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
