Reading: Pages x–31
Live Session: February 1, 2026 8am UTC
This foundational section establishes Iyengar’s philosophical framework for understanding prāṇāyāma as the “heart of yoga.” Beginning with traditional invocations to Hanumān and Patañjali, Iyengar presents yoga as a comprehensive system for self-realization rather than mere physical exercise. He outlines the eight limbs of yoga, emphasizing how prāṇāyāma serves as the crucial bridge between external practices (yama, niyama, āsana) and internal disciplines (pratyāhāra, dhāraṇā, dhyāna, samādhi). The text explores the subtle anatomy of prāṇa through the lens of Sāṅkhya philosophy, introducing the concept of five sheaths (kośas) that envelope the soul and the intricate network of nāḍīs and chakras through which vital energy flows. Iyengar connects ancient wisdom with modern respiratory physiology, demonstrating how conscious breathing practices can purify the nervous system and prepare the practitioner for deeper spiritual work.
Questions to Guide Your Reading
Read these before you start the assigned pages. They’ll help orient your attention.
Who is Ādi Śeṣa and why does Iyengar invoke him at the beginning of the Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā reference?
What are the five kośas (sheaths) and how do they relate to prāṇāyāma practice?
How many nāḍīs does Iyengar say originate from the heart, and which Upaniṣad is he referencing?
Reflection prompts
Read these during or after you read to connect the teachings with your embodied experience.
How does your current understanding of breath compare to Iyengar’s description of prāṇa as cosmic energy?
When you practice āsana, do you experience the subtle body (energy, breath, awareness) or primarily the physical body?
How do you personally experience the connection between breath awareness and mental states?
These will be made available 24-48 hours after the session
These will be made available 24-48 hours after the session
This session is part of the Light on Prāṇāyāma Study Pack – a complete resource for those who want ongoing access to all the recordings, study questions, and materials from this cycle.
The Study Pack includes all session recordings (watch and rewatch at your own pace), the complete Study Companion PDF with reading schedule, focus questions, reflection prompts, and practical tools for teaching, key Sanskrit terms with explanations, and a curated bibliography for further exploration.
Agi Wittich is a yoga practitioner since two decades, and is a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher. Wittich studied Sanskrit and Tamil at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, completing a PhD with a focus on Hinduism, Yoga, and Gender. She has published academic papers exploring topics such as Iyengar yoga and women, the effects of Western media on the image of yoga, and an analysis of the Thirumanthiram yoga text.
