Morning Yoga Practice: Āsanas and Prāṇāyāma
Morning yoga practice integrates āsanas and prāṇāyāma to awaken the body.
Begin with deep inhalation and exhalation, raising the upper body from the floor to stretch the neck and activate abdominal muscles. Shoulder stretches release tension in the shoulder girdle, preparing for later activity. In catuṣ pādāsana, legs stretch while the body warms, using full lung capacity. Kaṭi Cakrāsana follows with wide-legged lateral bending, keeping spine, shoulders, and hands aligned with the breath. Standing relaxation lets circulation flow through legs, arms, and head. Gūṇamānāsana is practiced seated, twisting side to side with both sitting bones grounded. Each twist squeezes the spine, releasing stale blood so fresh blood can enter upon relaxation. Aśvasan Chalana Āsana targets abdominal muscles through controlled leg movements; a lighter variation is for those with menstruation. After lying in Ānandāsana, observe any remaining tension and release it. Breath awareness deepens by following inhalation from navel to throat and exhalation from throat to navel. Leg stretches precede the meditation posture, ensuring comfort with pillows or blankets. Hands rest in chin mudrā, eyes close, and the body becomes still. Three Oms are chanted, directing circulation to the head, then the practice gently concludes.
“So, when we do stretching, it’s like we take a sponge and squeeze it, and all the water comes out. Then, when you relax it, new water can come in.”
“With inhalation, we just follow the flow of our breath from the navel to the throat, and with exhalation, from the throat to the navel.”
Filming location: Umag, Croatia
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Being a human
Spiritual discipline guides one from ignorance to enlightenment.
Human life is a rare opportunity among countless life forms. Animals possess innate discipline, but humans are given specific principles—conduct, thought, diet, and recreation—to cultivate goodness and occupy the mind positively. These rules, including fasting and observing holy days, were established by sages to prevent negative actions. Every action creates a corresponding reaction, good or bad. By following these disciplined observances, known as saṃskāras, one progresses spiritually. Without such discipline, one remains bound to the cycle of karma and rebirth. The goal is to become absorbed in the formless, eternal Brahman.
"God knows everything, does He not? God knows what you will say, what you will do."
"Where there is action, there will be reaction. Good action yields good reaction. Bad action yields bad reaction."
Filming location: Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Develop your wisdom, do not steal
In Kali Yuga, imitation and stealing extend beyond money to spiritual works. People misappropriate scriptures, changing names, but holy words cannot be altered. The cow of wisdom is the intellect. Feed it with love and devotion, then the butter of discrimination arises. A man complained that past saints had taken all the butter, leaving only sour yogurt. The guru said: the cow remains; milk it with love and you will have enough butter. Those who merely copy from books are bookworms; they do not produce their own knowledge. True knowledge comes when wisdom seeds are placed in the intellect’s womb, born from knowledge and devotion together. Many become self-made masters, neglecting the guru, and wisdom lies in dust. The mind, once rich, loses everything through bad company. Leaving the shelter of the satguru, meditation and devotion are lost. Good deeds are forgotten, and one walks a wrong path. Patience, dharma, meditation vanish, replaced by tamasic desires. Keeping the eyes constantly at the master’s lotus feet restores all.
“The cow is our buddhi, our intellect. And there, if we use prem—meaning love, meaning bhakti, devotion—then the butter of viveka will come.”
“My concentration, my consciousness, my eyes are all the time in the holy feet of my Gurudeva.”
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
Around the world - Yoga from Presov
A guided yoga practice for advanced students cultivates relaxation and inner awareness.
Begin in a seated posture with calming breath and mantras. Systematically relax each part of the body through focused awareness and breath, releasing from the feet to the head. This deep relaxation prepares the body for asana. Practice gentle stretches and poses like the cradle pose and a twisting backbend to release the spine and sides. Advance to seated postures including a bow shape and Cow's Face pose, emphasizing breath, alignment, and holding the positions. Conclude with breath observation and a breathing exercise focusing on the nostrils to clear energetic channels. Integrate the effects of the practice in final relaxation.
"With each inhalation, prāṇa, the vital cosmic energy, is drawn into my body."
"Prāṇāyāma is a breathing exercise. Throughout the entire breath, remain focused on the nostrils."
Filming locations: Prešov, Prešov Region, Slovakia.
Around the world - Hidden beauty
The highest principle is non-violence, meaning no killing. Every soul is a divine cell; all creatures of the universe are my cells. Therefore, love them, feed them, and do not eat them. Humans are meant to be protectors, not destroyers. Consider a garden with a fence to protect it from wild animals. If the fence itself destroys the garden, it fails its purpose. Our duty is to protect the environment, nature, and all life. Destroying the world contradicts our divine role.
"The highest principle is Ahiṃsā, which is Allah."
"When the last tree is cut down and the last fish dies, oh man, then you will realize that you cannot eat your dollars."
