HATHA YOGA – Part 3

Pranayama

Pranayama or control of Prana, is the means to an end. It helps purification of the nerves and causes Nadi Suddhi. It awakens the mystic, serpent power, Kundalini Sakti. Puraka is inhalation of breath. Kumbhaka is retention. Rechaka is exhalation of breath.

The practice of Pranayama should be systematic and well-regulated. The ratio between Puraka, Kumbhaka and Rechaka is 1:4:2. If you inhale for a period of 12 Matras, you will have to do Kumbhaka for a period of 48 Matras, then the Rechaka period is 24 Matras. You must do Rechaka very, very slowly. This is important. This is a sine qua non of the practice.

Easy Comfortable Pranayama

(Sukha Purvaka)
Sit on Padma or Siddha Asana with an empty stomach in your meditation room before the picture of your Ishta Devata. Close your eyes. Close the right nostril with the right thumb. Draw the air in slowly through the left nostril. Then close the left nostril with the right ring and little fingers and retain the air as long as you can comfortably do.

Then remove the right thumb and exhale through the right nostril very, very slowly. Now half the process is over. Similarly, draw the air in through the right nostril; retain the breath and exhale through the left nostril. This is one round of Pranayama. Do 20 or 30 Pranayamas in the morning and evening to start with and slowly increase the number to 80 for each sitting. First have two sittings only, in the morning and evening. After due

practice you can have four sittings. Have a Bhava that all the Divine qualities such as mercy, love, forgiveness, Santi, joy, enter into your system along with the inspired air and that all Asura Sampat, devilish qualities such as lust, anger, greed, are thrown out along with the expired air. Repeat OM, or Gayatri mentally during Puraka, Kumbhaka and Rechaka.

Pranayama removes all diseases, purifies the Nadis, steadies the mind in concentration, improves digestion, hardens Brahmacharya and awakens the Kundalini. Hardworking Sadhakas can do 320 Pranayamas daily in four sittings at the rate of 80 each sitting. Purification of the Nadis will set in rapidly. Many Siddhis are obtained by Pranayama practice.

Bhastrika Pranayama This is one of the eight kinds of Pranayama of Yogi Swatmaram. As the bellows of the blacksmith constantly dilate and contract, similarly, slowly draw in air by both nostrils and expand the stomach; then let out air quickly making the sound like bellows. Inhale and exhale quickly ten to twenty times. Then perform Kumbhaka after a deep inhalation. Then expel it slowly. Do this three times. This is a very powerful Pranayama.
Sitali
Draw air forcefully in through the mouth (with lips contracted and tongue thrust out) folding the tongue lengthwise with a hissing sound and fill the lungs slowly. Retain it for a short time, as long as is comfortable.

Then exhale slowly through both nostrils. Practise this daily. Bhastrika and Sitali Pranayamas can be practised even in standing posture. [For full particulars, see the book: “Science of Pranayama”.]

From – Yoga in daily life

HATHA YOGA – Part 2

Sirshasana

Sirshasana is the king of all Asanas. Spread a four-fold blanket. Rest the head inside the locked fingers and slowly raise the legs up. Then slowly bring down the legs without jerks. Take the help of a wall or any of your friends. Do it for a minute and increase the period to 5 to 10 minutes. It removes diseases of the eyes, nerves, blood, stomach, intestines, gonorrhoea, spermatorrhoea, dyspepsia, constipation. It augments the digestive fire, and improves appetite. It helps as blood and nervine tonic. Intellectual faculties develop. It helps Brahmacharya and makes you an Oordhvareta Yogi.

Sarvangasana

Lie down flat on the back. Slowly raise the legs to vertical position. Support the trunk with the palms of your hands. The whole body rests upon two shoulders. Press the chin against the chest. Concentrate on the thyroid-gland that is situated at the root of the neck. Do it from 3 to 10 minutes. Slowly bring down the legs. All the benefits of Sirshasana are derived from this Asana also.

Matsyasana

Do Padmasana. Lie on the back. Hold the head by two elbows. This is one variety. Stretch the head back so that the centre of the head rests on the ground and catch hold of the toes. Form an arch of the trunk. This is a contrary Asana to Sarvangasana. This must be done after Sarvangasana to realise the maximum benefits.

Mayurasana-

Place the palm of the two hands on the ground. Place the navel on the two elbows. Stand upon the hands, the legs being raised in the air plain or crossed with Padmasana. This destroys the effect of unwholesome food. Take the help of the end of a table. Practise here in the beginning.

Paschimottanasana

Sit. Stretch the legs on the ground stiff like a stick. Exhale and then catch the toes with the
hands. Bend slowly and place the forehead on the knees. Keep the lungs empty when you bend. This
will drive out all diseases of the stomach. Do this five or six times in the morning and evening Do Asanas with an empty stomach.

From – Yoga in daily life

HATHA YOGA – Part 1

Hatha Yoga is a Divine Blessing for attaining success in any field. Body and Mind are instruments which the practice of Hatha Yoga keeps sound, strong, and full of energy. It is a unique armour of defence to battle the opposing forces in the material and spiritual fields. By its practice you can combat Adhi-Vyadhi and attain radiant health and God-realisation. Become a spiritual hero full of physical, mental and spiritual strength.

Asana

Any steady comfortable posture is an Asana. There are 84 Asanas. Sukha, Siddha and Padma Asanas are very good for meditation and Japa. If you practise Siddhasana for a period of twelve years, this alone will give you Moksha. You must keep the head, neck and the trunk in a straight line. You can control the Rajoguna and the Indriyas by practice of Asana. Several ailments such as haemorrhoids or piles, chronic constipation, etc., are removed by Asana.

Sit on the ground. Place the right foot on the left thigh and similarly the left one on the right thigh. Place the hands on the thighs near the knee joint. Close the eyes and concentrate on Trikuti. This is Padmasana.

Siddhasana

Place one heel at the anus. Keep the other heel at the root of the generative organ. Close the eyes. Concentrate and do Japa and meditation on this Asana. Padmasana and Siddhasana are most suitable for meditation. Start practising for half an hour and gradually increase the period to three hours. When you sit on the Asana, there must not be the least shake in the body. You must become a live marble statue. In the beginning, the body feels heavy. Later on when Asana Siddhi is obtained, you will feel a real pleasure and the body becomes very light.

The body becomes your willing servant to obey your commands. Sukhasana Any comfortable Asana in which you can sit for a long time is Sukhasana. You must be careful to keep the head, neck and the trunk in one straight line. The above three Asanas are intended for Japa and meditation. There are several other Asanas that are intended for keeping up Brahmacharya and good health and for awakening Kundalini.

From Yoga in Daily Life

THE YOGI COMPLETE BREATH

Yogi Complete Breathing includes all the good points of High Breathing, Mid Breathing and Low Breathing, with the objectionable features of each eliminated. It brings into play the entire respiratory apparatus, every part of the lungs, every air-cell, every respiratory muscle. The entire respiratory organism responds to this method of breathing, and the maximum amount of benefit is derived from the minimum expenditure of energy. The chest cavity is increased to its normal limits in all directions and every part of the machinery performs its natural work and functions. One of the most important features of this method of breathing is the fact that the respiratory muscles are fully called into play, whereas in the other forms of breathing only a portion of these muscles are so used. In Complete Breathing, among other muscles, those controlling the ribs are actively used, which increases the space in which the lungs may expand, and also gives the proper support to the organs when needed, Nature availing herself of the perfection of the principle of leverage in this process. Certain muscles hold the lower ribs firmly in position, while other muscles bend them outward. Then again, in this method, the diaphragm is under perfect control and is able to perform its functions properly, and in such manner as to yield the maximum degree of service. In the rib-action, above alluded to, the lower ribs are controlled by the diaphragm which draws them slightly downward, while other muscles hold them in place and the intercostal muscles force them outward, which combined action increases the mid-chest cavity to its maximum. In addition to this muscular action, the upper ribs are also lifted and forced outward by the intercostal muscles, which increases the capacity of the upper chest to its fullest extent. If you have studied the special features of the four given methods of breathing, you will at once see that the Complete Breath comprises all the advantageous features of the three other methods, plus the reciprocal
advantages accruing from the combined action of the high-chest, mid-chest, and diaphragmatic regions, and the normal rhythm thus obtained.
In our next chapter, we will take up the Complete Breath in practice, and will give full directions for the acquirement of this superior method of breathing, with exercises, etc.

Opening the Chakras

Open the Heart Chakra Sit cross-legged. Let the tips of your index finger and thumb touch. Put your left hand on your left knee and your right hand in front of the lower part of your breast bone (so a bit above the solar plexus). Concentrate on the Heart chakra at the spine, level with the heart. Chant the sound YAM (as this mudra is particularly powerful, this may not be needed). Open the Throat Chakra Cross your fingers on the inside of your hands, without the thumbs. Let the thumbs touch at the tops, and pull them slightly up. Concentrate on the Throat chakra at the base of the throat. Chant the sound HAM.Open the Third Eye Chakra Put your hands before the lower part of your breast. The middle fingers are straight and touch at the tops, pointing forward. The other fingers are bended and touch at the upper two phalanges. The thumbs should point towards you and touch at the tops. Concentrate on the Third Eye chakra slightly above the point between the eyebrows. Chant the sound OM or AUM. Open the Crown Chakra Put your hands before your stomach. Let the ring fingers point up, touching at their tops. Cross the rest of your fingers, with the left thumb underneath the right. Concentrate on the Crown chakra at the top of your head.
Chant the sound NG.
Warning: Do not open the Crown chakra while you do not have a strong Root chakra.

From – The Body Mirror System of Healing

Opening the Chakras

Chakra meditations that use mudras and sounds to open chakras.
These chakra meditations use mudras, which are special hand positions, to open chakras. The mudras have the power to send more energy to particular chakras. To enhance the effect, sounds are chanted.
These sounds are from Sanskrit letters. When chanted, they cause a resonation in your body that you can feel at the chakra the sounds are meant. For pronunciation, keep in mind that the “A” is pronounced as in “ah,” and the “M” is pronounced as “mng.” Do a meditation for 7 – 10 breaths. Chant the sound several times each breath (for example three times). Open the Root Chakra
Let the tips of your thumb and index finger touch. Concentrate on the Root chakra at the spot in between the genitals and the anus. Chant the sound LAM. Open the Sacral Chakra Put your hands in your lap, palms up, on top of each other. Have left hand underneath, its palm touching the back of the fingers of the right hand. The tips of the thumbs touch gently. Concentrate on the Sacral Chakra at the sacral bone (on the lower back). Chant the sound VAM. Open the Navel Chakra Put your hands before your stomach, slightly below your solar plexus. Let the fingers join at the tops, all pointing away from you. Cross the thumbs. It is important to straighten the fingers. Concentrate on the Navel chakra located on the spine, a bit above the level of the navel. Chant the sound RAM.

From – The Body Mirror System of Healing

YOGA-ASANAS – Part 4

In California (U.S.A.) a young girl of about two and twenty, weighing 280 lbs., due to much
adiposity and therefore feeling completely dejected and forlorn, finally took recourse to
Yoga-Asanas on the recommendation of a friend of hers, and in the course of six months time, to the
astonishment and wonder of all, was able to reduce her body-weight to 180 lbs., by following the
instructions of a specialist! The photographs of the girl taken before, during and after the six months
course were lavishly published in various American journals and high tributes paid to the remarkable efficacy of Yoga-Asanas as the means of building up a radiant and healthy body and
eradicating all kinds of diseases.
Mr. Ernest Haekel of Los Angeles, California, Mr. Boris Sacharow of Berlin and several
others interested in acquiring psychic powers by awakening the Kundalini are all instances to prove
that Yoga-Asanas can be practiced and are intended not only for India and the Indians but for the
whole world and the humanity at large.
Practise either Padmasana or Siddhasana for meditative purposes and the various other
Asanas, Bandhas, etc., for maintaining, a high standard of health, vigour, strength, vitality, and for
keeping up Brahmacharya.  (1) Padmasana
(THE LOTUS POSE) Amongst the various poses prescribed for meditation, Padmasana is unique and foremost. It holds a very conspicuous place in the Yoga practices because great Rishis like Sandilya, Gheranda
and several others have spoken of it in glowing terms. It is called Padmasana because of its full pose
lending one the appearance of a full-blown lotus.Sit on the seat prescribed by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita: Ch. VI-11. Stretch the legs forward, place the right foot gently at the left hip-joint, and the left foot similarly at the right hip-joint. Keep the spine erect. Place the right hand on the right knee-joint and the left hand on the left knee-joint.11 Gaze gently at the tip of the nose. This is Padmasana. Practise this Asana for 5 minutes to start with and gradually increase the time to 3 hours. Padmasana destroys all diseases
and bestows quick emancipation to the practitioner.

From – SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA

YOGA-ASANAS – Part 3

Asana is the third limb (Anga) of Yoga. If you are firmly established in Asanas, you will not
feel the body at all. When you do not feel the body, qualities of the pairs of opposites will not affect
you. When you are free from the effect of the pairs of opposites such as heat and cold, pleasure and
pain, you will be able to take up the next higher step viz., Pranayama and practice it with an
unruffled mind. Therefore you should select that posture which is easy and comfortable and in
which you can remain long, say, three hours. Lord Krishna says: “Having in a cleanly spot
established a firm seat, neither too high nor too low with cloth, skin, and Kusa grass thereon;
making the mind one-pointed, with the actions of the mind and the senses controlled, let him, seated
there on the seat, practise Yoga for the purification of the self. Holding erect and still the body, head
and neck, firm, gazing at the tip of the nose, without looking around, serene-minded, fearless, firm
in the vow of godly life, having restrained the mind, thinking on Me, and balanced, let him sit,
looking up to Me as the Supreme.” (Bhagavad-Gita Ch. VI-11, 12, 13).
Yoga aims at developing, will-power. Aman of strong and dynamic will-power will always
sit upright and walk with his chest thrown in front of his head; but a weak-willed person will change
his posture often and often, while sitting or standing, will walk in a zigzag fashion, betraying
infirmity and want of resolution of mind in every step. The practice of Asanas is of vital importance,
and though the practice may be found to be painful and troublesome at the outset, when once the
habit of sitting on one Asana for a considerable length of time is formed, you will feel a peculiar
thrill and pleasure while seated there, and you will not like to change the pose on any account.
According to Patanjali Maharshi, posture is that which is firm and comfortable. He does not
lay any special stress on either Asana or Pranayama. It was only later on that the Hatha-Yogins
developed these two limbs of Yoga, and, no doubt they are of tremendous help to the Yogic student.
While the Hatha-Yogins aim at the control and culture of the body, the Raja-Yogins aim at the
control and culture of the mind. And as body and mind are interdependent, physical culture is a sine
qua non to mental culture.It is wrong to suppose that Yoga-Asanas are purely meant for the Indians and that they are ideally suited to Indian conditions. That it is not the case is proved by the following few instances. Mr. Harry Dikman, the Director-Founder of the Yoga Centre in Riga, Latvia (Europe) is a good
specialist in these Yoga-Asanas, Bandhas and Mudras and his opinion and advice to persons
suffering from various kinds of diseases, curable and incurable, are increasingly becoming popular
in Europe. I have not heard of another man either in Europe or in America, who takes such a keen
and lively interest in this subject and is making researches in the same. You will be surprised to
know that Mr. Harry Dikman is essentially a philosopher and a sage.

From – SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA

YOGA-ASANAS – Part 2

It is important to know what an ideal system of physical culture should be, so that you will
be able to judge for yourself the value of Yoga-Asanas in the light of the ideal. That system can be
safely said to be an ideal system which requires the smallest amount of energy to be spent in order to
secure the greatest amount of benefit; which can effect a maximum increase in the vital index;
which can build up a healthy nervous system; which can ensure health for the excretory organs of
the body; which can take care of the circulatory system; and which can also develop the muscular
system. Let us now see how far these few conditions are fulfilled by Yoga-Asanas.
Let me now prescribe a short but complete course of Yoga-Asanas which is more than
sufficient for an average man (or woman) of health not only to maintain a high standard of health
but also to achieve true success in Yoga. Yogic physical culture is only a means to an end, and not
an end in itself. You need not, therefore, attach undue importance to this branch of Yoga alone to
the gross neglect of the others. All the Asanas mentioned and illustrated in this book can be
successfully practiced without the personal contact of a teacher. Thousands are benefited in various
ways by regularly practising these Asanas. The various exercises given in this book have been so
arranged that strict adherence is expected of you. All Asanas should be done invariably in the
morning, and not in the evening as you will find in some books on the subject. The reason for this
emphasis is that in the evening everybody is tired of a day’s work and as such will not be able to do
the various exercises with a feeling of exhilaration and freshness which he or she would otherwise
feel in the morning. There should absolutely be no feeling of depression or fatigue either before or
during the performance of these exercises. This is an important point to remember, if you wish to
enjoy the benefits of these exercises in the fullest measure. You need not go through the whole
course everyday. but you must by all means be regular and systematic in the very little that you do,
and be amaster of all the exercises given in this book. Another point to remember is that the amount
of energy expended in these exercises should on no account strain your system. Those of you who
wish to do muscular exercises may do so in the evening. All Yoga-Asanas must be done on an empty stomach; but there is no harm if a small cup of milk, light tea or coffee is taken before
commencing the exercises.

From – SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA

YOGA-ASANAS – Part 1

How many of you, sisters and brothers, find in yourselves the unmistakable signs of disease,
declining health, vim, vigour and vitality? How many of you, may I ask again, feel actually the grip
of premature old age? Why do you unjustly throw the whole blame on heredity without for a
moment realising that for nearly thirty or thirty-five years you have been flouting the laws of life?
Thirty-five years of wrong living! Thirty-five years of wrong feeding! Thirty-five years of wrong
breathing! Thirty-five years of wrong thinking! Thirty-five years spent in abject ignorance of the
relationship between brain and brawn! Thirty-five years, in fact, spent in doing everything possible
to develop the disease of “Old Age!”
Now suppose the whole situation is reversed, and in place of wrong living, wrong feeding,
wrong breathing, etc., there is introduced right living, right feeding, right breathing, and so forth,
what will be the effect? Will physical and mental degeneration give place to physical and mental
regeneration? The answer given by the Seers of the East is an emphatic “YES”. The Indian Yogins
have conclusively proved that by following a regimen it is quite possible to rebuild the human body,to reconstruct the human mind, to regain lost youth, strength and beauty. The key to accomplish this
remarkable feat according to the Saints, Sages and Rishis of yore is to be found in Yoga-Asanas.
You know what the word ‘Yoga’ means. It is union of the individual soul (Jivatman) with
the Supreme Soul (Paramatman). Asana is an easy and comfortable seat or pose or posture. Thus the
term Yoga-Asanas means certain postures by assuming any one of which the individual soul is
united with the Supreme Soul quite easily by the Yogic practitioner. The relationship between mind
and body is so complete and so subtle that it is no wonder that certain physical training will induce
certain mental transformations.
A good many of you might have come across several persons capable of demonstrating
these Yoga-Asanas some of which may seem at first sight disgusting and tiring. At any rate such
persons are not uncommon in India. Some of my own students who are specialists in this branch of
Yoga can do the various exercises with amazing grace and finish. It is wrong to suppose that these
Yoga-Asanas are merely physical exercises founded by the ancient Rishis of India just as so many
systems of physical culture have cropped up now both in Europe and in America. There is
something spiritual, something divine at the bottom of this system for it awakens the sleeping
Kundalini-Shakti, helps the Yogic student a lot in establishing himself fully in meditation and
finally makes him taste the nectar of Cosmic Consciousness.

From – SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA