We ask all students to memorize this class  before the course starts.  You must arrange for an oral exam before or during the first week of the intensive itself.  Please make your appointment for the exam early.  Bharata does not do exams on weekends.  Thanks.

By knowing the words at the beginning of the course, you don't have to stumble for words and are able to put your energy into helping the students. It is not necessary to know the opening and closing mantras at the beginning of the course.  You will know them by the end of the course just from having repeated them so often. Click HERE to download an MP3 of this class.

0:00 - 0:05 Relaxation - Corpse position. Lie on back. Feet apart, toes out to sides. Palms up next to sides. Turn head from side to side. Inhale, lift up both arms and legs and inch or so and tense them up. Drop. Raise hips and tense lower torso. Drop. Keep head on floor and raise back. Tense upper torso and drop. Shoulders up towards ears. Drop. Turn head from side to side. Guide students through 6-8 deep abdominal breaths.

0:05 - 0:15 OM 3X’s. Guru Mantra. Guru Brahma Guru Vishnu Guru Devo Maheshwara
Guru Sakshat Param Brahma Tasmai Sri Gurave Namaha. Om Namah Sivaya Gurave, Sat-Chid-Ananda Murtaye , Nishprapanchaya Shantaya
Sri Sivanandaya Te Namaha Sri Vishnu Devanandaya Te Namaha. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti. Om Peace, Peace, Peace.

Corpse Position

0:15 - 0:25 Sun Salutations - Sit up. Cross legs. Stand up. (Make sure that you know of all physical problems with new students, esp. high blood pressure, heart trouble and glaucoma. Encourage new students to underachieve & listen to their body.) Stand up straight, heals together.

1. Inhale. Exhale palms together

2. Inhale. Stretch up and bend back trying ot see the wall behind you.

3. Exhale. Folding at the hips bend forward and bring hands down to floor  along side feet.

4. Inhale. Step back with right foot. Right knee on floor. Head back.

5. Retain breath. Both legs back. Body is a straight line.

6. Exhale. Knees, chest and forehead to the floor.

7. Inhale. Slide forward and lift up into the Cobra.

8. Exhale. Inverted "V" position. Raise hips into air and push heals down into the floor.

9. Inhale. Step forward and bring right foot up between hands, left knee down and head back.

10.Exhale. Bring other foot forward.

11.Inhale. Stretch up and bend back.

12. Exhale. Lower arms by side.

REPEAT the same with the left foot going back and coming forward first. This is one round. Do a total of FOUR rounds.

Corpse Position

0:25-0:35 Leg Raises. Legs together. Palms down next to sides. Keep the legs straight. Toes toward head.. Chin a little in to chest.

Do single legs raises 3X’s with each leg. (alternating). On the third raise, grab leg with two hands and bring head up towards knee keeping legs straight. Hold and breath. Then inhale and lower head, bend knee and exhale and bring knee towards forehead or shoulder. Then do other leg. Double leg raises - Legs straight, toes toward head, chin a little in to chest. 10X’s inhaling up and exhaling down.

Corpse Position

0:35-0:40 Head Stand - Come into the child position. Kneel down, chest on thighs, forehead on floor in front of knees, palms up beside feet. Relax and sink down into the floor. Either come into the headstand or practice the dolphin to strengthen your arms. After 2 or 3 minutes tell those in the head stand to do some leg variations.

Corpse Position

0:40-0:45 Shoulder Stand Cycle - Come away from the wall about 3 feet. Legs together, palms down Inhale, press with the arms, raise up the legs, buttocks and back. Support the back with hand. Get up as straight as possible. Relax feet, legs, and face. After 2 minutes do leg variations (one leg down, then other - two or three times each, then double legs two or three times. Then leave feet down in plough for 30 seconds. Support back with hands, come up and into shoulderstand and over into the bridge one leg at a time bringing feet down to the floor behind the back. In bridge try to get legs straight with feet flat on floor. Hold for ten seconds or so. Inhale right leg up and down . Left leg up and down. Twice with each leg. Walk feet in towards buttocks. Grab ankles with hands. Keep feet flat on floor, inhale and raise hips up. Hold. Then come into wheel. Palms flat on floor under shoulders. Lift up. Hold. Optional: arm and leg variations.

Corpse Position

0:45-0:50 Fish Position - If one can do the full lotus, one should do the fish in the full lotus. Otherwise, keep the legs straight and bring them together. Place the palms down under the buttocks. Inhale, press with the elbows, raise up back and chest, bend head back and place top of head on floor. Most of weight is on elbows, very little weight on head. Slow, very deep abdominal breathing. Hold one minute. Down. Interlock fingers behind head. Exhale, pull head up and bring chin towards chest. Inhale head down.

Corpse Position

0:50-1:00 Forward Bend Cycle - Bring legs together, inhale and stretch arms toward wall behind. Exhale relax. Inhale and stretch from fingers to toes. (Twice) Inhale and sit up. Do whatever forward bending variations you like ending with 2-4 minutes held in basic forward bend. Then Inclined Plane. Palms back behind buttocks. Inhale, head back hips up. Legs straight with feet flat on floor. Hold. Then do separate arm and leg raises, then alternate arms and legs.

Corpse Position

1:00-1:05 Cobra - Palms down under shoulders with fingers just under shoulders. Elbows into sides. Inhale raise head and then chest. After up, drop shoulders down and pull them towards middle of back. Breathe.

Relaxation on Belly - Make a pillow with hands, turn head to one side. Toes together, heals out to the sides. 6 or 8 deep abdominal breaths.

1:05-1:10 Half Locust - Palms up next to sides. Chin out in front. Inhale, right leg up. Exhale down. Inhale left leg up and down. (Twice with each leg.) Locust. Fists under thighs. Elbows together. Three deep breaths. On third breath, inhale and raise both legs up. Hold as long as possible.

1:10-1:15 Bow - Bend knees. Grab ankles. Inhale, raise head, chest, feet and legs. Push feet up towards ceiling. Hold. Exhale down.

1:150-1:17 Spinal Twist –Kneel down. Sit to left of heels. Right foot over left thigh. Right arm behind back. Left arm over right thigh. Hold bottom knee. Bring chin over right shoulder while pushing against knee with elbow. Hold. Release. Sit to other side of heels. Left foot over right thigh. Left arm behind back. Right arm over left thigh. Hold bottom knee and bring chin over left shoulder while pushing against knee with elbow.

1:17 - 1:20 Balance Posture, Standing Forward Bend and Triangle - Any balance posture such as tree, peacock, Nataraj, or crow. Then stand up for standing forward bend. Then Triangle.

1:20-1:30 FINAL RELAXATION - Corpse position. Lie on back. Feet apart, toes out to sides. Palms up next to sides. Turn head from side to side. Inhale, lift up both arms and legs and inch or so and tense them up. Drop. Raise hips and tense lower torso. Drop. Keep head on floor and raise back. Tense upper torso and drop. Shoulders up towards ears. Drop. Turn head from side to side. Complete Yogic Breathing. Inhale, raise abdomen and then chest. Exhale. Do this 6-8 times. Mental Relaxation. Auto-suggestion with each part of the body. For example, starting with the feet, tell the students to think "feet relax." Then going up the body, do the same with the legs, hands, arms, abdomen, buttocks, back, chest, shoulders, neck, face and head, internal organs, and mind. Next ask student to bring their awareness inside, away from the external. Focus on the silence within.

Wait four - five minutes.

OM three times. Bring the awareness back to the body by wiggling the fingers and toes, twisting hands and feet. Turn head from side to side. Legs together. Inhale, stretch arms behind head. Exhale. Inhale and stretch whole body. (Do this twice). Inhale and sit up, cross legs and sit up straight. Om three times.