Original subtitles

Welcome to day 8 of this enjoyable journey

of breathwork and meditation.

Architects say that if you want to build

a building that should last a long time

then make sure that its foundation is strong.

The pillars and structure of the building should

be firm and should be able to withstand

any external attacks.

This is the same with our body and

mind.

Have you experienced when you're feeling good, your

body feels lighter and the energy is uplifted?

But when you're feeling low, you don't feel

like doing anything and there seems to be

no energy for any task.

We cannot leave the strings of our immunity

to these wavering emotions.

It is important that we strengthen ourselves internally

and the breath can help us do this

easily.

The breathing exercises we are learning every day

bring in fresh oxygen, they flush out the

toxins and they strengthen our body.

On the subtle level, these exercises declutter our

mind and reduce thoughts of anxiety and strengthen

our spirit so that we don't give in

to the fear.

With a prayer for the whole planet, let's

start with today's exercise and protocol.

Let's start with Bhastrika today.

Let's sit nice and tall, shoulders back and

down and get into the starting position.

Remember, as we pull the hands down, the

slight jerk empties all the air out of

the lungs and we extend our arms up,

open the palms, open the ribcage, open the

lungs, breathe in fully and pull the hands

down.

Let's begin.

Eyes closed, transition breath in and empty the

lungs along with the arms, breathe in, out,

up, down, in, out, up, down and

relax.

Palms on the laps, open upwards, a gentle

long breath, feel the energy in the whole

body.

Second round, hands in position, take a deep

breath in and empty the lungs, together breathe

in, out, in, out, in, out and

relax.

Feel the warmth and the buzz, the vibrations

in the whole body.

Last round, hands in position, breathe in and

exhale.

Breathe in, out, in, out, in, out and

relax.

Be with the breath and feel the effect

of the Bhastrika Pranayam on the body and

the mind.

As we breathe through either of the nostrils

in the Nadi Shodhan Pranayam, alternately and subtly

it heats up the body and it cools

it.

That creates a deeply relaxing effect on the

nerves and the muscles and cleanses the Nadis,

the pathways of Prana.

Let's start by keeping the left hand in

Chin Mudra and placing the right hand correctly.

Let's breathe out from the left nostril, breathe

in through the same, hold and breathe out

through the other, the right nostril, hold.

Breathe in through the same, hold and breathe

out through the other, the left nostril.

And let's continue as slow as we can.

The right nostril activates the Surya Nadi, the

Sun Nadi and the left nostril activates the

Chandra Nadi, the Moon Nadi.

So one will subtly heat up the system

and the other will cool it down.

Together it has a deeply balancing effect and

a cleansing effect on the entire system.

Let's make sure the body is not stiff

anywhere.

It's soft, relaxed and the

mind is joyfully with the breath and in

between the eyebrows.

If any of the nostrils is slightly blocked,

you can breathe with a slight force there.

Let's complete the Pranam by breathing out through

the right nostril.

Let's place the palms on the laps, open

upwards.

Notice how the mind feels meditative and the

whole body feels cleansed and refreshed.

You may gently open your eyes.

Have you noticed how attending to that invisible

and subtle Prana, Prana Shakti, life force energy,

we feel so strong and unshakable from within.

Being strong internally affects us at an emotional

level as well.

Weakness in the mind makes us dependent on

things, people and situations.

Strength is our ability to handle the change

we hadn't expected.

These breathing exercises and meditations strengthen us so

that opposing situations do not shake us away

from our goal.

Let's begin with Kapalbhati by placing our palms

downwards, sitting nice and tall with the eyes

closed.

Sharply we breathe out from the nose, pulling

the navel back to the spine and then

letting go for the lungs to fill up

by themselves.

Let's begin.

Relax.

You may turn the palms over.

With gentle deep breaths, feel the difference.

Second round.

Palms down.

Let's begin.

And relax.

Be with the Prana, the flow of energy

and notice it makes you feel solid and

unshakable.

Last round.

Palms down.

Let's begin.

Relax.

Palms open to the sky.

With gentle deep breaths, feel the energy and

the strength within.

With the eyes closed, we will do the

candle blowing technique.

Breathe in.

Fill up the lungs a little more and

some more.

Expand the rib cage from all sides and

blow out through the mouth, pursed lips.

Empty the lungs, squeeze the stomach and the

chest.

Breathe in and some more.

Long exhalation.

Once again and relax.

Instant calming down the whole nervous system.

And let's do the Brahmari Pranayam.

Humming bee.

Placing the fingers on the face, keeping the

thumb free to open and close the flap

of the ears as we make the high

pitched humming sound.

Five times.

Breathe in.

Humming bee.

Notice how the Brahmari silences the thoughts, mind

and energizes all the cells of the body.

You may gently open your eyes.

Being internally strong makes us have faith in

ourselves.

To get rid of this atmosphere of fear

and anxiety within and around us, we need

to have faith in three things.

First, in our own ability.

Ability of the body to heal itself.

Ability of our mind to rise to the

occasion.

The second is the faith in the goodness

of others.

If we are in trouble or if we

need anything, people around us reach out.

They will help us.

And this we are seeing happening around us.

And the third is the faith in a

higher power, in an invisible Shakti.

You can call it God or Guru or

nature or the universe.

Know that we are being taken care of.

In the Indian tradition, all the deities, one

of their hands will be like this.

It means be fearless.

Abhayastra.

And being fearless comes through having this faith.

So let's sit back and enjoy today's meditation

with Gurudev.

Let's sit back with a smile, relax and

enjoy the meditation with Gurudev Shri Shri Ravi

Shankar.

Today we are going to do something new.

Meditation with a difference.

You know, knowledge comes in opposites.

We are going to do something in which

we are going to create some effort and

then experience the effortlessness.

For example, I will give you one simple

example.

I want to say Ka and I am

trying to say Ka.

I am going to say Ka but I

am not really going to say Ka.

I am trying to say Ka.

There is an effort to say but it

is not going to happen.

Similarly, I am just making an effort to

get up but I am not going to

get up.

But there is intention in me.

I want to get up.

Many times we have intentions in our mind

and it doesn't come into action.

It doesn't translate into action.

These are the times that mind experiences a

sort of dichotomy, a sort of confusion.

And if we go deep into this state

of confusion, you find thoughtlessness where the mind

drops into its own source.

Meditation starts happening.

Don't think it is only the intelligent people

who can meditate.

Even the confused, the fools can also meditate

because meditation is the basis of our very

existence.

However you are existing, happy, unhappy, confused, clear,

in all situations you can transcend, you can

reach into the very source that you are.

Now, let us sit with our spine erect

and close our eyes and we are going

to try to say any letter but don't

say it.

Maybe A or Ka.

You are just trying to say but you

are not going to say the letter.

And notice the sensation it is creating.

You are wanting to say something and you

are not saying it.

Take a deep breath in and let go.

Now you may tighten your fist and tighten

your whole body.

Keep it tense, more tense.

You have to let go.

Now you let go.

In the contrast of the tension you can

value the relaxation.

Notice that knowledge comes in contrast.

Become aware of your whole body this moment

and once again tense your body and

let go.

Similarly breathe in, hold the breath and let

go.

Now mentally think of saying A or Ka

or any other letter.

Let us keep it A or Ka and

don't say it but you are trying to

say it.

Notice that very trying effort and let go.

Once again try to say another letter and

let go.

Now have an intention to get up.

Get up from the seat.

Notice what is happening.

That intention I want to get up now

from my seat.

All the energy moves upward defying the gravitational

force.

But don't get up.

Just have the intention to get up any

moment.

Be prepared to get up.

The preparedness to get up any moment you

are going to get up.

And let go of that intention.

You are not going to get up.

Once again do this exercise of wanting to

get up.

Energy is moving upward from your hips up.

You are wanting to get up.

Body is becoming lighter.

That intention to get up pushing your energy,

the body upward.

Take your attention to

the intentions

this moment.

Let go of all your intentions this moment.

You may see a wave of relaxation dawning

in your body and mind.

It may appear little strange, feel little strange

but never mind.

Be with it.

The I which is a consolidated consciousness is

now dissipating in all directions.

The doer, that I in you is dissipating,

moving in all directions.

Let go of all your efforts.

Like the invisible water vapor in the atmosphere,

our mind is dissipating in all directions.

Whatever discomfort you might be experiencing in any

part of the body just let it be.

This universal consciousness or mind can dissolve, digest

any tension anywhere in its domain.

Let it take care of it.

Anywhere in the body you find concentrated attention

just let it dissipate, let go of it.

Anywhere you find sensation or tension accumulating just

let it be and let it dissipate.

Dissipate all the awareness and knowledge.

Somebody seeing or knowing or experiencing things within

you, let that one also dissipate.

The mind which is trying to know, understand

or experience, let that mind dissipate.

Let that mind expand, dissolve and vanish.

Even this effort we do not do, let

go of even that effort.

Let go, simply let go.

Let go of the effort to dissipate.

At this point even knowledge is tension.

Let it be and let it dissolve.

Even if there is some tension, just let

it be.

Do not try to get rid of that.

Just let it be.

Consciousness like an ocean, it can dissolve, dissipate

any tension.

Just be.

Thoughts come, let them come.

Any sensation that arises, just let it be.

Just everything be.

Become aware

of your body and surroundings.

With a big smile you may breathe in

and breathe out.

If you want to continue for few more

minutes, 5-7 minutes, you may do so.

Feel like lying down, stretching your legs, you

may do so.