TRAINING MANUAL

200 HOUR

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 May all beings be happy.
May all beings be healthy.
May all being enjoy their life.

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 Dear fellow seeker,

In October 2012, I was sitting where you are now. I had just taken an utterly irrational
risk, leaving my life to travel across the world to India. Searching for something
I knew I had lost without knowing what it was, I came across something most
unexpected. What I found I cannot easily describe. I am confident, however, that
these teachers can show you.

What is it that drew you here? From the outset, it may appear merely a coincidence
that we are meeting. Perhaps you were drawn to our fancy website. Perhaps you
wanted to meet an Indian teacher. Or perhaps “coincidence” is spirit’s way of staying
anonymous.

Somewhere inside you, there is a small, persistent voice, a tiny whisper, silently
advocating for a version of your life that is profoundly beautiful. This voice is yours
and yours alone, what it says can only be known by you. Above all, during your time
here I hope you learn to listen to that voice. It starts small. As you begin listening,
it works deeper and deeper inside you, cracks your heart open and changes the way
you see and think and feel. Suddenly you begin hearing it everywhere. It guides you,
gives you a sense of value, it sets a standard your world must live up to. In a world of
suffering, the chance we have to raise our lives up to our ideals is slim, and following
this voice is our only shot. It is a tiny piece of god’s magic left behind for us, a trail of
bread crumbs that lead us back. As you begin unearthing it from heaps of fear and
doubt and other voices, its secret’s unhinge, the whispers grow louder; suddenly you
look up and it’s surrounding you wherever you are.

Yoga is a method of finding that voice again. It’s not about outward appearances but
inward significance. A grandness within yourself, a glimpse of complete unity only
you will understand, in whose presence a new life will bloom out from. This practice,
it alters our very grain of reality, raises us above the surface of life and allows us
to know who we truly are. If it guides you, you will live forever with the highest
expectations of life. And despite the truth that life is short and filled with pain, it
gives us a tiny glimpse of something eternal. Dedicating your life to this path, you
will have a small, bright part knowing you participated. And you will smile inside as
you meet others doing the same. This beauty, this whisper, it exists and will keep on
existing, you will cherish it and live by it and help others find theirs too. That is the
path of the yogi. Yoga is a gift, the greatest gift. When you find it, no one can ever
take it away from you.

With this, I feel I have something urgent to say to you, and I wish to say it as if I were
sitting there in the room with you. These practices work. And you can trust these
teachers to help you rediscover that tiny voice inside you. Lay yourselves at their
feet and you will be given something more valuable than anything on earth. From
every cell of my existence to yours, I hope you enjoy this training.

Adam Carney, Founder East+West

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DISCLAIMER
This manual has been prepared purely for educational purposes and is not
intended to be used to replace professional medical care. East+West and
its teachers are not liable for any misuse of this manual, including injuries.
Please always seek professional advice and/or consult a doctor before
undertaking any yoga practices.

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 CONTENTS
WELCOME TO TRAINING 8
EAST+WEST PHILOSOPHY 10
TRAINING GOALS 12
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TRAINING 16
POLICIES & ETIQUETTE 19

1. YOGA PHILOSOPHY 20
YOGA SUTRAS 30
8 LIMBS OF YOGA 38

2. YOGIC DIET 48
3. YOGA ASANA & POSES 50
4. STUDIO PREP 82
5: MEDITATION 90

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 WELCOME TO YOUR
YOGA TEACHER TRAINING
THE START OF YOUR 200 HOUR JOURNEY:
LIVING AND TEACHING YOGA

It is our greatest pleasure to welcome thousands of yogis have invented new

you to this yoga teacher training. This techniques and practices, all with this
manual will help guide you throughout in mind. In this foundational training,
your training. you’re going to have the opportunity to
learn many of these techniques, their
You’ll notice this manual is light on
history, and how to apply them to your
words; indeed this is intentional.
own life.
Learning yoga is not like learning in a
classroom. Rather than learning a The study of yoga is a lifetime journey.
subject conceptually that may or may Traditionally in India, masters wouldn’t
not be applied later, in yoga, everything is take new students unless they gave
immediately verifiable through your own 12 years commitments. Indeed, it can
experience. You learn it by testing the take this long to grasp them in all their
concepts on yourself and noticing how subtleties. Practitioners would spend
they effect your life. For this reason, this months, or even years on a single asana
manual is designed to give you exactly or breathing technique. Needless to say,
the information you need and nothing this is not practical for us in our lives now.
more. Hopefully, this encourages you to However, there is certainly a wisdom
be present with yourself, and with your in choosing less, focusing on what is
teachers throughout the training. essential, and mastering it. On this
training, we will help you stay focused
The purpose of yoga, as stated in the
mostly on the basic, foundational ideas
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, is to “still the
of yoga. Rather than overwhelm you with
fluctuations of the mind.” That simple
concepts, we’re going to give you simple
statement is the very essence of all
practices you can apply to your life and
yogic practices. Throughout history,
your students lives, immediately.

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 EAST+WEST PHILOSOPHY
We believe humans living during this helped others around them to live more
time can find a great harmony in their harmonious lives. The eastern approach
life through applying the best ideas from to life is intuitive, fluid, in touch with
both eastern, and western philosophy. nature, and deeply connected to the
We believe the world of spirituality is
mysterious forces within the human
not seperate from our relationships,
mind. It teaches us to seek the answers
careers, and all the other aspects of
to lifes questions by getting in touch
modern western life.
with our feelings, and finding harmonies
within.

EASTERN LIFE: While eastern consciousness has

historically put much of its emphasis on
The eastern world puts emphasis on the
the internal world, it can also tend to
subtleties of the internal experience.
ignore aspects of the outer world which
Eastern life was very much about
Yama are also helpful to creating a harmonious
mastering the mind and body, and
life. Eastern cultures traditionally have
understanding Samadhi
mystical dimensions. Niyama
suffered great poverty, disempowerment,
Ancient sages made incredibly detailed
and other such avoidable circumstances
maps of the human consciousness.
throughout time.
Some of these maps include the Chakra
system, the Nadi system, the 8 limbs of
yoga, and many, many more.
Dhayana WESTERN LIFE:Asana
The immense beauty of this approach
The western approach to life is to
is an inner richness which exists
put emphasis on the external world.
independent of external circumstances,
It focuses on building beautiful life
living a life that feels good even if your
circumstances and surroundings, with
life circumstances are not so fortunate.
all the materials and facilities required to
The great historical leaders from the
Dharana
eastern world are not great politicians or
live a Pranayama
safe, comfortable, and productive
life. The western approach has brought
businessmen, they were spiritual seers
Pratyahara
who understood life at new depths and

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many useful advances into the world and habits necessary to do this with
through science, medicine, technology great joy.
and economics that has saved countless
It is very possible to live a life with inner
lives and relieved immense human
richness, and outer comfort. For the
suffering.
first time in history, we are blessed to
However, the western world has largely have unprecedented access to resources
ignored the vast inner-world, and and inspiration from both East & West,
is now suffering the consequences. enough to make our lives a convergence
Life has become dominated by work, of all the best wisdom this planet has
competition, stress, and anxiety. It to offer. While that journey takes lots of
ignores the subtle, more beautiful hard work and diligence, we believe this
aspects of life which reside within every is what all modern yoga practitioners
human. It ignores our ability to create can aspire to.
a beautiful life experience regardless of
We hope you leave this training with
the external circumstance.
immense inspiration and practical tools
At East+West, we believe the highest to help you integrate your spiritual and
potential of human life on earth today professional life, and become a guide for
is to bring together the highlights of others. That is what East+West is about.
both the eastern and western approach.
Our aim is to create students who are
“East on the inside, and west on the
outside.” Students who live humble,
loving, beautiful, happy lives who are a
beneficial energy to all they touch; and
also posess great work-ethic, dedication
to their craft, and the resources to shape
their life the way they want it. Our wish
for you is when you close your eyes,
you can experience the deep, beautiful
mystery that is human life, and drink
the nectar of your inner world. Then,
when you open your eyes and need
to go out in the world and work, build
relationships, and be a regular human
being, you are equipt with all the tools

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 TRAINING GOALS:

1. To leave with a consistent, regular daily practice.

It is no coincidence that almost every yoga master emphasizes the importance
of creating and maintaining a daily personal practice. In the Yoga Sutras
of Patanjali, the great sage emphasizes the importance of a diligent and
uninterupted daily practice or “Sadhana.”

Spirit does not take time off; it never stops evolving and growing. In order to
stay in touch with it, its extremely important to stay committed to your own
practice. Your practice is your anchor, your source of inner-peace and health.
It’s also your testing ground for new techniques to offer your future students.
You should aim to have a regular, daily yoga practice of 60-90 minutes by
the time you leave your training, which might include aspects of meditation,
pranayama, and yoga asana. As you continue on your path, your practice will
change and evolve. You will include new things as you learn and grown, but
Yamais extremely important and will be
the commitment to this regular practice
of primary importance here.
Samadhi Niyama

2. To leave with a lifelong humbleness and appreciation for the ancient

traditions of yoga.
While many (but not all of you) are here to be teachers, first and foremost
Dhayana
it is most important that what you learn here becomes a partAsana
of your daily
life. One can only share from what they first possess, and if you do not
possess the inner qualities of humbleness and love of this practice, it will be
impossible to transmit that to students and be a truly beneficial energy.

Before you develop any ambition towards your yoga career, we want you
develop the humble,
Dharanaloving, peaceful heart of a yogi. Nothing is more refreshing,
Pranayama
more beneficial than someone living this way. We hope you fall deeply in love
with this way of living, and constantly discover new depths of this ancient,
Pratyahara
sacred art. This training is only your beginning.

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 3. To leave prepared to teach basic yoga classes in a studio environment.
You may not have the immediate ambition to teach yoga, and that is perfectly fine!
For you, this training may simply be about deepening your own practice. In fact, about
half of our students take our trainings without any ambition to teach. We honor this
intention deeply, and can affirm for you that you are in exactly the right place.

As a professional yoga teacher, you may dream of leading retreats, trainings, corporate
and private classes. All of these are very possible. With that said, it’s difficult to
achieve any of these without first establishing yourself teaching regularly in a studio.
Teaching in a studio is perhaps the most important step in launching your yoga career.
Almost all of the top teachers in the world put in many years of work and study
teaching in a local studio. It’s through your studio classes where you will hone your
craft, conquer your fears, meet new potential clients, and establish the professional
habits you can take into anything you do next.

Whether you have plans to teach in a studio, we are going to prepare you as such
because we believe this preparation is both highly practical and empowering. If nothing
else, this preparation will give you an immense amount of personal confidence and
develop tons of amazing skills you’ll use in all aspects of your life.
Yama

Samadhi Niyama
4. To establish a basic understanding of the essential yoga philosophy, as
stated in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
We put extra emphasis on yoga philosophy in our trainings because these are
transformative guidelines that will impact every aspect of your life. The Yoga Sutras of
Patanjali is the essential text of yoga, and we want to help you establish a foundational
Dhayana Asana
understanding and appreciation for this great text.

Yoga has become a vast and often confusing subject. By focusing primarily on the Yoga
Sutras, you’ll develop a more comprehensive understanding of how all the modern
practices fit into its ancient origins.

Dharana Pranayama

Pratyahara

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 5. To leave with a foundational sequence you feel comfortable practicing
with, modifying, and teaching.
Many famous yoga teachers throughout time have suggested their sequences are
somehow superior to others. We do not believe this to be true. We believe the true
art of teaching yoga is understanding the foundational principles, the context of
a moment, and the people in front of you. When you weave these together, you
can deliver a class that resonates deeply in that specific moment. Rather than
imposing a strict, formatted regimen on a student, a yoga teacher should aim to
listen to and connect with that specific body. This is a very delicate and sacred art.
From this approach, healing and inner-richness for teacher and student becomes
possible. In this way, we will not be teaching you not necessarily WHAT to teach,
but rather HOW YOGA WORKS, so you can apply the principles for yourself in a
variety of settings.

With that said, as a new teacher, it is important that you have something to root
yourself in, a “home-base” you can return to and feel comfortable teaching. For
that reason, we have designed a sequence for beginning teachers. This sequence
is rooted in the traditional hatha yoga sequence and can easily be modified in a
number of styles. This sequence honors the original intention of yoga, and can
also be easily adjusted for a modern audience. Starting your teaching journey
this way will help you immensely as the repetition and habit will start to give you
confidence.

6. To leave with a meditation practice that ACTUALLY makes you enjoy your
internal experience more.
This is a unique moment in history where fear and anxiety are heightened. For this
reason, we’ve decided to add more meditation to the curriculum for this training.
We want you to fall in love with your meditation practice, and feel confident
offering it to your students. Many of the skills you’ll develop as a meditation
teacher, including using your voice and presencing, will help your yoga teaching
immensely.

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 TRAINING BREAKDOWN
HOW THIS TRAINING IS STRUCTURED, AND WHAT TO EXPECT

Our training structure if very fluid, however we generally think of it as broken down
into three distinct phases. This helps us all align our intention, and clarify how we
need to show up as students in each phase.

WEEKS 1-3:

Foundation
WEEKS 4-6:

Integration
WEEKS 7-10:

Professional Preparation

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Weeks 1-3:

Foundation
The foundations portion of the training is where you’ll have the opportunity to be a
student, with no pressure to perform or be graded. In the foundations portion of the
training, you’ll be practicing a single, simple yoga sequence.

Important Topics:
• Establishing regular practice.
• Finding ease & in the poses.
• Establishing proper breathing.
• Fundamentals of posture
• Cueing a class

Weeks 4-6:

Integration
In the integration portion, you’ll be practicing more dynamic sequencing, and
focusing on building what you’ve learned into your life.

Important Topics:
• Alignment & adjusting in the pose.
• Sequencing a yoga class.
• Intentional & conscious living.

• Getting to know your classmates :)

Weeks 7-10:

Professional Preparation
In this portion, you’ll be focused on preparing yourself to teach you first studio
class. You’ll be practicing our Studio Sequence each day to build repetitions and
your confidence to start teaching it.

Important Topics:
• Teaching your first full class.
• Creating & holding healing space.
• Professional habits & qualities of a good teacher.

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 MAKING THE MOST OF
YOUR EXPERIENCE
SOME TIPS ABOUT SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS

Here are some suggestions to help variations of postures and techniques.

you get the most out of this training If you hear instruction from teachers
experience. which appear to contradict, ask for
clarification and context. Our teachers
are all very aware that when they share
Stay open. something with you, they are sharing
just one perspective. Evaluate and
While it’s perfectly natural to come
discern for yourself to seek your own
in with your own expectations based
understanding of the teachings.
on previous experiences, we highly
suggest relinquishing any expectations
that you might have for the duration of
Stay focused & engaged.
this course. These teachings can only
be absorbed by a deeply humble and The best teachers are extremely detailed
open mind. When you feel moments and diligent with their craft. You will
of challenge or dischord, see it as an only absorb this level of detail if you
opportunity to test the boundaries of continue to stay focused and diligent
your openness. throughout the training. Our teachers
like when you ask questions and push
them to go deeper into subjects.
Honor different perspectives.

Yoga is very nuanced, and different

systems of yoga teach slightly different

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Speak up.

Never feel like your questions are wrong, or invalid. The environment is always
enhanced by thoughtful questions or when you express your challenges or confusions.
Almost always, there are other students processing the same challenges, and our
teachers enjoy making the topics relevant and applicable.

Don’t hide your problems or struggles no matter what they are. That means
physical (especially injuries), emotional, and spiritual. This is a safe space of truly
radical acceptance.

Honor your fellow students.

This is an environment of love and total acceptance of everyone from all walks of
life. This is a place where bad habits come to die and be transformed, and we hope
you choose to be a support system for others on the course. Remember that you are
one of a large group, journeying as one. As a yoga teacher, you will become a support
system for your students. You can begin practicing
Yama that role for your fellow students.

Samadhi Niyama
Make sure that you are being super “spiritual” the entire time.

Be sure to hold extended uncomfortable eye contact with everyone you see. Talk down
on anyone who expresses any emotion other than love. Slide in passive aggressive
remarks to others to highlight when they are not being spiritual.

...Just kidding.Dhayana
Please don’t do any of that. Asana

Dharana Pranayama

Pratyahara

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 STUDY & PERSONAL PRACTICE
Please bring your journal and pen to class so you can take notes.

We also strongly encourage you to self-study and practice in your spare time to
not only get the most out of your experience.

FOOD
Please make your best effort to eat light before your sessions. We recommend not
eating within 2 hours of practicing yoga. You will be doing physical activity every
day, and you don’t want to feel uncomfortable during practice.

Please try to follow the yogic food guidelines taught in philosophy, which primarily
includes a vegetarian diet. While it is not a requirement, we do highly recommend
eating plant based for the duration of the training. This is because it adheres to
yogic principle of ahimsa or non-violence towards all living things. We will cover
the yogic diet as a topic on this training.

Do your best to avoid smoking, drinking, and drugs throughout the entire training.
Consuming drugs will significantly hinder your experience here. This is a great time
to make new commitments to yourself, supported by the collective energy of this
group.

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POLICIES & ETIQUETTE
ABSENCE POLICY
• For every class, roll call will be taken at the scheduled start time.

• Unfortunately, if you miss more than 2 classes we will not be able to certify
you unless a case of serious illness. If you miss a class, the recording will be
available almost immediately following. Please stay in communication with your
teachers throughout the training.

• PLEASE respect yourself and your time here, as well as others, by arriving on
time and prepared for each class.

ETIQUETTE

Mute your microphone unless you are speaking. Things can get really
noisy really quickly...

Show up on time to class. Please be on time for classes. Arriving late can be
disruptive to class.

Raise your hand. In order to ensure that no one is interrupted and everyone gets
a chance to speak, please raise your hand.

Allow time for everyone to speak. Please limit your comments to the subjects
at hand. Everyone has a million things to share, so please be mindful of your
classmates.

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 1: YOGA PHILOSOPHY
ESTABLISH A FIRM UNDERSTANDING OF THE ESSENTIAL
GOAL PRINCIPLES OF PATANJALI’S YOGA SUTRAS

To assert that yoga is a single set of Sutras are short, formuliac verses that
practices or ideas is utterly unfounded. capture the most distilled essence of
Yoga is an extremely diverse set of an idea. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali
practices which have evolved over the precisely describes the states of mind
last 5,000+ years to meet the needs of a yogi seeks to achieve, as well as the
the culture and time period it is serving. disciplines and practices a yogi must
It seems yoga takes different forms attend to in order to make Samadi a
constantly to stay relevant and useful reality in the life. With striking detail he
to the times. For modern practitioners, also maps out the many obstacles a yogi
trying to grasp the vast array of yogic will inevitably face while seeking Samadi,
practices can be overwhelming and or complete absorption in the self. This
downright confusing! text is highly practical. In this course we
will dive deeply into the nuances of this
Fortunately, approximately 2,000 year
text, which will help give you clarity and
ago a man named Maharishi Patanjali
insight into the true nature of the yogic
noticed a similar phenomena in his time
practices. Studying this text takes a very
and decided to document the essential
long time, and should be done slowly
understandings of yoga in a highly
and diligently. Even tiny clarifications on
scientific manner. Throughout history,
these words can deepen your graps of
the Yoga Sutra’s have been almost
the subject and bring huge benefits to
universally accepted as the essential
your life.
text of yoga. This is a remarkable
accomplishment and speak to the true
genius of this man.

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 1. THE ORIGINS OF YOGA

Yogic practices are thought to be derived

from the ancient Vedic civilization, a
civilization in Northern India/Pakistan
which existed 1500- 500 BCE. The Vedic
civilization developed the ashrama
system; a secuencial stage of human life
in order to have the complete experience
of life. Understanding this classification
of life can help us understand what is
most natural for us to focus our attention
towards in each stage of life.

Brahmacharya:
the student stage of life.

Grhastha:
a stage that represents relationships and social duties.

Vanaprastha:
retirement.

Sannyasa:
spiritual life.

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Journal Questions

1. What were some of the belief systems you

developed in your upbringing?

2. If you could choose how you were educated, what

would that look like?

3. What phase of life do you feel you are in now, and

how has that evolved in your life thus far?

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 2. PURUSHARTHAS:
FUNDAMENTAL OBJECTIVES
OF LIFE ACCORDING TO VEDIC
TRADITION

The Purusharthas, referred to in Vedic

texts and within the great epics of
the Ramayana and Mahabharata, are
translated in Sanskrit as the “goals
of human existence” or “the soul’s
purpose.” These universal aims influence
every thought and deed of our lives.

Kama
The desires rooted in the physical dimension.

Artha
The urge to create a social identity and to be successful in fulfilling
the material needs.

Dharma
Arising from the heart of every being. Is the contribution, as a part,
for the welfare of all.

Moksha
The aspiration to demystify life. It is the search for the truth.

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Journal Questions

1. What desires do you experience which benefit

your life? At what point do desires often turn into
attachments for you?

2. What do you feel you need to do in order to align

your life more with your Dharma?

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 3. PREPARATIONS FOR STUDYING
YOGA SCRIPTURES

Scriptures are not about merely

memorizing or reciting. They exist so
that you can implement the ideas into
your life. To begin to understand how
you can do this, we need to prepare
the ground of the senses by working on
these three aspects. These will help you
tremendously as these new concepts
begin to take root in your life.

Sravana
listening to the masters

Manana
remembering & reciting the mantras/texts

Nidhidhyasa
deep contemplation on the subject

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Journal Questions

1. What personal challenges and limitations do

you anticipate will effect you as you complete this
course?

2. Who is a yoga teacher or a spiritual guide you

admire? What qualities about them do you admire?
What sort of work did they do in their life to get to
where they are?

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 4. The 8 Limbs of Ashtanga Yoga

Internal Practices:
External Practices:
6. Dharana(Concentration)
1. Yama (Ethical Principles) 7. Dhyana (Meditation)
Ahimsa - Non harming
8. Samadhi (Absorption)
Satya - Honesty

Asteya - Not stealing

Brahmacharya - Restraint

Aparigraha - Non-possessiveness

2. Niyama (Disciplines)
Santosha - Contentment, gratitude

Tapas - Discipline

Swadhyaya -Self-reflection

Sauca - Purity, cleanliness

Ishvara Pranidhana - Devotion

3. Asana (Physical Practice)

4. Pranayama (Breath Management)
5. Pratyahara (Sense Withdrawal)

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 Yamas
abstinences
Samadi Niyamas
absorption observances

Dhyana 8 LIMBS OF Asana

meditation
YOGA posture

Pranayama
Dharana breath management
concentration Pratyahara
sense withdrawal

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 5. PATANJALI’S YOGA SUTRAS

SAMADHI PADA

Introduction to the path of yoga.

1. Now the discipline of yoga.
2. Yoga is the cessation of mind.
3. Then the witness is established in itself.
4. In the other states there is identification with the modifications of the mind.

The five modifications of the mind.

5. The modifications of the mind are five. They can be either a source of anguish
or of non-anguish.
6. They are right knowledge, wrong knowledge, imagination, sleep and memory.

Right and wrong knowledge.

7. Right knowledge has three sources - direct cognition, inference and the
words of the awakened ones.
8. Wrong knowledge is the false conception not corresponding to the thing as
it is.
9. An image conjured up by words without any substance behind it is Vikalpa -
imagination.
10. The modification of the mind which is based on the absence of any content
in it is sleep.
11. Memory is the calling up of past experiences.

Constant inner practice.

12. Their cessation is brought about by persistent inner effort and nonattachment.
13. Of these two – Abhyasa - the inner practice, is the effort of being firmly
established in oneself.
14. It becomes firmly grounded by being continued for a long time, without
interruption and with reverent devotion.

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Practice and desirelessness.
15. The first state of Vairagya, desirelessness - cessation from self-indulgence in the
thirst for sensuous pleasures, with conscious effort.
16. The last state of Vairagya, desirelessness - cessation of all desiring by knowing the
innermost nature of Purusha, the supreme self.

The meaning of Samadhi.

17. Samprajnatasamadhi is the Samadhi that is accompanied by reasoning, reflection,
bliss and a sense of pure being.
18. In Asamprajnata Samadhi there is a cessation of all mental activity, and the mind
only retains unmanifested impressions.
19. Videhas and prakriti-layas attain asamprajnata Samadhi because they ceased
to identify themselves with their bodies in their previous life. They take rebirth
because seeds of desire remained.
20. Others who attain Asamprajnata Samadhi attain it through faith, effort, recollection,
concentration and discrimination.

Total effort or surrender.

21. Success is nearest to those whose efforts are intense and sincere.
22. The chances of success vary according to the degree of effort.
23. Success is also attained by those who surrender to god.
24. God is the supreme ruler. He is an individual unit of divine consciousness. He is
untouched by the afflictions of life, action and its result.
25. In god the seed is developed to its highest extent.

The master of masters.

26. Being beyond the limits of time, he is the master of masters.
27. He is known as Aum.
28. Repeat and meditate on Aum. Repeating and meditating on Aum brings about the
disappearance of all obstacles and an awakening of new consciousness.

The obstacles to meditation.

29. Disease, tiredness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, sensuality, delusion, impotency
and instability are the obstacles that distract the mind.

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 30. Anguish, despair, tremors and irregular breathing are the symptoms of a distracted
mind.
31. To remove these, meditate on one principle.

Cultivating right attitudes.

32. The mind becomes tranquil by cultivating attitudes of friendliness towards
the happy, compassion towards the miserable, joy towards the virtuous and
indifference towards the evil.
33. The mind also becomes tranquil by alternately expelling and retaining the
breath.
34. When meditation produces extraordinary sense perceptions, the mind gains
confidence and this helps perseverance.
35. Also, meditate on the inner light which is serene and beyond all sorrow.
36. Also meditate on one who has attained desirelessness.

Dropping out of the wheel.

37. Also, meditate on knowledge that comes during sleep.
38. Also, meditate on anything that appeals to you.
39. Thus, the yogi becomes master of all, from the infinitesimal to the infinite.

Periphery and center.

40. When the activity of the mind is under control, the mind becomes like pure
crystal, reflecting equally, without distortion, the perceiver, the perception
and the perceived.
41. Savitarka Samadhi is the Samadhi in which the yogi is still unable to differentiate
between real knowledge, knowledge based on words and knowledge based
on reasoning or sense perceptions, which all remain in the mind in a mixed
state.

The pure look.

42. Nirvitarka Samadhi is attained when the memory is purified, and the mind is
able to see the true nature of things without obstruction.
43. The explanations given for the Samadhis of Savitarkaand Nirvitarka also
explain the higher states of Samadhi, but in these higher states of Savichara
and Nirvichara Samadhis, the objects of meditation are more subtle.

34
44. The province of Samadhi that is connected with these finer objects extends
up to the formless stage of the subtle energies.

The thought of no-thought.

45. These Samadhis that result from meditation on an object are Samadhis
with seed, and do not give freedom from the cycle of rebirth.
46. On attaining the utmost purity of the Nirvichara stage of Samadhi, there is
a dawning of the spiritual light.
47. In Nirvichara Samadhi, the consciousness is filled with truth.

The fall of the idiots.

48. In the state of Nirvichara Samadhi, an object is experienced in its full
perspective, because in this state knowledge is gained directly, without
the use of the senses.
49. The perception gained in Nirvichara Samadhi transcends all normal
perceptions both in extent and intensity.
50. When this controlling of all other controls is transcended, the seedless
Samadhi is attained, and with it, freedom from life and death.

SADHANA PADA

The seeds of misery.

1. Kriya yoga is a practical, preliminary yoga, and is composed of austerity,
self-study and surrender to god.
2. The practice of kriya yoga reduces misery, and leads towards Samadhi.
3. Miseries are caused by: lack of awareness, egoism, attractions, repulsions,
clinging to life and fear of death.
4. Whether they be in the states of dormancy, attenuation, alteration or
expansion, it is through lack of awareness that the other causes of misery
are able to operate.

35
 Sleep, identification, duality.
5. Lack of awareness is taking the transient for the eternal, the impure for the
pure, the painful as pleasurable and the non-self for the self.
6. Egoism is the identification of the seer with the seen.
7. Attraction, and through it, attachment, is towards anything that brings
pleasure.
8. Repulsion is from anything that causes pain.

Prati-prasav: the primal of the ancients.

9. Flowing through life is the fear of death, the clinging to life, and it is dominant
in all, even the learned.
10. The sources of the five afflictions can be abolished by resolving them back to
their origin.
11. The outward expressions of the five afflictions disappear through meditation.

Awareness: the fire that burns the past.

12. Whether fulfilled in the present or the future, karmic experiences have their
roots in the five afflictions.
13. As long as the roots remain, karma is fulfilled in rebirth through class, span
of life, and types of experiences.
14. Virtue brings pleasure: vice brings pain.

The seer is not the seen.

15. The discriminating person realizes that everything leads to misery because
of change, anxiety, past experience, and the conflicts that arise between the
three attributes and the five modifications of the mind.
16. Future misery is to be avoided.
17. The link between the seer and the seen that creates misery is to be broken.

The bridegroom is waiting for you.

18. The seen which is composed of the elements and the sense organs is of the
nature of stability, action, and inertia, and is for the purpose of providing
experience and thus liberation to the seer.
19. The three gunas - stability (saatva), action (rajas), and inertia (tamas) - have
four stages: the defined, the undefined, the indicated, and the unmanifest.

36
20. The seer, although pure consciousness, sees through the distortions of
the mind.
21. The seen exists for the seer alone.
22. Although the scene is dead to him who has attained liberation, it is alive
to others because it is common to all.
23. The seer and the seen come together so that the real nature of each may
be realized.
24. The cause of this union is ignorance.

Awareness, not knowledge.

25. The disassociation of the seer and the seen which is brought about by the
dispersion of ignorance is the remedy that brings liberation.
26. The unwavering practice of discrimination between what is the real and
what is the unreal brings about the dispersion of ignorance.
27. The highest stage of enlightenment is reached in seven steps.

The eight limbs of yoga.

28. By practising the different steps of yoga for the destruction of impurity,
there arises spiritual illumination which develops into awareness of reality.
29. The eight steps of yoga are: self-restraint, observance, posture, breath
regulation, abstraction, concentration, contemplation and absorption.

Death and discipline.

30. Self-restraint, the first step of yoga, is comprised of the following five
vows: non-violence, truthfulness, authenticity, restraint in daily activities
(brahmacharya), and non-possessiveness.
31. These five vows, which constitute the great vow, extend to all the seven
stages of enlightenment regardless of class, place, time, or circumstance.
32. Purity, contentment, austerity, self-study, and surrender to god are the
laws to be observed.
33. When the mind is disturbed by wrong thoughts, ponder on the opposites.
34. It is necessary to ponder on the opposites because wrong thoughts,
emotions, and actions, such as violence, result in ignorance and intense
misery whether they be performed, caused, or approved through greed,
anger, or delusion in mild, medium, or intense degrees. :

37
 The attainments of the yogi.
35. When the yogi is firmly established in non-violence, there is an abandonment
of enmity by those who are in his presence.
36. When the yogi is firmly established in truthfulness, he attains the fruit of
action without acting.
37. When the yogi is firmly established in honesty, inner riches present themselves.
38. When the yogi is firmly established in sexual continence, vigor is gained.
39. When the yogi is firmly established in non-possessiveness, there arises
knowledge of the ‘how’ and ‘wherefore’ of existence.

The shadow of religion.

40. When purity is attained there arises in the yogi wisdom for his own body and
a disinclination to come in physical contact with others.
41. From mental purity there arises cheerfulness, power of concentration, control
of the senses, and a fitness for self-realization.
42. Contentment brings supreme happiness, purity and power.
43. Austerities destroy impurities, and with the ensuing perfection in the body
and sense organs, physical and mental powers awaken.
44. Union with the divine happens through self-study.
45. Total illumination can be accomplished by surrendering to god.

Posture & Breath.

46. Posture should be steady and comfortable.
47. Posture is mastered by relaxation of effort and meditation on the unlimited.
48. When posture is mastered there is a cessation of the disturbances caused by
dualities.
49. The next step after the perfection of posture is breath control, which is
accomplished through holding the breath on inhalation and exhalation, or
stopping the breath suddenly.
50. The duration and frequency of the controlled breaths are conditioned by time
and place, and become more prolonged and subtle. In
51. There is a fourth sphere of breath control, which is internal, and it goes
beyond the other three.

38
Returning to the source.
52. Then comes the dispersion of the cover that hides the light.
53. And then the mind becomes fit for concentration.
54. The fifth constituent of yoga, pratyahar - returning to the source - is the
restoration of the mind’s ability to control the senses by renouncing the
distractions of outside objects.
55. Then comes the complete mastery over all the sense.

39
 2: YOGA ASANA
TO UNDERSTAND THE FOUNDATIONAL YOGA POSTURES AND
GOAL CORRECT ALIGNMENTS.

Yoga asanas began as a simple way Yoga and Vinyasa yoga. Hatha yoga is
to prepare the body for meditation. the original style of yoga, from which
Asana practitioners would practice a all modern yoga styles derive. Vinyasa
small number of poses which would yoga is a modern style of yoga which
keep the body limber, allowing them was brought to the west by students of
to sit for longer periods of time. Over T. Krishnamacharya when he recognized
the centuries, yoga asana has quickly westerners desire to move their bodies.
evolved into a diverse field in order to
meet the needs of various communities By learning both of these styles - their
and cultures. Today, yoga asana is differences and similarities - you can
used in a number of ways, to promote design classes for yourself and your
health, fitness, and to reduce stress. students which both honor the wishes of
All of these are appropriate uses of your students, and honor the integrities
yoga asana. As you develop and refine of the ancient traditions of yoga. We
your understanding of yoga asana, you’ll encourage you to explore all styles of
be able to deliver your students more yoga and deeply understand what effect
specific benefits, according to their each practice is leaving on your body.
needs. A master of asana can deliver all In your studies you will learn about
types of seemingly magical benefits to alignments, sequencing, adjusting,
their students. proper breathing, and the benefits of
each posture.
On this training, you will be studying
and practicing both traditional Hatha

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41
 FOUNDATIONS SEQUENCE (WEEK 1-3)

PRESENCE YOURSELF AND THE ROOM

1 DEDICATION / OPENING INVITE THE PRESENCE OF YOUR TEACHERS

OPEN THE FEET, HANDS AND JOINTS

2 WARM UP OPEN THE SPINE

3 SUN SALUTATIONS

4 STANDING POSES

(BOTH SIDES, VINYASA TRANSITION)

Warrior 2 Extended Side Angle Reverse

Virabhadrasana II
Warrior

(BOTH SIDES, VINYASA TRANSITION)

Half Moon Wide Legged Forward Fold

Triangle Pose
Ardha Chandrasana
Trikonasana

(BOTH SIDES, VINYASA TRANSITION)

Warrior 3
Eagle Pose Crescent Lunge
Virbhadrasana III
Garudasana

(BOTH SIDES, VINYASA TRANSITION)

Revolved Crescent Pyramid Pose Side Plank

r Vasisthasana
An

VINYASA

42
Crow Pose
Malasana
5 SEATED / LYING POSES

Half Pigeon
Ardha Kapotasana Locust Bow Pose Childs Pose Hero Pose Seated Forward Fold
Salabasana Dhanurasana Balasana Virasana Paschimotanasana

Seated One-Legged Twist One-Legged Forward Fold Supine Twist Happy Baby
Marichyasana III Bridge Pose Ananda Balasana
Janu Shirshasana

43
 FOUNDATIONS OF POSTURE
In yoga, we spend a lot of time focusing on posture and alignments. Have you ever
stopped to consider why? At East+West we don’t put any significance on the ability
to perform complex poses. Rather, we emphasize the amazing benefits of proper
posture.

In roughly the 14th century, yogia largely shifted when practitioners noticed their
attention more naturally driven to focus on their body. So yoga was reformulated to
make asana as the introductory path, as a preparation for exploration into the inner-
world. According to yogi’s this was due to a shift in the astrological environment.

It can be helpful as you are venturing into understanding yoga asana and alignment
to first understand some basic principles about posture. When you understand
correct posture, these insights, generally speaking, can apply to all yoga poses.

Yama

Samadhi Niyama

Dhayana Asana

Dharana Pranayama

Pratyahara

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Reasons we focus so much on posture:

1. It allows us to practice with

more ease.
Though you can feel some resistance initially
while realigning your body in poses, it will
ultimately help you practice with more ease.
If you build a house, and the walls are crooked
and out of alignment, it’s much more difficult
for electricity to run properly through the
house. When your body is in proper alignment,
vitalizing pranic energy flows more readily
throughout your entire body.

2. It changes the way we feel

inside.
The way we hold our body reflects our inner
state. If we make changes to our posture,
it gradually changes the way we feel inside.
It can help increase our confidence, energy
levels, and much, much more.

3. It prevents pain and injuries.

More and more modern students are entering
“vinyasa recovery,” due to long careers
practicing yoga without learning proper
alignment. Bad alignment habits in a single
yoga class likely won’t create a risk of injury.
However, when practicing regularly over years
or decades, bad habits add up and can create
chronic injuries to joints, ligaments, and
tendons as we age.

45
 Common Posture Issues:

Anterior Tilt:

An anterior pelvic tilt is when your pelvis is rotated forward, which forces your spine
to curve. It’s often caused by excessive sitting without enough exercise and stretching
to counteract the effects of sitting all day. If you have an anterior pelvic tilt you may
notice that the muscles in the front of your pelvis and thighs are tight, while the ones
in the back are weak. Your gluteus and abdominal muscles may also be weak. All of
this can cause:

• lower back pain

• hip and knee pain

• incorrect posture

• forced hip and knee rotations

Posterior Tilt:
Yama
Body imbalances often occur from a lack of movement, especially for people who sit
most of the day.Samadhi Niyama
This lack of movement contributes to:

• weak and tight leg muscles

• shortened tendons around the pelvic bones

• improper balance

• Dhayana
slouching posture Asana
All of these factors can cause a posterior pelvic tilt. This is when your glutes tuck
inwards and the upper body rounds back.

Rounded Shoulders:
Dharana Pranayama
Rounded shoulders are typically caused by poor posture habits, muscle imbalances
and focusing too much on certain exercises, such as too much focus on chest strength
Pratyahara
while neglecting the upper back.

46
Anterior/Posterior Tilt

Rounded Shoulders

47
 SUN SALUTATION A

SUN SALUTATION B

48
49
 STANDING POSES

Warrior 2
Virabhadrasana II

50
Extended Side Angle
Pasvakonasana

51
 Triangle
Trikonasana

52
 Warrior 1
Virabhadrasana I

53
 Warrior 3
Virabhadrasana III

54
 Pyramid
Parsvattonasana

55
 Half Moon
Ardha Chandrasana

56
 Standing One-Legged Split
Urdva Prasarita Eka Padasana

57
 Tree
Vrksasana

58
 Eagle
Garudasana

59
 Twisting Crescent
Utittha Pravrita Anjaneyasana

60
 Twisting Chair
Pravirita Utkasanana

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 Twisting Half Moon
Pravirita Ardha Chandrasana

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Crow Pose
Bakasana

63
 Yogi Squat
Malasana

64
Wide-Legged Forward Fold
Prasritta Padotanasana

65
 SEATED / LYING DOWN POSES

Cobra
Bhujangasana

66
Bow Pose
Danurasana

67
 Boat Pose
Navasana

68
Seated Forward Fold
Paschimottanasana

69
 One-Legged Forward Fold
Janu Shirshasana

70
Seated One-legged Twist
Marichyasana

71
 Bridge
Bandha Sarvangasana

72
 Hero
Virasana

73
 Half Pigeon
Arda Kapotasana

74
Shoulder Stand
Sarvangasana

75
 Head Stand
Sirshasana

76
 Happy Baby
Ananda Balasana

Supine Twist
Supta Jathara Parivartasana

77
 3: THE YOGIC HEALTH SYSTEM
TO BEGIN TO MOVE OUR EATING CHOICES MORE IN
GOAL LINE WITH THE YOGIC PRINCIPLES OF THE DIET

The ancient yogic masters were very what specific foods to eat, but rather on
keen to recognize that one could developing mindful awareness of what
not progress on the yogic path if the you eat, and how it effects your body
student did not adopt a proper diet. Our energy. They believe that every food
digestive tracts have a huge amount of (and everything in nature) has a specific
sensory-neurons which have a profound energetic quality which imparts itself on
effect on not only our health but our our consciousness.
conscious experience and emotions.
A yogi uses the three Gunas (Rajas,
The yogic diet recommendations would Tamas, Saatva) to understand what
essentially agree with what the modern types of impressions the food is leaving
world has learned; that optimal food is on their conscious experiece, with the
whole, natural food directly from the goal of keeping themselves in a balanced
earth. It encourages us to avoid heavy, (saatvik) state. In yoga and Ayurveda, a
processed and unnatural foods like guna is an element of reality that can
heavy oils, refined sugars, and meat. affect our psychological, emotional and
energetic states.
The yogic diet is clear in its stance that
a vegetarian diet is a necessity. The
yogis viewed this not necessarily from
a nutritional perspective, but from the
perspective that all yogi’s should abide
by the principle of Ahimsa, or non-harm,
towards all living beings.

Yoga’s relationship to food is less about

78
78
 The Three Gunas of Nature

TAMAS SAATVA RAJAS

( darkness, inactivity, ( harmony, balance, ( energy, action,
material ) joy, intelligence ) change, movement )

Burgers Potatos Leafy Greens Citrus Fruits

Pizza Pasta Cucumbers Lemons
Oily Foods Root Vegetables Celery Oranges
Processed Food Grains Bell Peppers Grapefruit
Meat Legumes Apples
Beans Pears
Mushrooms Melons
Bananas Berries

Important Notes:
1. All foods exist on a spectrum of Rajas, Tamas, and Saatva.
2. Always assess a food in its natural, unadultered form.
3. The goal is to cultivate a consistent, saatvik state.
 4: STUDIO PREP
FEEL PREPARED TO TEACH A SIMPLE
GOAL BEGINNERS CLASS IN A WESTERN STUDIO

Teaching yoga is an incredibly studio requires you to practice a variety

empowering experience. Standing of diverse skills. It requires you to be
in front of a class and delivering confident and present. Humble and
movement, health, connection, peace, loving. It requires you to speak clearly,
is an immensively meaningful (and and listen attentively. Nothing is more
addicting) experience. rewarding.

On this training you will be prepared More than anything, teaching yoga at a
specifically to teach yoga in a modern beginners level is about conquering your
studio. The reality of today’s world is fear of getting in front of a class, and
that as a yoga teacher, you have both an feeling like you have something valuable
obligation to meet the needs of modern to offer. On this training, you will get
students, and to direct students deeper ample experience practicing teaching
into the original intentions of yoga. Yoga and our teachers are here to help guide
is the fastest growing sport in the world, you when you are lost.
and there are more opportunities to
teach yoga than ever.

We will help you develop the professional

habits and yogic skills which are
necessary to teach successfully in a
studio. Though teaching in a studio
may not be an immediate ambition
of yours, this preparation will help
you tremendously. Teaching yoga in a

80
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81
 SEQUENCING CONSIDERATIONS

1 TIME OF DAY
MORNING CLASSES: AFTERNOON CLASSES: NIGHT CLASSES:
Teache rs must facto r in the time of day
into h ow they sequence and design a Slower & mor e warmup s Not traditionall y part of yoga Descending ene rgy

class. The ene rgetics of the class can be Energizing Intentio n Very mild, gentle pr actices Only gentle backbend s
structur ed with the movement and
Cleansing Intentio n Relaxation app roach
sequencing of the sun .
Backbends & Opener s Longer savasan a

2 CLASS THEME EXAMPLE: HEART OPENING

To sequence a class, you must sta rt by

having a clear theme o r intention, such A very soft, warm, loving mood
as “hear t-opening. ” Anothe r example is
Lots of back-bends & hear t-opener s
working on a specific yogic movement,
like a Bhanda. Lik e a great story , every Warm-up for muscles included in hea rt-opene rs
sequencing decision is intentiona l to lead
A loving poem or song to compl ete class
students into a specific type o f
experience or learning.

3 ASCENDING / DESCENDING ENERGY Peak intensity

Gradua l Build
Classes should al ways have gr adua l
ascensions and decensions of ene rgy.
Avoid abrupt shif ts in ener getics from
Warmup
high ly active to highl y passive. Relaxation

4 EASEFUL TRANSITIONS
Transitions b etween poses should allo w
the pr actitione r to move gr aceful ly from
one pose to the ne xt. Avoid transitions
where they have to move thei r feet into
new, awkward positions . Warrior 2 Triangle Pose Half Moon
Virabhadrasana II Reverse Triangle
Trikonasana Ardha Chandrasana

82
 5 COUNTER MOVEMENTS
A class should include a good mix of
movements of the spine: forward
bending, bac k bending, twisting, and
extending. After intense movements,
balance the spin with a counte r
movement .
Follow a series of back bends with a forward bend, and then a twist.

6 WORKING INTO A PEAK POSE EXAMPLE:

WHEEL POSE WARMUPS
It can be helpful to choose a pea k pose
that students will perform in the end Open hands/f eet

and work backwar ds, warming up and Heartopening warmu p

opening each ar ea of the body necessar y
Lower back extension s
to compl ete the pea k pose.
Quad str etches

7 MOVING ENERGY “UP”

TIPS:
Yoga sequences should a lways di rect
Start with gr ounding
energy and a ttention up the bod y as it
moves through the sequence. This is a Finish with in versions/hear t opene rs
gene ral rule, that can be applied in
Do not finish with hip opener s withou t
various segments of the class. Classes moving ener gy upward after
should al ways finish with hear t opener s
or inversions which di rect ene rgy upward.

8 STUDENTS LEVEL
Teache rs must factor in the le vel of the
students in or der to c reate an e ffective
sequence. Teache rs often tend to include
WHEN IN DOUBT, KEEP IT SIMPLE!
too man y advanced poses for newer
students, be fore students h ave maste red
the basic alignments and movements.

83
 CUEING VS. ADJUSTING

CUEING EXAMPLE:

It’s helpful to draw a disctinction between “Step your right foot forward.
cueing and adjusting. Cueing is simply
instructing the movements from one to the
next. Warrior 2.”

There are many different ways to cue, and

none of them are necessarily correct. You
should aim to make cueing as clear and
simple as possible.

Cueing is simply the art of instructing a

body to do what you want it to do. You can
practice cueing anytime, with anyone. A
great way to practicing cueing is to instruct
someone on walking from one side of the
room to another.

HELPFUL TIPS:
Always use the simplest cue possible.

Speak clearly, articulately, and with enough volume.

Make sure your cues connect with them, in their language and
dialect.

84
 ADJUSTING

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85
 5: MEDITATION
FEEL PREPARED TO TEACH A SIMPLE
GOAL BEGINNERS CLASS IN A WESTERN STUDIO

All yoga practices have their roots in Also, like yoga, meditation also has
meditation. In fact, yoga was originally evolved to meet the needs of modern
created by ancient masters as a practitioners. The 21st century mind
preparation for meditation. In many ways, carries levels of stress and trauma that
yoga and meditation are synonymous as were not present thousands of years
they have the same objective. As a yoga ago. Thus, modern practitioners must
practitioner, developing a meditation cultivate new practices that address
practice will enhance every aspect these realities.
of your practice and benefit your life
The meditation practitioner quickly finds
immensely.
that their meditation practice cannot
Like yoga, meditation has become a be seperated from the rest of their life;
vast and diverse topic with thousands in order to achieve deeper states of
of techniques, making it difficult to meditation, it must become a whole-
truely grasp. Together, we will focus life effort. We will be discussing not only
on understanding and observing the the meditation techniques, but the life
foundational principles of meditation, practices that surround your practice
which apply to all meditation techniques. which makes deep states of meditation
Because these are principles of the more possible.
inner-nature of the mind, they are
relevant and touch on literally every
aspect of life.

86
86
87
 4 HELPFUL PRINCIPLES OF MEDITATION:

1. Meditation is a process of REMOVING the fluctuations

and “mind matter” to reveal the true inner nature. It is not
a practice of adding anything.

2. Meditation is a cultivation of “the middle way,” or a

balanced cultivation of activity and restfulness.

3.Meditation is developing a passive, non-reactive and non-

judgmental quality, including towards positive emotions.

4. Meditation is cultivating an enjoyable inner quality,

which may include a variety of experiences.

88
3 MEDITATIVE CULTIVATIONS:

FOCUS

OPEN LOVING
AWARENESS KINDNESS

89
 “EUSTRESS” and The Middle Way

Developing a meditative consciousness This simple principle captures the

that feels both pleasant and productive purpose of meditation right at its
is a matter of cultivating a comfortable essence. In meditation, we seek to
amount of stress or stimulation in your refine our insight and understanding of
life. This requires you to constantly the moments when we are swayed out
monitor your internal state and devise of balance. Having noticed it, we can
balancing measures for yourself cultivate counter-balancing measures
throughout your day. in our mind, and in our life to help us
cultivate a positive amount of stress or
The Buddha once explained it this way:
stimulation.
“What happens when you tune your
This principle is applicable to almost
instrument too tightly?” the Buddha
every yogic and meditative practice,
asked.
including all yoga asanas. It has
“The strings break,” the musician replied. infinite applications in all areas of life.
Additionally, there is no limit to the level
“And what happens when you string it of refinement; it is a constant practice of
too loosely?” seeking for deeper and more enjoyable
“When it’s too loose, no sound comes states of mind.
out,” the musician answered. “The string
that produces a tuneful sound is not too
tight and not too loose.”

“That,” said the Buddha, “is how to

practice: not too tight and not too loose.”

90
 DEVELOPING POSITIVE STRESS

Stress Levels

Mental Performance Eustress

(Positive stress) Too Much
Too Little
(Stress)
(boredom, lethargy)

Cultivate more stimulation Cultivate less stimulation

WHAT IT MIGHT FEEL LIKE:

Boredom Focused Attention Excitement

Confusion Emotional Balance Burnout
Apathy Rational Thinking Disorganized Activity

91
 PREPARING THE BODY FOR MEDITATION:
TRAUMA RELEASE & CATHARSIS

STORED TRAUMA:

If you live on planet earth today, you have some degree of

trauma or “micro-trauma” stored up in your body.

Trauma is not just “in your head”. It leaves a real, physical

imprint on your body, jarring your memory storage processes
and changing your brain.

Untreated past trauma can have a big impact on your future

health. The emotional and physical reactions it triggers
can make you more prone to serious health conditions
including heart attack, stroke, obesity, diabetes, and cancer,
according to Harvard Medical School research. It also physically
shrinks your brain *(1).

It alters your DNA, which gets passed down to your children and
grandchildren *(2).

TECHNIQUES:

Shaking

Ecstatic Dance

Cathartic Breathe

92
93
 FOCUS MEDITATION

Focus is one of the first and most news is, small amounts of progress
essential cultivations of meditation. make a huge difference. The other good
Focus is the ability to pay attention to piece of news is that you can practice
one thing at the expense of all others, focus meditations anytime, anywhere.
which can be very difficult in a society Traditionally, focus meditations were
that emphasizes multitasking and taught by watching the breath. However,
success. Increasing your ability to focus you can perform focus meditation on
can foster creativity, promote problem- literally anything throughout your day
solving skills and decrease the stress including: eating, walking, talking, or
associated with handling more than one listening to music.
task at once.

In Buddhist meditation, focus is typically

taught as one of the first cultivations
because it is essential to progressing
into the next steps. Honing our ability
to focus is a slow and gradual process
that can feel slightly uncomfortable
at first. We’re going to focus on a few
techniques that make focusing the mind
easier and more managable. The good

TECHNIQUES:

Counting Meditation

Simple Breath Watching

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 LOVING KINDNESS MEDITATION

“As rain falls equally on the just and the unjust, do not burden your heart with
judgments. Rain your kindness equally on all.” –Buddha

All humans innately have the desire to evokes a very loving quality inside us
both give and receive love. We spend that has many healing benefits.
a good portion of our lives searching
for someone who can accept our love, In loving-kidness meditations, we evoke
and reciprocate it back to us. This is our hearts and our innate desire to see
one of the most encapsulating human other people do well in life. It is the belief
experiences. of Buddhists that this loving capacity is
our innermost nature, and that removed
However, the meditator knows that from all obstructions, all humans desire
it is not essential to have a subject of to simply wish well on others.
loving-kindness; that loving kindness
is a practice that can be performed
anytime, anywhere, on anyone.

Loving-kindness is about simply wishing

well on someone (or yourself) in every
dimension of life. A great way to practice
this simply is to think of someone, and
send them the blessing “May they be
happy, may they be healthy, may they
enjoy their life. This beautiful sentiment

TECHNIQUES:

Meta-Kindness

“May I be happy, May I be Healthy, May I enjoy my life”

Gratitude Meditation

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 OPEN AWARENESS MEDITATION

“Out beyond ideas of right and wrong, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.”

-Rumi

Open Awareness Meditation, also known making experience smaller and smaller.
as “open attention,” “open monitoring,” For example, when we are watching a
or “soft focus,” is a form of mindfulness movie, our attention gets drawn into
meditation in which you allow the many the screen. For the duration of the
things present in your consciousness movie, that screen draws our entire
(sounds and other sensory input, as well attention and we fail to notice what is
as your thoughts and emotions) to arise happening around us. Open-awareness
in your awareness and then naturally fall is the opposite of this. It’s leaving your
away as they are replaced by different mind open like the sky, allowing clouds
sounds, thoughts, etc. (thoughts) to pass through, without
following them.
We have all experienced this in those
occasions when we were able to suspend If we are too self-absorbed and caught
our own point of view momentarily and up in our own experience in any moment,
see from another person’s point of view we will be unable to shift our perspective
and feel with him or her. When we do in this way and won’t even think to try.
this, we are practicing open-awareness. When we are self-preoccupied, there is
virtually no awareness of whole domains
Yogis were keen to notice that one of
of reality we may be living, immersed in
the primary tendencies of the mind is
every day but which nevertheless are
to continue to hone in on something,
continually impinging on and influencing
our lives. Our emotions, and particularly
the intensely afflictive emotions that
“sweep us away,” such as anger, fear,
TECHNIQUES: and sadness, can all too easily blind us
to the full picture of what is actually
Open-Sky Meditation happening with others and within
Non-Judgement Meditation ourselves.

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