Pranayama & Ayurveda
Deepen your pranayama practice with the Mohans
Understanding and practicing pranayama with the background of ayurveda is key to unlocking its health benefits.
This online course with A. G. Mohan, Indra Mohan & Dr. Ganesh Mohan offers an exceptional blend of deep insight, practical guidance, traditional knowledge, and modern science, to help you understand how pranayama breathing techniques can help with your wellbeing.
Course description
Traditional foundations of how pranayama was used as a practice for both wellbeing and therapy drawing upon the Mohans’ extensive studies of the ancient texts, such as the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Gheranda Samhita, Yoga Yajnavalkaya, Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Sutra, and more.
Summary of the approach of ayurveda as relevant to pranayama.
How the different classical pranayama methods affect your body from an ayurvedic perspective and the practice of pranayama in balancing the dosa-s (vata, pita and kapha)
Guided practices of sūryabhedana, candrabhedana, śītalī & sītkārī, and bhramari pranayamas, and visualizations for heating and cooling practices along with pranayama.
Synopsis of modern research findings on the effects of these pranayamas.
References from Hatha Yoga Pradipika and Gheranda Samhita with Sanskrit, English transliteration, and English translation.
The Mohans will answer relevant questions in live sessions from time to time.
Begin your journey now
Course curriculum
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1
Introduction
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Benefits of pranayama - quietness of mind
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Benefits of pranayama - health
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Benefits of pranayama - therapy
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Importance of heating and cooling - story from the Vedas
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Connecting pranayama to ayurveda
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2
Sūryabhedana & candrabhedana pranayama with guided practice
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Sūryabhedana - seat, technique, breath holding, cautions, prerequisites
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Guided practice - sūryabhedana pranayama
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Guided practice - candrabhedana pranayama
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3
Śītalī & sītkārī pranayama with guided practice
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Śītalī - technique, uses, traditional presentation
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Guided practice - śītalī pranayama
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4
Science of pranayama
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From the research to application - understanding the science
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Science of key pranayama-s
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5
Ayurveda - basic principles relevant to pranayama
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Ayurvedic foundations - qualities & functions
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Doṣa, metabolism, constitution
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6
Connecting pranayama with ayurveda
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How various pranayamas affect the ayurvedic qualities of the body
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7
Guidelines for pranayama based on three doṣa-s (vāta, pitta, kapha)
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Applying ayurvedic principles to pranayama
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8
Breathing practices with heating and cooling bhāvana-s (visualizations)
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Right nostril focus, breath fills the body
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Warming visualization filling the body with the breath
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Warming visualization with right nostril focus
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Warming visualization with right nostril breathing using mṛgi mudra
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Cooling visualization filling the body with the breath
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9
Additional practical suggestions
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Recommendations for effective long term pranayama practice
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Example of combining pranayama with asana
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10
Bhrāmarī pranayama with guided practice, and mūrcchā & plāvinī pranayama
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Obstacles to yoga and the role of bhrāmarī pranayama
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Bhrāmarī in classical yoga texts
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Mūrcchā and plāvinī pranayama
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Practicing bhrāmarī pranayama - introduction
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Guided practice - bhrāmarī pranayama
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11
Lifestyle of the ancient yogi
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Lifestyle the yogi was recommended for success in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika
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12
References
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Sūryabhedana in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika
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Sūryabhedana in the Gheranda Samhita
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Śītalī & sītkārī in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika
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Śītalī in the Gheranda Samhita
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Bhrāmarī in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika
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Bhrāmarī in the Gheranda Samhita
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13
Assessment
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Instructions for Assessment
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Please complete the quiz with 70% correct answers. You can retake the quiz as needed.
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Teachers
A. G. Mohan was a personal student of the legendary yogi Sri Krishnamacharya (1888-1989), for nearly two decades. He has immersed himself in extensive traditional studies across wide-ranging subjects from ayurveda to tantra and Samkhya over half a century. He is the author of several books on yoga, including Yoga for Body, Breath, and Mind, Yoga Therapy, and Krishnamacharya: His Life and Teachings.
Indra Mohan has been studying, practicing and teaching yoga along with her husband A.G. Mohan. She is one of few people to receive a post-graduate diploma in yoga from Sri Krishnamacharya. She is known not only for her knowledge but also for her wisdom and calm presence.
Dr. Ganesh Mohan, son of A. G. Mohan and Indra Mohan, was trained from childhood in yoga and other related traditional studies. He is a doctor, having trained in both modern medicine and Ayurveda. He is the co-author of Yoga Therapy, Krishnamacharya, and Yoga Reminder. He directs the Svastha Yoga Therapy and Teacher Training programs as well as other trainings internationally.
Nitya Mohan, daughter of A. G. Mohan and Indra Mohan, was trained in yoga from a young age. She also holds a degree in music and is an exponent of Vedic chanting, having conducted numerous seminars and given concerts internationally. A skilled and experienced teacher, she has been running the Svastha training programs in Singapore for two decades.
Certificate
The last lesson of the course includes assessment through a multiple choice quiz. Once you complete the assessment, you will receive your certificate of completion for the course (5.5 hours of training).
Course FAQ's
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Can I access the materials in the course immediately on signing up?
Yes! This course contains over 6 hours of recorded video content plus reference PDFs. You can view these materials immediately and continue to access them for the duration of your enrollment.
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Does the course have a live component?
Live sessions with the Mohans will be offered from time to time to answer questions, and to foster community interaction and engagement. The dates and times will be announced by email to registered participants. This is in addition to the recorded content already available in the course.
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How long can I access the course?
You have access to the course for one year from the date of your enrollment.
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I am unable to sit on the floor. Can I do the practices in this course?
Sure. The course contains simple breathing and pranayama practices that you can do seated on a chair.
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Is the course mainly lecture or practice?
The course contains both. The vision of Svastha and the Mohans is that one should always develop understanding along with practices. That is the way to empower yourself for lifelong wellbeing. That was also the traditional way of teaching and learning. So this course explains the theory behind pranayama and the breathing techniques taught here. It also gives you guided practices so you can experience these pranayamas yourself.
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