As a swimmer all my life, I had long realized—with delight—that swimming is an excellent way to practice
pranayama, because the breath is necessarily regular, controlled, and rhythmic. I had not, however, associated
pranayama with the recitation of
Shri Guru Gita—until today’s study session on the breath.
The clear instructions on when to inhale before reciting each half verse of
Shri Guru Gita, combined with the opportunity to practice this repeatedly with the same verse, were immensely helpful. When we then recited verses 94 to 122, I discovered—somewhat to my surprise—a way to regulate my breath during each line so that I could maintain a comfortable, regular pattern of
pranayama throughout the recitation, with plenty of air available when it was my turn to recite.
Learning how to breathe both consciously and comfortably in reciting
Shri Guru Gita was an invaluable discovery! As a result, my experience was that all the elements in
svadhyaya reinforced each other and definitely added up to more than just the sum of its parts!
Illinois, United States
Svadhyaya Study Session V, with emphasis on the breath, took me back to a summer in Shree Muktananda Ashram many years ago, when I participated in a course on
Shri Guru Gita. As I practiced synchronizing my breath with the sacred verses, the syllables of the text flowed out of me naturally, creating a sweet harmonious sound.
Some months later, during a hike up a mountain, I made it to the top of a trail easily, without being out of breath! I realized that my lung capacity had expanded, and I recognized that it was my daily recitation of
Shri Guru Gita that was responsible for this wonderful improvement.
California, United States
Breathing consciously as I recited the verses of
Shri Guru Gita, I felt as though I were a fireplace. My body was the fire pit, my emotions and thoughts the wood burning in the fire. With each in-breath, the flames blazed higher. I was experiencing a fire ritual taking place inside me, purifying old impressions. It was absolutely fascinating to experience how much energy can be generated when reciting this sacred text!
Unterlangenegg, Switzerland
I am so grateful to be learning so much about the fundamental aspects of svadhyaya on the Siddha Yoga path. As I develop depth and clarity of understanding of elements like one-pointedness, breath, pronunciation, and posture, I am already reaping rich fruit. My learning has transformed my engagement with the practice of svadhyaya, making it a lot more vibrant and rasa-purna (filled with rasa).
I am also grateful for learning about the philosophical teachings from the scriptures on various aspects of svadhyaya. I feel enormously enriched by these detailed presentations.
As I discern the enormity of what Baba ji and Gurumayi ji have created for us in the form of the Siddha Yoga practices, I feel profound gratitude and an abiding sense of awe.
a Gurukula student in Gurudev Siddha Peeth