Excerpts from the books, "Yoga for Health & Peace" and "Yogic Practices" written by Yogacharya Sadashiv Nimbalkar (Awarded Padma Shri by President of India)
Yogic Practices: (1) are harmless when done properly;
(2) need no equipment;
(3) can be done daily in all sessions;
(4) can be done preferably indoors;
(5)
can be done preferably in the morning or evening or at any time with a light stomach;
(6) can be done by both the sexes, whatever age. Appropriate practices can be performed even by the week or diseased persons;
(7) can be preferably performed four and half hours after heavy meal or one and half hour after a light food intake.
Place
and surroundings
Choose a place which is quiet, airy, well-lighted, insect-free,
clean and not foul-smelling. Place should not have hot air and direct sunrays should not fall on the body.
The place should be delightful. One may use of very light incense of scented sticks (Agarbattis), or fragrant
flowers. In such surrounding Yogic Practices give a pleasant experience.
Bath Taking a complete or partial bath and /or cleaning
the mouth , ears, tongue, and nostrils or at least washing
the hands, feet and face prior to Yogic Practices prove helpful.
Dress / Clothing
While performing Yogic Practices, the dress should be clean, minimum, light, soft,
clean and loose. Track-suits or ladies may use salwar-kameez are suitable for smooth and easy body
movements.
Ground or place
The place, where the Yogic Practices should be performed should be clean or semi-hard surface. For
this, one may spread small carpet, a shepherd's blanket
or a woolen blanket on the ground and cover it with
a washed cloth-spread or a clean big towel. The surface
for Yogic Practices should neither be too soft nor too hard.
Food (Ahara)
- Activities (Vihar) - Rest (Nidra)
A proper and balanced diet, moderate daily activities
and adequate rest are the golden rules to have holistic good health. This
trio is a very beneficial concomitant of Yogic Practices (Yogabhyas).
According to Hatha Yoga pradeepika, yoga sadhaka should fill half of the stomach with food, quarter (one-fourth) with water and remaining quarter should be empty (air). This will enable free movement and efficient mixing churning of the food.
Vices like drinking liquor, smoking cigarettes or chewing
tobacco are indeed damaging to health; however giving
up such habits abruptly impulsively or forcibly could
be worse. Yogabhyas will prove helpful in reducing the hold of these bad habits and even in getting rid
of them.
Sex too, should not become an addiction. Beyond
what is natural and in consonance with the needs of
body and mind, sexual indulgence is definitely harmful
to health. It is the experience of many that regular
and long practice of Yoga activities, develops and strengthens
the discriminating power of the mind which helps the
Yoga aspirants get rid of this dangerous habits.
Physical
Exercise, Sports and Yogabhyas
The objectives, fundamental principles and techniques
of physical exercises, sports and Yogic Practices (yogabhyas) differ from one another. Although
they are complementary to each other, one should not
practice them simultaneously. It is advisable to leave a gap
of 20 to 30 minutes between these activities, i.e., physical
exercises, sports and Yogic Practices (Yogabhyas) so that the benefit from these can be achieved.
Suggested
Yoga Schedule
Persons having normal health can start practising Yoga and achieve the final stages of all Yogic Postures through the graded course. However, It is advisable to start Yogic Practices (Yogabhyas) with the Pre-Preliminary or the Preliminary Course. Both contain very easy and
basic practices and are designed to prepare the body
and mind for the various essential bends, twists, stretches,
compressions, etc., required for the more advanced Yogic
practices given in the graded course.
One should understand their physical limitation should consult doctors / Yogic Therapists, then start the practices as per their advice. They
should practise only the recommended
Tailor-Made Yogic Practices as prescribed according to their needs under the guidance of qualified Yoga teacher and doctors.
Sequence
and Selection of Yogic Practices
The number of practices to be done,
their sequence, duration, number of rounds, etc. may be formulated taking
into account the various factors such as the body structure,
age, sex, capacity, ability, needs of the yoga practioners and also the season, weather, time available, etc., should be taken in to account.
Women
may do only selected practices during
the menstrual period and pregnancy. In these periods
they may continue performing only those practices which
give rest and peace to the mind, relive tiredness and
relax the system.
Duration
and Rounds of the Individual Practices
Asana is a pleasurable and stable psychosomatic state.
In keeping with this basic principle, it is advisable
to maintain the final posture of an Asana for a longer
period and to attend that level the practioners is recommended to practise more rounds of it. Thus after good practise it is important to
reduce the number of rounds and progressively increase
the duration for which an Asana is maintained. Same principle
is applied in the case with Mudras and Bandhas.
Obstacles
in the Progress of Yogabhyas
Too much exertion, excessive talking, overeating, inadequate intake, eating
foods that are too hot or too cold, laziness, etc., create
obstacles in the progress of Yogabhyas and hence one
should avoid these to the extent possible.
Follow
the under noted suggestions while performing yogic practices.
1. It is best to have the body at rest and the mind
at peace & cheerful when one starts Yogabhyas. In
the absence of such a state, it is advisable to lie
in Shavasana or sit in any of the meditative postures
till the body and mind are refreshed only then do the recommended Yogabhyas.
2. As a beginner one should take the
required rest between two practices by completely relaxing
the entire body for a few moments instead of performing
the yogic practices non-stop.
3. Yogic practices should be performed with ease and
without strain. One should experience physical and mental
pleasure from these.
For this, one should follow four
cardinal principals, viz.,
(i) Minimal effort (prayatna
shaithilya),
(ii) Differential / partial relaxation
(bhedatmak / anshatmak shithilata),
(iii) Normal / natural
breathing (naisargik shwasana) and
(iv) Fixation of
mind on the breath (pranadharana). Prayatna
Shaithilya: Minimizing the expenditure of physical
and metal energy for performing the yogic practices
means Prayatna Shaithilya, i.e. slackening of efforts
consciously, Bhedatmak
or Anshatmak Shithilata: Using only those parts
of the body that are required to attain and maintain
an Asana and consciously relaxing all others to the
maximum extent possible are called Bhedatmak / Anshatmak
Shithilata, i.e. differential / partial relaxation. Naisargik
Shwasana: While performing an Asana, one should
always breathe through the nose and keep breathing naturally
from start to finish, i.e. while attaining the Asana,
maintaining its final stage and while releasing it.
However, in certain special practices like Bandhas,
Mudras and Pranayamas, the breathing is to be regulated
as prescribed. Pranadharana:
In the final stage of an Asana, fixing the mind on the
breathing, i.e. counting the breaths or experiencing
the soft touch of the incoming and outgoing breath on
the septum of the nose, or feeling the touch of the
air on the palate, is called Pranadharana. By practising
Pranadharana, an Asana becomes more stable and easy
and this helps in further cessation of effort. Our complex
mind is enriched by being made capable of concentration
by the practice of Pranadharana and being purified by
Sakshibhavana (passive observation).
4.
All movements involved in Asanas should be slow, steady,
continuous, controlled, rhythmic and graceful. In those
movements, one should consciously and scrupulously avoid
jerks and pulls, unnecessary strain, forcible stretching
or extreme contraction of muscles, deep breathing or
withholding of breath.
5. One should keep the eyes open till the final stage
of an Asana in attained, one should then gently close
them for the period that the final stage of the Asana
is maintained and again open the eyes while releasing
the posture. After adequate practice, one can keep the
eyes semi-closed in the final stage of an Asana while
keeping in the mind on the breath, i.e. doing Pranadharana.
As a general rule, one should turn the gaze along with
the face, turning the pupils in the same direction.
However, in certain Asanas, especially the meditative
ones, it is necessary to fix the gaze between the eyebrows
(Bhrumadhya drishti) or on the tip of the nose (Nasagra
drishti).
6. While doing Yogabhyas, avoid any kind of competition,
as it is not conducive to the study of yoga. One should
not try to attain the ideal body pattern by applying
force. The ultimate posture of the Asana, which one
can achieve, depends upon various factors such as age,
individual body structure, sex, condition of the body
and mind, season, time of, etc. Hence, one should attain
the posture according to one’s capacity. Also,
one should maintain the final stage of any posture only
as long as one can do so steadily and deriving pleasure
from it.
Persons who do not experience pleasure in attaining
the ideal final stage of certain Asanas, etc. owing
to any reasons like stiffness of spinal column or joints,
obesity, weakness, individual physical limitations,
etc. should first prepare themselves well. This can
be done by practising thoroughly the leading and preparatory
practices suggested by one’s yoga teacher.
7. Adopt yoga as a way of life. By regular and long
practice of yoga, according to one’s capacity,
one can acquire a body that is internally cleansed,
stable, agile, have the nerves purified and improve
one’s efficiency, physical and mental equilibrium,
all round development of personality, etc. All these gains
result in making the life of the yoga aspirant more
healthy, successful, contented and pleasant. When yoga
is adopted as a way of life, the imprint of yogic principles
gets automatically registered in every aspect of the
life of the Yoga Sadhaka (yoga practioners).
Differential
(Partial) Relaxation In
any Asana some parts of the body - certain, muscles
- are actively involved in achieving the posture. For
example, in Bhujangasana, the lower part of the body,
from the toes to waist, lies on the floor. The upper
portion is curved up with the help of back muscles.
So practising differential relaxation in Bhujangasana
means totally relaxing the muscles of the lower part
of the body, the arms ,the face, etc.You
will understand the term even better after you learn
the technique of Shavasana. In Shavasana, you relax
the entire body, surrendering the body weight to gravity.It
is 100% relaxation. Other Asanas should also be treated
as Shavasana - to a extent, say 90%.That is, after achieving
the final position in any Asana consciously relax the
whole body.Let go off unnecessary tension,stiffness
or strain. The active muscle will not achieve relaxation
completely . But the rest of the body can and should.
This is differential relaxation. This is what heightens
the pleasure of any Asana. It is best learnt through
experience .
Pranadharana (Fixation of the Mind and Breath) Pranadharana is essential part of the Asana
technique. According to Patanjali, Asana means a steady
and pleasurable psycho-somatic posture.To attain such
a posture, one of the techniques recommended by Patanjali
is contained in the aphorism Ananta Samapattibhyam,i.e.
fixing the mind on and merging it with Ananta- the Infinite
one. Ananta is the ultimate Truth which has neither a
begining nor an end. As emphasised in Patanjali's Yoga
Sutra(aphorisms). Ananta Samapatti is an essential part
of the Asana technique. However, this concept of Ananta,
being abstract and subtle, is very difficult for the
common person to grasp. How can one, therefore, expect
him to practice Ananta Samapatti? It is here that Pranadharana
comes in as a simple but appropriate substitute to Ananta
Samapatti. It is so important in the Asana technique
that it is considered as the soul of an Asana. It is,
therefore, felt that one should understand this concept
fully well and apply it invariably while practising
Asanas so that one can get all the expected benefits
from Yogabhyas . Meaning
- Pranadharana is the most simple yet effective
method of engaging the mind, making it pointed and preparing
it for meditation. It is a compound word, a combination
of two words - Prana and Dharana. Prana means breath
and Dharana means fixation of the mind. While practising
Pranadharana, the yoga aspirants has to fix his/ her
mind on the incoming and the outgoing breath. The mind
is thus trained and conditioned . Method
- The mind should be fixed with ease and comfort
and without any force. Forcing the mind to do a thing
evokes a strong opposite reaction from it. It revolts
against any type of violence. Force
or any type of restraint - social , moral or religious
- becomes futile in controlling the mind. Only an interest
and a strong will can mould and control the mind. It
becomes more and more submissive if it is handled properly
with care and love. A long and sincere practise of Pranadharana
increases the capacity of the mind to remain on one
point for a long period, which prepares the mind for
Dhyana i.e. continuous concentration of the mind on
one subtle object. This practice slowly trains the mind
to achieve concentration on any desirable object irrespective
of the mind's basic likings or its impulses. Continual
practice of meditation further changes for the better
the mental make up of the Sadhaka and these changes
become his/ her second nature. A slow and graded practice
Pranadharana achieves sure success . Contraindications
- If the mind is under the spell of a strong
emotion or it is wavering in emotional imbalance or
if a person is suffering from an acute disease or pain,
he or she should avoid Pranadharana.
Hatha Yoga, blood circulation is stimulated through
the application of various pressures within the body.
Thereby the increased requirement of pure blood supply
to needy or malfunctioning ares can be ensured. In certain
cases, this is achieved by the application of positive
pressure resulting in pumping of more blood to the needy
areas, while in some other case, the blood supply to
the areas is increased by creating negative pressure
there. Also, by the alternate application of positive
and negative pressures, blood circulation is accelerated.
Among the many practices creating positive pressure
on the lower abdominal region. Yoga Mudras is considered
to be the most important."Mudra"
means a symbol. It is claimed in Hatha Yoga texts that
practice of this Mudra awakens the Kundalini Power located
in the lower abdominal region, by applying pressure
to that region. Awakening of the Kundalini Power is
one of the objectives of Hatha Yoga and therefore this
important Yogic practice has been appropriately named
"Yoga Mudra" i.e. Symbol of Yoga. This Mudra
is performed in Padmasana. However, Persons who find
it difficult to sit in Padmasana can go through the
leading practices, performing Yoga Mudra in Ardha Padmasana
or Vajrasana.
Bandha
means constriction or control imposed on a certain part
of the body. A bandha can be practiced independently
or inconjuction with other Yogis practices. While practising
Bandhas, often different types of controls are brought
into play on the breathing process. In certain process.
In certain Bandhas, especially when they are practised
along with Pranayama, the breath is kept out after exhalation
. As for Moola bandha, it can be applied in every phase
of the breathing process, i.e. in Pooraka, in Rechaka,
Abhyantara kumbhaka and Bahya Kumbhaka.Of
all the Bandhas, Uddiyana Bandha is rated the best.
In the old texts, Uddiyana Bandha has been described
in figurative language as Mrityu Matanga Kesari, i.e.
the lion who conquers the elephant namely death. Hathapradeepika
claims that prolonged practice of this Bandha transforms
even an old man into a youth(Vriddhopi Tarunayate)"Uddiyana" in Sanskrit means going up or flying. It is stated in
the Yogic tests that this Bandha is called Uddiyana
Bandha because by practising it the noble bird of life-force
flies upward from its seat in the lower abdomen. From
assure created by this Bandha, many of the organs situated
in the abdominal cavity, especially the diaphragm, are
raised up. Therefore, the name Uddiyana Bandha seems
appropriate.It can be practised independently or in
combination with other Yogic practices. While practising
Uddiyana Bandha separately , it is traditionally done
in the standing position or in the sitting position(Padmasana).
Of the two, Uddiyana Bandha in the standing position
is easier to perform and also more effective.
Elements
and processes of nature, such as air, water, friction,
cavity, etc. have been most ingeniously and efficiently
used in the Hatha Yogic Kriyas for purification of the
body. These Kriyas are called Shuddhi Kriyas or Shodhana
Kriyas.Very useful and important Kriya is Kapalabhati
which not only cleans the respiratory tract but also
increases the efficiency of abdominal breathing. Daily
practice of Kapalabhati is not only helpful but rather
indispensable for maintaining good physical health."Kapala"
in Sanskrit means the forehead and "bhati" refers to brightening. Kapalabhati is a cleansing process
which brightens the forehead. In this Kriya, the inner
cavities of the nose and forehead are cleaned and purified
by means of air and as a result the forehead becomes
bright.
The
body that has been made firm by Asanas and cleansed by
Yogic Kriyas is fit for the practice of Pranayama. "Pranayama"
is made up of two words : "Prana" meaning
vital force and "Ayama" meaning pausing, lengthening
or controlling. Therefore, there is no harm in accepting
the prevalent meaning of Pranayama as the pause between
inhalation and exhalation or regulation of respiration.
Pranayama, in general , means disciplining the respiration
for disciplining the mind.Of
the eight main Pranayamas the one with the fewest restrictions
and yet quite health giving is Ujjayi Pranayama. There
is no need to have any specific starting position for
this Pranayama. It can be practised in the sitting,
standing and even while walking, Maintaining its essential
techniques. In Ujjayi, it does not matter much if some
of the Bandhas are not applied in certain positions.,
for example- while walking. Due to these concessions,
Ujjayi is a blessing to the common household practising
Yoga while leading a busy urban life.The
word "Ujjayi" is composed by prefixing "Ud"
to the word "Jai". "Ud" means by
force and "jai" means success. This suggests
that Ujjayi means loud proclamation of success. While
performing Ujjayi , a whistling sound is produced through
the throat(larynx). Perhaps this sound has been taken
as the proclamation of victory and this Pranayama named
Ujjayi.
