For bringing about calmness to the mind, one would usually meditate. Now we all know how difficult it is to quieten the mind. Those who have tried to meditate know this very well. So, the Yogis came up with a workaround to harmonize the mind through the body and the breath, and to elevate it to the state wherein Meditation can actually happen effortlessly.
We have all experienced that when our mind is agitated, the breath becomes heavy, and the body becomes agitated.
The converse is true as well. When the body is calm, the breath is calm, the mind is in harmony.
So, the Asans and Pranayama were developed to regulate the body and the breath, in order to steady the mind. This leads to mental harmony, in addition to bringing about physical wellbeing.
However, please note that Pranayam has much deeper connotation - it's not a breathing exercise, as it is mostly misunderstood as!!
The Practice
When we practice the asans, there is no awareness at all. It's done in a very casual manner.
These are the five stages:
1. The starting posture
2. Flowing into the asan
3. Being in the final posture
4. Releasing
5. Steadiness, after releasing.
How Yog impacts us
Yog is Holistic, and it impacts us at several levels. From gross, to the subtle:
- The skeletal structure and the joints.
All the parts of the body
- Vertebrae and the Spinal cord
- All the internal organs.
- The muscular system
- The Pran or the energy
- All the processes / systems in the body, such as Respiration, Digestion, Circulation, Excretion, etc.
- Hormonal system
- The Immune system
- Nervous system and the Mind
Six Vertebral modes in Yog
The Vertebral column is one of the most important parts of the body. It's like the trunk of the tree, that keeps our entire structure intact. Also, it encases the very vital Spinal Cord. Hence, taking very good care of the Vertebrae and the Spine is imperative.
There are six modes in which Yog takes care of the Vertebral Column. Here's a listing of illustrative asan for each mode.
1. Upward stretch: Talasan
2. Lateral stretch: Konasan
3. Forward bending: Yogmudrasan
4. Backward bending: Bhujangasan
5. Spinal twisting: Vakrasan
6. Inversion: Sarvangasan
The counter posture is important. Forward bending ought to be followed by backward bending.
Are simple Yogasans effective?
There is a general feeling that to do real Yog, one needs to perform complex postures. Let the simplicity of the asan not be deceptive. The simple asans are very effective, if done the right way, with devotion and awareness. Also, if you were to slowly increase the duration of holding the posture, which of course, should be done gradually, you would unlock the real power of any asan.
One doesn't need to become proficient in advance asans, such as Mayūrāsana or Shīrṣhāsana, to get the benefits of Yog.
Also, Yog is not about acrobatics. One doesn't need the elasticity of a gymnast to practice Yog. Swami Svatmaram says very clearly in Hathyogpradipika that Yog is for the young and the old, for the healthy and the infirm.
No comments:
Post a Comment