Ch 24

• Yoga drives away ailments when one is moderate in diet, activities, exercise, and duty, with moderate periods of sleep and wakefulness
• Body and mind are interconnected - a happy mind leads to active work, and a healthy body keeps the mind radiant, alert, and enthusiastic
• Yoga facilitates body-mind functioning for happiness, peace, and fulfillment in life
• Yoga means 'union' - union of individual being with universal being, a passage from ignorance to self-knowledge, and effort towards self-perfection
• Yoga leads to health in the body, peace in the mind, joy in the heart, and liberation of the soul
• Outer aspect of Yoga (vahirang) includes yama, niyama, asana, and pranayama; inner aspect (Antarang) includes Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi
• Yoga is the regulation of mental processes according to Maharshi Patanjali
• Different types of Yoga:

  • Hatha Yoga: controls body functioning and energy flow
  • Raja Yoga: restrains consciousness fluctuations
  • Karma Yoga: path of selfless action without expecting rewards
  • Bhakti Yoga: path of devotion and surrender to God
  • Gyan Yoga: emphasizes removal of ignorance and seeking spiritual knowledge
• Yoga techniques for physical and mental vitality include diet, Yoga asanas, breathing practices, Pranayamas, and meditation
• Diet in Yoga: Sattwik food recommended for nourishment, Rajasik food makes restless, Tamasik food makes lazy and dull
• Yoga Asanas improve blood circulation, tone up brain activities, glands, nerves, tissues, and cells
• Precautions for performing Asanas:

  • Perform early in the morning in a well-ventilated room
  • Clear bowels before starting
  • Perform on a musk spread on hard ground
  • Breathing should be normal
  • Do not eat immediately after
  • Learn proper methods from a Yoga teacher
• Some main Asanas:

  • Paschimottan Asana: tones abdominal organs, kidneys, improves digestion
  • Sarvang Asana: activates all body parts, nourishes thyroid and parathyroid glands
  • Shavasana: complete relaxation of muscles, nerves, brain, and organs
  • Shalabh Asana: helps digestion, relieves gastric troubles
  • Ushtra Asana: improves shoulder problems, corrects leg deformities
• Dhanurasana (Bow posture):

  • Lie on the stomach
  • Bend the knees while keeping them together
  • Take the ankles in the hands and rest the chin on the ground
  • Inhale and raise the legs, head, and upper body while arching the back
  • Remain in this position as long as possible, breathing regularly and focusing on the lower part of the spinal column
  • Relax the body gradually and return to the original position
  • Repeat the exercise two or three times
• Benefits of Dhanurasana:

  • Improves posture and shoulder problems
  • Corrects deformities in the legs
  • Massages the heart for better health
  • Develops the chest and tones the abdominal organs and back
• Halasana (The Plough Posture):

  • Lie on the back with arms stretched by the side of the body, palms flat on the ground
  • Inhale, exhale, and slowly raise the legs vertically
  • Lower the legs behind the head until the tips of the feet touch the ground
  • Remain in this position for a few seconds and breathe normally
  • Return to the starting position
• Benefits of Halasana:

  • Extremely beneficial for the spinal column
  • Abundant blood supply revitalizes nerves and muscles of the back
  • Regenerating effect on the glandular system and clears up menstrual disorders
  • Regular practice may prevent fat formation around the stomach, hips, and waist
• Bhujang Asana (The Cobra position):

  • Lie on the stomach with palms on the ground underneath the shoulders
  • Inhale and slowly raise the head and trunk, leaning backwards without raising the abdominal region from the ground
  • Hold the position for a few seconds, then exhale and return to the starting position
• Benefits of Bhujang Asana:

  • Activates back muscles and exerts pressure on the vertebrae
  • Provokes a copious blood supply to the region, toning it up
  • May correct slightly slipped discs
  • Soothes backaches, benefits kidney (adrenal glands), and stimulates digestion