SRI SRI YOGA PROTOCOL - PADMA SADHANA

Home Practice Guideline

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Published by:
Sri Sri School of Yoga, The Art of Living Trust
The Art of Living International Centre, 21st KM, Kanakapura Road, Udaypura, Bengaluru –
560082, India
Website:
www.artofliving.org/in
www.srisrischoolofyoga.org

No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
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Sri Sri Yoga Protocol Padma Sadhana - Instructor - Training Course Manual v1.0
Sri Sri School of Yoga Copyright 2023 © All Rights Reserved.

Disclaimer:
The Information provided in the Sri Sri Yoga Protocol Padma Sadhana is intended to create
general awareness amongst people and community about health, happiness and wellbeing
through Yoga. The information and techniques mentioned in this is not a substitute for the advice
of a medical physician. One may require diagnosis or medical attention in particular cases. In such
a case one must consult a doctor before practicing this protocol. The Instructor or the
organization does not assume any responsibility or liability for any injury or loss that may occur
while practicing the protocol.

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Padma Sadhana is a beautiful Yoga sequence designed by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravishankar
Ji. Padma means lotus and Sadhana is practice. Usually when one thinks of a lotus, what
comes to mind? A fully blossomed flower, where each petal is opening up to the sky. Now
observe where does the lotus grow? Mud. Yet, the lotus remains unstained and
untouched by the pond. Imagine if we could also be like the lotus flower - untouched by
day-to-day events and blossom with love and joy. Padma Sadhana is a practice that could
make such blossoming possible. A beautiful vinyasa practice designed by Gurudev Sri
Sri Ravi Shankar, comprises a well balanced sequence of 12 yoga postures (asanas),
Pranayama and meditation. It takes about 40 to 45 minutes to complete one round of a
Padmasadhana practice.

Guidelines to practice Padma Sadhana.

● Padmasadhan is a complete practice and is not just asanas however has

pranayama and meditation to complete the practice.
● While sitting for Padmasadhan practice, care must be taken to be on slightly empty
stomach as is followed for other yoga practices
● After Padmasadhana one could slip into Sudarshan kriya , if one has enrolled and
learnt the skill.
● Listen to the body and do as much as your body allows you to do.
● Relax while holding every posture for 3-5 deep breaths. This can be increased with
regular practice.
● Flow from one posture to another like a dance
● Participants need to be of age 14 and above.
● In case of spine Injury, abdominal surgery it is better to avoid the asanas and just
practice Pranayama and Meditation.
● For those who cannot do Sarvangasana, they can do Setu-Bandhasana.
● Women in their monthly cycles can avoid Sarvangasana.
● People with High BP, Heart issues may avoid Dhanurasana and Sarvangasana.
● Padma Sadhana is not recommended for pregnant women. Pregnant women may
just do NadiShodhan pranayama and Meditation.
● Padma Sadhana is designed by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Adding or
modifying its contents is strictly not allowed.

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 Environment for Practice:

• Do not meditate in places from where you could fall or get hurt.
• Do not practice on an uneven surface.
• Avoid the practice by sitting directly on the floor.(Use a Yoga mat or aasan under
you).
• Make sure the place for practice is silent and free from disturbances.
• The place should be dust free and should have a considerable flow of fresh air.
• The place should neither be too hot nor too cold.

Benefit of Padmasadhana:

Padma Sadhana is a deep and effective practice that helps one to calm the chattering
mind and bring it to the present moment where each and every cell of the body can get
energized and recharged. It also results in increasing the sattva in one’s being. Sattva is
a quality of positivity, enthusiasm and harmony.It promotes good health and happiness
amongst the individual if practiced regularly.

It is said “Kriya siddhi bhavati sattve, Mahata nopakarane”.

Any action finds fructification not just by other means or resources, but by Sattva.

Padmasadhana practice:

Let us begin the practice with some warm-ups.

1. Warming ups (10 Mins)

On the spot jogging/Jumping Jacks/Rag doll/Twists

with ha sound /Side bends/Standing half backbend/
Leg swings/Knee kick
Shaking and loosening the body
Walking on the inner, outer edge of the feet, on the
heels and toes.
Joint Rotations and movements -
Neck, Shoulders, Elbow, Wrist, Spine, Hip, Knees,
Ankle

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Asanas within Padmasadhana *:
1. Listen to the body and do as much as your body allows you to do.
2. Relax while holding every posture for 3-5 deep breaths. This can be increased with
regular practice.
3. Flow from one posture to another like a dance.

Pranayama:
1. Pranayamas are breathing techniques to channelize the life force in the body.
2. Nadi Shodhan Pranayama helps cleanse the energy channels and balances the
flow of life force.
a. Begin with exhaling from the Left nostril
b. minimum nine rounds and can go up to 5 to 7 minutes
c. We do not teach retention of breath (Neither in or out).
d. Breathing to be long, deep yet effortless like we breath when trying to smell
a flower.
e. Left hand in Chin Mudra on the knees

Meditation:
1. Meditation is resting with awareness. In sleep there is rest but no awareness. In
meditation we simply rest with awareness. So the rest is deeper in meditation
than sleep.
2. We do not put any effort into meditating; we simply let everything be as it is in the
present moment and relax. Links for meditation are provided below

PADMA SADHANA SEQUENCE

- 10 mins of Asanas (12 poses)
- 5 mins of Nadi Shodhan Pranayama
- 15- 20 mins of Meditation
- 5 mins of Nadi Shodhan Pranayama

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Now let's start the padma sadhana sequence.

1. BODY ROTATION

SUKHASANA ARDHA PADMASANA PADMASANA

BODY ROTATION:

1. Sit comfortably in Padmasana or Ardha padmasana or Sukhasana.

2. Lean backwards as you inhale and as you exhale, bend forward and down
& start the body rotation. Breathe in as you come up from the right side
and breathe out as you go down from the left, rotating clockwise. Let's
rotate the body 3 more times. Now let’s change the direction and repeat
the rotations counterclockwise.

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2. SHALABHASANA (locust Pose):
A) ARDHA SHALABHASANA:

1. Lie down on your abdomen. Hands by the side of the body, feet together,
chin on the floor.
2. Breathe in, lift the right leg up, 6 inches to 1 foot off the ground and
breathe out, keep holding the leg here and Continue breathing. (5
breaths). Exhale and relax your leg down. Make a conscious effort to keep
the leg from bending at the knee.
3. Let’s repeat this with our left leg.

B) SHALABHASANA:

1. Make a fist with both your hands, thumb inside, tuck your fists under the
groin.

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 2. Keeping the chin on the floor, breathe in; lift both the legs up six inches
to1 foot off the floor and exhale, stretch the legs, straightening the knees.
Keep breathing (5 breaths); Breathe out, bring your legs down, release
and rest.

3. BHUJANGASANA(Cobra Pose):

1. Place your palms on the mat, below the shoulders. Elbows close to the
body.
2. As you breathe in, slowly lift the head up followed by your chest and
Naval. Make sure your pelvis is still resting on the mat. Look up. Stay here
and keep breathing (5 breaths). Exhale and down.

4. VIPARIT SHALABHASANA (Superman Pose):

1. Stretch the hands to the front, breathe in, lift the hands and legs off the
floor, resting on your stomach. Breathe out and stretch your hands and
legs away from the body. Keep breathing (5 breaths)
2. Exhale, come down and release the stretch.

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5. DHANURASANA(Bow pose) :

1. Bend the knees and catch the ankles with your hands. Breathe in, lift your
chest and thighs up, coming into Dhanurasana, the bow posture.
2. Look up; keep breathing (5 breaths). Breathe out and come down. Relax.

MAKARASANA(Crocodile pose) (optional):

1. Bend the left knee to the left side and place your left hand in front of the face and
Right arm above the head, on the mat. Right cheek is also resting on the mat.
2. Inhale and you exhale, make the humming sound ‘Hmm...’. Relax. Repeat this 2
more times.

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6. NAUKASANA(Boat pose):

1. Turn over onto your back. Inhale and as you exhale, lift the legs, hands,
head and the upper body up while resting only on the buttocks. Keep your
feet, hands and eyes in a straight line.
2. Hold the pose and keep breathing (5 breaths). Relax. Come down.

7. PAWANMUKTASANA (Wind Relieving Pose):

A) PAWANMUKTASANA (Right and Left leg)

1. Bring the right knee to the chest. Wrap your hands around the right leg
and press the thigh down to the chest. Exhale, lift the head up and touch
your nose to the knee. Hold the pose and keep breathing (5 breaths).
Relax and release the leg.
2. Let’s repeat this with the left leg.

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B) PAWANMUKTASANA:

1. Bend both the knees and bring them to the chest. Wrap your hands
around the legs and press the thighs down to the chest. Lift the head up
and bring your nose in between your knees. Hold the pose and keep
breathing (5 breaths).
2. You may rock your body gently if you wish to.
3. Relax and release the legs.

8. SARVANGASANA: (Optional)
For those of you who have issues with the neck or have difficulty in doing
sarvangasana, may simply lift the legs from the hips and let the buttocks stay on floor or
just practice Setu Bandhasana)

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 A) SARVANGASANA(Shoulder Stand):

1. Those who feel strong may slowly lift up into Sarvangasana.

2. Slowly roll the knees towards your chest and lift the legs up as your back
is supported by your hands. To your body’s capacity, keep the whole body
straight. Hold the pose and keep breathing(5 breaths).
3. Exhale and slowly come out of the pose, without a jerk. Relax.

B) SETUBANDHASANA(Bridge pose, for those who cannot do Sarvangasana):

1. Bend the knees, feet on the ground hip width apart and close to hips. Hands are
placed next to the body, palms close to the heel. Inhale, raise the hips up. Hold
the pose and keep breathing (5 breaths).
2. Exhale, release the pose and relax.

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9. NATARAJASANA (Lying down dancing shiva pose):

1. Stretch your hands to the sides, in line with your shoulders.

2. Inhale and place your right foot on the left knee. Exhale, press the right
knee towards the left with your left hand and look to the right. Your right
shoulder should be resting on the floor. Hold the pose and keep breathing
(5 breaths). Release the pose.
3. Repeat it on the other side.

10. ARDHA MATSYENDRASANA (Seated Spinal twist ):

1. Slowly roll over to your right side and sit up.

2. Place the left foot near the right hip, right foot across the left knee and
right palm behind you. Place your left elbow, on the outside of the right

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 knee and grab your right foot. Twist to your right side and look behind.
Hold the pose and keep breathing (5 Breaths). Release.
3. Repeat it on the other side.

11. PARVATASANA (Mountain pose):

1. Sit in Padmasana or Ardha Padmasana or Sukhasana. As you breathe in,

take the arms up and bring the palms together in a steeple position.
2. Hold the pose and keep breathing (5 breaths). Release.

12. YOG MUDRA:

1. Make a fist of the right hand at the back, left hand catching the right wrist.
Inhale lean back and as you exhale, bend forward from the waist and
down as much as you can. Hold the pose and keep breathing (5 breaths).

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 2. Breathe in, come up and breathe out Release

NADI SHODHAN PRANAYAMA (Alternate Nostril Breathing):

NASAGRA MUDRA CHIN MUDRA

1. Sit straight with your spine erect. Place your left hand in Chin Mudra. (Tip
of the Index finger and thumb lightly touching each other).
2. Right thumb on the right nostril. Index and middle finger gently resting in-
between your eyebrows. Ring finger and little finger on the left nostril.
3. Breathe in from both the nostrils, gently close the right nostril with the
thumb and breathe out from the left nostril.
4. Inhale from the left, close the left nostril with the ring finger and little finger,
release the thumb, and exhale from the right.
5. Inhale right and continue at your own pace.
6. Whatever speed you breathe in, same speed you breathe out.
7. Keep the breath slow, deep and gentle.
8. Practice for 9 rounds.
9. Breathing out from the left nostril, you may release your hands.

Meditation : You may play Gurudev’s “Blossoming in the Smile Meditation”

available on Gurudev’s youtube channel (15 mins)

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 Nadi Shodhan Pranayam (once again) : Now let us do Nadi Shodhana Pranayama.
Keep the breath subtle, deep and long. Remember to breathe in from the left nostril first
then breathe out from the right, breathe in from the right nostril and breathe out from
left… like this we do 9 rounds for 5 mins.

Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (5 mins)

How was it? Wasn’t it calming? I am sure all of us would want to have a state of mind like this
in life. Isn't it? You know, dedicating 1 hr of your time daily to do such practices is immensely
helpful for our body as well as our mind.

BENEFITS OF PRACTICING PADMA SADHANA SEQUENCE:

1. Brings strength and flexibility to the body.
2. Improves sleep quality and immune functioning.
3. Helps relieve stress, relax and energize the system
4. Brings mental clarity and emotional stability.
5. Improves overall health and creativity.

These are just a few amongst many benefits that the practice can provide.
The Art of Living has a series of courses that will help us excel in life. Powerful practices
like Sudarshan Kriya (taught in a Happiness Program) helps you achieve a peaceful state
of mind easily. You can continue to practice this every day.

Links of SSY Protocol Padma Sadhana and Meditation on You Tube :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY520Kw94a8 - Hindi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwJlv0xaCs4 - English

Jai Gurudev!

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