Yama and Niyama, our mind and agendas do not get in the way of the deeper practices. Begin to notice the mental energies surging through your mind as you do āsana. Questions like: Am I doing it right (santoṣa, not content with your effort)? Feel what it is like when you violate ahiṃsā by pushing your body deeper into the pose than it is appropriate for you. Are you serving your Self and where you are now, or are you serving the ego with expectation of where you want/think you should be? Notice if you are truthful to yourself about just about anything! How do you reevaluate beliefs when they are challenged by a different life experience and situation? Yama and Niyama are universal. Following are the Virtues of Buddhism and the Ten Commandments. Reflect on the differences and similarities. Practice Svādyāya. What language holds the truth for you? Buddhist Virtues (1) Kill not, but have

that is. There is a saying that in every relationship there are really four people; who each one IS and whom each one THINKS the other one is. Santoṣa calls us to accept another for who they are and not who we want or need them to be. Each person will have his or her own definition and manner of expressing life. We do not to control others. We need to allow spaciousness for them to unfold their life. A wonderful way to explore Santoṣa is naming all you already do have. Each day write down three things you are thankful for in your life. Affirmations: I am content. I am grateful for what I have. I recognize the good in others. I refrain from criticism and finding fault in others and myself. I relax into life. Life is designed for my awakening Every moment offers an opportunity to learn, grow and evolve. Questions: Santoṣa is not about being apathetic; it is living life with a passion, content and full each moment. Do you have gratitude for all you have? Do you learn and appreciate even the unpleasant experiences? Can you let go of preferences and receive life as it presents itself? What are your agendas/expectations for yourself? For others? And do they serve? Quotes to inspire and stimulate thought: "Delight in whatever fate may bring" Darṣana-Upaniṣad “There is a season for planting and a season for harvesting. In between, you water the plants and pull the weeds.” Unknown “The joy of life is made up of obscure and seemingly mundane victories that give us our own small satisfactions.” Billy Joel “Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.” John Lennon “Content with an ordinary life, you can show all people the way back to their own true nature. “ Lao Tzu “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference. Grant me the patience with the changes that take time, An appreciation of all that I have, Tolerance of those with different struggles And the strength to get up and try again, One day at a time.” Unknown “I have not failed at making a light bulb 10,000 times. I have found 10,000 ways that do not work.” paraphrase Alvin Edison “I am perfect just the way I am, and there is room for improvement.” Buddhist teacher Tapaḥ Sūtra 2.43: Through the intensity of self-discipline and purification comes the dwindling of all impurities and the perfection of the body and sense organs. 13 “Tapaḥ” is “to generate light and heat”. It may be defined as “being in a transformational fire”, or “developing self-discipline.” Tapaḥ is an internal purging. It is time when life's therapeutic irritations move us to purification. In the Kripalu Lifestyle Codes of Conscious Living, it is written: “Tapaḥ - following through with Intention. Discipline. As we all know, none of this (a lifestyle of living yama and niyama) happens with the snap of a finger. Often times we have to practice, practice, practice. We set an intention, follow it, fall on our faces, try again, and again, and again. Using a discipline is part of the re-patterning our inner reality, shifting our conditioning so that we can live in a greater world.” Discipline starts with a vision of where we want to move. It can be a career goal or a spiritual goal. We then build the foundation, framework and finally the stairs to move towards the destination. It is a journey often fraught with obstacles. We

is birthed from Kṛṣṇa. 14.3 - 4. The guṇa are born of prakṛti and bind the immortal Self to the body. He defines the guṇa, the characteristics and the results of being dominated by the guṇa. 14.5 - 18. Yet, if we are wise and know the guṇa, see the action of the guṇa, we can move beyond the guṇa and be in union with God. 14.19 - 20. Arjuna asks the characteristics of those who have gone beyond the guṇa and how they got there. 14.21. Kṛṣṇa’s definition can be summed up in the word of equanimity -- all are equal an one becomes undisturbed by actions. 14.22 - 25. We get passed the guṇa by serving Kṛṣṇa/Brahman. 14.24 - 26. Chapter Fifteen: The Supreme Self The āśvattha tree is a fig tree which, like the banyan tree, roots from above the ground and then branches down into the earth. He likens life to the tree. Stretching in many directions, its source is hard to determine. We are asked to cut down the tree with the axe of detachment. 15.1 - 3 Once detaching, seek the true path and go forward. 15.4 - 5. The eternal realm is defined. 15.6. A part of the eternal enters into the world as prakṛti and its manifestations. 15.7 - 9. The deluded do not see the Self within or without. Those with wisdom see Self. 15.10 -11. Kṛṣṇa describes his presence as essence that pervades all. 15.12 - 15. Kṛṣṇa says there are two types of beings and the Supreme Self is beyond these concepts. Kṛṣṇa is that Supreme. 15.16 - 18. If we see the Divine Self, we find our source and worship with devotion. We then attain wisdom. 15.19 - 20. Chapter 16: Two Paths Kṛṣṇa lists the divine traits of man. 16.1 - 3. He acknowledges qualities that are inhuman (demonic). 16.4. Divine qualities lead to freedom and demonic lead to bondage. Kṛṣṇa says he has defined the divine, it is necessary to describe the demonic. 16.5 - 6. He tells the nature of demonic characteristics which bind them into a dark abyss. 16.7 - 18. These people are caught in the cycle of rebirths. 16.19 - 20. The three gates to demonic life are: lust, anger and greed. You can escape or continue to disregard the teachings and continue to miss the goal of life. 16.21 - 23. Kṛṣṇa tells us to use the scriptures to guide us and act accordingly. 16.24. Chapter Seventeen: The Power of Faith Arjuna knows there are those who live from faith and do not follow the scriptures. He asks about their path and which forces motivate them. 17.1 Kṛṣṇa acknowledges all are born with a faith. The faith of each guṇa has a different quality which he describes. 17.2 - 7. He indicates the faith is reflected even the foods one eats. 17.8 - 10. They perform sacrifices based on their guṇa. 17.11 - 13. There are different ways to offer to the gods through body, speech and mind. These disciplines can be offered in a sattva, rajas or tamas form. 17.14 - 19. How you give is impacted by the guṇa. 17.20 - 22. Om Tat Sat means, “Only That Is” referring to the divine presence of guiding all. Kṛṣṇa shares how we can practice this in our deeds. 17.23 - 27. To practice without the good faith is worthless. 17.28. Chapter Eighteen: Freedom and Renunciation Arjuna asks the difference between saṇyāsa (renunciation) and tyāga (relinquishment). 18.1 Kṛṣṇa defines the two words. Saṇyāsa is refrain from selfish acts. Tyāga is to

Bhagwan (or namaste) May there be peace in our hearts, peace in our homes and peace in our world. May we all know peace, may we all know love, may we all know who we really are. Thank you. Jai Bhagwan As we bring our hands up in front of our heart in Anjali mudrā repeat: Surrender you head to your heart (meaning bow your head) Surrender to the beauty and goodness that is inside you and inside all of us. Peace. Lokah Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu. May the whole world find happiness and peace. We honor the divine nature of ourselves, each other, and all beings in the universe. Namaste. May all beings everywhere be happy and free. May our lives contribute to that happiness and that freedom. Śāntiḥ, Śāntiḥ, Śantiḥ Once the class is over, if you have announcements you can make them then. The important closing component is to hold the space until the last student leaves. Don’t just walk out. Don’t run to the phone. etc. Unless, you communicate to the students that you need to move onto to something. The components are a broad stroke overview for classes. There are many details and adjustments that are made based on whether you are doing a series of classes where people learn specific āsana each time, you are creating a spontaneous flow or the class has a specific theme. Sequencing: The BIG Picture Maturing the Flow: Kripalu Basic Technology Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health has been teaching yogāsana and prāṇāyāma for over forty-four years. Although the current technology is different from the early trainings, the essence still remains. People move through a cycle of learning. Kripalu developed a three step process enabling students to mature into the depths of yoga. Each person unfolds in his/her own way and teachers practice “Kripalu” or compassion as they teach. Each stage is practiced in yogāsana. The will and surrender stage and surrender stage offer the journey specific experiences leading to deeper practices. The path includes all aspects of the eight fold path outlined by Patañjali. Kripalu emphasizes that students need to start with a willful practice. A class begins with willful guidance. As the student matures, or as the class develops, the teachers deepens the practice to a “will and surrender,” giving a cue and then allowing the student to hold for multiple breaths. Eventually, the surrender stage occurs through the depth of grace within the practice. As a teacher, you can allow a space for the surrender stage to occur. Three Stages The willful stage of practice emphasizes tapas, discipline. It introduces the yoga āsana and breathing practices with details and techniques. Students consciously explore where the body is open and closed. They attune to alignment and coordination of movement and breath. The practitioner defines safety limits. We discipline ourselves to practice with awareness and consciousness of our body and the messages of the subtle body (ies). Will and surrender opens the door to experience svādyāya in an intentional practice. Increased awareness and lengthening the holding time gives the student an opportunity to learn the habitual tendencies, physical or mental by observing the interplay of body sensations and mental reactions or responses. An opportunity is offered, through the understanding of yoga principles and energy flows, to explore the edge of therapeutic irritation and move beyond limitations present in the moment. Stage three is the integration of īśvara praṇidhāna, the surrender to divine inner guidance. At the place of surrender the deeper practices can manifest automatically. Bapuji (Swami Kripalu) says that āsana flow from grace, anugraha, and any posture, on

others. An interpreted world is not a HOME. Part of the terror is to take back our own listening. To use our own voice. To see our own light." Hildegard Von Bingen "If you don't know where you're going, any path will get you there." Frank Baum “Our culture is practiced at marketing spirituality, creativity, and other authentic experiences, and sometimes it feels that everything is for sale. Many people enjoy jewelry and clothing that bear a spiritual message and if those items remind them of their God-essence, that is great. Ultimately, however, spirituality cannot be bought. The path of spirituality is one of devotion, and the acceptance of this is the beginning of spiritual maturity.” “What I see in others is what I get.” Unknown Īśvara Praṇidhāna Sūtra 2.45: From devotion to the Lord of all, one is given perfect absorption into Spirit.17 Īśvara Praṇidhāna is translated as “surrender to your Divine Higher Self.” It is letting go into the Source. In the Kripalu Code it says, “This is what every heart yearns for. Union. Being in the State of Love. Being in intimate contact with the Divine, with God. It is the experience of being anchored in the Source and allowing our being to contain waves of ecstasy.” Surrender! ! ! Placing all actions at the feet of God. Do you translate this as giving your power away? It is not. It is liberating and empowering. The only way to get this concept is to try it. Why do we keep wandering from one external goal to another? Earning degrees and money, accumulating things, having a family--we keep thinking with the next achievement our inner yearning will be fulfilled. It is . . . for a short time. And. . . . The deepest aspects of Īśvara Praṇidhāna are taking shelter in the Supreme Absolute, regardless of how you choose to call Him/Her/Mother/Father. It may be an external Energy. It may be a place in the heart. It is acting out of the love for, and then, offering the fruits of actions to the Supreme. How can the Source manifest if it is not through our actions? We are the body, the expression of the Source. An intertwining of love, dedication and service become vehicles to move us into the practice. We open to grace. We cultivate faith, dedication, sincerity. We find patience to transcend the ego which defines us as separate. We begin to move past seeing what is wrong and practice seeing what is right in all. We count on blessings. We are powerful and as the Bible says, “Faith can move mountains.” We have the tapaḥ, discipline, patience, contentedness and purity to be in the journey. This is the power of Īśvara Praṇidhāna. Īśvara Praṇidhāna is attuning to the All Knowing Presence that already exists within you. It is allowing the Presence to direct your actions and you reunite with your Self. Steps on the journey begin with loving self and expanding into loving Self. Stage 1: Love for God/Self, desire to serve Stage 2: Selfless service outside your family Stage 3: Adapting qualities of loving service and living them Stage 4: Allowing each grounded action to fulfill self, others and Spirit Stage 5: Living life as an instrument of the Universal Consciousness Stage 6: Being God or the Universal Self without division Affirmation: I cultivate the befriending, understanding and surrender of my ego. I am intimate with my Source. Questions: Do I love Self? Am I willing to allow daily activities to be love manifest? Am I willing to dwell on the Beloved? Do

Stage 1: Love for God/Self, desire to serve Stage 2: Selfless service outside your family Stage 3: Adapting qualities of loving service and living them Stage 4: Allowing each grounded action to fulfill self, others and Spirit Stage 5: Living life as an instrument of the Universal Consciousness Stage 6: Being God or the Universal Self without division Affirmation: I cultivate the befriending, understanding and surrender of my ego. I am intimate with my Source. Questions: Do I love Self? Am I willing to allow daily activities to be love manifest? Am I willing to dwell on the Beloved? Do I ever feel absorbed by a Presence that resonates the fullness of Life? Quotes to inspire and stimulate thought: “Surrender is the simple but profound wisdom of yielding to rather than opposing the flow of life.” Ekhart Tolle "A sense of devotion and surrender opens us to experiences of being nurtured. We also learn that we have the capacity to become instruments of higher consciousness, serving and giving what we can to help others in their own awakening.” Swami Ajaya “We come from God and we have to go back to him!” Mother Teresa “Surrender is the spiritual practice that separates the mental manipulators from the spiritual expressers” Rev. Diane Harmony “Angels fly because they take themselves lightly.” Unknown "There is no saint without a past, and no sinner without a future." Haidakhanda Baba “Jesus didn’t teach we could move a mountain by standing in overwhelm at its size, but by believing in our heart that it had moved.” “That which this anguished soul feels most deeply is the conviction that God has abandoned it, that He has cast it away into darkness as an abominable thing. Although this happy night brings darkness to the Spirit, it does so only to give it light in everything; although it humbles it and makes it miserable, it does soon to exalt it and raise it up; and, although it impoverishes it and empties it of all natural affection and attachment, it does so only that it may enable it to stretch forward, divinely.” St. John of the Cross "People are like stained glass windows, they sparkle and shine when the sun is out but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light within.” Unknown “ There is a light that shines beyond all things on earth, beyond us all, beyond the heavens, beyond the highest, the very highest heavens. This is the Light that shines in our heart.” Chandoga Upaniṣad Summary Comparison with Other Traditions Yama and Niyama are the foundation. If we are practicing the guidelines of Yama and Niyama, our mind and agendas do not get in the way of the deeper practices. Begin to notice the mental energies surging through your mind as you do āsana. Questions like: Am I doing it right (santoṣa, not content with your effort)? Feel what it is like when you violate ahiṃsā by pushing your body deeper into the pose than it is appropriate for you. Are you serving your Self and where you are now, or are you serving the ego with expectation of where you want/think you should be? Notice if you are truthful to yourself about just about anything! How do you reevaluate beliefs when they are challenged by a different life experience and situation? Yama and Niyama are universal. Following are the Virtues of Buddhism and the Ten Commandments. Reflect on the differences and similarities. Practice Svādyāya. What language holds the truth for you? Buddhist Virtues (1) Kill not, but have

is it? Are you satisfied with your life and are things completed? This is a time of suspension. Can you really let go into the suspending your life for a few moments? Can you relax as dynamically as you live life? Are you leaving without regrets? What would you want to complete before you leave? What will it take to complete your life? If you are a corpse lying within your coffin and you feel your spirit rising out of the body, how does this feel, and what thoughts do you have? Can you leave and be at peace? If you were dead, what would your friends, co-workers, family or others say about you? In daily life we often have to let things die to move into new opportunities. Each day you do this practice is an opportunity to evaluate what needs to “die” for you to move on. Can you be conscious of the ongoing letting go and dying of limitation in your life? Do you allow the mind to be too busy to be with yourself? What will happen if you surrender into “nothingness”? How attached are you to your body? Hansa feels the names are interesting to consider. What is the difference between relating to a dead body, already gone, the essence of śavāsana, and encountering death, mṛtyāsana? Be aware of the hands, are they closed and gripping anything in life? Cakra: All are passively active. Mahābhūta: All are relaxed and receptive. Bandha: Bandha may be passively engaged through breath, but they are not consciously engaged. PrānaVāyu: Prānavāyu integrate. There is no specific intention. It is time to allow body wisdom to govern. Doṣa: All have an opportunity to receive. Vāta can be supported with props if necessary: bolster under the knees and eye bag. Pitta can be supported with an eye bag, encouraging and inner focus. Kapha people need to maintain awareness. Marma Point(s): Marma are not a focus for this āsana. Saying that, there is a beautiful opening of the marmani in center of the hand and sole of the foot, the talahṛdaya which connect us to our heart. Dṛṣṭi: Allow the gaze to drop inward. For Bhakti’s the dṛṣṭi may go more towards the heart. Jñana yogi’s will gaze more towards the ajña cakra region. Some just feel the senses relaxing inward towards the internal meeting point of the indriya. Classification(s): Supine. Deep relaxation. Warm Ups: Śavāsana concludes an āsana and prāṇāyāma practices. Flow into the posture: Lie down on the back. Find a natural position for the body. Let the feet fall out to either side. Keep them at a comfortable distance apart, basically tracking with the hips. Draw the head away from the torso, elongating the cervical region. Think of pulling from the muscle behind the ears to support the automatic inner gaze. The base of the skull should be touching the earth rather than the back of the head. This alignment supports an inward experience. Bring the arms alongside the body, ever so slightly separated from the body. Spread the collar bones. Allow the shoulder blades to relax underneath the back, creating a cradle for the heart. Turn the palms to face upwards. Relax the whole body, including the face. Allow the body feel heavy. Feel the natural ebb and flow of the natural breath. Draw the senses inward: Soften the the tongue, nose, ears and fascial muscles. Allow the eyes sink inside. Let the eyes find their natural internal gaze point. Release thoughts to the back of the head. To release, begin to deepen the breath. Then move the fingers

is birthed from Kṛṣṇa. 14.3 - 4. The guṇa are born of prakṛti and bind the immortal Self to the body. He defines the guṇa, the characteristics and the results of being dominated by the guṇa. 14.5 - 18. Yet, if we are wise and know the guṇa, see the action of the guṇa, we can move beyond the guṇa and be in union with God. 14.19 - 20. Arjuna asks the characteristics of those who have gone beyond the guṇa and how they got there. 14.21. Kṛṣṇa’s definition can be summed up in the word of equanimity -- all are equal an one becomes undisturbed by actions. 14.22 - 25. We get passed the guṇa by serving Kṛṣṇa/Brahman. 14.24 - 26. Chapter Fifteen: The Supreme Self The āśvattha tree is a fig tree which, like the banyan tree, roots from above the ground and then branches down into the earth. He likens life to the tree. Stretching in many directions, its source is hard to determine. We are asked to cut down the tree with the axe of detachment. 15.1 - 3 Once detaching, seek the true path and go forward. 15.4 - 5. The eternal realm is defined. 15.6. A part of the eternal enters into the world as prakṛti and its manifestations. 15.7 - 9. The deluded do not see the Self within or without. Those with wisdom see Self. 15.10 -11. Kṛṣṇa describes his presence as essence that pervades all. 15.12 - 15. Kṛṣṇa says there are two types of beings and the Supreme Self is beyond these concepts. Kṛṣṇa is that Supreme. 15.16 - 18. If we see the Divine Self, we find our source and worship with devotion. We then attain wisdom. 15.19 - 20. Chapter 16: Two Paths Kṛṣṇa lists the divine traits of man. 16.1 - 3. He acknowledges qualities that are inhuman (demonic). 16.4. Divine qualities lead to freedom and demonic lead to bondage. Kṛṣṇa says he has defined the divine, it is necessary to describe the demonic. 16.5 - 6. He tells the nature of demonic characteristics which bind them into a dark abyss. 16.7 - 18. These people are caught in the cycle of rebirths. 16.19 - 20. The three gates to demonic life are: lust, anger and greed. You can escape or continue to disregard the teachings and continue to miss the goal of life. 16.21 - 23. Kṛṣṇa tells us to use the scriptures to guide us and act accordingly. 16.24. Chapter Seventeen: The Power of Faith Arjuna knows there are those who live from faith and do not follow the scriptures. He asks about their path and which forces motivate them. 17.1 Kṛṣṇa acknowledges all are born with a faith. The faith of each guṇa has a different quality which he describes. 17.2 - 7. He indicates the faith is reflected even the foods one eats. 17.8 - 10. They perform sacrifices based on their guṇa. 17.11 - 13. There are different ways to offer to the gods through body, speech and mind. These disciplines can be offered in a sattva, rajas or tamas form. 17.14 - 19. How you give is impacted by the guṇa. 17.20 - 22. Om Tat Sat means, “Only That Is” referring to the divine presence of guiding all. Kṛṣṇa shares how we can practice this in our deeds. 17.23 - 27. To practice without the good faith is worthless. 17.28. Chapter Eighteen: Freedom and Renunciation Arjuna asks the difference between saṇyāsa (renunciation) and tyāga (relinquishment). 18.1 Kṛṣṇa defines the two words. Saṇyāsa is refrain from selfish acts. Tyāga is to

Alignment Standing depends on spine, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Standing erect gracefully and effortlessly is a conscious act. How you stand will tell a lot about you. It indicates the strength of the legs, balance of the hips, alignment of the spine, mobility of the shoulder girdle and placement of the cervical spine and head. Balance, strength and alignment are the keys for all postures. Improper alignment in a posture can cause imbalance or damage to the musculoskeletal system. Another group of muscles will compensate for the improper alignment, expanding the “problem” to another part of the body. Proper alignment is essential to maintain equilibrium in standing āsana and it takes muscular strength to remain in a standing posture. Focus, an aspect of pitta, is necessary to balance. Standing postures become a tool for practicing focus. Gazing at an object while maintaining a balance posture assists in the development of concentration, not just balance. Arms The shoulder girdle has many muscles effecting both the front and back of the body and the range of motion for the arms. Tension in the shoulder and neck region effects the mobility of the arms. Releasing the shoulder girdle becomes an integrated task. First we must isolate the shoulder girdle from the torso and cervical muscles. We do this by opening the chest with back bends, isolating the shoulder muscle movement without using the cervical and torso muscles through work with lateral movements and series of arm movements. The lower arm, associated with carpal tunnel, is stretched in many yoga postures and slow steady relief can be found with consistent yoga therapy. Spinal Muscles The human body is erect because of the spinal muscles. They allow elongation, back bending, forward bending, lateral movement and twists. Flexibility of the back and the opening of the rib cage needs to include movement in all muscles in the back, sides and front. Using all the torso muscles tones the synergistic and antagonistic muscles. Therefore, the thoracic movement is emphasized in yoga movements. Be observant of students who may use the joints to do the thoracic and back movements. Forward Bends Forward extensions open the spine starting from the sacrum, through the lumbar, thoracic and finally cervical muscles. Forward bends massage the internal organs and stretch the hamstrings. They stimulate the parasympathetic nerve system creating a calming and cooling effect on the body. Back Bends Many people depend on the low back and the neck to accomplish back bends. The whole thoracic region must be included in a back bend. The chest, ribs and shoulder girdle open and the lumbar and cervical spine are protected from proper elongation of the spine. Back bends are strenuous, stimulate the nervous system and energize the body. Back bends include a stretch of the quadriceps, a psoas stretch, a release of the hip muscles and then the elongation the lumbar spine. Back bends stimulate the kidneys, adrenals and digestive organs. Expansion of the chest enhances chest breathing and opens the intercostal muscles, allowing a greater opening of the spinal vertebrae. Lateral Āsana We encourage students to work towards opening the spine and deepening the breath. The small intercostal muscles between the ribs can continue to prevent full flexibility. Lateral postures open up the lateral rib cage and muscle of the lower thoracic region. The cervical muscles are integrated into a lateral āsana. Neck The carriage of the neck, too far forward or back, affects the whole body alignment. Tightening in any one area can affect the whole spine, and it is the neck that we most frequently forget to include in our

can make up their "posture" or words based on what they see. Bring in color cards and have them call out colors. Give them simple chants, and build them word by word. Play word games. Have them blow pinwheels. If you discover a hidden talent, see if there is a way to incorporate it into a class. Allow time to talk about childhood memories. Integrate the care giver(s) into the work you are doing! If you are working independently, and with permission, do a śirodhara treatment or encourage the family to arrange for them to have a treatment. MusculoSkeletal: Postural Deviations Hyper lordosis, hyper kyphosis and scoliosis affect Seniors . A lifetime of gravity greatly affects the spine. Use of the spine affects the strength of the muscles. Sitting in chairs without good spine support adds to the problem. Pressure of the compromised posture can also affect the functioning of the organs, especially the movement of the diaphragm and the digestive system. Some musculoskeletal conditions may have a long history. They are old injuries that were not addressed, never healed, or developed through compensation for a previous accident or injury. As the student ages, the bone density and muscle integrity shift and the postural alignment may become more compromising to health. Another postural compromise that can be exaggerated with age is "sitting positions" from life work. If someone has set at a computer and the right arm has extended to the side to old the mouse, the person may have a slight torque to their body. A driver may leaned into the arm rest shortening one side of the spine in comparison to the other side. And, don’t forget the impact of bucket seats and lazy-boy-type chairs, Etc. These deviations may become more prominent in aging. The impact can be impacted by osteoporosis or osteopenia and disc degeneration.Addressing posture deviations can be beneficial as the alignment will eventually compromise the functioning of organs or affect spinal disc and vertebrae integrity. Nervous system messages are sent through the spinal column. If the spine develops compressed discs or vertebrae, messages may not be clear or the pathway or nerve messages may be compromised. This can result in lack of clarity about body movements. Add to this lack of muscle integrity, a person may begin to shuffle their feet or loose the sense of balance. Yoga is a beneficial support through simple movements which innervate, massage and align the spine and related spinal muscles. Spinal lengthening should be the focus. Teaching students to be aware of the left right side of the body so they can find ways to self adjust. Note: as senior age, they may develop a tendency to lean towards one side which leads to hyper kyphosis, lordosis and scoliosis. Gentle back bends can minimize or reduce the progression of kyphosis. The open of the heart movements can open underneath the clavicles which is beneficial for chest expansion. Forward bends can elongate the lumbar area even then they may only move to having hands on thighs, shins, a block or a chair in the cases of having osteoporosis in the pelvis. Laterals open the rib cage and asymmetrically work the spine. Laterals are especially beneficial for scoliosis. Twists are a great tool to loosen up the spine and strengthen the obliques to support posture. We can support the client in learning to sit properly or use cushions to help with alignment. Pay attention to proper alignment to avoid further strain or injury. Modify — watch, listen and adapt. Sometimes their fear is holding them more than Yoga Tools Move the

Start in a comfortable seated position with both legs extended in front of you. Ground your sitz bones into the earth. You may want to explore this foundation by rocking from side to side and pulling the flesh from underneath the sitz bones. Ultimately, find a neutral position allowing your weight to be equal on both sitz bones. Relax your arms beside the body allowing your hands to rest on the floor next to your thighs. Press the palms of your hands into the ground helping to create space between each vertebrae as the crown of the head presses upward. Note: The fingers pointing forward will engage the erector spinae, the fingers facing back will engage the pectorals, intercostals, and trapezius. You may consciously choose the hand adaptation to enhance the students awareness of their body. Inhale and expand the chest, feeling the fullness and strength of your torso. Exhale, gently press the hands in the ground to support the lengthening your spine, through the back body to the crown of your head. Allow the body to find a ninety degree angle between the legs and the torso. Note: The hands are a passive press and support. The do not “do the posture.” Continue with the breath, expanding the rib cage and then elongating during the exhalation, growing the spaciousness in the spinal column pressing the crown of the head upward. Adaptations: For those with a tight psoas, place a slight rolled up mat or wedge under the sitz bones. People with tight hamstrings may need to place a roll under the knees. The hands, fingers facing forward will engage the erector spinae and strengthen the back muscles. The hands, fingers facing back, will engage the pectorals and sub-clavicular muscles. For the more advanced, the arms may be extended over the head. Anatomical and Physiological awarenesses: A posterior rotated pelvis will restrict the lifting of the spine. Properly adapt the posture to support the flexibility in the hips. An anterior rotated pelvis will need to observe over arching the spine. Fingers pointing forward assists in strengthening the erector spinae. Many students today do not have strong back muscles because of sitting in chairs so frequently. Fingers pointing back work the muscles in the upper thoracic including the sub-clavicular, pectoral and intercostals. Anyone with curvature of the spine, whether it be lordosis, kyphosis or scoliosis will have problems with the āsana. Yet, it is a great pose to assist them in balancing the left and right sides of the spine. Physical Benefits: Strengthens the spine muscles. It is a symmetrical stretch for the spine muscles. Tones abdominal muscles. Opens the chest. Astral Benefits: Builds confidence and supports ones presence in the world. Causal Benefits: Balances the ida and piṅgala allowing prāna to move through the suśumṇa. Engages udāna vāyu. Contraindications: There are no contraindications that I know of for this āsana. Teacher Observation Points: Notice where the spine “surrenders.” Include language to assist engaging the specific section of the spine. Watch for a neutral spine. The tailbone may be rolled under or pushed behind causing too strong of an arch in the lumbar spine. Many people do not have an awareness of their spinal alignment and will have a tendency to arch the lumbar spine. The arms are passive, yet engaged in their support. Notice if a practitioner is holding themselves up with their hands. Head should be neutral, chin parallel to the ground. Hand position changes based on engaging front body muscles or back body muscles. The length of the hamstrings is often considered. In reality, sitting up straight is

palms down at shoulder height. If you want to assist the students in deepening their practice, you can add cues to support engaging the mūlabandha: Stand with the feet parallel, hip bone width apart or narrower. Parallel is based on a line drawn from the index toe to the center point, or soft spot between the muscles at the top of foot/leg junction. Notice if your ankles rotate inward or outward. Lift through the foot and adjust the heel position to "square the ankles." For most people this creates a lift in the arch and inside of the leg. Engage the inner muscles of the leg and continue the lift from the top of the ankles, through the inside leg to the groin, softening the knees along the way and allowing the thighs (quads) to support the upward lift. The hamstrings may experience a downward pull to balance upward pull of the quads. The gluteals will be engaged but do not tighten. Slightly, without a strong engagement of the gluteals, elongate the low back. The lumbar area will elongate, lengthening the low back. At the same time, let the pubic bone reach back to "marry" the tailbone and internally lift the pubic bone to the back of the naval. At this point you should feel a shift in the alignment of the hips without the strong use of musculature. Your torso will kind of "sink in" simultaneously creating a lift out of the pelvic girdle. Continue the elongation through the center of the torso. The lift process may feel kind of like pulling on a tight swim suit. When you reach the chest, soften the ribcage and allow your focus to go inside the chest one inch. Lift at the internal heart space which should coincide with the lift that started at the inside of the heels. This movement allows the internal chest to open without the forward thrust of the ribcage. The ribcage will move with the breath, not the musculature of alignment. Carry the internal core lift through the anterior of the cervical spine to the back of the fontanel. Adaptations: The spinal alignment in this posture is the core structure for all āsana, whether you are seated, prone, kneeling or standing. Allow students to practice in any and all positions. Adjust the arms to accommodate the alignment of the shoulder cuff. The torso alignment can be done in a chair. Stand back to back with a partner or against a wall. See if you can become more familiar with the natural curves of the back, looking for the “neutral spine.” Anatomical and physiology awarenesses: The spine has four natural curves: sacrum/ coccyx, lumbar, upper thoracic and cervical. The goal of tāḍāsana is the find the neutral, natural alignment of the spine. We want to be able to lift out of the spine to create spaciousness for the vertebrae. If one leg is shorter than the other leg, a small towel or block could be put under the foot to allow the person to work with hip and spinal alignment. It is important to check and see if the leg is really short or whether the imbalance originates from uneven psoas length. Observe the lumbar spine for evenness. Scoliosis, kyphosis and lordosis will affect the ability of the person to be “picture perfect.” Working with tāḍāsana is a beginning to create a shift in any of these problems. It is not a cure for any of the problems. High blood pressure may affect persons ability to hold for long periods. Shoulder and clavicular alignment may affect the extension

silent communicator of the Spirit. If we are observant we can begin to interpret our body messages. We can get neurotic about our body messages. Stay neutral. I personally believe you must be available to watch and observe and drop the necessary clues for a person to do their emotional and spiritual work or any form of therapy will not be a life long change. And . . . you are not a psychotherapist. Do not take on a role that is not yours. Be a yoga teacher and guide them to ask for appropriate support. I will be sharing some general, ancient teachings about body reading. Some of them, you will find, make common sense when you utilize your understanding of the subtle bodies from the Yogic tradition. Reading Posture Reading posture is basic visualization. Watch the student or client as they enter the room. How do they carry themselves? The information gathered during this basic observation will be used in all areas of evaluation. What to look for: Check the general expression on the face. Is the head aligned with the spine or extending forward or flexed back? Is the neck open or lifted around the ears? Do the shoulders droop? Evenly? Are the shoulders even in height? Does the chest collapse? Is it thrust forward? From where -- inside or externally? Do the arms extend from the shoulders or roll out or in? Do the elbows and hands hang evenly? Is the breath full? Do the hips tilt? Are the hips even? Are the gluteals held tight? How do the legs hang from the hips? Are the knees rolled in or out? Are the calves firm? How are the ankles? Are the feet in a pronated or supinated position? Is the upper and lower body evenly proportioned? Do the clothes hang evenly on the body? Is the person standing straight or does the person drop to one side? If/when the person sits down; do they sit straight, cross legs, sit to one side? Is there body symmetry? Where is the asymmetry? Is it skeletal or muscular? Is there a cross body asymmetrical alignment? Is there hyper mobility in any joints? Potential Information: Physical The observations made in watching the postures become the clues for skeletal alignment, joint wear and tear, muscle length, strength and use and, as you will see in the next section, pressure on the organs of the body. Here are some general comments. A further evaluation is done based on the information gathered. When I do a reading, unless there is an area of the body that really stands out, I evaluate from the bottom to the top. The foundation of the body is the feet. If the feet are pronated, supinated or flat, the rest of the alignment of the body will need to adapt. Follow the body lines for a moment. Notice the impact of the way the feet are grounded. Ankles will often have a tendency to collapse, reflecting the feet or hip position. This is a clue as to whether to be more concerned about strengthening the feet or looking more towards hip and spinal alignment for therapy. Knees reflect the foot and hip alignment. Look both up and down to observe the inciting area of imbalance. Knees are supported from the quadriceps, hamstrings and adductors wrapping around the joint. Alignment of the knee will give clues to strong and weak thigh muscles which you can address. Angle of the pelvis is a major issue. Both skeletal and muscular evaluation can be made as you evaluate the hips. Here are

the Eternal by Swami Prabhavananda. As a king employs officials to rule over different portions of his kingdom, so Prāna associates with himself four other Prāna-s, each a portion of himself and each assigned a separate function. The Prāna himself dwells in eye, ear, mouth, and nose; the Apāna, which is the second Prāna, rules the organs of excretion and generation; the Samāna, which is the third Prāna, inhabits the navel, and governs digestion and assimilation. The Self dwells in the lotus of the heart, whence radiate a hundred and one nerves. From each of these proceed one hundred others, which are smaller, and from each of these, again, seventy-two thousand others, which are smaller still. In all these moves the Vyāna, which is the fourth Prāna. And then at the moment of death, through the nerve in the center of the spine, the Udāna, which is the fifth Prāna, leads the virtuous man upward to higher birth, the sinful man downward to lower birth, and the man who is both virtuous and sinful to rebirth in the world of men. The sun is the Prāna of the universe. It rises to help the Prāna in the eye of man to see. The power of earth maintains the Apāna in man. The ether between the sun and the earth is the Samāna, and the all-pervading air is the Vyāna. The Udāna is fire, and therefore he whose bodily heat has gone out dies, after which his senses are absorbed in the mind, and he is born again. Whatever his thought at the moment of death, this it is that unites a man with Prāna, who in turn, uniting himself with Udāna and with the Self, leads the man to be reborn in the world he merits. The progeny of him who knows Prāna as I have revealed him to you is never cut off; and he himself becomes immortal. It was said of old: one who knows the Prāna--whence he has his source, how he enters the body, how he lives there after dividing himself five-fold, what are his inner workings--such as one attains to immortality, yea, even to immortality.” For the readings it is important to understand that yoga looks as breath more than a body function. Prāna is our life force and is more important than our consciousness. It manifests in two different levels: unmanifest aspect is the energy of pure awareness which pervades the body and transcends the manifested form. It is the essence of all creation. The manifest form of prāna is the force of creation itself. It arises from rajas guṇa as a modification of the air element. The flow of prāna is guided by the concepts of the prāṇavāyu. The Praśna Upaniṣad and the Gorakṣa Samhitā speaks of five. The Gorakṣa Samhitā says in verse 30: “In the heart region resides the prāṇa vāyu, in the anus region apāna vāyu, in the naval region, samāna vāya, in the throat region udāna vāyu, and in the whole body vyāna vāyu.” There are ten recorded in the classical texts. Śiva Samhitā 3.4 - 5: Prāṇa, Apāna, Udāna, Samāna, Vyāna, Nāga, Kūrma, Kṛkara, Devadatta, and Dhanañjaya. These are the ten principal names, describe by me in this Sastra; the perform all the functions, incited thereto by their own actions. 3.8 - The five remaining vāyu, the nāga, etc. perform the following functions int he body: Eructation, opening the eyes, hunger and thirst, gaping or yawning and lastly hiccup. Their functions are discussed in texts as a guide for our use in the Hatha Yoga tradition: Hatha Yoga

blood is purified only slightly. In people who do regular physical exercise, there is moderate physical purification of the blood. In the body of a sādhaka whose prāna is fully released, the blood is eventually purified completely. This blood purification produces great physical vitality. This vitality tries to become ascendant through the sexual center. From this attempt passion arises. The secrets of the teachings are hidden in the "panchmakars". Although originally this sadhana was very holy, truthful and of the highest, presently it is the opposite. Today this sadhana is born out of the yoga distractions of "brantidarśana" and it is well nourished by the non-understanding of the secret meanings hidden in the slokas of the ancient yoga scriptures. All the paths, big and small, are connected with pranotthana. Classical Writings on Prāna Prāna writings are not exclusive to Swami Kripalu. Other teachings dominate many classical yoga texts. The texts indicate we can purify the body and cleanse the nadī with prāna. Āsana, ṣaṭ karma, mudrā and prānāyāma have the power to effect prāna. Prāna is our life force. It manifests subtly and more superficially as Vata and breath. Therefore, we have tools to free prāna. Let us look at some texts and see what they say about prāna. The first texts tell us we are made from prāna. The Praśna Upaniṣad discusses the functions of Prāna and the final readings of Swami Kripalu tell the actions of prāna and the powers we have to overcome obstacles and āsana with prāna control. Taittiriya Upaniṣad translated by Nikhilananda Chapter 2 - Different from the food sheathe is another self, which consists of the vital breath (prāna). By this the former is filled. This too has the shape of a man.. . . Prāna (upward breath), indeed, is its head; vyāna (the diffused breath) is its right wing; apāna (the downward breath) is its left wing; ākāśā (samāna) is its trunk; the earth is its tail, its support. Chapter 3 - The Gods breathe after the prāna, so also do men and cattle; for the prāna is life of creatures. . . . Chandogya Upaniṣad translated by Swami Nikhilanananda Section Five Chapter One, the Supremacy of Prāna 5.1-15 Om, HE WHO knows what is the oldest and greatest becomes himself the oldest and greatest. The prāna, indeed, is the oldest and greatest. He who knows what is the most excellent, vaiśiṣṭa, becomes the most excellent among his kinsmen. The organ of speech, indeed, is the most excellent. He who knows what has [the attributes of]firmness, pratiṣṭā, becomes firm in this world and the next. The eye, indeed, is endowed with firmness. He who knows prosperity, sampad, his wishes are fulfilled- both divine and human wishes. The ear, indeed, is prosperity. He who knows the abode, ayatana, becomes the abode of his kinsmen. The mind, indeed, is the abode. The prāna (sense-organs)disputed among themselves about who was the best[among them], [each] saying: “I am the best,” “I am the best.” They went to Prajāpatī, their progenitor, and said:”O reversed Sir, who is the best among us?” He said to them:”He by whose departure the body looks worse than the worst is the best among you.” The organ of speech departed. After being away for a whole year, it came back and said:”How have you been able to live without me?” The others organs replied:”We lived just as dumb people live, without speaking, but breathing with the prāna(nose), seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear, and thinking with the mind.” Then the organ of speech entered [the body]. The eye departed. After being

summary the word prāṇa is used in three ways: In general sense of prāṇa śakti or life-force. In a specific sense according to the various biological functions. As breath. According to the Praśna Upaniṣad, Self and Prāṇa are one and the same. “Prāṇa comes from the Self, from Brahman. Everything is derived from the Self. “It compares the prāṇa a body’s shadow.“ Where does the shadow come from? It comes from the body. Similarly, Prāṇa comes from Ātman, the Soul. You cannot separate Prāṇa from the Self, just as you cannot separate the shadow from the body. If Prāṇa leaves the body, the heart stops beating. Bāhya MātṛkaNyāsa The Bāhya Mātṛka are vibrational sub-stations that regulate or alter the flow of prāṇa from the grounded energy that has anchored Spirit to the arms and hands. Notice that is begins in the right knee and hip and channels the prāṇa upward and into reaching into the world through the karmendriya of the upper appendages. क ka = right shoulder ख kha = right elbow ग ga = right wrist घ gha = right root of fingers ङ na = right finger tips च ca = left shoulder छ cha = left elbow ज ja = left wrist झ jha = left root of fingers ञ na = left finger tips ट ṭa = right hip ठ ṭha = right knee Marma of each Anāhata Petal The marma of the cakra are related to the arms heart and right hip and knee. Sūkṣma Śarīra Tanmātra are the subtle elements and the potential for the sense perceptions for the ahāṁkara. They are predominantly tamas in nature. As the foundation on which the manifest plane is built, they are the subtle existence that allows recognition of the diverse patterns experienced through the five senses. Tanmātra are invaluable tools that help ahaṁkāra differentiate the myriad of perceptions of the manifest world. Sparśā, the recognition of different kinds of touch or contact is the specific tanmātra of anāhata. Jñānendriya are the potential for organs to support the power of sense perception Sparśā, touch or contact is also known as tvak, the peel, rind, cover, bark, skin. Skin is the largest organ of the body and is considered one of the most important parts of the body. It is the primary boundary line between the external and internal environments. It is also the human suit’s first line of defense from external influences. The skin protects against pathogens; regulates temperature; acts as an insulation; produces vitamin D and prevents excessive water loss. On a subtle level, skin is representative of the outer self, a veneer, mask or the persona presented to the manifest world that covers the true Self. Tanmātra function in conjunction with jñānendriya result in production of extra-sensory experiences. Jñānendriya are on manifest plane and the therefore bound by laws of physics. Karmendriya - the energy that normally circulates through the organs. Paṇi is related to the hands, palm and fingers. The hands are extremely expressive and flexible. They are second only to the face in their ability to express and convey feelings. There are about one hundred touch receptors in each fingertip, making them one of the most sensitive areas of the body. Hands are closely related to how an individual expresses beyond the level of words. A touch can be gentle or harsh. Hands can grasp, give and receive. Hands take care of others as well as self. Transactional energy of the hands can come from a place of: Oblation, the self-less offering from the heart. Obligation, the self-centered place of duty, moral imperative.

organs, mind and awareness. Prāna allows consciousness to move from no-thing to things - and in physiology, governs all things. The prānavāyu govern health in many ways. We can enhance the balanced flow of the prānavāyu through conscious selection of yoga practices. From an Āyurveda perspective, a goal is to maintain our natural, constitutional Prakṛti. A person may have a vata provocation and is it manifesting because there is not a proper balance of kapha or pitta. If fire is raging, it will dry out the water and the wind will increase. If there is too much air, fire will grow or get snuffed out, while water will dry out. If wind is stagnant, the fire cannot grow and water will not move. Or, vata may be too rajas or tamas. Who do we address! A difficult component to access is what doṣa is pushing what out of balance. We get excited when we first begin studying āyurveda and look at the manifestations in a linear way. It is not linear! The tools for assessment must always be kept in our mind. An example of the push and pull of the prānavāyu is scoliosis. If one prāna is stronger than another, the one pulls and we lose the equanimity. Prānavāyu seeks the balance of intake and output. The body adjusts to allow the balance of flow. Therefore, our goal as yoga therapist is to create a tri-doṣa practice within each āsana and prānāyāma practice. The more you sit and work with a “practice,” information will reveal more of its true essence and nature. A tri-doṣa experience happens through an understanding of the affect of the prānavāyu on the body. Taittirīya: The Taittirīya Upaniṣad is the heart of the Vedanta teachings. It is a review of the subtle body theory, most well known for the explanation of the kośa, the five sheathes. It actually begins with a discussion on proper Saṁskṛta pronunciation. There is a discussion on our relationship to the galaxies and the reflection within ourself and how these worlds are the essence of the jñanendriya, karmendriya, tanmātra and mahābhūta. Therefore, when we study the sacred word through proper chanting, we touch into our connection with totality of who we are -- body, mind and most importantly the Spirit. 1.6.1 The Lord of Love dwells in the hearts of all. To realize him is ti go beyond death. Between the parietal lobes of the sagittal door, as the lobe swings behind the palate. Through that one goes out chanting bhur, to become one with fire; chanting bhuva-s, to become one with air; chanting suvar, to be one with the sun; chanting mahā to be one with the Lord. Thus one becomes king of his own life, ruler of his passions, senses, and intellect. 2.1.1 They have attained the goal who realize Brahman as the supreme reality, the source of truth, wisdom, and boundless joy. They see the Lord in the cave of the heart and are granted all the blessings of life. From Brahman came space; from space, air; from fire, water; from water, earth; from earth, plants; from plants, food; and from food, the human body, head, arms, legs, and heart. 2.2.1 From food are made all bodies, which become food again for others after their death. Food is the most important of things for the body; therefore it is the best medicine for all the body’s ailments. They who look upon as food as the Lord’s gift shall never lack life’s physical comforts. From food are made all bodies. All bodies feed on food, and it feeds on

the obstacles disappear and simultaneously dawns knowledge of the inner Self.” The Upaniṣad discusses the four states of consciousness: jāgarat - the wake state, svapna - the dream state, suṣupti - the deep sleep state and turīya - the witness state. Praśna: The Praśna is a series of six discussions between teacher and student. All the questions are related to our relationship with prāna, life force. This Upaniṣad is a foundation for work that we explore in yoga, the balance of the prānavāyu. Each section of the six sections is an unfolding understanding of the power of prāna and its relationship to maturing our Spiritual world. It becomes the guidelines for integration of spanda. Inquires include what happens to prāna when we sleep and the power of prāna through sounding om. 3.6 Vyāna, distributor of energy, moves through the myriad vital currents radiating from the heart, where lives the Self. 4.8 Earth, fluids, fire, air, space, and their subtle elements, the eyes and what can be seen, the ears and what can be heard, the nostrils and what can be smelled, the palate and what can be touched, the tongue and what can be spoken, the hands and what can be held, the organ of sex and its object of enjoyment, the organ of excretion and what is excreted, the feet and what they walk on, the mind and what it thinks, the intellect and what it knows, the ego and what it grasps, the heart and what it loves, the light and what it reveals: all things in life find their rest in the Self in dreamless sleep. Praśna Upaniṣad and the PrānaVāyu The most important of these for yoga practices is the vata sub doṣa, the prānavāyu. There are actually ten prānavāyu. Five we cannot control and their power is on a different level of consciousness. The ten are: Prāna, Apāna, Udāna, Samāna, Vyāna, Nāga (burping), Kūrma (blinking), Kṛkara (sneezing), Devadatta (yawning), and Dhanaṁjaya (hiccuping). Unfortunately, none of these mean the American translation and we do not have time to cover the minor vāyu expressions in class. We can’t, through our practices, create a major impact on the fire in the body. We can’t really change the fluid in the body. We can change how the wind moves by our practices. The Praśna Upaniṣad states in one section: “As a king employs officials to rule over different portions of his kingdom, so Prāna associates with himself four other Prāna, each a portion of himself and each assigned a separate function. “The Prāna himself dwells in eye, ear, mouth, and nose; the Apāna, which is the second Prāna, rules the organs of excretion and generation; the Samāna, which is the third Prāna, inhabits the navel, and governs digestion and assimilation. “The Self dwells in the lotus of the heart, whence radiate a hundred and one nerves. From each of these proceed one hundred others, which are smaller, and from each of these, again, seventy-two thousand others, which are smaller still. In all these moves the Vyāna, which is the fourth Prāna. And then at the moment of death, through the nerve in the center of the spine, the Udāna, which is the fifth Prāna, leads the virtuous man upward to higher birth, the sinful man downward to lower birth, and the man who is both virtuous and sinful to rebirth in the world of men. “The sun is the Prāna of the universe. It rises to help the Prāna in the eye of man to see. The power of earth maintains the Apāna in man. The ether between the

(shavasana) with your hands by your sides. The attention is taken through different parts of the body, giving energy and relieving fatigue stored in each cell. It gives a deep relaxation. Yoga nidrā takes away the tiredness and rejuvenates the mind in 20 minutes or less. Try this guided meditation with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, one of our favorites!

not changed, know that something deep within has shifted to connect you, and simply notice how relaxed the body is; how soft the breath is; how silent the mind is. Be still, and be grateful. Know that you can enter here again and again. As you are ready, just making your way up to a seated position. If you can’t quite make your way up and want to remain lying, that is fine too. And just feeling the body. Let’s unite our voices in the sound of Om (leads four different pitched Om). Shanti, Jai Bhagwan, may the spirit be victorious. http://m.youtube.com/?reload=7&rdm=1cgidg43r#/watch?v=rogU4H6LIEk Yoga Nidrā - Himalayan Institute Lynn Matthews 12/08/2014 Lie comfortably, support your legs with blankets and pillows, and place something soft beneath your head. You may even want a blanket. It is important that you are comfortable for the practice. Now close your eyes. Allow your intention to move inward Feel your whole being begin to soften and relax. Breathe in fully and exhale with a deep sigh. Inhale again and as you exhale, let go even more. Feel a sense of comfort, peace, and ease begin to wash over you. As you rest, extend your arms overhead behind you. If this is not appropriate for your shoulders, just rest them comfortably. As you stretch the right arm, stretch the left leg downward. As you stretch the left arm upward, stretch and right leg downward. Continue this for several more breaths, inhaling as you stretch, exhaling as you release. The next time you stretch the left arm up and right leg down, release the breath and bring your arms down by your side. Begin to become aware of your own bodily presence. Thinking less, feeling more. Now begin to tighten and tense the muscles of your right leg, and lift the leg one inch off the ground. Hold, hold, hold. Now drop the leg and let go completely. Feel heaviness flooding the leg. Begin to tighten and tense the muscles of your left leg, and left the leg one inch off the ground, continuing to breathe Hold… hold…hold. Now drop the leg and let go completely. Feel heaviness flooding the leg. Tense and lift your buttocks, hips, and pelvis off the ground. Continue to breathe as you hold, hold, and then let go. Feel the whole body letting go. Surrender to gravity. Now make fists and contract your arms and let them float off the floor. Continue to breathe as you hold them up. Hold….hold….and let go. Let go completely Surrender to the field of gravity pulling you down. Sense the boundaries of the bodies dissolving, disappearing, as you sink down. Shift from thinking about the experience to being the experience. As we move into the next phase of Yoga Nidrā, stay as still as possible. If you need to make an adjustment, do so mindfully, returning to stillness as soon as possible. Resolve to remain awake, staying in touch with the sound of my voice. Simply allow your body to respond to what I say directly and non-mentally. Let go of the need to think, to analyze or process thoughts or sensations, or any sounds that come into your awareness. Allow all thought, all sensations, all effort, to dissolve into the vast spaciousness of being A shift from thinking and doing to feeling and being Bring your awareness to your breath. Feel it flow in and out of your lungs. Don’t try to change its rhythm, influence or shape it in any way. The breathing is natural, automatic. You are not doing it. There is no effort.

gentle / firm, day /night, light / dark, hard / soft, thick / thin etc. Move the language with fluidity to the Manomāyākośa: comfortable / aching, nervous / calm, spacious / restricted, strong / weak, etc. Repeat each one to three times, a bit slower than before, without loosing continuity: sitting on the green lawn, a glowing candle, the endless desert, a torrential rain, snow capped mountains, a temple at sunrise, a coffin beside a grave, birds flying across a sunset, red clouds drifting, starts at night, the full moon, wind from the sea, a deserted beach, the restless sea long pause Gently deepening the breath, reconnect with your thoughts about the journey on earth. Notice the relationship with yourself. Repeat your Saṅkalpa three times, pausing between each recitation to receive the statement. pause Deepen the breath and begin to stretch internally into the present moment. Slowly begin to stretch externally. Press the hands into the earth and return to a seated position. The power of Yoga Nidrā to move into a place of calm serenity is a gift for each person during the shifting experience of pregnancy. It takes around twenty minutes and it is time well spent. Yoga Nidrā for the Cakra, Amrit Institute lead by Kamini Desai Close your eyes and quiet your mind. Be still. Let go of all thoughts and worry and tension. Give yourself fully to a Higher Power. Relax. Trust, and let go. Breathe in fully, and exhale with a sigh. And again inhale, and let go even more… and feel a sense of peace and contentment in your heart. We will begin with tension and relaxation. Tightening the whole body, take a breath in…fists, butt, face, tight, tight, tight; hold it, hold it, hold it…and release. On your next exhalation, let go even more. Feel the flood of released energy moving into every nerve, every cell. Now again, tighten the body, make the hands into fists, breathe in, squeeze the buttocks, the face, the fists, tighten, tighten, tighten, hold….and let go. Let go even more. Let your whole body melt into the flood of energy. Release any holding anywhere. Now follow my guidance as we begin the so-hum sounding breath. Start breathing in through the nose as I guide your breath from the third eye down to the base of the spine through the śuśumṅa; and as you exhale, guide your breath from the base of the spine up to the third eye. Continue with this breath: third eye down to the base of the spine, exhaling back up. Stay focused and feel the energy follow your attention along the spine Now we will integrate this breath with the non-vocal sound of “so-hum.” With each inhalation, feel the sound of “so” as you breathe from the third eye to the base of the spine. With each exhalation, feel the sound of “hum” flowing from the base of the spine to the third eye. Remain totally absorbed in the subtle vibration of sound and energy moving along the spine. Sound…breath. Sensation and attention in complete synchronicity. Totally engaged in the sacred presence of “that I am”……… “I am that” Deeply engaged, totally absorbed. Completely merge into Oneness. Now breathe normal. Bring your attention to rest in the third eye. Engage your whole body and entire being in a unified experience of “so-hum” sound and breath. Experience a deep stillness extending everywhere. Now adjust your body in a comfortable position, but do not fall asleep. Allow yourself to respond directly and non-mentally to my words. Allow any disturbances, external or internal, to draw you

the highest Self. Swami Satyananda describes how, as a young student, he fell asleep while a nearby group of people chanted mantras – many of which he had not heard before. Even though he was deeply asleep during the chanting, when he awoke and heard these mantras again, he seemed to know them. A yogi explained to Swami Satyananda that his subtle body had heard the mantras. The characteristic feature of Yoga Nidrā is the systematic rotation of consciousness in the body, which originated from the tantric process of nyāsa (meaning ‘to place’ or ‘to take the mind to a point’). During nyāsa, a yogi consciously touches various parts of his or her body while repeating mantras. When this is done in the prescribed manner, the yogi can awaken subtle energy within the physical matter of the body. As Swami Satyananda wrote, “The present system of Yoga Nidrā, which I have devised, enables people who are unfamiliar with Sanskrit mantras to gain the full benefits of the traditional nyāsa. It can be beneficially practiced by people of any religion or culture.” Swami Satyananda wrote the first comprehensive book outlining a system to practicesYoga Nidrā. He had his teachers do the medical study and research to verify the medical benefits and explain the brain processes that occur. Himalyan Institute / Yoga International To find information from this organization, you must be a member. Therefore, there is limited information. One teacher, Allison Ray Jeraci writes, “Yoga nidrā, or yogic sleep as it is commonly known, is an immensely powerful meditation technique, and one of the easiest yoga practices to develop and maintain. While the practitioner rests comfortably in śavāsana (corpse pose), this systematic meditation takes you through the pañca may kośa (five layers of self), leaving you with a sense of wholeness. No longer do you have to dread spending hours sitting on the floor waiting for liberation.” In another lead in, Rolf Solvik states the most frequently taught versions are one step in a deeper seven step process. Due to the inability to get more information, I cannot elaborate on the uniqueness of this style of yoga nidrā. I Am Yoga Nidrā Method developed by Yoga Amrit Desai Yoga nidrā, according to the web site, “Yoga Nidra is an ancient sleep-based meditation technique that has the power to take you to the innermost, deepest levels of relaxation where your whole body and being is permeated by peace of mind and profound stillness. It unlocks the mystical, integrative powers of the subconscious, as well as your higher centers of consciousness, to effortlessly erase your most tenacious, self-destructive habits and behavior patterns. “ The I Am Method is an energy based practice. The focus is on connecting with the Source that exists within each one of us and then, from the deep supra conscious levels of Self, integrate the aspects of the distracting mind. There is a rotating flow between breath, relaxing, feeling, watching and allowing energy to move. Like tuning an instrument that is out of tune, yoga nidrā realigns body, mind and Spirit. In the I Am Method, they discuss the six tools of yoga nidrā as: Realization is the acknowledgement that we are Source and working with our energy field, we can reconnect with who we really are. This may not be a goal, or an obvious goal for beginning practitioners. Integration is the link to connecting the body and mind. Resistance is in our body as a tool for self-preservation. When a life experience occurs and the person has not developed the tools to experience and digest the experience,

nidrā allows us to create a consistent and continuous flow of absorption Even a meditative mind is subject to vṛtti, emotions, various thought constructs and mind fields. Yoga Nidrā practice allows one to be absorbed at the deepest, subtlest and most consolidated states of mind and yet perform day to day activities. It allows mediation to be a continuous flow instead of a momentary experience. Yoga nidrā is a stateless state of mind. It is the silence that follows OM. It is the pathway that leads to Samādhi and in its ripening becomes Turīya itself.” Yoga nidrā is not meditation, although it is often put into the meditation family of yoga tools. Meditation is exploring entering the supra consciousness states. Yoga Nidrā is the journey to supra consciousness and the total merge into turīya, awake to both Spirit and Nature. Yoga nidrā is not a set of tools and there is no one set of tools that will guarantee someone experience yoga nidrā. The easiest way, and the way Hansa was taught yoga nidrā was merely relaxing and stating, “I now enter yoga nidrā,” and then watch. No magic amount of time. It was a practice of observing the Self beyond and yet, within the self. Indu Arora says,”For attaining, achieving, experiences and living such a states needs preparation and practice.” The practice is entering stillness. In other words, as Devadatt Patnik writes, it is when “all senses are dormant.” By focus, we move beyond the senses! Deep rest is śavāsana. Dhārāṇa is one pointed focus. Dhyāna is when we begin to merge with the object of focus. Yoga nidrā is the witness, the wholeness, the both / and. We may enter through tools of being with sensations, such as the rotation of consciousness and prānāyāma. Other times, it is observing inner sounds, practicing nada. Other times is expanding consciousness to be the flood of energy, dhāraṇā and dhyāna. Yoga nidrā is not a method or technique. It is a state of Being beyond the mind. It is a place of mind-less-ness and transcendence, not mindfulness. It is a state of Being. We can enter the state when we observe beyond the senses and enter the essence before the sensations. Writings Indu Arora Yoga Nidrā is primarily a Samadhi rehearsal and otherwise a tool for karmic resolution. Richard Miller in an article on his website: “The term ‘nidrā’, from the Sanskrit, means ‘sleep’. From the perspective of Yoga Nidrā, we are asleep when we perceive the world to be made up of solid and separate objects. When we dream, we take the dream images to be real. When we wake-up, these dream objects are recognized to be empty of substance and we realize that all along they were only fabrications of the mind. During waking consciousness, we take our thought images and the ‘so-called’ solid objects of the world to be as real as the dream images are when we are asleep. We are convinced that waking thoughts and objects are real and we never question the validity of this belief. . . . . . In the context of Yoga Nidrā then, the yogi is one who, whether asleep or awake, understands the fundamental nature of Reality. . . . . There is no separation anywhere, under any circumstance, except as a mental conceptualization.” Swami Shankardev “It is a tool for mining the strengths and talents that usually lie hidden within you, buried under old patterns.” The Secret of Yoga Nidrā The complete Yoga Nidrā experience occurs in sequential stages: Stage 1. Rest, recuperate and rejuvenate Stage 2. Manage

the Eternal by Swami Prabhavananda. As a king employs officials to rule over different portions of his kingdom, so Prāna associates with himself four other Prāna-s, each a portion of himself and each assigned a separate function. The Prāna himself dwells in eye, ear, mouth, and nose; the Apāna, which is the second Prāna, rules the organs of excretion and generation; the Samāna, which is the third Prāna, inhabits the navel, and governs digestion and assimilation. The Self dwells in the lotus of the heart, whence radiate a hundred and one nerves. From each of these proceed one hundred others, which are smaller, and from each of these, again, seventy-two thousand others, which are smaller still. In all these moves the Vyāna, which is the fourth Prāna. And then at the moment of death, through the nerve in the center of the spine, the Udāna, which is the fifth Prāna, leads the virtuous man upward to higher birth, the sinful man downward to lower birth, and the man who is both virtuous and sinful to rebirth in the world of men. The sun is the Prāna of the universe. It rises to help the Prāna in the eye of man to see. The power of earth maintains the Apāna in man. The ether between the sun and the earth is the Samāna, and the all-pervading air is the Vyāna. The Udāna is fire, and therefore he whose bodily heat has gone out dies, after which his senses are absorbed in the mind, and he is born again. Whatever his thought at the moment of death, this it is that unites a man with Prāna, who in turn, uniting himself with Udāna and with the Self, leads the man to be reborn in the world he merits. The progeny of him who knows Prāna as I have revealed him to you is never cut off; and he himself becomes immortal. It was said of old: one who knows the Prāna--whence he has his source, how he enters the body, how he lives there after dividing himself five-fold, what are his inner workings--such as one attains to immortality, yea, even to immortality.” For the readings it is important to understand that yoga looks as breath more than a body function. Prāna is our life force and is more important than our consciousness. It manifests in two different levels: unmanifest aspect is the energy of pure awareness which pervades the body and transcends the manifested form. It is the essence of all creation. The manifest form of prāna is the force of creation itself. It arises from rajas guṇa as a modification of the air element. The flow of prāna is guided by the concepts of the prāṇavāyu. The Praśna Upaniṣad and the Gorakṣa Samhitā speaks of five. The Gorakṣa Samhitā says in verse 30: “In the heart region resides the prāṇa vāyu, in the anus region apāna vāyu, in the naval region, samāna vāya, in the throat region udāna vāyu, and in the whole body vyāna vāyu.” There are ten recorded in the classical texts. Śiva Samhitā 3.4 - 5: Prāṇa, Apāna, Udāna, Samāna, Vyāna, Nāga, Kūrma, Kṛkara, Devadatta, and Dhanañjaya. These are the ten principal names, describe by me in this Sastra; the perform all the functions, incited thereto by their own actions. 3.8 - The five remaining vāyu, the nāga, etc. perform the following functions int he body: Eructation, opening the eyes, hunger and thirst, gaping or yawning and lastly hiccup. Their functions are discussed in texts as a guide for our use in the Hatha Yoga tradition: Hatha Yoga

like a stream of clear water. This yogi is like the Devatā, who is the beloved of Laksmī and he is able at will to enter another's body. Śiva Samhitā V.83 – 89 Gorakṣa Paddhitā 2.67 - 68 Sat-cakra-Nirūpaṇa, Gorakshashtakam, verse 82. “Fixing the gaze on the tip of the nose and meditating on anāhata, refulgent like the lightening, in the Lotus of the heart, one becomes one with Brahman. Yoga-Śikkā Upaṇiṣad (I:173): “The great twelve-sided wheel located at the heart is called anāhata.” Sthūla Śarīra, Foundational Elements Mahābhūta: Vāyu - air - - all that is in a gaseous state; not limited to ordinary “air.” A gaseous state of matter differs from the solid and liquid. It has: Relatively low density and viscosity. Relatively high rate of expansion and contraction. Due to changes in pressure and temperature. The spontaneous tendency to become distributed uniformly throughout any container. A pure gas may be made up of: Individual atoms like neon. Elemental molecules made from one type of atom such as oxygen. Compound molecules made from a variety of atoms like carbon dioxide. Air is stable while wind is perceptible air in motion. The physical body is about two-thirds liquid and water with fixed volume shaped by the container. The remaining one-third of the physical body is composed of air, containing the life sustaining component of oxygen. This leaves only a small percentage of few common trace minerals that make up the sthūla śarīra. There is very little that is solid about the physical body. It merely appears to be solid. The focus at this cakra is establishing residency in the stillness that is likened to the steady flame of a candle in a windless room. Notice the tendency to hold the breath when a great task, either physically or mentally is undertaken. In the practice of yoga, this is a conscious practice to slow and still the breath and slow and silence the chatter of the mind. When breath and mind become still, access to greater clarity follows naturally and effortlessly. When citta is still then prāṇa will be still and likewise when prāṇa is still, citta, the air is still. What is prāṇa? It is said that understanding prāṇa is as challenging as it is to understand God. Keeping the challenge to define in mind, prāṇa is the vital energy pervading the universe. Its power ranges from cosmic, spiritual, sexual, intellectual, mental, emotional and physical components. Any energy that vibrates is prāṇa. When prāṇa is the cause, it is subtle energy and it is gross when it is an effect. According to Indian Philosophy, between the body and manas, there is prāṇa which serves as a link between the two between the mind and life force. Prāṇa is subtle energy which catches the vibrations of the mind and transmits then to the nerves , plexuses and physical vibrations to the mind. By controlling the mind one can control prāṇa, and by controlling prāṇa, one can control the mind. In summary the word prāṇa is used in three ways: In general sense of prāṇa śakti or life-force. In a specific sense according to the various biological functions. As breath. According to the Praśna Upaniṣad, Self and Prāṇa are one and the same. “Prāṇa comes from the Self, from Brahman. Everything is derived from the Self. “It compares the prāṇa a body’s shadow.“ Where does the shadow come from? It comes from the body. Similarly, Prāṇa comes from Ātman, the Soul. You cannot separate Prāṇa from the Self, just as you cannot separate the shadow from the body. If Prāṇa leaves

blood is purified only slightly. In people who do regular physical exercise, there is moderate physical purification of the blood. In the body of a sādhaka whose prāna is fully released, the blood is eventually purified completely. This blood purification produces great physical vitality. This vitality tries to become ascendant through the sexual center. From this attempt passion arises. The secrets of the teachings are hidden in the "panchmakars". Although originally this sadhana was very holy, truthful and of the highest, presently it is the opposite. Today this sadhana is born out of the yoga distractions of "brantidarśana" and it is well nourished by the non-understanding of the secret meanings hidden in the slokas of the ancient yoga scriptures. All the paths, big and small, are connected with pranotthana. Classical Writings on Prāna Prāna writings are not exclusive to Swami Kripalu. Other teachings dominate many classical yoga texts. The texts indicate we can purify the body and cleanse the nadī with prāna. Āsana, ṣaṭ karma, mudrā and prānāyāma have the power to effect prāna. Prāna is our life force. It manifests subtly and more superficially as Vata and breath. Therefore, we have tools to free prāna. Let us look at some texts and see what they say about prāna. The first texts tell us we are made from prāna. The Praśna Upaniṣad discusses the functions of Prāna and the final readings of Swami Kripalu tell the actions of prāna and the powers we have to overcome obstacles and āsana with prāna control. Taittiriya Upaniṣad translated by Nikhilananda Chapter 2 - Different from the food sheathe is another self, which consists of the vital breath (prāna). By this the former is filled. This too has the shape of a man.. . . Prāna (upward breath), indeed, is its head; vyāna (the diffused breath) is its right wing; apāna (the downward breath) is its left wing; ākāśā (samāna) is its trunk; the earth is its tail, its support. Chapter 3 - The Gods breathe after the prāna, so also do men and cattle; for the prāna is life of creatures. . . . Chandogya Upaniṣad translated by Swami Nikhilanananda Section Five Chapter One, the Supremacy of Prāna 5.1-15 Om, HE WHO knows what is the oldest and greatest becomes himself the oldest and greatest. The prāna, indeed, is the oldest and greatest. He who knows what is the most excellent, vaiśiṣṭa, becomes the most excellent among his kinsmen. The organ of speech, indeed, is the most excellent. He who knows what has [the attributes of]firmness, pratiṣṭā, becomes firm in this world and the next. The eye, indeed, is endowed with firmness. He who knows prosperity, sampad, his wishes are fulfilled- both divine and human wishes. The ear, indeed, is prosperity. He who knows the abode, ayatana, becomes the abode of his kinsmen. The mind, indeed, is the abode. The prāna (sense-organs)disputed among themselves about who was the best[among them], [each] saying: “I am the best,” “I am the best.” They went to Prajāpatī, their progenitor, and said:”O reversed Sir, who is the best among us?” He said to them:”He by whose departure the body looks worse than the worst is the best among you.” The organ of speech departed. After being away for a whole year, it came back and said:”How have you been able to live without me?” The others organs replied:”We lived just as dumb people live, without speaking, but breathing with the prāna(nose), seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear, and thinking with the mind.” Then the organ of speech entered [the body]. The eye departed. After being

heat. Let the mixture simmer until the volume is reduced by half. Transfer the concoction to a container and refrigerate it. Take two tablespoons of the solution each morning on an empty stomach and two at night right before bed. Within just a few days, you should notice your lungs feeling clearer! Atreya Company Recipe Half a teaspoon licorice. Quarter teaspoon of clove. Quarter teaspoon of black pepper. Quarter teaspoon of turmeric. Mix it with raw honey or coconut nectar and Molasses as a vegan alternative. Dosage: 1 tsp 2 or 3 times a day. Yoga Anatomy Insights Breath is life. Breath is the physical intake of Prāna. ‘Pra' means to move towards and ‘na’ is the eternal cosmic vibration. Prāna is moving towards our eternal, vibrational Self. According to the Praśna Upaniṣad, translation by Eknath Eswaren, 1.5 Prāna is the sun. 2.2 The sage replied: “The powers (that support this body) are space, air, fire, water, earth, speech, mind, vision and hearing. All these boasted, “We support this body.” 2.3 But prāna, vital energy, supreme over them all, said, “Don’t deceive yourself. It is I, dividing myself fourfold, who holds this body together.’ 2.4 But they would believe these words of prāna. To demonstrate the truth, prāna arose and left the body, and all the powers knew they had to leave as well. When prāna returned to the body, they too were back. As when the queen bee goes out, all the bees go out, and when she returns all return. So returned speech, min, vision and hearing. Then the powers understood and sang the song: 2.5 Prāna burns as fire; he shines as the sun; he rains as the cloud; he blows as the wind; he crashes as the thunder in the sky. He is the earth; he has form and no form; Prāna is immortality. 2.6 Everting rest in prāna, as spokes rest in the hub of the wheel: all the Vedas, all the rituals, all the warriors and kings. 2.7 Oh prāna, you move in the mother’s womb as life to be manifested again. All creatures pay their homage to you. 2.9 You are the creator and the destroyer, and our protector. You shine as the sun in the sky’ you are the source of all light. 2.10 When you pour yourself down as rain on earth, every living creature is filled with joy and knows food will be abundant for all. 2.11 You are pure and master of everything. As fire you receive our oblations; it is you who gives us the breath of life. 2.12 Be kind to us with you invisible form, which dwells in the vice, the eye and the ear and pervades the mind. Abandon us not. 2.13 Oh prāna, all the world depends on you. As a mother looks after her children, look after us. Grant us wealth and wisdom. The text continues with the explanation of the four powers of prāna. This translation is from the Upaniṣad, Breath of the Eternal by Swami Prabhavananda. As a king employs officials to rule over different portions of his kingdom, so Prāna associates with himself four other Prāna-s, each a portion of himself and each assigned a separate function. The Prāna himself dwells in eye, ear, mouth, and nose; the Apāna, which is the second Prāna, rules the organs of excretion and generation; the Samāna, which is the third Prāna, inhabits the navel, and governs digestion and assimilation. The Self dwells in the lotus of the heart, whence radiate a hundred and one nerves. From each of these proceed one hundred others,

organs, mind and awareness. Prāna allows consciousness to move from no-thing to things - and in physiology, governs all things. The prānavāyu govern health in many ways. We can enhance the balanced flow of the prānavāyu through conscious selection of yoga practices. From an Āyurveda perspective, a goal is to maintain our natural, constitutional Prakṛti. A person may have a vata provocation and is it manifesting because there is not a proper balance of kapha or pitta. If fire is raging, it will dry out the water and the wind will increase. If there is too much air, fire will grow or get snuffed out, while water will dry out. If wind is stagnant, the fire cannot grow and water will not move. Or, vata may be too rajas or tamas. Who do we address! A difficult component to access is what doṣa is pushing what out of balance. We get excited when we first begin studying āyurveda and look at the manifestations in a linear way. It is not linear! The tools for assessment must always be kept in our mind. An example of the push and pull of the prānavāyu is scoliosis. If one prāna is stronger than another, the one pulls and we lose the equanimity. Prānavāyu seeks the balance of intake and output. The body adjusts to allow the balance of flow. Therefore, our goal as yoga therapist is to create a tri-doṣa practice within each āsana and prānāyāma practice. The more you sit and work with a “practice,” information will reveal more of its true essence and nature. A tri-doṣa experience happens through an understanding of the affect of the prānavāyu on the body. Taittirīya: The Taittirīya Upaniṣad is the heart of the Vedanta teachings. It is a review of the subtle body theory, most well known for the explanation of the kośa, the five sheathes. It actually begins with a discussion on proper Saṁskṛta pronunciation. There is a discussion on our relationship to the galaxies and the reflection within ourself and how these worlds are the essence of the jñanendriya, karmendriya, tanmātra and mahābhūta. Therefore, when we study the sacred word through proper chanting, we touch into our connection with totality of who we are -- body, mind and most importantly the Spirit. 1.6.1 The Lord of Love dwells in the hearts of all. To realize him is ti go beyond death. Between the parietal lobes of the sagittal door, as the lobe swings behind the palate. Through that one goes out chanting bhur, to become one with fire; chanting bhuva-s, to become one with air; chanting suvar, to be one with the sun; chanting mahā to be one with the Lord. Thus one becomes king of his own life, ruler of his passions, senses, and intellect. 2.1.1 They have attained the goal who realize Brahman as the supreme reality, the source of truth, wisdom, and boundless joy. They see the Lord in the cave of the heart and are granted all the blessings of life. From Brahman came space; from space, air; from fire, water; from water, earth; from earth, plants; from plants, food; and from food, the human body, head, arms, legs, and heart. 2.2.1 From food are made all bodies, which become food again for others after their death. Food is the most important of things for the body; therefore it is the best medicine for all the body’s ailments. They who look upon as food as the Lord’s gift shall never lack life’s physical comforts. From food are made all bodies. All bodies feed on food, and it feeds on

Neurotransmitters are involved with the experience of pain as well as with emotions. They are responsible for sending information between nerves about the pain and/or emotions being sensed. The main area of the brain where we form and register emotions is the limbic system—a set of midbrain structures surrounding the thamalus, which is the pain-processing center responsible for filtering and prioritizing all the impulses the brain receives. Pain Experienced as Emotion When I ask patients about their pain, eight out of ten words they use to describe their experience are emotional. The three most frequently used terms are anxiety, fear, and anger, but there’s also depression, helplessness, loss of purpose, frustration, guilt, and shame. Pain is protective, and when we feel pain, we experience a set of aversive emotions so that we attempt to move away from whatever is causing it. That’s how we’re circuited. So it’s logical that we would have an emotional response to pain. “As pain becomes chronic, the sensory components become less important and the emotional and behavioral components tend to take on more importance,” says Jodie Ann Trafton, director of the Veterans Administration Palo Alt Health Care Systems Program Evaluation and Resource center in California. “This is because of learning. Having pain is a strong emotional experience. It will reshape your behavior. It will reshape how you interact with the world. And that in itself means your brain is going to respond differently over time.” Emotions Drive the Experience of Pain Based on studies conducted earlier this year and published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, we now have conclusive evidence that the experience of chronic pain is strongly influenced by emotions. The emotional state of the brain can explain why different individuals do not respond the same way to similar injuries. It was possible to predict with 85 percent accuracy whether an individual (out of a group of forty volunteers who each received four brain scans over the course of one year) would go on to develop chronic pain after an injury, or not. These results echo other data and studies in the psychological and medical literature that confirm that changing one’s attitudes—one’s emotions—toward pain decreases the pain.” Medical Intervention Drugs are often the medical recommendation for pain. The drugs mask the symptom and give the person relief from the pain. This allows them to function in their environment. Unfortunately, most pain medications have unpleasant and sometimes serious side effects. They may be addictive or require greater doses over time to mediate the pain. Wikipedia describes the analgesic medications, pain reducing medications, as a group of drugs used to achieve analgesia, relief from pain. Analgesic drugs act in various ways on the peripheral and central nervous systems. They are distinct from anesthetics, which temporarily affect, and in some instances completely eliminate, sensation. The following summary list of analgesics is taken mainly from Wikipedia. Basic Analgesic - Paracetamol, known as acetaminophen, is a medication used to treat pain and fever. It is used for mild to moderate pain. In combination with opioid pain medication, paracetamol is used for more severe pain such as cancer pain and post surgery. Effects last between two and four hours. Nonsteroidal Anti-Infammatory Drugs, NSAIDs - This drug class groups together drugs that provide analgesic, pain-killing, and antipyretic, fever-reducing, effects In and, in higher potencies NSAIDs have an anti-inflammatory effect. The most prominent members of this group of drugs include: aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen, are all available over the counter, OTC, in most countries. COX-2 inhibitors are derived from NSAIDs. Research found two specific enzymes in NSAID work together mediated by blocking

living life fully. Yet, the pain persists, causing more stress. This cycle results in physical symptoms. Low energy. Mood disorders called dysthymic. This mood disorder is a less severe form of depression. It causes chronic of long-lasting moodiness such as low, dark moods. Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) a medical name for muscle pain. It is pain and inflammation in the body's soft tissues. Pain may move into different parts of the body over time. It may disrupt sleep. Lower-than-normal mental and physical performance. The overall compromise of the body system may leads one to act more irritable or short tempered. Can lead to irritability, depression and even suicide. Advanced neuro-imaging has shown that chronic pain, unlike acute, or short-term pain, can cause structural changes in the brain that add to the risk of cognitive problems as well as anxiety and depression. Etiology of Pain The associated pain or chronic pain has no medical test to measure its levels. Therefore the acceptance that pain is real, whether it is physical or emotional, is not respected. People living with chronic pain chronic diseases often have their pain or the emotional pain related to their disease minimized by friends, family, and doctors. They are treated as if their pain and concerns are imaginary or exaggerated. Some times they are made to feel they have to prove their pain or disease because it “can’t be all that bad.” Many people with chronic pain will go from one doctor to the next searching for acceptance or an explanation. Add to the complication is determining how to treat the pain because pain is unique and the response to treatment is unique. It is know that chronic pain is related to psychological factors. Factors such influencing the diagnosis of pain include: The circumstances in which the originating pain or injury occurred. Thoughts about the pain, which vary widely from denial “this is nothing serious,” to the opposite thoughts saying “this pain could kill me.” Emotions associated with the chronic pain, such as denial, depression and anxiety versus hopefulness and optimism. Cultural influences leading a person to be more stoic or more dramatic in showing pain to others. Source of Gates Theory: https://www.spine-health.com/conditions/spine-anatomy/pain-signals-brain-spine The Gates theory is one way to explain chronic pain. In the gate control theory, the experience of pain depends on a complex interplay of the peripheral and central nervous system as they each process pain signals in their own way. Upon injury, pain messages originate in nerves associated with the damaged tissue and flow along the peripheral nerves to the spinal cord and on up to the brain. According to the gate control theory, before the messages can reach the brain, the pain messages encounter "nerve gates" in the spinal cord that open or close depending upon a number of factors, possibly including instructions coming down from the brain. When the gates are opening, pain messages "get through" more or less easily and pain can be intense. When the gates close, pain messages are prevented from reaching the brain and may not even be experienced. Many factors determine how the spinal nerve gates will manage the pain signal. These factors include the intensity of the pain message, competition from other incoming nerve messages (such as touch, vibration, heat, etc), and signals from the brain telling the spinal cord to increase or decrease the priority of the pain signal. Depending on how the gate processes the signal, the message can be handled in any of the following ways: Allowed to pass directly to the brain. Altered prior to being forwarded to the brain, for instance,

spinal cord and then up to the brain. These messages can be overridden by other signals in the manner described above.Treatments such as massage, heat, cold, TNS (transcutaneous nerve stimulation), or acupuncture can change a pain message due to some of these differences in nerve fibers. Considerations of Chronic Pain from a Psychological Perspective https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/day-without-pain/201301/Chronic Pain It Is All in Your Head and It is Real This article states beliefs very similar to the yoga thoughts: “All pain is real, and that emotions drive the experience of pain. A person’s experience of pain is unique to the individual, and it can’t be measured from the outside, with the exception of sophisticated brain mapping available with a functional MRI, which is only in a few laboratories across the country. This brings up the natural question as to whether such pain is somehow less important or less “real” than “physical” pain based on visible X-ray changes and sensory input from the nervous system. What I want to explain is that these two cannot be separated: all pain is regulated by the brain—whether there is an actual nail in your thumb or an old injury that should have healed by now but inexplicably keeps hurting—in both cases it is nerve fibers that are sending messages to your brain that cause you to feel pain. Chronic pain refers to pain that continues after an acute injury heals or after the passing of a period of time that should allow for healing. Often, for unknown reasons, the injury or tissue damage doesn’t heal as expected, and because of this, the nerve fibers continue to fire as if there is damage that needs attention. With this unrelenting signal traveling up the spinal column to the brain, eventually the transmission circuits become more efficient at transmitting these signals—like a one-lane road becoming a four-lane highway. The continuous input into these circuits causes more transmission, with the net result being more pain. At the same time the number and array of pain-causing neurotransmitters in the nervous system increase. Over time, the threshold for the pain receptors to fire is lowered, and a less intense stimulus is needed to cause the nerve to discharge and send its signal. What started out as a message from the site of an injury to the brain has become a self-contained feedback loop within the nervous system—a disease of the brain. 80 percent of the experience of chronic pain is emotional. The experience of chronic pain is emotional does not in any way change the reality, the validity, the structure of it—nor its intensity. It’s not about whether it’s real, but rather the universal, integrated way in which the brain processes sensory and emotional experiences which ultimately results in the experience we know as pain. Emotions, just like pain, are creations of the physical brain, specifically the midbrain. Emotions emerge from a complex interaction of electrical and chemical impulses in the brain, resulting in a cascade of nerves firing and chemicals being secreted. Neurotransmitters are involved with the experience of pain as well as with emotions. They are responsible for sending information between nerves about the pain and/or emotions being sensed. The main area of the brain where we form and register emotions is the limbic system—a set of midbrain structures surrounding the thamalus, which is the pain-processing center responsible for filtering and prioritizing all the impulses the brain receives. Pain Experienced as Emotion When I ask patients about their pain, eight out of ten words they use to describe their experience are emotional. The three most frequently used terms are anxiety, fear,

managing chronic diseases. Depression is much higher in people post a myocardial infarction, diabetes, cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, fibromyalgia, chronic pain and more health issues. Mental health is part of every aspect of our life from childhood developmental stages through adulthood. It effects how we handle life! Mental health and includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Our mental fitness and vigor affects how we think, feel, and act. It influences how we handle stress, interact and relate to others and make choices. Pain affects our mental health. Pain is a feeling caused by intense or damaging stimuli. Everything from stubbing a toe, slamming a finger in a door, to breaking a bone sends a message through the nervous system to the brain and indicates something is wrong through the sensation defined as pain. Pain is an unpleasant sensory or emotional experience. It is a symptom of an underlying condition such as tissue damage or an emotional experience. What is Pain? There are many components of defining pain. Considerations could include the following information. The location of pain can be defined as: Focal pain is restricted to the local region of the body and is felt in one place. Multifocal pain has sensations that are broadly distributed and felt in more than one place such as a stomachache. Radiating pain extends from the injured area along a specific nerve route or dermatome, such as sciatica or thoracic outlet syndrome. Referred pain is experienced at a site different from the injured or diseased part. The nerve supply is different from the source of the pain. Compensatory pain is related to an injury in area of the body, and the muscles/ organs are compensatory. The major types of pain include: Somatic pain is associated with structures of the body wall such as a broken limb. Visceral pain is related to internal organs. Nociceptive pain is caused by stimulation of nerve tissue due to tissue injury. It goes away as the tissue heals. This is a common type of musculoskeletal pain. Neuropathic pain results from injury or malfunction in the peripheral or central nervous system. It is triggered by an injury but then persists for months or years beyond the healing of the damaged tissue. This happens from nerve trauma, diabetic neuropathy, vitamin deficiency, etc. Allodynia (allo=other, dynia=pain) is specific pain from stimuli that are not usually experienced as painful. Categories of pain include: Psychogenic pain is associated with psychological factors such as depression or anxiety. Idiopathic pain has an unknown cause and cannot be categorized or source diagnosed. Back pain can fall into this category. Phantom pain is experience when a limb has been amputated. The pain is “real.” Malingering pain is fabricated for purposes of achieving personal reward or satisfaction. Injury and Pain Acute Injuries Acute pain is pain that comes on quickly, can be severe, but lasts only as long as the cause of the pain is present. Examples could include a stubbed toe, burn, or scraped knee. During this stage that the inflammatory reaction begins with the release of chemicals that: Set up edema that limits movement. Call in white blood cells to eat up the debris. Irritate nerve endings that the person feels pain and takes the injury seriously. A recurrent acute pain occurs regularly, or irregularly such as menstrual pain or migraines. Subacute Injuries The client begins to develop newly formed scar tissue in an injured tendon or ligament, they create an internal environment that is conducive to the best possible healing, or without lack of attention, the scar can create adhesions and limitations of

anxiety go hand in hand We have a tendency to demonize these difficult emotions. We think we should always be happy. That is not realistic. We need to be anxious about heights or fire or bully’s because it keeps us safe. We need to develop coping tools for life experiences for safety and protection. The emotions that lead up to knowing we need to act is stress that may manifest as uneasiness moving into anxiety and worry. Where do we receive the message about "this is the issue" "this is part of its source" " this is a potential action step" rather than making the cycle incorrect, wrong and mentally unhealthy. How do we realize that it is okay for millions of people to quite rightly feel uncertain, stressed out and afraid? The world around is consistently changing. Keep on evaluating life experiences! We don’t need to numb the mind’s natural cycle of the amygdala giving a call to action, the prefrontal cortex receiving the message and then sending inquiry to the hippocampus so we can take action! Avoiding and looking for outside solutions reinforces our inner security and ability to take care of ourself. Then, the responses escalate. Rather, when we take action we can feel more competent to deal with life rather than inadequate. In reality, it is our perception, often driven by cultural and societal norms that says we cannot handle a situation. Or, the result should look a certain way. What happens if we slow down, relax and evaluate our tools and ability to address the issue! You can do it! Yoga guides us to confront the disconcerting feeling rather than suppressing the feeling, the anxiety. Meditate Exercise - use your body instead of allowing it to constrict you! It can be through yoga or any kind of movement. Take a walk around the block! Humor- it increases oxytocin, enhancing social bonding. Socialize - people are a mirror for our life. Create seva, selfless service, opportunities. Volunteer Yoga says become aware, let it rise to the surface, name it and then make changes. Learn to know your signs of rising stress and anxiety. Reframe the situation. How: BRFWA Breath —- Relax —- Feel — Watch —- Allow Sometimes breathing is all it takes. The rest automatically fall into place. Coping with Pain A disease is a specific condition stemming from a disorder of a structure or function in the body, that affects part or all of the body. Disease may be caused by external factors such as bacteria and fungus that invade the body or an internal dysfunction often beginning with the immune system. Disease is construed as a medical condition and associated with specific symptoms and signs. During disease or a medical condition, we lose some of our functions, even if temporarily. This often effects our mental health. Statistics indicate a relationship between disease and mental health. The medical condition may be a source for depression anxiety, fear of repeated pain multiply the cost of managing chronic diseases. Depression is much higher in people post a myocardial infarction, diabetes, cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, fibromyalgia, chronic pain and more health issues. Mental health is part of every aspect of our life from childhood developmental stages through adulthood. It effects how we handle life! Mental health and includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Our mental fitness and vigor affects how we think, feel, and act. It influences how we handle stress, interact and relate to others and make choices. Pain affects our mental health. Pain is a feeling caused by intense or damaging stimuli.

love meditation. What is meditation? Can you really include a full meditation in the current one hour yoga class? Today most student want to relax and they want to be centered. Meditation though becomes an illusive journey. Still it is important to set the framework. At some point, a student will automatically cross the line into a meditative experience. In the component of our training, we explore tools and a pathway to guide students to the path to inner stillness. Overview 592 Centering 593 Relaxation 594 Meditation 596 Basics of “How to Meditate” 599 Types of Meditation 599 Choosing a Meditation Style 600 Yoga Nidrā 603 Japa and Using Māla as a Meditation Tool 610 Trāṭaka or Yogic Gazing 613 Samples of Meditations 615 Ritual as a Meditation: Puja 619 Quotes on Meditation 620 Overview Many people will say they come to yoga classes, “. . . for relaxation.” Relaxation comes in many forms in the yoga presentation. The opening of a class, centering, allows people to transition from the day and be present for now. The yoga flow has “time outs” integrated into very active work. Prāṇāyāma practices open the body for internal relaxation. Integration in the form of Śavāsana, guided imagery, visualizations, chanting, yoga nidrā and/or a quiet time is often offered at the end of a class. In some classes, a quiet seated meditation offers the ultimate opportunity to relax. The aspects of relaxation, besides the prāṇāyāma and āsana, integrated into specific sections of a class are centering and relaxation. In some classes meditation may be added. What’s the difference? Let us begin by clarifying the terminology. Centering is an opportunity to assist students in the transition from a busy, mind oriented activity to accessing calm through presence. Tension is released, people relax into the being mode rather than the doing mode, and everyone becomes present. Relaxation happens when tension and blocks are removed, allowing prāna to flow through the body. It is a letting go, an acceptance of what is, an experience of being in harmony and balance. We often do this when we fall asleep. We often must consciously choose to unwind and practice how to relax. Meditation is a different experience. Meditation goes beyond centering and releasing the external distractions. It goes beyond releasing the blocks and tensions in the body. It is the release of the tensions in the mind. It is coming into ones Self. Whereas prayer is talking to God, meditation is listening. Meditation is a process, a practice. It is seldom taught in a yoga class although some teachers do give students an opportunity to sit quietly. Teaching yoga gives me plenty of experience with centering and guiding relaxations. Meditation gives me the tool to be able to be present for my students. Although you may not utilize the meditation tools in all your classes (Have you ever tried to guide a meditation with a basketball bouncing in the next room?), the practice of meditation is a personal practice and for me, it is essential part of being a yoga teacher. The ability to be aware of the power of yoga practices and manifest the depth in right livelihood deepens through meditation -- the time out to listen so we can live through the call of Spirit, not mental contriving and controlling. Many times I sat and attempted to find quiet mind in meditation only to hear a busy mind. I joked about being a type A meditator who meditated better ironing, washing dishes and hiking than sitting. Meditation is a state of mind rather than an action, I assured

unique form in the processing and integration component of a therapeutic setting. Dhyāna allows a student to visit stillness. It is beyond dhārāna. Dhārāna is the touch, the withdrawal, using the tools of the body to move beyond the body. Dhārāna uses the mind to go beyond the mind. Yoga Nīdra is the invitation, in a guided format bridge the dualities that keep the awakened mind, the subconscious dream mind, and the supra conscious deep sleep mind separate. . This is a time of self inquiry. It is the heart of the fourth pada of the Sūtra. Samādhi Samādhi means oneness or merging with the object. sama = same dhi = illuminating thought Patañjali describes different levels: Samprajñāta Samādhi - (prajña = superior knowledge) with higher knowledge which have an objective prop vitarka = cognition. Aspect of awareness with seed or sabīja samādhi savitarka - (cognitive concentration) - attention is concentrated on the coarse aspect (sthūla) such as the visible shape of a deity nirvitarka (super lucidity) - state of perfect clarity of the inner being vicāra = reflection. Aspect of seedless is nirbīja samādhi savicāra (ecstasy with form) - attention is focused on the subtle (ṣukśma) object e.g. the energy of the the form virvacāra (vicāra = reflection) - devoid of conscious elements where the Self is evident. Reflects in the ṛtambharā prajña or the knowledge and cosmic awareness without effort. ānanda - bliss state asmitā - “I - am - ness” Asamprajñāta Samādhi - beyond higher knowledge - supra conscious ecstasy Dharma megha samādhi - highest level of samādhi, supra conscious ecstasy Kaivalya (aloneness) - ultimate liberation, involution of the guna, unconditional existence in the Self. Still, what is meditation? This is a question we will explore forever. The answer will change. I feel meditation is an attitude that we can live in daily. It is handling life with grace. It is conscious awareness in every moment. One purpose of meditation is to draw mental energies within in order to tap the resources within. This process of stilling and eventually transcending the mind will allow the experience of our true nature to be revealed, which is: truth, consciousness, and bliss (satcitānanda). Meditation cannot be taught. It is a process, a happening from within. There are many methods and techniques to work with to prepare students for meditation and this is often the “definition” of meditation. Many people practice centering and relaxation and define it as meditation. They are the stepping stones to meditation. Let us clarify definitions: Centering is an opportunity to transition from a busy, mind oriented activity by accessing calm through presence. Tension is released, one relaxes into the “being mode” rather than “doing,” and one becomes present. Relaxation happens when tension and blocks are removed, allowing prāna to flow through the body. It is a letting go, an acceptance of what is, an experience of being in harmony and balance. We often do this when we fall asleep. We often must consciously choose to unwind and practice how to relax. Meditation is a different experience. Meditation goes beyond centering and releasing the external distractions. It goes beyond releasing the blocks and tensions in the body. It is the release of the tensions in the mind. It is coming into ones Self. Whereas prayer is talking to God, meditation in the early phase of practice is listening and later, just being in the presence. Meditation is a process, a practice. It is seldom taught or guided in a yoga class although some teachers do give students an opportunity to sit or lie in śavāsana quietly. Meditation

still at peace, I am rested and I am not influenced or engaged in the days’ activities. 4. Find a comfortable seated position: straight back and head erect allows energy to move up spine, legs cross legged - triangular base helps contain energy, hands in mudrā which feels comfortable for you. If this does not work for you, sit in a chair, lean against a wall. I normally discourage lying down as there is a tendency to fall asleep. 5. Choose a beginning prayer, invocation, rite of passing to ritualize the transition for doing to really being. 6. The goal is to sit for a minimum of twenty minutes and can expand by ten to fifteen increments until you can sit for an hour. In the classroom setting, start with ten to fifteen minutes and mature the class. Longer sitting periods may develop spontaneously for individuals. 7. Consciously regulate the breath. Deep breathing oxygenates the brain. After several rounds, slow the breath and begin to control the prāna in the body. The calmer the breath, the calmer the mind. 8. Allow time for pratyāhāra, withdrawing the attention from the outside stimuli. Guide to an inward focus. 9. Concentrate on a point within the self. It may be listening for footsteps and internal sound, nada yoga, for those auditory. You may choose to gaze internally at a cakra, if you are more emotional and kinesthetically oriented. The intellectual and visual can gaze at the Ajña Cakra between the eyebrows. 10. You may choose to add a mantra for a mind focus. You can do this and still have an internal concentration. Notice, eventually the repetition progresses from a conscious mental repetition to telepathic and then pure thought. 11. At first, thoughts drift in and out. Watch and let go. Do not be attached to the thought. And, do not push thoughts away or suppress them. Simply observe and they will dissipate. Practice will lead from duality of thought to a state of subtle awareness of self and Spirit and eventually to a place of merging with Spirit. Tools: Sacred, clean and neat space. A comfortable seat to prevent the mind from being distracted by physical discomfort. An altar can be adorned with the following: Incense helps calm the mind, especially the fragrances of sandalwood and frankincense. A candle symbolizes the inner light. Fresh flowers represent sattvika energy. They inspire and uplift the mind. A picture of someone, something representing higher attunement. Basic Meditation Formats Here is a partial list of the more popular forms of centering, relaxation and meditations: Cakra meditation - guide a component of each cakra. This may be a breath, the color, location, petals, deity, vāhana quality or other characteristic. Chanting - is an external form of singing God’s name. Some people chant until they are in trance state. Japa - comprises using a set of beads or mala with a mantra. Repeat a mantra or phrase, once for each bead on their mala, totaling 108 repetitions of the mantra. Jyotir - Gazing into the recess of the brain, watching the inner light is Jyotir meditation. Guided Visualization - leading people through an experience, journey, their body. Mantra - choosing a phrase which vibrates with the inner body and repeat it consistently.. Choose a chant and then move it to a whisper, then to the mental repetition. Guide them back to the mantra at any time they feel the mind wandering. Nada - guide the movement of sound awareness from the outer, mentally heard sound to listening to the inner sounds of the body. Prānāyāma - have students

the mantra. Jyotir - Gazing into the recess of the brain, watching the inner light is Jyotir meditation. Guided Visualization - leading people through an experience, journey, their body. Mantra - choosing a phrase which vibrates with the inner body and repeat it consistently.. Choose a chant and then move it to a whisper, then to the mental repetition. Guide them back to the mantra at any time they feel the mind wandering. Nada - guide the movement of sound awareness from the outer, mentally heard sound to listening to the inner sounds of the body. Prānāyāma - have students watch the breath either as it moves in and out of the body or as the breath touches the edges of the nostrils is prānāyāma meditation. Reading - find a reading that is inspiring or soul searching. Read it at the beginning of the centering or relaxation time and leave a space for introspection. Śavāsana - lie down and relax. Slow Motion Prāna Flow - guide students to follow the flow of the prāna as you guide them to the sensations. Śāmbhavī - inner gazing at the third eye point. Trāṭaka - gaze at an object. You may bring in candles, a picture, or anything which draws your attention to the class focus for the day. Visualization - guide students to be present in a safe space and feel their energy expand to embrace all that is . . . Yantra - gazing at a geometrical diagram. Yoga Nīdra - a specific practice of guiding people through the subtle bodies and bridging dualities. This will be discussed more in the next section of this chapter. The Practice - Kripalu and Hansa Perspective Some traditions teach that we you meditate, you set down, be quiet, still the mind and don’t move. I personally believe this is very idealistic. Meditation is a state of mind. According to the Sutra, it is Saṃyama, the presence of dhārāna, dhyāna and samādhi. If we are in a place where there is something inhibiting the flow or prāna, prāna may need to move-- which means your body may move, tremble, do spontaneous āsana, mudrā or make sounds. Meditation can be moving and dynamic. This is not an excuse to dance around. It is a prāna movement that takes us to a point of integrated, merged consciousness. It is not just “ecstasy.” It is conscious ecstasy. Meditation is not just an experience on the mat. Meditation is an experience of spiritual support being supported from an inner dynamic. It is a surrender to dynamic stillness. Like the saying about the footprints in the sand, we think we are going alone, but there is a greater power holding us. This internal place of surrender happens off the mat as often as on the mat. We practice on the mat so it can happen in every day life. It becomes an attitude of wholeness, connectedness and being in tune with the Divine Cosmic essence of life. Steps within the Meditation Experience When I think of practicing, my mind needs to through stages of quieting. This is why it is suggested a meditation experience needs a minimum of twenty minutes. The mind has to go through its journey and it needs to be tamed. There are a couple examples of the meditation journey. One is about the dog chasing his tail. This is the mind, chasing its tail. It takes a maturity for the dog to stop running in circles. It takes some time and growth to train and befriend the mind so it does not distract us. The monkey

next exhalation as we chant the vibration of the earth represented by the sound of AUM. Ritual as a Meditation: Puja PUJA He who offers to me with devotion only a leaf, or a flower, or a fruit, or even a little water, this I accept from that yearning soul, because with a pure heart it was offered with love. Bhagavad Gita IX : 26 Puja reminds us of our commitment to love. It is done with one's heart. Set up the tray with the following items: rice, water, flower petals, a flower, a candle, sandalwood paste and incense. The incense reminds us of the sweet fragrance of love that has been brought into our life. The flower petals symbolize the beauty of our blooming into love. The rice symbolizes our karma. We offer it all to the sadāguru (inner teacher). The water symbolizes purification. The light symbolizes our acknowledgment of the divine light of truth that shines in our lives. To perform puja: Offer praṇam (prayer or show of reverence of choice). Sit before your altar in a meditative frame of mind for a few moments and breathe deeply. Invoke the presence of your higher self, your guru, teacher and/or master. Go deep within yourself until you feel a stillness of mind and heart. You may do trāṭaka on the image in the center of your altar. Allow yourself to be drawn into the image. Feel that the two of you are one. Light the incense and wave it before the picture or statue in the center of your altar. Make three circles and then with the other hand, three times move your hand toward the picture and send the scent to the spirit. Anoint the forehead with sandalwood paste acknowledging the fragrance of love. Offer rice. Hold it before your heart and offer it as a symbol of all you are surrendering. Offer beauty through the symbol of flower petals by sprinkling them around in a clockwise manner. Offer the water by sprinkling a few drops and allow purification to breathe through your life. Offer the light in artī fashion, offering it with the flower (hold the candle in one hand and use the flower to brush the light toward the picture.) Offer praṇam and allow gratitude to fill your heart. Quotes on Meditation ----Dive deep. How can you ever find pearls if you only stand on the shore? ----Stop fighting for peace. Be peace. ----Knowledge flows from the soul to the heart through the experience of inner stillness. ----Prayer is you talking to God, meditation is you listening to God. After you pray, be still and listen. ----Not being able to come back to the present moment if very much like learning how to fly a plane and not learning how to land. ----Love always blows your mind. ----We cannot really do great things, we can only do small things with great love. Mother Theresa ----In the being, the doing gets done. ----Thoughts are the mind’s way of passing gas. ----Don’t just do something. SIT THERE. Quaker saying ----The best meditation technique is the one that works, the one you practice. Bapuji ----To enter the true way is to be without anxiety about non perfection. Zen saying ----Life is like an echo chamber. Everything you put out comes back to you. ----Comfort is not outside of you. Comfort is your inner state of mind. Once you learn how to be still, how to be at peace, how to be in harmony, you will have all the comfort you want. ~~Westerners attempt nirvana through meditation. But, usually our

healthy and internally clean body. These should not be practiced without training and/or being guided by a teacher. Netī - nasal cleaning. Jala Netī a nasal cleaning with water Dhauti - cleaning Danta Dhauti – cleaning the teeth, tongue, ears, eyes, forehead Agni Sara Dhauti - stomach pumping Vamana Dhauti - therapeutic vomiting – done according to doṣa, diet and under the direction of a teacher. Bhastra Dhauti – (do not do unless trained) swallowing a cloth Vararisara Dhauti – Washing the intestines with salt water and adding as specific āsana flow to take the movements into a deeper cleanse of the intestines. Basti - enema Jala basti is a water enema - can also do with oils Trāṭaka - candle gazing Naulī - intestinal wash Kapālabhātī - stimulated breathing Chart for Practicing Dinacaryā Assessment The qualities outlined in the chart manifest in people very strongly. You can get an indication of the dominating doṣa through questionnaires. Āyurveda has many tools including, tongue reading, observation of fingernails, face, urine sample and the most familiar, pulse reading. For a great overview of Diagnosis, please read Dr. Lad’s book, Āyurveda the Science of Self Healing. Hands and Nails Each finger represents an element and organ as listed below: Thumb Ether Brain Index Finger Air Lungs Middle Finger Fire Intestines Ring Finger Water Kidneys Little Finger Earth Heart As one observe nails, they can relate the nail message to a related imbalance as a cue. Remember, it is important to always go back and look at the full picture. Nail color is a clue. Pale nails indicate anemia. Bluish nails indicate weak heart and lungs. Yellow nails are a sensitive liver. Vāta nails are short and brittle. Pitta nails are soft, pink and “pointy.” Kapha nails are large at the base and full. Nails with lines in them indicate malabsorption. Face The face has cues for assessment. The forehead represents the intestines and worrying. A line from the top of the nose upward on the left represent spleen. A line on the right represents the liver and suppressed anger. Underneath the eyes is the kidney. The lower cheeks represent agni and the digestion. Tongue A large, loose, wet tongue is a kapha tongue. A small dry tongue indicates vāta. A sharp, red pointy tongue reflects pitta. Any “crack” or “fissure” along this line, represents stress in the spinal column. Discoloration and marking on the tongue reflect an imbalance in different organs. The center of the tongue, back to the tip, is the spinal column. The back of the tongue represents the lumbar spine. The forward tip of the tongue is the cervical spine. Urine Urine sample can also be used as a diagnostic tool. Blackish brown urine indicates a vāta imbalance. Pitta urine will be dark yellow. Also consider constipation or lack of water reflected with dark yellow urine. Kapha urine is cloudy. Take a sample of your urine, midstream first thing in the morning. Placing a drop of sesame oil in the urine, observe what it does. If it gets real ripply as it moves out, it indicates a vāta imbalance. It the oil disperses in more of a circular spreading, it is a pitta imbalance. Staying in drops indicates kapha. Pulse Reading The best way, though to understand a person doṣa is to take the pulse. If you rest you hand on the lateral wrist, the finger closest to the wrist is the vāta pulse, the second finger will rest on the pitta pulse and the third finger rests on the kapha pulse. Press very gently and sense the full pulse

tone Coordination Balance Sensory symptoms tests Sense of touch Vision and eye movement Hearing Psychiatric symptoms Mental status Mood Neuropsychological standard testing for: Memory Reasoning Mental agility Language function Spatial reasoning Psychiatric evaluation is done by a psychiatrist to judge a number of factors that could contribute to your diagnosis, including: Emotional state Patterns of behaviors Quality of judgment Coping skills Signs of disordered thinking Evidence of substance abuse Brain Imaging and Function tests to provide detailed images of the brain structures. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Computerized tomography (CT). Genetic Testing and counseling. If symptoms strongly suggest a diagnosis of Huntington's disease, your doctor may recommend a genetic test for the defective gene. This test can confirm the diagnosis. A genetic test can be given to someone who has a family history of the disease but shows no signs or symptoms. This is called predictive testing. The test result has no treatment benefit, and it doesn't indicate when disease onset will begin or what symptoms are likely to appear first. Treatment HD is classified as a progressive fatal disorder that has no known proven cure. Currently, thee is no treatment that will alter the course of HD. Medication control the various physical and emotional symptoms. It changes through the course of the disease. Medication Tetrabenazine treats chorea, the involuntary writhing movements. Antipsychotic drugs to suppress chorea. Others meds have been shown to suppress the chorea and need to be evaluated on a personal level. For psychiatric disorders medications include: Antidepressants. Antipsychotic. Mood stabilizing drugs. Other treatments include: Psychotherapy. Speech therapy. Physical therapy. Occupational therapy. Alternative Therapy CBD reduces choreography. Stem Cell therapy is being explored. Aromatherapy such as rosemary, frankincense and turmeric oil. Lifestyle Reduce inflammation. Anti inflammation diet. Limit use of harsh chemicals in beauty product. Avoid solvents and cleaning supplies. Maintain physical activity. Adjust diet to control weight. HD people usually loose weight and the goal is to maintain weight. Eat health fats. Cognitive training and skills. Use calendars to keep schedule. Don’t over book schedules. Prioritize important activities over others. Develop a predictable routine. Keeping the living area organized. Maintain social activities. Engage in hobbies. Breaking down difficult tasks into manageable steps. Creating a calm living environment that is structured and has limited uncertainty. Identify stressors and avoid them. Avoiding family conflict, fights and other stressors Avoid smoking. Emerging research suggests that certain natural supplements might be able to help stall the progression of HD. Creatine supplement helps restore ATP and maintain cellular energy. Participate in physical and occupational therapy. Practice yoga and movement exercises. Avoid stress. Ehlers-Danlos Ehlers-Danlos is a rare inherited disorder affecting the connective tissues, especially the skin, joints, and blood vessels. There are thirteen types of Ehlers-Danlos. Symptoms The majority of list is from https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/what-is-eds/ Joints hyper-mobility. Joints may dislocate. Joint instability. Skin that's translucent, elastic, and bruises easily. Skin hyper extensibility. Fragile skin prone to injury and bruising. Muscle pain. Muscle weakness including, for example, the vocal cords or the pelvic floor. Neuropathy. Scoliosis. Abnormal scarring. Structural weakness such as hernias and organ prolapse. Weakness of fascia that can lead to gum and dental disease, eye disease, cardiac valve and life threatening organ ruptures. Rarely, dilation and the potential for a rupture of major blood vessels. Co-morbidity Upper and lower gastrointestinal tract complications such as swallow difficulties and sluggish stomach and large bowel, causing nausea, vomiting, acid reflux, bloating, pain, and absorption and food intolerance concerns. Autonomic disturbances of heart rate and blood pressure, Bowel and bladder dysfunction. Poor temperature regulation. Anxiety, depression, and phobias. Organ / systemic inflammation related to mast

limitations. Before we can ‘dissolve’ the limited sense of ego, we need to have a strong sense of what ego is. Define ego. Does your ego give you a safe container for life or limit your possibilities? The mind is only the activities that occupy it. Consciousness Awareness is the Spirit or Atman that is not just the body but the embodied spirit Itself. How do you use the words consciousness and mind? What do they mean to you? What are the characteristics of the mind? Are there levels of the mind? What do you mean by 'levels’ and how do they affect your life? What are your experiences and beliefs about telepathy, clairvoyance, inspiration, intuition? Do you bring repetitiveness or mechanicalness into your mind’s activity? If so how? What are your beliefs about a higher self versus a lower self (Self vs self)? What are your experiences that formed or negated such beliefs ? Journal, It can be open journaling, reflecting on an āsana, or response to a yoga practice, etc. Causal Body – Dhyāna Practices Affirming faith. Identify our needs and mannerisms developed / expressed to connect with our purpose, wealth / abundance, pleasures and freedom. Explore death. Become observant of your language and notice if you talk about life “killing me,” “I would die for . . .” Tantric Tools Tantric tools are not done exclusive to a cakra. Tantric tools are used to purify the nadī, move beyond the mahābhūta, balance the prāna in the ida and piṅgala, balance the prānavāyu and integrate the subtle bodies. Yet, each individual area has components where special awareness may support the prāna flow. Considerations and tools for the mūlādhāra include: Reversing the apāna flow to allow kuṇḍalinī to move upward through proper use of Mūlabandha. Destroying /releasing kuṇḍalinī so prāna can flow into the suśumṇa. Awareness of the location of each cakra, and in the case the grounded foundation of the mūlādhāra. This can be enhanced with visualization, dṛṣṭi and prānāyāma practices. Integration and practice of mūlabandha. A basic practice can be focusing on the perineal point, slowly engage the muscles as if moving up the floors of an elevator, then consciously releasing as the elevator descends. Nāsikāgraha dṛṣṭi. Focus on the tip the nose, home of the tanmātra. Build up to gazing for five minutes. Mahamudrā, Mahabheda, Mahabandha series with inner focus of the prāna flow from the mūlādhāra to the bindu, integrated with prānāyāma. Become aware of the vṛtti arising from the petal manifestations. Planet: Earth representing the plane of form and matter. Solid and stable force. Incense: Cedar Metal: Lead Gemstone: Coral, Garnet, Ruby, and Lodestone Foods: Foods that ground, warming foods and many are slightly rajas. Proteins - eggs, meats, beans, tofu, etc. Vegetables, especially root – carrots, parsnips, radishes, Red foods – apples, radishes Spices - garlic (rajas), horseradish, chives, pepper Gonads Location and description: The male gonads are the testes, an oval organ, are responsible for the production of the spermatozoa. The ovaries are the primary sex organ of the female that produce the ova and the hormones of estrogen and progesterone. The gonads in male and female start with same anatomical structure in the fetus. Once differentiated, they follow separate paths of development. Hormones released and function: The ovaries, in females, produce ovum and the testes, in males, produce sperms plus the respective hormones to support the functions of developing the sexual characteristics of the individual. Testosterone, in males, promotes the development of muscles for the male shape and size, growth of penis, auxiliary hair, mustache, change in voice, etc. The testes

a drive for achievement and can manipulate to meet their goal. Kapha people are luscious. Full dark wavy hair and a strong solid body reflects the air and the earth. Kapha people have a full flush tongue, luscious lubricated body. They have excess mucous, edema and a slow metabolism. They can sleep excessively and carry excess body fat. The bowel movements are slow. Kapha people can also easily develop obesity and diabetes and are often defined as couch potatoes when imbalanced. The earth and water dominance in this doṣa creates stability, receptivity, calmness and responsibility. They do not like change. Try moving some earth around! Reading individuals, you will have the opportunity to access the persons doṣa. Many will be a combination of doṣas. It is important to be able to distinguish between their Prakṛti, their natural constitution and the Vikṛti, their imbalance. Pulse Reading Pulse reading is the best assessment tool to accurately read doṣa. It is not the easiest tool to learn, taking time and practice. You can also use pressure points on the spinal vertebra and points in the belly for diagnostic purposes. Pulse reading is an elaborate science. We will cover the basics in the wrist. If you lay your fingers near the wrist: the index finger rests closest to the wrist, the middle finger next, and the ring finger lies farthest from the wrist. Start by feeling the general pulse. Then, begin to fine tune the sensation of the pulse, more than the beat, explore the quality of of the pulse. The vata pulse feels like a snake: fast, narrow, feeble, cool and irregular. The rate is about 80 plus beats per minute. A pitta pulse is like a frog or rabbit: jumping, excited, prominent, hot, moderate and regular. The pitta pulse beats 70 - 80 times a minute. A kapha pulse feels like the swan or a river: slow, strong steady, soft, broad, regular and warm. I you press too hard, it can disappear. The kapha pulse is 60 -70 beats at minute. The first finger reads the vata pulse. The second finger reads the pitta pulse. The third finger reads the kapha pulse. Any pulse can be on any finger. As an example, you hope to find the vata pulse in the first finger. Yet, you may find the pitta pulse there. This means the vata doṣa is being influenced by pitta dominating energy. In other wards, another doṣa is dominating the doṣa in the body. This discrepancy is reflects the vikṛti or imbalance in the body. There are seven layers of pulses. Each layer reflects specific information. The top layer is the current vikṛti. The deepest pulse is the prakṛti, the persons constitution. By feeling the difference between the two, we can begin to understand who is pushing what, where! It is difficult to learn the art of pulse reading. As a yoga teacher and yoga therapist, may not need to know the details of the pulse. You are looking for the general tendencies so you may suggest a proper āsana and sadhana practice. In the biggest picture, your visual input is adequate. It is when a student asks a specific question, we may want to do a personalized assessment. Therefore, two other practices are adequate. Press Point Reading Tools To read the doṣa in the spine, find the spinous process at T-l. Apply slight pressure to the area around T-1. This area represents pitta. If there is tenderness, you will be feeling a pitta imbalance. Then, move up to C-7 and apply slight pressure. The area here represents vata. Move down

new āsana. Demonstrations Let us examine the principles of demonstrations. They are of three types: modeling, verbal demonstrations and silent demonstrations. The difference between modeling and a verbal demonstration is the depth of information and the “time out” you make for a verbal demonstration. Modeling and verbal demonstrations have two formats, you as the teacher demonstrates the practice or, you can guide a student to model as you language or emphasize certain keynotes for the āsana. Modeling can easily be integrated into a class without a major “break” in the flow. You may ask students to watch you do an āsana. This can be done while they are holding the āsana or during a transition between the experience of the āsana. It is different from mirroring (a term you will learn under assisting). Mirroring is done one on one versus the whole class experience. Optionally, you may be guiding an āsana and have one student become a model and they observe, watch or fine-tune their alignment based on what you are modeling with the student/assistant. Often done spontaneously, remember to ask permission from the student to be the model. Based on the class response, you may choose to take a short break in the flow and observe and shift the class to a verbal demonstration. Modeling allows the class participants to know or see where they are going or how they can adapt. It gives them insight to understand the intention more effectively. If you are modeling adaptations, it gives guidelines for the different stages of the āsana. Modeling allows them to connect to the form. You may only choose to model part of the full āsana so they can visualize an important detail. Some students will then let go and experience the āsana easier; others will try to “do the form.” Therefore, watch, you may need to adjust language to support them being in the experience rather trying to do it right. Experiential modeling is a tool allowing students to “follow the leader” and explore the āsana. On the other hand, you may use modeling to give them permission to variations based on their body. Guide the āsana with several adaptations such as foot alignment, arm placement or angle of the hip. Allow it to become an invitation to explore their body and their best alignment. When using a model, assure the model along the way. They need to breathe, relax and allow the āsana to emerge. All they need to do is follow the cues. If you want to use them to demonstrate variations or hold the āsana check in with them. Ask them to honor their limits. At the end acknowledge them. Have them share their experience of the āsana. Using yourself as a model can be a bit challenge. You know the āsana. There is a tendency to rush through a detail a less experienced person may need to know. Be sure to break an āsana down to the finest of details within the flow, yet, don’t overload them. The “extra” information is the heart of the verbal demonstration. When you are working with students who are in tune with their bodies, you are the best model for fine tune points of an āsana. Your experience with the āsana gives you the ability to demonstrate the alignment, energy andwith a grace a new student has not yet experienced. A verbal demonstration is a “time out” from the flow of a class. You actually have the students leave their area and come to a circle. You or a chosen assistant or student models the āsana as the