Om Som Yoga + Ayurveda Podcast

PRACTICE WITH US:

365 Sadhana Sangha ⁠⁠https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join⁠⁠
100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma ⁠⁠https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto⁠⁠
200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026 ⁠⁠https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka⁠⁠
50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training ⁠⁠https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto⁠⁠

ON THIS WEEK'S EPISODE:

In this episode, Aaron is joined by our Studio Manager here at Om Som and Senior Teacher Lina for a grounded exploration of Kaya Sthiram, the steadiness and stillness of the body as the foundation for meditation. Together, they unpack one of the most common frustrations people experience in practice: “I can’t meditate because my mind won’t stop.” Rather than approaching stillness through effort or mental control, this conversation reframes meditation as something that begins in the body. Drawing from classical yoga teachings, lived experience, and practical application, this episode explores why mental steadiness cannot arise until the body feels safe, settled, and unmoving, and why stillness has always been taught as a somatic experience before a mental one.

DEFINITION & ETYMOLOGY:

Kaya (काय) means body, field, or embodied formSthiram (स्थिर) means steady, stable, unmoving, able to hold
Kaya Sthiram refers to the steadiness of the body and the field of awareness inhabiting it. It is not rigidity, but a grounded stillness that allows awareness to settle.

KEY CONCEPTS & INSIGHTS:

A restless mind is often the result of an unsettled body
Stillness does not begin with thought, but with sensation
The nervous system must recognise safety before the mind can rest
Ancient yogic teachings observed that animals only rest once their bodies fully settle
Kaya Sthiram acts as a doorway into parasympathetic regulation
The body is the first anchor for awareness before breath or mantra
Modern overstimulation keeps the body vigilant, preventing mental stillness
Asana exists to prepare the body for meditation, not to bypass it

TEXTUAL SOURCES:

Yoga Sūtra 2.46

Sthira sukham āsanam, posture as steadiness and ease

Yoga Sūtra framework

Asana before pranayama, pranayama before meditation

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā

Asana steadies the body and brings firmness
Classical teaching

When the body is steady, prana settles, and the mind follows

PRACTICAL INTEGRATION:

Do fewer asanas and hold them for longer periodsMinimise fidgeting, adjusting, and unnecessary movement in posesUse the body as the anchor for attention rather than the mind
Repeat a simple internal cue such as “I am here” or “Where are my feet?”
Pause between tasks in daily life and notice bodily sensations
Allow the body to fully settle before moving on to the next action
Meet basic needs first (thirst, hunger, rest) before asking the mind to be still
Practise small moments of stillness throughout the day as daily Kaya Sthiram

SHARE & CONNECT
Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website.
Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OmSom.yoga⁠⁠
Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OmSom.yoga⁠⁠
We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We’d love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey.

HARI OM

PRACTICE WITH US:

365 Sadhana Sangha

⁠⁠https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join⁠⁠

100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma

⁠⁠https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto⁠⁠

200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026

⁠⁠https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka⁠⁠

50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training

⁠⁠https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto

ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE:In this episode, Aaron is joined by long-time Om Som teacher and student of Chinese medicine, Selenna, for a grounded exploration of Langhana, the yogic principle of calming, descending, and settling the breath and nervous system. Together, we explore why so many people struggle to slow their breath, and how what we often label as anxiety or restlessness is actually excess energy with nowhere to land. Rather than breathing more, this conversation invites us to breathe less, allowing the system to settle through longer, slower exhalations. Drawing from yoga philosophy, Ayurveda, physiology, meditation, and lived practice, this episode reframes pranayama as an energetic practice rather than breath control, and offers Langhana as the foundational approach to calming the body, mind, and prana.

DEFINITION & ETYMOLOGY:• Langhana (लङ्घन) comes from the Sanskrit root lang, meaning to lighten, reduce, alleviate, or settle• In yogic and Ayurvedic traditions, Langhana refers to practices that calm excess and reduce overstimulation• Langhana describes an energetic effect, not a single technique• The result of Langhana is down-regulation, grounding, and nervous system settling

KEY CONCEPTS & INSIGHTS:• Anxiety and restlessness as excess energy rather than personal failure• The overfilled bowl metaphor and the need to empty before receiving• Why classical pranayama begins with the exhale before the inhale• Langhana as the first and foundational approach to breath and energy regulation• The difference between breath work and pranayama - prana rides the breath• How fast, forceful breathing can feel good while increasing agitation• Discomfort when slowing the breath as information, not failure

TEXTUAL SOURCES:• Yoga Sūtra 2.49 - pranayama as regulation of inhalation and exhalation• Yoga Sūtra 2.50 - exhalation, inhalation, and retention as the classical order• Yoga Sūtra 2.51 - dirgha-sukshma, the deep and subtle breath• Ayurvedic principle of Langhana as the primary response to excess and overstimulation

PRACTICAL INTEGRATION:• Practise slow, extended exhalations and build gradually over time• Use viṣama vṛtti, unequal ratios such as inhaling for 4 and exhaling for 6–8• Explore gentle belly breathing to support diaphragmatic movement• Use soft ujjayi on the exhale to naturally lengthen the breath• Pause between asanas rather than moving continuously• Do less, on and off the mat, to reduce excess stimulation• Notice natural sighs or spontaneous slowing of the breath as expressions of the body’s innate intelligence

SHARE & CONNECT

Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast. Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website.

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OmSom.yoga⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OmSom.yoga⁠⁠

We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey.

HARI OM

PRACTICE WITH US:

365 Sadhana Sangha

⁠⁠https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join⁠⁠

100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma

⁠⁠https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto⁠⁠

200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026

⁠⁠https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka⁠⁠

50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training

⁠⁠https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto

ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE:
In the first episode of Season 3, Aaron is joined by yoga teacher and Pilates instructor Milly for a grounded, practical exploration of Sthiram Āsanam, steadiness in posture.

Together, we unpack why so many people feel busy, effortful, and inconsistent in their bodies, despite moving constantly. Rather than blaming motivation or discipline, this conversation reframes instability as a lack of support and explores how true steadiness begins with grounding, alignment, and relationship with the Earth.

Using classical yogic teachings, lived experience, and practical asana insights, this episode bridges philosophy and practice, showing how stability in the body becomes the foundation for steadiness in the mind, emotions, and life.

DEFINITION & ETYMOLOGY:
Sthiram (स्थिर) — steady, stable, firm, grounded, unmoving
Āsanam (आसनम्) — seat, posture, abiding place

Sthiram Āsanam refers to a posture that can be inhabited with stability and support, rather than endured through effort or force. In the yogic tradition, the body becomes the seat of awareness only when it feels safe, rooted, and held.

KEY CONCEPTS & INSIGHTS:

Stability before ease: The episode explores Patanjali’s teaching that steadiness comes before comfort and why ease cannot arise without support.

The body as Earth: Drawing from the Purāṇic story of Bhūmi Devī, the Earth Goddess, Aaron shares how even the Earth must be held correctly to sustain life, a powerful metaphor for asana and alignment.

Feet as foundation: True stability begins at the feet, not the spine. Spreading, yielding, and stacking the feet creates the surface area needed for steadiness.

Alignment over effort: Stability arises from stacking bones and joints, not muscular tension. When structure supports the body, effort can soften.

Slow transitions build steadiness: Moving slowly between postures trains stability through change, not just in static shapes.

Standing postures as training ground: Tādāsana, Warriors, Goddess, lunges, and balance poses are key practices for cultivating Sthiram.

Steadiness of body, steadiness of mind: Classical texts consistently link physical stability with mental clarity and emotional grounding.

TEXTUAL SOURCES:

Yoga Sūtra 2.46
sthira sukham āsanam
Posture is steady and easeful.

Yoga Sūtra 2.47
prayatna śaithilya ananta samāpattibhyām
By relaxing effort and meditating on the infinite, asana is mastered.

Haṭha Yoga PradīpikāAsana steadies the body, destroys disease, and gives lightness to the limbs.
Steadiness of the body leads to steadiness of the mind.

Gheraṇḍa SaṁhitāAsana gives firmness to the body, steadiness to the limbs, and lightness.

PRACTICAL INTEGRATION:

Begin with simplicity: Choose one to three standing postures and practice them consistently.

Start from the ground up: Establish the feet first, then stack ankles, knees, hips, and spine.

Slow down transitions: Maintain stability as you move between postures, not just when holding them.

Pause before moving: In practice and in life, steadiness comes from pausing before the next step.

SHARE & CONNECT

Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast.

Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website.

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OmSom.yoga⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OmSom.yoga⁠⁠

We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We’d love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey.

HARI OM

PRACTICE WITH US:

365 Sadhana Sangha
https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join

100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma
https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto

200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026
https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka

50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training
https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto

ON THIS WEEK'S EPISODE

We complete our 4-part series on the functions of the mind (Antaḥkaraṇa) with a deep dive into Buddhi, the faculty of discernment. Often misunderstood or underdeveloped in modern life, Buddhi is the seat of clarity, intuition, and right action. Without it, our practice remains mechanical and our decisions reactive. This episode explores Buddhi not just as an idea, but as a spiritual function that bridges the mind to the Self.

DEFINITION AND ETYMOLOGY OF BUDDHI

Buddhi (बुद्धि) is derived from the Sanskrit root budh, meaning "to know" or "to awaken".

It refers to the discerning faculty of the mind — the one that decides, reasons, and realises.

Buddhi is the still, silent witness that sees without reacting. When activated, it leads us from compulsion to clarity.

KEY CONCEPTS COVERED

How Buddhi differs from Manas, Citta, and Ahaṃkāra

Buddhi as the internal guide, and how it's clouded by Rajas and Tamas

The role of Buddhi in yoga practice, ethics, and daily decision-making

Why Buddhi is essential for moving toward viveka (discrimination between real and unreal)

Christ Consciousness and Buddha nature as metaphors for awakened Buddhi

The transition from reactive mind to witnessing awareness

TEXTUAL SOURCES

Yoga Sūtra 1.20: śraddhā vīrya smṛti samādhi prajñā pūrvaka itareṣām — the path to awakening requires discernment (prajñā)

Bhagavad Gītā 2.50: yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam - Yoga is skill in action, guided by Buddhi

References to the Katha Upaniṣad’s chariot model, where Buddhi is the charioteer

Tantric model of viveka khyāti - developing clear seeing through sustained practice

PRACTICAL INTEGRATION

Practices to strengthen Buddhi

Svādhyāya (self-study) and scriptural reflection

Pratyāhāra and Dhyāna for non-reactive observation

Choosing sāttvic food, company, and habits to clear mental fog

Asking: “Is this reaction or response?” before making decisions

Meditating on the silence behind thoughts

Viewing spiritual maturity as the refinement of Buddhi — not just accumulation of knowledge

SHARE & CONNECT

Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast.

Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website.

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OmSom.yoga⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OmSom.yoga⁠⁠

We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey.

HARI OM

PRACTICE WITH US:365 Sadhana Sangha
https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma
https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka 2026
https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training
https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto

ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODEWe continue our exploration of the four functions of mind (antaḥkaraṇa) with Ahaṃkāra, the sense of “I” and the formation of identity. Often misunderstood as something to eliminate, Ahaṃkāra is in fact essential to navigating the world. In this episode, we look at how ego forms, how it binds us, and how Yoga offers a path to clarity, self-awareness and liberation, not through destruction, but integration.

DEFINITION AND ETYMOLOGY OF AHAṂKĀRAAhaṃkāra (अहंकार) is composed of aham (I) and kāra (maker), the “I-maker.” It is the function of mind that claims identity over thoughts, memories and actions, saying: I am this. While necessary for daily life, problems arise when Ahaṃkāra forgets its true source.

KEY CONCEPTS COVERED

The Upanishadic view of ego as the servant who believes himself the king

How Ahaṃkāra assigns “I” to the body, thoughts, emotions, and roles

The role of ego in waking, dreaming, and deep sleep

Turīya - the witness beyond ego

Healthy vs unhealthy ego: ownership vs identification

The difference between egoic collapse and spiritual refinement

Yoga’s path of recognition: you are not the ego, but awareness itself

TEXTUAL SOURCES

Katha Upaniṣad - the chariot metaphor: body as chariot, buddhi as charioteer, manas as reins, and Ahaṃkāra as the mistaken “self”

Yoga Sūtra 2.6: “Dṛg-darśana-śaktyor ekātmatā iva asmitā” - the confusion of the seer with the instruments of seeing

Bhagavad Gītā — ego as one of the threefold gates to hell (alongside desire and anger) when imbalanced, yet not rejected when purified

PRACTICAL INTEGRATION

Recognise: begin noticing when “I” is assigned - to body, thought, mood, or memory

Witness: through meditation and self-inquiry, create space between awareness and identity

Return: use breath, mantra, and āsana to return to the seat of the witness

Relate: soften the edges of “I” in relationship - offer, serve, listen

Refine: practice humility and right action through Karma Yoga and Vairāgya (dispassion)

SHARE & CONNECT

Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast.

Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website.

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OmSom.yoga⁠⁠
Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OmSom.yoga⁠⁠

We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey.

HARI OM

PRACTICE WITH US:

365 Sadhana Sangha 

https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join

100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma

https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto

200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka

https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka

50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training

https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto

ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODEThis episode explores Citta, the storehouse of memory, impressions, and latent tendencies within the mind. As the second part of our Antaḥkaraṇa series, we unpack how Citta governs the deeper layers of our mental activity and what it means for yoga practice and self-awareness.

DEFINITION AND ETYMOLOGY OF CITTADerived from the root cit, meaning “to perceive” or “to be conscious,” Citta is the memory aspect of mind, a vast internal field of impressions (saṃskāras) and mental patterns (vṛttis) that shape how we perceive and respond to the world.

KEY CONCEPTS COVERED

Citta as the substrate for vṛtti and its role in the Yoga Sutras (1.2)

How memories and conditioning form behavioural tendencies (vāsanās)

Mirror analogy from the Bhāgavata Purāṇa - how Citta reflects the world and the self

Distinguishing Citta from Manas, Ahaṃkāra, and Buddhi

Citta in the four states of consciousness: waking, dreaming, deep sleep, and Turīya

Cleansing the Citta through Sādhana and inner stillness

TEXTUAL SOURCES

Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali (especially 1.2: Yogaś citta vṛtti nirodhaḥ)

Bhāgavata Purāṇa - the analogy of the mirror covered with dust

Traditional Hatha and Vedantic references to the mental field (citta-bhūmi)

PRACTICAL INTEGRATION
We offer practices to refine and clarify Citta including:

Stillness in āsana to reveal subconscious patterns

Prānāyāma for emotional digestion

Meditation to observe and reduce vṛttis

Daily reflection and repetition to cultivate new saṃskāras

Living with awareness to interrupt automatic patterns

SHARE & CONNECT

Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast.

Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website.

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OmSom.yoga⁠⁠
Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OmSom.yoga⁠⁠

We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey.

HARI OM

PRACTICE WITH US:

365 Sadhana Sangha 

https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join

100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma

https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto

200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka

https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka

50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training

https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto

ON THIS WEEK'S EPISODE
We begin our final podcast series for the year: The Four Functions of the Mind (Antaḥkaraṇa). In this first part, we explore Manas, the aspect of mind responsible for sensory processing, attention, and coordination. Drawing from the Katha Upaniṣad and yogic psychology, we look at how Manas operates in different states of consciousness and how it can be trained through practice.

DEFINITION AND ETYMOLOGY OF MANAS
The Sanskrit word manas comes from the root “man”, to think or perceive. It refers to the lower mind, the part that organises incoming sensory data and initiates responses. It is different from Buddhi (intellect), Ahaṁkāra (ego), and Citta (memory storehouse).

KEY CONCEPTS COVERED

Manas as the driver of the chariot (Katha Upaniṣad analogy)

The role of Manas in sankalpa-vikalpa (considering options)

How Manas governs the senses (indriyas)

Drishti-Citta-Prāṇa connection in Hatha Yoga

The function of Manas in waking, dreaming, deep sleep, and Turīya

TEXTUAL SOURCES

Katha Upaniṣad - the metaphor of the chariot

Yoga Sūtra - distinction between states of mind (YS 1.1–1.6)

Hatha Yoga Pradīpikā - practices to steady the mind (HYP 4.34)

PRACTICAL INTEGRATION
You’ll learn ways to refine and stabilise Manas using tools from both Raja and Hatha Yoga traditions, including:

Drishti practices to anchor attention

Breath-gaze-mind coordination

Meditative observation of the changing mind

Cultivating presence across all four states of consciousness

SHARE & CONNECT

Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast.

Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website.

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OmSom.yoga⁠⁠
Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OmSom.yoga⁠⁠

We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey.

HARI OM

PRACTICE WITH US:

365 Sadhana Sangha 

https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join

100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma

https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto

200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka

https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka

50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training

https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto

ON THIS WEEK'S EPISODE

We’re closing out our series on the three Guṇas with Tamas - the guna of inertia, resistance, and concealment.

Far from being just the bad guy, Tamas is the force that allows for deep rest, stillness, and even death - the necessary pause for rebirth. In this conversation, we explore the textures of Tamas, how it shows up in our lives and practice, and how to work with it rather than fight against it.

DEFINITION & ETYMOLOGY OF TAMAS

Tamas comes from the Sanskrit root tam, meaning darkness or obscurity. It is the quality of concealment - what covers, hides, or veils the truth. It is associated with the downward pull of gravity, resistance, confusion, and apathy.

KEY CONCEPTS COVERED

The difference between heavy sleep and regenerative rest.

How Tamas can distort perception and suppress truth.

Why it's essential for endings, death, and withdrawal.

How to distinguish between grounding and numbing.

Practices that purify or uplift Tamas (without bypassing it).

The connection between food, energy, and tamasic states.

The importance of love and devotion in transforming Tamas

TEXTUAL SOURCES

We reference the Bhagavad Gita, which speaks of Tamas as the guna that binds the soul through confusion, delusion, and inertia but also as part of the essential fabric of creation. Tamas isn’t evil; it is necessary for dissolution, sleep, and stillness.

PRACTICAL INTEGRATION

Tamas is best met with gentleness. If you're experiencing deep Tamas, don’t immediately jump to action - begin by noticing, accepting, and gently bringing in light.

Practices include:

Prayer or bhakti-based meditation to bring warmth to dark spaces.

Getting out of bed and into the sun to shift inertia.

Sattvic meals to reduce heaviness and fog.

Slow movement and breathwork to invite prana without overwhelm.

Choosing one small act of connection - reaching out to someone, lighting a candle, taking a short walk.

When Tamas becomes chronic, these simple efforts help reintroduce momentum without shame.

SHARE & CONNECT

Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast.
Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website.

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OmSom.yoga⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OmSom.yoga

⁠⁠
We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey.

OM

PRACTICE WITH US:

365 Sadhana Sangha 

https://practice.omsom.yoga/365-sadhana-sandha/join

100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma

https://practice.omsom.yoga/asana-sadhana-dharma-oto

200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka

https://omsom.yoga/200-hour-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka

50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training

https://practice.omsom.yoga/yin-yoga-and-prana-vayus-oto

ON THIS WEEK’S EPISODE

In part two of our Mahāguṇa series, we explore Rajas - the force of movement, desire, and change. Rajas is what gets us out of bed, onto the mat, and into the world. But left unchecked, it’s also what drives restlessness, distraction, and burnout.

We unpack how to recognise Rajas in the mind and body, how to work with its energy wisely, and how to shape it toward Sattva through yoga, breath, meditation, and daily life.

DEFINITION AND ETYMOLOGY OF RAJAS

From the Sanskrit root rañj, meaning to colour or to stir.

Rajas is the guṇa of action, propulsion, stimulation, restlessness, and friction.

It is responsible for change, transformation, and intention but when excessive, it agitates the mind and disturbs stillness.

KEY CONCEPTS COVERED

Rajas as the upstirring factor behind all movement and motivation.

Its presence in Samkhya philosophy, Prakṛti, and the meaning of “Kriyā” (action).

The symptoms of rajasic imbalance: overstimulation, restlessness, fidgeting, racing breath, insomnia.

Rajasic Citta in the Yoga Sutra and its obstacles to meditation.

The fine line between Tejas (discernment) and Rajas (overdrive).

The “exit ramp” metaphor for slowly settling excessive Rajas.

When to pacify Rajas vs when to cultivate it (e.g. from lethargy or procrastination).

TEXTUAL SOURCES

Samkhya Kārikā: defines Rajas as “activity” and “impulse”.

Yoga Sutra references to rajasic citta, breath disturbances, and agitation as obstacles to steadiness.

Hatha Yoga Pradīpikā and traditional Prāṇāyāma frameworks for regulating energy.

PRACTICAL INTEGRATION

When Rajas is Excessive:

Asana:

Slow transitions, long holds, grounding poses (twists, forward folds, belly-down backbends).

Emphasise symmetry and rhythm over intensity.

Extend Savasana to allow full integration.

Prāṇāyāma:

Lengthen the exhale (e.g. 4:8 ratio).

Chandra Bhedana, Śītalī (cooling breath).

Avoid stimulating kriyas and aggressive techniques.

Meditation:

Use structured meditations like 61-point relaxation or kriya-based visualisations.

Build up from movement-based or guided practices.

Avoid jumping straight into stillness - build spaciousness gradually.

Lifestyle & Ayurveda:

Reduce stimulants (coffee, spicy foods, loud media, excessive screen time).

Focus on routine, rest, cooling foods and soothing sensory inputs.

Use unstructured time to unwind - slow mornings, no-schedule days.

When Rajas is Deficient:

Practice dynamic asana like Surya Namaskār, backbends, lateral extensions.

Use energising prāṇāyāma: Kapalabhāti, Bhastrikā, Sūrya Bhedana, Ujjāyī.

Short, purposeful meditation to set clear direction.

Cultivate intention, rhythm and forward momentum in daily life.

SHARE & CONNECT

Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast.
Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website.
Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OmSom.yogaWebsite: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OmSom.yoga

We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey.

OM

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365 Sadhana Sangha 

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100 Hr Asana Sadhana Dharma

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200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training Sri Lanka

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50 Hr Online Yin Yoga Teacher Training

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ON THIS WEEK'S EPISODE

This week we begin a new three-part series on the Mahāguṇas, the foundational qualities of the mind in Yogic and Sāṃkhya philosophy. In this first episode, we explore Sattva, the guna of clarity, lightness, harmony and inner truth.

We look at the origins of the guṇas in the Samkhya Kārikā, how Sattva expresses itself in the mind and body, how it can be cultivated through Yoga and Ayurveda, and the fine line between embodying Sattva and becoming bound by it.

DEFINITION AND ETYMOLOGY OF SATTVA

Sat means truth or pure being; -tva is the suffix for quality.

Sattva is the quality of truth, clarity, and purity in perception.

It is the guṇa most conducive to knowledge, meditation, right action, and spiritual insight.

Symmetrical asana sequencing

Balanced effort between strength and softness

Spacious transitions and intentional pauses

Steady Drishti and breath awareness

Prānāyāma:

Nāḍī Śodhana (alternate nostril) to balance solar and lunar currents

Sama Vṛtti (equal ratio breath)

Gentle use of Bhrāmarī and soft Ujjayi, avoiding aggressive techniques

Meditation:

Heart-based meditations (Yoga Sūtra 1.33)

Mantra repetition for single-pointedness

Cultivating presence and compassion over performance

Āyurveda & Lifestyle:

Seasonal, warm, home-cooked, soul-nourishing meals

Daily rhythm, early rising, time in nature, gentle routines

Sensory awareness and sattvic inputs (media, sound, space)

Most importantly - right intention behind actions and consumption

SHARE & CONNECT

Thank you for listening to the Om Som Yoga & Ayurveda Podcast.
Please share this episode with someone it might support, and connect with us on social media or via our website.
Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@OmSom.yogaWebsite: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠OmSom.yoga

We operate a yoga studio in Berwick, Victoria, Australia, offering classes, workshops, and Yoga Teacher Training programs. We'd love to connect with you wherever you are on your journey.

OM