14-day Meditation Intensive

14-day Meditation Intensive

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Padmasana (Lotus Pose)

  • What: 14-day Meditation Intensive
  • Time: 6:00 – 7:30 AM (US East Coast time)
  • Participation: Hybrid mode
    • In-person at my home yoga studio
    • Remotely via zoom – zoom login info will be provided upon receipt of registration and payment
  • Instructor: Subhash Mittal
  • Fee:
    • $100 – check, Zelle (use subhashmittal@gmail.com) or Venmo (use 9199269717)
    • $105 –  paypal (go to bottom of page)
  • Daily Routine: Light stretching (10-15 minutes), Pranayama (15 min), Relaxation (10-15 min), Discussion and meditation practice (40-45 min)
  • Commitment: A firm commitment to follow this schedule and attend every day
  • To register: fill out the registration form, providing information in all the fields, and submit it online

Strongly recommended

  • Light,sattvic, nutritious, VEGETARIAN food
  • No alcohol, drugs, tobacco or any other item of similar nature
  • A personal commitment to continue the practice after the program is over

Daily Routine

  • Light stretching (10-15 minutes)
  • Pranayama (15 min)
  • Relaxation (12-15 min)
  • Meditation – discussion and practice (45 min)

Benefits of Meditation

A huge amount of research is being carried out at various agencies to study the effects of meditation. Some of the commonly mentioned benefits are given here:

  • Reduces hypertension
  • Improves health of the heart, blood vessels
  • Slows down aging
  • Provides stress relief
  • Reduces anxiety and depression
  • Improves memory, creativity and productivity
  • Provides deep relaxation for body and mind
  • Meditation can help us transcend the mundane, material aspects of our existence and raise our level of consciousness

Program Outline

Asana Practice

  • Cat and Cow (Marjarasana)
  • Seated meditative asanas
  • Standing arm and heel stretch
  • Surya Namaskar with and without mantras
  • Shoulder stretching with the help of a strap
  • Reclining leg and hamstring stretch
  • Bridge pose
  • Spinal twist (Ardha-Matsyendrasana)

Pranayama Practice

  • Alternate nostril breathing
  • Bhastrika
  • Bhramari (humming bee)
  • Deep sectional breathing
  • Interrupted breathing (2 second steps)
  • Kapalabhati
  • Kumbhaka (breath retention)
  • Rapid breathing
  • Sama-vritti (equal duration)
  • Ujjayi breathing
  • Ujjayi pranayama

Meditation (dharana practices)

  • Definition of meditation and how to establish ongoing meditation practice
  • Pratyahara guided meditation (sense withdrawal)
  • Trataka (candle gazing)
  • So-hum meditation
  • Body, breath and third eye awareness
  • Mantra meditation
  • Various pranayama techniques as “dharana” practice
    • Sama-vritti (square wave) – equal durations of inhale/retain/exhale/retain
    • Interrupted breathing (staircase) – 2 second intervals of inhale/exhale and retention
    • Udgitha pranayama (OM chanting)
  • Breath counting as “dharana” – counting breaths backwards starting at 25

Yoga Philosophy

  • What is meditation – definition
  • Three attributes of a mantra – shabda (sound/word), artha (essential meaning) and jnana (associated knowledge)
  • Definition of yoga
  • How the mind functions – how the ego takes over the intellect
  • Meaning and significance of OM (AUM)
  • Eight limbs of yoga
  • 5 Yamas and 5 niyamas