Yogācārya T Kṛṣṇamācārya’s practicing Samantraka-prāṇāyāma | Circa 1960s
All tools of Yoga were meant to influence Prāṇa, the energetic system of the body. The most potent among the tools of Yoga to influence Prāṇa are Mantra and Prāṇāyāma. Utilising mantra-s not only emphasises the mind-body-breath connection (a key to yoga practice) but also generates specific vibrations in the body represented by the chant. Each mantra had particular meaning and potency which, combined with the different Prāṇāyāma intensified the practice and formed a powerful alliance to influence the subtle layers of our body for health and spiritual development. In traditional times all Prāṇāyāma were practised with Mantra, and hence titled Samantraka-Prāṇāyāma.
Not only did these make the practices more spiritual, but there were also numerous other benefits to Mantra in practices. These include changing the effect of practices, healing from different illnesses, influencing subconscious structures, and balancing energy in the various Cakra-s among many others.
The classical practice of Prāṇāyama involved practicing conscious breath regulation and the recitation of sacred Mantras. This type of practice was called Samantraka-prāṇāyāma. This is how Yogācārya T Krishnamacharya taught some of his closest and intimate disciples, consistent with their Adhikāra-s (spiritual eligibilities).
This traditional practice combined body, breath, and mind, thereby creating a holistic and potent experience for the practitioner. This union of body, breath, and mind is one of the meanings of the word Yoga, which means to link or to unite.
As time passed, the secrets of these Samantraka practices diminished greatly and are now known only by a few teachers.
It is essential for every sincere Yoga student, and, more importantly, every Yoga teacher, to learn, practice and experience the classical form of Prāṇāyāma practice and explore its powerful benefits.
To know more about how the Viniyoga tradition uses Mantra in Āsana and Prāṇāyama, kindly watch this video —->
This year-long immersion course has been planned with that focus in mind, allowing a step by step approach to the evolution of classical Samantraka-prāṇāyāma practice, enhancing it progressively each fortnight.
It is designed in such a manner that serious Yoga practitioners, even those who have learnt and practised Prāṇāyāma for a long time, will be able to discover new life in the practice. Prāṇāyāma-s of all levels will be explored and practised progressively. Many of the classical Prāṇāyāma will be explored and practised progressively along with sacred Mantra-s that hold great power and potency. It will also be very helpful to Yoga Teachers, to understand how classical Prāṇāyāma needs to be introduced appropriately and progressively together with Mantra-s. The program will allow each participant to explore their breath in different dimensions and gain insights into their strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for improvement.
Mode of Study
Each fortnight, every second Sunday, a document will be uploaded into the resource centre of this course, which will be in the form of a handwritten practice. Participants can download this course and practice it for a two-week duration. The next fortnight a new practice will be uploaded, which can then be downloaded and practiced for the following two weeks. This procedure will be repeated each fortnight till the end of 2025. A total of 27 practices will be offered during the calendar year. The first practice will be uploaded on 12 January 2025!
Each practice will contain simple stick drawings, breath instructions, and the number of repetitions for each sequence. Any other instructions that are relevant will also be written down in the document.
The audio recording of the Mantra used for that practice will also be uploaded in the resource centre for participants to download and use as a reference to pronounce the Mantra-s correctly.
All practices will be designed by Viniyoga lead instructor Dr. Kaustubha Desikachar, and will be in English.
Prior to uploading the first practice, participants will be invited to a group Zoom event, where the guidelines on practice and how to understand the practice sheets will be explained.
Every two months, an online review meeting will be set up via Zoom, where participants can ask questions related to the practices or related to experiences that come out of the practices.
For Best Results
For best results we ask you to consider the following seriously:
1) It is strongly recommended that you practice under the guidance of your Viniyoga mentor so that appropriate modifications can be suggested whenever needed. If you don’t have a Viniyoga mentor, we advise you to find one here - https://khyf-international.com/en/registry/
2) It is suggested that these practices be done only one time per day. Preferably at dawn. If you cannot wake up at dawn, we suggest you practice it before breakfast or at least two hours after breakfast. If you already have a private practice recommended by your mentor, you should have at least three hours between the two practices.
3) It is strongly recommended that you have a Vegetarian diet. If you are a meat consumer, we recommend that you consume meat not more than twice a week for best results.
4) It is recommended that you go to bed early so that you can rise early for the practice.
5) It is also recommended not to be under the influence of intoxicants like tobacco, alcohol or other drugs that may alter your mind.
6) It is recommended that you take time and space to fit these practices in your daily schedule, and not do it in a rush.
Please Note | The above are only suggestions and you are at your own discretion to follow them or not. However, you must understand that for the best results, following these guidelines would be most helpful.
Please Note Carefully | Each practitioner is responsible for their own health, and must practice not only under the guidance of their mentor, but also with full self-awareness of their body limitations. They must not push themselves beyond what the body allows, as Yoga is meant to be a spiritual practice and not a narcissistic exercise. This is why the guidance of your mentor is strongly recommended. If you harm yourself by pushing yourself beyond your capacity, we are not responsible for any damages that you may incur on yourself. If you have any pre-existing medical conditions, kindly discuss with us honestly with full details, before signing up for the course. If you have doubts about understanding these points, consider that you are not ready to engage in this immersion course.
Investment - €60 per month
Payments can be made through Bank Transfer using IBAN or Credit Card.
All Credit Card payments will be charged only in Singapore Dollars (A 5% Transaction Fee will be added to all Credit Card Payments).
Payments can also be made in the following other currencies through Bank Transfer - British £ (£55) | Australian $ (A$95) | New Zealand $ (NZ$105) | Singapore $ (S$90)
Once we receive your email, we will start sending the invoices at the beginning of each month.