The library

Practices

Every practice, explained from the classical texts in our own words — with what modern research shows, how to do it, and who should avoid it.

• Posture · 15 practices

  Asana

  Seats and shapes held until the body stops asking for attention. In the classical texts asana is a small, practical set — steadiness first, range later.

• Breath and energy · 4 practices

  Pranayama

  The deliberate regulation of breath: lengthening, balancing and retaining it. The texts treat breath and mind as one system.

• Seals · 3 practices

  Mudra

  Whole-body gestures that contain and direct energy rather than spend it. The widest classical catalogue is in the Gheranda Samhita.

• Locks · 3 practices

  Bandha

  Three precise internal locks — root, abdomen and throat — used to hold pressure and attention during breath work.

• Cleansing acts · 4 practices

  Kriya

  The shatkarma: washing, kindling, churning and gazing. Preparatory practices that clear the passages the breath moves through.

• Concentration and absorption · 3 practices

  Meditation

  Withdrawal of the senses, concentration, meditation and absorption — the inner limbs as Patanjali sets them out.

Each practice cites the chapter and verse it comes from, and links to our commentary on that chapter in the classical texts.

Educational content, not medical advice. Check with a doctor before starting new practices if you have a health condition or are pregnant.