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Morning Yoga practice, Umag, Croatia (5/9)

A guided practice integrating Sūrya Namaskār, āsanas, Prāṇāyāma, and meditation.

Begin with Sūrya Namaskār, synchronizing breath and movement to generate warmth. Feel its influence on body, breath, and mind. Practice dynamic movements to deepen postures, adjusting speed to warm the body. Then practice Kāṭha Praṇām to feel its distinct influence. Proceed to specific āsanas like Aśva Sañcālanāsana and Meru Ākāra Nāsana, moving with awareness and avoiding strain. Feel each posture's effect. Transition to Prāṇāyāma, practicing Anuloma Viloma with focused breath. Visualize cleansing with exhalation and receiving vitality with inhalation. Conclude with meditation, repeating a mantra or performing mental worship to cultivate stillness and awareness.

"Feel the complete influence of Sūrya Namaskār on the body, on your breath, on your mind."

"Visualize that with each exhalation, all toxins leave the body, and with each inhalation, health, happiness, and contentment enter."

Filming location: Umag, Croatia

Inhale, stretch the body. Exhale, go down. Inhale, right leg to the back. Exhale, left leg also. Hold the breath. Bring knees, chin, and chest to the floor. Hold the breath, pull back. Inhale. Exhale, go up. Inhale, left leg to the front. Exhale, right leg to the left. Inhale, slowly rise up, and exhale, slowly lower the hands. Relax the hands next to the body. Take a few deeper breaths, inhale, exhale, feel the influence of the āsana. Feel the warmth of the body. Next few rounds. Slowly bend forward, feel the body, feel the Anāhata Cakra. If you wish, you can visualize the rising sun, the dawn. You can visualize the sun in front of you, the sunrise. Inhale, raise the hands up. Stretch the body and breathe in the posture. Keep breathing. Continue to breathe. Look up a little if possible, just bring the hands to the back. Do not fold the palms; keep them open. Exhale slowly down. Relax the body, and if possible, bring the forehead nearer to your knees. Inhale, left leg behind. Breathe normally. Exhale, right leg to the left leg. If you can, look at your navel. Keep the legs straight, knees to the floor, chest to the floor, chin to the floor, and breathe. Inhale, left leg to the right. Exhale, left leg to the right. Inhale, inhale, slowly rise up, look up. Exhale, slowly lower your arms. Inhale, exhale, and one more round. Inhale, exhale, exhale, inhale, right leg back. Exhale, come back. Inhale, exhale, inhale, left leg to the front, exhale, right leg to the left. Inhale slowly up and exhale. Fold the hands, and then slowly relax them. Take a few deep breaths, inhale, exhale. Feel the complete influence of Sūrya Namaskār on the body, on your breath, on your mind. For the next two rounds of Sūrya Namaskār, please move in your own breathing rhythm. Start when you are ready. Pay attention and feel every movement of your body. Do not confuse Sūrya Namaskāra and Kāṭha Praṇām. We will practice Kāṭha Praṇām later. Now we will practice some more dynamic movements. Try to deepen the positions. The body is already warm; the muscles have warmed up. If your body is not warm yet, speed up the rhythm of the exercise. Move slightly faster in the postures. Is it warm enough? No? Then, two more rounds, as fast as you can. We are practicing Sūrya Namaskār. In us are awakening the characteristics of the sun, like warmth. Warmer? Yes? Okay. Afterwards, when you have finished, sit in Vajrāsana. Relax the whole body. A few times, inhale deeply and slowly exhale, feeling the influence of Sūrya Namaskār. Now, to feel the difference between Sūrya Namaskār and Kāṭha Praṇām, we will practice Kāṭha Praṇām. Not so many rounds. If you feel any discomfort, if something is hurting or you do not feel good, stop. Practice some āsanas of your choice instead. Feel the body. Take a deeper inhale and exhale. Slowly we will start. Inhale, exhale. Inhale. Hold the breath. Exhale. Right leg to the front. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Right leg to the back. Inhale. Left leg to the right, knees on the floor, bend, exhale, hold the breath, exhale, slowly rise up, slowly, exhale. Deep inhalation and exhalation, one more cycle. Exhale, stretch the body, look at your palms, exhale, exhale, hold. Exhale, left leg forward, left leg to the front, exhale, exhale. Inhale, right leg to the front. Inhale, look at your palms again. Stretch the body. Left leg to the back, right leg to the left. Put your knees on the floor and lower down. Place the lower abdomen on the floor. Exhale, chest and chin to the floor, buttocks up, and slowly place the forehead on the floor. Relax in the posture. With an inhalation, slowly come up, and exhale the palms down. Inhale and exhale deeply. Feel the whole body and feel the influence of Kaṭha Praṇām on the body, on the mind, and on the breath. Slowly sit in Daṇḍāsana. Sit with straight legs. Relax in Daṇḍāsana. The shoulders are straight and relaxed. Today, we will not relax much in Ānandāsana due to the nice, cool weather. We will practice Aśva Sañcālanāsana from the second level of Yoga in Daily Life. If you have certain problems such as menstruation, a sore throat, or issues with the legs, avoid this āsana. If you have stomach pain or back pain, avoid it. If not, we will dynamically move into the āsana. Slowly bend the legs and fold the hands. Place the elbows on the knees so the back is straight. Inhale, slowly move back. Inhale. Keep the back straight. Legs at the level of the eyes. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Do not lower the back too much toward the floor, as you may lose balance and hurt yourself. Inhale, exhale. One more time. Lower down. Inhale, exhale. Relax your legs, relax your arms. Take a few deep breaths, inhale and exhale. Feel the influence of the āsana and the warmth of the body. We will do one more round of the āsana. Slowly bend the legs. When you go into the posture, do not place the legs too high or too low. Try to keep the legs straight. One more round. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Exhalation... Sometimes, if it is not clear why an āsana is beneficial or what it works on, we simply stay in the position. A couple of breaths, and we immediately feel which parts of the body the āsana is influencing. Now slowly, we will go onto one hip. We will practice Meru Ākāra Nāsana, another āsana from the second level. The right hand is beneath the right shoulder, and the hips move a little forward. Do not sit on your buttocks; lift the hip up. If you have any problems with your wrist or hands, avoid the āsana or move to the next position. Feel the balance of the body and the side stretch. Move up a little. Slowly move up. Push with your right hand. Slowly go down, keeping the body straight. This is a very good āsana for the hip joints, thighs, and for stretching the whole body. Inhale, bend the left knee, hold the leg or the foot, and slowly raise the leg up, stretching it. Exhale, slowly lower the leg down. Inhale. Do not sit on your buttocks. The third time, inhale. Breathe normally. Hold the posture, straighten the leg, and push the left hip forward. Do not try to sit back. Straighten the knee. Slowly exhale. Lower the leg. Straighten the body. Take a few deep breaths. Feel the influence of the āsana. Slowly change to the left side. Left palm is placed down from the shoulder. Straighten the body so the shoulders are at the same level. Do not lie on your left arm; straighten the body. Inhale and exhale deeply, feeling the side stretch. Go down, body straight. Check if the body is straight, and slowly begin. Inhale, bend the right knee, grab either the leg or the toes; it is important to extend the knee. It does not matter whether you hold the feet or the leg; what matters is that the leg is straight, the knee very straight. Relax and exhale. Lower the leg the same way. Inhale. Push the hip forward. Slowly exhale. The third time, we will stay in the position with normal breath. Inhale. Stretch the leg. Stay in the posture with normal breathing. Feel the body and slowly try to move deeper into the āsana, to improve it. Stay as long as it is comfortable. Exhale, slowly lower. Exhale, slowly lower the leg down. Straighten the body and take a few deep breaths. Feel the whole body. For just a moment, lie in Ānandāsana. It will be just one minute. A few times, inhale and exhale deeply. Feel the influences of the āsanas. Feel the whole body, feel your breath, and sense your being here. Feel all the differences that have occurred during the practice. Feel the warmth of the body. Feel your breath and deepen it. Breathe the yogic way: inhalation from the navel to the throat, and exhalation from the throat to the navel. With every exhalation, consciously relax the whole body. Slowly, we will finish with relaxation. Once more, inhale and exhale deeply, and slowly try to move the body. Slowly turn the body, stretch the whole body, go to the left and the right side, turn to the left and right. Place your hands on the body, bend the knees, press on the chest, slowly bend the knees to the chest, and roll on the ground. Roll to the left side and to the right. Be careful not to hurt your neighbor. Go to the right side, then to the left. Slowly stop in the middle, and roll forward and backward. Stop in the middle, and roll to the front and to the back. Very good. Slowly sit in the position for Prāṇāyāma. We will continue with meditation. Feel the whole body. With every exhalation, consciously relax the body. Completely relax the body. Relax the forehead completely. Relax the shoulders. Relax the back muscles. Relax the arms. Relax the legs and leg muscles. Relax the stomach muscles. Breathe slowly and deeply. Practice complete yogic breathing. Deep inhalation and long exhalation. The breath starts at the navel. Slowly the stomach widens, and then the chest. Full inhalation and slower exhalation. If you have your own personal mantra, repeat it with each inhalation and exhalation. If you do not have a personal mantra, with each inhalation repeat "So," and with each exhalation repeat "Hum." So Hum: Ahaṁ Saḥ ("I am That"). As we become more conscious of the breathing process, the breath deepens and slows. We will practice Anuloma Viloma, alternate nostril breathing. This Prāṇāyāma is practiced at the third level of Yoga in Daily Life. Slowly raise the right hand to Prāṇāyāma Mudrā. With the thumb, close the right nostril. Slowly inhale through the left nostril, exhale through the right, inhale through the right, and exhale through the left. Slowly inhale through the left, exhale through the right. Inhale through the right and exhale through the left. If you have any trouble while breathing, just pay attention to the breath. Slow inhalation and even longer exhalation. Sit straight; do not bend your head. If you have a Prāṇāyāma Daṇḍa (stick), it is a little easier. Relax the shoulder and breathe. Deep inhalation, slower exhalation. You do not have to count; just follow the breath. If you feel you are falling asleep, straighten your back, sit straight, and be conscious. With each exhalation, feel the body becoming more relaxed. If your arm hurts, you can hold it for a moment or place the hand down on the knee. We are lucky to have this time for Prāṇāyāma. Do not stop; just follow your breath. After the next exhalation through the left nostril, slowly lower your hand and relax completely. If necessary, change to a more comfortable posture. Take three normal breaths. Again, straighten the back, relax the shoulders, relax the right hand. We will continue with the second cycle of Prāṇāyāma. Slowly raise the right hand again in Prāṇāyāma Mudrā. The middle finger points between the eyebrows. Inhale through the right, exhale through the left, inhale through the left, and exhale through the right nostril. Feel and follow each breath. The body is straight and relaxed. Feel the body expanding with inhalation and contracting with exhalation. Feel the warmth of the body. If you are a more advanced practitioner and practice Kumbhaka (retention), you can retain the breath naturally for a second or two after each inhalation and exhalation, without exertion. The breathing becomes longer and more relaxed. Feel the influence of Prāṇa. Feel the whole body becoming straighter and more relaxed. You can visualize that with each exhalation, all toxins leave the body, and with each inhalation, health, happiness, and contentment enter. Visualize how, with every breath, toxins, restlessness, and tension leave, and fresh energy carrying health and satisfaction comes in. Be relaxed and continue. After the next exhalation, slowly place the hand on the knee. Relax the whole body, and change posture if needed. Feel the influence of Prāṇāyāma on the body, breath, and mind. If you have your own Mālā, repeat your Guru Mantra, and we will continue with meditation. If you do not have a personal mantra, you can repeat the Bīja Mantra: "Oṁ Guru Dīp Namaḥ" ("I salute you, Prabhu Dīp"). Be aware of the present moment. Be aware of the quietness in this surroundings. Just repeat your mantra and relax. Do not worry about anything. Do not make plans. Just be relaxed and repeat your mantra. Be aware of your body posture. If it is not comfortable, do not suffer; change it. Just do not lie on your back, as you may fall asleep. Now, if you wish, if you are a student, you can perform Mānasik Pūjā. You can either visualize a nice natural scenery with beloved persons, or, if you are a disciple, visualize your own Iṣṭa Devatā, your Guru Deva, and perform Mānasik Pūjā. Offer flowers, sweets, everything you wish to your personal deity, your beloved. If visualizing scenery, visualize all details: the time of day and the persons present. Be conscious and relaxed. If you have a Saṅkalpa, a wish you want to fulfill, now is a good time to strengthen it, to remember it. Do not fall asleep. Feel the effect of your visualization. Feel your complete state of being, and be conscious and relaxed. Slowly finish your visualization and just repeat your Guru Mantra. Be relaxed and conscious. If your body causes difficulty, consciously relax it or change posture. A few more minutes, and we will be completely relaxed, repeating the mantra. In yoga, there is a nice Sanskrit expression: Kāyāsthairyaṁ, the motionlessness of the body. When the body is completely still, the mind is also less restless. We will finish the meditation. Feel your whole body, feel your breath, and be conscious of your posture, your position in this hall. Feel the time of day, this early morning, and feel the warmth coming from the rising sun. Be aware of all the noises in the surroundings. Once more, inhale and exhale a little deeper. A few times, inhale and exhale deeply. Three times we will intone the sound of Oṁ, the Nahaṁkāra Mantra, and the Śānti Mantra. Deep inhale. Feel the influence of chanting the mantras. Thank you for these minutes we spent here in quietness. Then slowly and consciously move your fingers, move the joints, move the shoulders, slowly move your head. Rub your palms, place your hands on your face and eyes, then slowly lower the hands. If possible, place the forehead on the floor and stay relaxed in the posture. Completely relax the back muscles, shoulders, and face. Slowly, with the help of your hands, rise up, fold the hands. Hari Om.

This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.

The text contains hyperlinks in bold to three authoritative books on yoga, written by humans, to clarify the context of the lecture:

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