Meditation on Subtle Breath

Experience calmness of mind through this sitting practice of an ancient meditation practice using the natural breathing. By observing the natural breath without effort or control, practitioners begin to quiet internal chatter and cultivate a steady, peaceful state of mind. 

In this course, students learn meditation from a Himalayan monk, His Holiness Swami Vidyadhishananda, who hails from unbroken lineages of Sāṃkhya and Vedanta adepts.  

The course explores the relationship between the calm breath, Lifeforce energy (prāṇa), and subtle desires to better understand how awareness of the subtle breath stills the mind. Beginner students will find the practice natural and accessible, while advanced practitioners reconnect with the foundational principles of mindfulness that are essential for deeper meditation and contemplative study. 

What You Will Learn

Attain calmness and loosen the grip of subtle desires with guided practices led by Himalayan monk, His Holiness Swami Vidyadhishananda Giri

✓ Learn to observe the natural breath without effort, control, or impulse 
✓ Cultivate calmness and mental stability through deep attention
✓ Establish a steady sitting practice supported by posture, alignment, and ease 
✓ Develop continuity of attention through a series of guided meditations
✓ Understand the relationship between breath, mind, and Lifeforce energy 
✓ Learn how non-controlling breath awareness reveals and loosens subtle desires 
✓ Understand why mindfulness must precede any prāṇāyāma breathing techniques
✓ Explore the foundations of Aham Graha Level-1 as taught in an unbroken lineage-based authentic tradition
✓ Develop equanimous observation and acceptance of the present moment without reactivity 

What this Course Includes

• 3.5 hours on-demand video
• 3 articles
• 1 downloadable resource
• Access on computer and mobile
• Access to free bonus videos and breathwork series from Hansavedas Academy library

Description

Foundations of Aham Graha and Guided Practice

This practice is traditionally known as Aham Graha Level-1, a contemplative approach that begins by loosening subtle desires and tendencies related to worldliness that burden the heart. The initial stages focus on attaining calmness by simply watching the natural breath without controlling it. Higher steps of Aham Graha progressively build on the energy attained through the initial sitting meditation practice.

The course offers both guided meditation practices and the philosophical foundation necessary to establish a daily meditation practice. Through guided sittings of gradually increasing duration, practitioners develop steadiness, continuity of attention, and greater equanimity. Students are encouraged to begin with shorter sessions and gradually progress toward longer sittings as the practice deepens naturally over time.

Deepening Mindfulness Through Practice

As the practice of the Aham Graha method develops, the practitioner learns to observe the breath fully without the sense of agency that arises from controlling it. Releasing the impulse to control gradually allows one to accept things as they are without reactivity, cultivating the energy of mindfulness and inner balance.

In the chapter Going Deeper, students explore the contemplative foundations of Aham Graha through teachings on Sāṃkhya and Vedantic principles of non-duality, subtle desires, and reflective self-observation.

These lessons examine how attachment to pleasure and pain burdens the heart and obstructs meditation. Through stillness and letting go, the practitioner develops greater clarity, peace, and readiness for higher stages of contemplative meditation.