Introduction to Level 7
“Once we know how to contact the energy of breath, breathing becomes an infinite source of vitalizing energies.” – Kum Nye - Tibetan Yoga
We are happy to announce a special topic of the eKum Nye program, entitled ‘The Power of Breath’. A pivotal aspect within the many facets of Kum Nye is the possibility to cultivate breathing patterns and to learn how to fully extract the vitalities of life that are contained within the breath. Our sustained well being depends on wholesome breathing patterns and at the same time, they will provide gateways to new ways of being.
The breath is the motor of our being and our lives. Our breathing charts the rhythms of our every experience. Our birth is marked by our first breadth, while life comes to an end shortly after we exhale for the last time. It has been established for quite some time that meditation relaxes stress patterns and improves the immune system. It helps to create a separation between our emotional turbulence and our basic being so we will be less taken by whatever comes to mind. The first step in meditation is to become conscious of our breath in our daily lives.
Kum Nye is a form of Tibetan yoga that helps refine the breath leading to a state of inner calmness and clarity and providing access to an infinite source of vitalizing energies. The movement and postures of Kum Nye create a greater sense of inner peace enabling the breath our entire body, aiding the cultivation a deeper awareness of our breath. With Kum Nye, the body and mind relax so that the breath can establish its fullness within us without us becoming anxious or overly self-conscious.
Finding a natural rhythm to our breath will make it easier to envision and implement positive change in our lives. If our state of mind is tight and our energy contracted, the breath will be likewise. The reverse is true too: if the breathing becomes calmer, the body relaxes and the mind more open. This program will go just observing the patterns of our breath to learn how to contact the energy of the breath and discover its healing potential.
Program Overview
This program is based on the Breath chapters in Kum Nye - Tibetan Yoga, Tibetan Relaxation, The Joy of Being, Hidden Mind of Freedom, Gesture of Balance, and Mastering Successful Work as well as traditional Dharma resources. Each lesson will have one or more themes from the Kum Nye body of knowledge on mindfulness of breath. You will also be given a specific set of Kum Nye exercises to loosen up the throat area and create inner space. The physical Kum Nye exercises will facilitate fine-tuning of the breath. The weekly suggested breathing exercises will be the heart of the program and the focus of your weekly Kum Nye practice.
Lessons:
Lesson 1 – Mindfulness of Breath
Lesson 2 – Calm Breath, Part I
Lesson 3 – Calm Breath, part II
Lesson 4 – Calm Breath, part III
Lesson 5 – Subtle Breath
Lesson 6 – Connecting Inner and Outer
Lesson 7 – Cleansing Breath
Lesson 8 – Joyful Breath
Lesson 9 – Healing breath
Lesson 10 – Esoteric Breath
Lesson 11 – An Encore: Living Life in the Breath. A commentary on KN #8
The eKum Nye program is intended to provide thorough individual training in the theory and practice of Kum Nye Yoga for the development of a fulfilling personal Kum Nye practice.
Course material:
- Kum Nye – A Tibetan Yoga by Tarthang Tulku. Please complete all required reading assignments from the previous lesson prior to beginning a new lesson. You may purchase a copy at our web store.
- The Joy of Being by Tarthang Tulku. Acquire your personal copy at our web store.
- The Joy of Being Workbook. Please download the following link to receive your included copy of this book for the course: https://we.tl/xXVfrn8tIQ
- A journal or notebook devoted to your Kum Nye practice. Prompts and journaling assignments are given at the end of each lesson. Students are also encouraged to keep regular entries related to their experiences and observations about their Kum Nye practice apart from the weekly assignments. This is very important as writing about your experiences will help you to develop greater personal awareness.
Daily Practice:
One hour every day devoted to your Kum Nye practice. Students are expected to perform the weekly exercises every day for the week that they are in each lesson. If you like, you are encouraged to make your practice sessions longer than one hour. If you must practice for a shorter time, certainly make it no less than thirty minutes.