Joesph Salamon
Joseph has been teaching yoga for twelve years to thousands of students from around the world. He specializes in pranayama (breathwork) and meditation. He has taught hundreds of classes, workshops and retreats in the United States, Canada, Bahamas and India.
In 2012 Joseph became a full time practitioner, teacher and resident of the Sivananda Yoga Ashram in Northern California. In 2018 he received the title of Acharia (master of yoga) from the 700 year old Sivananda lineage. He is a direct disciple of Swami Sitaramananda Sarasiti and has been initiated and given the spiritual name Shambhudas.
Joseph is certified as a yoga teacher (TTC) and an advanced yoga teacher (ATTC).
He now teaches classical yoga along with contemporary complimentary practices in breathwork, meditation and philosophy. He is the Author of “Come Undone”, a book on the subject of non-duality.
Joseph currently resides on a small farm In the foothills of the Sierras in Northern California.
The path to breath work
My passion for ‘breath-work’ started early. I was born with a collapsed lung. My life here started in an incubator. Childhood asthma, allergies, inhalers…
Then our family moved to the beach. Southern California in the 70’s and 80’s meant surfing and swimming in the ocean. Lots of exercise that relied on the breath seems to have eventually lead to a healthy respiratory system. “As fate would have it” I maintained an interest in the breath which led eventually to yoga and the practice of pranayama.
In 2012 I had the good fortune to apprentice under one of the world’s leading experts of traditional yoga; Swami Sitaramananda. She is a direct disciple within a 700 year old lineage that includes Swami Sivananda and Swami Vishnudevananda. Four years of monastic life under her guidance provided the opportunity to practice and teach yoga extensively in the United States, Canada, India and the Bahamas. This included advanced classes, workshops and retreats that focused on pranayama breath work and meditation.
I began teaching classical yoga independently in 2016.
Classical yoga does not actually include what ‘western yoga’ is essentially know for. There really isn’t any mention of postures or aerobics of any kind in the yogic texts. All of that was introduced in very recent history by the British when they colonized India.
The yogic teachings which come from the Veda’s that are thousands of years old do however mention the breath and meditation. Extensively. There are actual sculptures excavated from the Indus Valley dating back to 1800 BC depicting yogis demonstrating pranayama breathing techniques.
The reason these very same techniques and practices are still being taught today is that they are highly effective.
Obsessive compulsive thinking, over stimulation and stress seem epidemic these days. There is nothing more direct and effective than pranayama breath-work in the alleviation of these mental and emotional disorders.
All that’s needed is oxygen. No qualifications, props or special equipment required.
I have experienced firsthand the power of the breath. The power of the breath to heal and transform, the power to revitalize and rejuvenate. I’ve witnessed its effect on the emotional state and the mental state of myself and others. I’ve witnessed the breaths absence.
The Vedic texts often refer to breath and Spirit as being the same.
It is a privilege and honor to share individually and collectively the long held secrets of the breath. This service is in dedication to a world where we can all breathe more fully, freely, joyfully and lovingly.