A message from Patrick
Hey there,
Thanks for checking out The Human Living Project.
I want to tell you a little about why I started this initiative in the first place.
Ever since 2003, I’ve been doing some sort of yoga-related exercise. In 2022 (when I turned 50), I decided to take up yoga more seriously. I was very inflexible, and I needed something that would keep me healthy.
I started exploring and learning more and more about yoga.
After a long journey of exploration, I decided to focus on a type of yoga called Ashtanga yoga. Ashtanga yoga is physically demanding, which suits me, but it also requires flexibility, which I did not have. I also had back and knee issues that meant many postures had to be changed and adapted to suit me.
Nevertheless, I continued, and I still practise Ashtanga yoga most days. The health benefits are tremendous, although I still have to adapt postures to suit my body’s requirements and abilities.
Importantly, the structured framework and sequence of Ashtanga yoga gives me a sense of achievement, as I can see my progress in the same physical postures I practise.
At the same time as starting Ashtanga yoga, I changed my diet. I reduced the amount of sugar and processed foods, increased my intake of fruit and vegetables, and also reduced snacking. The change in diet had a dramatic impact—not only on my ability to do the physical yoga, but also on how I felt during the day. I had much more energy and vitality, and I was significantly lighter (by 4 kg).
One of the things I noticed, however, was that although I was lighter, immeasurably healthier, and more energetic, I was not as calm as I wanted to be. I had read much about the beneficial impact of pranayama (breathing) and learned the basics during my Ashtanga TTC, so I decided to explore pranayama in more detail and took an advanced pranayama TTC.
Once qualified, I added pranayama breathing to my daily routine.
Pranayama makes significant use of the abdominal muscles and massages the internal organs as you practise different breathing techniques. This can increase visible muscle tone and reduce internal fat.
But that wasn’t the most noticeable impact. At the end of a practice session that included pranayama, I was still energised but much calmer—like having tea rather than coffee. The energy is still there; it’s just more controlled and directed.
As well as practising Ashtanga yoga and pranayama, I have also spent time learning other beautiful disciplines such as Qigong. Qigong is deceptively powerful for building core strength and generating and directing internal heat and energy.
After hundreds and hundreds of practice sessions, I found that, for me—a relatively sporting person in their 50s with old knees—a combination of adapted physical yoga, pranayama breathing, Qigong, and a good diet provides the ideal balance and has the most beneficial impact on health and vitality.
One thing, however, is still missing, and that’s a sense of community. The practices I describe above provide great physical benefits and a sense of achievement, but they do not in themselves create human connection or a sense of belonging.
Having others to discuss progress with and bounce ideas off really helps with motivation. Sharing your progress and insights—how you are getting on or how you have overcome problems or difficulties—brings positivity for everyone.
Building on this, the mission of The Human Living Project is to help individuals improve their health and vitality, and to gain a real sense of achievement and belonging through guided and peer-supported yoga, pranayama, breathwork, and Qigong.
You can join for free and explore membership options. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.
About Patrick
Patrick is an experienced and qualified yoga/prāṇāyāma instructor with international teaching experience. Taught by the highly respect Dr Vishwas Mandlik, Patrick holds a 1st Class Distinction in Advanced Yoga Prāṇāyāma gained from one of the world’s leading institutes (Yoga Vidya Gurukul).
Patrick practices daily. He get’s up at 4.30am. At 5.15am he starts a 1-hr physical session, followed by 45 minutes of prāṇāyāma breathing.
Patrick offers his eternal gratitude to all his mentors, and through his teachings aims to pass on to his students the life-changing inspiration and insights he has gained along the way.
info@thehumanlivingproject.com