Marma Vidya: 108 Points of Light

• Format: YTT Short Course
• Chose four Short Courses to create an Eclectic Weekend Module
• Also part of “The Subtle Anatomy of Yoga: Awakening the Pranic Body” YTT Themed Intensive Module
• Instruction Time: 3 hours

Marma Vidya is the science of awakenng the 108 marmas for yoga and healing. It involves manipulating the flow of prana in the body via yoga asana and or pressure on marma points similar to acupressure. It is the highest stage of training within Kalarippayat, the indigenous martial art system of southern India, and almost extinct as a practice. The 108 marmas are also referred to as the precipitating drops of nectar, or points of prana, found within the subtle, or pranic body. They are the 108 points of light. Marmas are similar to the acupuncture points of Chinese medicine, but have a rich tradition of use in yoga and the marma therapy systems of ayurveda and Kalarippayatu. Marmas are also referred to as minor chakras. Though they are identicle in structure to the seven great chakras, they are found throughout the body rather than on the sushumna nadi (psychic channel) of the spine.

The course will explore the marmas both in theory, as well as in practice. Students will find marmas on their own body as well as massage marmas on partners. Students will be introduced to the Tantric practice of Nyasa, in which one of eight bija (seed) mantras are “placed” into the marmas with healing intent. The 18 Marmasthani Meditation will be both guided and instructed as a personal practice to activate the 18 marma regions of the body.

Yoga Alliance: This program satisfies Yoga Alliance requirements for anatomy and physiology, philosophy, lifestyle and ethics, and elective hours.

Course Outline (3 hrs)

• Introduction to the 108 Marmas
• Marmas in Kalarippayutu (Martial Arts), Ayurveda, Marma Therapy and Yoga
• The Story of Kalari, Marmas, Bodhi Dharma, the Shao Lin Temple, Kung Fu, and Chinese Acupuncture
• Did Acupuncture Originate in South India?
• Marma Composition, Connection to Nadis and Chakras
• Marmas, Regions of the Body and 5 Elements
• Marma Imaging Exercise
• Three Primary Marma Regions of the Body
• The Taoist San Jiao (Three Jewels of Human Life Energy)
• Classification of Marma Types
• Marma Chikitsa (Marma Therapy): Healing with Marmas
• Healing Marmas with Self Oil Massage (Abhyanga), Aroma Therapy, Herbs, Acupressure
• Marmas and Asana: Using Asana to Restore Balance to Marmas
• 18 Marmasthana Meditation: Pratyahara of Moving Prana Between the Primary 18 Marma Centers
• Nyasa: Placing Mantras and Bija Seed Mantras into Marmas to Heal, Protect and Awaken Concsiousness
• Locating the Major Marmas of the Extremeties, Abdomen, Chest, Back, Neck, and Head
• Marma Flows and Five (Pancha) Vayus: Controling the Flow of Prana in the Body and Practice
• Using Simple Marma Therapy to Improve Asana Practice

PRACTICES

• Prana Sensitizing (using our hands to sense our own prana and the prana of others)
• Nyasa: Placing Mantras into the Marmas
• 18 Marmasthana Meditation
• Marma Locating, Stimulatiing and Awakening on Self and Partner
• Marma Partner Massage