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HATHA YOGA
Texts on Hath Yoga
1
...
Goraksha Samhita
3
...

4
...


: Yogi Swatamaram
: Yogi Gorakhnath
: Rishi Gheranda
: Srinivas Bhatta Mahayogindra

These all were written between 6th to 15th AD century
...
Hatha yoga holds a very close
resemblance to tantra
...
Even some hatha yoga sects believes that Lord Adinath
(Shiva) was the first yogi also known as Adi Yogi was the first one to teach
Tantra and Hatha Vidya
Hatha Yoga the term “Ha” is used to represent the Sun (Surya) and “Th” is the
symbol of the Moon (Chandra)
...
These Surya
and Chandra are representing the two major ‘nadis’ present in human body
which are called Pingala (Surya Nadi) and Eda (Chandra Nadi) respectively
...
When kept secret, it
becomes powerful and by revealing it becomes powerless
...
This is the theme of Hatha Yoga
...
He is
traditionally considered the revivalist of hatha yoga as well as the author of
some of its earliest texts
...
He is especially
associated with Kaula Shaivism
...
He is revered by both Hindus and Buddhists and is sometimes
regarded as an incarnation of Avalokiteśvara
...
This warranted his parents to throw the baby
into the ocean
...
The fish swam to the bottom of the ocean where Shiva
was imparting the secrets of yoga to his consort, Parvati
...
After twelve years he finally emerged as an enlightened Siddha
...


HATHA YOGA PRADIPIKA

Hatha yoga Pradipika written by Swami Svātmārāma actually means cell “self
illuminating” or “that which illumines”
...
Gorakhnath,
the chief disciple of Matsyendranath, had earlier written books, poems and
prose on the Hatha yoga system in the local dialect, but Svātmārāma compiled
the entire wisdom of Hatha yoga in Sanskrit
...

Emphasis on shatkarma
Here's the first thing we see that Swatmarama is not worrying it all about self
control and self discipline in the form Yama and Niyama
...

He begins by saying that you should first purify the whole body - stomach,
intestine, nervous System and other Systems
...

In order to make the subject clear, it was termed hatha, i
...
ha and tha yoga, a
combination of two beeja mantras
...

So hatha yoga means the union of the pranic and mental forces
...
This is the awakening of higher consciousness
...
Every object in the universe, right from the smallest
atom to the largest star, is composed of these two shaktis or energies
...
When the two shaktis are separated from
each other, or they are dissolved back to their source, then creation is
dissolved
...
e
...
In the
field of physics also they speak along the same lines
...
In hatha yoga they are called ida and
pingala; in Taoism, yin and yang, and in physics, matter and energy
...
Either the prana shakti is predominant and the mental
shakti is subservient, or the mental shakti is predominant and the prana shakti
is subservient
...
When prana is subservient to mental shakti, then people are
driven to bouts of insanity
...
This is because they have too much mental shakti, and too little
prana shakti to balance it
...
This is the effect of unbalanced prana shakti
...

Therefore, in hatha yoga, first of all we take care of the body and purify it by six
methods
...
Our body functions along very simple lines
...

These wastes are of three types: mucus, gas and acidity
...
Then perfect
health can be maintained
...
Therefore, let us revise the literal meaning of hatha yoga
...
When this union, takes place there is an instant awakening in
mooladhara chakra at the base of the spine
...
The awakening of kundalini is the subject matter of hatha
yoga
...
As a result
of that union, the awakening of kundalini takes place
...

Awakening of the chakras must take place first, because the chakras are the
junctions through which energy or shakti is distributed to 72,000 circuits
...
Supposing you have purified the nadis by
asana and pranayama, and you have also awakened the chakras by pranayama
and a few asanas, there then remains the awakening of sushumna (the central

channel)
...
The awakened
kundalini shakti has to pass through sushumna, but if this highway remains
closed, kundalini cannot penetrate beyond mooladhara
...

The hatha yoga texts state very clearly that by controlling the pranas, the mind
is automatically controlled
...
When the pranas are restless, it affects the mind and vice versa
...
Ignore it
...
”
By practicing pranayama correctly, the mind is automatically conquered
...
It creates
extra heat in the body, it awakens some of the dormant centers in the brain, it
can alter the production of sperm and testosterone
...
When these changes take place, you
may not be able to handle it
...

Shatkarma purifies the whole system and removes blockages on the paths of
ida and pingala
...
When the left nostril flows it means ida is
active and the mind is dominant
...
The flow of the
breath in alternate nostrils indicates the state of balance of the sympathetic
and parasympathetic nervous systems
...
If the right nostril is flowing and you are trying
to meditate, your brain will produce beta waves and you will be thinking many
thoughts at the same time
...
When sushumna flows you can meditate without
any difficulty
...
Intellect becomes a barrier to spiritual awakening,
and we have to find a powerful means of transcending it
...


CHAPTER 1
ASANA

Yogi Swatmarama goes on to explain that hatha yoga is to be utilized as a
means of preparing oneself for raja yoga, the supreme state of yoga
...
Ha means ‘sun’ and tha
means ‘moon
...
Hatha represents the forces of mind, and prana or vitality, which
constitute the body and mind
...
It is the
subtle force which is concerned with the mental layers
...
The two create the extremities of introversion and
extroversion
...

Traditionally, hatha yoga consisted only of six kriyas known as shatkarmas
...

Later, hatha yoga also came to include asana, pranayama, mudra and bandha,
and the shatkarmas were practiced afterwards by advanced practitioners
...
A large fish overheard
all that was said and from this fish, the all- knowing Matsyendranath was born
...
’
There are also many stories concerning the birth of Gorakhnath
...
Matsyendranath gave her
some siddha vibhooti and told her that if she ate it, she would obtain a son
...
Twelve
years later, when Matsyendranath was passing through the same village, he
called her to see the child
...
He called the
name ‘Gorakhnath’ and immediately a radiant twelve-year-old lad emerged
from the pile of cow dung
...
Anima – the ability to become as small as an atom
2
...
Mahima – the ability to become as large as the universe

4
...
Prapti – the ability to reach any place
6
...
and youth
8
...
Ishatva – the capacity to create and destroy at will
...

Through the practice of hatha yoga, one’s entire being is made fit and strong,
as a shelter from the effects of the pains which come in life
...
Pain itself is a type
of heat
...
Pain is of
three types: adhyatmik, ‘spiritual,’ adhidevik, ‘natural/environmental,’ and
adhibhautik, ‘physical
...
Adhyatmik tapa is that which comes from living without realization
of the inner being, and it is essential so that we strive for a purer experience
...
The course of
nature always brings some climatic or geological imbalance such as flood,
drought, earth tremors, winds, storms, etc
...
Business
is affected, crop growth is affected and so are many things
...
Nature continually tests the body, sometimes by an
imbalance of bacteria, sometimes by accidents, or sometimes by mental and
emotional shocks
...

The body and mind should be structured in such a way that they remain
unaffected by the mundane circumstances of worldly events
...
The
limbs are symbolic of the external senses, which should be externalized when
necessary, but which, at our command, can be internalized and unaffected by
the external happenings of the world
...
The creation of the world we
know is said to rest on the tortoise
...

According to Hindu mythology, when dissolution of the universe started to take
place, the earth lost its support and was threatened with destruction
...

According to the Tantraraja Tantra, there are four types of koorma, ‘tortoise,’
known as para, deshagata, gramaga and grihaga
...
Verse 88 says: “He who does japa without knowing
koormasthiti (the position of koorma) not only fails to get the fruit thereof but
he meets with destruction
...
Indeed, to be fruitful, it must be kept secret; revealed it becomes
powerless
...
” This develops the love between husband and wife
...
This is a purely logical and scientific process
...
If you take your little light outside into the vast, open space, the light
is engulfed by the night and absorbed in the darkness
...
The power may enlighten
your own consciousness, but displayed and dissipated in the magnitude of the
outside world, it loses strength
...
If you want a seed to
germinate you have to leave it in the soil
...

Keeping sadhana and siddhis under cover has a powerful psychological effect
...
I have achieved, I had this experience, or I can do this
...

Siddhis never last long, they are impermanent
...

In the tradition of ancient India, a man’s life was divided into four distinct
stages which were called ashrama
...
In this
ashrama the child went to live with a guru in a spiritual community, where he
received an education in both worldly and spiritual subjects
...
From the age of fifty to seventy five he passed through
vanaprastha ashrama, where he and his wife left all family ties and lived alone
in the forest or jungle, secluded from society
...
In sannyasa ashrama one was free
from society and independent of its rules and regulations
...
Those people who had a natural inclination to sannyasa at an early
age were permitted to leave society if the family agreed, but they were never
allowed to re-enter the framework of society again
...
The atmosphere should be calm,
peaceful and clean, free from the hazards of rocks, fire and water, landslides,
volcanoes, earthquakes, bushfires, floods, swamps, etc
...

It is recommended in the sloka to practice in an area of one and a half meters,
where there are no surrounding objects which may cause physical affliction
should they be knocked, etc
...

This is the description of the yoga hermitage as prescribed by the siddhas for
the hatha yoga practitioners
...

It should be spotlessly clean, wiped with cow manure and free from animals or
insects
...
The appearance of the hermitage should be
pleasant
...
Nowadays, however,
windows can have fly screens attached, so there would be no harm in having a
window or two as long as there are curtains
...
A window could be a
great distraction as the sadhaka’s attention outside world and external
happenings
...

If the mind is to be kept pure and unpolluted, it is essential that the
environment be the same
...

The sadhana room must be ‘free from insects and animals
...

The ‘open platform’ with a thatched roof has probably been recommended as a
sadhana place for the summer months when it is too hot to practice (especially
pranayama) indoors
...

Swatmarama has not omitted the necessity of a well
...
Neti, dhauti and kunjal require fresh water
If one’s hermitage is in a jungle or some other undeveloped area, a surrounding
wall would serve the purpose of keeping out unwanted predators, particularly
wild animals
...
” Thus guru is the most vital element in sadhana
...
’ Guru is the one who removes the
darkness and ignorance from the mind to reveal the pure light of the inner
consciousness
...

According to hatha yoga there are six major factors which prevent yoga, or
union, from occurring
...
OVEREATING (ATYAHAR): One major obstacle to yoga (or union) is overeating
...
Over a period of time toxins build up in the body, constipation
sets in and the whole physical/mental system becomes blocked
...
OVEREXERTION (PRAYAS): The hatha yogi should avoid overexerting or
overstraining the body and mind
...
The hatha yogi has to conserve and build up his store of
energy for spiritual purposes and should not waste it in performing any
unnecessary physical or mental feats
...
TALKATIVENESS (PRAJALPA): Gossiping with people who have low morals,
base consciousness and sensuous desires cannot enlighten your soul, rather,
their negative vibrations may influence you
...
OVERADHERING TO RULES (NIYAMGRAHA): Sadhana is not dependent on
social morals nor are its effects promoted by religious practices
...
’ Yoga is meant to expand the
consciousness, not to limit it
...
If you
are accustomed to taking a cold bath every morning before practice, and one
day you have no water, you should not be disturbed, take a bath when you
can get water
...

5
...
UNSTEADINESS (LAULYAM): Unsteadiness also means wavering willpower
...
m
...
m
...
When there is inconsistency and
irregularity in lifestyle further imbalance in the body will ensue
...

Apart from these obstacles, the Tantraraja Tantra mentions that, “The six
obstacles to yoga are
1
...
Krodha (anger),
3
...
Moha (infatuation),
5
...
Mada (arrogance)
...

SADHAK TATVA
Enthusiasm, perseverance, discrimination, unshakeable faith, courage,
avoiding the company of common people, are the (six causes) which bring
success in yoga
...
ENTHUSIASM (UTSAH): Constant inspiration and the ideal of attaining
perfection generate energy and help to maintain regularity in practice
...
PERSEVERANCE (DHAIRYA): No matter what happens externally, rain, hail or
shine, your sadhana must be done regularly
...

3
...
, should be conducive to your sadhana
...
UNSHAKEABLE FAITH(DRID NISCHAY): Unshakeable faith in guru and the
ultimate truth or reality is the most important tool for a sadhaka
...
COURAGE (SAHAS): Courage is also recommended for fulfilling yoga, courage
to face the inner visions and realizations as they dawn
...

6
...
At that stage, the less you involve yourself with others the
more your inner knowledge can grow
...
This is called swastika (asana)
...
This is gomukhasana and it resembles the face of the cow
...
The nadis in the legs are squeezed and the nadis connected
with the reproductive organs and glands are also influenced, thus regulating
the hormonal secretions
...
Instead, prana is directed to and
accumulated in mooladhara chakra
...
Gomukhasana creates a complete
energy circuit flowing in the spinal region
...
This
represents the complete balance of prana, between the higher and lower forces
and the positive and negative aspects
...


Veerasana stabilizes the energy flow to the reproductive organs and enables
control of the sexual energy
...

As in the other sitting positions, specific nadis in the legs which are connected
to the sex glands, sex organs and associated brain centers are stimulated
...
According to the yogis this is koormasana
...
The heels press the
anus close to the vajra nadi and prevent energy from escaping
...
It channelizes the sexual energy to higher
centers in the body and regulates the sex glands, reproductive and excretory
organs
...

Those people suffering from lack of energy, sexual and urinary disorders, etc
...
However, unless the

feet are supple it will be difficult to sit on them comfortably
...

Koormasana varies according to different texts
...


KUKKUTASANA (cockerel pose)
Assuming padmasana, insert the hands between the thighs and calves,
planting them (the hands) firmly on the ground, raise the body in the air
...


Kukkutasana is known as the cockerel pose as the shape of the body resembles
a cockerel
...
It strengthens the arm and shoulder muscles and gives the sensation
of levitation
...

UTTAN KOORMASANA (stretching tortoise pose)
Sitting in kukkutasana, join both the hands at the shoulders and lie flat on the
back like a tortoise
...


Uttankoormasana tones the nervous system and induces relaxation, if the final
position is held comfortably
...
Uttankoormasana also stimulates digestion and
appetite
...

This is called dhanurasana
...
It regulates the
digestive, eliminatory and reproductive organs
...
The
kidneys are stimulated and the whole alimentary canal is toned
...
It stimulates and regulates the
endocrine glands, particularly the thyroid and adrenal glands, and it induces
production of cortisone
...
It is also recommended for treating
certain types of rheumatism
...

MATSYENDRASANA (spinal twist pose)
Place the right foot at the base of the left thigh, the left foot at the side of the
right knee
...
This asana is described by
Sri Matsyendranath
...

PASCHIMOTTANASANA (back stretching pose)
Stretching the legs (in front) on the ground, like a stick; bending forward,
holding the toes with both hands and placing the forehead on the knees
...

Paschimottanasana stretches the whole spinal column and central nervous
system through which sushumna runs, thus enabling nervous and pranic
impulses to pass directly up to the higher centers
...
The visceral organs are massaged, in
particular the pancreas, spleen, kidney, liver, reproductive organs, the adrenal

glands and abdominal muscles
...
The reproductive organs are toned and sexual
disorders can be relieved
...

Paschimottanasana, particularly the dynamic form, helps remove excess fat
deposits from the abdomen and thighs
...
In fact, the numerous effects promote health and
harmony
...
Raise the body high, keeping it like a stick
...


The peacock has the remarkable ability to eat poisonous substances and digest
them completely without adverse effects
...
The peacock’s
digestive system must be very strong, secreting ample digestive juices and
having very efficient elimination
...

Mayurasana purifies the blood, alleviates constipation, flatulence, indigestion,
dyspepsia and chronic gastritis
...

Diabetic patients who are able to perform it can quickly improve their
condition
...
The endocrine glands are regulated
and their secretions are harmonized
...

Mayurasana invigorates the entire system
...
As
this asana eliminates the buildup of toxic materials, the cleansing process will
be much more effective if the diet is pure to start with or laghoo
shankhaprakshalana is practiced
...
It is also said that mayurasana can awaken
kundalini
...

SHAVASANA (corpse pose)
Shavasana is the corpse pose
...
’ This asana has been
adapted from the tantric practice of shavasana in which the sadhaka sits on the
corpse and practices his mantra
...


When the body is completely relaxed, awareness of the mind develops
...
It is very
useful in yogic management of high blood pressure, peptic ulcer, anxiety,
hysteria, cancer and all psychosomatic diseases and neuroses
...


(In all) eighty-four asanas were taught by Shiva
...
According to Hatharatnavali, “The Almighty
Shambhu has described eighty-four asanas, taking examples from each of the
8,400,000 kinds of creatures
...
Of these, eighty-four postures
have been selected
...
Siddhasana,
padmasana, simhasana and bhadrasana, these are the four main asanas
...

SIDDHASANA (adept’s pose)
Press the perineum with the heel of one foot, place the other foot on top of the
genitals
...
Remaining still and
steady, with the senses controlled, gaze steadily into the eyebrow center; it
breaks open the door to liberation
...


Siddhasana can only be practiced by men
...
It is practiced in the same way as siddhasana, except that
the lower heel is pressed into the opening of the vagina and the upper heel
rests against the clitoris
...

Siddhasana is very important for stimulating ajna chakra and controlling
nervous and pranic impulses from mooladhara and swadhisthana chakras
...

Shambhavi mudra stimulates ajna chakra so that the pranic impulses coming
up from the lower centers can be received
...
It
stabilizes the two lower psychic centers – mooladhara chakra and
swadhisthana chakra, redirecting prana upwards towards the higher centers
...
Of
all the eighty four asanas, siddhasana should always be practiced
...

There is no asana like siddhasana, no kumbhaka like kevala, no mudra like
khechari and no laya or dissolution of mind like nada, the inner sound
...
Press the chin against the
chest and look at the tip of the nose
...

Padmasana is a very well-known asana which is also called kamalasana
...
’ When one thinks of a yogi one usually imagines
somebody sittingpadmasana as it is the traditional meditative posture

Padmasana tones the sacral and coccygeal nerves by supplying them with an
increased flow of blood
...
This is helpful for people with emotional and nervous
disorders
...

SIMHASANA (lion pose)
Place the ankles below the scrotum, right ankle on the left side, left ankle on
the right side of the perineum
...

This is simhasana, held in great esteem by the highest yogis
...
Simhasana is useful for
alleviating numerous throat, mouth, nose and even ear diseases
...
It also helps to
externalize introverted people
...


BHADRASANA (gracious pose)
Place the ankles below the genitals on the sides by the perineum, left ankle on
the left (side) right ankle on the right (side)
...
This is bhadrasana
which destroys all diseases
...
’ According to Swatmarama it is also
referred to as gorakshasana, and some call it moola bandhasana, but in these
postures the foot position varies slightly
...
The benefits of
bhadrasana are similar to those of padmasana, siddhasana and vajrasana
...
If one experiences tiredness, it means
some practices are being done incorrectly
...


Then mudras should be performed to channelize the energy and create specific
attitudes of mind, and bandhas to force the energy upward
...
If the inner sound
can be heard, concentrate on that
...
Make a slight humming sound, then concentrate on the sound
vibrations
...

So, in the systematic science of hatha yoga, you must firstly prepare the
physical body because it is the grossest manifestation of prana
...
Then perform mudras to channelize the
prana and arouse different faculties of the mind, and bandhas to draw prana
upward from the lower centers
...
If
you can hear it, it is a sure sign that kundalini has awakened
...
‘Sweet food’ means
fresh, pleasant tasting food, not particularly that which has extra sugar
...
Anything that is highly concentrated,
causes acidity in the stomach and overheats the whole system should be
avoided, i
...
greasy, spicy and stale foods
...
Asafetida
and garlic are considered aphrodisiacs as they supposedly stimulate the
production of sex hormones
...
In particular, it is said that garlic should not be taken at night because it
arouses sexual fantasies
...
Unhealthy diet should not be taken, that which is
reheated after becoming cold, which is dry (devoid of natural oil), which is
excessively salty or acidic, stale or has too many (mixed) vegetables

The most conducive foods far the yogi are: good grains, wheat, rice, barley,
milk, ghee, brown sugar, sugar candy (crystallized sugar), honey, dry ginger,
patola fruit (species of cucumber), five vegetables, mung and such pulses, and
pure water
...
The most important
attribute of the diet is that it should nourish the dhatus
...

Anything which destroys their natural balance should not be taken
...
Therefore Gorakhnath
said: Bad company, mixing with women, bathing in the early morning, fasting
and tasks which produce pain in the body should be avoided
...

Fasting is useful to stimulate the digestive system, to eliminate toxins and to
help bring the senses and mind under control
...

The stomach should never be overloaded; it should be half filled with food, one
quarter with water and one quarter with air
...
He
should cultivate the attitude that he is nourishing the body for its maintenance
so his consciousness can continue its process of unfoldment and spiritual
evolution
...
As Swami
Sivananda of Rishikesh points out, “Heavy food leads to a tamasic state and
induces sleep only
...

Almost all diseases are due to irregularity of meals, overeating and
unwholesome food
...

The foods which are prohibited (for the yogi) are: those which are bitter, sour,
pungent, salty, heating, green vegetables (other than those ordained), sour
gruel, oil, sesame and mustard, alcohol, fish, flesh foods, curds, buttermilk,
horse gram, fruit of jujube, oil cakes, asafetida and garlic
...
Prana denotes
constancy, it is a force in constant motion
...

Pranayama is comprised of the words prana and ayama, which means ‘pranic
capacity or length
...

Prana and mind are intricately linked
...
When either the mind or prana becomes balanced the other is
steadied
...
These are two paths of yoga
...

The longer the breath is held, the greater the gap between nervous impulses
and their responses in the brain
...

Death is not total
...

Death is not extinction; it is a process of disintegration
...
Akasha tattwa goes back to akasha, vayu to
vayu, agni to agni, apas to apas, prithvi to prithvi, and then the jivatma moves
out
...
The pranas also do not die, they move out of
the body and return to their source
...
e
...

There are five main vayu functions, known as apana, prana, samana, udana
and vyana
...

Pranic absorption takes place on a major scale in the thoracic region and is the
function of prana vayu
...
In
between apana and prana, in the stomach region, is the area of assimilation,
which is the function of samana
...
Circulation is powered by vyana which pervades the whole
body
...
Those which affect elimination or outward
movement are due to apana
...
Ascension and refining are the work of udana, and
pervasiveness is the property of vyana
...

On account of these five main movements, five subsidiary or upapranas are
produced
...

From the time of conception up until four months, the fetus survives purely on
the mother’s prana
...
After four months it
is said that prana enters the fetus
If our perception was finely attuned to the pranic body, we would see a light
body in which there were thousands of fine, wire like structures conducting
shakti
...
Nadi is a flow of energy
...

There are thousands upon thousands of nadis within the superstructure of the

gross

body

and

they

distribute

consciousness

and

prana

to

every

atom
...
In the process of awakening kundalini, the
sadhaka has not only to clear the energy channels (nadis), but also increase
the quantity and quality of prana and store it
...
These centers are located in the subtle body
and correspond to the nerve plexuses in the physical body
...
Chakra means a ‘circling motion or wheel
...
Each chakra is a conjunction point for many nadis
...

The lowest chakra is within the perineal floor in the male body and the cervix in
the female body
...
Mooladhara is directly connected to the nose and sense of
smell and with our animal instincts
...
Two fingers
width above mooladhara and closely associated with it, is swadhisthana
chakra, a six-petalled vermilion lotus
...
Swadhisthana is associated with
the tongue and the sense of taste
...


The next chakra is behind the navel, within the spinal column
...

Manipura influences the digestive process and the assimilation of food and
prana
...
At the level of manipura the
consciousness is still bound by the grosser levels of existence and sensualities,
ambition and greed
...
It is connected to the cardiac plexus, heart, respiration and thymus
gland and is responsible for emotions of love/hate, compassion/cruelty, etc
Anahata is also connected to the sense of touch and the hands
...
It is associated with the cervical plexus and thyroid gland and it
maintains purity in the body and mind
...
It arouses acceptance of the adversities
of life, mental balance and sensitivity to the needs of others
...

Above vishuddhi the chakras are mainly concerned with higher intelligence
...

Ajna chakra is the command center
...
Ajna chakra is the
third eye through which the whole subtle world can be perceived
...

When kundalini shakti passes beyond ajna, duality and ego cease to exist
...
Sahasrara
is situated at the crown of the head and is associated with the pituitary gland
...

Between ajna and sahasrara there are three other chakras which are briefly
mentioned in the Tantras
...
Above ajna is manas chakra, a six- petalled lotus, and
above that, at the mid-cerebrum is soma chakra of sixteen petals
...

Purification of the chakras and nadis is the first step to physical/mental health
and the awakening of kundalini
...
Therefore

pranayama should, be done daily with a sattwic state of mind so that the
impurities are driven out of sushumna nadi and purification occurs
...
Tamas, rajas and
sattwa
...
’ For
example, a rock represents tamas, man represents rajas and divinity
represents sattwa
...

Tamas is the first stage of evolution and it evolves into rajas and then sattwa
...
In the rajasic state
there are traces of tamas and sattwa, and in the sattwic state, tamas and rajas
do not exert any influence
...
Thus it is best to practice
pranayama when sushumna is flowing
...
We do not always breathe
through both nostrils, usually one nostril is open and the other is partially or
fully closed
...
’ In yoga it is known as swara
...
Modern science has also observed the same alternating process
and its association with the activation of the right and left brain hemispheres
...
During the flow of pingala, physical work
should be done and during the flow of sushumna the most suitable and
productive activity is yoga abhyasa and dhyana
...

NADI SHODHANA PRANAYAMA (alternate nostril breathing)
Sitting in baddha padmasana, the yogi should inhale through the left nostril
and hold the breath to capacity, and then exhale through the right nostril
...
Inhale with
the same nostril through which exhalation was done, hold the breath to utmost
capacity and exhale through the other nostril slowly and not forcibly
...
Shodhana means “to purify”
...
When you breathe in, the lungs should expand fully and the
stomach should extend outwards
...
Later on the

ratio of inhalation/exhalation will be adjusted and then kumbhaka (retention)
will also be added
...
The progressive ratios are 1:1, 1:2, 1:2:2, 1:4:2, 1:4:2:3
...
One is by using the thumb and third
finger of the right hand with the middle fingers folded
...
The thumb is
used to close the right nostril and the third finger is used to close the left
...

After these preliminary stages have been perfected, nadi shodhana with breath
retention can be commenced
...
When the prana
is inhaled through the left nostril, then it must be exhaled through the other
...
The yamini who practices in this way, through the right and left
nostrils, alternately purifies all his nadis within three months
...
Start cautiously with the ratio
1:1:1, even if you are capable of retaining the breath for longer
...
The duration
of each breath should be increased gradually
...
Pranayama must be developed slowly and systematically so the lungs
and nervous system are never harmed in any way
...
If boils, pimples, diarrhea, constipation or fever
occur, it is most likely due to the nadis rebalancing and purifying themselves
...
The manner in which
you breathe in and out is also significant, but it is the retention which has to be
developed
...
Each type of pranayama can
arouse a different faculty and body function
...
The breath can either be held
internally or externally
...
These forms of kumbhaka are both
performed consciously by control of the breath, but there is another form of

kumbhaka which occurs spontaneously through the practice of pranayama
...

When pranayama is done with effort and not spontaneously, it is called sahita
pranayama
...

Pranayama actually involves the practice of breath control in combination with
bandhas and mudras
...
Either the
three bandhas – jalandhara, uddiyana and moola bandha should be done
together or in different combinations
...
The outer surface of the
middle nadi is sushumna, inside that is vajra nadi, within that chitrini, and in
the very center, brahma nadi
...

If the prana can be made to penetrate brahma nadi there will be total
absorption of the individual consciousness with the cosmic source
...


SURYABHEDA PRANAYAMA (vitality stimulating breath)
Surya is ‘the sun’ and it also refers to pingala nadi
...
’ In this pranayama pingala nadi is
activated by breathing in through the right nostril
...
asana
...
Sit in a comfortable meditative pose, preferably siddhasana/siddha yoni
...
At the end of inhalation
hold both the nostrils closed and lower the head to perform jalandhara
bandha
...
Hold for as long
as possible
...
Release moola bandha then jalandhara and raise the head
...

3
...

4
...
Breathe in through the right nostril, hold and
breathe out through the left nostril
...


Suryabheda can also be practiced by inhaling/exhaling through the right nostril
only
...
By exhaling through the left nostril
you release energy and any impurities that remain in ida
...

Of course, this pranayama should only be done on an empty stomach, It
stimulates
the
sympathetic
nervous
system
and
decreases
the
parasympathetic functions
...
In this text, nothing has been written about this
pranayama because if ida is awakened the mind can introvert completely and
the body will become lethargic
...


UJJAYI PRANAYAMA (psychic breath)
Ujjayi means ‘victorious;’ ujji is the root which means ‘to conquer’ or ‘acquire
by conquest
...
Though it is described here as a specific practice, this
pranayama occurs spontaneously when concentration becomes deep and
intense
...
e
...
It is used in meditation practices, kriya
yoga and yoga nidra because it helps relax the physical body and the mind,
and develops awareness of the subtle body and psychic
sensitivity
...

When used in meditation, kumbhaka is omitted and ujjayi is performed
through both the nostrils with natural inhalation/exhalation
...
Sit in a comfortable meditative pose or lie in shavasana
...

2
...


3
...
The sound
must come from the throat and not forced to come through the nose
...

4
...

5
...

It can be incorporated
1
...
With Jalandhar bandh
3
...
The
Sanskrit word kari means ‘that which produces
...
In English this practice is usually
called ‘the hissing breath
...
Sit in a comfortable meditative pose, preferably siddhasana/siddha yoni
asana and close your eyes
...
Practice kaya sthairyam for a minute
or so
...
Press the lower and upper teeth together and separate the lips as much as is
comfortable
...

3
...

4
...
the nose
...
Repeat the same process up to twenty times
...
If the weather
is extremely hot it can be practiced for more than ten minutes
...
It is often done after bhastrika
pranayama (especially if bhastrika is practiced during summer) to
counterbalance the excess heat produced in the body
...


SHEETALI PRANAYAMA (cooling breath)
Sheetali means ‘the cooling breath’ and it also means calm, passionless,
unemotional
...
However, these practices not only cool and calm the
physical body, they also affect the mind in the same way
...
Sit in a comfortable meditative posture,preferably siddhasana/siddha yoni
asana and close your eyes
...

2
...

Roll the sides up so that it forms a tube
...
Then breathe in slowly and deeply through the tube like tongue
...

4
...
Later on you can practice for up to ten minutes
...
Practice in the same way as Technique 1, but retain the breath after
inhalation
...
Practice jalandhara and moola bandhas and hold the breath for as long as
comfortable
...
Release moola bandha then jalandhara bandha, and when the head is erect,
breathe out through the nose in a controlled manner
...
Practice in the same way, but count the duration of the inhalation, retention
and exhalation
...
When this becomes easy,
increase the ratio to 1:2:2, and later 1:4:2
...
It can even be done at night during
summer months, especially for therapeutic benefits
...
They also purify the blood
and, of course, improve digestion
...
Bhastrika pranayama is similar to vatakrama kapalbhati, but in
bhastrika, inhalation and exhalation are equal and are the result of systematic
and equal lung movements
...
In kapalbhati, inhalation is the result of forced exhalation
...
The shoulders and
chest should not move at all, only the lungs, diaphragm and abdomen should
move
...

1
...

2
...
Breathe out quickly and forcefully through the
nose, but do not strain, and immediately afterwards breathe in with the
same force
...
When you breathe out the abdomen comes in and the diaphragm contracts
...

4
...
Continue to breathe in
this manner counting ten breaths
...
This is one round
...

5
...
Inhalation and exhalation must be
equal
...
Sit comfortably in your meditative pose, relax and prepare yourself for
pranayama
...

2
...
Inhale
slowly and deeply through the left nostril and then breathe in/out as
described in the preparation, counting twenty breaths
...
After completing the last exhalation, breathe in slowly and deeply, close both
nostrils and bend the head forward into jalandhara bandha, but do not raise
the shoulders
...

4
...
Take a deep
inhalation through the right nostril and practice in the same way as you did

through the left nostril, counting twenty breaths
...

5
...
Complete one round by practicing on both sides
...

Bhastrika should be performed after asana and nadi shodhana pranayama, but
before seetkari, sheetali or ujjayi
...
The
number of rounds of bhastrika may also need to be reduced
...
If dizziness is experienced during the practice it means it is being
performed incorrectly
...

Bhastrika heats the nasal passages and sinuses, clearing away excess mucus
and building up resistance to colds and all respiratory disorders
...
Bhastrika improves digestion and stimulates a
sluggish system
...
Bhastrika also helps in cases of tuberculosis,
constipation, sciatica, spondylitis, arthritis, rheumatic problems, cancer and
physical arid mental tension
...

1
...
Keep the eyes closed throughout the practice
...
Inhale slowly and deeply through the nose, listening to the sound of the
breath
...

3
...

Concentrate on the sound, keeping it low pitched
...

4
...

When finished, keep the eyes closed and listen for any subtle sounds
...
’ Through this pranayama the experience of
conscious unconsciousness is meant to arise, but it must be learned under
expert guidance
...
’ Thus the purpose of this pranayama is to expand the
consciousness and store prana
...
Sit in padmasana or siddhasana/siddha yoni asana and prepare yourself for
pranayama
...
Place the palms of the hands on the knees and close the eyes
...

3
...

Keep holding the breath for even longer than is comfortable
...
Close the eyes, release jalandhara, raise the chin slightly and exhale in a
very controlled manner
...
Breathe normally for a minute or two before commencing the next round
...

it is an excellent preparation for meditation and enhances dharana
(concentration) practices
...
Anyone suffering from heart disease,
high blood pressure or vertigo must not attempt this practice
...
’ According to the hatha yoga texts, plavini pranayama
enables one to float on water
...
In Hatharatnavali, it is called bhujangi
mudra
...
Sit in any meditative pose and prepare yourself for pranayama
...

2
...
e
...

3
...
Practice as many times as possible without
expelling the air
...
While retaining the air inside the stomach there should be absolutely no
physical movement or the air will escape
...

Plavini is useful in cases of gastritis and stomach acidity
...
Kumbhaka is again of two types:
connected (sahita) and unconnected (kevala)
...
’
In yoga and ayurveda they are called tridosha
...
In hatha yoga there are six particular practices which were specifically
designed
for
this
purpose
...
Shat
is ‘six,’ karma is ‘action
...
The conduct of these Shatkarma:- Dhauti, Vasti, Neti, Nauli, Trataka
and Kapalabhati is essential for a yogi
...
Dhauti karma has been
considered to be of four types with the distinction of
1
...

2
...
Hrid Dhauti: Cleaning of the heart area (stomach, food pipe etc
...
Moolshodhan: Cleaning of the root part of the body, (anus, large intestine,
urinary tubes, etc
...
Through this, yogis make their body
clean (healthy)
...
Synthetic
material should definitely not be used
...
It should be no wider than the
tongue or it will fold as it passes down the throat, and should be at least one
meter in length and no more than a meter and a half
...

1
...
Varisar (Shank prakshalam)
3
...
Bahishkrit (Rectal Cleaning)
VATSARA DHAUTI (PLAVINI)
It is performed by breathing in slowly through the mouth in kaki mudra, and
then swallowing the air into the stomach while expanding the abdomen
...
Then the air
should be passed through the large intestine
...
Pashinee mudra is the best
...

Benefit:- Vatasar is a very secret action
...
It
destroys all diseases and intensifies gastritis
...
2 to 5 times
...
This action is also known as ‘Kaya Kalpa’
...

After that, the water has to be removed from the downstream by running the
abdomen
...
The yogi, who tries this, gets the same body as the deities
...
Drink so much water that there is no desire
to vomit
...
Like fruits or khichdi etc
...
Light, loose and convenient clothes should be used while
performing the action
...
The water should be
as much hot as you can drink easily
...
If there is waste in the water, then filter the water with a thin
clean cloth
...
You have to take care of the proximity of the toilet at the time
of location selection
...
If you drink intermittently, this action will not be done properly
...
These
are the five postures
...

1
...
Tiryak Tadasana
3
...
Triyak Bhujangasana
5
...

After this drink two glasses of water and do asanas and then go to defecation
...
If the excreta does not come
out, don’t force it
...

If pressure is still not created then don’t stop
...
You should drink water and do asanas until clean
water comes out
...
After that yellow water will come out
...

During this process, you will see peels of many colored stools
...
It depends on your food
...
You should drink up
to 20 glasses of water, then stop drinking it
...

1
...
When we practice Tadasana, our food pipe, stomach
and intestines expand
...
When it opens,
the water passes through it and reaches the small intestine
...


2
...
Due to which the expansion
of one side of the body and the other side contracts
...
In this way, the layers of the intestines
are alternately spread and contracted with water to penetrate from one to
the other, second to third, and remove the rotten food particles within the
layers
...

3
...
In this posture, the body is rotated from near the waist
...
Fourth Practice: (Oblique Bhujangasana) : There is also a squeeze of the
stomach and intestines, and the septum between the small intestine and the
large intestine, which is called the Ileocecal valve, opens so that water can
enter the large intestine
...
Fifth Practice: - Udarakarshan ‘Udara’ means stomach and ‘Aakarshan’
means stretching or massaging
...
During this aasana, there is
gradual contraction and expansion of the digestive organs, nerves and
muscles, so it is particularly helpful and effective for the treatment of
stomach related disorders
...

After Shank prakshalna, two more actions are necessary
...
Kunjal
2
...

At this time your digestive system relaxes and after the release of toxic
substances, it acquires new energy
...
It happens many times in the practice
that the body temperature increases as you practice, because lukewarm water
produces perspiration
...
But this is not the case, it does not
cause fever
...

Do not put too much burden on the digestive system after shank prakshalana,
so it is necessary to eat light food and khichdi is very light and digestible
...
Many times it
also happens that there is no defecation for two to three days, after the shank
prakshalna
...
This means
that the stomach is completely empty and after exercise food or khichdi takes a
lot of time to travel in a 22- feet long intestine
...

Rules of food: Up to seven days: - Milk or milk product, butter, cream, sweets,
tea, coffee, lemon, fruit, betel leaf, cigarette, tobacco, khaini, zarda and similar
intoxicants etc
...
Take satvik and simple food
...
e only twice a
year
...

Precautions: Varisar is a secret kriya
...

Don’t perform this action without getting direct education from a yoga qualified
teacher
...
don’t sit under the fan, no water for 3 hours
...
One should not practice it
...
Benefits: It cleanses the
body
...

VAHNISARA DHAUTI, also known as agnisara kriya, involves moving the ‘fire’
in the body
...
’ Sar is ‘essence
...
On a physical level, the practice involves conscious
movement of the abdominal muscles and organs and this creates internal heat
...
power is increased by intensifying gastritis
...
This led to
Agnisar’s cognizance it happens
...
All stomach diseases are destroyed
by this, acute gastritis is intensified
...
Only by doing this karma does the body become like a
deity
...

In this activity, the transmission and contraction of the stomach is done
...
In the navel area has been
asked to be join a hundred times with spinal cord
...
In Sukhasana should not do
...

Precautions:It is forbidden for Individuals suffering from diseases like heart disease, high
blood pressure, stomach cancer, hernia and asthma Its practice is prohibited
during pregnancy, but its practice after delivery is said to be very useful
...
Stop that inhaled air
in the stomach for half an hour (one-half and circulate it and leave it out
through anus
...
There is also another

practice of Bahishkrit Dhauti, which is called Mahadhoti or excluded prakshalna
Dhauti
...

Ablution process - Stand out in the water till the navel, take out the shakti pulse
and after expelling it, clean the pulse, clean it
...

When the pulse is cleaned, push it back in again
...
It is also rare for the gods
...

DANTA DHAUTI
It is the cleaning of the teeth with a special stick, usually of neem or babool
...

There are five distinctions of Dantadhauti
...
Dantamool,
2
...
karnarandhra
4
...

5
...
Thus five happened
...
Yogis must use this tool to protect their teeth
every morning
...

JIVHAMOOL DHAUTI Jivhashodhan means hygiene of the tongue
...
“The index finger, the middle and the ring finger, with these
three fingers, should be cleaned the root of the tongue
...
When cleaning and rubbing are finished, then
apply a little butter in the tongue
...

After that, grab the tongue with iron tweezers and pull it out
...

KARNARANDHRA DHAUTI
This is the third and fourth type of Dantadhauti
...
By index finger and ring finger, yogis clean the
holes of both ears
...

KAPALARANDHRA DHAUTIThe fingers of the right hand should be made and
made into a cup shape and filled with water in the hand containing the shape

of that cup, and should be dipped in your Kapalrandhra and Bahyarandhra
...
The nadis (blood vessels)
above the skull become pure and attain divine vision
...

CHAKSHU DHAUTI
It is bathing the eyes with tepid, saline water or with urine
...
e
...
Then Kapha Pitta Clayad should be
catharsis
...

VAMAN DHAUTI (KUNJAL)
The knowledgeable seeker should drink water after the meal and after a
moment, looking upwards, water should be expelled by vomit
...

There are mainly two types of Vaman dhauti,
First type water vomit is done after meals, which is also known as Vyagar Kriya
...
’ Just as a tiger regurgitates its food a
couple of hours after eating, in this practice you vomit the food from the
stomach three hours after a meal
...
Traditionally, after performing this practice a sweet
milk rice pudding should be eaten
...
You drink two to four glasses
of warm saline water and vomit it out
...

VASAN DHAUTI (VASTRA DHAUTI)
Take a wide bandage of fine cloth and swallow it slowly
...
By the practice of this cloth dhauti, there is a suppression of
disorders of gulm, fever, spleen, leprosy and phlegm
...

Explanation: - Clothing type: - The cloth by which we practice dhoti kriya
should be four fingers wide, that is, about two inches wide and its length should
be at least six or seven yards
...

Amateur practitioners should use the first one inch wide and three yards long
bandage
...
 This bandage should be of cotton and very soft and
four fingers wide and 22
...

1
...
Keep the cloth in a
container of warm water while you are practicing
...
Assume a squatting position with the heels flat on the ground and the
buttocks off the ground or resting on a brick or something about the same
height
...
Relax the body
...
Spread
one end over the tongue and start swallowing the cloth
...
If the cloth catches in the throat and will not pass down, take a sip of warm
water but do not drink a large quantity
...

5
...
Once the cloth passes a
little further down the esophagus the problem will end
...
When two thirds of the cloth have been swallowed, leave the remaining few
inches hanging out of the mouth and stand up ready to practice nauli
...
The cloth can be left in the stomach for five to twenty minutes but no longer
...
Practice dakshina (right) and vama (left) nauli; then rotation and madhyama
nauli
...
Five to ten minutes is sufficient time to clean the stomach
...

MOOLSHODHAN
Moola shodhana is done by inserting the middle finger into the rectum and
rotating it clockwise then anticlockwise
...
The Gherand Samhita also recommends the use of a turmeric root
instead of the finger and to start by sitting in utkatasana
...
This method strengthens the gastroenteritis by removing the problems
of lack of stool, dryness of stool, excretion of feces, and amoebiasis etc
...
Its meaning
is - the cleansing of the root organs of body
...
Therefore, Moolshodhan means: - Cleansing of the anal area
...

BENEFITS OF DHAUTI

The combination of all the practices of dhauti cleans the entire digestive tract
and respiratory tract
...
The various practices help
remove infectious bacteria from the mouth, nose, eyes, ears, throat, stomach,
intestines and anus
...
Dhauti is
even said to cure leprosy
...


BASTI (internal cleansing)
There are two types of Vasti Karma
...
Jala Vasti :- It is practiced in water
...
Sthal Vasti :- It is practiced on land and at a dry site
...
Beginners will have to start by inserting a 0
...
Traditionally, a bamboo tube was used
...
The tube
should be at least 13-15 cm long, perfectly smooth and hollow
...

Insert 4 cm of the tube into the anal passage, or as much as comfortable
...
Exhale and perform uddiyana bandha
...
If the water is still not sucked up, do vama or dakshina nauli
...
Then stand up and exhale slowly through the nose
...
If the catheter is not removed before exhaling, the water will
pass out and the tube may get blocked by pieces of stool
...

When practicing without the catheter, you have to push the rectum out as far
as possible, then draw it in with uddiyana
...
Maintain kumbhaka
for as long as possible and then slowly exhale
...
Then lie in shavasana on
a blanket
...
This releases air from the bowel and induces a bowel
action if there is any water remaining
...
Then fold the knees
to the chest, hold them and slowly rock from side to side, or rock with the arms
stretched out to the sides at shoulder height
...
This exerts pressure on the lower intestine and releases any
remaining water or air
...
Pashinee mudra is the most suitable counterpose
...
In cold weather, lukewarm water should be used
...

Basti can be done in warm or hot weather, especially if you are also doing
intense pranayama and bandhas
...
It must not be done during cloudy, rainy, windy or
stormy weather
...
Assume vipareeta karani
mudra but position the back at a 60 degree angle to the floor
...
Push the sphincter muscles out and in so that air is
sucked into the bowel
...

Sthala basti can also be practiced in pashinee mudra or paschimottanasana,
performing ashwini mudra
...
It
is not easy to suck in air while in paschimottanasana as there is pressure on
the anus, so it is best to start in an inverted asana
...
e
...

BENEFITS
Basti completely washes the bowel and removes excess bacteria, old stool,
threadworms and heat from the lower intestines
...
When the apana rises it can be felt in the navel region and

as a great pressure on the stomach
...

When the body is purified the chemical constituents are in balanced proportion
and the brain functions are simultaneously influenced and altered
...

CONTAINDICATIONS
Fever, severe anemia, jaundice, flu, diarrhea, extreme obesity

NETI
This practice of passing a length of thread through the nose is called sutra neti
...
’ There is another form of neti known as jala neti and it is
done with water
...
It should be
made of cotton, not synthetic fiber, tightly wound together and wiped with
melted beeswax
...
However,
it is more convenient to use a thin rubber catheter lubricated with ghee so that
it slides easily through the nasal passage
...

SUTRA NETI (NASAL CLEANSING WITH THREAD)
1
...
The thread should not be forced through
the nose but gently pushed so that it slowly passes down into the throat
...
When it reaches the back of the throat, put the first two fingers into the
mouth and pull the thread out through the mouth leaving a few inches of
thread hanging out of the nose
...
Slowly and gently pull the thread backwards and forwards thirty to fifty
times
...

Pranayama should be practiced after completing this practice
...
However, it is very difficult to join the two ends

securely while still being able to pass it through the nose comfortably
...

JALA NETI (NASAL CLEANSING WITH WATER)
For jala neti you require a special neti lota or ‘pot’ which has a nozzle designed
specifically so that it will fit into the nostril
...
The salt should be just enough to taste
...
Stand squarely, legs apart, body weight evenly distributed between the two
feet and lean forward
...

2
...
Keep the whole
body relaxed and let the water pass out through the right nostril
...
When you have used half of the water, remove the lota, remain bending
forward, center the head and let the water run out of the nose
...
Close the right nostril with the fingers and blow gently through the left nostril
so that all the remaining water comes out
...
stand
...
Throughout the whole practice keep breathing through the mouth and do not
attempt to breathe through the nose
...
It is
important to remove all the water after the practice so irritation of the
sinuses and mucous membrane does not occur
...
If you experience pain in the nose during the practice, the quantity of salt is
incorrect
...

Instead of water you can use warm milk to practice dugdha neti, or warm
ghee to practice ghrita neti
...
) These two practices are
classified as variations of jala neti
...
Though it is not mentioned in the hatha yoga texts, it is
particularly useful for curing inflammation of the nasal passage and sinuses,
and bleeding
...
People suffering from
chronic hemorrhage should not attempt neti unless under expert guidance
...

This will dry the nose and generate heat in the nostrils
...
Neti promotes drainage of the sinuses, preventing stasis of mucus and
keeping them clean and functional
...
Irrigation of the nasal mucosa removes accumulated mucus from the nostrils,
associated passages and sinuses, allowing air to flow without obstruction
...
Neti exerts a relaxing and irrigating effect upon the eyes by stimulating the
tear ducts and glands
...

4
...
This helps to ward off
colds and coughs, allergic rhinitis, hay fever, catarrh and tonsillitis
...
It also gives resistance to various diseases of the ears, eyes and throat, such
as myopia, tension headache due to eyestrain, certain cases of deafness
such as ‘glue ears’ and middle ear infections, inflammation of the adenoids,
as well as inhibiting the formation of nasal polyps
...
It maintain facial youth and freshness
...

7
...
This induces a
state of harmony and balance throughout the entire central nervous system
and the systems governing respiratory, circulatory, digestive and excretory
functions
...
The practice of neti is said to stimulate ajna chakra, remove its blockages
and bring it into fuller functioning
...
There are two forms of the practice, one is
bahiranga or external trataka and the other is antaranga or internal trataka
...
However, antaranga trataka involves clear and stable inner
visualization of an object
...
The object most commonly used is a
candle flame, because even after closing the eyes, the impression of the flame
remains for some time and antaranga trataka can easily be practiced
...

There are other equally effective symbols or objects such as a crystal ball, a
shivalingam, yantra, mandala, full moon, a star, the rising or setting sun (when
it is an orange-red ball and not yellow), a chakra, the symbol of Om, or your
own shadow
...

Bahiranga Trataka (external concentrated gazing)
1
...
Place a
candle two to three feet in front of you with the flame at eye level
...
It is vital that the flame is still and does not flicker at all
...

3
...

4
...
Practice kaya sthairyam (steadiness of
the body) for a few minutes
...
Then open your eyes and gaze at the middle portion of the candle flame, just
above the wick
...
Do not blink
...

6
...

7
...
Try to keep the
mind empty
...


8
...
When you
finally close the eyes keep them fixed on the impression of the flame in front,
in chidakasha
...
If it moves bring it back to the center and continue gazing until the
impression disappears
...
Once you can stabilize the image, study it and look intently at the color
...

11
...
Only be aware of the object of
concentration
...

12
...

13
...
The most suitable time is between four and six a
...
after
asana and pranayama practice
...

Antaranga Trataka (internal concentrated gazing)
1
...
Keep your eyes
closed throughout the practice and concentrate on your symbol
...
If you have no symbol, then try to visualize a point of light, like a twinkling
star or a crescent/full moon
...

3
...
This practice has to be cultivated and it
can take a long time
...

BENEFITS
Trataka benefits not only the eyes, but a whole range of physiological and
mental functions
...
Its most important effect is
on ajna chakra and the brain
...

In the Gherand Samhita it is known as lauliki
...
e
...
It also means a tubular vessel
...
’
When the rectus abdomini muscles are rotated from left to right
(anticlockwise), it is called dakshina nauli
...
When the muscles are pulled together and
the middle group of muscles protrude, it is madhyama nauli
...

The rectus abdomini are the two long vertical muscles situated in front of the
abdomen, which run from under the center of the ribcage near the diaphragm
to the pubic bone
...

At first nauli is practiced with the hands just above the knees and the body
bent forward
...

VAMA AND DAKSHINA NAULI (LEFT AND RIGHT ISOLATION)
Stand with the feet 45 to 60 centimeters apart
...

Keep the head up and the eyes open
...
Perform jalandhara
bandha while maintaining bahiranga (external) kumbhaka
...
Lift the
right hand off the knee, keeping all the pressure on left hand and knee, but do
not lean to the left side
...

Then release uddiyana bandha, raise the head slowly, stand up and inhale
slowly
...

Practice in the same way on the right side
...
This is dakshina nauli
...
Take a
few normal breaths before practicing the next round
...
In order to roll the muscles, slowly bring the weight back onto the hand
which was lifted from the knee
...
This is madhyama nauli
...

First try by just releasing the pressure off the hand without moving it from the
leg
...
Then practice with the hands on the upper thighs
...

Practice vama nauli and then roll the muscles to the right and back to the left
...
This is known as
‘churning
...
Practice dakshina
nauli in the same way, rotating the muscles anticlockwise
...

When this is perfected you can increase to ten rotations, then twenty rotations
...
Initially it will be difficult to control
the muscles in the sitting position, so it is better to first perfect the practice of
nauli in the standing position
...
In fact, there is not one part of the internal
system which is not stimulated by this practice
...


It generates heat in the body, stimulates digestion, assimilation and
absorption, thereby reducing excretion
...

Nauli is especially useful for alleviating constipation, indigestion, nervous
diarrhea, acidity, flatulence, depression, hormonal imbalances, sexual and
urinary disorders, laziness, dullness, lack of energy and emotional
disturbances
...


KAPALBHATI (frontal brain cleansing)
In the Gherand Samhita it is known as bhalabhati
...
’ Bhati is ‘light’ or ‘splendor,’ but it also means
‘perception and knowledge
...
In English it is called the ‘frontal brain
cleansing’ technique
...
In
normal breathing, inhalation is active and exhalation is passive
...

Gherand Samhita there are three forms of kapalbhati: vatakrama, vyutkrama
and sheetkrama
...
Vata means
‘wind’ or ‘air
...

Close the eyes and relax, keeping the spine erect
...

Practice kaya sthairyam, i
...
steadiness of the body
...
Inhalation should be short
...
With kumbhaka, perform

jalandhara bandha, moola bandha, and uddiyana bandha in this order, but
almost simultaneously
...
Before inhaling, release moola bandha, uddiyana and jalandhara in
this order
...
Practice three rounds
of fifty breaths
...
You can increase the
practice by ten breaths each week, so that after five weeks you are practicing
one hundred breaths per round
...

The average number of breaths being fifteen per minute means the brain is
compressed/decompressed that many times, but here you are breathing fifty to
one hundred times, stimulating the brain three to seven times more than
normal per round
...

VYUTKRAMA KAPALBHATI (SINUS CLEANSING)
The second practice of kapalbhati, vyutkrama, is similar to jala neti and is
sometimes given as part of neti
...
’
For this practice you need a bowl of warm saline water rather than a neti lota
...

Let the water flow down into the mouth and then spit the water out from the
mouth
...
It is important to relax while sucking the
water in
...

If there is pain in the nose during the practice it usually means that the water
contains either too little or too much salt
...
Sheet means ‘cool’
or ‘passive
...

Remember to remain relaxed the whole time
...
Afterwards, make sure all
the water is removed from the nose in the same way prescribed for jala neti, or
practice vatakrama kapalbhati
...
Kapalbhati helps relax facial muscles and nerves
...
The effects
of vyutkrama and sheetkrama are the same as jala neti
...

The body is clogged with old mucous bile and wind, the energy gained through
pranayama practice will be utilized for rectifying your disorders
...
’ An imbalance in
these causes disease
...
The first one
is mala, ‘impurity,’ the second is vikshepa, ‘distraction,’ and the third is avarna,
‘ignorance
...
In
Hatharatnavali gaja karani is included as one of the shatkarma
...

Half an hour after vomiting you should eat a liquid (not thick) preparation of
boiled rice and milk with sugar added
...
This decreases the amount of excrement
produced and reduces the work load of the intestines and excretory organs,
thereby preventing an overflow of energy in the lower centers
...
This
steadiness of mind is itself called the state of manonmani – devoid of thought
...
When ida flows, the right brain
hemisphere is active and other faculties operate
...
When a steady flow of energy or prana moves through
sushumna, the mind becomes still
...
Manonmani means ‘absence of individual mind;’
absence of fluctuations in the individual consciousness, and absence of
conscious, subconscious and unconscious states
...


CHAPTER 3
MUDRA AND BANDHA
According to Hindu belief, there is a thousand-headed snake wound around the
earth resting on a tortoise and apparently maintaining the earth in its
respective orbit
...
It represents the distribution of
cosmic energy in and around the earth
...
For a sadhaka, the
greatest problem to tackle is ahamkara or ‘ego,’ and if there is no guru to keep
the ego trimmed, it will prove to be an insurmountable barrier
...

The mind is the composite structure of twenty- four elements – five
karmendriyas, five jnanendriyas, five tanmatras, five tattwas, ahamkara, chitta,
manas and buddhi
...

Mudra is a specific body position which channelizes the energy produced by
asana and pranayama into the various centers, and arouses particular states of
mind
...
Vipareeta karani mudra, vajroli and shakti chalana,
verily, these are the ten mudras which destroy old age and death
...
It involves asana, kumbhaka, mudra and bandha and makes a
powerful pranic lock which spontaneously arouses meditation
...
Sit with the right leg stretched in front, bend the left knee and press the heel
into the perineum or vagina
...
Exhaling,
lean forward and grasp the big toe of the right foot
...
Keep the head erect, eyes closed and the back straight
...

Perform khechari mudra, then slowly inhale, tilting the head slightly
backwards and perform shambhavi mudra (gaze at the eyebrow center)
...
Hold the breath inside (antar kumbhaka) and perform moola bandha
(contraction of the perineum/cervix)
...

4
...
Then close
the eyes, release moola bandha, lower the head into its normal position and
exhale slowly
...

5
...

6
...

Maha mudra should be done after asana and pranayama and before
meditation
...
If you cannot sit comfortably in utthan padasana you can
practice in siddhasana/siddha yoni asana
...
Practice five to ten times
...

It increases one’s vitality, stimulates digestion and harmonizes all bodily

functions
...

Through the practice of maha mudra, digestion and assimilation of both food
and prana are stimulated
...

Abdominal disorders, constipation, indigestion and leprosy, are alleviated by
the practice of maha mudra
...
’ According to these slokas, the Gherand
Samhita and Hatharatnavali, it consists of internal breath retention or antar
kumbhaka, jalandhara, moola bandha and shambhavi mudra
...

1
...

2
...
Breathe in slowly through
the left nostril and perform antar kumbhaka (internal breath retention), then
jalandhara and moola bandhas and shambhavi mudra
...

3
...

Before exhaling, release shambhavi mudra, then moola bandha and lastly
jalandhara
...
When the head is upright and the shoulders are relaxed, exhale slowly
through the right nostril
...
Then breathe in slowly through the right nostril and practice as described
above
...
This is one round
...

6
...

In maha bandha, shakti is locked within the torso; it cannot leak out through
any channel and it recirculates upwards
...
Moola bandha forces the prana upwards and prevents it
from escaping through the lower outlets, and jalandhara prevents an upward
leakage
...
When the two opposite
poles of energy unite in the navel center, they are forced upward to ajna
...
The decaying, degenerating and ageing processes are then
checked and every cell of the body is rejuvenated
...
When you perform these practices
without maha vedha mudra, it is like having a car full of petrol, turning the
ignition on but keeping the foot on the brake
...

Maha vedha means ‘the great piercer
...

1
...
If you have not perfected padmasana you will not be able
to practice properly
...
Place the
palms of the hands on the floor beside the thighs
...
Inhale slowly and deeply through the nose
...

3
...
Then rest the buttocks on the floor,
release jalandhara bandha, sit quietly and exhale slowly and deeply
...

4
...

Practice three rounds in the beginning
...

5
...
The buttocks and the backs
of the thighs should touch the ground simultaneously
...
When you complete the
practice, sit quietly and concentrate on mooladhara chakra for a few
minutes
...

Maha mudra and maha vedha mudra are powerful techniques that introvert the
mind and awaken psychic faculties
...
By activating the pineal gland, the
pituitary is kept under control, hormonal secretions are regulated and
catabolism is curtailed
...


KHECHARI

MUDRA

(attitude

of

dwelling

in

supreme

consciousness)
Khechari mudra is also known as nabho mudra, and Swami Sivananda has
called its practice lambhika yoga
It is taught from an early age, twelve to sixteen years, during the period when
the body is still developing
...
Then the frenum lingue is very gradually cut with a sharp and
sterilized blade
...
After this
the wound is wiped with turmeric powder and/or powdered rock salt, so that
there can be no infection and healing will be quick
...
e
...
When the tongue becomes
elongated it is not possible to move it by itself into the nasal cavity, for this the
fingers or a thin hooked instrument has to be used
...

The raja yoga form of khechari mudra is much simpler and can be performed
by anyone
...
The position
should be maintained for as long as comfortable
...
This
form of khechari is usually practiced in conjunction with other practices such as

japa, meditation and Ujjayi pranayama and it is used in most of the kriya yoga
techniques
...

Khechari mudra exerts a controlling influence upon the network of endocrine
glands throughout the body
...

khechari is so powerful that the practitioner can reach a state beyond karma
(i
...
cause and effect), time, death and disease
...

Bindu is always depicted as a full moon
...


UDDIYANA BANDHA (abdominal retraction lock)
Bandha is generally considered to mean ‘lock’ as it literally means ‘to bind,’ ‘to
hold captive’ or ‘to contract
...

Uddiyana means ‘to rise up’ or ‘fly
...
’
Uddiyana bandha involves the sucking in and pulling up of the abdomen and
stomach
...
Initially
it should be practiced standing
...

Standing abdominal contraction
1
...

2
...

3
...


4
...
Having fully exhaled, perform jalandhara bandha
by moving the chin down to the chest and raising the shoulders
...
Then pull the abdomen and stomach inward towards the spine and up
...

6
...
Then inhale through the nose slowly and
with control
...

7
...
Over a period of a few months you can
gradually increase to ten rounds
...
Sit in bhadrasana, siddhasana/siddha yoni asana or padmasana
...
If seated in siddhasana/siddha yoni asana or padmasana, sit on a cushion so
that the buttocks are raised
...
Keep the palms of the hands on the knees and the spinal cord upright and
straight
...
Perform uddiyana
bandha as in Technique 1
...
Practice three to ten rounds, concentrating on the natural breath for a
minute or two between rounds
...
Anyone suffering from stomach or intestinal ulcers,
hernia, high blood pressure, heart disease, glaucoma or raised intracranial
pressure must not practice this bandha
...
Ashwini mudra indicates
the movement a horse makes with its rectum during evacuation of the bowels
...
This is called ashwini mudra
...
In the text we are told to press the perineal/vaginal region or ‘yoni’
and contract the rectum
...
However, it should be clearly understood that
in moola bandha there should be absolutely no anal contraction
...
e
...

Stage 1:
1
...
Keep the hands on the knees
in either jnana or chin mudra and close the eyes
...
Make sure the body is completely relaxed and the spine is erect
...

3
...
After a few minutes of concentration
start to gradually contract and release the muscles of the perineum/cervix
...

4
...
Contract and release up to twenty times
...
Contract the muscles of the perineum/cervix and hold
...
Hold the contraction for as long as possible,
then release
...

Stage 3:
1
...
Contract just a little and
hold without releasing
...

2
...
Hold the full contraction for as long as
possible and try to breathe normally
...
It can also be used in certain
asana practices
...


JALANDHARA BANDHA (throat lock)

Jal is ‘throat,’ jalam is ‘water,’ dhara means ‘supporting’ or ‘a tubular vessel in
the body
...
Although it is easy to perform,
jalandhara is a very important practice
...
Sit comfortably in siddhasana/siddha yoni asana, padmasana, sukhasana or
vajrasana
...

2
...
Lower the chin so that it
touches the chest, or more specifically the collarbone
...

3
...
Then release jalandhara by slowly raising
the head and relaxing the shoulders
...
Exhale in a very slow and controlled manner
...

5
...

Jalandhara bandha is extremely useful for alleviating throat disorders such as
inflammation, stuttering, excess mucus in the throat, tonsillitis, etc
...
Because jalandhara has a powerful effect on the blood
pressure, people with high blood pressure or heart disease should not practice
without the guidance of a teacher
...
The process is reversed by
reversing the natural upright body position
...
By inverting the body so that the head
is down and the feet are up, all the fluids flow back towards the head without
undue force or pressure
...

The major difference is the angle of the back to the floor
...
This means the
throat is not completely blocked and allows the flow of blood to the brain
...
Lie in a relaxed supine position on a blanket, i
...
shavasana
...
Then bring the legs together, palms of the hands on the floor beside the
body
...
Raise the legs in the air, feet
towards the ceiling, not pointed, making the back at a forty-five degree
angle to the floor
...
Support the lower back with the hands, keeping the elbows behind on the
floor
...
The hands can be adjusted so that you are steady
...
Remain in the position as long as possible,
breathing normally
...
Concentrate on the throat center
...
Keep the palms of the
hands on the ground and slowly lower the legs, keeping them straight
...

6
...

Stage 2: Practice stage 1 and include ujjayi pranayama in the final position
...

The practice is more powerful when ujjayi and khechari are utilized
...
While
inhaling, visualize that a hot fluid is being drawn up from the navel into the

throat
...
When it becomes icy cold, exhale the fluid up to bindu and on
to sahasrara
...
This is repeated twenty-one times
...
If you
have constipation it is advisable to empty the bowels first by drinking warm
saline water or practicing laghoo shankhaprakshalana
...
It is a
powerful practice and is better done when the body is completely healthy
...
It should always be done on an empty stomach, at least three hours
after taking a meal
...
’ It is also the weapon of Lord Indra and
means ‘mighty one
...

SAHAJOLI MUDRA (attitude of spontaneous arousing)
Sahajoli and amaroli are separate techniques of vajroli
...
After performing vajroli during intercourse,
(being in a comfortable position), the man and woman should wipe the ashes
on specific parts of their bodies during the leisure time
...
This is very beneficial and enables
enlightenment through the combination of yoga and bhoga (sensual
involvement)
...
The first part of the urine is left as it contains bile, and the
last part is left as it does not contain goodness
...
’ Thus amaroli is the practice leading to immortality
...
Sit in
siddhasana/siddha yoni asana, practice khechari mudra and ujjayi pranayama;
inhale up to bindu and maintain antar kumbhaka
...
Then visualize this serpent rotating through
arohan/awarohan passages until the breath can no longer be held
...

1
...

2
...

3
...
breath retention, antar kumbhaka
...
possible, concentrating on the area of contraction
...
Exhale slowly
...

6
...
up to ten
...
Before inhaling, come back to uddiyana, slowly release uddiyana and
jalandhara bandhas
...
proceed very slowly
...
This is one round
...
Sadhakas devoted to a
particular devata (form of god) or spiritual path will have a guru of a different
lineage
...

The mid-point between these two ‘polar tensions’ is the bindu
...
Nada is the first manifestation of
prana, the beginning of creation
...
Ultimately there is maha bindu
(the entire conscious creation), then para bindu (the form of Ishwara), sukshma
bindu (the individual mind) and sthula bindu (the gross bindu in the form of
ovum/sperm)
...

Now we come to the culmination of hatha yoga and raja yoga: samadhi
...
’ The Hatharatnavali states that, “When the
mind becomes motionless as a result of (deep) concentration, that is called
samadhi
...
That is known as samadhi,
which is not a state of any kind of consciousness as we understand this word
...
It is the result of total one- pointedness of
mind and expansion of consciousness from the mundane perception to that of
cosmic awareness
...

The entire range of samadhi is classified into two divisions: savikalpa, which is
also known as sabeeja, i
...
‘with seed
...
The unfoldment from vitarka to asmita is called
sabeeja or savikalpa or salambana samadhi because the consciousness still has
a base support or pratyaya
...
Nirbeeja is beyond that,
devoid of awareness and consciousness
...
It is without vibration or movement, there is complete
stillness of everything
...
Positive samadhi is
samprajnata
...
Asamprajnata is negative samadhi which means there
is unconscious awareness of the object
...
It is not
complete absence of the symbol
...
It is a dynamic state which intercepts vitarka/
vichara, vichara/ananda and asmita/nirvikalpa
...
It is an impermanent state preceding the ascension into a higher or
deeper state
...
The concluding point of samprajnata samadhi always
unfolds through asamprajnata
...
e
...
’ There is no distinction between the three
...
In this state the concept still exists in language and gross
form
...
The gross form of the object and knowledge of it shines in the
mind but there is no awareness or language
...

Savichara or vichara samprajnata begins when the subtle layer of the object
appears
...
e
...
There is infusion and
awareness of each aspect (knower, known and knowing) separately
...
It is pratyabhijna, ‘illumined
knowledge,’ which guides all the processes in the deeper states of
supraconsciousness
...
At the culmination of this samadhi, the chitta is illumined and
intellect ceases
...
It is sattwic
ahamkara or ego, a state of pure existence and awareness without word or
idea
...
Awareness and consciousness are
absolute but there is still the seed of ego
...

At the end of this samadhi there is a state which is called dynamic samadhi
...
The self is dynamic
potential, and it is after this gap that nirvikalpa samadhi dawns
...
One of them is
known as dharma megha samadhi
...
’
Dharma megha samadhi is emergence of a consciousness where the virtues
pour down upon you
...
If the dawn of virtue does not take place before nirvikalpa samadhi,
then you are going to enter nirvikalpa samadhi with all the rubbish that you
carry in your life
...

Nirvikalpa or nirbeeja samadhi is the disappearance of the last trace of
samskara and vikalpa
...
From dharma megha samadhi onwards,
there is complete freedom from karma and kleshas (ignorance, egoism,
attachment, aversion, clinging to life)
...
That is timeless,
changeless – the supreme samadhi

---