Guru Prasad Paramahansa, an Ajapa Yoga master, is set to present an informative talk titled “The Song of Breath: An Ancient Sound Yoga for Modern Times” at the Federated Church in Placerville on October 1. This event marks the first stop on his nine-city U.S. tour, which includes additional locations in Northern California such as Folsom, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Berkeley, before moving to Southern California.
Prasad’s presentation will highlight Ajapa Yoga, a simple and practical technique of sound meditation that has been practiced in India since ancient times. This form of yoga focuses on the natural sounds of the breath and can be practiced at any time and place. Benefits of Ajapa Yoga include improved health, reduced anxiety and stress, and enhanced concentration, energy, and productivity. Unlike the physical poses commonly associated with Western yoga, Ajapa Yoga emphasizes breath and meditation.
Ajapa Yoga was introduced to the U.S. and Europe by Guru Prasad’s predecessor, Swami Janardan Paramahansa, during a world lecture tour in the 1970s. Janardan taught this technique to scientists at institutions such as the Neuropsychiatric Institute in San Francisco and Rockefeller University in New York. He emphasized that Ajapa Yoga represents the original form of Yoga, stating, “It is not a thing of words, but a thing of practical and subjective experience.”
Neeraj Goswami, an advanced Ajapa practitioner trained by Guru Prasad, will deliver the lectures in English on behalf of the master, who will also be present. Following the talk, there will be a question-and-answer session, and attendees will have the opportunity to experience Ajapa Yoga firsthand, with Goswami guiding them through the meditation and breathing techniques.
“My focus on this lecture tour is to help people in these troubled times,” said Guru Prasad. “Times are changing so fast. I want to give people this opportunity to receive the practice of Ajapa Yoga, which can help change their lifestyles and make them more confident, stable, and happy. People’s lives would be so much more meaningful with the regular practice of this yoga.”
The Ajapa Yoga Foundation, a nonprofit organization, has maintained its main U.S. center in Placerville since 1977. Set on 20 acres in the Northern California foothills, the center attracts individuals from around the world seeking meditation and clarity of thought, along with physical and mental well-being.
