Summary of Traditional Antar (Inner) Yoga Practices

This video lecture is a description of the one-page summary of practices. While watching the video please click on the Resources link at the top right to download the PDF file. Please print out the file so that you can have it in your hand to follow along during the course.

This is a download of the 1-page Summary of Practices. It is put here again, just in case you missed it in the Resources of the previous lecture. Please have fun with this course.

This lecture talks about the boxes/bullets that are on the 1-page summary.

Discussion of the four major parts of the Summary of Practices:

1. Self-observation
2. Internal Dialogue
3. Systematic Meditation
4. Complementary and Evolving Practices

This video lecture introduces you to the 87-Page summary of practices, which can be downloaded by clicking on Resources when watching the video. This article is a thorough expansion on the 1-page summary. You will NOT need to have this printed and in your hand during the course; the 1-page summary will be quite sufficient. However, you may want to go ahead and download it so that you have it whenever you want to refer to it.

Throughout this and other courses, articles, and videos, you will see this ‘circle chart’ symbol used in a variety of ways, a few of which are described here.

This is a reading of a text by Swami Rama. The readings are from a chapter entitled "What is Yoga?" from the book "Lectures on Yoga."

A small collection of important supplemental PDF articles.

We have created a discussion group to complement this Summary of Practices course. However, please don't be tempted to replace the course with the discussion group. We have worked very hard to make the principles and practices clear to you in the lectures of this Udemy course. We truly are happy to be of service to you in helping to further clarify these principles and practices.

The Self-Assessment is truly intended to be an assessment by yourself of yourself. It is your personal exploration of your own current state of life and being. This is a brief video introducing the various articles linked in the next lecture, which is a text article.

No actions or words happen with instructions from the mind. By observing our own movements and comments, including our gestures and body language, we can see more clearly what our own mind is doing to cause these outward movements. We all observe the gestures an body language of others, and draw some inferences of what is going on inside. If it is someone we know well, such as a family member, we can easily see 'when something is going on.' We may not know quite what it is, and may misread it, but we can see it. If we can see it in others, we can definitely practice seeing it in ourselves. As we learn the functioning of our own mind in terms of actions and speech, we can gradually reduce the coloring (klishta) of our deep habit patterns, helping to clear the way to deeper meditation.

Explanations of the process of observing the thinking process within.

This talk describes the outline of the Self-awareness assessment, which is in the attached Resources.

This is an introductory presentation on the process of internal dialogue, and how it relates to prayer, contemplation, self-counseling, and making a friend of the mind.

This talk is about the use of internal dialogue in the process of prayer.

This talk is about the use of internal dialogue in the process of contemplation.

This talk is about the use of internal dialogue in the process of self-counseling.

This talk is about the use of internal dialogue in the process of making a friend of your mind, so that mind can be a useful tool on the inner journey, and not merely an obstacle.

A common question when starting to use internal dialogue is "Who is talking?"

There is an inner wisdom called buddhi, which knows, decides, and discerns or discriminates. This is about utilizing this wise tool.

Ahamkara is ego, meaning the 'I-maker,' which allows us to take on individual identities, which is positive and useful, but which often causes trouble by separating us from the true Self.

We want to cultivate a new false identity which can be called the yogi identity, so that this identity can explore the other identities, and be willing to transcend them all.

"What do I want?" is an important question to explore. Finding our own 'keyword' answer is very useful as a focal point for all practices of meditation and contemplation.

If you don't want to meditate, then don't meditate. Instead, one can practice one or more of the faces of internal dialogue: prayer, contemplation, self-counseling, or befriending your mind.

Introduction to the systematic process of yoga meditation.

A graphic video describing the systematic process of yoga meditation.

A graphic presentation on the universality of the process of yoga meditation.

The most important step of systematic yoga meditation is that of preparation.

In yoga meditation, the stretches or asanas are used to prepare the body for stillness for meditation itself.

After preparation and working with the body, the next step of yoga meditation is relaxation, usually done in shavasana, the corpse posture.

Breath or pranayama practices are a bridge between body and mind, preparing one for meditation itself.

This is a graphic description of diaphragmatic breathing, which is a key to deepening meditation.

This introduces the meditation process itself, after preparation, stretches, relaxation, and breathing practices.

These are guided mp3 recordings of systematic meditation. These are from the widely distributed CD by Swami Jnaneshvara (your Udemy course presenter). Each of the four follow the same systematic process, but are of different lengths. Choose which of the four matches your predisposition and time available right now.

Comments about developing a sitting posture

First in the meditation process itself is body awareness.

Sushumna kriya is practicing as if breathing as if along the spine. This brings the mind inward, where it wants to do nothing other than to be quiet for meditation.

Guidance in using the Sohum mantra, with So on inhalation, and Hum on exhalation.

General comments on all use of mantra, regardless of which mantra is being used.

Introductory comments on these parts of the systematic yoga meditation process.

This fourth part is a collection of complementary and evolving practice, resting on the foundations of self-observation, internal dialogue, and systematic meditation.

This is guidance on a walking meditation, which integrates body, breath, and mind, which helps lead one beyond these three at meditation time itself.

Introduction to yoga nidra, which is conscious deep sleep, and which is very close to the highest samadhi, or the pure consciousness known as turiya (the fourth state beyond waking, dreaming, and deep sleep).

Attached are four MP3 recordings of guided Yoga Nidra practices.

This is a simple counting exercise that, although simple, is very useful.

Outlines some very useful mantras, which are often practiced in our meditation tradition.

A purifying practice involving the seed mantras being remembered with attention in each of the chakras, the energy centers. This takes practice, but is extremely useful.

Describes the most profound Om mantra, and the Mandukya Upanishad, which is a most succinct summary of the Om mantra.

Describes a profound inner method of purifying the mind and its habit patterns.