Abhyasa Ashram

Name: ________________ Date: ______________

Summary of Practices

1. Self-observation in daily life

1.1) Observe the minds functioning through actions and speech, beginning with observation of gestures
and body language.
1.2) Observe the thinking process within, including the interaction of the four functions of mind, the
ten senses, emotions, desires or expectations, and the four primitive fountains.

2. Internal Dialogue
2.1) Use internal dialogue for prayer, contemplation, self-counseling, and friendship with mind.
2.2) Dialogue before meditationif you dont want to meditate, then dialogue.

3. Systematic Meditation in silence

1) 3.1 Preparation
3.1a) Prepare the body physicallybathe or wash your face, hands, and feet.
3.1b) You will feel most comfortable if you empty the bowels and bladder.
3.1c) Have a regular time and place, and a good environment for meditation.
2) 3.2 Stretches (One or the other, or some combination)
3.2a) Simple stretches
3.2b) Joints and glands exercises
3.2c) Hatha postures
3.2d) Sun salutation

3) 3.3 Relaxation
3.3a) Tension/release relaxation
3.3b) Complete relaxation in corpse posture
3.3c) 61-points
3.3d) Sushumna kriya in shavasana (with or without Sohum or Om)

4) 3.4 Breathing
3.4a) Breath awarenessremoval of irregularities
3.4b) Diaphragmatic breathing, even breathing
3.4c) Two-to-one breathing
3.4d Complete breath
3.4e) Agnisara
3.4f) Ujjayi, Brahmari, Kapalabhati, Bhastrika, Nadi Shodhana

5) 3.5 Meditation
3.5a) Sitting (Head, neck, trunk; Friendship, Easy, Auspicious, Accomplished, Lotus, Half Lotus)
3.5b) Meditation on body
3.5c) Sushumna KriyaBreath along the spine (with or without Om, Sohum)
3.5d) Sushumna awakeningbridge of the nostrils
3.5e) Listen to Om mantra, So Hum mantra, or guru mantra
3.5f) Space between breasts or eyebrows
3.5g) Go into the stillness and silence
3.5h) Meditation on Tripura

4. Complementary and Evolving practices

4a) Walking meditation
4b) Yoga nidra
4c) Memory exercise
4d) Mantras (Sohum, Om, Panchakshara, Gayatri, Mahamrityunjaya, Mahavakyas)
4e) Bhuta Shuddhi
4f) Guru chakra
summary-of-practices