CORE COURSE | Being Yoga: Through Breath and Meditation

Yoga philosophy and practice is founded upon two very different approaches to practice, based on two traditions with very different ideas of the goal of practice. If you really want to understand yoga philosophy and benefit from its practices, the best way to start is from this perspective.

One is the ‘Prana’ tradition, which has its roots in the earlier Vedas and Upanishads, and which provides the foundation for the hatha yoga tradition and its practices that most of us follow today. Its emphasis was upon an experiential spiritual connection through the Prana, as well as upon personal well-being and a full life.

The other is the tradition of the ‘Mind’ that is familiar to most of us from Patanjali’s emphasis on calming the ‘citta-vritti’ or fluctuations of the mind, which began to appear in the later Upanishads.

What we call the Classical tradition — the tradition of the ‘Mind’ — emphasizes directly quieting this activity of the mind through concentration, and ultimately eliminating it in the state of samadhi. 

That is hard and austere, and doesn’t fit easily into our lives.

‘Yoga’ has of course attempted to merge these two, but it is an uneasy merger that has led to a lot of confusion and dispute over just what yoga — or the ‘real’ yoga — is.

Hatha Yoga and the philosophical tradition of tantra blossomed in the time after the ‘Classical’ period of yoga philosophy, with its concepts firmly rooted in the Prana tradition.

This course will focus on the evolution of the Prana tradition from its earliest roots to its elaboration in hatha yoga and tantra through pranayama and meditation practices.

Live Online Sessions

Session 1: The Two Rivers of Yoga Philosophy

This session introduces the two main influences on thought about yoga, and the three periods — from the Vedic and Classical periods to the Tantric or ‘Post-Classical’ period in which hatha yoga emerged.

Our main emphasis will be on understanding the ideas of Prana as the foundation for spiritual connection and personal well-being, and their relevance to yoga practice today as well as their relevance to modern understanding of health.

We’ll also come to understand the sources and influences that led to the earliest definition of ‘yoga’ in the Katha Upanishad, and the beginnings of the tradition of the ‘Mind’ and concern for liberation through ‘purification’ of the mind.

Session 2: Prana and Elaboration of the ‘Vayus:’ Foundations for the Future

This session goes deeper into the development of the understanding of Prana in terms of the ‘Vayus’ — powers or functions of Prana, which are most productively understood as representing the five functions of the Autonomic Nervous system.

This will lead us into accessible teaching of pranayama practices and their relationship to these Vayus, from the Natural and Full Yogic Breath onward.

Session 3: Practical Value and Health Benefits from a Modern Perspective

The previous session sets the foundation for understanding the value of pranayama practices from a modern perspective on healthy breathing — including the mechanics of breathing — as well as breathing pattern disorders. The framework of the Vayus is helpful for understanding the nature of these disorders, their impact upon health, and how they can be addressed through practice.

Session 4: Patanjali and the Introduction of the Specifics of Pranayama

Patanjali introduces some specifics into pranayama practice. We will place his approach in the context of the ‘Classical’ approach to defining yoga that began in the later Upanishads, and contrast this approach — and Patanjali’s description of pranayama — with the approach of hatha yoga that follows after him. Specifically, we’ll take a deeper look at the value and role of ‘kumbhak’ or breath retention and its value, both from a modern health perspective, and its role in hatha yoga practices of pranayama, which will be further elaborated in the next session

Session 5: The Advent of Hatha Yoga and Its Unique Features 

This session examines the emergence of hatha yoga, the unique features of practice that it emphasizes (such as the nadis, cleansing techniques, mudra and bandha), and their foundation in the Prana tradition going back to the Vayus.

The natural role of bandha as a support for kumbhak and for healthy breathing, as well as mudra as a profound and practical support for pranayama practice, are brought into the refinements of pranayama practice introduced by the hatha yogis.

Session 6: Refining the Breath: the Role of the Nadis 

While most pranayama courses focus on the mechanics of breathing in the torso, centered around diaphragmatic breathing, the deeper power of pranayama for the hatha yogis lies in refinement of how the breath is directed through the throat, nasal passages, and the nose, starting with the Ujjayi breath, and leading to experiences of dharana or concentration, and ultimately higher forms of meditation.

We’ll explore the modern significance of this emphasis in practical terms, and the more refined breathing practices having to do with the nadis

Session 7: The ‘Yoga Body’ of Hatha Yoga: Chakras and the Path to Samadhi through Prana

The introduction of the chakras as the ‘map’ for the inner journey of spiritual evolution as guided and propelled by the Prana or Kundalini has important foundations in the emphasis upon the Vayus from the Vedas, which is reclaimed by hatha yoga after the Classical Period.

We’ll explore the significance and role of the chakras as tools for deeper meditation, and the role of pranayama coupled with dharana in making this inner journey toward expanding awareness and the meaning of ‘jivan-mukti.’

This will include exploration of the teaching and practice of Yoga Nidra.

Session 8: The Tantric Context

Hatha yoga emphasizes practice and experience over philosophy. Tantric philosophy, which was the environment in which hatha yoga flourished, provided the context for understanding the experience of Prana at the heart of hatha yoga.

We will explore this context of tantric philosophy as the expansion of Consciousness, helping us to understand the state of ‘Being Yoga’ from the perspective of tantra and hatha yoga — with further elaboration on their understanding of ‘samadhi’ and the relationship between ‘Laya Yoga’ (the deeper practices and experiences included in Yoga Nidra) and the yoga of practical life in the world.
 

In this course you will...

• Learn about the historical context and evolution of the inner practices through the centuries.
• Explore contemporary scientific research around the process and benefits of the inner practices.
• Have direct experiences of the practices - through guided practice, and as part of self-practice.
• Have taken part in discussion about the contribution the inner practices make to the state of yoga.
• Have engaged in discussion about the extent to which these practices. can stand alone, and to what extent are they integrated with asana practice.
• Have an understanding of how to include inner practices in a general class.
• Gain an understanding of how to establish and teach fundamental breath awareness.
• Understand ways to support a Restorative Yoga practice when the mind continues to wander.
• Learn some common/prevalent psychological and physiological concerns (e.g. breathlessness, anxiety, and depression), and adapt practices accordingly within the scope of practice of a yoga teacher.  

Course Structure

The 50 hours of this course includes: 24 hours live online sessions spread across eight session; 19 hours of pre-recorded content; and 7 hours of self-study

Who is this for?

This course is for anyone with an existing meditation practice and a foundational understanding of relaxation practices. It is a Core element of the Advanced Teacher Training but may be completed independently of that training.

Yogacampus Diversity and Accessibility Bursary

We are offering one bursary (50% off the course price) to a dedicated yoga student with demonstrated financial need and active involvement in a community that could benefit from yoga. This bursary is provided by Yogacampus – Radiant Light Yoga Limited, a not-for-profit educational body committed to sharing knowledge and making yoga accessible to all.

Bursary places will be awarded to a teacher or trainee who has the ability and commitment to take the course teachings into a disadvantaged community and play their part in the drive to increase accessibility to these profoundly healing practices. Priority will be given to those who themselves are from marginalised or vulnerable groups or are from a minority ethnic background.

To apply, please complete our online form.