Dr. Priya Sharma holds a PhD in Contemplative Sciences from the University of Oxford and is a certified Pranayama teacher trained at the Bihar School of Yoga in India. With 14 years of combined academic research and teaching experience, she bridges scientific rigour with authentic traditional practice. She currently leads meditation retreats and contributes to clinical studies examining the neurological effects of breathwork and meditative states.
Dr. Priya Sharma completed her undergraduate studies in Psychology at the University of Edinburgh before pursuing her doctorate at Oxford's Mindfulness Centre, where her research focused on the physiological mechanisms underlying pranayama and meditative absorption states. She has spent extended periods studying at the Bihar School of Yoga and the Kaivalyadhama Institute in India, gaining authorisation to teach traditional pranayama methodologies rarely available in Western settings. Her academic work has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Frontiers in Psychology and the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, examining topics from breath retention safety to the neuroimaging of Samadhi-like states. Priya is uniquely positioned to address both the profound potential and the genuine risks of advanced breathwork and meditation practices, providing evidence-based guidance that honours traditional wisdom. She writes to help readers distinguish between marketing hype and substantiated benefits, navigating the crowded landscape of meditation apps, transcendental meditation programmes, and traditional methods. Her expertise extends to understanding why certain practices destabilise some individuals while liberating others, and she provides clear criteria for safe progression. Priya is committed to making the deeper dimensions of yoga accessible to householders with demanding lives, translating concepts like Samadhi and universal consciousness into practical, grounded exploration.