Mastering Pranayama: From Breathing Techniques to Kundalini Awakening Paperback – January 10, 2019

UPDATE: Jan 20, 2021I continue to refer to this book as needed. Time and time again, the nuances offered in the text make more sense to me and/or help to clarify things for me as I progress in my practice.UPDATE: March 5, 2019 and April 2, 2019One day probably in late spring or early summer of 2018, I turned the (electronic) page and the ending made me smile; it is something funny and soothing that I can remember easily. Since there are so many exercises outlined, the book could seem overwhelming. What I found is that getting started with the basics has taken me deeper in my practice. If practice was interrupted, it was easy to pick up where I left off. With some modifications, I could ease my way back into the practice. Now that almost one year has passed since I first picked up the book, I feel I have come a long way simply by allowing myself to take things step by step as recommended by the author. I feel eager to grow without the desire to rush ahead. I feel as though I can trust more in the process.INITIAL REVIEW (first shared on Goodreads): May 8, 2018A wonderful guide! Indeed I am loving Mastering Pranayama, so I am giving it 5 stars. Having become familiar with how this author shares precious teachings with such clarity and sincerity on her website and also more recently via her online meetings, I was eagerly anticipating the arrival of this book. I'm still in the process of reading it, because I want to incorporate the practice as I go along.The content is straightforward and the illustrations are very useful. Great care is taken to help someone understand what practices may be undertaken safely. I love how the book distinguishes breathing practices from pranayama, which was helpful to me. The prose format of the book is accented with some Q&A, which I really appreciate. I flipped around initially to find the perspective of this tradition's teachings with regard to some of the questions I had regarding certain breathing practices, and now I'm enjoying moving through it step by step. As someone who has received some guidance in the past and had some experience with some of the different breathing practices, I already am experiencing a sense of relief as I incorporate the guidance offered here into my practice and understanding. Some of what I'm reading is new to me and some of what I'm coming across is in line with other trusted sources I have encountered in my life. All in all, the experience I have had thus far continually increases my confidence in what this book has to offer.Even if you perceive yourself to be currently without a teacher or guru and even if you have never practiced any yoga meditation, I think this guide would be a great way to get started on your journey! In my view, there are already riches at Step 1. For those who may already be teaching yoga, but who may not have had the benefit of studying with someone in a direct lineage of any tradition, I feel this book could be a valuable addition to your library.

"Mastering Pranayama" provides a philosophic overview as well as a practical and systematic approach to the practice of pranayama. There is a voluminous amount of information which includes the philosophy and history of pranayama, various breathing techniques and the discussion of chakras, bandhas and a list of excellent health tips. Although the basic breathing techniques seem fairly simple, the more advanced ones seem extremely challenging and could be dangerous without an expert teacher of an unbroken lineage. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this is a very valuable book that I would highly recommend.

I wish I could give 10 stars to this book. This book provides systematic, step-by-step, and time-bound practice on pranayama with detailed explanation about why each step is necessary and when to graduate to the next step. I had been searching for such a book for a very long time.The problem today is that when one tries to find a good book on pranayama, then one comes across all sorts of books. Many of these just talk about theory, some just present them piecewise without a system, and others present practices like kumbhaka which can be dangerous if not practiced without preparation and guidance.This book is rooted in authentic practices provided by Swami Rama of the himalayan tradition. These practices first remove toxins from your system leading to peace and healing at the physical, emotional, and mental levels. Then they automatically lead you to deeper meditative state. My words do not do justice to the practices and the book. One should practice and see for oneself. I wish I had found this book earlier in my life.

Radhika G has provided a clear roadmap on how to train oneself into Pranayama. Many books teach Pranayama like breathing exercise, she has articulated very clearly that Prana is different from breathing, some of the breathing techniques are used as a tool at initial stages, but getting control of Prana is a very advanced practice. She has also explained in the second half of the book ,some of the advanced practices which are never explained in such level of detail to layman. One of the best books I would recommend for any serious practitioner of Yoga and Pranayama.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in deepening their understanding of pranayama. It's filled with practical tips and a step by step guide to safely and gently integrate and prepare you for true pranayama.This book teaches me how important it is to not rush through things, but aids in giving the proper space and timing that this practice really needs.It is a book I review frequently to get the subtle points and to refine my understanding.Get this book if you want a comprehensive guide written by a qualified teacher who has deep personal knowledge, and is from an traditional authentic lineage.

Very well presented, with clear theory, lucid diagrams and well-conceived practice plans It not only meets the needs of health programmes but also those of serious aspirants of yoga as a spiritual path. As a doctor and teacher of natural medicine, I have no hesitation to recommend this book to my patients and students. Radhika has definitely mastered pranayama and yogic science as a worthy disciple of Swami Rama of the Himalayas.

The author is knowledgeable and remove some of the misunderstandings and often misinformation on the subject of pranayama. I like how she emphasizes a soft approach compare to a forceful way of doing breathing exercises and pranayama.

Excellent book. Very detailed with practice steps. Many tables with breathing ratios that help you develop your practice.

Great explanations for the one that wants to increase its breathing and pranayama techniques.

Der Wert dieses Buches offenbart sich nicht nur durch das Lesen allein. Dieses Buch ist ein unverzichtbarer Begleiter für alle die Meditation praktizieren. Wer sich einmal auf diesen Weg begeben hat möchte es nicht mehr missen. Wann immer Fragen in der Übungspraxis auftreten – dieses Buch hilft enorm dabei, Unklarheiten aufzulösen und sich einschleichende Fehler zu korrigieren. Neben all den sehr verständlichen und gleichzeitig exakten Erklärungen übersetzt die Autorin den Geist der Jahrtausende alten, mündlich überlieferten Tradition verständlich für Praktizierende im Hier und Jetzt.The value of this book is not revealed by reading alone. This book is essential for all who practice meditation. Once you have set out on this path, you will not want to miss it again. Whenever questions arise in the practice of meditation - this book helps enormously in resolving ambiguities and correcting creeping errors. In addition to the very understandable and at the same time exact explanations, the author translates the spirit of the millennia-old, orally transmitted tradition in a way that is understandable for practitioners in the here and now.

Sem dúvidas o melhor livro de Kundalini e pranayamas que já li. Extremamente prático e nada hermético; mostra todos os segredos para despertar a Kundalini Shakti por meio de pranayamas, preparando tanto o neófito quanto o estudante avançado para práticas superiores. Recomendo para aqueles que querem despertar o fogo serpentino por meio de pranayamas, sem perder tempo com práticas desnecessárias.

A great practical book, im still working through it.

I found this to be an extremely informative and clearly structured book on the various techniques of breath control. It is a step by step guide with well presented diagrams though the author makes it clear that these should be best done under the guidance of an experienced teacher. This insightful book steeped in yogic wisdom will undoubtedly help you in your journey towards refining your yoga practice and i consider it to be definitive.