Welcome to Morning Practice
Free by donation classes, see below
Schedule
Fundamentals: Mon, Wed, Fri 6:00-6:35am
Next Level Class: Tue, Thur, Sat, Sun 6:00-6:45am
Class Descriptions
Fundamentals Class
Safe Space, Gentle Left Right Asana Class, 13 “Kapalabhati,” Witness Stillness, Belly and Heart
Common Themes: Gratitude, Develop Good Habits, The 5 People Practice, Truth (Satya,) Non-harming (Ahimsa,) Purify body, mind and heart (Shaucha.) Things to know when starting this practice. Recommendation: Give yourself time. There is no rush. Do many days of Fundamental classes, live or recorded, even if you have been practicing yoga or teaching for many years, before going into the next level. See below for how to get ready for this class and what to expect.
Next Level Class
Longer opening sequence includes Standing Inversion, Abdominal Flush, Bandha, more technical, anatomical language. Next Level practices include Belly, Heart, Head, 108 Meditation Points, Shiva’s Cave, Tongue positions, Hand positions, Explorations and Experimentations.
Common Themes: Gratitude, Long term habit formation, Satya, Ahimsa, Shaucha, Anatomy Physiology, Science research themes, Tantra, nerdy stuff and more.
Special Mahoorta Class
Thur April 2, 6:00 - 7:15am, 48 minutes of Left Right Breath
Selfless Donation “Dana”: Dana (generosity/giving) is one of the practices yogis observe (Niyama). These yoga classes are offered in the traditional way, by donation. It entails selfless giving. If you feel grateful for these classes, please donate to keep these classes, the website and the teacher going. If you are unable to donate, please come anyway. You may find the repeated act of many small donations, many small acts of generosity, is stronger than one large donation infrequently. If you can add extra and donate for others who are unable to donate, that is enormously helpful for bringing this reinvention of pranayama, this re-imagining of morning practice that is friendly and accessible to the world. Your support is deeply appreciated.
Q: Why are the recorded classes for purchase and not by donation?
A: To cover website and platform hosting and other expenses.
2000+ days… of experiments and refinement
These are guided group yoga classes. There are periods of silence, but you are not left in 24 minutes of silence. We recommend silent practice at a different time during your day. These are meant to be short, juicy, inspiring and adventurous. These are guided classes.
There is a HUGE advantage when one practices everyday.
Set up for class:
1. Wash your hands and face really well. It helps.
2. Face the east, towards the rising sun. We stand in the Mountain Pose. Have yoga blocks ready to support your elbows.
What is the Witness Stillness practice? One of the preparations for continuous awareness of the breath cycle is to sometimes practice pausing at 2 special moments, just for a brief moment, at the end of the inhale, and the end of the exhale….
We let the breath settle. After ‘doing nothing,’” we follow the next inhale to its end…. when the pressures come to balance, and we relax into physical stillness, the breath is still, the prana is quiet and then the “lower talking mind” can become still. We “pause” or “float” the breath, listening to the moment. We don’t “Hold” the breath here. Language matters. It changes the experience.
Dwell in the still space after the inhale. It lasts just a moment. Learn to be silent inside. Become friends with the empty space. Let go of the pause at anytime. Release the stillness according to your timing and metabolism. We explore the zone of mental stillness mechanically induced by the breath when the pressures inside and outside come into balance. It grows on you.
Then, we experiment with stillness after the exhale…..when the pressures come into balance. This can be challenging if you are new. Don’t overdo it. The first time you try it, you may over effort here. The practice is actually effortless.
In modern psychology, it is called “the self observing self.” We often call it “the Witness.” When things get quiet, a silent Presence, comes out of the background of our experience. into the foreground .In time, with practice, you’ll develop the ability to quiet the “lower talking mind,” while remaining present. This mental silence might be astounding to you the first time it happens to you. It is a very loving, effortless space…. Be still and know thyself. Everyday. Investigate this practice over and over everyday for many months, years.
Main Practice: “One Ghatikaa” 24 minutes of Left Right Breath, all variations
If you are new to left right breath remember one simple instruction: “Change sinuses before the exhale.”
“Left Right Breath” (anuloma viloma/nadi shodhana et al.) is the most undervalued, misunderstood and under practiced technique in yoga. 24 minutes everyday sustained for months, is the minimum threshold, for this practice to get going. And that is very easy to do when you support the elbows!
Knowledge is about collecting information. Wisdom is about direct experience. Realize the value of Left Right Yoga from your own longtime experience, not because of conceptual information on a webpage.
Make it a priority to breathe left and right for 24 minutes every morning and get over the initial difficulties and obstacles. Persevere.
74 Belt St, Warwick, RI 02889
With Gratitude
Thank you for bringing Left Right Yoga to life.
Your contribution will always be considered priceless.
The online classes are Community Supported. Like the Breath, the classes are free for all. If you feel grateful for these lessons and classes, please make a donation in any amount. Small donations gratefully appreciated. Pay the gift forward so other people can benefit. Support yourself, support your own practice, support the online gatherings, and support Tom in his ongoing development of these fascinating, paradigm shifting practices that the world has not really seen.
The initial purpose of these classes is to help you show up for a minimum of 24 minutes of Left Right Breath everyday.
Unique and fascinating, join This Next Breath classes everyday and your life will be full of gratitude and joy every morning. Everyday there is a short reading from poets, saints and sages of all kinds.
A Long Term Practice
Over the long term, your breath will slow down. Ordinary people doing this practice are discovering the power of a slow concentrated breath. Anyone can successfully go very far this practice. We make it easy. You don’t have to be a special person, have a special guru or have special talents. Everyone will benefit. 24 minutes of Left Right Breath for many months, everyday, you cross over a few thresholds: 21 Days, 90 Days, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 5 years.
All the significant neurological and physiological benefits begin to happen with consistent uninterrupted attention on the breath. What this practice requires is persistence. Show up for your practice everyday. Join the broadcasts if they are helpful to you, get one of the online courses or use the free recordings on YouTube.
Subscribe to the Youtube channel and you will find more. (click)
“Dig the well before the house is on fire.”
This was a saying in Kripalu ashram during the 1980's. It means that one needs to practice during the good days of your life, so that when the difficult times come, you are ready to face them. Develop your breath practice now, in the sunny times of your life. Then, when life hits the fan, your practice has strong momentum to carry you through, and "put out the fires."
2025: “Okay, the house is on fire now.”