What happens in a Mysore-style room
Why everyone is doing something different, and why the room is so quiet.
Your first pranayama and chanting class
Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 6.30: what happens in the room, what to bring and what you need to know beforehand.
Our pranayama and chanting class runs on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 6.30, for an hour. It is quieter and slower than the morning practice, and new students sometimes do not know what to expect. Here is a first evening, step by step.
Come ten minutes early and sit on a folded blanket or a cushion, with your back upright against the wall if you need support. Bring a shawl; you will sit still for a long time and the room cools in the evening. Eat lightly at least two hours before, as breathing practice on a full stomach is uncomfortable.
The class begins with chanting. Raghu teaches short verses in Sanskrit, line by line, and the room repeats them together. You do not need to know Sanskrit; a printed sheet with the words in Roman, Kannada and Devanagari script is handed out. The aim is steady breath and attention, and nobody minds if you stumble.
Then comes pranayama. Beginners learn simple, slow breathing first: lengthening the exhale, then alternate nostril breathing, with no holding of the breath until much later. The teacher counts aloud and watches each student. If you feel dizzy, light-headed or anxious, stop and breathe normally; that is always allowed. Tell us beforehand if you are pregnant or have high blood pressure, heart or lung conditions, so the teacher can suggest which practices to leave out. The class ends with a few minutes of silent sitting. Many students say it is the most restful hour of their week.
