The reader should abide by the following rules. The posture for pranayama can be any comfortable sitting position, preferably on a blanket placed on the ground. The two meditative asanas, sukhasana and vajrasana are particularly suitable at this early stage1. Later as your body becomes more supple we will introduce you to the best meditative asanas for pranayama practice – padmasana, siddhasana, etc.2. Remember the body should be relaxed and the back kept straight without any strain.

The clothing worn should be as light and as loose as circumstances will permit. This is important so that the abdomen is allowed to expand unrestricted during deep inhalation. In particular don’t wear any belts or corsets etc. Try to keep yourself warm during the practice. Though accentuated respiration generates increased body heat it is usually a good idea to wrap a blanket around yourself. The place of practice should be clean, quiet and properly ventilated so that the air within the room is well-oxygenated and free of obnoxious smells. However, there should be no gale-force draught. The room should be free of all types of insects. If possible try to practise in the same place every day so that you gradually build up a quiet and conducive atmosphere for your daily yoga practices. The best time for practice is early in the morning after asanas and before meditation. One should practise at least half an hour before taking food and four hours after food. For this reason before breakfast is a particularly suitable time. Pranayama can be performed at other times during the day but it is more difficult to meet all the restrictions. The evening is a reasonably good time to practise providing one can abide by the restrictions on food. Concerning food, it is very difficult to practise pranayama correctly if the stomach and intestines are completely full. This prevents the contraction and expansion of the abdomen during deep respiration. There is a saying by the ancient yogis: “Fill half your stomach with food, one quarter with water and the remaining quarter with air.” In order to gain the most benefits from pranayama reasonable moderation in eating is essential. It is best to empty the bowels as much as possible. Again this allows less restricted and greater movement of the abdomen during respiration.

Nasal blockage makes it very difficult to practise pranayama. One should definitely not breathe through the mouth unless a particular pranayama practice requires it. Therefore, jala neti should be done when necessary before beginning the practice.

Awareness is an essential part of pranayama. It is important to be aware of the mechanics of the practice and not allow it to become automatic. If the mind becomes distracted, and it possibly will, don’t become frustrated or try to suppress the wandering tendency; only try to realize that your attention is elsewhere. This is difficult, for when our attention is elsewhere we are normally so involved with the distraction we don’t realize that we have ceased to be aware of the pranayama practice. All is forgotten, until some time later we realize our mind is not on the practice. Merely becoming aware of the distraction will direct our attention back to the mechanics of pranayama.

Violent respiration is not advocated during pranayama. Many people teach pranayama as though the lungs are a pair of heavy duty mechanical pumps. The lungs are strong but they are also sensitive and should be treated with respect. Respiration should be controlled and without any strain. If you have to utilize any excessive force or strain then you are not doing pranayama correctly. Beginners, in particular, should slowly and systematically develop more and more control over the respiratory functions. If one tries to master pranayama in a week by forceful inhalation, retention and exhalation then more harm than good will result. The motto is ‘slowly but surely’. If there is any discomfort while doing pranayama then it should be stopped immediately. If this discomfort continues then seek the advice of a competent yoga teacher.

All we can do is to broadly indicate the direction in which yoga can take you, if not its destination. For example, it is possible to indicate on a map the route to a specific town and even describe the layout of the area. Yet at the same time it is impossible for anyone else to experience the journey or to know the town for you. You must do it for yourself. It is the same with yoga. We can indicate the path, the signposts and make adequate attempts to explain the higher aims, but for the personal experiences you must tread the path yourself. And this is the essence of yoga – neither descriptions, nor theories, nor suppositions, but direct personal experience. In this topic we will discuss mainly the meaning of yoga, giving an outline of its origin and development through the ages.

Definition

Yoga is usually defined as union: union between the limited self (jiva) and the cosmic self (atman). Without trying to confuse things any further, we would like to point out that there is an anomaly in this definition. For there to be an aim or goal of union there must first be a state of separation. And in fact this separation does not exist. At this very moment you are united with the cosmic consciousness. Even this statement is not true, for you actually are the cosmic consciousness. So the aim of yoga is not really to unite you with anything, for you are already united. It is to make you realize your identity with the greater Self, to make you know and tune in with your existing inner nature. Yoga is so called (i.e. union) because it is seen and defined in terms of everyday normal life, where each person feels separation from, or does not comprehend the possibility of a higher being. In other words, yoga is seen as union from the point of view of personal identity.

At a higher level of awareness there is no separation or any distinction between the so- called individual and consciousness. It is our low level of awareness that clouds the issue and prevents us realizing this identification. There is a beautiful and often quoted Indian story illustrating this point. The general theme is that there is a large elephant being held at different parts of its body by a number of blind men. Each of the blind men in turn attempts to describe the elephant. One holds the tail and says: “The elephant is just like a snake.” The second man holds one of the legs and cries: “No, the elephant is like a large pillar.” “You’re both wrong,” says the third man who was holding one ear, “the elephant is exactly like a big fan.” The fourth man, who was running his hands along one of the tusks, shrugged his shoulders declaring:
“This elephant doesn’t resemble in any way the descriptions you have given; it is like a horn.”
“You’re all crazy,” said the fifth man who was pulling the trunk,” the best description of an elephant is that it is like the trunk of a banana tree.” These five men saw the one elephant in different ways. The elephant itself did not change, and had the blind men been blessed with eyesight they would have seen the reason for the differing descriptions; they would have realized that they were talking about different aspects of the one thing. This is the same conception that most of us have regarding our identity. We see separation; we see ourselves as distinct from our surroundings and other people, because we are really like the blind men, not seeing or knowing ourselves and our environment as they really are.

In review, we can say that yoga is not really union. It is in fact realization of the union already existing. This is the culmination of yoga. At the same time yoga as it is usually known and understood is the method or path which one adopts to attain the realization of yoga, of one’s true identity. Thus yoga has a double meaning; it encompasses both the method and the end point. The meaning of yoga can also be denoted by the words unity and oneness; for the practice of yoga aims at rooting out the ego, this being the aspect of our individuality that enhances the sense of separation from our surroundings. Once the ego is transcended, the individual becomes himself and realizes his real, inner nature.

The definition of yoga that we have just given is a purely spiritual one. There are many other definitions which apply to all the levels of existence and awareness. For example, at the physical level most people have a body that is continually in a state of disruption. The functions of the different organs, muscles and nerves no longer harmonize and assist each other. Instead, they often hamper and act in opposition. For instance, the endocrine system becomes irregular; the efficiency of the nervous system decreases with the result that disease manifests in one form or another. Yoga aims at bringing all these different functions into perfect coordination, so that they work for the overall good of the body. So we can say another definition of yoga is physical harmony and health.

Many people suffer mental disturbances in the form of conflicts, neuroses, phobias and so on which make them unhappy and depressed in life. Yoga aims to smooth out and eliminate all mental problems, both large and small, obvious and subtle. Yoga can also be defined as mental balance and mental peace. Yet another definition of yoga is coordination and harmony between mind and body, so that our body responds perfectly to our mental commands, conscious and subconscious. This was very succinctly explained by Swami Sivananda when he said that:

“Yoga is integration and harmony between thoughts, words and deeds, or integration between head, heart and hands.”

From the harmony of the mental and physical aspects of man (including of course the pranic or bioplasmic body and our emotional nature) are derived other positive virtues as by- products. From these arise many other definitions of yoga. The following are a selection taken from the classical yoga text, the Bhagavad Gita:

Yoga is equanimity in success and failure (2:48)
Yoga is skill and efficiency in action (2:50)
Yoga is the supreme secret of life (4:3.)
Yoga is the giver of untold happiness (5:2)
Yoga is serenity (6:3)
Yoga is the destroyer of pain. (6:17)

Although there are other definitions in the Bhagavad Gita these few are the main ones. Maharishi Patanjali, writer of the classical yogic text, the Yoga Sutras, defines yoga as:

” . . . complete control over the different patterns or modifications of consciousness.” In other words, yoga implies control over the conscious, unconscious and super-conscious realms of our being. One becomes the observer of these different higher states attaining complete knowledge of them. Yoga can be defined as a science for developing creativity; as the science for unfolding the deeper aspects of the personality; as the science of being; as the science of consciousness. Actually, the definition of yoga will be perhaps a little different for each practitioner, for the individual will relate to yogic experiences and hence explain them in different ways. One thing is certain, whatever definition of yoga is chosen, the implications on one’s life are vast, for yoga concerns itself with the very core of our lives: body, mind and consciousness. With this in mind, we leave the reader to work out his own definition of yoga through personal experience.

The origin and development of yoga The origin of yoga lies hidden in the mists of pre- history. It was slowly evolved and developed by the ancient sages, not only in India but all over the world. However, it has been modified to suit regional languages, social ideas and so on. The essence of yoga was wrapped up in or explained in different symbols, analogies and languages. Some traditions believe that yoga was a divine gift revealed to the ancient sages so that mankind could have the opportunity to realize its divine nature.

Generally the techniques of yoga were passed on from teacher or guru to their disciples by word of mouth. In this way there was a clear understanding of the meaning of the techniques and aims of yoga, for the guru, through his personal experience, could guide the students along the right path and away from any confusion and misunderstanding. In fact, it was only when the various systems of yoga were written down that people began to see contradictions in the teachings. However, these discrepancies are only superficial and arise through misinterpretation. The writers of the classical texts cannot be blamed, for they recorded their ideas on yoga as clearly as possible in order to avoid misinterpretation. they expounded their ideas with the minimum amount of words so that people would not lose themselves in trying to understand or intellectualize about word meanings, or in other cases they clothed their writings in symbolism and analogies. This was done so that only a person prepared and ready for a teaching would be able to understand the symbolism, if necessary with the help of a guru. However, even though these precautions were taken, many misunderstandings arose, mainly among overly verbose and intellectual scholars who did not have the personal experience to support their commentaries. Unfortunately people have listened to the commentators without resorting to the original texts and the advice of people more in touch with the spirit of yoga. The result has been confusion, and as a consequence many well-intentioned people have performed the most bizarre acts in the name of yoga. Some often quoted examples are walking on fire, sitting in the midday sun and torturing the body in a variety of ways, such as standing on one leg in one place for months on end. The list is endless and could almost be laughable except for the fact that many of these misguided people were so intent and confident in their minds that these are the methods to higher awareness.

The yoga that we now know, that which developed in India, was utilized, at least in its rudimentary form, more than five thousand years ago. In archaeological excavations made in the Indus valley at Harappa and Mohanjodaro in what is now Pakistan, various statues have been unearthed depicting people practising yoga. They show Lord Shiva (the mythological originator of yoga) and his wife Parvati sitting in various asanas and practising meditation. These ruins were once the dwelling places of people who lived in the so-called prevedic age. These discoveries are a definite indicator that yoga was practised in India even before the Aryan civilization invaded and started to flourish in the Indus subcontinent. The first books to mention yoga were the ancient Vedas. Though scholars are not positive, it is generally felt that these books were written at least four thousand, five hundred years ago. They don’t give any specific yogic practices, however, but generally allude to yoga in symbolic form – in fact the verses of the Vedas were uttered by rishis or yogis in states of spiritual bliss and knowledge (samadhi).

It is for this reason that the Vedas are regarded as revealed scriptures – the rishis did not compose the verses but acted in a sense as transmitters through which these revelations were expounded. The Vedas are regarded as the first yogic texts, for they illustrate, even in an indirect manner, the essence of yoga. The word yoga is mentioned in various places in the Vedas, particularly the Rig Veda, but it is generally a vague reference to the meaning of yoga in relation to something else, such as harnessing horses together for example. Of course the terms are symbolic, but one would learn little of yoga as it is understood today by reading the Vedas. Many aspects of yoga are mentioned, such as dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation) and so on, though in little detail. The Self or consciousness was fully understood as being something beyond the body and mind and yet to be realized within. This is not, however, surprising in view of the fact that the inspiration behind the Vedas is from highly evolved yogis. This higher knowledge transcends all national and language barriers. It is something that has been realized by persons in every part of the world and at every period of history. The seers of the Vedas clearly recognized that there existed a dynamic life principle which they called vayu (prana). They also clearly saw that this prana was closely related to breathing. The Vedas also briefly mention the existence of pranic centres (chakras) within but not of the physical body. The science of sound was clearly recognized for they mention various mantras (psychic sounds) that can be used for the attainment of both material or worldly goals as well as spiritual aims. In this sense they were probably more advanced than the people of today in the science of mantras, for it is only recently that people have begun to understand the power of sound.

In conclusion we can say that the concept of yoga was known in vedic times in one form or another, as it had been for many thousands of years before. This is not surprising, for there have always been people who have aspired and attempted to tune in with higher consciousness and to transcend their limited individuality. However, in all probability the system of yoga was not properly formulated before and during the time of the recording of the Vedas. The experiences of yoga were known but the science of yoga had yet to be systematized.

It is with the advent of the Brahmanas and Upanishads that we begin to see yoga take shape and assume the form that it has today. The Brahmanas are texts which deal mainly with sacrificial and ritualistic practices, though there is a wealth of knowledge and historical information contained within its pages. They mention japa (meditative techniques involving chanting of mantras) and mouna (another technique for inducing meditation, which can be translated as ‘inner silence’) as being two important aspects of yoga2. In these texts the universal mantra Turn is mentioned in written form for the first time, together with its significance. The foundations for the later development of the science of swara yoga (study of the breath and flow of psychic currents and relationship with life) were also laid down, which later led to the classical swara text called Shiva Swarodaya. The development of psychic powers through yoga are also mentioned in the Brahmanas, such as the ability to read other people’s thoughts. It is the Upanishads, however, which put yoga on a firmer foundation. It is in these varied texts that we start to see yoga assume a more definite shape. The Sanskrit word Upanishad is made up from the words shad, ‘to sit’, upa, ‘near’ and ni, ‘learn’. The whole word can be interpreted to mean sit down near and receive teachings from a master. The word upanishad can also be interpreted as secret teaching.

There are believed to have been about two hundred different Upanishads, the oldest of which was written somewhere around 600 B.C. and the most recent as late as the fifteenth century A.D. Traditionally, one hundred and eight of these Upanishads are regarded as authentic, and of these only about twelve or thirteen are regarded as being authoritative. The major Upanishads are the Isha, Kena, Katha, Prashna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Taittiriya, Aitareya, Chhandogya, Swetasvatara and Brihadaranyaka. They vary enormously in their contents – the Mandukya is the smallest with a mere twelve verses while the Brihadaranyaka and Chhandogya each contain a few thousand words. The Upanishads are also known as the Vedanta – the culmination of the Vedas, for they are said to contain the essence of the Vedas.

The essential message of the Upanishads is that the Self can only be known through union (yoga) and certainly not by mere speculation and learning. Furthermore, it is emphasized again and again that the Self is not to be realized outside; it is not something separate, but at the very core of our being. The Upanishads use words as a means and not as an end.

When asked to define the Self, or consciousness, one of the sages gave the wonderful but very unintellectual or alogical reply: ‘neti-neti’, which means ‘not this, not this’. The Upanishads don’t paint a completely rosy picture of the yogic path – effort is required. For as the Katha Upanishad says, the path is as narrow as the razor’s edge. There is a similar saying from another great yogi and spiritual teacher, Christ, who said: “Narrow is the way which leadeth unto life (selfrealization).” Many of the Upanishads try to describe the highest spiritual experiences and the illumination or knowledge that they received. To this end they use analogies, stories and sometimes beautiful poetry. Other Upanishads are more practical and describe mental attitudes that must be cultivated and adopted in order to both begin and make progress on the yogic path. Others make brief statements regarding methods that can be practised in order to induce meditation. Many other topics are also discussed.

The Upanishads are numerous and the subjects that they cover too diversified for there to be any full treatment of their contents here. However, we can give a brief summary of the scope of their teachings. Many of the Upanishads devote much space to describing prana and its implications. The earlier Upanishads – the Brihadaranyaka, Chhandogya, Taittinya, etc., were fully aware of the fact that prana is the substratum behind all life forms. They describe the psychic pathways which exist witbin, but not of the physical body, through which prana flows, including the all important nadis, ida, pingala and sushumna. In the later Upanishads such as the Prashna and the Katha this theme was further developed. The different forms of prana within the body were mapped out according to the functions performed and it is stated that there are seventy two thousand nadis or pranic channels within the body. The concept of the kundalini (psychic and spiritual power) in the form of a serpent within the body is also indicated.

The early Upanishads, such as the Kena and Isha, began to indirectly develop and formulate the precepts of karma yoga, though it is left to the later Bhagavad Gita to fully expound the essence of karma yoga. It is these Upanishads that first indicate the possibility of treading the yogic path and reaching the culmination while performing one’s everyday duties. Until this time there was a tendency to see the yogic and spiritual paths as being completely separate and divorced from worldly pursuits. Various Upanishads, such as the Prashna and Katha, deal quite extensively with the mantra Aum. In fact the Mandukya devotes its entire commentary to this topic and nothing else. These texts again and again emphasize that meditation can be most easily induced by concentration on Aum. The Mundaka Upanishad considers Aum as a bow, the individual self as an arrow and Brahman or the Self as the target. If the arrow is aimed with full concentration, then there is no doubt that it will pierce and merge with the target. So it is with Aum that one can attain the highest states of meditation.

The early Upanishads lay down some of the basic rules of raja yoga which were later fully systematized and expounded by Patanjali. In fact, various useful suggestions are mentioned such as the following two examples: “With the body, head and neck held upright, direct your awareness to the heart region; and then Aum will be your boat to cross the river of fear.”

(Swetasvarara Upanishad)

In fact this is the first time that a sitting pose suitable for meditational practice was specified in a scriptural text. “The supreme path begins when the five senses and the mind are stilled and when the intellect is silent. This tranquillity of the senses is yoga.”

(Katha Upanishad)

This clearly defines the meaning of the fifth state of raja yoga, pratyahara, where a person’s awareness is withdrawn from the external world and the sense organs. In fact, this all important stage is preliminary to the attainment of meditation through raja yoga techniques and is elucidated again and again in the Upanishads. We have only mentioned some of the earliest Upanishads, and the ones that are regarded as being the most important. There is a goldmine of information on other aspects of yoga in the texts we have mentioned, as well as the large number of so-called minor Upanishads. For example, the Yoga Chudamani covers a wide range of practical aspects of yoga ranging from asanas and pranayama to psychic centres and self-realization. It also deals with some yogic practices that are part of kriya yoga, though not in much detail. The other Upanishads are also a source of many practical and theoretical principles of yoga. However, the only thing that the Upanishads lack is a systematic treatment and summary of the paths of yoga; they are a conglomeration of profound ideas mixed with various other kinds of information. In fact, we can say that the Upanishads are intended more to inspire than to instruct. During the era of the writing of the Upanishads, right up until quite recently, instructions on practical yoga were always imparted personally by a gum. The writers knew this and so detailed techniques were not recorded. This was left to the discretion of the guru and to later yogic texts.

Though they don’t explain yogic practices in any depth, the joy of higher awareness shines through the Upanishads as clearly as the midday sun. They tackle sublime questions of existence with the utmost simplicity and directness. The answers they give are revelations in themselves. The Upanishads are such that they can be read by any person in the world with at least some kind of comprehension and empathy, without becoming lost in a haze of over-intellectualization as is so easy with many other scriptures. They are meant to simplify not to complicate.

The Mahabharata and the Ra may ana are the two vast epics which were written about three thousand five hundred years ago, a little before the time of Buddha. The Mahabharata can be roughly translated using a little imagination as ‘The Great Book of Indian Culture’ and the Ramayana as ‘The Path of Rama’. The Mahabharata contains well over one hundred thousand verses and the Ramayayia, though smaller, is still sufficiently bulky to call it more an encyclopaedia than a book. We only intend to give a cursory glance at their contents, for while they propound yoga, they are mainly wrapped in symbolism and stories. Though these two books are works of art in themselves, they don’t in the main give a systematic treatment of yoga, apart from the Bhagavad Gita, which we will discuss shortly. The Ramayana is a particularly popular scripture even today in India. It portrays the life of Rama in poetry of unsurpassed beauty, which is often sung to the accompaniment of music. Though it contains little or no direct instructions on yoga, it conveys in symbolic form the essence of yogic life and the path that must be undertaken in order to attain selfrealization.

Superficially it deals with the life of Rama, his wife Sita, various other people and the tribulations that they face during life. But in fact, hidden under this thin disguise is a description of the trials and challenges that a yogi must face, both internally and externally, on the path to transcendental awareness. Another spiritual text called the Yoga

Vashishtha is regarded as a direct offshoot and continuation of the Ramayana. This too is a compendium of spiritual inspiration and notable for the depth of its scientific and spiritual ideas. Many scientific ideas only recently promulgated are clearly written in this treatise. The text attempts to explain all aspects of creation and link them ultimately to consciousness. All aspects of life are discussed, from health and disease to happiness and misery. It discusses various methods to attain spiritual realization and emphasizes time and time again the importance of direct perception and experience as opposed to second-hand knowledge. It speaks of various yogic paths, in particular the path of meditation and jnana. Pranayama is also recommended as a method of controlling the mind and inducing meditation. It is not, however, a book to be read by beginners of yoga, for although it is a goldmine of knowledge and beautiful poetry, it does not map out in any detail the path to be taken. It is essentially devoid of practical aspects of yoga and is really intended for people who already have a knowledge of yogic techniques and have had higher experiences.

The Mahabharata contains many passages which directly relate to yoga interposed in its main theme – the military struggles during a certain period of Indian history. However, the essence of its teachings is contained in the world famous section called the Bhagavad Gita.

It is a poem of seven hundred verses in which Arjuna, a great warrior, is instructed in the practice of yoga by Krishna, incarnation of God, who assumes the role of charioteer during the main battle of the epic. Though its text can be easily seen as contradictory by overintellectual analysis or an over-literal interpretation, it has been and still is a source of inspiration and guidance to those following the path of yoga. As one makes progress along the yogic path, so one sees more and more layers of wisdom emerge from its pages; it continually unfolds higher and higher levels of meaning. The apparent contradictions and anomalies slowly fade and one begins to realize what a wonderful text it really is. The Bhagavad Gita is a yogic scripture par excellence, and is applicable to people throughout the world and in every walk of life. It maps out in concise, but specific manner, the yogic paths of karma yoga (the path of action), jnana yoga (the path of intuition), bhakti yoga (the path of devotion) and dhyana yoga (the path of meditation). In fact, with regard to karma yoga it can be considered the supreme treatise. It is in the Bhagavad Gita where we really see that yoga is for everyone and not for the recluse. Before the writing of this text there was a tendency to regard yoga as unworldly and unconnected with daily life. It is the Bhagavad Gita that urges everyone to start practising yoga here and now, and not to consider it something to be practised on retirement from one’s responsibilities or some time in the future when the opportunity presents itself. It is to be practised now as an integral part of one’s life. Another important aspect of the Bhagavad Gita is that it blends all die different aspects of yoga into a comprehensive whole. With the practice of yoga there should not be confinement to one path. In fact this is impossible. Integration of all the different paths is necessary.

Though a person might follow one path in particular, the other paths should also be practised where possible. The Gita makes this point very clear. Before the time of writing the Gita, there was a tendency to see separation between the different paths and even to consider some of the paths as mutually exclusive. It is the Gita that formulates the basic structure of the science of yoga as it is known today.

So far we have mainly concerned ourselves with the development of literature on yoga. This must be the case, for we only know with certainty the direction of yogic development by reference to the ancient texts. At the same time, however, yoga was simultaneously being refined and developed by its practitioners and gums, who then passed on their teachings by word of mouth. In fact, it is certainly these people who evolved and improvised yoga practices by their personal experience in an endeavour to achieve the best results. All the texts can do is to reflect current and prevalent ideas.

Since the teachings of yoga were generally passed on orally, its development was haphazard. Different teachers taught different methods so that before it was systematized, yoga was a collection of varied and unrelated techniques, riddled with all types of personal beliefs and superstitions. It is here that the writers of the ancient texts served their greatest purpose by bringing all these different ideas together and integrating them. One of the most successful of these writers was Rishi Patanjali who wrote the text called the Yoga Sutras some time before the birth of Christ. This is still regarded as the classical and authoritative book on raja yoga. In a mere one hundred and ninety six verses, Patanjali has considered the essential philosophy, background, techniques and attainments of raja yoga.

In a sense, it can be said that he is the compiler more than the writer, for he took all the important existing practices which were used for many centuries up until his time and united them into one comprehensive and harmonious system. He certainly did not invent the path of raja yoga for its constituents were known in essence since the beginning of the vedic period thousands of years before. The whole subject of raja yoga is treated in a most scientific manner starting from moral precepts, leading on to the physical and mental aspects and finally self-realization. Some of Patanjali’s terse comments on the mind are far ahead even of modern day psychological ideas. In fact the modern trend in psychology is towards adaptation and implementation of the ancient ideas of yoga, particularly those propounded by Patanjali.

The essential foundations of yoga as we now know it were laid down by the time Patanjali had finished writing his Yoga Sutras. Many more texts and developments were to follow, but the stmcture of yoga was outlined; all that was required was the filling in of the empty spaces. This was done mainly by large numbers of commentators who interpreted and reinterpreted the traditional texts. Often this caused more confusion than clarity, because many differing commentaries arose resulting in controversy and speculation. Nevertheless a few of these scholars did throw some light on the traditional yogic texts. An example is Shankaracharya, who personally interpreted twelve different Upanishads, and the Bhagavad

Gita, as well as writing many original books on yoga such as Viveka Chudamani (Crest Jewel of Wisdom), Aparokshanubhuti (Direct Experience of Reality) and the Atmabodha (Knowledge of the Self). These treatises are masterpieces in themselves. Shankaracharya was a man who had extensively practised yoga for himself and knew through personal experience the significance of yoga. He was not content, as were so many others, to merely analyze intellectually the science of yoga without personal experience. There are many other contributors to the development of yoga who we have yet to mention. Bhakti yoga, though practised throughout the eras of yoga, was given a particularly strong boost in the middle ages by such bhakti yogis as Kabir, Tulsidas, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Nam Dev and many more.

They all wrote wonderful poetry which even now inflames the heart with its devotional feeling. People such as Kabir not only expressed their intense love in their poetry, but also interspersed it with clear practical advice on the path of bhakti yoga and other paths. Large numbers of hatha yoga texts were written throughout the ages. The most wellknown of these are the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the Shiva Samhita, the Gherand Samhita and many more. These texts give details on asanas, pranayama and other hatha yoga practices, together with techniques for performing mudras, bandhas, etc. However, all the books emphasize that the hatha yoga practices are not specifically aimed at making the body healthy. They are a means to higher ideals, which first demand a healthy body. There are many sages and yogis who have contributed to the growth of yoga, such as the ancient yogis Gorakhnath, Matsyendranath, Janaka, Yajnavalkya, Ashtavakra, Vyasa and so many others, as well as the yogis of recent times such as Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, Ramana Maharshi, Swami Sivananda and our guru Swami Satyananda. The list is endless. The number of books on yoga runs into the thousands. For example, the Ashtavakra Gita is a sublime text containing the utterances of yogis in advanced states of meditation; the Anu Gita of the Mahabharata, which is said to be a further explanation of the Bhagavad Gita by Krishna to Arjuna, his disciple; the Brahma Sutras, which attempt to consolidate in a condensed form the essence of the Upanishads; the Vyasabnasya which gives a masterly commentary on Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras; Narada’s Bhakti Sutras, which gives rules for practising bhakti yoga, and so on. And this list grows with every year that passes. We have only given a brief glimpse of the origin and development of yoga. There is much more to be said, but there is no space, for many volumes would be required and besides, those who are sincerely interested in the history and literature of yoga can take the steps to find out for themselves. For those who want to tread the yogic path, such a deep knowledge is not necessary. The books that we have mentioned contain the essence of yoga and can easily be obtained by anyone who wants to investigate the original yogic texts.

However, for personal growth through yoga it is not necessary to read any of these books, for yoga is one hundred percent practice. These techniques are widely available in modern books on yoga, in ashrams and yoga schools and can be learnt from a compretent guru, which is the best way.

This is a technique for cleaning the digestive tract from the stomach to the mouth. It involves drinking warm, salty water until the stomach is full and then voluntarily  expelling it through the mouth. This may seem a little repulsive to some people, especially if done intentionally, but actually kunjal kriya is a simple practice and all that is vomited is salty water containing impurities from the stomach.

As such there is no unpleasant taste, smell and nausea accompanying the action as there is during times of sickness. It is these uncomfortable sensations that all of us find  repulsive. Without these disagreeable factors the practice of kunjal kriya becomes simple and not at all unpleasant.

The biggest obstacle in trying this practice for yourself is your mental concept of what is involved. Try to throw away your prejudices and read this chapter with an open mind. Then attempt the practice once yourself, either alone or under the guidance of a yoga teacher. If you find from personal experience that what we say is true, then you will more than likely continue to do this kriya regularly.

Is this a natural process?

Vomiting is normally the last resort of the stomach to throw out impure, excessively rich or heavy food. It is a natural physical process but only as a last resort. To purposely vomit is in a sense unnatural but we have found from experience, as did the ancient yogis who originated the technique, that it can do much to improve the functioning of the stomach and in turn the whole physical body. If we treated the stomach with more care then it would not be necessary to do kunjal kriya, but most of us sadly mistreat our stomachs. It is under these circumstances that intentional vomiting becomes most useful as a means of removing the impurities that contaminate the body.

Terminology

The practice is known by various names. When the vomiting is induced by tickling the back of the throat it is called kunjal kriya or vaman dhauti. Both kunjal and vaman mean ‘vomiting’; kriya means ‘practice’ and dhauti means ‘wash’. When the water is expelled by muscular contraction of the abdomen, it is called kunjara kriya or gaja karma. Both the words kunjara and gaja mean ‘elephant’. The word karma in this context means the same as kriya, namely practice or action. Therefore, in English this technique is called the elephant action. It is so called because it imitates the ability of an elephant to suck in water and to expel it at will, though actually an elephant expels water from the trunk, not from the stomach.

The Stomach

The stomach seems to cause us more problems than any other organ in the body. We are able to forget most other organs while they carry out their duties, but the stomach often reminds us of its presence, especially when it is not working properly. Most people treat the stomach with little respect. They tend to stuff it with all types of food without consideration for its delicate nature. This kind of treatment is the root cause of many ailments which disturb us both physically and mentally. Let us briefly consider the mechanism of the upper part of the digestive tract, the alimentary canal. The food that we eat is first of all masticated in the mouth, or at least it should be. It then passes along a narrow flexible tube called the oesophagus into the stomach.

The stomach is a bag-like organ located below the heart. When it is empty it resembles a medium-sized sock. It is capable of expanding quite considerably when filled with the food that we eat. It has thick, muscular walls which are far thicker than any other part of the digestive tract.

The purpose of the stomach is to churn and to break down the food before it enters the intestines. In the walls of the stomach there are multitudes of glands (an estimated 35,000,000) which secrete digestive juices. These are of various types and are called gastric juices. During the course of the day several litres are poured into the stomach to digest the food we consume. An important constituent of these digestive juices is hydrochloric acid. This is essential for complete digestion of food, but it can also cause us many problems such as hyperacidity and ulcers.

The food spends several hours in the stomach, depending on the nature of the food: simple and easily digestible food stays a relatively short period while certain types of food such as meat stay for a longer time. The food is progressively broken down to a more convenient form for the intestines to handle. When the food attains a suitable consistency it is passed to the small intestines through the pyloric valve at the lower end of the stomach. In the intestines the nutrients in the food are absorbed by the bloodstream and the waste products proceed to the anus for expulsion from the body.

The importance of this system needs no emphasis. It should be kept clean and in the healthiest possible condition if it is to retain its efficiency and to remain free from disease. Kunjal kriya specifically does this as well as removing acidity. It is therefore a panacea for those who have digestive ailments and for those who want to maintain the health that they already have.

Preparation of Water

The water can be either with or without salt. We leave this to the practitioner’s choice. The deciding factor depends on why you are doing the practice. Salt water inhibits the secretion of acid in the stomach, therefore those people who are trying to alleviate hyperacidity should definitely put salt in the water. For other purposes both unsalted and salted are suitable. If you add salt to the water a reasonable proportion is one teaspoonful per litre of water. However, the proportion is not critical and more or less can be added at your discretion. We recommend that the water be lukewarm, about body temperature. However, again this is flexible. Water can be taken directly from the tap but it should not be too cold. This is important for during the practice the stomach will be filled with a large volume of water; if it is too cold it could easily chill the body. Prepare about three litres of warm water per person, this should be more than sufficient. Needless to say the water should be clean. Do kunjal in the bathroom. If the weather is warm it can be done in the garden.

Posture

During expulsion of water it is best to stand and bend forwards keeping the trunk and head horizontal. This facilitates the free flow of water from the stomach.

KUNJAL KRIYA

Quickly drink one glass of water. Then take another glass and drink it as rapidly as possible. Continue drinking glasses of water until you think you cannot possibly take another drop. Then take just one more glass. This may be a little difficult but it is essential to fill the stomach as fully as possible.

Under these circumstances the urge to throw out the water from the stomach hardly needs to be stimulated, it may even occur spontaneously. 6 medium sized glasses of water are about the average number required to fill the stomach. Then from a standing position lean forwards over a wash basin, bowl or convenient place in the garden. Make sure the trunk is as horizontal as possible. Then open your mouth as wide as possible and place 2 or 3 fingers (the middle 3) on top of the tongue. Slowly and gently slide the fingers along the surface of the tongue towards the back of the throat, while simultaneously pressing the root of the tongue. This should induce the water to suddenly and effortlessly gush out from the stomach. If there is no expulsion of water then it means that the tips of the fingers are not sufficiently far enough down the throat or that you are not pressing the tongue.

Though your first reaction is to tense the body and resist the urge to expel the water you should try to relax and allow for a free flow of water from the stomach; this is difficult at first but becomes easy with practice. During expulsion of water the fingers should be removed from the mouth. When the flow of water ceases, again place the fingers in the mouth and repeat the process. Continue in this way until there is no more water in the stomach. This is indicated when tickling the back of the throat does not bring up any more water. Now you have completed the practice. If necessary do jala neti to clean out the nose.

ADVANCED VARIATION: KUNJARA KRIYA

This method does not rely on tickling the back of the throat and tongue. It relies instead on squeezing the water-filled stomach by contracting the abdomen. It is a little more difficult than the previous method and requires some practice. We will not describe it in detail for it does not give any worthwhile advantages over the simpler method.

Technique

Fill your stomach with water. While standing, bend forwards and place the hands on the knees. Open the mouth. Slowly breathe in making a whispering ah sound from the deeper parts of the throat, Simultaneously contract the upper part of the abdomen, just below the ribcage. At the end of inhalation, retain the compression of the abdomen and exhale. It this is done correctly the water should gush out of the mouth in a steady stream. It is important that one relaxes the body during expulsion so that the water is not impeded. This method is for those people who have a reasonable control over their body muscles.

Time and Frequency

The time of practice depends on the prevailing climate. It should not be done outside if the weather is cold. This is important, for kunjal removes much of the mucus lining of the stomach and thereby temporarily renders the stomach more vulnerable to chilling. After a short time, however, the mucus film regenerates itself and thereby gives the stomach the necessary protection. If you practise indoors and your home is reasonably warm then the outside weather has little influence and you can practice kunjal regardless of the climate. The best time to do the practice is early in the morning, before breakfast. However, if the atmosphere is cold inside and outside your house, you should practise later in the day when it becomes warmer. One should wait at least half an hour after completing the practice before taking food. This allows sufficient time for the stomach to re-line itself.

Normally this kriya should not be done after meals. Wait for at least four hours. This allows the stomach to perform its duties and empty itself of its contents. This process takes at least four hours (depending of course on how much food you eat) and if you do the practice prematurely you will vomit the food you have eaten. There is a similar technique which does this purposely (vyaghra kriya) but this is under specific circumstances. We will discuss this practice at the end of this topic.

Many people do this practice every morning without fail followed by jala neti. They consider this routine essential for maintaining their best possible health. If you have the time we also recommend daily practice as it can certainly do no harm and gives many wonderful benefits. If you have limited time try to do it as often as possible, at least once a week.

General Advice

The biggest hurdle to overcome with this practice is the disgust we attach to the idea of vomiting. When you try it for the first time and even on the second and third occasion you will have to use a little willpower to actually carry it out to the full. It is very easy to drink only one glass and persuade oneself that the stomach is now full; or to make plans to do the practice and then postpone it at the last moment until another day under the guise of some suitable excuse. But once you become accustomed to the idea and have tried it a few times it is no more difficult than cleaning the teeth and does not take much more time.

Don’t try to vomit once the stomach is empty. As soon as the vomiting reflex brings up no water this is a sure indication that you have cleaned out the stomach. If you persist unnecessarily you will more than likely produce soreness of the throat as well as experiencing an unpleasant taste. One often sees brown or yellow traces in the expelled water, especially on the first few attempts at doing the practice. Don’t worry for this is no more than dead blood cells, fermented food particles and mucus from the stomach. As you progressively clean the stomach over a period of a few days, the water will become cleaner and cleaner, a sure sign that the stomach is being thoroughly cleaned.

Many teachers say that the best way to induce expulsion of water is to touch the uvula (the small grape-like pendant hanging from the soft palate above the root of the tongue). We don’t advise this as from experience we have found that it tends to cause retching and not a smooth elimination of water. We suggest that you press the root of the tongue. If you find that you really cannot remove the water from your stomach, don’t worry. Though you will lose the benefits of kunjal it will not cause any harm. The water will merely pass through the system in the normal way. It may give a looser than normal bowel motion and if you suffer from constipation this is not such a bad result.

Limitations

Most people can do this practice. However, it should not be attempted by those suffering from hernia of the stomach or abdomen, high blood pressure and heart problems. Though kunjal kriya helps to remove excess acidity from the stomach, a factor very much associated with ulcers, we don’t advise you to try to do this practice under these circumstances. It will probably do more harm than good.

If you have any doubts about whether you should or should not do kunjal kriya we recommend that you seek the guidance of a competent yoga teacher.

Benefits

This technique gives the best possible wash to the digestive system from the stomach to the mouth. As such it helps remove all diseases of this region which are the result of a build-up of toxins or general impurities. It also helps to eradicate bad breath, the accumulation of phlegm in the throat and sore throats. Most of us at one time or another have had stomach problems. There are various causes – eating too much food, eating food that is too rich, bad or that is impure, as well as oversecretion of gastric juices, particularly acid, due to emotional upsets or sustained stress.

Kunjal cannot change your food habits and certainly cannot remove mental and emotional tension. However, it can help to keep the stomach in good order by washing it clean of impurities. The salt water also reduces the secretion of acid from the glands in the stomach. These in general are rendered more efficient thus allowing better digestion of food. All these are important factors in preventing indigestion, obtaining the best possible assimilation of nutrients into the body as well as eliminating other digestive ailments. Whenever you feel a little queasy in the stomach, perhaps early in the morning, we certainly recommend kunjal to bring relief. There is another factor that makes kunjal so useful. There is a tendency for the residue of undigested food to lie in the bottom of the stomach after all the easily digested food has passed to the intestines. This is particularly the case if one has a distended stomach, for the bottom of the stomach is more than likely below the level of the outlet to the intestines (pyloric valve). This acts as a reservoir in which fermentation takes place. When one eats the next meal this residue is mixed with incoming food and can pass into the intestines. This can contaminate and poison the system, for much of it will be absorbed into the bloodstream from the intestines. Kunjal kriya throws this fermented waste out of the stomach before it can cause harm. As such kunjal is a sure way of preventing autopoisoning of the body.

People who suffer from biliousness inform us that kunjal gives them marvellous relief. When they expel the water it is green in colour, which indicates the presence of bile. Actually the bile is secreted from the gall bladder into the intestines below the stomach, but somehow or other it often finds its way up into the stomach, especially if it is over-secreted. Kunjal brings wonderful relief by eliminating the accumulation of this nauseating and bitter tasting bile.   Asthmatics find kunjal a wonderful practice. Why this is so is not certain for there is no obvious connection between the lungs (the site of asthma) and cleansing the stomach with water, but we do know that it does bring relief. This is confirmed by the large blobs of phlegm which are thrown out by asthmatics during kunjal. Possibly expulsion of water from the stomach simultaneously stimulates a nervous reflex action in the lungs, which in turn expels mucus secretions from the bronchial tubes. This helps to remove blockages in the respiratory passages of the lungs and brings great relief to the asthma sufferer by allowing him to breathe more easily.

People who suffer from asthma should and can perform kunjal when they are actually having an attack. It is found to terminate the spasm. In this case it is essential that the stomach is completely filled with water to obtain the best results. Though it may be difficult to drink the water down quickly because of shortage of breath, you must try; with determination it can be accomplished. One should actually resist the urge to vomit so that the stomach can be filled to the brim – bloated in fact. The bronchial tubes, which tighten and contract during an attack of asthma, relax as soon as one expels the water. This brings much needed and instant relief.

VYAGHRA KRIYA

This practice is also called baghi kriya. Both vyaghra and baghi mean ‘tiger’. This technique is therefore known as the tiger action of regurgitation. It is a similar practice to kunjal but a large portion of semi-digested food as well as water is expelled from tbe stomach. The tiger has been observed to gorge itself with its prey and then regurgitate the remnants of the food from the stomach three or four hours later. There is a good reason for this. It is the portion of the food which is most difficult to digest that stays in the stomach longest. The most nutritious and easily digestible portions quickly pass through the stomach into the intestines. The remainder contains far less nutrition and requires a lot of energy and activity by the digestive organs to eliminate it. The expenditure of the body is probably far greater than the gain. The tiger, therefore, vomits this unrequired portion and so saves overworking the intestines.

The ancient yogis had taken heed of this sensible habit of the tiger and utilized it for their own benefit. They took their food in the normal way and then three hours later expelled the remaining undigestible or difficult to digest portion. This saved them many intestinal ailments and discomforts and allowed the energy in the body to be directed towards more useful purposes. Vyaghra kriya was also practised most effectively by the later emperors of the Roman Empire, who used it to avoid indigestion after their famous orgies.

Technique

Perform the technique of kunjal kriya, filling the stomach with water. When the water is expelled it will simultaneously empty the stomach of the undigested particles of food. Try to prevent food particles from entering the nose. Do jala neti after the practice to ensure that the nose is cleared1. It should be done about 3 hours after food. If you eat impure food or overload the stomach it can be done much earlier.

Benefits

This prevents burdening the intestines with undigestible food. However, it has another more obvious use. If we eat bad, rotten, rich or bulky food the stomach often causes us to vomit. It is a natural process of the body. However, this is the last resort of the body for it usually tries to digest the food that we have dumped in the stomach. This leads to a lot of heaviness, discomfort and it takes many hours for the digestive system to settle down. The easiest way to prevent this unnecessary disruption of intestines is to vomit as soon as possible. This sounds a little distasteful but it takes only a minute or so and it prevents much discomfort. The modern day remedy for indigestion or eating too much rich food is to swallow a tablet. Yet the natural and least harmful way is to vomit. We therefore recommend vyaghra kriya to those who want to bring their digestive system quickly back into shape again.

The subject of burping has long been controversial in various societies throughout the world. In China and during the middle ages of Europe, it was almost a ritual to end a meal by burping. This clearly showed that one had enjoyed his food. If a person did not burp he was likely to be labelled bad mannered or even a boor. Burping was almost considered an art. This art has been lost in modern societies because it is considered both crude and distasteful. Nevertheless, we are devoting this next topic to the revival of this noble and ancient art.

The Gherand Samhita says the following: “Shape your lips like a crow’s beak and drink air. Let the air swirl in the stomach for some time and then allow it to expel itself. Vatsara dhauti is a most secret technique to purify the body. It destroys all diseases and increases the gastric fire.” (1:15-16)

Usefulness of Practice

Under normal circumstances burping brings a wonderful and immediate sense of relief. It is a normal response which none of us can avoid, for we all tend to swallow air while we eat. This is trapped in each mouthful of food and accumulates in the stomach. The amount of air swallowed, of course, varies greatly with eating habits, but it may be as high as half a litre. A little of this passes into the intestinal tract but most of it is expelled by means of the simple expedient of burping.

Vatsara dhauti utilizes the same basic process, but instead of inducing air into the stomach by eating food, it is induced by voluntary effort. In other words, air is sucked into the stomach while inhaling. To many people, especially children, this technique will come almost naturally. In fact, they will have already practised it for the fun of hearing the resulting noise on expulsion, without realizing that they are performing an ancient practice of yoga.

The main reason for doing the practice is to clean the stomach of stale, foul smelling gases. Furthermore, many processes of digestion work far better when there is a liberal supply of oxygen in the stomach. The oxygen seems to encourage the best possible digestion of food. In this way, aeration of the stomach aids digestion and eliminates waste gas.

VATSARA DHAUTI

Sit in any comfortable position. The aim is to direct the inhaled air into the stomach instead of the lungs. Open your mouth. If you wish you can purse your lips together like a crow’s beak as given in the Gherand Samhita, but this is not essential. Try to suck air into the mouth. To do this you must try to create a vacuum in the stomach. This is not difficult, but may require a little practice. It can either be done in one sucking action, or in a series of gulps. Choose whatever method is easiest. Fill the stomach as much as possible. Then completely relax. Don’t try to expel the air; it will automatically come out in its own time. This is vatsara dhauti, secret of all the ages.

Frequency and Time of Practice

You can practise it as many times as you want, but once or twice is sufficient just before eating. It can be done at any time of the day, but preferably not during or immediately after a big meal. This practice is most useful, however,if performed just before you eat a large or heavy meal as it stimulates the digestive system to work at a higher level of efficiency.

Benefits

We have treated this practice in a rather lighthearted and superficial manner, because it is very difficult to be serious and factual about such a maligned subject. However, we emphasize that we are serious when we say that this practice is beneficial. It increases the digestive power of the body by improving the chemical reactions taking place within the stomach. It removes impure and unwanted gases and helps to eliminate and prevent hyperacidity and especially heartburn. When one considers that a large number of ailments arise from digestive disorders, the necessity for a healthy digestive system becomes obvious. Vatsara dhauti is one method of attaining this end.

The following recommended programs are intended as a progression from Lesson 1. The student should use his discretion in omitting the least necessary practices and adding the most necessary practices to suit the time he has available. For example, if your legs are still very stiff you should continue to practise the leg loosening exercises previously escribed as well as doing as many as possible of the practices outlined in this second lesson. We have not included the practices of danta dhauti, neti and eye exercises in the programs because these can become part of your daily wash and bath routines. Note: The best time to practise is in the morning. However, any other time is also suitable providing it is not after a meal. try to practise the techniques that you think you most need in any other time that you have available. Sukhasana and vajrasana have not been included in the practice programs. We suggest you remember to practise them in your spare time. Sitting in vajrasana for a few minutes after meals is especially beneficial as it aids the process of digestion. Whenever you feel fatigued or tense during the day, practise naukasana and/or shavasana to relax the mind and body. Make the effort to practise your program regularly every day This is sometimes difficult but brings the best result.

SHASHANKASANA (POSE OF THE MOON OR HARE POSE)

The Sanskrit word shashank means ‘moon’ – hence the name of the asana. It is also commonly called the hare pose because in the final position it imitates a bounding hare. One often wonders why it is called the moon pose for it does not appear to have any obvious connection or resemblance to the moon. However, the reason is simple. The word shashank is derived from the two words shash, which means ‘hare’ and ank, which means ‘lap’. Why? Because it is said that the dark patches on a full moon resemble the shape of a hare with the moon in its lap. We leave this to the reader’s imagination.

There is another reason for the name the moon pose. The moon symbolizes calmness and peace. It emits soothing vibrations, and who among us has not felt tranquillity when gazing at the moon? Shashankasana is a wonderful practice for dissolving even the most overwhelming anger.

Basic Technique

Place a blanket or thin rug on the floor. Sit in vajrasana. Place the hands on the knees and comfortably straighten the back. Relax the whole body. Close the eyes. Inhale and at the same time slowly raise the arms, keeping them straight. The inhalation and movement should be slow. At the end of inhalation the arms should be vertically above the head; those who wish can move their arms a little further behind the head accentuating the stretch of the chest. Slowly exhale and bend forwards. The arms, trunk and head should remain in one line. At the end of exhalation the forehead and arms should rest on the floor in front of the knees (see picture).

Those who find this impossible should lean forward as far as is comfortable. Relax the whole body taking care that the arms are fully relaxed. Breathe slowly and deeply. Be aware of the breath and the rhythmical pressure of the abdomen against the thighs. Breathing in feel the abdomen rising against the thighs. Breathing out feel the abdomen moving away from the thighs. This is the final position. Stay in the final position for a comfortable length of time. Then inhale and raise the trunk and arms to the vertical position. Slowly exhale and lower the arms and return to the starting position.

Breathing, Awareness and Duration

Inhale while raising the arms from the starting position. Exhale while lowering the arms and trunk to the final pose. Breathing should be deep and slow in the final position. Inhale while raising the arms and trunk. Exhale while returning to the starting position. The breath should be synchronized with the physical movements. One should be aware throughout the practice. While moving from the starting position to the final pose and when returning to the starting position, be fully aware of the breath and movement. In the final position be aware of the breath. Beginners should slowly increase the duration in the final pose until they can comfortably hold it for about three minutes. Those who wish to calm their anger and frayed nerves should especially increase the time spent in the final position.

Mistakes to Avoid

Many people fail to keep their head, arms and trunk in one straight line when lowering themselves to the final position. If possible the arms and forehead should touch the floor at about the same time. The head, arms and trunk should also remain in one line when raising the body from the final pose. Often the arms are kept straight in the final pose.

This is incorrect for it means that the body is not fully relaxed.

Benefits

Shashankasana is a reasonably simple asana yet it gives many benefits. Most people have very stiff backs. Shashankasana stretches the back muscles and separates the individual vertebrae from each other. This releases pressure on the discs that keep the vertebrae apart. Often nerve connections emanating from the spinal cord are squeezed by these discs giving rise to various forms of backache and sciatica. The separation of the discs during shashankasana helps to relieve these pains and encourage the discs to resume their correct locations. The stretch imparted to the back muscles removes sluggish and depleted blood. On completing the asana fresh blood is soaked up into the muscles in the same way that water is absorbed by a sponge. This regenerates both the back muscles and the all important spinal nerves. The deep breathing in the final position applies a gentle yet powerful massage to the abdominal organs. As such this asana is very useful in helping to remove and prevent various abdominal disorders such as constipation and indigestion.

This asana tones the pelvic organs and is found beneficial in alleviating sexual disorders. Women will find this asana advantageous. All of us become angry. It takes a mere second to feel anger but far longer to regain normality. Deep and slow breathing helps to calm anger. Shashankasana induces this and quickly brings about relaxation. Breath awareness accentuates this process by withdrawing our thoughts away from the cause of our anger. The by-product of emotional upsets such as anger is over-stimulation of the adrenal glands. These two glands inject adrenaline directly into the bloodstream causing overactivity of the bodily functions and stress. Shashankasana regulates these organs, helping to bring about a relaxed mind and body. This is a very comfortable asana. In fact it is so comfortable that we know of some people who can sleep in this pose and often do.

VARIATIONS OF SHASHANKASANA

There are other forms of shashankasana. The most useful are the following:

Variation 1

Take the same starting position as the basic technique – vajrasana. Hold the arms behind the back and clasp the right wrist with the left hand. Relax the whole body and close the eyes. Exhale and slowly bend forwards until the forehead touches or is near the ground. Repeat the same procedure as already described for the final position of the basic technique. After some time slowly raise the trunk while inhaling and return to the starting position.

Note: Apart from the technique all other details are essentially the same as given for the basic form of shashankasana.

Variation 2

This variation is very much the same as variation 1. Instead of holding the arms behind the back, the fists are placed in front of the soft portion of the abdomen just below the navel. The knuckles point towards and touch each other. One now bends forward and performs the same technique described for variation 1.

Note: This alternative method intensifies the massage imparted to the abdominal organs in the final pose. It is particularly recommended for relieving abdominal ailments such as constipation and flatulence. Apart from this particular characteristic this variation gives all the benefits of the basic shashankasana.

Variation 3: Pranamasana (bowing pose)

Sit in vajrasana. Grasp the lower part of the calves just above the ankles with your hands. Bend forwards and place the crown of your head on the floor in front of your knees. Your head should rest on a folded blanket. Raise your buttocks until the thighs are as vertical as is comfortable. Breathe normally with awareness. This is the final pose. Remain in this position for a comfortable length of time.

Note: This variation particularly directs an extra supply of blood to the brain. As such it is helpful in removing tiredness and mental fatigue and certain types of headache. People who suffer from high blood pressure or vertigo should practise with caution.

SUPTA PAWANMUKTASANA (LEG LOCK POSE)

The Sanskrit word pawan means ‘wind’ and the word mukta means ‘release’ or ‘free’. Hence this is a wind releasing pose because it is very useful in removing wind or flatulence from the intestines and stomach. It is especially useful for beginners for though simple, it gives many benefits. Even the most unhealthy person can do this asana.

Technique

Place a blanket on the floor. Lie flat on your back. Relax the whole body.

Stage 1

Bend the right leg and bring the thigh and knee as near as possible to the chest. The other leg should remain straight. Place the hands over the knee and interlock the fingers. Gently pull the knee nearer the chest. Relax the whole body keeping the straight leg, back and head on the floor. Breathe in deeply and slowly while simultaneously raising the head and shoulders. At the end of inhalation the forehead, nose, chin or neck should touch or be as close as possible to the right knee. Hold your breath for a short time in the raised pose. Then exhale slowly and lower the head and shoulders to the floor to resume the starting position. This is 1 round. Inhale while again raising the body and repeating the procedure. Do a number of rounds. Then straighten the bent leg and relax the whole body for a short time.

Stage 2

Bend the other leg towards the chest and repeat the same procedure as given in stage 1. Do the same number of rounds. On completion, straighten the left leg and relax the whole body.

Stage 3

Now fold both legs to the chest. Repeat the same procedure as stage 1. Afterwards relax the whole body with awareness on breath. Breathing, awareness and duration Breath should be deep and synchronized with the movement as described in the technique. This is important for it accentuates the massage of the abdominal organs. This asana will give the most benefits if one holds the breath while in the raised position for as long as is comfortable. One should be aware of the breath and the compression of the abdomen throughout the practice.

For general health benefits do three to five rounds of each stage. For specific ailments such as removal of wind, more rounds can be performed at one’s discretion.

Sequence

This asana can be done at any time except after meals. However, it is particularly beneficial when done early in the morning before going to the latrine, for it effectively stimulates the nervous action of the bowels and gives a good motion. It is therefore a useful method for ensuring that the abdomen is emptied as much as possible before beginning one’s yoga practices.

Simpler Alternatives

If you suffer from back problems, obesity or certain other ailments you may find the previous method difficult or uncomfortable. If you cannot do it then it is a great pity for it gives many benefits. For this reason we suggest a simpler alternative which gives essentially the same benefits though to a lesser degree. All the stages are performed in the way already explained, except that the head and shoulders are not raised off the ground. Instead, breathe slowly and deeply with the legs bent to the chest. Hold this position for as long as comfortable, performing each stage in turn. Once this simple procedure is mastered you should progress to the original technique previously explained.

Benefits

This asana gives an excellent massage to the abdomen. In this pose the abdominal muscles are tensed and simultaneously the internal organs are compressed by the folded legs. This increases the circulation of the blood and stimulates the nerves which connect the organs to the brain or nerve complexes. As such it helps in no small way to relieve various types of abdominal ailments associated with malfunctioning of inefficient organs. This asana is particularly useful for removing constipation and flatulence. Food moves from the stomach through the intestines during digestion. The intestinal tract is divided into two sections, the small and the large intestines. Most of the digestive processes occur in the small intestine. After this the waste matter proceeds to the large intestine (colon).

The large intestine is about five feet in length and rises upwards on the right side of the body (ascending colon), crosses horizontally in the region of the navel (transverse colon) and then goes downwards on the left side of the body (descending colon). It terminates in the anus. For this reason it is important that pawanmuktasana is first performed with the right leg bent so that waste matter is encouraged to pass in the proper direction and more easily to the anus for expulsion, from the ascending colon to the descending colon. If the left leg is bent first the massage and stimulation of the bowels will be in the opposite order to the movement of faeces and wind. This is an important aspect and needs to be done correctly to gain maximum benefits. This asana also tones up the back muscles and spinal nerves.

SPHINX ASANA

In English this asana is known as the sphinx pose because the front of the body in the final pose very much resembles an Egyptian sphinx. It is also known as ardha bhujangasana, the half cobra pose. It is a simple asana and is a preparatory pose for bhujangasana (the cobra pose), which will be fully described in the next lesson.

Technique

Lie flat on the floor, face downwards. Extend the feet so that the heels and soles face upwards. Rest the forehead on the ground. Bend the arms and place the forearms flat on the floor. Place the palms downwards on each side of the head with the fingertips in line with the crown of the head. Relax the whole body, especially the back and leg muscles. Breathe out deeply. Then while inhaling slowly raise the head and shoulders by bringing the upper arms to the vertical position. The elbows should remain on the ground. Perform the movement by using the arms only: Keep the back muscles relaxed throughout the practice. Remain in the final pose for a comfortable length of time breathing slowly and deeply. Be aware of the breath and the relaxation of the back muscles. Then breathe out while lowering the body. Relax the whole body. Then repeat the movement.

Awareness and Duration

The awareness should follow the breath and relaxation of the back muscles. Do the asana according to available time. About three or four minutes is sufficient.

Benefits

This is an especially good asana for those who have a particularly stiff back. It is a good preparation for bhujangasana which requires more flexibility of the back. The benefits are the same as for bhujangasana though on a lesser scale. This asana can also be used as a simple meditational pose by those persons who find sitting asanas impossible.

MAKARASANA (CROCODILE POSE)

This asana is very similar to the sphinx asana. It is an asana that many people do naturally. We think it is worthwhile mentioning because it is so beneficial for those who suffer from slipped discs or other spinal disorders, as well as asthma and other lung ailments.

Technique

Lie flat on the stomach with the head and shoulders raised off the ground. The head is cupped in the palms with the elbows resting on the ground. Relax the whole body and close the eyes. Be aware of the natural and rhythmic breathing pattern. If you like you can also count the breath.

Benefits

If you suffer from any spinal or lung ailments we suggest you lie in makarasana for as long as possible; the longer the better. You can even read a book in this asana. This position encourages the spine to resume its normal shape and releases compression of the spinal nerves (sciatica). The chest is also expanded allowing an increased amount of air to enter the lungs, which is a great help in alleviating congestion and other ailments of the respiratory system.

This practice is also known as simhasana and simha mudra, and in the yoga upanishads as simhagarjanasana (roaring lion pose). We have already described methods of cleaning and revitalizing the various different organs of the head, such as the nose, eyes, etc.1. Simha kriya supplements these previous practices by giving an excellent massage and stimulation to the organs of the throat, in particular the tonsils. These two insignificant looking guardians of the throat have a decisive role to play in maintaining good health.

The Tonsils

If you open your mouth and look in a mirror you will see two masses of spongy tissue seated at the back of the mouth in front and on each side of the throat. These are called the tonsils. Similar masses are to be found at the back of the nose (called the adenoids), on the back of the tongue and also scattered over the walls of the throat. These all form part of the lymphatic system and are known as lymph nodes.

One of the functions of the lymphatic system is to eliminate toxins from the body. As such it performs an essential role, for it is in the accumulation of toxins that germs breed resulting in disease. Poisons and bacteria that are mopped up in the system are trapped and concentrated in the lymph nodes, including the tonsils, prior to expulsion from the body. This bacteria is neutralized by antibodies which are produced within the lymph nodes.

Sometimes, however, the build-up of toxins within the system becomes too great and this overwhelms the lymph nodes. Under these circumstances the nodes themselves become infected. In the case of the tonsils the result is a painful inflammation and fever known as tonsillitis.

The normal medical practice, which fortunately is losing favour, is to remove these tonsils when they start to become inflamed. This does not solve the problem because the real reason for the inflammation is an overtoxic blood system. In fact in the long run removal causes more problems than it solves, since these small organs are vital in protecting the body against the onset of disease. Yoga approaches this ailment in a more natural manner. Through asanas and pranayama the entire body is purified of poisons and the occurrence of tonsillitis and other ailments connected with the lymphatic system become less likely.

Simha kriya in particular influences the tonsils. It stimulates the blood flow to the tonsils and thereby flushes out accumulated toxins. As such it is a powerful technique for preventing and often removing tonsillitis. Place a blanket on the floor.

Sit in vajrasana. Separate the knees about 45 cms. The toes of the feet should be in contact. Lean forwards and place the hands on the floor between the legs. The hands should be side by side with the fingers pointing backwards. The elbows should point backwards. Straighten the arms fully and arch the back; this is important in giving the maximum stretch to the front of the neck. Tilt the head backwards sufficiently so that there is a comfortable amount of tension in the neck.

The eyes should be kept open during the practice, with the gaze directed at the centre of the eyebrows or at a point on the ceiling in front of you. Keep the mouth closed. Fold the tongue backwards so that the tip presses hard against the soft palate at the top and back of the mouth. Inhale slowly and deeply through the nose. At the end of the inhalation release the tension of the tongue, open the mouth and extend the tongue outwards and towards the chin as far as possible.

Exhale slowly. Simultaneously produce a clear, loud and steady vocal sound from the throat; in other words an aaah sound. If one wishes the tongue can be also moved from side to side while emitting the sound. At the end of exhalation, again press the tongue against the upper palate of the mouth. Close the mouth and breathe in. This is 1 round. Do as many rounds as time permits.

VARIATIONS OF SIMHA KRIYA

There are a number of variations of simha kriya. The following are the same as the basic technique except that the sitting positions are different.

Variation 1

Sit in sukhasana (the simple pose)2. Simha kriya performed from this position is the simplest and most suitable for those who have difficulty sitting in vajrasana. This variation should be discarded as soon as one can sit in vajrasana without discomfort.

Variation 2

Sitting in padmasana (the lotus pose). This is a more difficult variation and will be understood more fully when we cover padmasana. This practice is particularly beneficial if one faces the sun so that the rays go into the back of the mouth.

Awareness and Duration

Throughout the practice one should be aware of the eyebrow centre or a point on the ceiling. While inhaling also be aware of the pressure of the tongue on the palate and breathing. While exhaling also be aware of the sound and vibration produced in the throat. For general health purposes practise up to three minutes daily. It can be practised at any time. For specific ailments increase the number of rounds.

Benefits

The tonsils depend on a good blood supply for efficient functioning. The blood often becomes congested in this region especially when one’s system is particularly toxic and during tonsillitis. Simha kriya massages the throat region and squeezes out stagnant, impure blood so that it returns to the kidneys for purification. At the end of practising simha kriya, the muscles and blood vessels of the throat are relaxed. This allows a freshly oxygenated supply of blood to circulate in this region, which has a wonderful rejuvenating effect on the tonsils, helping to improve the health of the whole body as well as removing the causes of tonsillitis.

In the throat there are many other vital organs. These include the thyroid glands, the pharynx, the larynx, the salivary glands as well as the auditoiy system in general. All of these receive a wonderful massage in the same way as described for the tonsils. Since these provide essential functions of the body, the improvement in their health through the simple practice of simha kriya can have vast repercussions on our lives.

All nerves connecting the body to the brain must pass through the neck region. It is a vital crossroad. Also in the throat region there are various nerve plexuses which control the organs of the throat. Simha kriya stretches these nerves and removes stagnant blood, allowing an influx of fresh blood. This together with the stimulation that the nerves also receive results in better nerve connections to the brain and in turn increased efficiency in the glands and organs of the body.

Simha kriya is a useful practice for preventing and removing pharyngitis, lary ngitis and general throat ailments.

In the previous lesson we explained the importance of regularly relaxing the mind and body and how relaxation techniques bring about the removal of physical and mental tension. We explained the importance of tensing the whole body just prior to relaxing by utilizing naukasana, as well as the first part of shavasana.

SHAVASANA – PART 2

The two parts of shavasana comprise a whole and as such the second part should be practised immediately after the first part without a break.

Technique

Your body should be in the supine position which you have already assumed for part 1. Make sure that the eyes are closed and consciously release the eye muscles. The mouth should be closed. The teeth should not be clenched but slightly separated. Don’t press the lips together, but let them relax. If necessary, yawn to remove facial tension. Feel that your head is very heavy. Now feel heaviness in the whole body. Imagine that your whole body is so heavy that it is sinking into the floor. Tell yourself that if you wanted to raise your body now you would find it impossible, because your muscles are completely limp. Feel gravity acting on every part of your body and pulling it towards the ground. Now watch the space or blankness in front of the closed eyes.

Imagine that this space surrounds your whole body. Your body is in the middle of that space. Try to imagine that your body is slowly sinking in that space, slowly, slowly sinking like a leaf falling from a tree. Feel your body sinking, sinking, sinking into the depths of that infinite space.

Do this for a minute or two or longer if you have time. If thoughts arise, let them arise. But continue to feel the body sinking. Now become aware of your breath. Don’t change the rhythm of the breath; only become aware of the flow in and out of your nostrils. When you breathe in, know that you are breathing in. When you breathe out, be fully aware that you are breathing out. Try to feel that it is the first time you have ever breathed; you are experiencing breath for the first time in your life. As you breathe in, feel the health-giving oxygen entering your body, nourishing all the cells and giving you perfect health. As you breathe out feel all the poisons leaving your body.

All the tensions, stresses, problems, etc. are flowing out of you via the exhaled breath. Feel all anxieties leaving you with every breath Try to maintain awareness only of the breath, but if other thoughts arise, don’t worry. Merely carry on with your practice. Continue in this way for as long as you have time available. At the end of the practice stretch your hands, your arms, stretch your feet and legs, become aware of the surroundings and slowly open your eyes. If you have carried out the instructions without sleeping and with alertness, but without tension, then you should feel wonderfully refreshed.

Sleep

The biggest problem is sleep, unless of course you practise shavasana specifically to remove insomnia. It is the habit of most of us to sleep whenever we achieve a reasonable degree of relaxation. We seem to associate relaxation with sleep and tension with wakefulness. Yet the aim of shavasana is to gain a high state of relaxation while being fully awake. If we fall asleep halfway  through shavasana we lose much of the benefits, because during sleep the mind again manifests its usual patterns of worry. By remaining awake and directing awareness to the different parts of the body and the breath in the way described, our awareness is coaxed away from its entanglement with obsessive mental anxieties. So try to stay awake, even though it is very easy to just drop off to sleep.

Awareness

Throughout the practice one should try to be aware of all the processes which we have described in shavasana. However, it is very easy to think of other thoughts and become distracted from the practice in hand. You should not suppress thoughts if they arise. Let them occur, be aware of them but simultaneously continue on with shavasana.

Benefits

People who suffer from high blood pressure, neurasthenia, diabetes or any other ailment that is directly (more directly than other ailments, that is) related to excessive stress are particularly advised to practise shavasana a few times every day.

Instructions

During yoga classes the teacher gives all the necessary instructions and the practitioner merely listens and carries them out. It is far easier to gain benefits under these circumstances. However, when you practise by yourself you should develop the idea that you are the instructor. Instead of the instructor being in the form of another person, he is now in your head. Mentally repeat the instructions to yourself and then enact them. In this way you are more likely to maintain awareness throughout the practice.

Summary of the steps of Shavasana

Shavasana is a systematic technique which progressively relaxes the body and mind. Therefore the order of practice is important so that you become more and more relaxed as you work through the technique. The following is a list of the basic steps:

1. Adjustment of body position on the floor 2. Experience of contact of body with the floor 3. Feeling of heaviness and limpness of different parts of the body 4. Feeling of sinking in the space in front of the closed eyes 5. Breath awareness. If you change the details of this technique to suit personal circumstances and preferences,

We have already mentioned the word awareness in the practices previously described. In this topic we will discuss its meaning and implications a little more fully, for it lies at the very basis of yoga and yogic techniques. It is essential to understand what we mean by awareness in order to gain the maximum benefits from the contents of this book. This is the biggest problem for beginners; they are told to be aware but they are not really sure what it means or what the point of it is. As such they miss the essence of their yoga practices. For this reason we will attempt to explain what is meant by awareness so that you can realize what we are aiming at, even if it is only at an intellectual level. Intellectual understanding of awareness is at least better than no understanding. Eventually, as you progress in your practices, you will come to know the meaning of awareness, not through words but by personal experience.

For most people, awareness means mere knowledge. We often say, “I am aware of that,” meaning that we know something. In yoga it also means knowledge but it simultaneously means far more. Awareness in a general sense means to comprehend, to know, to feel what is happening around us. It also means to know what is happening within us. Most people comprehend very little of what is occurring around and within them. This is a low state of awareness. As we realize and relate to more things internally as well as externally, and see the underlying unity in everything, we naturally develop more awareness. As this happens we break down the barriers and limitations of the mind. We understand more aspects and gain insight into the many realms of existence. Before we further expound on the meaning of the word awareness let us first briefly mention consciousness. Every life form is a vehicle of consciousness. Whether it is a cell, a plant, an animal or a human, the underlying nature of all living organisms is consciousness. However, each of these forms express the potential of consciousness at different levels. The cells and plants express consciousness at a very rudimentary level, while man expresses it at a far more complex level. The consciousness is the same – the potential for manifestation is different. Plants have feelings (as has been scientifically proved by various people) but no mobility. Animals have both feelings and mobility. Man also has these, but at the same time he has an extra attribute – awareness. Man has the extra and all important ability to be able to know his consciousness and to allow it to manifest and blossom to its fullest potential. The consciousness does not change. It is the expression that becomes expanded. Man can increase his awareness and transcend limitations (or rather limitations that most of us see and think to be fixed) and realize higher potentialities of consciousness. An animal, as far as we know, is unable to be aware because of its very nature. It contains the potential but it is totally unable to see the potential because of the very way it is made. It lacks the necessary equipment. Let us make an analogy. The atmosphere around us is pervaded by electromagnetic waves carrying programs transmitted from a large number of radio stations. Yet, can we pick them up directly? Can a stone or a tree listen directly to the symphony being broadcasted? No, this is impossible. Our body, the stone and the tree lack the necessary equipment. The waves are there but we cannot tune into them. The potential is there but we cannot use it. We are limited by our structure. Yet a radio can pick up the waves and enable us to listen to the symphony. The radio has the necessary equipment to manifest this potential contained within the atmosphere around us. It is the same with consciousness but in a much deeper and ineffable sense. It is within all life forms. Yet it is only humans (let us forget for the moment extra-terrestrial life) that have the ability to know this consciousness. It is said that consciousness sleeps in stones, dreams in plants, begins to awaken in animals and can be fully realized in man; man can know that he is awake.

Let us be more specific and define what we mean by awareness in yoga. Awareness is the ability to stand back and to observe one’s mental and physical activities. If a man is aware then he becomes a spectator of his activities both internally and externally. Those who have never experienced this will not really understand, but those who have experienced it, even for a few seconds, will know what we are trying to say. Its implications are profound. If you are able to watch what your body and mind do, then this means that your nature transcends the body and mind. It means that there is something that is able to watch what is occurring; there is something in the background that witnesses the actions of the mind and body. This experience alone is enough to alter your conception of yourself. It wakes us up to the fact that there is something in the background – a witnessing principle. Few of us. however, have this experience naturally tor we tend to lose ourselves in the actions of the body and mind. This witnessing principle m man is called awareness in yoga. It seems that awareness is a special privilege of man. Animals perform actions without ever knowing that they are doing them. Man has this ability, though it is rarely utilized. Most of us are totally absorbed in our thoughts and  physical bodies. So much so that we regard our actions as our nature. By becoming aware we are able to watch ourselves and see how superficial our personality, composed of our mind and body, really is. Awareness leads us to the understanding that our nature is something else other than mind and body. The mind and body are only our grosser vehicles.

Yoga tries to increase awareness so that a person can actually watch himself, his bodily activities and mental processes. One can watch the thought processes as though he is watching television. The thoughts appear like a television program. Let us take this analogy. If we watch television then most of us know that we are not a part of the program, we are only members the audience. We are not really involved. However, if the program is interesting we can completely lose ourselves in the drama being enacted so that we forget we are watching. We become part of the story. Our thinking process is like a good film, sometimes emotional, sometimes exciting, other times depressing. Whatever its contents may be, it is so appealing that most of us spend twenty-four hours every day totally lost in the absorbing mental processes. We are totally engrossed in the mind show. In fact even those who are now reading these words are most likely caught up in the thought processes. At present are you completely identified with your thoughts? The answer is probably yes. And it is not so easy to break down the magnetic appeal of the mind and to merely watch the thoughts, to be aware. When a television program or a movie finishes we automatically remember that we are only watching and that we are not involved. But from birth all of us have been lost in the mental show so that we never realize its superficial nature. We see the mind, its activities and the body as the totality of our being. Yet we have this ability to stand back from the mental show and watch it as an impartial witness. Each of us has this potential, this ability, yet few of us know it or utilize it. Yoga specifically tries to flower this witnessing principle.

For many people this awareness doesn’t sound very inspiring, even if they believe that it is possible. Why make such a fuss over the trivial ability to be able to watch one’s own thoughts, they may ask. Yet if one becomes more aware and starts to witness his activities then incredible experiences occur. He starts to realize things that are completely beyond present comprehension. It can take him into a new dimension of existence. At the moment most people are trapped by their minds in the same way an actor in a film is limited by his role and the cellulose film. If he could materialize and become a three-dimensional person then he would be able to jump beyond his previous two-dimensional limitations. His whole concept of existence would alter. His role would expand beyond that of the film, beyond that which would even be understandable in his film language and concepts. It is the same with nearly all people. Our identification with the mind and body keeps us trapped in a limited realm of existence. We imprison ourselves, yet we have the keys to become free again. By jumping outside the fetters of personality, mind and body, we can tune in with higher and freer dimensions of existence. The key is awareness.

Consciousness is within each and every one of us. There are no exceptions. We can never create it or develop it. It is already there; all we have to do is to tune in with it. We have to become aware. We have to act from our basic nature, consciousness, which lies in the background of all our physical and mental actions. We actually cannot expand consciousness, for consciousness is infinite and all pervasive. How can we expand something which is infinite and everywhere? What we actually do is to expand awareness. Awareness is the variable that can be developed in all of us. It is the ability that can be developed to tune in with consciousness, the ability to identify with consciousness. This is only semantics, but it defines what we mean by these terms. Other people may use the words in a different context, possibly as interchangeable words, but our meaning is as we have just explained.

It is a common misconception that consciousness is a function of the brain and is dependent on it. Many people think that the brain is the master and that if there is no brain then there will be no consciousness. Nothing could be more incorrect. However, verbally or rationally we cannot demonstrate this, nor do we really want to. If you develop your awareness you will definitely conclude this for yourself, for how can consciousness watch the activities of the mind or brain if the brain is the master or basic instrument. The consciousness must be beyond the brain in order to be able to watch the activities of the brain and mind. Usually consciousness is associated with and tied to the activities of the brain and sensory organs through our ignorance of its nature.

We are never faced with its existence for it is disguised by our everyday activities. If we see a book we naturally assume that it is the eyes that have seen it. This is so obvious we never question the truth of this assumption. But actually this is incorrect. The eyes are only the intermediary instruments between the outside world and consciousness. It is consciousness that actually sees. If we hear we tend to assume that it is the ears that hear, but actually they too are really only intermediaries. It is not even the brain that sees and hears, for this is only an instrument. In themselves, the sensory organs and the brain are no more than receivers, transformers and transmitters. Let us take the analogy of the radio again. The radio picks up electromagnetic waves and converts them to sound vibrations which we can hear. The radio itself cannot hear, it acts as a mediator that picks up the waves and converts them to a suitable form that we can hear. The sensory organs and the brain are exactly the same; they cannot hear, see, taste, smell or feel. They can only pick up sensations, convert them to suitable signals for utilization by the brain from where they are perceived by consciousness. Without consciousness each one of us would be incapable of doing anything; we would be lifeless and would know nothing. For western philosophy the mind is the hub of man; for yoga it is consciousness that is the central and most basic aspect. And this consciousness is not fettered and bound by finitude. It is infinite and unbound. Our deepest nature is infinite, for it is consciousness. It is not mind. The mind is merely the instrument of consciousness and the storehouse of our finite personality.

Man has the ability to tune in with and know this consciousness; he can become more aware. .Animals have the same consciousness yet they are unable to know it. Man has the potential to function from consciousness by liberating himself from the shackles of mind and body. Of course, the mind and body perform the same functions; nothing changes in this respect. But a person who becomes more aware knows himself to be consciousness and nothing else. He identifies himself with consciousness and not mind and body.

Development of Awareness

The first thing to remember is that no indoctrination or autosuggestion is required. If you practise yoga then it will automatically show itself or to be more exact, if you do your practices correctly then awareness will gradually develop. There are many different methods to increase awareness. In fact all the different methods of yoga – karma yoga, bhakti yoga, mantra yoga and kriya yoga – are designed for this purpose. They all use different methods to achieve the same end. When you do asanas and pranayama, as well as meditational techniques, that we will shortly introduce, the emphasis should be on awareness. This awareness implies that your attention is directed to a specific function or activity. It means that your attention is on something specific, perhaps breath, and that you simultaneously know that your attention is on that particular activity. In other words, if you are aware of your breath it means that you know that you are breathing and you are witnessing the breathing process. You are standing back and watching something that is occurring within you. It is the first step up the ladder to higher awareness. You are becoming a witness to all the activities of the body. This will lead eventually to the ability to witness the actions of the mind and then gradually the deeper aspects of mind which you may now think impossible.

This is the essence of awareness – the fact that you know that you are doing something and that you are observing the action. If you move the body and at the same time don’t realize that your body is moving and simultaneously observe the movement, then you are not aware. To be a witness is to be aware. To be totally lost, involved and identified with an action is to be unaware. When one practises asanas, pranayama and meditational practices awareness is essential. Without it these yogic practices lose their significance and ninety percent of their benefits. If you are angry, worried or unhappy and your mind is playing havoc, don’t worry. If you are doing your asanas and you are overwhelmed by streams of thoughts when we have advised you to be aware of breath, don’t by any means become frustrated. Merely watch the stream of thoughts and the breath, witness them, be aware of them.

The practice of asanas, pranayama and meditational practices develops awareness on a temporary basis. They give one a taste of what awareness means at a rudimentary level. From them, it is possible with effort to be a witness to your thoughts and physical actions throughout the day. One can watch, observe the body and mind performing the duties in the way they have been designed. One watches the antics of the body and mind as one would watch a puppet.

So when doing yoga practices be aware of what you are doing. The whole point of yoga is to unfold and make you aware of your deeper aspects.

There are many misconceptions about prana and pranayama. Prana does not specifically mean air or breath, though many people interpret the word in this way. The word pranayama has far wider implications than the usual definition – ‘breath control’. It is important to understand these terms, even on an intellectual level, so one knows exactly what is the purpose of pranayama.

Religious and Traditional Aspects

In the ancient scripture called the Satapatha Bralimana it is written: “Prana is the body of the Self (supreme consciousness).” In other words, prana is the vehicle or the medium of consciousness. In this sense prana can be equated with the Hindu concept of prakriti, meaning the manifest constituents of the universe in the form of matter and energy. From modern science we know that matter is really no more than an expression of energy. As such we can say that prana means energy. This prana or energy, whether it is the mind, body, matter or any form of energy, acts as the medium for carrying consciousness. Without prana, consciousness would be totally unable to express itself in the phenomenal world to manifest myriads of life forms in the universe. Prana is the active aspect of existence and consciousness is the all-pervading, inactive and witnessing principle. For life to exist both must be present.

In other scriptural texts of India there are various other definitions, but all of them point to basically the same concept. In the Chhandogya Upanishad prana is said to be the internal matrix, and vayu (loosely defined as air but actually also meaning life force, energy, wind), the external matrix of energy. In this context we see this as merely a division of the same energy, the prana here being designated as that energy which lies within the body and makes up the mind-body complex at its various levels of subtlety. It is this aspect with which we are interested during the practice of pranayama. In tantric and various other scriptures, energy or prana is symbolized by the all powerful divine mother Shakti or Kali and various other goddesses. It is regarded as the feminine aspect of existence, the fertile ground on which consciousness (represented by various gods, notably Shiva) can take root, grow and manifest in the universe. Shakti or prana is the womb of existence. The main theme of tantra is the unification of Shiva and Shakti so that consciousness can express itself perfectly through the medium of energy, prana. Shiva is the sight and Shakti is the eye: Shiva is the hearing and Shakti is the ears. Prana and its control is integral in all these systems, but it is known by different names. Was the concept of prana known by other cultures and religions? The answer is emphatically yes, for the principle is not manmade; it is a basic aspect of existence. And so it should not surprise us that it is widely mentioned in the various cultures and religions of the world.

The Pranic Body

Let us first of all discuss what yoga says about prana in relation to the human body. The sciences of yoga and physiology agree that there are various energies within the body: nervous energy, heat, biochemical energy, etc., which function in the different parts of the body. These energies allow all the different organs, nerves and muscles to operate and communicate with the brain. Without them the physical body and brain would not function. These energies can be classified as various forms of prana. Physiology confines itself to the study of these energies and their interrelationship with each other. Yoga, on the other hand, says that there are other forms of prana within and around the body, as well as the energies known and accepted by physiology. These other forms of prana have a great influence on our lives.

Yoga says that permeating and surrounding the physical body is an energy body which is known as the pranamaya kosha, literally the sheath of prana. This corresponds to the etheric body described by people who awaken their psychic abilities. Within this pranic body, the prana flows in fixed pathways. These are called nadis in yogic terminology. Many people regard these nadis as nothing more than nerves (and often blood vessels) of the physical body. This is certainly not what is meant by nadis. Though of course the nerves and blood vessels are passages for energy flow, the nadis refer to pathways or flow of a particular form of prana, more subtle than the energies normally considered by physiologists.

Knowledge of prana is not a new thing to scientific circles. It has been known and recorded by scientifically inclined persons throughout the ages. Unfortunately their discoveries have generally been shunned and ridiculed and their ideas not taken seriously. The human hand was seen to appear like a firework display, with lights of all colours bursting into activity, some fading quickly away and others remaining in their glory for longer periods of time. In some areas of the hand there was intense activity, while in other areas there was almost lethargy in comparison. The lights, the movements and the different areas of activity seem to bear no relationship whatsoever with the different physical aspects of the hand. There was some kind of order in the multifarious show, but it was not linked to any known physiological process. What did the scientists conclude? They decided that they were seeing a new form of energy. It is not electrical in nature; it is not magnetic nor is it heat energy. It defied classification into the normal, known forms of energy. Eventually, the scientists came to the conclusion that this phenomenon was related to the biological aspect of nature. They called it bioplasmic energy. The bioluminescence which was given off by this energy was the manifestations of ionized atomic particles. But the phenomenon was not a haphazard inner process that one would normally associate with the emission of atomic particles. The photographs showed that there were definite patterns and structures which suggested order and unity in the organism. There were further surprising facts to be discovered. The bioluminescence is a sure indication of the state of health of the organism. In fact the energy body indicates that a disease will occur before it actually happens. Each organism, whether plant, animal or human has a characteristic pattern when it is in a healthy condition. When the organism is unhealthy the pattern changes.

The pattern of the energy body is a definite indicator of illnesses that are to come in the physical realm. It was concluded from their discoveries that a disease is manifested in the bioplasmic body long before it is in the physical body. What happens in the physical body seems to be determined by the energy body. The energy body is intimately tied up with the material body and directs its activities on a physiological level. Though this contradicts modern physiology and thereby modern medical practice, it offers vast prospects for correct diagnosis of diseases. It offers the possibility of foretelling that a disease will occur before it does and therefore will allow preventative measures to be taken. Acupuncture has also been scientifically investigated with very conclusive results. Medical scientists were always completely mystified when they saw the wonderful results that the ancient system of acupuncture could give. It did not fit the patterns of thought associated with physiology and the highly developed scientific theories of the modern world. Yet the results were there to be seen. The ancient Chinese, unlike modern medical practitioners, did not treat the human body as a collection of separate physical organs. They saw the whole body as a unit and that each part of the body was intimately related to the whole. We have already mentioned that the Chinese of antiquity knew of the pranic body. Not only this, they actually mapped out specific pathways of pranic flow within the physical body.

Further, they were aware of seven hundred or so particular points on the skin which corresponded to the position of this flow which cannot normally be detected. It is within but not of the physical body. Needles could be inserted at these specific acupuncture points to somehow manipulate the pranic flow. If there is imbalance in the flow of prana then disease will result. These needles were able to correct the balance of prana in the pranic body and thereby cure or prevent the occurrence of illnesses.

Summary

We have spent a long time discussing scientific discoveries and investigations into the pranic body. We have done this so that the reader can realize that prana is not just an imaginary concept. It is verifiable and has been confirmed by modern science. Yoga utilizes this pranic body and the flow of prana to bring about changes in the sensitivity of the practitioner and to influence the mind. This is done through the various practices of pranayama. Beginners often seem to be sceptical, and if they do pranayama it is because they see tangible results through knowing that they are alternating the breathing, and thereby inducing more oxygen into the physical body and eliminating more carbon dioxide. Of course this is true and this alone brings wonderful results. Yet we want you to appreciate that pranayama has a far greater implication than one normally considers. People of today tend to listen to the words of science. As such we have given a lengthy discussion to show that modern science has shown conclusive evidence of the pranic or bioplasmic body as it is known in scientific circles.