According to the Ancients, human beings experience suffering as a result of our entanglement with the World of Name and Form through identification and attachment and because of our ignorance about the true nature of ourselves, the world around us, and Ultimate Reality. There is perhaps no greater context in which we experience this tension and suffering than in the area of our personal relationships.
At the same time, according to the Ancients, each of us has within us extraordinary and mostly untapped potential which, when actualized, will transform our lives at every level. There is perhaps no more important context for this transformation than the area of our personal relationships.
Deep Inner Practices evolved in the tradition of Tantric Yoga through which we can:

• break identification and attachment,
• realize our true nature,
• actualize our innate potentials,
• improve our relationships at every level, and ultimately,
• become free

Prāṇāyāma is considered one of the most powerful practices of yoga. Studies from Harvard, the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and many others have shown amazing benefits for hypertension, stress, depression, and anxiety.

In this workshop, we will explore the ancient art and science of Prāṇāyāma, understand its practical relevance for our own lives, and learn the fundamental methods of practice.

Each session will include a presentation, time for discussion and Q&A, and a full practice.

Session 1: Thursday, March 17, 2022

• Understanding Prāṇāyāma
  – Vedic Paradigms of Human Energy
  – Prāṇāyāma and Autonomic Nervous System
• Understanding Inhalation & Exhalation
  – How and why to vary the directional flow of the breath
  – Learn effective techniques for developing and refining Inhalation & Exhalation:  Anuloma & Viloma Krama

Session 2: Thursday, March 24, 2022

• Understanding the art & science of ratio in Prāṇāyāma
  – How and why to modify the proportional relationship between the four parts of the breath: Inhalation, Retention after Inhalation, Exhalation, Suspension after Exhalation:  Bṛṁhaṇa (nourish, build), laṅghana (reduce, eliminate), & samāna (balance)
• Understanding the relationship between āsana & prāṇāyāma
  – How to use breath adaptation in āsana to prepare for specific prāṇāyāma

Session 3: Thursday, March 31, 2022

• Understanding the different techniques of prāṇāyāma
  – How to “valve” the flow of breath
  – The energetics of the different methods of practice:  Sūrya (heating) & candra (cooling)