Breathe Deep

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2018 EDITION – WWWW.YOGAWITHVED.COM

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome letter 4
Get to know Ved 5
What is energy awareness? 6
The next step in yoga 7
Become more conscious through breathing practice 7
Breathing is the bridge 8
Prana operates our mind and emotions 9
What is the subtle breath? 9
The practice of subtle energy management in yoga 10
The experience of moving energy 10
Managing the energy affects the physical, emotional, and mental 11
Developing the subtle breath — A step-by-step approach 13
Step 1: Crocodile pose 13
Step 2: Yogic 3-part breath 14
Step 3: Ujjayi breath 15
Step 4: Practical meditation 16
Step 5: Disciplined practice 18
Appreciating our experience 19
Energy awareness on every level 20
Embrace the possibilities 21
Where do we go from here? 22
Explore the philosophy and practice of Yoga 23
Yoga with Ved – Video Lectures 24
Acknowledgements 26

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WELCOME TO YOGA WITH VED

It is a great joy for me to share with you the 2018 edition of Breathe Deep — a guide to becoming
energy aware through yogic breathing practices.

This guide is an outline of the introductory practices that I share with those who want to go deeper
into their yoga practice and understand themselves. With it you hold the possibility of becoming
more energy aware and discovering a deeper part of yourself.

You will be introduced to the truth about breathing in yoga and its connection to your inner subtle
energy. All of the ideas and practices presented in this guide are a part of the principles of yoga. I
have systemized it in such a way that it is accessible for any person, of any fitness level, to
experience the possibility of energy awareness.

All that I have shared here is a start to becoming energy aware and learning to manage your life
through the conscious practice of Yoga. It is a step-by-step process that can help you to experience
the energy within. I hope that with this guide you will be inspired to seek greater depth in your
practice of yoga and in your life.

I am certain that with some discipline and determination, the simple practice that I have outlined in
this guide can help you to become more energy aware. I look forward to connecting with you and
sharing our experience of this new dimension of life!

With all my confidence,

Ved Valmiki

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GET TO KNOW VED

I have been involved with yoga since I was

Ved presenting at Yoga Day 2016
five years old. My mother introduced my sister
and me to the practice as children. When I
attended university in the United States I also
carried my interest in yoga there. I completed a
degree in psychology and pursued an honours
research project investigating the effect of yoga
on the mind.

After returning home I spent time with my mother during her twilight years. When she passed, I
stayed at the Blue Star Ashram Trinidad and Tobago, learning yoga full-time. It was a tremendous
experience to commit to the practice of yoga completely and to concretize all that I had been
learning through my life from this organization. During this time, I developed my practice and
began to teach.

For a few years, I had just one or two classes that I kept consistently and that helped me to become
a better yoga teacher. In 2015 I visited India on a pilgrimage. This was a profound journey for me
in connecting with the spiritual roots of yoga. Since returning I decided to begin teaching more
classes and supporting others.

At the start of 2016 I began taking on many more classes and guiding those who are interested in the
practice of yoga. I continue to be inspired and motivated to demonstrate the power of yoga in
exploring energy awareness and supporting a balanced way of life.

Ved at Blue Star Trinidad and Tobago

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WHAT IS ENERGY AWARENESS?

The Science of Yoga describes that there are many layers, or levels of being. The one that we are
most familiar with is the physical dimension of life. That is the experience of our physical bodies. But
this is only one level or dimension of our being. We are so much more than just physical.

The next layer, past the physical, is the dimension of subtle energy. Yoga teaches us that we have
an entire subtle energy body that is beyond this physical body that we carry. Even more importantly,
yoga teaches us that the subtle energy body is closer to our true nature. Many of the practices of
yoga are trying to help us become aware of this subtle energy dimension and body.

In this guide, I have presented my intuitive approach to yoga that is founded on the understanding
and management of this subtle energy body. I have been feeling and experiencing this subtle energy
body for much of my life in different degrees. I was trying to understand this experience that kept
me close to yoga, because yoga offered me concrete explanations of my experiences.

The deeper I go into the practice of yoga, the better my understanding and the clearer my
experience is of this subtle energy dimension. Working on that level has empowered me to manage
myself and my life with a different consciousness.

I have come to appreciate that a huge part of the practice of yoga is to help us to be aware of this
energy dimension and to begin managing our subtle energy bodies. I began to talk about these
experiences with others, and realized that many people who were practicing yoga also had them.

From that I felt inspired to support them and practice with them. It was during this time that I
received feedback from the yogis who I worked with that my support to them was invaluable to their
growth and that I seemed to have a skill in teaching this perspective of yoga.

It was from then that I began to share and facilitate the practice of yoga, guiding others to
experience and manage their subtle energy.

Ved at Community Yoga in the Park

2016

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THE NEXT STEP IN YOGA

BECOME MORE CONSCIOUS THROUGH BREATHING PRACTICE.

Breathing is fundamental to our lives. We do it every minute of every day. I like to say that when we
have finished breathing our time on this earth has come to an end. For many of us, the idea of
having to practice breathing may seem strange. But because it is such an integral part of life it is
important for us to work on it and develop better breathing habits.

Yoga begins working on our life in a very direct way. All of the parts that make up who we are must
be examined. This is the process of becoming more conscious. Right now, there are physical
areas in your body that you cannot feel or experience. These parts are operating unconsciously. It is
the same for our emotions and for our mind. There is so much within us that we can become
conscious of and start integrating in a meaningful way.

We remedy that by learning to become conscious. The first step is with the breathing process. It
is such a basic part of our lives, yet we are performing it unconsciously. By practising our breathing
and working with it meaningfully, we are actually practising becoming more aware and more
conscious.

There are many situations where simply breathing better would transform our
experience, for example when we feel we are lacking in vitality or feel anxious. But
we tend to operate in a very conditioned and unconscious way. As we become
more breath-aware, we will begin to notice that many times during the day we
actually are holding our breath, or breathing in a very shallow way.

Whenever we catch ourselves not using the full capacity of our lungs we should make an effort to
return to deep breathing. The benefits of this cannot be stressed enough. Learning to breathe
consciously is reprogramming us to be more in tune with the flow of life and is leading us to a
deeper awareness of our being.

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BREATHING IS THE BRIDGE. THROUGH IT WE EXPERIENCE ENERGY AWARENESS.

There is another, deeper reason for practising breathing. When we breathe we are moving a
subtle force. It is that subtle force that is the primary, it moves first and then we breathe. That
subtle force is what is described in yoga as PRANA . The Sanskrit word PRANA means ‘energy’ or ‘life
force.’ This is not the most precise definition, but it will do to begin with.

Prana is that subtle force that is beyond the physical.

It is energy that is everywhere in many different forms, even within us. Yoga describes prana as the
real inspiration behind life. It is prana that powers up this physical body, fuels our emotions, and
moves in the mind. Prana is the subtle force that moves the breath. It is the impulse for breathing.

This means that each breath that you take is actually moving air as well as energy. As the energy
moves it powers up the body and orchestrates the breathing in the body. Our breathing is intimately
tied to prana. When we become more conscious of our breathing, we become more aware of this
subtle force.

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PRANA OPERATES OUR MIND AND EMOTIONS

THIS PRANA OR ENERGY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS WITHIN US . It is the fuel
of our being and even more than that. When we breathe, we take in prana from the environment;
when we eat, we absorb the prana from the food; when we drink, we get prana from the fluids, and
we even absorb prana from the sun.

Our bodies run on prana on the subtle level. It is not only about the physical experience of food,
water, and air. There is this subtle dimension that is behind all of it, driving what happens on the
physical.

Each emotion that we have and each thought is motivated by prana. It is prana that operates the
senses allowing us to see, hear, touch, and taste. Our blood moves by prana, our heart beats by
prana, our food digests by prana!

All of this can be experienced when we develop our subtle energy awareness.

If we are caught only in the physical, then that will be our total experience. But the moment we start
to look deeper and open up to the possibilities, another experience shows itself. It all comes down to
developing our awareness so that we can go to that deeper subtle level.

WHAT IS THE SUBTLE BREATH?

By working with our breathing process, we can become aware of the movement of prana within us.
With practice, we learn how to manage and move the prana as easily as we can breathe in and out.

The subtle breath is when we are conscious of our breathing and how it is tied to the prana. And
even more precisely, it is when we are conscious of moving the prana as the primary and the
physical breath as the secondary. Subtle breath is simply being in charge of the movement of
prana. How we manage that process and whatever we experience because of that movement of
energy is part of the practice of yoga.

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THE PRACTICE OF SUBTLE ENERGY MANAGEMENT IN YOGA

Learning to breathe better is fundamental to the practice of yoga. In every yoga class that you could
ever possibly go to across the globe, breathing is important. But it is important not because of the
breathing itself, but because it is a way for us to become conscious of the prana. As we breathe, we
open up the possibility of discovering the subtle dimension of energy.

The practice of breathing and learning to control energy is called PRANAYAMA in the ancient texts.
We already know that the Sanskrit word ‘PRANA’ means energy or life force. ‘AYAMA’ means
specifically “to lengthen,” but we can also interpret it more deeply to mean “to control, to manage,
to expand.”

On one level the word pranayama means to lengthen and to control the movement of prana. As we
explore it even more deeply, we will see that it is also the expansion of our awareness of this
movement of energy. Pranayama is a practice that helps us to become more conscious of the
movement of energy with the breath.

This is actually not unique to yoga. The idea of life force and controlling it through
the breathing process and movement is also present in the Chinese tradition. In
traditional Kung-Fu, the life force or energy is called chi. The practice of developing
and managing chi is called Chi-gong or Chi-kung. If we look carefully, this
understanding of the energy being connected with the breath is prevalent in many
ancient traditions.

THE EXPERIENCE OF MOVING ENERGY

For many, pranayama will remain a physical practice until the awareness opens up. Unless we
embrace the possibility that there is a whole other dimension to life and begin actively searching for
it, we remain blinded by our physical experience.

The experience of energy is a soft, and subtle one. When we hear the word ‘energy’ we begin to
have all kinds of fantastic ideas of fireworks, lights, shocking and dramatic experiences. But the
experience of prana flowing is beyond the physical experience. It has its own quality. Sometimes it
can have a physical manifestation accompanying it, but most times it is simply an awareness that
there is a movement or a flow that is not physical.

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Personally, it was a huge discovery for me to observe the movement of energy. I would
describe it as being softer than the wind through the trees, gentler than the morning sun warming
the skin, and quieter than soft waves on the shore. There can be some dramatic moments, but for
the most part it is a graceful and delicate experience.

MANAGING THE ENERGY AFFECTS THE PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND EMOTIONAL

Our breathing can not only influence

our physical organs as shown here –
but also our being that is beyond the
physical.

When we learn to manage the prana or the energy, we are learning about the fundamental forces in
our life. This is the building block of every function and power that we possess. By controlling the
prana, we gain greater mastery over every level of being. We can manage our physical,
emotional, and mental areas in a completely different way.

It is an entirely new perspective of our own lives. Have you ever been driving in a new car and
you don’t know what all the buttons, knobs, and dials on the dashboard do? You have to figure it
out, right? And when you do figure out how to use all of them, the experience of driving is much
more pleasant.

Learning to control the energy is just like that experience. It is like suddenly learning about all the
“buttons and switches” that you have to control your body, emotions, and mind.

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When we can operate them from a different space, then the experience of life becomes
much more masterful.
As my own energy awareness and management becomes more refined I feel myself having greater
command over my body, heart, and mind. It is as though I am learning to direct and operate each
level of my being in a purposeful way that I could not imagine before. This is what the practice of
yoga can do for us.

Join with me as we develop our breathing and our subtle energy awareness.

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DEVELOPING THE SUBTLE BREATH - A STEP BY STEP APPROACH

All of these steps support the development of energy awareness through cultivating our breathing
process and deeper awareness. I have laid out these four steps in a linear fashion, but they do not
work only in that way. Each of these exercises individually can lead you to experience energy
awareness.
These different yogic practices work in a holistic way. Each step is in support of the previous and to
the next, and to every other step in cultivating energy awareness. As we work with these practices it
will also improve our physical health, our concentration, and our emotional management on many
levels.

This is because, in reality, we are managing our subtle energy, as I have said earlier in this guide.
Our goal with these practices is to manage the energy meaningfully, even though we may not yet
feel it. As we go deeper into the practice, our awareness becomes clearer and ever subtler.
After a certain threshold, experiencing our own inner energy is inevitable.
This is the guarantee of yoga and of the Universal principles. As long as we are diligent and work in a
focused way towards a goal, the Universe will support us and the result is assured.

STEP 1: LEARN TO RELEASE TENSION, DEVELOP BETTER BREATH AWARENESS, AND

TUNE INTO OUR EXPERIENCE. CROCODILE POSE.

The first posture that we will practice is called MAKARASANA , or crocodile pose. We use crocodile
pose to develop our awareness of the diaphragm. By using this pose we can feel the movement of
the diaphragm with each breath that we take. The diaphragm is a large dome-shaped muscle at
the base of the lungs that separate the lungs from the abdominal cavity.

On the inhale, the diaphragm moves down in the body, and we feel a gentle lift. On the exhale, the
diaphragm moves up into the chest cavity and we feel a relaxation down into the ground.

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During the crocodile pose we have the opportunity to relax the body. The weight is resting on the
ground and if the shoulders are positioned well, there is no extra tension built up there. As we relax
the body we become more sensitive.

Becoming more sensitive is another way of saying that we are becoming more conscious of
the body and what is happening within. The correct positioning of makarasana – in terms of
the feet, legs, spine, shoulders and arms must be discovered by the one practicing. As we
feel more deeply in the posture we will be guided from within how to re-adjust to be more
aligned.

When stay with the process in crocodile pose we feel and experience more of ourselves. Tuning
in with the movement of the breath and the gentle movement of the diaphragm allows us to
practice becoming more conscious.

STEP 2: STRENGTHEN THE BREATHING APPARATUS, INCREASE THE CAPACITY, AND

ENLIVEN THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. YOGIC 3-PART BREATH

After we have lessened the tension from the body we become a bit more aware. As we relax, the
sensitivity in the body increases. Now we begin to feel and experience more as we breathe. The
next step is to strengthen the system. In order to become energy aware, the bodily systems must
become stronger.

We use the Yogic 3-part breath to do this. The 3-part breath invites us to explore the full capacity of
the lungs and even to stretch the lungs to accommodate more. As we practice the 3-part breath the
brain power becomes sharper and clearer due to the increased concentration of oxygen.

This in turn affects the entire nervous system. All of it is strengthened and we become more
sensitive to entire nervous system. When that happens, we become better able to notice the
detailed and delicate shifts that happen within our experience. As the nervous system becomes
stronger, we now have a greater capacity to be more conscious within the body.

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To practice the 3-part breath:

1. Breathe out completely. Really push to empty the lungs. We always want to empty before
we fill.
2. Focus on filling the lowest part of the lungs first. Feel the diaphragm move down into the
torso as you inhale.
3. Next, we stretch the ribcage open laterally. It opens out to the sides, almost like wings.
4. Finally, we fill the upper portion of the lungs, lifting the chest, shoulders, and clavicles.
5. When we exhale, start from the diaphragm go up to squeeze and push the air out. Control
the exhale – allowing it to be smooth, steady, and relaxed.
6. Repeat from 1. Go slowly and consciously to begin with. But develop a rhythm and feel the
power of the lungs increasing as you practice.

STEP 3: RELEASE DISTRACTIONS, BEGIN FOCUSING THE MIND, GIVE ATTENTION TO

SUBTLER EXPERIENCES. UJJAYI BREATH

After diligent practice in the earlier 2 steps the breathing apparatus, the body, and the nervous
system becomes much healthier and stronger. We also develop the skill of being aware of ourselves.
As we focus on our breathing, we learn to be more conscious of our experience. Now we begin
working with the mind.

The mind and prana (energy) are intimately connected. It is said that so long as the mind moves
the prana will follow. The next practice will train us to observe the connection between the mind
and the physical breath.

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That practice is called UJJAYI, which means victorious. The one who practices this type of breathing
is victorious in his endeavours to master himself and become more conscious. I have also seen it
described as the ocean-sounding breath by many yoga teachers — for reasons that will become clear
in a moment.

To do ujjayi follow these steps:

1. Become breath aware, carefully observing each inhale and exhale.

2. Experience the feeling and sound of your breath as it moves.
3. Open the mouth and exhale through the mouth, but trying to push the air from the back of
the throat.
4. It makes a very soft, airy, hhhhhhhhaaaa, sound.
5. Close the mouth and immediately, gently breathe in. You should hear the sound of the air
moving in the back of the throat, inside the head.
6. If you can maintain that sound inside the head as you inhale and exhale, this is ujjayi.

Breathe deeply in and out, observing the movement of the diaphragm and listening to the sound of
the ujjayi breath. You will experience that distractions do not enter if you keep your focus on
your breathing. When there are no distractions and the attention is on the breathing, the mind is
connected to the body in a very intimate way.
This paves the way for a deeper and more focused awareness.

STEP 4: PRACTICAL MEDITATION — FOCUS THE MIND TO OBSERVE THE SUBTLE

PHYSICAL EXPERIENCES IN THE BODY, SHIFT DEEPER AND OBSERVE THE SUBTLE
MOVEMENT BEYOND THE BODY.

As our awareness becomes deeper we eventually realize that it is really a relationship between the
mind and the prana, the physical breath seems almost coincidental. We can only realize the
connection between the mind and energy experientially.

Once you have had the experience I do not believe it can be forgotten. The awareness of this energy
moving, as it moves with the breath, and feeling the connection with the mind, is unforgettable in
many ways. However, it is a very subtle experience.

The final step to aid us in shifting to energy awareness is to enter into meditation. Do not be
intimidated by the word. You have already been flirting with meditation simply by focusing on the
breath. It will happen quite naturally as you open up to the possibility of energy awareness. It is
diving deep into our own consciousness, our own being.

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Read these guidelines, then try to follow them through to dive deeper within your own
being. The first time may be challenging if you forget the process. But after two or three tries you
will experience some sort of shift.

1. Ensure that the environment is quiet. It is not always necessary, but reducing or even
eliminating distractions is a wise idea.
2. Sit comfortably, either on a chair or on the ground. The spine should be upright (no
slouching!). The head, neck, and torso are aligned.
3. Rest the hands in a relaxed way on your lap, apart or together. Relax the shoulders and the
face. Eyes closed.
4. Begin practising ujjayi breath. Listen to that ocean-sounding-breath on the inside.
5. Stay with this breathing till you feel quiet. The mind may not be cooperative at first, but if
you stay committed eventually you will feel it slowing down.
6. Observe the up and down movement of your diaphragm, even as you listen to the breath.
7. Tune in to your back, and to your spine. As you breathe in feel that the spine stretches. As
you breathe out feel that it gently relaxes down.
8. Continue with this experience for as long as you like.
9. Feel that there is something, not quite physical. It is almost liquid-like, moving up and down
with each breath. Your attention will be drawn to it, whichever part of the spine/back that it
is taking place in.
10. With each breath extend this liquid-like, subtle movement up and down, until you are
moving through the length of the spine.
11. Stay with this as long as you like. When you are ready, gently release the practice. Take a
moment to reconnect to physical. Take a minute to really come back. Then move on as you
need to.

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This experience of the liquid-like feeling is the movement of prana or energy. You will observe that
the breath becomes very soft, almost non-physical. It is gentle and relaxed breath. Experiencing
the movement of your breath even as you feel the movement of the energy is called the
subtle breath.

Congratulations! If you felt the soft, subtle movement with the breath, then most likely this is an
experience of the subtle energy. This is just the beginning of the practice, but you have opened up
the consciousness to observe beyond the physical.

STEP 5: DISCIPLINED PRACTICE — CULTIVATE ENERGY AWARENESS EVERY DAY

It is beautiful to be able to experience energy awareness and all that it brings. It is an entirely
different endeavour to pursue LIVING in energy awareness. For me, it is not enough to have passing
experiences. Now that I know through direct realization that there is an energy side of life, I want to
live there!

This is also in line with the teachings of my own master, Sri Vasudeva (of Blue-Star, mentioned
earlier). He advocates the expansion of consciousness leading to experiences of our true nature and
learning to live in energy awareness. Pursuing this path has brought tremendous transformation
within me, and I am very grateful to have a master such as him.

You can experience the same inner discoveries — but only through discipline and practice. Energy
mastery is a life-long endeavour. We are at the tip of the iceberg but poised to explore the final
frontier. Work towards cultivating your energy awareness every day through these practices and by
remaining open to the possibilities.

These are some simple suggestions for practice and guidelines for living to help you become
more energy sensitive:
1. Practice the breathing exercises every day. In yoga this is seen as the main tool to
becoming energy aware. It is safe to practice crocodile pose as much as you like. But you
must remain conscious and alert. Do not practice it to the point of falling asleep.
2. The yogic complete breath can be practiced every day — but we must feel the limits of
our body. You will naturally feel how much can be undergone and you should not try to
push your system unnecessarily. The lung strength and capacity must be increased
slowly.

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3. Certain foods and substances affect our awareness. Certainly, alcohol, which is a
depressant on the nervous system, brings down the sensitivity, not only temporarily, but
it affects the body over a much longer period of time than we think.
4. We can encourage sensitivity and strength in our system by eating well, drinking the
appropriate amount of water, getting fresh air and sunlight. All of these are actually
sources of energy or prana — and that helps us with our expansion of consciousness.
5. Of course, exercising regularly and practicing forms such as Hatha Yoga and chi-kung
dramatically increases our energy awareness over time.

APPRECIATING OUR EXPERIENCES

Every experience that comes to us as we work on ourselves is valuable. In each moment, we

learn and grow. Some of us might experience the movement of energy just from the guidance that is
given in this manual. But most of us may not have observed any difference in ourselves even though
we have followed the instructions closely.

This can be discouraging and it very natural to feel that way. But it is important for us to realize that
the journey of energy awareness and energy management is a process.

There is the potential living in each of us to become energy aware. It is latent in us, asleep, like a
seed waiting to sprout. All of the work that we do in yoga and in our lives is about setting the right
conditions for that potential to grow. Think about that for a moment, and appreciate what it means
for you.

Although we might have a deep desire to be energy aware, we have to go through the process in
order for it to blossom. Even though the soil, the sun, the rain, may all be in the right place — the
seed will still sprout in its own time. The seedling will always grow at its own pace. When the
conditions are good, the growth is sped up and it can be exciting to see the changes.

That is why we can work diligently towards setting the right conditions so that there can be growth
within us. We only have the power to create positive conditions for us to become more aware.
Then we must stay with that discipline, nurture ourselves, and in the right time the flower of energy
awareness will bloom.

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ENERGY AWARENESS ON EVERY LEVEL

When we go deeper into energy awareness we gain greater SELF-MASTERY. This means that we
learn to control the fundamental forces that are at work in our lives. Through energy awareness
and management we can transform every level of being: physical, emotional, mental, and even
deeper than that. There are different dimensions of energy within us, and becoming energy aware is
just the beginning.

Once we become energy aware we now have greater possibilities for managing every area of our
life. These are some of the experiences that we can observe on a personal level.

The physical changes are very obvious. The body will become stronger, more flexible, and healthier
in many ways. When we work with the vital energy that supports the physical body we can maintain
the wellness of the body. We can also push the physical possibilities of the body.

In my younger years, I was not a very physical person. I did not play sports, nor did I exercise to any
great length. My coordination and body-sense was, I believe, below average. But as I began to work
with my body and become more energy aware, my physical capacity was transformed. My
strength, flexibility, and coordination continue to grow as I stay with my practice.

But on the energy level, my ability to manage my body far outstrips the average person who has not
explored energy awareness. I am aware of my different organs and how efficiently they are
functioning. This means that I am conscious of the influence of anything that I take into the body,
and of the influence of the environment on the system. I can tune into my joints, muscles, and
nerves to energize them from a different space. And I can actually feel the difference as I do that!

We can become more balanced on the emotional level as we explore the connection between
our emotions and subtle energy. We can observe emotions from a different space and transform
them at will. There is a growing sense of emotional balance.

For me this has been the greatest advantage. I am a very emotional person. And I mean that, not
in a negative way, but in that I have always been emotionally sensitive throughout my life. Learning
to manage my emotional energy and transform my emotions at will has been a huge relief. Now I
feel as though I am free to feel what I want to feel, with the full confidence that if it is a heavy
emotion, then I can transform it into a more positive one.

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Mentally we develop greater focus and efficiency. This is very hard to measure and to quantify, but
the experience of it is very drastic. For me personally, managing my mental energies has been a
huge boon. I feel like I can completely focus without distraction at will, allowing me to be more
productive and in tune with any situation I am in. I also feel that I can relax or activate the mind
when it is necessary — so I can rest the mental power and apply it whenever I want.

EMBRACE THE POSSIBILITIES

I share all of this from my experience not in a way of wanting to impress, but just so that we can
begin to appreciate what energy awareness offers us. When we are caught up only on the
physical level of living, then we are limited to solutions that are physical. That is why we have a
thriving drug industry. The use of drugs for healing and self-management is a very physical solution.

But it is not the only solution. When we become energy aware we suddenly have many more
possibilities for managing ourselves and our lives. On the energy level we can transform every part
of our being towards what we want.

For me that is very exciting. It means that whatever is in my life I can work on it in a positive
way. Whatever is within my life — whether it is my health, my relationships, my thinking — all of it
can be managed from a space of energy awareness. I have seen it in my life and I have seen it for
others as well.

When we become more energy aware,

the way we live is completely transformed.

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WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

Subtle energy awareness and management is a lifelong skill. It only becomes sharper and more
refined as you stay with the practice of yoga. If you are like me, then continue to stay with the
discipline of working on yourself and developing your awareness in your life. Then you become a
positive force of transformation in this world. Not because you can change the world, but
because you can manage your own self.

When we become stable in our energy awareness, then we are poised to go even deeper and pursue
the ultimate goal of yoga: self-realization. This is the highest point of human potential and
consciousness. We recognize our true identity not as a limited being, but as an integral and
connected part of the whole.

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EXPLORE THE PHILOSOPHY AND PRACTICE OF Y OGA

Becoming energy aware and learning to manage energy is a skill. And like any other skill, it comes
much more quickly when we can have someone experienced supporting us as we learn and
explore.

There are many people on the Internet talking about yoga, sharing information about subtle energy,
and providing services. But there are far fewer who can engage with the practice and teach it in way
that is simple to understand. There is a vast difference between someone who has assimilated
information and can talk about it intellectually, compared to someone who has experienced
it and can guide you in that experience.

What I offer is simply the opportunity to connect with me and let me support you on this
journey. My greatest wish is that we can share and experience of the depth of Yoga.

THANK YOU FOR READING

You may contact Ved by email: support@yogawithved.com and

connect with him on Facebook: www.facebook.com/yogawithved

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YOGA WITH VED – VIDEO LECTURES

Introduction to Yoga Philosophy Series - $29.99 per video lecture

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This is the perfect way to take a deep dive into yoga philosophy. All of my video lectures are highly action-
oriented. Through these video lectures you can start exploring the mysteries of Yoga and experiencing it in
your life.

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Eight Limbs Of Yoga Series - $75.00 per video lecture

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Get the 8 video lectures on the limbs and a bonus video!

The 8 Limbs Of Yoga are a great gift given to us through the Yoga Sutras of the sage Patanjali. In these videos
we explore the 8 limbs in a highly practical way with great depth. I strongly advise that you go through the
introductory material before starting this course.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

In honour of all that have learnt and continue to learn from

my own master, Guru, and teacher – Sri Vasudeva of Blue
Star.
Read more about him and the work of the non-profit that he
founded at www.blue-star.org

All my gratitude to my current mentors and especially Madhavi, a senior disciple of my master. You
can find her blog on spiritual living here: https://chanmadhavi.wordpress.com/

Thanks for the support from my late mother Reena, who connected me with yoga at a young age.
Also to my dad, Anthony, and sister, Renee (www.facebook.com/anugrahayogatt) who continue to
be there for me through the challenges of life.

Special thanks to those who gave feedback for this publication and helped me to make it better –
Gauri, Achala, William, Nalini, Tricia, Rachel, Denice, Alana, and Sueann.

Continued thanks to my team Zara, Meera, Narissa, Shereen, Geeta, and Denice. With your support
and energy, I feel inspired to continue on the path of sharing and teaching yoga.

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