The text includes the original Sanskrit verses, along with transliteration, anvay, translation and a comprehensive commentary by Swami Satyadharma Saraswati under the guidance of Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati. For students of Indian philosophy, it provides a valuable study of the compatibility of Yoga and Vedanta, or the tantric and vedic systems of philosophy and practice. Inspiration Inspiration is an essential component to a healthy and vibrant yoga practice. We actively seek out inspirational teachers, photographers, places, videos and stories to share with you. Please let us know what inspires you! Mudras (gesture, seal) are subtle physical movements of the hands, face, and or body. Complex mudras involve the whole body in a combination of asana, pranayama, bandha and visualization, while simple mudras range from hand positions to meditation techniques. The purpose of a mudra is to activate and create a circuit of prana in the body. This circuit channels the prana in a specific way to create a subtle effect on koshas and to regulate and awaken the prana, chakras and kundalini, Mudras are used only after proficiency in asana, pranayama and bandha has been achieved, and when one has obtained some cultivation and awareness of prana. In hatha yoga, the level of progression is asana, pranayama, bandha, mudra, samadhi. Thus, mudra is the advanced practice leading up to the attainment of enlightenment or samadhi. What I find most appealing about this book is that the author, Swami Satyananda Saraswati, advocates and passionately believes in the pursuit of holistic health and spiritual wellbeing. Furthermore, unlike other publications I have browsed through which guide the student through the practices of Yoga with lavish and glossy photo-illustrations, this manual uses written expositions of each of the exercises in combination with clear and simple line drawings. I personally recommend this book to any individual wishing to explore how the practices of Yoga can profoundly invigorate, integrate and harmonise ones mental, psychological and physical self.

Since its first publication by the Bihar School of Yoga in 1969, it has been reprinted thirteen times and translated into many languages. It is the main reference text used by yoga teachers and students of Bihar Yoga/Satyananda Yoga within the International Yoga Fellowship Movement, and many other traditions as well. Full Book Name: (Asana, Pranayama, Mudra and Bandha.: 1) [By: Saraswati Satyananda Swami] [Aug, 2003] Mudras are the bestowers of the eight divine powers. They are held in high esteem by all the siddhas and are difficult for even the gods to attain. ( Hatha Yoga Pradipika, 3:8) Iyengar’s book also has more information. While Light on Yoga has many more asana, each book has a few postures that the other doesn’t, but—for the most part—both of the books hit all the classic asanas of Hatha Yoga. I don’t give a lot of credit for having more asana or variations because both books have more than enough material to keep beginner, intermediate, and advanced students busy.Basic Sequences Where to start if you are new or a beginner. These posture flows are simple, short and only contain basic postures. Yoga 101: The Basics Yoga is a vast collection of spiritual techniques and practices aimed at integrating mind, body and spirit to achieve a state of enlightenment or oneness with the universe. What is normally thought of as “yoga” in the West is really Hatha Yoga, one of the many paths of yoga. The different paths of yoga emphasize different approaches and techniques, but ultimately lead to the same goal of unification and enlightenment. Though yoga’s ultimate aim is lofty, its essence is practical and scientific as it emphasizes direct experience and observable results. It is not a religion, but a practice of personal inquiry and exploration. As the cultural and religious diversity of practitioners attest, yogic philosophy speaks to universal truths that can be incorporated within any belief system. Mula means base, foundation. Imagine a diamond shape made up of anus, genitals, and perineum. These muscles are part of the pelvic floor. When these muscles are activated, there is a lifting action. Warm-up Sequences Use these sequences of simple stretches to warm up prior to any of the pose sequences.

Sun Salutations Often considered the core of hatha yoga practice, Sun Salutations are traditionally practiced at sunrise to warm and energize the body. We have several Sun Salutation sequences available with varying levels of difficulty, from basic to intermediate. Generally, prana is understood as energy. Right and wrong! Not all energies are the same. Like there is energy in food, there is energy in the battery but these are different types of energy. You cannot replace food with batteries as a means of a human energy source.

Prana means life force or vital energy. These are the forces or energies which we need to carry out life activities. What can we term as life activities? How do you know if someone is alive or not? You know because they breathe, move, speak, think. Right? So, these activities are called life activities. The energy or the force we need to do these activities is called prana. There are five major pranas that provide energy for five different kinds of life activities. Do not attempt to hold your breath in this position longer than you can do so comfortably without inhaling. It is common to cough a bit when learning Swami Satyananda Saraswati was disciple of Swami Sivananda and became a wandering mendicant. He founded the the International Yoga Fellowship in 1963 and the Bihar School of Yoga in 1964.

Yoga for Beginners Our Yoga for Beginners guide will give you the basic tips, guidelines and recommendations you will need to start a successful yoga practice. Meditation Basics Meditation is a focusing of the mind on a single object, creating the cessation of all thought. As thoughts dissipate, the mind becomes quiet, and we are able to be fully in the present moment. The techniques of meditation are simple and easy to learn, but the ability to keep the mind focused takes time, patience and practice. The benefits of a regular meditation practice include reduction of stress, tension, anxiety and frustration, as well as improved memory, concentration, inner peace and whole body well-being. This comprehensive text provides clear illustrations, step by step directions and details of chakra awareness. It guides the practitioner or teacher from the simplest to the most advanced practices of the hatha yoga system. A therapeutic index is included for use by doctors and yoga therapists incorporating recent information from research into yoga.

Asana and Pranayama

APMB doesn’t win hands down in all dimensions. Graphics is one area in which Light on Yoga is much more useful than APMB. Iyengar’s book uses photographs, and given Iyengar’s penchant for perfect alignment, his book’s photos are quite informative. APMB has line drawings, but some of the drawings suggest incorrect alignments (e.g. the knee well forward of the toes in an asana for which the shin should be perpendicular to the floor.) This would be a damning criticism if I thought anyone should or could learn yoga from the drawings in a book, but since I think pictures are just there to remind one of the general form of the asana, I don’t deduct too much for this flaw. [On the other hand, Iyengar is so flexible that his photos can be a little demoralizing for a person incapable of touching his or her skull to his or her coccyx.]

Mana (head) mudras utilize the sense organs of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and lips. These mudras are done only as meditation exercises and require intense concentration to engage for even short periods of time. Mana mudras are deeply inwardly focusing and induce higher states of consciousness. Both works are largely collections of detailed descriptions of yogasanas (postures), breathing methods ( pranayama), mudra, bandha, and, in the case of APMB, Shatkarma (cleansing practices.) Shatkarma is not well-known in the West, but it is a series of 6 cleansing practices that, along with asana and pranayama, are part of the trio making up Hatha Yoga. Pranayama Pranayama are breathing exercises developed by the ancient yogis for purification. Prana translates into “life force energy” and Yama translates into “control or mastery of”. Thus, Pranyama is used to control, cultivate, and modify the Prana in the body. Prana is taken in through the air we breathe, and since the pranayama exercises increase the amount of air we take in, they also increase our intake of Prana. For all pranayama (except Kapalabhati), the breath is slow and steady, breathed in and out of the nose and down into the belly. Always sit with a straight spine and a relaxed body. While you are practicing pranayama, let go of any thoughts by focusing on the breathing involved with the pranayama. Special Sequences Looking for something different? These sequences are designed for specific applications, using combinations of yoga postures for their effects on the physical, mental, emotional and energetic bodies.Throughout the past eighteen months I have discovered, in this book, a wonderful aide and reliable companion to my daily practice of Yoga. Published by The Bihar School of Yoga since 1969, the versatile format of Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha should appeal to a beginner, intermediate or an advanced student of Yoga. Comprehensive yet clear, step-by-step and illustrated directions on the way in which each of the exercises should be performed enable the reader to pursue Yoga practice both safely and mindfully. As the title suggests, four main aspects of Yoga are covered within. The ‘Asana’ chapter which covers the Yoga stretches and postures has three sub-headings which help the student to select, attempt and perfect the physical exercises of Yoga according to their own ability. The following chapters cover ‘Pranayama’ - the expansion and control of breath, ‘Bandha’ – the control and focused contraction of the flow of spiritual energy, ‘Mudra’ – physical gestures used to promote and stimulate the flow of psychic energy and also ‘Shatkarma’ - techniques which can be used to physically cleanse and purify the body. Subsequent to these chapters is an introduction to the psychic physiology of Yoga, which outlines and briefly discusses the importance of Prana and Chakra awareness. This Yoga manual then concludes with a therapeutic index and an index of practices. Asana, Pranayama, Mudra and Bandha.: 1) [By: Saraswati Satyananda Swami] [Aug, 2003] by Saraswati Satyananda Swami – eBook Details Yoga Lessons Need inspiration for your yoga class or practice? Use the themes in our Yoga Lessons for focus, intention and guidance. Our Yoga Lessons are not lesson plans, but general outlines with spiritual quotes, focused intentions, lists of yoga practices and further off-the-mat homework exercises. Want to share a yoga lesson with us? Post it here! APMB, by contrast, is intelligently arranged for someone who wants to take charge of their yoga routine. A peek at the table of contents immediately shows what I mean. The major division is by experience level-beginner's group, intermediate group, and advanced group-but then within each of these groups the asanas are arranged according to their specific characteristics. So for example, under the intermediate group you have asanas that employ padmasana, or forward bending practices, or spinal twisting, etc. The beginner's group is especially well suited for complete neophytes, and it would be advice well heeded to not begin the intermediate practices until you're thoroughly comfortable them. They include warm-ups (the pawanmuktasana series), relaxation postures, standing postures, vajrasana-based postures and others, including surya and chandra namaskara. Kaya (postural) mudras are similar to asana, but combine the other types of simple mudras with pranayama and concentration. These are the most complicated mudras and require the most amounts of concentration and focus to hold. Kaya mudras invigorate the prana in the body and direct the prana into specific chakras (energy centers).