Nadi Shodhana, also known as Alternate Nostril Breathing, is a powerful breathing practice with wide-reaching benefits. Nadi is a Sanskrit word meaning “channel” or “flow” and shodhana means “purification.” Therefore, nadi shodhana is primarily aimed at clearing and purifying the subtle channels of the mind-body organism, while bringing balance to the system as a whole. It is balancing for all three doshas and is a suitable practice for most anyone.
To practice Nadi Shodhana, one must sit in a comfortable position, either cross-legged on the floor or in a chair with the feet flat on the floor. The spine should be erect, and the eyes gently closed. The practice involves using the right hand to control the flow of breath through the nostrils, with the index and middle finger placed on the forehead between the eyebrows, and the little finger and ring finger gently placed on the left nostril. The right thumb is used to close the right nostril, and the breath is gently breathed out through the left nostril. The breath is then breathed in through the left nostril, and breathed out through the right nostril. This pattern continues, with the breath always being breathed in from the same nostril from which it was exhaled.
Nadi Shodhana has many benefits, including infusing the body with oxygen, clearing and releasing toxins, reducing stress and anxiousness, calming and rejuvenating the nervous system, helping to balance hormones, supporting clear and balanced respiratory channels, alleviating respiratory irritants, balancing solar and lunar, masculine and feminine energies, fostering mental clarity and an alert mind, enhancing the ability to concentrate, and bringing balance to the left and right hemispheres of the brain.
Nadi Shodhana is best practiced on an empty stomach, and the early morning is an ideal time. Practicing daily for 10-15 minutes offers even deeper benefits. When closing the practice, it is recommended to complete the final round of nadi shodhana with an exhalation through the left nostril, relax the right hand, and place it comfortably in the lap. Then, take several Full Yogic Breaths, allowing the breath to return to normal, and notice the state of mind. Quietly observe the effects of the practice, and then gently open the eyes, continuing to focus some of the awareness within.
As you breathe in, cherish yourself. As you breathe out, cherish all Beings.
Dalai Lama
We all have heard about the importance of the air we breathe, we are most already conformed with the levels of pollution we are inhaling and producing, but there is more related to the air we breathe we should be aware of which is not only about the quality of the air, but the quality of our breath.
Breathing is what connects us with our main energy source, Air or Oxygen! This is what holds us alive and nurtures our bodies, minds, and all kinds of activities we perform as long we have life force.
Let’s do a small observation and reflection: just take a moment to consider how long a person can be thirsty or hungry? Now ask what about being without oxygen? How long can you stay without breathing, how long you can survive without air? This is precisely what makes breath a very powerful tool. If on the one hand, this is the most ordinary of all body functions, in another hand, by doing it with awareness you are increasing the quality of your life. By adding a set of Pranayama Technics ti it, you will experience not only of high life quality but also lots of powers.
The Time to Breathwork is practice divided into two parts, the Pranayama part (breathing control), and the meditation. Both set up the mind to focus on one single object, the breath!
For that, you will get guided practices of:
Adham Pranayama, Yogic breath, or complete breathing
Kaphalabhati Pranayama
Anuloma Viloma
Agni Sara Kriya
Bhastrika Pranama
Breathwork and Pranayama can be done by sitting or lying down. In case you have any injury in the lower back, knee, or spine, please let me know before the class start, so we can set up what is necessary for your being able to follow the class. Of course, all propose would be arranged, if available at the Yoga Studio. Preparation for executing the postures, and guidance to build it in a safe way, and as well alternatives for your personal case if necessary.
For a 2h to 2h30 Workshop format, Brahmari, Shikale / Shitkali, and others are added, as well as breath count control, the 4 stages of the breath, and attention to retention (Kumbhaka).
All the technics are transmitted to the attendants in a very simple and clear form. This is for everyone who wanna understand the breadth, take control over the breath, experience breath as an element of calmness and stillness. And use it on the daily basis to make life better. If you are new to Yoga or experienced will not play any role in this, all are welcome and this practice is indicated to everyone.
Most of my practices and classes are a combination of Sukshma Vyayama and Hatha-Yoga. We start practicing breathing work in standing. In the second block, we do some mix, Hatha Multslyle, no style, just prepare the body to sit quietly for a while and continue with the specific Pranayamas.
After the block of movements for preparation, we continue with the breathing program in sitting posture, this will increases our ability to sit and meditate, doing it frequently will increase the length of the practice session. You will get to sit calm like a Yogi if you have this motivation.
This Workshop has a more intermadiate without movement, for participants who wanna push themselves to the limit of siting at least for 60min for different Pranayama Technics in one single session, before going into any movement, meditation, or relaxation. This is a Special Class, and is more appropriate to those who alreary practice regularly, are Yoga-Teachers, or wanna join a Teacher Training Course, or in a similar level.
If you are interested in that one, get in touch, let me know, and let’s do it!
Now we dive into the time and we prepare to closure with a deep relaxation in Yoga Nidra. Again we set our focus on the body and breath. And to close the workshop, we use the Breath as an “Object for Meditation”.
With this in mind and a daily commitment, you will achieve the highest performance in many activities of daily life, in case you are familiarized with visualizations, you case use them in each pranayama practice. Self-healing, Sharping the focus, and faculties are just a few of the benefits to experience.
More energy for life and joy with small things will become features of your personality.
If you are looking for a yoga class that can help you gain strength, vitality, and energy, then look no further than Hatha-Yoga. Initially a 90-minute special class, it has now been extended to a 2-hour or 2.5-hour session to cater to different needs since 2012 in Germany. This class schema is a manual for those who want to work out to acquire these features. It is “the base of all my experiences, made for all of you to experience.”
The concept is a mix of Sukshma Vyayama and Classic Hatha-Yoga, which focuses on breath regulation in each posture and posture transition. This increases the energy produced during the asana performance, taking you to the level of using energy for concentration, meditation, and visualization.
Pranayama is a must in all my classes, at least the more basic ones, and any class will always start with Adham Pranayama or Yogic breath, which is easy to do even for beginners. It can be done in a sitting or standing position, and it comes with a 100% benefits warranty for both beginners and advanced practitioners.
If you wonder how to apply those Yogic techniques in daily life, we just need to observe that the breath is within us all the time. The Pranayama is the easiest and fastest to apply in daily life. Therefore, as much as you can, remember you are breathing, do it mindfully, do it aware and awakened, do it consciously, and better it’s qualities. We just need to do it!
In the more elaborated Pranayama Workshop, we do introduce participants to more pranayama techniques like Anuloma-viloma, Agnisarakriya, Kaphalabhati, and many others. But for now, we continue with just that one.
We use that breathing technique during the entire class and experience the presence in space, time, and activity, entirely aware. We expand our version of a few rounds of Surya Namaskar, including modifications and different Asana variations. Pranayama is introduced at the beginning of the session, and standing postures are most recommended to squeeze Mulabandha and when possible also Uddhyanabandha.
To get better benefits of the postures, we will hold for long periods of time while regulating the breath. We will practice from the basics to a wide variety of postures and transitions. Inversions are part of this compendium, like long relaxation in between, abdominal as last hard work, and Yoga Nidra.
A combination of work, contraction, and relaxation or expansion is a key point to use in this class framework as a method for self-development. Here we are working to put things in balance. Sides, hemispheres, extremes, organs, glands, elements, and energies are going to get into balance, which is our work, motivation, and dedication of time. The more this kind of practice or schema is used, the more balance can be produced, experienced, and enjoyed.
After a bit of small abs challenge, we go into deeper relaxation in Yoga Nidra, where again, the breath will mark important presence as a tool to be used to be present as the breath is, and train our ability to visualize. We travel from the bottom to the lower parts of the body, starting with the toes, going into the legs, abs, and organs, head, and face, relaxing each detail and letting go with the out-breath which is non-deserved and unnecessary.
We close it with a short session of breathing meditation, followed by a time and space for gratitude. Let it go and say goodbye!
108 rounds of sun salutation practice with Surya Namaskar mantra – 3h30 Workshop
In that workshop we repeat 9 times the 12 rounds of Surya Namaskar, perfect practice for the early morning. Joy is what we expect to feel after this performance, no matter what activity we will do after this, we will feel great, fresh, and powerful.
The practice of Surya Namaskar
Surya namaskar, also known as Sun Salutation, is an old yogic practice of twelve yogic postures, which are commonly performed early in the morning, at sunrise, with a specific breathing pattern and chanting of continuous mantras.
Surya translates as ”sun” and ”Namaskar” means ”salutations”, thus ”Surya Namaskar” is translated as ”the eternal salutations to the Sun”.
The Sun (Surya) symbolizes purity, energy, light, clarity and consciousness.
In Vedic astrology, Surya is the main reason behind the formation of our body and controls our general health.
It is said that a daily practice of these yogic exercises is enough to reap enormous benefits, like weight loss, flexibility of muscles, regulated menstrual cycle, improved concentration, self-confidence and overall personality development. In addition, this practice is an efficient way to limber up, to tone and stretch as well as strengthen the entire physical body. It is also the fastest way of touching base with our core inner strength.
When you practice these asanas very slowly while bringing the awareness to each energy center (chakra), each asana becomes a spiritual practice that will fill the chakras with positive emotion.
One full round of 12 postures repeated continuously for 9 times (12×9=108 postures) will make you sweat heavily and burn down all excess fat in the physical body. The results are never immediate; it always comes with practice over a long period of time.
Please bring your own towel and bottle of water.
Suitable for beginner or more advanced yoga practitioners.
Participants will be taught the mantra to be able to recite together.
108 Surya Namaskar with Gayatri Mantra. Voice of Anuradha Paudwal, it may be not available in several countries.
In that practice we start, main practice and closure:
One of the famous Vedic Hymns in praise of the Sun God is Surya Upanishad which finds place in the Atharva Veda.
Shanti Mantra – Peace invocation
Pray to start and open the Class – 1x
om bhadram karnebhih shrunuyaama devaah bhadram pashye maak shabhirya jatraah sthirairangai stushhtuvaan sastanuubhir vyashema devahitam yadaayuh svasti na indro vriddhashravaah svasti nah puushhaa vishvavedaah svasti nastaarkshyo arishhtanemih svasti no brihaspatirdadhaatu
om shaantih shaantih shaantih
Om! O Devas, may we hear with our ears what is auspicious; May we see with our eyes what is auspicious, O ye worthy of worship! May we enjoy the term of life allotted by the Devas, Praising them with our body and limbs steady! May the glorious Indra bless us! May the all-knowing Sun bless us! May Garuda, the thunderbolt for evil, bless us! May Brihaspati grant us well-being! Om! Peace, Peace, Peace!
Gayatri Mantra
To Start the open the heart to the Sun – 3x
aum bhūr-bhuva̱ḥ-suva̍h tat sa̍vi̱tur vare̎ṇya̱m bhargo̍ de̱vasya̍ dhīmahi dhiyo̱ yo na̍ḥ praco̱dayā̎
Translation 1
Om, Earth, middle region and sky; we meditate on the adorable splendor of Savitar (Sun) who may inspire our thoughts.
Translation 2
We meditate on the Self-effulgent Being of seven planes, (like Bhuu, Bhuvas, Svar, etc.) who provides light to the sun; may He enlighten our intellect to reach the divine goal.
Translation 3
We meditate on the Supreme Sun whose light pervades this world (Bhuh), the heavens (Bhuvah) and the next world (suvah). May thy light guide our intellect in the right direction.
The Gayatri mantra is one of the oldest of the divine hymns.
Gayatri mantra is the essence of all seventy million supreme mantras.
Just as all the rivers merge in the oceans, all mantras unite in the Gayatri mantra.
The arrangement of the twenty-four seed syllables in the Gayatri mantra is the most wondrous and mysterious.
The chanting of this mantra develops nada, a regular subtle vibration in the nerves of the subtle body. The repetition of this mantra with right understanding of its sacred meaning has the power to dispel all the negative tendencies in the human mind and thereby unfold the Supreme Self within.
The Gayatri mantra is chanted early in the morning after bath.
Rig Veda 3:62:10 \\ Sūrya Upaṇiṣad – Mantra 4
Gayatri Devi
Pray to Surya Deva
To start the Surya Namaskar practice – 1x
hiraṇmayena pātreṇa satyasyāpihitaṁ mukham tat tvaṁ pūṣann apāvṛṇu satya-dharmāya dṛṣṭaye
Like a lid to a vessel, O Sun, your Golden orb covers the entrance to Truth. Kindly open thy entrance, to lead me to Truth.
Īśopaniṣad – Mantra 15, part of the Yajur Veda.
Surya Namaskar Mantra
Surya Namaskar Mantra
The main Mantra – 9x
1. Om Hram Mitraya Namaha (Salutation to the friend of everyone)
2. Om Hrim Ravaye Namaha (Salutation to the lustrous one)
3. Om Hrum Suryaya Namaha (Salutation to he who sets everything to activity)
4. Om Hraim Bhanave Namaha (Salutation to he who brightly illumines the earth)
5. Om Hroum Khagaya Namaha (Salutation to the one who travels swiftly in the sky)
6. Om Hrha Pushne Namaha (Salutation to the giver of nourishment to being)
7. Om Hram Hiranyagarbhaya Namaha (Salutation to the golden womb or the primordial matter from which everything else emanated)
8. Om Hrim Maricaye Namaha (Salutation to the Lord of the Dawn)
9. Om Hrum Adityaya Namaha (Salutation to the son of Aditi, the cosmic Mother)
10. Om Hraim Savitre Namaha
(Salutation to the Lord of Creation)
11. Om Hroum Arkaya Namaha (Salutation to the one who is the best one to be adored and worshipped)
12. Om Hrah Bhaskaraya Namaha (Salutation to he who illumines the external and the internal world)
The effects of each Bija Mantra:
Hram – Bija mantra activates in Brain, Heart and Respiratory system Hrim – Throat and Digestion Hrum – Liver, Spleen, Uterus, Ovaries, Stomach, Intestines Hraim – Kidney Hroum – Large Intestine, Rectum, Anal canal Hrah – Chest, Throat
Benefits : Helps to keep mind calm and steady.
General Notes for Practitioner :
Perform Surya Namaskara in empty stomach. Four hours gap after meals, two hours gap after breakfast, one hour gap after beverage. Best time to practice in the early morning around Sunrise or in the evening around Sunset.
Practice in open air atmosphere or well ventilated rooms.
Perform on a clean mat or carpet.
Wear loose, light and comfortable clothing.
Maintain 30 minutes gap for taking bath before or after the practice.
Practice Surya Namaskara before the asana session.
Chanting of Mantras with Omkara, Bijamantra and names if essential to get full benefit.
Contraindications :
Ladies should avoid Surya Namaskara during menstruation. Consult doctors during pregnancy.
Surya Namaskara should not be practiced by people suffering from Hernia, High blood pressure, Spinal disorders and Coronary artery diseases. People suffering from back problems, slipped disc and sciatica should consult the doctor or yoga expert.
with thankfulness and dedication
To close the class – 1x
Om Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah Sarve Shantu Nir-Aamayaah | Sarve Bhadraanni Pashyantu Maa Kashcid-Duhkha-Bhaag-Bhavet |
Om Asato Maa Sad-Gamaya | Tamaso Maa Jyotir-Gamaya | Mrtyor-Maa Amrtam Gamaya |
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||
May All Beings be Happy, May All Beings be free from Illness. May All Beings see what is Auspicious, Let no one Suffer.
Lead us from Falsehood to Truth, Lead us from Darkness to Light, Lead us from Fear of Death to the Knowledge of Immortality.
Om Peace, Peace, Peace.
Om Suryaya Mantra
Om Hram Hrim Hraum Sah Suryaya Namaha
Chanting Om Suryaya Namah mantra before sunrise will strengthen one’s bones, cleanses the practitioner from his negative karma and grants on him wealth, abundance, good health and long life. After reciting the mantra (mentally or aloud), thank the Sun God and show gratitude and appreciation for giving you this life and a new day to live.
The Surya Mantra is chanted in praise of the Sun God. He is the Source of all life, and it is because of him that life exists. Thanks to the energy from his rays, life on Earth is sustained. This Surya Beej mantra has the power to provide you perfect health and Abundance. Also, this mantra improves your eyesight and removes any disorder related to eyes.
Chant this powerful mantra daily for five mala (1 mala = 108 times).
Surya Deva – 7 Horses 7 Chakras
He is illustrated with 2 hands holding a lotus in both (occasionally He is depicted with 4 hands holding a chakra, lotus, a conch and a mace). His body is as shiny and radiant as pure gold and riding a chariot driven by 7 white horses. The chariot harnessed by 7 white horses represent the seven main chakras, the 7 days of the week or the 7 colors of the rainbow. Surya is the life giver, sustaining all life on this planet by providing all radiance and energy, and the one who is responsible for the cycle of night and day and the beautiful seasons.
This collection of mantras transliterations, translations, and explanations are from different online sources as well the loaded pictures. The knowledge and use of these mantras I got on my first TTC at Parmarth Niketan Ashram and others occasion of 108 Surya Namaskar practice.
Discover the Perfect Balance of the 5 Elements with Hatha-Yoga and Ayurveda
Experience a two-hour meditative Hatha-Yoga class that combines breath awareness, postures, Chakra concentration, and relaxation. This workshop is built on the foundational principles of Ayurveda and Yoga, which work perfectly together to enhance your overall well-being.
During this workshop, we will focus on the 5 great elements that make up the human body: earth, water, fire, air, and space. By practicing Yogic techniques that support the Chakra of each element, we will establish a harmonious connection between the body, mind, and emotions.
This practical class is suitable for beginners and experienced Yoga practitioners alike, with no previous knowledge of Yoga or Ayurveda required. We will work with basic postures and hold them for moderate periods to increase awareness, develop a deep understanding of the strength, flexibility, and limitations of your body, and improve your overall health.
Breath awareness plays a vital role in this practice, and you will be guided to maintain focus on your breath throughout the workshop. The class is open to everyone, regardless of age, body type, shape, or size. Anyone can benefit from the practice of Hatha-Yoga based on the 5 elements, which promote a clearer mind, balanced emotions, and a strong, flexible body.
By embracing this holistic approach to wellness, you will become more dynamic and active in life, gain self-confidence, become fearless, and develop greater compassion. You will feel more inspired to enjoy life and connect with your true nature and the universal laws.
If you are unable to attend the upcoming workshops or they do not match your schedule or location, you can still experience this opportunity with a private class. You can even share this experience with your family, friends, or students by organizing a class in your own space.
We can do that together! In any case, I will love to help you! Transferring knowledge is my goal, and helping others to help themselves is my mission! Let´s practice now to balance the body and mind through the 5 elements!
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