How to Teach Meditation

How to Teach Gentle Yoga

[I have consolidated part 1 and part 2 of this series on How to Teach a Gentle Yoga and Meditation Class here in this one document.  This is for ease of reference and in preparation for the upcoming Mastery of Meditation Teacher’s Training Program].

Coming in the very near future, Mastery of Meditation and Yoga is going to offer a complete multi-media Online Meditation Teacher’s Certification Program, and as part of that project, is this article series which is going to teach you how to teach a meditation or gentle yoga class.  The Meditation Certification Program is something I have been looking to offer for some time now, but wanted to first insure that all the necessary material had been created and published before I did so.  Well, it only took three years of hard work to accomplish that , and now I feel the time is right for making this unique and comprehensive program available to you all.  

As I mentioned, this series is going to be a part of that training program and is one of the last few pieces of the puzzle needed to bring that course online.  Previously, I put together the Comprehensive Guide to Teaching a Yoga Class, and teaching a meditation class has many similarities to that.  Below is the approach I use in structuring the meditation or gentle yoga classes I teach.  It has been refined over the years, and the classes using this structure have been thoroughly enjoyed by the students.  

Similar to the yoga class, I will also explain the meditation class by breaking it up into three sections.  The first section I will call Orientation, the next section is the Warm-up and then the final section, I will call The Work.  This breakdown is for a class lasting around 1 hour.  Below is how these come sections together to form a great class, and a transforming experience for the students.

This series is in 2 parts.  In part 1 I will go over the Orientation and Warm-up phase, while in part 2 I will discuss the "Work" phase.  One final note before I jump ahead, is that this is also a great sequence for you to follow for your own personal yoga or meditation practice.

Teaching a Meditation Class Phase 1 - Orientation:

Objectives:

1. Get the students settled in.
2. Ensure the spacing is correct for safety and comfort.
3. Get their mind and awareness into the here and now.
4. Give a short overview of the class structure, guidelines and planned meditation.
   

Here now are details for the items above.

Items 1, 2, 3 & 4 Above:

As the students file into the class, I make sure the early ones move up and near to where I sit, as for some reason students always tend to keep more of a distance from the teacher than they need to.  I also of course try to ensure I sit in a way that I am visible to the entire class.  If possible a raised platform is very useful for this.

I am also making sure during this time that spacing is good between students, which generally means that they should be able to spread both arms out to their sides without hitting anyone, or the wall.  In addition, I am usually pointing out cushions, mats, water, etc to newcomers as well.  Shortly, I announce the start of the class, and immediately get everyone to start long deep breathing.

Unlike a yoga class, I spend much less time in this phase of the class, than I do for a yoga class.  This is simply because in the meditation class, the students are going to get ample time to meditate during "The Work" portion of the class, while in a yoga class, this is essentially the time I use to get meditation practice into the session.  So for a meditation class, I only spend a few minutes maximum in this long deep breathing, get into the moment phase and then quickly get to the warm-up stage.

During the long deep breathing phase though, I do try to give the details for the class structure and guidelines for doing the yoga, breathing exercises and meditation that is to come.  Specially any safety instructions.  See Beginner’s Guide to Yoga Practice and Guidelines for Pranayama Practice for more information on this topic.

In general, the class structure is as follows:

• Orientation Period (which they are in).
• Tuning in to their Higher Self and the Universal Energy.
• Breathing exercises (pranayamas) to get their energy going.
  
• Essential daily yoga exercises and yoga exercises for meditation.
• 1 or 2 meditation sessions, depending on the class duration.
• Ending prayers and visualizations. 
  

In general, the safety and practice guidelines are the following:

• I tell them, I will demonstrate each exercise, which after observing they do with their eyes closed.
• All breathing is done through the nose, unless otherwise instructed.
• Use the modifications for any exercises they find difficult.
  
• To not overdo, be careful with injuries and work around them whenever possible.
• To not compete and not worry about how anyone else is doing.
  
• Throughout the class to do the practice will full awareness.

If you are not able to cover all of the above, don’t worry, you can continue to instruct them in the Warm-up phase as well.  In general, I have noticed that for a meditation class lasting 1 hour, I always tend to run out of time and have to cut short the final meditation period, which is the key focus of the class, so make sure you don’t linger in this section for too long.  This completes the Orientation phase of the class, and then I move ahead to the Warm-up period. 

Teaching a Meditation Class Phase 2: Warm-up 

Just as for a yoga class, the Orientation period, insures they get their daily dose of meditation, in a meditation class, it is during the Warm-up period that I insure the students get their daily dose of yoga and pranayama. 

Here are the objectives you should shoot for in the warm-up phase:

Objectives:

1. Tune in to your Higher Self / Universal Mind.

2. Get the students energy going.

3. Do daily essential yoga stretches and yoga that is beneficial for meditation.  If you are teaching a Gentle Yoga class, expand this section and cut short the meditation period in the end.

4. Do pranayama that prepares the mind for meditation.

1: Tuning In

Always start a class with tuning in.  In yoga and meditation whether you have been explained it or not, you are dealing with cosmic energies, and such energies should be approached with respect, and the purpose of tuning in is ask your Higher Self and the Universe for Protection, Guidance and Inspiration.  This ensures the energies do not harm you, you are guided correctly and provided inspiration to see the journey all the way back to the Source.

This tuning in you should also do prior to doing your personal meditation practice as well.  There are many ways to tune in and accomplish the above.  Silent prayer, AUM mantra chanting or the beautiful Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo mantra that we use in Kundalini Yoga.  You can see an actual demonstration of this tuning in in the following video article:  AUM Mantra Video for Starting Yoga Class.

2: Energize the Students:

Since the students are going to get plenty of time to relax and practice awareness during the meditation portion of the class, during this phase it is healthy to do some energizing pranayamas.  The following 3 are good choices for this, and will help the students a great deal.  Pick one or two of them for you class, and vary it from class to class to give variety.

4 Part Deep Breathing

Kaplbhati Pranayama

Breath of Fire

3. Daily Yoga Essentials & Yoga for Meditation Exercises:

During this phase it is a good idea to cover some of daily essential work as recommended by yoga.  So try to do Butterfly Pose | Best Asana for Meditation, which is also excellent for sitting in meditation, and also do Forward Bend, to stretch the all important life nerve and promote flexibility.  Then, pick yoga poses that benefit meditation practice.  Remember that the students who signed up for this class are here for meditation, so make sure the yoga you select is gentle in nature and plays a role in helping with meditation.

A perfect example of such exercises is the great Spinal Warm-up Series.  This is not just great for getting their back, hips, neck, shoulders, etc warmed up, but this set heats up the cerebro-spinal fluid which runs through the spinal cord.  This is key, as it maximizes the energy flow during meditation and helps in promoting awareness by helping bring more prana into the brain and higher centers.  For some more details on how this works you can read the article Introduction to Kundalini Yoga.

Other places to look for good yoga for meditation exercises and sets are from the following collections: Yoga Poses for Meditation and Basic Yoga Poses | Yoga Positions for Beginners.

In part 2 of this series I will discuss the final phase of the class which is where they will learn and practice the meditation technique(s) you have decided for them.  Also note that by just extending the yoga part in the Warm-up phase, this becomes an excellent Gentle Yoga class as well, which is perfect for seniors and others not looking to do vigorous yoga.

[Part 2 is below] 

Teaching Meditation Tips

Free Meditation and Yoga Teacher’s Guide

Teaching a Meditation Class Phase 3 - The Work:

In part 1 of this series on teaching a meditation class, Teaching a Gentle Yoga and Meditation Class, we covered the Orientation and Warm-up period and now we come to the most important phase of the meditation class, the Work section.  In this section, you will actually teach the students a meditation technique and have them practice it as well.  Depending on the level of your students you should choose the meditation accordingly.  For a class with students of mixed proficiency you can teach meditations which have levels within them, such as the excellent Zen Meditation Technique, which allows students to practice at a level suitable to them.

Here are the objectives for this key phase of your class.

Objectives for Phase 3 of Your Meditation Class:

1. Teach a useful meditation technique.

2. Give instructions regarding safety, specially if the technique has advanced components such as breath retention.

3. Practice the meditation technique.

4. Perform ending prayers and visualizations.

5. Have a question & answer period.

1-3. Teach and Practice a Meditation Technique:

The whole reason for the class is for the students to learn and practice meditation with you.  So this phase should be the primary focus of the class.  Sometimes you can teach meditations based on special requests, or else you can pick ones you want to teach.  You will find many meditations in the Free Online Guided Meditation E-book, and most of them have videos associated with them to help you see clearly how they are to be done. 

In general, I suggest the practice of Zen Meditation, Silent Mind Meditation, Silent Mantra Meditation, and other awareness techniques for long term consistent practice in your classes. Such meditations continue to bestow benefits on those who practice it, and they allow each student to practice at their own level and pace.  It is though often fun to practice meditation that require group chanting or other such meditation as well.

Special meditations which can only be done in groups are also especially appropriate for classes.  Such meditations such as the Healing Circle or Sufi Meditations can be a great experience for the students as well.  I will be uploading such unique meditations as well to the website and you will of course find them added to the Free Online Guided Meditation E-book.

Even though you are going to just teaching meditation, keep in mind that many meditations can be quite advanced, so don’t forget to follow the safety instructions that are given with each technique.  Specially be alert when meditations require students to hold their breath, host difficult mudras (hand/eye positions), or require body locks.  Such meditations should be approached with respect and intelligence, and developed gently over time.

In general, you are going to only have time for about a 20 to 30 minute session.  Keep in mind that this is A LOT for a beginner.  They might not be able to sit for this long, so be gentle with them.  Instruct them that they can take a break after 5, 10 or 15 minutes, to stretch their legs and then restart again.  The intermediate or advanced meditators should not be given this option.  Unless they are about to injure themselves, encourage them to sit through the entire session.  If you have a longer class, and have 40 minutes or more for the meditation phase, then I suggest breaking up this phase into 2 (20) minute meditation session, but giving the option for advanced students to continue right through the entire session.

There are lots of tips on this website regarding meditation practice, which will really help you be a better teacher and meditator, so be sure to check them out as well.  Look at the related articles and article series listed below for such tips.  One important tip though is the use of cushions for meditation, and I strongly recommend having these available to students in your class.  Zen Zafus work best here. Check out the article How to Meditate, for more basics like this.

4. Ending Prayers:

At the very end of class, after the students have completed their meditation, it is nice to practice a few important prayers.  Here are the 3 prayers I do at the end of every class.

To pray with power and focus, so the thoughts manifest in reality, have them inhale deeply hold their breath and then prayer/visualize.  So before each of these prayers below, have them inhale, hold their breath, focus their mind and then do the prayer.  Then exhale and move on to the next prayer.

• Visualize you and your life exactly as you want it to be.
• Send out a healing prayer to someone who you know needs it.
• Pray for peace and love on Mother Earth, and peace and love in everyone’s heart.

At the very end of the class you can end with a long OM or end with the mantra SAT NAM.  Both are great ways to add a finishing touch to the class.

5. Question / Answer Time:

Since a Yoga or Meditation class has a certain rhythm and flow, I request the students to ask their questions at the end of class.  As long as you are very clear in your instructions, have followed the guidelines laid out above and do good demonstrations for the poses and meditations, this works very well.  So at the end of class, relax, sit back and allow the students who want to ask questions to do so, other students can stay for this period, or leave if they want to.

Summary of Teaching a Meditation Class:

So there you have a very detailed and comprehensive guide on how to teach a meditation class.  I hope it gives all you teachers some good tips and guidance, and I hope it helps make your gentle yoga and meditation class a fantastic and transforming experience for your students.

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Related Articles at Mastery of Meditation, Kundalini Yoga and Zen:

• Meditation Teacher’s Guide and Tips - Part 2
• Teaching a Gentle Yoga and Meditation Class - Part 1
• Gentle Yoga & Meditation Class Gets off to a Beautiful Start & a Picture !
• Launching More Kundalini Yoga Classes (Saturday) as Current KY Class is Full
• How to Teach a Fantastic Yoga Class - Part 1

Kundalini Yoga Kriya Video

Sodarshan Chakra Kriya

One of the most popular Kundalini Yoga Kriya’s is Sodarshan Chakra Kriya, which is why the article detailing this magnificent and powerful exercise, 3 Most Powerful Yoga Pranayamas, is always in the top 10 most read articles on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga.  Many of you who have been interested in this Kriya have requested clarification on the technique, and to help make everything crystal clear, I have now created a video demonstration of it .  So below you will find a free video of Sodarshan Chakra Kriya, and I am sure this will help you in learning and mastering this wonderful yoga technique.

Below I will go over this kriya briefly, but for all the details please read the article I mentioned above, as that is a comprehensive overview of this technique.  

Sodarshan Chakra Kriya Overview and Benefits:

Sodarshan Chakra Kriya, comes from the school of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan, and it is not Sudarshan Kriya, which comes from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Art of Living teachings.  This particular exercise also uses pranayama techniques, and combines with them the power of mudra and mantra to bestow it’s many profound benefits.

The pranayama used, is left nostril inhalation with breath retention, to stimulate the meditative right hemisphere of the brain.  The mudra used is Nasikagra Drishti, or nose tip gazing, to develop mental focus and activate the root chakra.  The mantra used is Wa Hey Guru, to take you beyond the ordinary mind.  And yes, it also uses powerful navel contractions to stimulate Kundalini and help clear blockages in your subtle energy channels.

The benefits of Sodarshan Chakra Kriya are physical, emotional and spiritual.  Perhaps best knows for it’s ability to bestow psychic powers, this kriya is also excellent for your physical health and well being.  It helps your digestive, respiratory and immune systems.  Also, the kriya is used to dissolve destructive patterns of behavior and help one overcome past traumas and hurts.

One important note I would like to make with regard to this yoga kriya, is that in it’s full (advanced) version it is really quite powerful, so please proceed gently with your practice of this exercise.  The most common issue with this kriya, is the creation of too much heat in the body, so you should be on the lookout for that, and use counter techniques if you notice this happening to you.  Start with the beginner’s version which I have demonstrated in the video as well, and move forward from there systematically.

This video will become part of the free online video libraries that we have here on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga.  As Sodarshan Chakra Kriya is considered a Kundalini Yoga Meditaiton as well, this video will be included in the Free Guided Meditation Videos for Daily Practice series, and I will also be adding it to the Free Yoga Pranayama Videos.  Sodarshan Chakra Kriya is also already a part of Free Online Yoga and Meditation Classes, and specifically it is part of the Introduction to Kundalini Yoga and Meditation Class.

Once again please do refer to the main article on Sodarshan Chakra Kriya - Most Powerful Pranayama get all the details. 

Kundalini Yoga Sodarshan Chakra Kriya Video Contents:

• Demonstration of how to do beginner’s, intermediate and advanced Sodarshan Chakra Kriya.
  
• Proper pronunciation of Wa Hey Guru mantra.
  
• General discussion regarding this Kriya.
  

Learn it, enjoy it, master it & benefit from it .

Kundalini Yoga Kriya Free Video

Sodarshan Chakra Kriya Video

YouTube Direct Link –> Kundalini Yoga Kriya Video - Sodarshan Chakra Kriya

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Related Articles at Mastery of Meditation, Kundalini Yoga and Zen:

• Developing Psychic Abilities with Powerful Yoga
• Kundalini Yoga’s Highest Mantra Meditation
• Ultimate Tantra Yoga Technique to Raise Sexual Energy - Sat Kriya
• Free Tantra Yoga Video for Mastering Sex Energy
• The Right Way to Acquire Psychic Powers (Yoga Siddhis)

Osho Quote on Krishna, Buddha and You

How to Be Free 

Today I would like to share with you an excerpt from Mystic Master Osho, in which he urges you to just be yourself, be original and follow your heart’s whispers.  It is always inspiring to visit the teachings of the masters from time to time, as I find the vibrations of their words and insights to often be catalysts for spontaneous and sudden inner transformation.  I hope you find the words below to be equally inspiring, liberating and transforming.

Osho Quote on Krishna, Buddha and You:

Book: Courage - The Joy of Living Dangerously

The whole art for the new humanity will consist in the secret of listening to the heart consciously, alertly, attentively.  And follow it, to wherever it takes you.  Yes, sometimes it will take you into dangers - but remember, those dangers are needed to make you ripe.  Sometimes it will take you astray - but remember again, those goings astray are part of growth.  Many times you will fall - rise up again, because this is how one gathers strength, by falling and rising again.  This is how one become integrated.

…

Never be an imitator, be always original.  Don’t become a carbon copy.  But that’s what is happening all over the world - carbon copied and carbon copies.

Life is really a dance if you are an original - and you are meant to be an original.  Just look how different Krishna is from Buddha.  If Krishna had followed Buddha, we would have missed one of the most beautiful men of this earth.  Or if Buddha had followed Krishna, he would have been just a poor specimen.  Just think of Buddha playing on the flute! - he would have disturbed many peoples sleep, he was not a flute player.  Just think of Buddha dancing; it looks so ridiculous, just absurd.

And the same is the case for Krishna.  Sitting underneath a tree with no flute, with no crown of peacock feathers, with no beautiful clothes - just sitting like a beggar under a tree with closed eyes, nobody dancing around him, nothing of the dance, nothing of the song - and Krishna would look so poor, so impoverished.  A Buddha is a Buddha, a Krishna is a Krishna, and you are you.  And you are not in any way less than anybody else.  Respect yourself, respect your inner voice and follow it.

And remember, I am not guaranteeing you that it will always lead your to the right.  Many times it will take you to the wrong, because to come to the right door one has to knock first on many wrong doors.  That’s how it is.  If you suddenly stumble upon the right door, you will not be able to recognize that it is right.  So remember in the ultimate reckoning no effort is ever wasted; all efforts contribute to the ultimate climax of your growth.

Analysis of Osho Quote on Krishna, Buddha and You:

There are few points I want to highlight from the above excerpt which I think are very helpful to one’s spiritual evolution.

1. Embrace the Unknown:

Hidden in the above message, is the profound guidance that you should be open to life and be willing to go where she wants to take you.  That is what it means to follow your heart.  It means to not always take the safe, secure route, but be willing to try new things and new adventures, despite having no guarantees of success. 

This will allow you to move into the new, and not be imprisoned by the insecurities of the ego.  For the ego is of the past and is ever seeking security and safety.  So to move into the new, is to move into life, is to move into insecurity,  it is to move into the now, it is to move away from the entrapments of the petty self, and ultimately you will discover, that it is to move into love. 

Be open to going with the flow, else you will stagnate and be dead, even while being alive.

2. You are not less:

This is really a remarkable lesson to learn and fully embracing this Truth is liberating and empowering.  Don’t compare or try to be like anyone, you are unique and wonderful, just come into your own.  Just be yourself.  Then everything you do will come from the depths of your being.  You will contribute in your own unique way.  That is the responsibility of those who have tasted the Truth.  To contribute to spreading the light in their own way and in their own words.  As Krishnamurti advises those who are teachers and spiritual guides, "You Speak."  That is enough.

As Ramana Maharishi points you, feeling incomplete is the essence of the problem and this incompleteness has its roots in comparison.  Comparison between you and the "great ones" and comparisons between "what is" and "what should be".  This is the root cause of missing the inherent perfection of the here and now.  The answer is to simply let go.

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Related Articles at Mastery of Meditation, Kundalini Yoga and Zen:

• Osho Quote On Happiness & Simply Being Yourself
• Inspiring Osho Quote on How to Live Courageously
• Interesting Osho Quote on Enlightenment
• My Time at an Osho Retreat When My Body Disappeared
• GRATITUDE

Summary:  The Free Online Mantra MP3s and Videos is a collection of the very best Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and other spiritual mantras which you can download for free to include in your daily practice.  This page lists all the mantras available on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga, and is updated as new mantra MP3s or videos (MP4s) are added to the site, so it’s a good page to bookmark if you are a yoga or meditation practitioner .

Free Mantra Downloads

Free Mantra MP3s

Welcome to the Free Online Mantra MP3 collection.  These downloads are a completely free multimedia rich collection of the very best mantras from various spiritual disciplines.  In this constantly updated collection you will find Hindu mantras from the Vedas, mantras for awakening the Chakras, mantras for japa meditation, yoga mantras for your daily practice, Kundalini Yoga mantra, and much much more.  For each mantra, you will find complete and accurate translations, as well as MP3s demonstrating how to chant it, and even videos instructing you how to use the mantra in your meditation practice.  In addition, many of these mantras are part of the Free Online Yoga and Meditation Classes, that are hosted here on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga, so you can see how they are to be used to form a complete spiritual practice for profound inner and outer transformation.

A special thanks to to my amazing mother Shobha for ensuring that the Sanskrit translations of these mantras are precise and accurate, and my wife Trupti for lending her beautiful voice to many of the chants.

Mantras, which are essentially the science of sound and thought vibrations, can be very powerful and can affect the system at many levels, therefore it is important to understand how to use them safely and sensibly.  So, included in this collection are also articles that will give you important guidelines on how to safely practice and chant mantras.  In addition, as you will see, mantras have a wide range of applications and can be potent catalysts for personal and spiritual transformation.  These various applications and techniques are included in this e-book as well, and many of them come from the very popular Free Online Meditation Techniques E-book.

Finally, in addition to the guidelines on how to use practice with mantras, this multimedia online book also has articles which will explain the underlying energetic models (chakras) upon which many of the mantras are based.  This will help you better understand the techniques and also, help you do them more effectively.  Before moving ahead to the downloads section, let me summarize for you briefly, some of the enormous benefits that mantra techniques can bestow.

Benefits of Mantra Meditations and Mantra Techniques:

As I mentioned above, mantras are a core component of many different spiritual practices and can be used in a variety of ways to enhance your life.  Mantras can be used as a meditation in themselves, they can be used in a yoga exercise to magnify the exercise’s benefits, they can be used to open certain energetic pathways in the subtle body, or to produce certain states of consciousness, and much much more.  All these various uses of mantras contribute to the many benefits they can produce. Here are a few of these benefits…

• Bestow peace and tranquility
• Help in optimizing health and healing
• Help with relationships
• Help improve performance
  
• Help develop concentration and mental focus
• Help develop intuition and psychic powers
• Increase awareness and consciousness
• Help relieve stress and anxiety
• Help with spiritual evolution
• Increase energy and vitality
  

Free Online Mantras E-book Layout:

Each chapter below is a LINK to the article which has all the information about that particular mantra, including free MP3s and Videos for download.  This page will constantly be updated whenever a mantra or mantra technique is uploaded to the website. 

For each mantra or mantra technique, the following information is generally provided:

• Free Mantra MP3 download.
• Free Video demonstration of the mantra.
• Background of the particular mantra.
• The Sanskrit version of the mantra.
• The full translation of the mantra in English.
  
• How to practice the mantra.
• The benefits of the mantra.
  
• Any cautions required.
• Basic/Intermediate/Advanced version of the mantra technique whenever applicable.
• Hints and Tips to help you master that mantra technique. 
• Any secrets about the mantra that may not be commonly known.
• Internet resources to help you gather more information about that mantra.
  

As mentioned above, included in the chapters below are also the links to the important documents you need in order to practice mantras safely and effectively.  Some manta meditations are already online, for which MP3s and Videos are in the work, I have included these in the list below as well in the "MP3 and Video Pending" section.  In addition, there are some mantras MP3s that are already in the process of being uploaded, they too have been listed below in the "Coming Soon" section.  All links are in green.

Free Online Mantra Downloads

Free Online Mantra MP3 #1 (Powerful Gayatri Mantra)

Gayatri Mantra Download and Free MP3

Free Mantra MP3 Download #2 (Mahamritunjay Mantra)

Powerful Lord Shiva’s Mahamritunjay Mantra MP3

Mantra MP3 Download #3 (Vishvani Deva Mantra)

Great Sanskrit Mantra for Abundance MP3

Free Mantra Download #4 (Video of Tvameva Mata Mantra)

Devotional Vedic Mantra for Gratitude

Free Mantra Video #5 (Gayatri Mantra and OM Mantra)

3 Easy Kids Meditation Techniques

Free Mantra Video #6 (AUM Mantra Video)

AUM Mantra Meditation for Opening Third Eye

Free Mantra Download #7 (OM Mantra Video #2)

How to do OM (AUM) Mantra for Yoga Class

Mantra Download #8 (HAR Mantra Video)

Infinite Energy & Prosperity Meditation Technique

Mantra Meditation Technique #9 (So Hum Mantra)

SO HUM Mantra Meditation Technique

Free Mantra Meditation Technique #10 (SAT NAM Mantra)

Tantric Technique to Raise Sexual Energy - Sat Kriya

Free Online Mantra MP3 #11 (Wahey Guru Hymm)

Wahey Guru Dhun

Videos and MP3s Pending for the Mantra Techniques Below:

  Mantra Meditation Technique #12 (Chakra Beej Mantras)

Top 3 Chakra Mantra Meditations

Kundalini Yoga Mantra Meditation #13 (Sa Ta Na Ma Mantra)

Kundalini Yoga Meditation for Healing & Psychic Powers

Yoga Mantra Meditation #14 (SaTaNaMa Wahey Guru Mantra)

Smiling Buddha Meditation Technique for Happiness

Kundalini Yoga Mantra Meditation #15 (Wahey Guru Mantra)

Sodarshan Chakra Kriya  

Free Mantra MP3 Download #16 (Sa Ta Na Ma Mantra)

Kirtan Kriya - Kundalini Yoga Highest Mantra Meditation

Following Free Mantra MP3 Downloads Coming Soon:

Free Mantra MP3 Download #17 (Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo)

The Great Adi Mantra

Free Online Mantra MP3 #18 (Asto Ma Sat Gamya)

Beautiful Vedic Mantra for Wisdom

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Related Articles at Mastery of Meditation, Kundalini Yoga and Zen:

• Great Vedic Mantra for Abundance - Vishvani Deva Mantra
• Powerful Gayatri Mantra Download & Free MP3
• Best Mantra Meditation for Emotional Healing | New Free So Hum Mantra Video
• Video of the Greatest Devotional Vedic Mantra (Prayer)
• OM (AUM) Mantra Meditation Video for Kundalini Yoga Class

Free Mantra Meditation Video

So Hum Mantra for Healing

The So Hum mantra meditation technique in this article is a video demonstration of the technique which is fully detailed in the article So Hum Mantra Meditation for Healing and Joy, and you should read that article as well for more details regarding this mantra.  This is one of the best mantra meditation techniques and I constantly get feedback about how it has helped students in their lives.  Here is an example of the typical feedback I get with regard to the practice of this mantra meditation.

rain77 writes:

Dear Anmol, i want to say to everybody here that i feel great after the ’so hum’ meditation. More relaxed and more importantly a more happy person. I really encourage those who suffer from depression to practice often, it does improve your communication with others around you.

So Hum Mantra Meaning and Benefits:

So Hum mantra means, I AM THAT, thus pointing at the non-dual, Singular nature of Truth and Reality.  It is saying that you are an indivisible part of Divinity and is reminding you of your Higher Self or Divine Nature.  This mediation is prescribed in yoga therapy for helping with emotional issues.  Specifically, this technique is used in cases of depression or other conditions of emotional disturbance.  It is a great meditation for bestowing joy and peace.

In addition, as with all meditation techniques, So Hum helps with stress relief and creates conditions which are ideal for Self-Healing to take place.  If you are looking to try mantra meditation, then I strongly suggest So Hum.  It has proven itself over time to be a very useful and powerful technique.

This video will become part of the free online video libraries that we have here on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga.  As I mentioned earlier So Hum is already part of the Free Guided Meditation Videos for Daily Practice series, and I will be adding it to the Free Yoga Exercise Videos as well.  So Hum mantra meditation is also already a part of Free Online Yoga and Meditation Classes, and specifically it is part of the Learn How to Meditation | Beginner’s Meditation Class.

Once again please do refer to the main article on So Hum Mantra Meditation get all the details. 

Best Mantra Meditation Video (So Hum) Contents:

• Demonstration of how to do So Hum Mantra Meditation.
  
• Proper pronunciation of this mantra.
  
• General discussion regarding this technique.
  

Learn it, enjoy it, master it & benefit from it .

Best Mantra Meditation Video

So Hum Mantra Meditation

YouTube Direct Link –> Best Mantra Meditation Technique - SO HUM

PS: The Online Meditation Teacher’s Training Course is getting closer to completion as I complete the necessary videos for the program.  This certification program is great for those looking to really learn and integrate meditation into their lives, and also for spiritual workers and yoga teachers looking to add to their skill set and expertise.  It should be available in the next week or two, so be on the lookout for that.

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Related Articles at Mastery of Meditation, Kundalini Yoga and Zen:

• Great Vedic Mantra for Abundance - Vishvani Deva Mantra
• Serenity Prayer - Free MP3 Download of the Beautiful Wahey Guru Hymm
• Powerful Lord Shiva Mantra | Mahamritunjay Mantra Free MP3 Download
• Free Online Mantra Downloads MP3 and Videos
• Powerful Gayatri Mantra Download & Free MP3

Teaching Meditation Tips

Free Meditation Teacher’s Guide

Teaching a Meditation Class Phase 3 - The Work:

In part 1 of this series on teaching a meditation class, Teaching a Gentle Yoga and Meditation Class, we covered the Orientation and Warm-up period and now we come to the most important phase of the meditation class, the Work section.  In this section, you will actually teach the students a meditation technique and have them practice it as well.  Depending on the level of your students you should choose the meditation accordingly.  For a class with students of mixed proficiency you can teach meditations which have levels within them, such as the excellent Zen Meditation Technique, which allows students to practice at a level suitable to them.

Here are the objectives for this key phase of your class.

Objectives for Phase 3 of Your Meditation Class:

1. Teach a useful meditation technique.

2. Give instructions regarding safety, specially if the technique has advanced components such as breath retention.

3. Practice the meditation technique.

4. Perform ending prayers and visualizations.

5. Have a question & answer period.

1-3. Teach and Practice a Meditation Technique:

The whole reason for the class is for the students to learn and practice meditation with you.  So this phase should be the primary focus of the class.  Sometimes you can teach meditations based on special requests, or else you can pick ones you want to teach.  You will find many meditations in the Free Online Guided Meditation E-book, and most of them have videos associated with them to help you see clearly how they are to be done. 

In general, I suggest the practice of Zen Meditation, Silent Mind Meditation, Silent Mantra Meditation, and other awareness techniques for long term consistent practice in your classes. Such meditations continue to bestow benefits on those who practice it, and they allow each student to practice at their own level and pace.  It is though often fun to practice meditation that require group chanting or other such meditation as well.

Special meditations which can only be done in groups are also especially appropriate for classes.  Such meditations such as the Healing Circle or Sufi Meditations can be a great experience for the students as well.  I will be uploading such unique meditations as well to the website and you will of course find them added to the Free Online Guided Meditation E-book.

Even though you are going to just teaching meditation, keep in mind that many meditations can be quite advanced, so don’t forget to follow the safety instructions that are given with each technique.  Specially be alert when meditations require students to hold their breath, host difficult mudras (hand/eye positions), or require body locks.  Such meditations should be approached with respect and intelligence, and developed gently over time.

In general, you are going to only have time for about a 20 to 30 minute session.  Keep in mind that this is A LOT for a beginner.  They might not be able to sit for this long, so be gentle with them.  Instruct them that they can take a break after 5, 10 or 15 minutes, to stretch their legs and then restart again.  The intermediate or advanced meditators should not be given this option.  Unless they are about to injure themselves, encourage them to sit through the entire session.  If you have a longer class, and have 40 minutes or more for the meditation phase, then I suggest breaking up this phase into 2 (20) minute meditation session, but giving the option for advanced students to continue right through the entire session.

There are lots of tips on this website regarding meditation practice, which will really help you be a better teacher and meditator, so be sure to check them out as well.  Look at the related articles and article series listed below for such tips.  One important tip though is the use of cushions for meditation, and I strongly recommend having these available to students in your class.  Zen Zafus work best here. Check out the article How to Meditate, for more basics like this.

4. Ending Prayers:

At the very end of class, after the students have completed their meditation, it is nice to practice a few important prayers.  Here are the 3 prayers I do at the end of every class.

To pray with power and focus, so the thoughts manifest in reality, have them inhale deeply hold their breath and then prayer/visualize.  So before each of these prayers below, have them inhale, hold their breath, focus their mind and then do the prayer.  Then exhale and move on to the next prayer.

• Visualize you and your life exactly as you want it to be.
• Send out a healing prayer to someone who you know needs it.
• Pray for peace and love on Mother Earth, and peace and love in everyone’s heart.

At the very end of the class you can end with a long OM or end with the mantra SAT NAM.  Both are great ways to add a finishing touch to the class.

5. Question / Answer Time:

Since a Yoga or Meditation class has a certain rhythm and flow, I request the students to ask their questions at the end of class.  As long as you are very clear in your instructions, have followed the guidelines laid out above and do good demonstrations for the poses and meditations, this works very well.  So at the end of class, relax, sit back and allow the students who want to ask questions to do so, other students can stay for this period, or leave if they want to.

Summary of Teaching a Meditation Class:

So there you have a very detailed and comprehensive guide on how to teach a meditation class.  I hope it gives all you teachers some good tips and guidance, and I hope it helps make your gentle yoga and meditation class a fantastic and transforming experience for your students.

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• For Spiritual Enlightenment Can a Guru or Teacher Help?
• Essential Beginner’s Guide to Yoga Practice
• Clever Meditation, Yoga & Pranayama Tips for Busy People - Part 1
• Free Online Kundalini Yoga Meditations
• How to Teach a Fantastic Yoga Class - Part 1

How to Teach a Meditation Class - Part 1

Meditation and Yoga Teacher’s Guide

Coming in the very near future, Mastery of Meditation and Yoga is going to offer a complete multi-media Online Meditation Teacher’s Certification Program, and as part of that project, is this article series which is going to teach you how to teach a meditation or gentle yoga class.  The Meditation Certification Program is something I have been looking to offer for some time now, but wanted to first insure that all the necessary material had been created and published before I did so.  Well, it only took three years of hard work to accomplish that , and now I feel the time is right for making this unique and comprehensive program available to you all.  

As I mentioned, this series is going to be a part of that training program and is one of the last few pieces of the puzzle needed to bring that course online.  Previously, I put together the Comprehensive Guide to Teaching a Yoga Class, and teaching a meditation class has many similarities to that.  Below is the approach I use in structuring the meditation or gentle yoga classes I teach.  It has been refined over the years, and the classes using this structure have been thoroughly enjoyed by the students.  

Similar to the yoga class, I will also explain the meditation class by breaking it up into three sections.  The first section I will call Orientation, the next section is the Warm-up and then the final section, I will call The Work.  This breakdown is for a class lasting around 1 hour.  Below is how these come sections together to form a great class, and a transforming experience for the students.

This series is in 2 parts.  In part 1 I will go over the Orientation and Warm-up phase, while in part 2 I will discuss the "Work" phase.  One final note before I jump ahead, is that this is also a great sequence for you to follow for your own personal yoga or meditation practice.

Teaching a Meditation Class Phase 1 - Orientation:

Objectives:

1. Get the students settled in.
2. Ensure the spacing is correct for safety and comfort.
3. Get their mind and awareness into the here and now.
4. Give a short overview of the class structure, guidelines and planned meditation.
   

Here now are details for the items above.

Items 1, 2, 3 & 4 Above:

As the students file into the class, I make sure the early ones move up and near to where I sit, as for some reason students always tend to keep more of a distance from the teacher than they need to.  I also of course try to ensure I sit in a way that I am visible to the entire class.  If possible a raised platform is very useful for this.

I am also making sure during this time that spacing is good between students, which generally means that they should be able to spread both arms out to their sides without hitting anyone, or the wall.  In addition, I am usually pointing out cushions, mats, water, etc to newcomers as well.  Shortly, I announce the start of the class, and immediately get everyone to start long deep breathing.

Unlike a yoga class, I spend much less time in this phase of the class, than I do for a yoga class.  This is simply because in the meditation class, the students are going to get ample time to meditate during "The Work" portion of the class, while in a yoga class, this is essentially the time I use to get meditation practice into the session.  So for a meditation class, I only spend a few minutes maximum in this long deep breathing, get into the moment phase and then quickly get to the warm-up stage.

During the long deep breathing phase though, I do try to give the details for the class structure and guidelines for doing the yoga, breathing exercises and meditation that is to come.  Specially any safety instructions.  See Beginner’s Guide to Yoga Practice and Guidelines for Pranayama Practice for more information on this topic.

In general, the class structure is as follows:

• Orientation Period (which they are in).
• Tuning in to their Higher Self and the Universal Energy.
• Breathing exercises (pranayamas) to get their energy going.
  
• Essential daily yoga exercises and yoga exercises for meditation.
• 1 or 2 meditation sessions, depending on the class duration.
• Ending prayers and visualizations. 
  

In general, the safety and practice guidelines are the following:

• I tell them, I will demonstrate each exercise, which after observing they do with their eyes closed.
• All breathing is done through the nose, unless otherwise instructed.
• Use the modifications for any exercises they find difficult.
  
• To not overdo, be careful with injuries and work around them whenever possible.
• To not compete and not worry about how anyone else is doing.
  
• Throughout the class to do the practice will full awareness.

If you are not able to cover all of the above, don’t worry, you can continue to instruct them in the Warm-up phase as well.  In general, I have noticed that for a meditation class lasting 1 hour, I always tend to run out of time and have to cut short the final meditation period, which is the key focus of the class, so make sure you don’t linger in this section for too long.  This completes the Orientation phase of the class, and then I move ahead to the Warm-up period. 

Teaching a Meditation Class Phase 2: Warm-up 

Just as for a yoga class, the Orientation period, insures they get their daily dose of meditation, in a meditation class, it is during the Warm-up period that I insure the students get their daily dose of yoga and pranayama. 

Here are the objectives you should shoot for in the warm-up phase:

Objectives:

1. Tune in to your Higher Self / Universal Mind.

2. Get the students energy going.

3. Do daily essential yoga stretches and yoga that is beneficial for meditation.  If you are teaching a Gentle Yoga class, expand this section and cut short the meditation period in the end.

4. Do pranayama that prepares the mind for meditation.

1: Tuning In

Always start a class with tuning in.  In yoga and meditation whether you have been explained it or not, you are dealing with cosmic energies, and such energies should be approached with respect, and the purpose of tuning in is ask your Higher Self and the Universe for Protection, Guidance and Inspiration.  This ensures the energies do not harm you, you are guided correctly and provided inspiration to see the journey all the way back to the Source.

This tuning in you should also do prior to doing your personal meditation practice as well.  There are many ways to tune in and accomplish the above.  Silent prayer, AUM mantra chanting or the beautiful Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo mantra that we use in Kundalini Yoga.  You can see an actual demonstration of this tuning in in the following video article:  AUM Mantra Video for Starting Yoga Class.

2: Energize the Students:

Since the students are going to get plenty of time to relax and practice awareness during the meditation portion of the class, during this phase it is healthy to do some energizing pranayamas.  The following 3 are good choices for this, and will help the students a great deal.  Pick one or two of them for you class, and vary it from class to class to give variety.

4 Part Deep Breathing

Kaplbhati Pranayama

Breath of Fire

3. Daily Yoga Essentials & Yoga for Meditation Exercises:

During this phase it is a good idea to cover some of daily essential work as recommended by yoga.  So try to do Butterfly Pose | Best Asana for Meditation, which is also excellent for sitting in meditation, and also do Forward Bend, to stretch the all important life nerve and promote flexibility.  Then, pick yoga poses that benefit meditation practice.  Remember that the students who signed up for this class are here for meditation, so make sure the yoga you select is gentle in nature and plays a role in helping with meditation.

A perfect example of such exercises is the great Spinal Warm-up Series.  This is not just great for getting their back, hips, neck, shoulders, etc warmed up, but this set heats up the cerebro-spinal fluid which runs through the spinal cord.  This is key, as it maximizes the energy flow during meditation and helps in promoting awareness by helping bring more prana into the brain and higher centers.  For some more details on how this works you can read the article Introduction to Kundalini Yoga.

Other places to look for good yoga for meditation exercises and sets are from the following collections: Yoga Poses for Meditation and Basic Yoga Poses | Yoga Positions for Beginners.

In part 2 of this series I will discuss the final phase of the class which is where they will learn and practice the meditation technique(s) you have decided for them.  Also note that by just extending the yoga part in the Warm-up phase, this becomes an excellent Gentle Yoga class as well, which is perfect for seniors and others not looking to do vigorous yoga.

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Related Articles at Mastery of Meditation, Kundalini Yoga and Zen:

• Meditation Teacher’s Guide and Tips - Part 2
• Gentle Yoga & Meditation Class Gets off to a Beautiful Start & a Picture !
• Launching More Kundalini Yoga Classes (Saturday) as Current KY Class is Full
• New Kundalini Yoga Classes and The Courage To Live Dangerously
• How to Teach a Gentle Yoga and Meditation Class | Comprehensive Guide

Advanced Meditation Videos

Advanced Gyan Yoga Technique

The advanced Jyana Yoga (yoga of intelligence and insight) meditation vidoes below are a detailed discussion of the seven steps used by the Silent Mind Meditation Technique to bring about the cessation of thoughts and the explosion of insight.  Another videos series will also be uploaded soon, which is a general discussion of this technique, which can be considered the most advanced form of Jyana (Gyan) Yoga and is based on the Advaita Vedanta and Zen Buddhist concepts of nomind, end of knowledge and negation (neti).  This technique, as I have pointed out before, is an extension of the work done by J. Krishnamurti and is in my view, the ultimate meditation for Self Realization.

You are going to notice a flurry of activity on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga with regard to meditation, as my long term vision of offering a comprehensive multi-media meditation teacher’s certification program is nearing completion.  Although, I don’t expect mastery of the advanced technique described here as necessary for certification, I do feel it is important for authentic meditation teachers to understand this approach and have a feel for what it entails.  This technique is ultimately a life long practice of moment to moment awareness.

A great many benefits that meditation bestows can be achieved with more basic techniques, that I have already detailed on the website previously, and of course, knowing them is part of the training program.  But to encounter the state of mind described by Sage Patanjali as the still mind or Samadhi, or the Zen state of Satori or Nomind, this technique is the best.  Therefore I consider this one of the highest forms of Gyan Yoga.

The Silent Mind Meditation (SM for short) is not really complex.  It can be described in one line.  Comprehending the mind is action from moment to moment, via direct perception.  Even doing it is not complicated, but it requires great energy, awareness and tenacity.  In the 2 part video series below, I explain the 7 steps which I wrote about in chapter 12 of the Silent Mind Meditation Program, the Silent Mind Meditations.  What I hope, is for you to once catch a glimpse of the "Fact in Action".  See the actuality of the beast of desire, the fact of desire.  It is mind blowing when you do.  And if you can do it even one time, you will realize a human potential that you have to comprehending the fact directly, not just intellectually, and this will open up a new way of observing for you.  All us humans have this potential, but very few develop it.  Developing it leads to transcendence.

I expect those taking the certification program, or those who are serious about meditation and Self Realization, to have questions about this technique.  That is natural and healthy and I feel, since this is perhaps a new approach and subtle in nature, discussing it in many different ways is helpful in deepening your understanding regarding it.  Once you understand completely what this technique is all about, you will have understood completely everything there is to understand (see the article Asking the Right Questions for more on this topic).  After such understanding, you will have no more questions left.  For a Gyan Yogi, mastering this technique and approach, should be the highest goal.

Below is a 2 part series where I am discussing the 7 steps needed to practice this most advanced Gyan Yoga meditation, the Silent Mind Meditation technique.  Also, to read how these steps equate to Sage Patanjali’s steps of Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi, please read the following article Most Advanced Mind Meditation Technique.   For those who have inquired already about getting certified for teaching meditation, please be on the lookout for the teacher’s training program that will be coming online in the next week or so.

The videos regarding the general discussion of Silent Mind Meditations that I allude to in the videos below, will be uploaded soon as well.

7 Steps of How to Do Advanced Jyana Yoga Meditation (SM - Part 1)

7 Steps of How to Do Advanced Jyana Yoga Meditation (SM - Part 2)

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Related Articles at Mastery of Meditation, Kundalini Yoga and Zen:

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• The Yogic Mind - The Perfected Mind
• The Secret to Enlightenment
• Insights From Advanced Zen Meditation Practice - The Mind is Useless
• Awesome Power of Prayer for Kundalini Awakening & More

Prayer for Tranquility

Serenity Hymm Free MP3 Download

At the completion of my Kundalini Yoga teacher’s training program, my teacher Ravi Singh held a yoga camp which I attended with my wife.  The entire camp was great, but one evening stood out more than others.  The camp was held in a peaceful resort tucked away in the hills of upstate New York, and one lovely, quiet evening a few of us gathered around a campfire to enjoy some music and hymms.  

My wife volunteered to sing a serenity prayer, and a fellow yogi provided the music using a one string instrument (Ektara).  She sang for us all the Wahey Guru hymm, and the atmosphere it created was marvelously tranquil, prayerful and joyful.  This prayer uses the Wahey Guru mantra, which essentially means Ecstasy Beyond Words, and it is a key mantra in Kundalini Yoga and the Sikh faith.

That was not the only occasion where this Wahey Guru prayer created a stir.  On another occasion, we were visiting the wonderful Ananada Ashram, also in upstate New York, and during the evening kritan (prayer singing), Trupti again recited this hymm and just like before, it captivated all the listeners and created an environment full of calmness, peace and love.  So I have got her to sing this wonderful hymm for you all as well, so that you too can enjoy the feelings of peace and tranquility this prayer creates.  Below you will find the link to download the MP3 for this prayer for free.  

Also, there are several meditations on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga, which use the WaheyGuru (aka Wahay Guru, Wa Hey Guru) mantra, and this MP3 will also give you the right pronunciation for this important mantra.  The meditations that use this mantra are the most popular Sodarshan Chakra Kriya, explained in the article 3 Most Powerful Pranayamas and Kriyas as well as the Doei Ashtopad Japa, detailed in the article Kundalini Yoga Meditation for Healing and Psychic Powers. 

Please download the prayer to your computer and then enjoy.  To download the MP3, RIGHT click the link below choose "Save Link As…" or "Save Target As…" depending on your browser, and it save it to your computer. 

Wahey Guru Prayer for Serenity MP3 Download

Serenity Prayer Free MP3 Download (Wahey Guru)

Again as a reminder, the Free Online Mantra MP3 and Videos Multimedia e-book is in the works and should be uploaded next week, so be on the lookout for that.  As part of that project, many important and powerful mantras, such as the Asto Ma Sat Gamaya, Shanti Mantra, Adi Mantra, SAT NAM mantra, etc, will be coming online as well.

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Related Articles at Mastery of Meditation, Kundalini Yoga and Zen:

• Free Online Mantra Downloads MP3 and Videos
• For Spiritual Enlightenment Can a Guru or Teacher Help?
• Powerful Lord Shiva Mantra | Mahamritunjay Mantra Free MP3 Download
• Great Vedic Mantra for Abundance - Vishvani Deva Mantra
• Video of the Greatest Devotional Vedic Mantra (Prayer)

Aura Power

How to Work on Your Aura

So far our monthly yoga poses have focused on building physical strength and flexibility, and for the November pose, we are going to continue our strength building work, but in a more subtle way.  This month we are going to practice a pose to help strengthen an energetic aspect of our being, our Aura.  The pose to help us accomplish this important task is going to be the famous Kundalini Yoga Eagle Pose. 

The aura is a very important aspect of your totality.  According to Kundalini Yoga the aura is the power of your magnetic field, and it protects you from seen and unseen forces.  In addition, more powerful the aura, more is your ability to influence and heal people.  In other words, a clean shinning aura makes you magnetic and charming.  If that was not enough, the aura is also responsible for attracting positive energy towards you and having this aspect in optimum condition, helps put you in the right place at the right time.

From a numerological perspective the aura is the Seventh body of light, of the Ten Bodies of Light Yoga Numerology model, and it’s strength is determined by the prana (life-force) flowing through your nadis (meridians/energy pathways) and your total nerve energy.  So the greater the flow of your prana, the brighter you will shine, and more charisma, magnetism and opportunities you will have.  One of the best poses for building your aura is Eagle Pose, so let us practice that pose for this month, and reap the many benefits .

If you are interested in more information on 10 Bodies of Light Yoga Numerology or the service that is offered, you can check the following page: 10 Bodies of Light Yoga Numerology.  The previous yoga poses for the month were the following three:

August:        Learn Yoga | Nauk Asana for the Month (Abs)

September:  Yoga Pose for Thighs - Frog Pose (Thighs/Butt)

October:      Important Hatha Yoga Posture for Healing - Forward Bend (Thighs/Buttocks)

Before jumping ahead to Eagle Pose, let me give you a quick summary of what the yoga challenge of the month is and how it works.  Essentially, the idea is for us all to include a particular exercise into our yoga practice and then to report back our thoughts and progress with that pose throughout the month.  The goal is to learn a great pose together, and experience and enjoy the benefits of that pose. 

The article with all the detail on Eagle Pose is Eagle Pose for Powerful Aura, so please read that first.  Here though are some key points and basic guidelines.

Eagle Pose Practice Tips:

• Beginner’s start with 15-30 seconds and build up from there.
• Use the Breath of Fire to power your way through this exercise.
• Don’t give up on the first sign of discomfort.  If you can see it through, it will get easier as your energy pathways open up.
  

Eagle Pose for Powerful Aura Illustration 

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Related Articles at Mastery of Meditation, Kundalini Yoga and Zen:

• Yogic Technique to Power and Cleanse Your Aura
• Illustrated Kundalini Yoga Eagle Pose for Powerful Aura
• Free Online Illustrated Kundalini Yoga Poses & Exercises E-Book
• Top 5 Yoga & Meditation Techniques
• Best Yoga Positions and Exercises - Part 2

Free Tantra Video

Tantric Technique for Raising Sexual Energy

The tantra yoga exercise in this article is a video demonstration of the technique which is fully detailed in the article Tantric Technique for Raising Sexual Energy.  As you will notice in the comments section of that article, there were many yogis who had questions regarding this wonderful technique, which could only really by solved by making a video demonstration.  So here it is for all of you, a video instructing you on how to practice Sat Kriya step by step.

Let me briefly give you an overview of Sat Kriya here, and highlight some of it’s most important benefits.  Sat Kriya is a powerful tantric exercise to raise the vibration of your sexual energy so that it can be used for higher purposes.  It uses the "SAT NAM" seed mantra, which means True Identity, along with navel pulsations to coax Kundalini energy, which lies as pure potential at the base of the spine, to awaken and rise.  In addition, this technique works on all three of the lower chakras and helps brings them into balance and harmony.

The three lower chakras, the Root Chakra, the Sex Chakra, and the Navel Chakra are often responsible for phobias and other such derangements, so  this technique is very helpful in helping one overcome such issues.  In addition, this tantric technique is excellent for solving sexual dysfunctions and reproductive problems.  And finally, by raising the vibration of sexual energy, it allows the body to use this concentrated form of energy for spiritual evolution.

This video will become part of the free online video libraries that we have here on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga.  As Sat Kriya is a meditation technique, as well as a single Kundalini Yoga exercise, this video will be part of both, the Free Guided Meditation Videos for Daily Practice series, as well as the Free Yoga Exercise Videos.  Sat Kriya is already part of Free Online Yoga and Meditation Classes, and specifically it is part of the Free Online Tantra Yoga Sex Chakra Program.  

Once again please do refer to the main article on Sat Kriya to get all the details.  Also, one more important note is that there are going to be 3 videos for Sat Kriya.  The one below is the basic technique, in the next video I will teach how to do Sat Kriya with Maha Bandha (triple lock), and then finally in a final video I will teach an even more advanced version of this technique.  So be on the lookout for those videos as well.

Here are some quick highlights of what this video covers:

• Demonstration of the right posture and mudra to take in order to practice Sat Kriya.
  
• Discussion of how this Tantric Technique works.
  
• Demonstration and detailed instructions on how to practice this exercise.  Including how to vocalize the SAT NAM mantra, and what rhythm to go at.
  

Learn it, enjoy it, master it & benefit from it .

Free Tantra Yoga Video for Mastering Sex Energy

Kundalini Yoga Sat Kriya Video - Part 1

YouTube Direct Link –> Tantric Yoga Video for Sexual Health

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Related Articles at Mastery of Meditation, Kundalini Yoga and Zen:

• Effective Tantra Breathing Technique to Prolong Sexual Intercourse
• Ultimate Tantra Yoga Technique to Raise Sexual Energy - Sat Kriya
• Tantra Yoga Practice | Tantric Yoga Technique for Sexual Mastery
• New Free Video for Kundalini Yoga’s Supreme Kriya - Sodarshan Chakra Kriya
• Guided Meditation Video Series for Daily Meditation Practice

YouTube Yoga Channel

My Best YouTube Yoga Videos

Let me tell you the story about how AnmolMehtaCom, my YouTube Yoga and Meditation channel, has unintentionally become one of the top channels on YouTube for yoga videos.  But, before I jump into this interesting tale, let me give you the more important reason for sharing this channel information with you.  Some readers, especially those from India or other far away lands , sometimes have difficulty viewing the yoga videos directly on AnmolMehta.Com, and my advise to them is to go to my YouTube channel and view them directly from there instead.  This almost always works and resolves the issue for them.  So, if you are having such problems please go directly to my YouTube channel, where you will find almost all my videos available to you for easy viewing.  Link is below. 

The one added benefit that the YouTube channel offers is that you will be able to see all the yoga, meditation, mantra and pranayama videos I have created in one place, so you can view any that you may have missed and easily bookmark/favorite those you love most.  In addition, any new yoga videos I create will be uploaded there as well, along with being added to this website of course.  Here is my YouTube channel link.  Please do subscribe, feel free to leave comments and/or send a friend request.

Link—>  Anmol’s YouTube Top Yoga Channel

How AnmolMehtaCom Became a Top Yoga YouTube Video Channel:

So here is how this all happened.  Initially, when I launched the free yoga and meditation video series, I had no clue on how to go about embedding the videos into the blog.  So like all Wordpress users, I hunted for a plugin and got it to work after some normal initial hair pulling .  I uploaded the videos directly to my website and was happy to see it all working as I had hoped.  Then I started creating more videos and soon realized that with the increasing traffic and video views, I would quickly burn through my available bandwidth and have issues with my site performance as well.  So I began searching for alternate solutions and soon discovered Google Videos.

Essentially, I understood and began the process of uploading my videos to a third party site and then embedding them in my blog.  This solved my bandwidth and performance concerns and I was happily creating vidoes, uploading to Google Videos and embedding them in the blog for you all to enjoy.

It was then that I discovered that YouTube was the best place for doing my uploads to, as it was the premier site for video hosting and video publishing.  So I moved everything over to YouTube, got rid of the plugins, recoded everything and began to embed using the code YouTube provided.  This is how it is all set-up now, and all the videos you find in the Free Yoga Video Series, Free Online Meditation Video Series and Yoga Pranayama Video Series are coming from my YouTube channel.  As you will notice, at no time was I looking to have my videos go viral on YouTube itself!  I was simply interested in getting them uploaded there, to allow me to embed them in my blog.  

So time passed.  I would get constant emails from YouTube that people are subscribing to my channel.  I was aware that the videos were getting thousands and thousands of views, but figured that was due to my site and you guys , and so I continued on my merry way creating, uploading, embedding, enjoying.  Well all that changed recently when I started receiving request from YouTube to join in some partner program.  I basically ignored the first few requests, until finally deciding to check out what the hupla was all about.  What I discovered is that essentially my YouTube channel had grown huge and was now one of the top yoga video channels on YouTube!  What a nice surprise .

The moral of the story is of course, just do what you love to do and results will follow.  This is the foundation of Karma Yoga and how you should approach life.  Just worry about doing your part and leave the rest up to life to take care of.  The good news is that although, I was planning a whole new video series anyway for the Mantra videos I promised yesterday, I have some extra motivation now knowing that the videos are also very popular with all my YouTube viewers and subscribers.  Below are the my top 5 yoga, meditation and breathing exercises videos from YouTube.

#1 YouTube Yoga Video:

Yoga Exercises to Burn Fat and Lose Weight

#2 YouTube Yoga Meditation Video:

Kapalbhati Yoga Pranayama for Weight Loss

#4 YouTube Yoga Breathing Exercises Video:

Breath of Fire Yoga Pranayama

#5 YouTube Yoga Video:

Core Abdominal Workout Yoga Workout

Stay tuned for the new mantra and yoga video series that is in the works and I hope you continue to enjoy and benefit from the website AND the YouTube channel .

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Sanskrit Mantra MP3

Great Vedic Mantras

Many of you have requested help in how to correctly pronounce various Sanskrit mantras, so I am putting together a new free online e-book which will focus just on mantras and thus, will provide you a central location from which to download all the free mantra MP3s that I will be uploading.  Already on the site there are many powerful mantra downloads available, some in MP3 audio format, while others in MP4 video format.  Here is a quick list of the most popular of these, and they will also of course be bundled into the free e-book in the next week or so.

Powerful Gayatri Mantra Download and Free MP3

3 Easy Kids Meditation Techniques (Shivum chanting the Gayatri Mantra and AUM Mantra)

Lord Shiva’s Mahamritunjay Mantra Free MP3

AUM Mantra Meditation for Opening Third Eye Chakra Video

Prosperity Meditation Technique (uses HAR mantra)

Sanskrit Mantra for Gratitude (Tvameva Mata)

OM Mantra Picture

In addition, there are many techniques on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga that utilize various Sanskrit mantra and mantras in Gurumukhi which do not have a corresponding MP3 audio demonstration or video demonstration.  And creating and uploading these will be a priority for the new mantra e-book.  But today’s article is to introduce you to another great Sanskrit mantra, the Vishvani Deva Mantra, which is designed to help free you of negativity, and attract and obtain positivity.  It is a mantra to help you get abundance into your life.

Below you will find the details for this Vedic mantra, including an English translation and also free MP3 downloads.  As our kids are getting a little older (3 and 5 now), I am happy to say I am able to wrestle my talented wife Trupti away from them a little more to help enrich this blog further .  She is the artist behind the Hatha Yoga Poses you find on the website, and also the voice behind many of the mantra MP3, including the one below.    

Vishvani Deva Mantra for Abundance in Sanskrit

Om Vishvani Deva
Svitarduritani Para Suva
Yad Bhadram
Tanna a Suva

Below is the English translation of this wonderful mantra.

Vishnavi Deva Mantra English Translation

O Supreme Creator, You are the creator of the entire Universe.  Take away all the bad deeds, bad habits and miseries.  Give us all the good qualities, and blissful and auspicious objects.

As you can see from the translation above, this mantra is essentially about abundance.  It is a request to have all that is negative removed and have all the is positive brought to us.  It is a fundamental Vedic mantra and is a core component of Hindu pujas and prayers.

Vishvani Deva Free MP3 Downloads

Here you will find 2 MP3 download links of this mantra being chanted in Sanskrit.  One is by yours truly, and the other is by Trupti.   

Please download them to your computer and enjoy.  To download, RIGHT click the link below choose "Save Link As…" or "Save Target As…" depending on your browser, and it will download the MP3.

Vishvani Deva Mantra Chanted by Trupti

Free Vishvani Deva Mantra MP3 Download 1

Vishvani Deva Mantra Chanted by Anmol

Free Vishvani Deva Mantra MP3 Download 2

Again as a reminder, the free online mantra multimedia e-book is in the works and should be uploaded in the next few weeks, so be on the lookout for that.  As part of that project, many important and powerful mantras, such as the Adi Mantra, SAT NAM mantra, etc, will be coming online soon as well.

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• OM (AUM) Mantra Meditation Video for Kundalini Yoga Class

Classical Hatha Yoga Posture

Online Hatha Yoga Asana

It is time to add some more hatha yoga asanas to our ongoing online hatha yoga poses e-book, and today we will add a classical and important posture to this resource.  This pose is called Locust Pose or Shalabh Asana and it is very good for your lower back as well as toning your digestive organs.  It is a slightly more difficult posture, so I will give you some nice variations below to help you practice and master this fundamental yoga pose.

This pose, as you will see below, can be practiced in the classical hatha yoga style, by holding it steady, or dynamically as well, which tends to be the kundalini yoga approach, by adding movement and dynamic breathing to it.  In either case, please pay special attention to the cautions I have indicated for this posture, as it can be challenging for the beginner yogi.

Locust Pose will be part of the following 2 free online e-books here on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga: Free Hatha Yoga Poses and Online Kundalini Yoga Exercises, where you will find a large collection of other yoga poses and exercises, fully illustrated and detailed.  Please also follow the guidelines on how to practice yoga, which I have detailed in the following 2 articles, Beginner’s Guide to Yoga Practice and Guidelines for Kundalini Yoga Practice.  Also, be on the lookout for more free online yoga classes which are going to incorporate sets which use this classical pose in the very near future.

Classical Hatha Yoga Pose - Locust Pose

Illustration for Locust Pose

Classical Hatha Yoga’s Shalabh Asana:

a. Basic Instructions for Hatha Yoga Locust Pose: 

• Start by lying flat on your stomach, with your chin on the floor. 
  
• Have your hands in fists and place them underneath your body at the point where your hips and torso meet.  As a variation to this hand position, you can also have you hands along your body, with your palms facing down, instead of tucked underneath in a fist.
• Close your eyes.
  
• Now push down with your hands against the floor and at the same time raise both your legs up as shown in the illustration above.  Only raise your legs as far up as comfortable.
  
• Hold this position, which breathing deeply through the nose.
  
• Lower your legs and release your arms once you are done with the pose and rest on your right cheek.

  Variation for Beginners:

• If you are just starting yoga or starting to practice this pose for the first time, start with lifting just one leg at a time, instead of both.  As you get stronger and more fit you can move to the classical locust pose as I described above.

  Dynamic Locust Pose:

• Once you can do the classical version described above, you can try the dynamic version of this posture as well.  In this variation, lift your legs up as you inhale and then lower them as you exhale.  Continue this dynamic motion for the duration of the exercise.

  Locust Pose with Dynamic Breathing:

• Another variation is to hold the classical pose illustrated above, and then do Breath of Fire Breathing Exercise with holding this posture.  This too is a very good variation to this pose. 
  
• Finally, you can also do the dynamic movement of the legs going up and down, which doing breath of fire at the same time.  Now you are practicing some serious Kundalini Yoga .
  

b. Duration for Hatha Yoga Locust Pose: 10 seconds - 3 mins

c. Benefits of Hatha Yoga Locust Pose:  

• Excellent for strengthening your lower back muscles.
  
• Tones all the digestive organs and excellent for the digestive system.
• Promotes stress relief and deep relaxation.
• Strengthens and firms the hamstrings and buttocks.
• Increases flexibility in the lower body.
  

d. Practice Tips and Cautions for Classical Hatha Yoga Locust Pose:

• Although this exercise is great for you back, if you have major back issues you should proceed with caution.  For minor back issues, this exercise can be used as an effective treatment.
  
• As this pose increases blood flow and puts pressure on the heart, you should be cautious if you have high blood pressure or major cardiovascular issues.
• Feel free to take breaks in between the leg raises to allow your muscles to recover while you develop your strength and stamina.
  

Other great exercises for the back and digestive system are the following:

Spinal Twists for the Lower Back

Yoga Cobra Pose for Healthy Back

Powerful Natural Live Detox Yoga Exercise

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Defining Meditation

What is Meditation

There are many ways to understand and define what meditation is, and today I want to present to you the highest and purest way of looking at this most important of human phenomenon.  Understanding meditation via many different angles and approaches deepens your understanding about this sublime activity, and given that meditation holds the key to Heaven, it is essential that you encounter the Truth of meditation in this life of yours.  Below you will find the great spiritual master J. Krishnamurti explain what meditation is in his own words.  Following the excerpt I will provide some analysis and thoughts on this definition of his. 

J. Krishnamurti Gives Definition of Meditation

Author: J. Krishnamurti

Book: Meditations

Page: 35-36

Meditation is the flowering of understanding.  Understanding is not within the borders of time; time never brings understanding.  Understanding is not a gradual process to be gathered little by little, with care and patience; understanding is now or never; it is a destructive flash, not a tame affair; it is this shattering that one is afraid of and so one avoids it, knowingly or unknowingly.  Understanding may alter the course of one’s life, the way of thought and action; it may be pleasant or not but understanding is a danger to all relationship.  But without understanding, sorrow will continue.  Sorrow ends only through self-knowing, the awareness of every thought and feeling, every movement of the conscious and that which is hidden.  Meditation is the understanding of consciousness, the hidden and the open, and of the movement that lies beyond all thought and feeling.

Definition of Meditation Analysis:

Let’s discuss this differently today, let’s do it in the form of questions. This will give you a chance to think things over for yourself and thus, lay the foundation for real understanding to take place.  Ready to be tested ?

Question #1. Does meditation have an ending?

Answer:

This is important to understand.  Meditation is a process of self-knowing.  It is forever, it does not have any ending.  In other words, it is the constant light which reveals the activities of the mind and ego.  So don’t think of meditation as an effort to reach some goal.  Make awareness of your inner and outer environment the goal itself.  This moment to moment awareness of "what is", brings the flowering of understanding, which is what meditation is, and takes you beyond.

Question #2. Does Meditation occur on earth or heaven? 

In other words, does meditation take place in our ordinary dualistic world, or does it take place in the non-dual world of enlightenment (Nirvana, Moksha, etc)?

Answer:

The answer is both.  Meditation starts with simple awareness of the confused, groping, dualistic, petty, selfish mind, and as this mind diminishes and withers due to the light of awareness, meditation starts to move into the dimension which lies beyond.  This is revealed by the last line of the excerpt above. 

Another article, more focused on this aspect of meditation is What is Meditation by J. Krishnamurti.

Question #3. Why Meditate?

Answer:

I have written many articles that point out the great benefits of meditation.  You will find a list of these below, but the answer is really quite simple.  The only way to end sorrow is meditation.  Nothing else will do it, as everything else in within the sphere is thought, and all that which is within the sphere of thought, ends in sorrow.  This is the First Noble Truth of Lord Buddha.  The only way to be free of that sphere, is through meditation.

If freedom from suffering is not motivation enough, here are some articles detailing other side benefits of meditation to get you motivated and started.

Health Benefits of Meditation

Top 10 Profound Benefits of Meditation

Homework for Understanding Meditation:

The only way to really understand what is being said with regard to the "explosion of insight" that meditation brings, is by experiencing it for yourself.  This is my greatest wish for you, that you experience and therefore see the truth of what meditation is, and experience the subsequent shift in consciousness that takes place.  So don’t delay in experimenting and exploring this gift of meditation.  For this coming weekend, try as best you can to be aware of each thought and feeling that takes place, and try to understand the story behind each.  I know that is almost impossible to do, but just do the best you can.  That way you will be fulfilling your true purpose here on Earth, which is to practice self-knowing and move beyond the ordinary dualistic mind.  That way you will discover Heaven on Earth.

For more information on this process of meditation and the explosion of insight, you can also read the following 2 articles.

Mind Meditation | Most Advanced Meditation Technique

Silent Mind Meditation Technique

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