On Saturday 26th July 2025 - Mantra Music Mindfulness Meditation Workshop - Honolulu , Hawaii

Agenda :

10:30 AM       Connect with your breath. Pranayama - for the prana

11:00 AM       Insight  meditation  - for the mind

11:30 AM       Intro to Indian Music basics, Raga scales, Mantra

12:00 PM       Intro to a few mantras, and practice kirtan chant singing

12:30 PM       Q&A 

Pranayama / Breath work:

Breathe through the Nose for all pranayams

Eyes closed , look inward

Breath States and Indian names for those

Puraka   ==  Inhalation

Rechaka  == exhalation

Kumbhaka  == retention   [ antara == inhale  retention ; Bahya == external retention)

Ujjayi Pranayam

• look inwards technique
• breathe in (puraka) with both nostrils
• Stay in antara kumbhaka ; udiyana abs belly towards spine
• breathe out (rechaka)
• practice SO-HAM technique

Kapalbhati

• Inhale slow
• Exhale vigorous
• Multiple times
• Short retention after every exhalation

Nadi Sodhana   ( nerve cleansing, brain effect from fingers etc

• Right Nostril Exhale
• Right Nostril Inhale
• Left Nostril Exhale
• Left Nostril Inhale
• Right Nostril Exhale
• Right Nostril Inhale
• Left Nostril Exhale
• Left Nostril Inhale
• After every exhale , block both Nostrils, empty lungs , external retention , uddiyana bandha
• After every inhale, block both Nostrils, internal retention , Muladhara bandha

Brahmri

• close eyes
• ears with thumbs 
• Breath same as Ujjayi but while exhalation make a soft humming sound like a bee;

Meditation :

Check the notes here:

https://neels-nirvana.blogspot.com/2023/04/connecting-with-our-breath-meditation.html

Intro to Indian Music basics, Raga scales, Mantra:

Check the notes here:

https://neels-nirvana.blogspot.com/2024/01/music-yoga-mantra-raga-Hawaii-2024.html

Intro to a few mantras, and practice kirtan chant singing:

~~~~~ 1 ~~~~~

ॐ 

असतो मा सद्गमय ।

तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ।

मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय ।

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥

Om 

Asato Maa Sad-Gamaya |

Tamaso Maa Jyotir-Gamaya |

Mrtyor-Maa Amrtam Gamaya |

Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

Meaning:

1: Om, (O Lord) Keep me not in the Unreality (of the bondage of the Phenomenal World), but lead me towards the Reality (of the Eternal Self),

2: (O Lord) Keep me not in the Darkness (of Ignorance), but lead me towards the Light (of Spiritual Knowledge),

3: (O Lord) Keep me not in the (Fear of) Death (due to the bondage of the Mortal World), but lead me towards the Immortality (gained by the Knowledge of the Immortal Self beyond Death),

4: Om, (May there be) Peace, Peace, Peace 

~~~~~ 2 ~~~~~

ॐ 

ॐ आनन्दमयि चैतन्यमयि सत्यमयि परमे

Om Anandamayee  Chaitanyamayee  Satyamayee.  parame

Om, She full of Bliss, She full of Consciousness, She full of Truth, She who is Supreme.

~~~~~ 3 ~~~~~

ॐ 

ॐ मणिपद्मे हुम्

Oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ   

... Awakening the Buddha within...

As the Jewel is within, which opens up like a Lotus flower, opens up with a thousand petals...

 Lotus usually grows in shallow ponds and mud but is spectacular bright and colorful and gives a feeling of opening up.

~~~~~