Description
All that you are doing is to find out what life is, what the origin of life is, and what the continuation of life is — what it is that causes it all.
—Swami Ramanathanji
This book is the culmination of a discipline practised by the lamas in Tibet for ages—a series of eight scientific spiritual breaths—and introduced to the West and the rest of the world by Edwin John Dingle. Its precursor, The Eight Spiritual Breaths: Breathing Exercises and Affirmations That Transform Your Life, was published in 2012 and inspired aspirants to pursue the online course conducted by the author, Santosh Sachdeva. Enthused by their testimonies, she started delving deeper into the technical aspects of how the practice was causing significant changes in the body, mind and spirit, which inspired her to write this work.
As the subtitle, Deeper Insights into the Practice, suggests, this book will help practitioners dive deeper into the working of the breaths, especially their rejuvenating effect on the brain and the flow of prana. They will learn to value and appreciate more and more how scientific, subtle and deep this course is. For some, it may make their life journey fuller and more easily manageable, whereas for others, it may provide the answer to the eternal question, ‘Who am I?’
yogiimpression –
“The Eight Spiritual Breaths sadhana is designed to activate various energy centres and glands in the
body. The changes brought about are at the cellular level through the regulation of hormones, thus
causing hormonal changes in the body.
“Since the cells in our body communicate via photons or light, this sadhana increases the volume and
amperage of the electrical conductivity of the cells. “The affirmations often use the word ‘light’, which,
when recited daily, ‘reprogrammes’ the neural pathway and is registered in the psyche for later
activation.
“My experiences with this process have been quite remarkable. I experienced an increase in the states
of joy and happiness.”
—Gino Seekunto, Optician, France
yogiimpression –
“The Eight Spiritual Breaths have a constant impact on my life path. They are alive, and every practice, every inhalation, every exhalation, every affirmation, every meditation infuses my Heart, dances and consumes me more and more in this surrender to the simplicity of life. Every moment is freed from everything I imagined it should be and is returned to what it has always been—the flow of life.
“The Eight Spiritual Breaths, lived in willingness, patience and love, reveal the Gaze of the Living One in fusion with Life. I feel infinite gratitude for Santosh Ma and the Mirror she embodies to reveal ourself and live the answer to the question, ‘Who or what am I?’
“But there’s something much more than that; it’s a personal path, in which we give everything away, and yet the impact is extraordinary all around us. One does not necessarily expect this at the start of the course, and I am certainly not asking you to believe what I’m saying but to experience it and give your own response to it.”
—Anthony Costeseque, Google, France
yogiimpression –
“The Eight Spiritual Breaths have changed my life for the better, in what feels like a very short amount of time. Prior to this course, I found myself increasingly dissatisfied with a Kundalini Yoga program I had been practising for a few years, and I was actively seeking something different. Filtering through the various offerings I could find, both online and locally, I read and heard many great claims, but I was never convinced that they could be backed up or fully deliver on their promises.
“So, I was sceptical when coming to this course as well, but the proof came to me within a couple of months of practising the breaths and affirmations daily. It came in the form of increased energy, mental clarity, a general sense of well-being, increased (and everincreasing) awareness, decreased anxiety, and overall, much greater harmony in my life and relationships. Most striking though, is the growing gratitude and admiration I feel for Santosh Ma and her wisdom and guidance through the simple insights and suggestions that she often offers. I feel so blessed, as if I have truly ‘won the lottery’ in terms of having discovered and become a part of this great program.”
—Michael Medof, Property Manager, USA
yogiimpression –
“I read and re-read the course book, and I discover something new each time. I have an autoimmune condition, which has come under control without medication in the last year-and-a-half, through the practice of the breaths. I find this very fascinating.
“There is a longing to do the breaths every day. I have found it’s still better to do the breaths later during the day if one can’t do them in the morning, rather than skip them entirely. On the days when I do skip them, it feels as if I have lost something dear to me. Doing the breaths makes me feel energetic. At times, I experience sudden bursts of joy during the day.
“I want to say ‘Thank you’ for guiding me in this practice. I bow to you, Santosh Ma.”
—Malavika Beedu, Psychological Counsellor, Australia
yogiimpression –
“Practising The Eight Spiritual Breaths has given me a lot of energy and enthusiasm along with higher levels of calmness in daily life. There is always a sense of progress and learning.
“Apart from the practice, listening to Santosh Ma itself provides immense learning. She explains very subtle concepts in a simple way. I always find myself extracting something new each time I listen to her.”
—Devesh Khilwani, PhD Candidate, Electrical Engineering, Cornell University, USA
yogiimpression –
“After practising The Eight Spiritual Breaths and being in Santosh Ma’s presence for the weekly online meditations, I have become calm and more conscious of what I see or hear. I feel I have become more sensitive to the energy around me. I had lower back pain for more than three years, which gave me sleepless nights, and I had difficulty walking, as well. But after practicing the breaths, it just seems to have disappeared.
“My heartfelt thanks to Guruji Santosh Ma because I feel it would not have been possible without her presence, which I really feel blessed with.”
—Bhakti Satam, Homemaker, Mumbai
yogiimpression –
“I share my experiences with utmost gratitude for Guru Santosh Ma. The Eight Spiritual Breaths have taught me lessons of lifetimes. The breaths and affirmations have changed my life 360 degrees. They work like a miracle if done with faith. My old self has dropped away, and it feels as if I am reborn in the same lifetime. Physically, the body feels cleansed of unwanted and unknown emotions and behaviours that hamper an individual’s progress. On the other hand, daily practice opens up new thoughts that connect you to your real Self. I learnt to react less when I get triggered. I also smile a lot more than before. My restlessness has decreased, and I am now more patient. These affirmations work at a cellular level, and I feel more positive and energetic.
“To sum up, I would say, ‘I have gained immense peace within me.’ I feel blessed to have attended the twelve-week Zoom course with Santosh Ma and feel fortunate to have met her in this lifetime.”
—Soojata Satam, Homemaker, Mumbai
yogiimpression –
“I started The Eight Spiritual Breaths during a very turbulent time in my life, and they helped me tremendously. I feel lighter, clearer, grounded, calm and more empowered. I am most grateful to Santosh Ma for her loving presence and wisdom.”
—Jane Griffiths, Homemaker, Hong Kong
yogiimpression –
“An overwhelming sense of being transformed is what comes to mind while describing The Eight Spiritual Breaths and their impact on my being. Through its practice, I was made aware of the different dimensions—emotional, physical, mental, and energy. My experience involved cleansing or purification, energizing, and re-coding or alignment, down to the very building blocks of my existence.
“I was led to understand that most of what we define as our ‘individual’ being is but the composite of our recursive tendencies, patterns and emotional and karmic baggage. This leads us to the current set of experiences we call life. The Eight Spiritual Breaths break this cycle through powerful breathing exercises and even more powerful affirmations. The affirmations, at one level, carry out the cleansing and energizing, but at a deeper and much more powerful level, are designed to reprogram and align one to the very core and limitless aspect of the Ultimate Reality within and without.”
—Konark Bhandari, Business Development Executive, Mumbai
yogiimpression –
“I wake up every morning with a sense of anticipation. What a wonderful feeling to wake up to know your day involves a practice, rather, a dialogue between the Creator and the created. That’s what The Eight Spiritual Breaths are to me after twelve weeks of the course!”
—Radhika Chopra, Transformation Coach, Mumbai
yogiimpression –
“The foremost change was learning how powerful my thoughts are. I have started sorting out thoughts as ‘what is mine’ and ‘what is not’. Slowly, things within are changing as I feel, think and then act accordingly. It is compelling to dwell on the past or thoughts of negativity, but to be determined is what the process is all about, and the breaths made it happen for me. As my awareness increased, my thoughts didn’t overwhelm me anymore.
“The second learning was how important the life force within us is and how powerful I can make my body, mind and spirit with my breath. My body got charged and became vibrant, energetic and motivated. My stamina increased. Now, every day seems brighter, happier and a new adventure to live through. The happiness is visible not only to me but to everyone around me. With the practice, every day, I feel as if all is well and I am being taken care of by a universal force. My new persona has started to shine.”
—Vandna Soni, Homemaker, Reiki Practitioner, Tarot Student, Mumbai
yogiimpression –
“With the daily practice of The Eight Spiritual Breaths, I started feeling more energetic, vibrant, calm and peaceful. Over the four years of practising the breaths and meditations, I have undergone a lot of changes and have felt a new awakening of peace. Earlier, I used to base my life on others’ opinions, but now I have started living for myself. I now respect my life and am loving it.”
—Asha Jhaveri, Restaurateur, Mumbai
yogiimpression –
“The regular practice of The Eight Spiritual Breaths has changed me. The changes are at such a deep level that there is no going back. The energy worked at a subtle level, and I didn’t even realize when and how the changes were occurring. Anger vanished and anxiety left me; what remained was a serene calm. After the course, I instinctively started to feel for others and see their point of view in different situations. Physically too, I have found that my stamina has increased and so has the prana shakti. With the meditations that followed the breaths, I felt a deep quietude, both inner and outer, that goes on increasing day by day.”
—Sunita Tiwari, Astrologer, Mumbai