Balancing the Vayus

February 12, 1986

The breath of life, which forms the foundation of all your capacities, is made up of five winds or Vayus. The Vayus are energies associated with different areas in the body and combine to make the Pran Vayu or the wind of life. 

This kriya opens up all the Vayus, to get pranic energy flowing freely throughout the body, so we can enjoy robust health and a solid base of physical capacity for life. It also balances the entire glandular system and moves lymphatic fluids powerfully. It can give you coordination of and control over your mind, body, and soul.

Note: The first exercise of this set has been published as Sufi Grinds, but based on our research with the source material of the original class, we believe the below is the most accurate description we can provide.

Illustration of Helen sitting in easy pose with hands on knees.

1. Torso Rocking

Posture & Mudra: Sit in Easy Pose (Sukhasana) with your hands on your knees, pulling your spine up straight.

Movement & Breath: Keeping your spine straight, rock your upper body forward and back from the base. Do not allow your spine to bend or flex; rock your torso straight forward and then back.

Duration: Continue for 1 minute.

2. Side Forward Folds

Posture & Mudra: Remain in Easy Pose (Sukhasana) with your hands on your knees.

Movement & Breath: 

  • Bend from the hips to the right and bring your forehead toward your right knee. 
  • Come back up to center.
  • Bend from the hips to the left and bring your forehead toward your left knee.
  • Continue in this sequence.

Duration: Continue for 1 minute.

Illustration of Helen sitting in easy pose doing the Side forward folds
Illustration of Helen sitting in easy pose with hands on heart and mouth closed

3. Spinal Twists

Posture & Mudra: Sit in Easy Pose (Sukhasana) with both hands on your Heart Center (Anahata Chakra).

Movement & Breath: Twist your torso right and left from the Navel Point, rotating your shoulders deeply.

Duration: Continue for 1 minute.

4. Center Forward Folds

Posture & Mudra: Sit in Easy Pose (Sukhasana) with your hands interlaced behind your neck.

Movement & Breath: Keeping your spine straight, bend forward towards the floor and then come back up. Move quickly and rhythmically.

Duration: Continue for 1 ½ minutes.

Illustration of Helen sitting in easy pose with hands behind neck
Illustration of Helen doing cat-cow pose, hands and knees in cat-cow (Marjariasana-Bitilasana).

5. Cat-Cow

Posture & Mudra: Come onto your hands and knees in Cat-Cow (Marjariasana-Bitilasana).

Movement & Breath: 

  • Flex your spine up and down as rapidly as possible for 20 seconds.
  • As your head comes up in Cow (Marjariasana), quickly lift your hands off the floor and clap them. Bring them back down as your head comes down in Cow (Bitilasana). Continue to move in this way for 1 ¼ minutes.

Duration: Continue for 1 minute and 35 seconds total.

6. Frogs

Posture & Mudra: Squat down and place your toes on the ground, your heels together off the ground, and your fingertips on the ground between the knees in Frog Pose.

Movement & Breath: Inhale, lift the buttocks, and lower the head, straightening the legs. Exhale, return to the starting position with the face forward.

Duration: Continue for 21 repetitions.

Illustration of Helen standing in hopping like a kangaroo

7. Kangaroo Jumps

Posture & Mudra: Stand like a kangaroo with your knees bent and upper arms by the sides. Bend your elbows and wrists so your arms look like kangaroo paws.

Movement & Breath: Jump up and down 21 times.

Duration: Continue for 21 repetitions.

8. Cobra Rolls

Posture & Mudra: Lie on your stomach and push up into Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana).

Movement & Breath: 

  • From Cobra Pose, quickly roll to the left and come lying on your back.
  • Roll onto your stomach and come up into Cobra Pose again.
  • Quickly roll to the right and come lying on your back.
  • Continue to move in this sequence.

Duration: Continue for 1 ½ minutes.

Illustration of Helen laying down doing cobra rolls/ Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
Illustration of Helen laying down in bow pose, neutra position

9. Bow Pose

Posture & Mudra: Lie on your stomach and press the pelvis down. Reach back and grab your ankles and gently lift your upper body and thighs off the ground, arching your back and neck upwards into Bow Pose (Dhanurasana). Elongate the spine and neck as you stretch up.

Movement & Breath: Hold the posture and breathe Breath of Fire.

Duration: Continue for 1 minute.

10. Body Massage

Posture & Mudra: Sit in Celibate Pose (Brahmacharyasana), and then lean back, placing the back of your upper body on the ground.

Movement & Breath: With your hands in fists:

  • Hit your upper chest for 20 seconds.
  • Hit your belly for 20 seconds.
  • Heavily hit your thighs for 15 seconds.
  • Gently hit your Navel Point (Manipura Chakra) for 10 seconds.
  • Hit both sides of your neck for 20 seconds.

Duration: Continue for 1 minute and 25 seconds.

Illustration of Helen laying down in fish pose with hands breathing torso
Illustration of Helen sitting in easy pose with hands on her knees in sufi grinds

11. Sufi Grinds

Posture & Mudra: Sit in Easy Pose (Sukhasana) with your hands on your knees.

Movement & Breath: Powerfully rotate your spine from the base in a counterclockwise direction.

Duration: Continue for 51 repetitions.

12. Diagonal Torso Stretch

Posture & Mudra: Lie down on your back.

Movement & Breath: 

  • Stretch your left hip and left shoulder down while you stretch your right hip and right shoulder up.
  • Switch sides and continue to stretch diagonally and powerfully.

Duration: Continue for 2 minutes.

Laying down Diagonal Torso Stretch
Illustration of Helen laying down, legs 90 degrees, arms by side, mouth closed

13. Double Leg Lifts

Posture & Mudra: Lie on your back with your legs together and heels together. 

Movement & Breath: Lift both legs straight up to a 90-degree angle and bring them down while breathing Breath of Fire. Move quickly.

Duration: Continue for 1 ¼ minutes.

14. Sit-Up Forward Folds

Posture & Mudra: Lie on your back and interlace your hands behind the neck.

Movement & Breath: 

  • Sit up and fold forward, bringing your upper body toward your thighs. 
  • Lie down flat again.
  • Continue alternating between the two positions, moving quickly.

Duration: Continue for 1 ½ minutes.

Illustration of Helen laying down on back with an interlaced hands behind back
Illustration of Helen in Shavasana

15. Deep Relaxation

Posture & Mudra: Lie down on your back in Corpse Pose (Savasana).

Mantra: Listen to any soothing music and mantra. Gong may be played over the music for the second half.

Suggested Recording: Jai Te Gang by Bhai Avtar Singh and Gurucharan Singh.

Mindful Attention: Feel the shakti energy moving in your central channel from the base of the spine to the top of your head.

Duration: Continue for 11 minutes.