Ajna
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Practice Session
~ Centering Meditation Duration 2 Minutes
- Sit in a comfortable seated cross-legged position (sukhasana) on the floor.
- Close your eyes and relax into a soft smile.
- Begin to gather yourself in awareness. This is not a pranayama (breath control) technique. Simply observe your normal breathing.
- Avoid concentrating on your breath; just become a watcher. If thoughts arise, allow them to come up. Don't hold on to them, don't go behind or suppress them. Just acknowledge the thoughts and allow them to continue on their way.
~ Nithya Dhyaan (Life Bliss Meditation) Duration 35 Minutes
Listen to the instructions with the Nithya Dhyaan (Life Bliss Meditation) guided meditation CD.
[Figure: Chaotic breathing]
Chaotic breathing Intense humming Chakra awareness Be Un-clutched Guru puja mantra
~ Silent Belly Laughter Duration 2 Minutes
- Remain in a comfortable seated position sukhasana (cross-legged on the floor).
- Bring the awareness to your belly; your navel center.
- You might like to remember an extremely funny moment in your life; a moment that made you laugh uproariously. A moment that made your belly ache with laughter. Intensely remember this funny occasion.
- Allow that same bubbling energy to rise up from your navel center. This bubbling energy becomes a laughter; a silent laughter.
- Allow the healing energy of laughter to implode in your system and wash over your body. Allow it to touch and penetrate every cell in your system.
- Understand that this blissful energy is your true nature, independent of any event or situation outside of you. Understand that you are nithya ananda (eternal bliss).
NITHYA YOGA PRACTICE SESSIONS
~ Intention Duration 1 Minute
- Set your strong intention for the class ahead.
- Add awareness and life to each movement practiced.
- Intend that each movement you perform and each breath you breathe will be an expression of your true state of Nithya Ananda (Eternal Bliss). Begin your practice with the understanding that you are an embodiment of blissful energy and each movement and each breath will be practiced with this awareness.
~ Visualization Duration 1 Minute
Once you are familiar with Nithya Surya Namaskar, you can take a minute to visualize your body performing one repetition. This will awaken your muscle intelligence and memory. This visualization will allow your body to flow harmoniously into the posture, as opposed to struggling and fighting to move through the sequence.
~ Nithya Surya Namaskar
- Stand facing the East preferably.
- Chant the corresponding Nithya Surya Namaskar Mantra (Pg 89 )
- Perform 3 - 6 rounds (6 or 12 repetitions) of Nithya Surya Namaskar (Pg 92 )
~ Vinyasa Krama for Dhanurasana
Preparatory Postures
Anjaneyasana 6T Right / 6T Left
Uttanasana 6T
Baby Natarajasana 3 - 6 B left Side/Right Side
Dwipadapeetam 6T
Bakasana 6T
NITHYA YOGA PRACTICE SESSIONS
Main Posture Dhanurasana 6T
Counter Postures Chakravakrasana 6T
Dynamic Vajrasana 6T
~ Body Gratitude Shavasana Duration 5 - 10 Minutes
- Lie on your back and close your eyes.
- Separate the legs slightly and let the toes fall open to the side.
- Place your arms beside your body with palms facing upwards.
- Allow the supportive Mother Earth beneath you to completely support your body.
- Consciously relax each part of your physical body.
- Start to lovingly remember each part of your body one by one. Individually remember each part with deep love, gratitude and affection.
~ Brahmari Pranayama with Shanmukhi Mudra Sit in sukhasana with your back straight and your eyes preferably closed.
Shanmukhi Mudra:
- This mudra is a powerful one and disconnects us from sensory information. It helps us turn inward and see who we really are.
- Take both your hands and fix the thumb of each hand in the respective ear cavity.
- Place the first two fingers of each hand over the respective eyelids.
- Place the ring fingers on either side of the nostrils.
- Place the little fingers at the corner of the mouth keeping the lips together.
Brahmari Pranayama:
- Brahmari means the bee. In this pranayama, we exhale by making the humming sound of the bee. When combined with the shanmukhi mudra, it creates tremendous energy to course through the body. A deep sense of ananda or bliss is generated within us.
- Settle into the shanmukhi mudra.
- Inhale deeply through the nose.
- Exhale making the humming sound of the bee.
- Apply gentle pressure with the ring fingers on the nostrils.
- Do not force the exhale. Allow the vibration to resonate through every part of your body.
~ Dhyani Mudra (the empty bowl)
- Place the right hand on your lap with the open palm facing upward.
- Place the open left hand on your right palm with the open palm facing upward.
- Allow the tips of the thumbs of both hands to touch each other forming an empty bowl.
- Take your awareness to the ajna chakra (between the eyebrows) and forget all else. Let your breathing be natural and relaxed.
- Through this mudra, we signal existence that we are ready to receive everything we need on our spiritual path. This is a powerful technique to sublimate the ego.
~Nithya Affirmation
Keeping your eyes closed sit in sukhasana (cross-legged on the floor). Form chin mudra with your fingers and place your hands on your knees.
Affirm to yourself that:
'I am in, I am one with, I am radiating and expressing
~ om nithyanandam
Bring your hands into prayer position in front of your chest and slightly bow your head toward your hands. Chant the beautiful vibrational mantra three times deeply from the navel center. Allow the truth that you are nithya ananda (eternal bliss) in body, in mind and in Being resonate with you.
'om nithyanandam'
