This practice is a one pointed concentration on the form and Nada or sound of the sacred Pranava AUM, known as the Mantra of all Mantras. This can be done from any of the sitting postures but make sure that your back is erect. It is best to do this after performing a few rounds of conscious deep breathing so that the mind is in a calm state. Pranava Dhyana harmonizes the body, emotions and mind. It is an important part of the Rishiculture Ashtanga Yoga tradition as taught by Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri. In this practice emphasis is first placed on making the sounds AAA, UUU and MMM separately and then in combination. This is followed by the performance of the practice mentally without the audible sound. Sit in Vajrasana and place the Chin Mudra on your thighs. Breathe in deeply into your lower chest area 2-3-4-5-6. Breathe out with the sound Aaaaa……. Breathe in 2-3-4-5-6. Breathe out ---- Breathe in 2-3-4-5-6. Breathe out ---- Now concentrate on the sound Aaaaa mentally and perform the same practice three times without the audible sound. Curl your fingers inward to form the Chinmaya Mudra and place it on your thighs. Breathe deeply into your mid chest region 2-3-4-5-6. Breathe out with the sound Ooooo ……. Breathe in 2-3-4-5-6. Breathe out ---- Breathe in 2-3-4-5-6. Breathe out ---- Now concentrate on the sound Ooooo… mentally and perform the same practice three times without the audible sound. Perform the Adhi Mudra by clenching your fists with your thumb in the centre and place the Mudra on your thighs. Breathe deeply into your upper chest and clavicular regions 2-3-4-5-6. Now, exhale with the sound Mmmm……. Breathe in 2-3-4-5-6. Breathe out ---- Breathe in 2-3-4-5-6. Breathe out ---- Now concentrate on the sound mentally and perform the same practice three times without the audible sound. To perform the fourth part of the practice that unites the three earlier parts perform Adhi Mudra and then place it with the knuckles of both hands touching in front of the navel. This is now known as the Brahma Mudra. Take a deep breath into the low ……..mid ……..and upper chest ……..regions. Now let the breath out with the sounds of Aaaaa…Ooo… Mmmm …. Breathe in 2-3-4-5-6. Breathe out ---------- Breathe in 2-3-4-5-6. Breathe out ---------------- Now concentrate on the sound Aaaaa------Ooooo------Mmmm and perform the same practice three times without the audible sound. A performance of three to nine rounds of the Pranava Dharana when done daily helps to relax the Body-Emotion-Mind complex and provides complete healing through the production of healing vibrations at all levels of our existence. This is the cornerstone of Yogic breath therapy and can produce health and wellbeing for all. When the concentrative aspect of the practice is taken to its peak, a state of mediation or Pranava Dhyana can ensue.

1. PRANAVA DHYANA
MEDITATING ON THE
SACRED AUM
Yogacharya
Dr ANANDA BALAYOGI BHAVANANI
Chairman
International Centre For Yoga Education and
Research (ICYER),
Ananda Ashram, South India.
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3.  Dhyana or meditation -union with our
Supreme Nature -‘Fixing the mind on
the Supreme with devotion and
discipline’.
 Seventh step in Ashtanga Yoga of
Patanjali
 Part of the Antaranga / inner steps of
Yoga.
 Dharana -one pointed concentration
helps us to flow into meditation.

5. The final step in the three, free flowing
higher states of consciousness is
SAMADHI
Union with the Divine Nature in the
ULTIMATE
UNIVERSAL
UNIFICATION

6. Maharishi Patanjali says,
 “desha bandhah chittasya dharana” -
concentration is the process of binding the
consciousness to a point, place, region or
object. (a duality between SEER -SEEN).
 “ tatra pratyaya ekatanata dhyanam” -
meditation is a STATE where there is a
steady & continuous flow of attention and
concentration on a point, place, region or
object. (cessation of duality between SEER
and the SEEN).

8. PRANAVA
DHYANA

9.  Pranava Dhyana involves a one pointed
concentration on the Roopa and Nada
(form and sound) of the sacred Pranava
AUM-the Mantra of all Mantras.
 Pranava Dhyana harmonizes the body,
emotions and mind.
 It is an important part of the Rishiculture
Ashtanga Yoga tradition as taught by
Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri.

10.  Take up any sitting posture with your spine
as erect as possible
 It is best to do this after performing a few
rounds of conscious deep breathing so
that the mind is in a calm state.
 In this practice emphasis is first placed on
making the sounds AAA, UUU and MMM
separately and then in combination.
 This is followed by the performance of the
practice mentally without the audible
sound.

11. Part-1-AKARA NADA
 Sit in Vajrasana and place
the Chin Mudra on your thighs.
Breathe in deeply into your
lower chest area 2-3-4-5-6.
Breathe out with the sound Aaaaa…….
 Now concentrate on the sound Aaaaa
mentally and perform the same practice
three times without the audible sound.

12. Part-2-UKARA NADA
 Curl your fingers inward to
form the Chinmaya Mudra
and place it on your thighs.
Breathe deeply into your mid
chest region 2-3-4-5-6.
Breathe out with the sound Ooooo …….
 Now concentrate on the sound Ooooo…
mentally and perform the same practice three
times without the audible sound.

13. Part-3-MAKARA NADA
 Perform the Adhi Mudra by clenching
your fists with your thumb in the
centre and place the Mudra on
your thighs.
Breathe deeply into your upper
chest and clavicular regions 2-3-4-5-6.
Now, exhale with the sound Mmmm…….
 Now concentrate on the sound mentally and
perform the same practice three times without
the audible sound.

14. Part-4-unites the three earlier parts
 Perform Adhi Mudra and then place it with
the knuckles of both hands touching in
front of the navel. This is now known as
the Brahma Mudra.

15.  Take a deep breath into the low ……..mid
……..and upper chest ……..regions. Now
let the breath out with the sounds of
Aaaaa…Ooo… Mmmm ….
 Now concentrate on the sound Aaaaa------
Ooooo------Mmmm and perform the same
practice three times without the audible
sound.

16.  A performance of 3 to 9 rounds of the
Pranava Dhyana daily helps relax the Body-
Emotion-Mind complex & provides complete
healing through the production of healing
vibrations at all levels of our existence.
 This is the cornerstone of Yogic breath
therapy and can produce health and
wellbeing for all.
 When the concentrative aspect of the
practice is taken to its peak, a state of
meditation or Pranava Dhyana can ensue.

18. THANK
YOU
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