Practices
Practices: Yoga
- ASANA: Hatha yoga, Vinyasa flow & Yin yoga. Classical asanas including Standing, Balance, Backbends, Forward folds, Twists, Inversions, Arm balances, Core-work & Relaxing, with the focus to train Sitting in stillness. Asana Siddhi (mastery of Asana) is when you can sit Meditating in your Meditative pose for 2.5 hours - this central idea informs the Asana practice.
- PRANAYAMA: Classical Pranayama & modern Breathwork. Practising Yogic techniques for the 4 things you can do with Breathing: breathing fast, breathing slow, balancing both nostrils and holding your breath.
- MUDRA & BANDHA: Medieval & modern Energy holds, done in Meditation and in Asana. Full-body mudras & bandhas to mudras of the tongue, eyes, urogenital space and those of the hands.
- MANTRA: Sanskrit chanting. Focused on the secular Ancient mantras that are relevant in today's times for personal growth and community practice.
- YOGA NIDRA: Deep Relaxation, Yogic Sleep. Daily rejuvenation rooted in Classical Yoga Nidra, and not modern Manifestation technique.
- SHAT KRIYAS: Trathak, Neti, Kapalbhati, Nauli, Vaman Dhauti & Laghoo Shankhaprakshalana. Classical Yogic detox practices that cleanse our Gastro-Intestinal tract, colon, eyes & nasal passages. The bedrock of Yoga & Meditation practice that is usually avoided in modern Yoga trainings.
- MEDITATION: Classical & Modern practices as outlined under below.
Practices: Meditation
- VIPASSANA: meaning 'Insight', a deep witnessing of present-moment bodily awareness, practised in noble silence. It leads one to deep Insight about 'who am I?'
- MANTRA: Sanskrit chanting. Focused on the secular Ancient mantras that are relevant in today's times for personal growth and community practice.
- MANIFESTATION : AFFIRMATION + VISUALISATION: Creating the optimum conditions to bring to life one's dreams. Combining left-hemisphere logic and Affirming language, with right-hemisphere creativity and Visualisation skills.
- GRATITUDE: Mindset is critical to inner Peace & wellbeing. Gratitude meditation and journaling allows us to train mind and emotions for success in life.
- METTA, LOVING-KINDNESS: Classic Buddhist Meditation that expands our emotional capacities, and helps one heal through difficult, even traumatic experiences at times.
- DYNAMIC / ACTIVE MEDITATION: Developed in the 1970's by Osho with the idea that 'modern man is ill-equipped to sit still in meditation' and must move physically to release pent-up mental, emotional & physical repressions. This leads to calm and self-discovery.
- LAUGHTER: Meditation that leads to release of stored tension. Our body cannot make the difference between real and fake laughter- so all the holistic benefits of real laughter are experienced.
- GIBBERISH: Expressing unspoken feelings through non-language words allows us to release a lot of emotional tension. Brings one clarity and centeredness.
- CHAKRAS: Energetic Kriyas & psychological understanding to work within the framework of one's Chakra system, experiencing release and acknowedgement of blockages in one's life.
- ZEN: Classic Buddhist monastery technique to witness one's thoughts and realise one's true, self beyond the daily chatter. The thought clouds clear to reveal eternal presence.
- WALKING MEDITATION: Each step taken in mindfulness and meditation, leading to feeling grounded and clear-minded.
Learning
- PHILOSOPHY: History of Indian spirituality right from the Vedas, through 5,000 years of seeking. The Upanishadic insights to the 6 classical Darshams of Hinduism: comparing Vedanta, Samkhya & Yoga. Studying the legends: AdiYogi, Krishna, Buddha & Patanjali. Learning all 196 Yoga Sutras. Exploring Tantra, Bhakti & modern Yoga.
- AYURVEDA: The sister-Science of Yoga, exploring fundamentals to live in sync with one's natural composition. Doshas, Gunas and why Eating right matters.
- PSYCHOLOGY: Theories of the Mind - ancient and modern. Defining Manas, Buddhi, Ahamkara & Chitta. Studying modern positive psychology and polyvagal theory.
- ANATOMY: Exploring 'Who am I?' via the body, and not merely the muscles used in specific Asanas. From the Brain & Nervous system, to Cardio-Respiratory to Hormonal and every other major system of our body is studied from a functional Anatomy perspective, and in relation to Yoga practice.
- CHAKRAS: Energetic architecture of our body-mind. Prana, Nadis, Chakras and a lot more from various Ancient World traditions to supplement the Yoga-Tantra understanding.
- HISTORY & FUTURE OF MEDITATION: Charting the historical evolution of Meditation from the primitive Shamans & cave-dwellers through to the mental consciousness of the Buddha, and beyond until the dawn of A. I. today.
- NEUROSCIENCE OF MEDITATION: Science-based research on what happens to our Brain in Meditative states, and how we can explore Consciousness through Meditative practices.
Teaching Skills
- CLASS DESIGN: The 'Why' of every Practice, and how to sequence a Journey for students.
- TEACHING THE CLASS: Teaching Methodology, Learning 'when not to teach' & Voice-training
- HOLDING SPACE + INCLUSIVITY: Creating space for students to explore the practices safely, in a non-judgemental way, and without cultural appropriation
- PRESENTATION SKILLS: Deliver Talks either in your class or on Speaking platforms
- WORKSHOPS + RETREATS: Design workshops & retreats including the Business-sense training to market, and the use of Social Media 'authentically'.
- PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Learning through Workshops, Internships with senior Teachers - online and in-person. Explore resources.