What is "Pranayama?"
"Pranayama" is yogic breathing, a great variety of practices. "Prana" refers to a Vital Energy, an Energy not yet often recognized by Western science but which some Eastern thinking believes to be pervasive. "Life-Force" might be one acceptable interpretation.
Thus to think of Pranayama as merely "yogic breathing exercises" is an oversimplification that omits the most important aspects of the practice. With Pranayama you may harness Universal Energy by regulating your breath.
This is of course an extremely important assertion. You can test its validity.
Why Should You Practice Pranayama?
On one level: Pranayama can make you Feel Great: utterly calm and quiet, light yet grounded, and confident and empowered, and it is a wonderful lead-in to Meditation. It opens the body for improved progress in Yoga poses.
This is all nice, yes - but relatively minor.
On a higher level: Pranayama is Life-Transforming. It links you up with the Universe. You trend in the right direction. Things start to knit together, to slot into place more easily. Your day and your life can flow more smoothly. You can become open to becoming more purpose-full.
At first hearing all this can sound incredibly mystical, otherworldly. But Tom Abrehamson's personal experiences are in harmony with those of others, over the centuries.
With Persistent Practice Your life will change for the better. Spontaneously, effortlessly and permanently. You are becoming whole. Becoming what you should be. You are forging an instrument of Will.
The Big Question
Why is "just" working with our breath so hugely spiritual?
Because it Enables us To Connect. To Yoke Up ("Yoga").
How does it do that?
It strips away intervening blockages. It Purifies us. It allows Connection and Flow.
Breath is a Key that Unlocks us.
Your Study Manual
Secrets of Successful Pranayama is not a quick-fix handbook. It is not an executive summary with bullet points. It is not "Yoga-Lite." It is a study manual. It is a reference book you can chew on productively for years.
Pranayama is not about instant gratification. It is not like a pill you pop for an instant fix. It is like a cream that you rub into your skin each day for long-term self-betterment.
The book consists of four helpful sections:
The FIRST section introduces you to Pranayama and to the Guidebook.
The SECOND tells you how to set up your own practice.
The THIRD tells you what to do during your practice.
The FOURTH tells you some benefits to expect.
A Living Teacher or a Guidebook?
There are a myriad of cautions about progressing into Pranayama without being instructed in it by a living teacher. Tom agrees, in large part. More important, to his mind, however, is the question: Why should the wonderful benefits of Pranayama be available only to those fortunate enough to live close enough to an experienced teacher?
The aim of the Guidebook is to make Pranayama accessible to anyone, anywhere. Give someone a Yoga Class, feed their Day. Give someone a Yoga Guidebook, feed their Life.
Everything you need to know to practice beginning Pranayama is set out here.
(And in coming years you will find guidance for Intermediate and Advanced practices in Volumes II and III.)
That said, Tom is firmly convinced, from experience with the students in his classes, workshops and private lessons, that instruction from a living instructor is the very best way to insure you are on the right track.
And, with that in mind, he has tried to make the Guidebook as crystal clear as possible. There is a tremendous amount of gobbledygook out there. Your Teacher should be able to answer with clarity two questions:
What are we doing? and Why are we doing it?
Namaste.
About the Author:
Tom Abrehamson has taught more than 5,000 yoga classes in Silicon Valley and is Yoga Alliance certified as an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher. He has mentored over a dozen apprentice teachers.
Tom has taught at various Silicon Valley corporations and has taught many Silicon Valley CEO's and/or their significant others, groups of Stanford professors, and yoga students from every inhabited continent, including dozens of Indians or Indian-Americans resident in Silicon Valley.
He currently teaches at two of the top yoga studios in the Valley: Yoga of Los Altos and Yoga is Youthfulness in Mountain View, gives private lessons and workshops, and trains teachers how to teach Pranayama.
Tom shares with his students his experiential knowledge of Asana, Pranayama, Mantra, Mudra, Kriya, Yoga Nidra, Meditation and Subtle Energy Work.
A few "Yogamonials" from Tom's website: taa-yoga.com:
Tom's asana and pranayama work have been the most powerful tools I have encountered for deep and sustainable spiritual growth. The effects of what he teaches creep up on you - and before you know it, your life just flows with ease.
L. A.
In Tom's class, I finally "got" what pranayama is all about. He has a gift of sharing his knowledge with his students, and bringing them to that certain "Place."
E. W.
Tom's lessons are mind-bogglingly wonderful - life-changing stuff - and heartily recommended to anyone in the South Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area.
D. B.
I was never able to meditate and enjoy the outcome, until I started to take Tom's classes.
E.C.
I am amazed at Tom's extensive knowledge of yoga asanas and pranayam, both in terms of technique and in terms of the purpose and benefits.
Indu S.
Call me the typical Type-A Silicon Valley multitasking working mom. Breathing? Yeah, not so much for me. Can't even sit still for 5 minutes. That is until I met Tom. Then everything changed. I was amazed that I could be 'present' and mindful, and lose track of time. Tom "keeps it real" without asking us to mentally or spiritually go beyond our comfort zone. He leads you without directing you.
H.
This is what I went to India for but didn't find!
M.A.F.
Best Damn Yoga Instructor I Have Ever Had!
R.H., after taking his first yoga class ever.
