Progressive Stages Of Pranayama
AND THE HATHA YOGA PRADIPIKA
8 SATURDAYS OVER 9 MONTHS
Course Tutor: MAARTEN VERMAASE
nr Chelmsford, Essex, starting Spring 2020. For full course outline, booklist, dates, location and venue info, course fees and booking information, please contact: [email protected]
To be kept informed about future courses, or if you wish to organise this course in your region, please contact [email protected]
8 SATURDAYS OVER 9 MONTHS
Course Tutor: MAARTEN VERMAASE
nr Chelmsford, Essex, starting Spring 2020. For full course outline, booklist, dates, location and venue info, course fees and booking information, please contact: [email protected]
To be kept informed about future courses, or if you wish to organise this course in your region, please contact [email protected]
General Notes
This course will introduce Pranayama and related practices in a structured progression, and enable students to practise Pranayama safely and under guidance. It aims to deepen our understanding and experience of the practice of Asana, Pranyama and Meditation, and will be mostly practical, with additional reflections on the wider applications of our practice through the study of Hatha Yoga Pradipika (= HYP), Yoga Sutras (= YS) and equivalent Buddhist ideas.
It is recommended that participants are committed to practise Pranayama regularly and maintain a ‘Pranayama Diary’ for the the duration of the course.
The course is suitable for:
- students on the BWY Diploma Course as an in depth introduction to the material of Unit 2
- BWY Diploma holders or equivalent as an in depth review of Pranayama and the HYP. The course will count as CPD. See www.bwy.org.uk.
- Serious, experienced Yoga students who wish to commit to regular Pranayama practice.
NB – Participants are expected to be familiar with Asana work. Pranayama is contra-indicated if you are a smoker. If there are any health concerns, please contact the course co-odinator for advice.
By the end of the course students should be able to
- Practice many of the HYP Pranayamas safely and independently within a logical progression
- Demonstrate a suitable understanding of the theoretical background of Pranayama as expressed in the HYP and equivalent texts.
- Evaluate and integrate the experience of Pranayama within the context of Yoga practice in general and meditation in particular
Course Outline (provisional)
NB all morning Yoga sessions will usually include purification breathing, limbering or Surya Namaskar, a short breath related Asana sequence, relaxation, visualisation, extensive Pranayama and meditation.
The afternoon sessions (2 - 5 pm) will specifically introduce the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and Pranayama.
Each day will include extensive opportunities for feedback and discussion, and may finish with chanting.
Handouts will be provided.
day 1
am:Organisation: Course intro
Practical: short Yoga session, breath release practices, Akasha Pranayama,breathing meditation
pm: Theory: HYP introduction; the theory of Prana; yoga view vv meditation view; Klesha and Kriya
Practical: purification sequence (Kriya) of ‘9 Breaths’, Kapalabhati, Nadi Sodhana, Simhasana
day 2
am: Organisation = questions and feedback
Practical: Yoga session, inc review of Kriya from Day1, meditation
pm: Theory:HYP ctd
Practical: Pre-Pranayama preparations: ctd purification (Kriya), internal visualization and breath development (single nostril inc Surya Bedha, Chandra Bedha; stages of Viloma; Ujjayi); Brhamari
day 3
am: Organisation, inc feedback and questions
Practical: Yoga session, inc review Pre-Pranayama from Day 2, Bhramari, meditation
pm: Theory: HYP ctd; the theory of Kumbhaka
Practical: ratio progression in Ujjayi; Aswini and Vajroli Mudras; Mula Bandha
day 4
am: Organisation, inc feedback and questions
Practical: Yoga session, inc review of ratios in Ujjayi from Day 3, meditation
pm: Theory: HYP ctd; joining Apana and Prana in internal Kumbhaka
Practical: Swana Pranayama; Jalandhara Bandha
day 5
am: Organisation, inc feedback and questions
Practical: Yoga session, inc review Swana and internal Kumbhaka from Day 4, meditation
pm: Theory HYP ctd;
Practical: external Kumbhaka; abdominal control for Uddiyana Bandha: Agni Sara; Nauli; Swana and simple Bhastrika
day 6
am: Organisation, inc feedback and questions
Practical: Yoga session, inc review Swana and Bhastrika ctd from Day 5, meditation
pm: Theory: HYP ctd
Practical: developing the 4 stages of the breath; internal and external Kumbhaka; the importance of the navel chakra; working wih Ujjayi ratios; Sw Sivananda’s advice; how to progress
day 7
am: Organisation, inc feedback and questions
Practical: Yoga session, inc review Ujjayi ratio develeopment
pm: Theory: putting it all together, how to progress to Mudra (subject for a future course)
Practical: developing Ujjayi 4-16-8-4; the four qualities of Mudra
am:Organisation: Course intro
Practical: short Yoga session, breath release practices, Akasha Pranayama,breathing meditation
pm: Theory: HYP introduction; the theory of Prana; yoga view vv meditation view; Klesha and Kriya
Practical: purification sequence (Kriya) of ‘9 Breaths’, Kapalabhati, Nadi Sodhana, Simhasana
day 2
am: Organisation = questions and feedback
Practical: Yoga session, inc review of Kriya from Day1, meditation
pm: Theory:HYP ctd
Practical: Pre-Pranayama preparations: ctd purification (Kriya), internal visualization and breath development (single nostril inc Surya Bedha, Chandra Bedha; stages of Viloma; Ujjayi); Brhamari
day 3
am: Organisation, inc feedback and questions
Practical: Yoga session, inc review Pre-Pranayama from Day 2, Bhramari, meditation
pm: Theory: HYP ctd; the theory of Kumbhaka
Practical: ratio progression in Ujjayi; Aswini and Vajroli Mudras; Mula Bandha
day 4
am: Organisation, inc feedback and questions
Practical: Yoga session, inc review of ratios in Ujjayi from Day 3, meditation
pm: Theory: HYP ctd; joining Apana and Prana in internal Kumbhaka
Practical: Swana Pranayama; Jalandhara Bandha
day 5
am: Organisation, inc feedback and questions
Practical: Yoga session, inc review Swana and internal Kumbhaka from Day 4, meditation
pm: Theory HYP ctd;
Practical: external Kumbhaka; abdominal control for Uddiyana Bandha: Agni Sara; Nauli; Swana and simple Bhastrika
day 6
am: Organisation, inc feedback and questions
Practical: Yoga session, inc review Swana and Bhastrika ctd from Day 5, meditation
pm: Theory: HYP ctd
Practical: developing the 4 stages of the breath; internal and external Kumbhaka; the importance of the navel chakra; working wih Ujjayi ratios; Sw Sivananda’s advice; how to progress
day 7
am: Organisation, inc feedback and questions
Practical: Yoga session, inc review Ujjayi ratio develeopment
pm: Theory: putting it all together, how to progress to Mudra (subject for a future course)
Practical: developing Ujjayi 4-16-8-4; the four qualities of Mudra
Essential course books:
Sw Muktibodhananda Saraswati (tr), Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Bihar School of Yoga
Either: Sw Satchidananda, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Integral Yoga Publications 1978, or recent reprint
Or: any other version of the Yoga Sutras
Sw Muktibodhananda Saraswati (tr), Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Bihar School of Yoga
Either: Sw Satchidananda, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Integral Yoga Publications 1978, or recent reprint
Or: any other version of the Yoga Sutras