indriyas - 10 sense organs - five of expression or action and five of cognition
atma - supreme spirit, true self, soul
shatkriya - purification process
Prana - life force that sustains all of us (aka chi)
Pranayama - a yogic breathing exercise designed to extract more prana from the air we breathe (my personal definition)
Uddiyana Bandha - emptying the lungs and sucking-in the tummy
Khumbaka - a breath-hold, could be in-breath or out-breath
Bahya Khumbaka - breathing-in and holding it
Antara Khumbaka - breathing-out and holding it
Nadi - energy channel, not physical
Sushumna Nadi - the main nadi that connects all the chakras, located in the spinal column (think spinal cord but not physical), blue in color
Ida - major nadi, feminine, on the left side of the Sushumna Nadi, red in color
Pingala - major nadi, masculine, on the right side of the Sushumna Nadi, white in color
Chakra - energy hub lined up from tip of the spine to the top of the head. Depending on school of thought, there could be 5 or up to 11 chakras
Sahasrara Chakra - the main energy hub on top of the head. When prana reaches this level, the mind gets into a state of one-pointedness (meditative bliss? sorry, I'm there yet)
Article Glossary
indriyas - 10 sense organs - five of expression or action and five of cognition
atma - supreme spirit, true self, soul
shatkriya - purification process
Basics Revisited With the momentary return of my vertigo, I had to completely stop for a week and resume slowly. Maybe it's a message from my universe to take it easy since my practice of late has always been hard and exhausting. This gave me a chance to focus more on the subtleties of yoga - mantra, visualization and the many pranayama approaches to an asana, while still in full compliance with the Wim Hof breathing method.
But for this class, the focus is on pranayama.
Pranayama Contraindications
do not do inhalation on a blocked nostril, but exhalation is allowed
do breath-holds with no strain. If you cannot breath slowly and evenly after a breath-hold, then you held it too long. Strain means danger in doing pranayama
Pranayama Primer class
THEORY (1-16 mins)
What is Pranayama? In the yogic tradition, if you mindfully regulate the breath, that is pranayama. The breath can be regulated in many ways and can be in combination with abdominal contractions, visualization, mudra, and yes, mantra. A child as young as 7 years old can start the practice of pranayama.
speed of breathing - pranayama is usually done slow but kapalabhati and bhastrika are done fast
force of the breath - pranayama is usually gentle, but again, kapalabhati and bhastrika are done forcefully through abdominal contraction
breath-hold - when breathing is paused, it's called a kumbhaka, an advanced form of pranayama. Holding on the in-breath is antara kumbhaka and holding on the out-breath is bahya kumbhaka
nostril breathing - in anuloma viloma, breathing is done with alternating nostril. In surya or chandra bhedan, breathing is done one nostril at a time
where you breathe in - belly breathing? chest breathing? ribcage breathing?
Asana and pranayama are essential in keeping the body, mind, prana(energy), indriyas(10 sense organs), and atma(true self, soul) in a proper state — this is yoga.
Why Should we do Pranayama? Why practice pranayama when we can all do inhale on upward-dog and exhale on downward-dog? Even though we all breathe to stay alive, not everyone does it right.
because you need to level-up from your asana - in the 8 limbs of yoga, asana is the 3rd level followed by pranayama. You cannot stay in asana forever. Asana is simply a preparation for the next level - that is, if you want to deepen your yoga practice. In this session, we'll even graze on the next limb, pratyahara - withdrawal of all senses. We do this through nada meditation
strengthens prana - pranayama fortifies prana vayu(energy and the wind that moves it). Prana can be exercised, strengthened and hyper-activated like muscles. This is done through asana(physical postures), pranayama(regulated breathing), kumbhaka(breath-hold), bandha(energy locks), mudra(balancing energy), shatkriya(purification process), mantra(sacred sound), etc.
moves prana vayu (movement of energy) - when energy moves, the body is optimized
resilient from disease - people who practice pranayama hardly ever get sick
strengthens the body - you can become insanely strong
increases your energy level - sometimes to a frightening level because it's hard to stop
extends life - in Indian text, shelf life is pre-determined by the number of breaths you can have in a lifetime. If you slow down the breath, you essentially extend your shelf life
breathing right - not everyone knows how to breathe properly. Some just breathe through the chest and can't breathe through the belly. Some cannot use the full lung cavity for air
because some people are mouth breathers - over the long-term, the face of mouth-breathers even changes due to nostril cavity shrinkage
How Do We Do Pranayama
Slowly - never rush the breath
Steady - make it a fluid motion
Deep - use your full lung capacity
Pause - acknowledge the gap between breaths and hold or honor the pause, called a kumbhaka
Through the Nose - nose-breathing has the following advantages:
in yogic tradition, you lose prana when you breathe through the mouth - this weakens you and shortens your life
the nostril cavities are the first line of defense
activates production of nitric oxide, a vasodilator that relaxes the inner linings of the blood vessels allowing them to widen, allowing more oxygen delivery - up to 20% more. This helps to battle viruses and pathogens
filters the air
slows down the breathing process
warms the air
humidifies the air
conditions the air
move mucus out of the nostrils and lungs by activating the microscopic hairs called cilia
air is primed for oxygen-absorption by the lungs
How Do We Maximize our Lung Capacity? (11 mins, 16-27 countdown) We break the inhalation into 3 sections:
belly - place palms on the navel, empty your lungs, and breath-in on the belly. Push the belly out with your breath as though you are inflating a balloon. Hold for 5 counts. Feel the prana being absorbed by the body as you hold the breath. Feel the prana spreading from the belly to the tips of your toes, to the tips of your fingers, to the tips of your hair. Exhale slowly and empty your lungs. Repeat this 3 times
side ribs - place palms on the side ribs, empty your lungs, and breath-in to expand the ribs sideways. Hold the breath for 5 counts and again, visualize prana spreading from your ribcage to every part of your body. Exhale slowly and empty your lungs. Repeat this 3 times
chest - place palms on the chest, empty your lungs and breath-in to expand the chest. Hold for 5 counts. Visualize. Exhale slowly and empty your lungs. Repeat this 3 times
all together with a stop - fingers gyana mudra and breath-in to expand the belly and hold. Inhale again to expand the ribcage and hold. Inhale again and expand the chest. Hold for 5 counts and gently exhale. Repeat this 3 times
all together without a stop - fingers gyana mudra and breath-in to expand the belly, ribs and chest in one gentle inhalation. Hold for 5 counts and gently exhale. Repeat this 3 times
PRACTICE
Introduction - What is pranayama? Why practice pranayama? How to practice pranayama?
Warm-up Squat (8 mins, 27-35) - squat variations. If you can't do your yoga for the day, you should at least start your day with this, and you'll be alright
Warm-up Surya Namaskars (8 mins, 35-43) - surya namaskar A & B
Bhastrika (bellows) (1 mins, 60-61) - fast breathing is done only in the chest. Inhaling and exhaling are forcefully done, no pausing. 30 seconds.
Kapalabhati (3 mins, 57-60) - we only do half-breathing here and forcefully push the air out with abdominal contraction on the exhale. Do 40 seconds.
Anuloma Viloma (Nadi Shodana) (7 mins, 50-57) - alternate nostril breathing. Hold for 5 counts on the inhale, then exhale slowly. Do it slow, 5 mins
Ujjayi (7 mins, 43-50) - create a funnel on your throat to restrict air passage, producing a slight hissing sound, as you inflate the belly, ribs and chest, hold for 5 counts while remaining completely relaxed, and slowly exhale. Keep doing this, ever so mindful. Focus on the breath like meditation. When you catch the mind drifting, take it back gently on the breath. Keep repeating for 5 mins
Wim Hof Breathing (10 mins, 61-71) - do 30 full breaths, no pause, and hold the breath for 30 seconds on the last exhale while keeping the body completely relaxed, no bandhas. Do 3 rounds
Nada Meditation (10 mins, 71-81) - 5 mins on the bee-sound and 5 minutes for silence
Gratitude (4 mins, 81-85) - on Anjali mudra, give thanks for abundance, our health, the people who look after our well-being, the food that will nourish us, the place we call home.
Ending Thoughts This primer gives the essentials of pranayama. With a deepening pranayama practice, related elements such as kumbhaka(breath-holds), bandha(energetic locks), mudra(energetic seals), shatkriya (purification process) and visualization can be incorporated. When established in pranayama, the next limb, pratyahara(withdrawal of the senses), would be next. Yoga is a very long process that takes lifetimes to master. Goal? Sometimes, it's best to just focus on the here-and-now, staying present, one breath at a time.
Marina Brazen Travel Thoughts (Feb 3, 2021) Gigit's class was exactly what I needed to jumpstart my paranayama practice once again. After many months disconnected from my personal practice, going into Nawa Saaran with the inviting and warm energy of Gigit's presence helped me feel at ease and comfortable to just be. He took us through the principals of Pranayama and how we apply it to our lives and followed it up with practical practice to solidify the theory. It felt sooooo good to reconnect with my pranayama vayu and feel the way it strengthened my body throughout the class. It even eased the headache I had coming into class!! If you're looking to get into pranayama, Gigit is a great teacher to gain knowledge from. He's articulate, thorough, and you know what he's speaking is Truth cause he IS the walking embodiment of his practice!!!
Tom Tom Maher (Feb 3, 2021) Gigit... I feel like I'm still riding the high from yesterday's class. Thank you for the awesome pranayama session! I'll be bringing pranayama into my daily practice more heavily after that session. I really felt amazing all yesterday despite stressors, and still get amazing this morning despite lack of sleep. I've dealt with all stress since class with a calm level head. It's incredible, can't kill this high! Haha. Let me know when you'll have another pranayama class ahead of time if you can, I would love to join your classes.
TheLoneRider (Feb 3, 2021) That's the good thing about a pranayama high...keeps you energized, lasts a few days, and no crash landing (unlike recreational drugs).
Victoria (Feb 3, 2021) When is the next class?
TheLoneRider (Feb 3, 2021) No schedule yet, but I'll notify you. If you can bring along 3 friends, I can make a class for your group 🙂
(Feb 3, 2021) I remember Tonya Harding as the first female olympic skater who nailed the first ever, Triple Axle in figure skating history. As great as that feat was, it was eclipsed by the infamous 'leg breaking' of Nancy Kerrigan by Tonya and her crew, to gain competitive advantage in the olympics. This movie attempts to shed new light into that human drama.....more »»
(Feb 7, 2021) The Wim Hof breathing method starts you off with a 45-sec breath-hold after doing 3 rounds of 30 deep and fast full breathing. I steadily pushed my breathing with more rounds and more reps, and held my breath longer. This morning, after doing 5 rounds with 50 reps followed by an antara kumbhaka, I reached the 4-min mark with sensations I've never felt before.....more »»
Chiang Mai INFORMATION
Chiang Mai Map
Chiang Mai, Thailand
IMPORTANT PLACES
Bus Station Train Station Chiang Mai International Airport Nong Buak Hard Park - free yoga classes daily
HOTEL
Arun Dara Villa - 7 exclusive rooms, 1 swimming pool for every room, grand opening
Nawa Sheeva Hotel - big rooms, high ceiling, salt-water pool, restaurant, cafe
Nawa Saraan Hotel - low density (4 spacious rooms), stone garden setting, Koi fish pond, Old City location
Arun Suite - 3 bedrooms in a 3-storie guesthouse within Old City, ideal for families
MOTORBIKE RENTAL
Tawan Bike - motorcycle rental | +66 91 635 2863 | Si Phum, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200
Chiang Mai FYI / Tips
crop-burning season in Chiang Mai is between late Feb to early April. But laws change everytime. This year, 2019, there is a 61-day ban on burning so the farmers started burning early. When my plane was approaching Chiang Mai on Jan 24, 2019, there was already a thick blanket of smog covering the entire city (and beyond). But within the city itself, you won't feel it (but that doesn't mean the air is healthy). To monitor air conditions in real time, refer to site: Chiang Mai Air Pollution: Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI)
hot season begins March and lasts until June
wet season begins July and lasts until September
best time to visit Chiang Mai is mid-September to mid-February - after the monsoon and before the burning
you have to try Khao Soi, this is north Thailand's culinary staple
the tourist area where most of the hotels, restaurants, ticket offices, tour operators are, is located in the Old City
to exchange your dollars to Thai Baht, the Super Rich Money Exchange give the best rates. There are many branches scattered around Chiang Mai
get a red cab (songthao) outside the train station for Baht 50 (instead of paying B100 if inside the train station) to Old City - if you haggle nicely enough...I did!
shared red taxi (songthao) - B30 standard fare plying all over Old City
for only B50/day, best to rent a bike to go around the Old City - it's a 2.5km2 with lots to discover
FREE daily yoga classes from 9:00am to 10:15am at Nong Buak Hard Park (southwest corner of Old City). Resident and passing-through teachers take turns conducting yoga classes.
Blues/Jazz Bars in Chiang Mai
North Gate Jazz Coop - at Chang Phueg Gate, great Tuesday jam session, Blues on Sundays at 11pm by the Chiang Mai Blues band
Boy Blues Bar - at the Night Bazaar. Mondays at 9:30pm is open mic
My Secret Cafe - near Wat Phra Singh. Tuesdays at 7:30pm for the changing front-act and 9:00pm for the Panic Band
Taphae East - 88 Thapae Rd. (just north of Night Bazaar). Fridays at 9:30pm by Chiang Mai Blues Band
Chiang Mai Cost Index
B60 Chiang beer
B250 1 hour drop-in yoga session
B200 one hour Thai body massage at WAYA Massage(highly recommended)
B50 noodle soup with meat
B50 coffee
B40 pad thai
B30/kilo wash-only laundry
B50/kilo wash+iron laundry
B100-150 dorm bed/night
B250 fan room/night
B30 internet cafe/hour
B170-190 Movies Sat-Sun and public holidays
B130-150 Movies weekdays
B100 Movies Wednesdays (movie discount day)
B750 1/2 day Thai cooking lessons
B900-1000 1 full day Thai cooking lessons
B400 Muay Thai boxing ticket
B2500 starting room rate at the luxury hotel, Nawa Sheeva(highly recommended)
Transportation
B450 bus, Chiang Mai to Bangkok
B160-180 bus, Chiang Mai to Pai
B1250 bus, Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang
B1650 slow boat, Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang
B210 bus, Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai, 3-4 hours
B360 Green VIP bus, Chiang Mai to Mae Sai (Thai border town for visa run to Tachileik, Myanmar)
B50 bicycle rental, 24 hours
B200 motorbike rental, 24 hours
B273 #51 sleeping train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai
Book Online - direct booking with State Railway of Thailand. Best to register first. If going to BKK from CNX, click "Northern Line".
note -- big difference between booking direct with the State Railway and booking with an online 3rd party agent. 12GO was charging B1330 for the same trip that only cost me B941 with the State Railway.
note -- Oct 2022, I took the #10 Train from CNX to BKK, upper berth, 2nd class, a/c, sleeper, B941. The train was clean, fast, comfortable and modern. If you have heavy luggage that will cost more money in flight checkin, I would suggest this train. Otherwise, the flight now is so much cheaper it doesn't even make sense to take the bus or train.
Bangkok to Chiang Mai by Train from Bang Sue Train Station
10:22pm - #51 Train, arrive Chiang Mai 12:10pm, sleeper, 3rd class B270 (non sleeper), 2nd class B438, B728 upper deck, B798 lower deck
Loei to Chiang Mai by Bus
From Loei town center, take a tuk-tuk ride to the bus station, B30. There is only one bus station.
As of June 28, 2020 (still on Covid schedule), there are only 3 night trips: 8:30pm, 9:30pm and 12 midnight. 9 hours, B470.
The bus makes the following stops at the following times from a 9pm Loei departure: Phu Ruea (9:50pm), Phitsanulok (12:40am), Uttradit (2:20am), Lampang (4:35am)
Final bus stop is at the Red Bus Arcade, Chiang Mai, 9 hour-trip, arriving 6am (from 9pm Loei departure).
Take a red songthaew to Old City, B50. They'll try to charge you B100, but they'll take B50 (just assure the driver you won't tell the other passengers).
How to Get a 60-Day Thai Tourist Visa and then Extend by another 30 Days
This process is BEFORE Covid 19. Not sure what it is now.
60-Day Thai Tourist Visa
NOTE: There is no need to go back to your country to get the Thai tourist visa. Any major city with a Thai Embassy will do. Apparently there is also no need to have an invitation from a Thai establishment to justify the visa.
Bring the following to the Thai embassy:
a) proof of money (bank statement will suffice)
b) flight booking to Thailand
c) onward flight back to your country from Thailand
d) filled-in tourist visa form
e) 2 passport pictures
f) hotel booking in Thailand (they didn't ask me for this but better be safe)
g) passport with at least 6 months validity
After handing over all the documents, they will ask you to come pick your passport with the visa the following day from 4 to 5pm. That's it!
NOTE: after 2 successful attempts, I was already questioned the 3rd time.
30-Day Extension
NOTE: When your 60-day visa is close to expiry and you want to extend your stay. No need to leave Thailand.
bring the following to the Immigration Office:
a) passport (make sure your Tourist Visa hasn't expired yet)
b) Baht 1900
c) photocopy of your passport + visa duration date stamp + TM6 card (white immigration card) and sign all the copies
d) completed TM7 visa extension form (available at the Immigration Office)
e) one 4cmx6cm passport picture
submit the above to the Front Desk. They will give you a stub with your number on it. Take a seat and wait for your number to be called
when your number is called, your picture will be taken. Then go back to your seat. They will call you again.
when they call you again, they'll give you your passport with your extended visa. That's it!
when there are no lines, the whole process can take only 10 minutes
arrive early - in case there is a snag (visa snag, documentation snag, transport ticket snag, etc.), you will have ample time to troubleshoot the problem if you arrive early (to the airport, to the bus terminal, etc.)
put detailed itinerary on the Calendar apps of your smart-phone according to timelines - this is where you do all your thinking and planning. Once written down, you don't have to think anymore while you are on the journey...you just follow the steps. This frees your mind for something else that might happen while you are already en route
avoiding scams - as a general rule, I ignore the touts or anyone I don't know who call out to me. The calling comes in many forms - "Hi! Where are you from?", "Excuse me! Excuse me!", "Where are you going?". I don't look them in the eye and I remain non-verbal with them. If you reply to them, you just gave them an 'in' to hound you. In order not to look rude, I smile and wave the 'not interested' hand to them, without looking at them.
power bank - hand-carry your power bank. Do not check it in. You can be called in when you are already inside the plane to go all the way to the loading dock so you can personally remove the power bank...and chances are, you'll have to surrender it to them. And you might delay the plane departure!