Practices

Our ancient seers have very sagaciously designed the Yogic practices to invigorate the entire psychosomatic consitution of man. A set of Asanas, Mudras, shatkarmas and Pranayamas practised with faith, perseverance and insight rejuvenates the brain, heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, kidneys, bowels, all nerves, muscles, tissues, glands of the body by ensuring oxygenated and balanced blood supply, kindless up the appetite, bestows control over seminal fluid, senses and mind and imparts increased vitality, vigour and longevity to the practitioners.

• Asanas
• Pranayama
• Bandhas & Mudras
• Shatkarma

Asanas

Asana (Sanskrit to sit down) is a body position, typically associated with the practice of Yoga, intended primarily to restore and maintain a practitioner's well-being, improve the body's flexibility and vitality, and promote the ability to remain in seated meditation for extended periods. These are widely known as Yoga postures or Yoga positions, which is currently practiced for exercise and as alternate medicine.

These are special patterns of postures that stabilize the mind and the body through static stretching. Their aim is to establish proper system in the neuromuscular tonic impulses and improve the general muscle tone. Two basic principles governing the performance of asanas are stability and comfort. This suggests that the nature of asanas is psycho-neurophysical and not only physical. Every asana should be performed effortlessly and maintained for a comfortable time. There should be no jerks and the performance of asana should not lead to undue fatigue.

Asanas may be classified as

1. Meditative

Meditative Asanas are sitting postures, which maintain the body in a steady and comfortable condition. By various arrangements of legs and hands, different Meditative Asanas viz. Siddhasana, Swastikasana, Padmasana, Vajrasana, Bhadrarau, Muktasana and Sukhasana are performed. The characteristic feature of the Meditative Asana is, however, keeping the head, neck and trunk erect.

2. Cultural

Cultural Asanas involve static stretching, which bring about proper tone of muscles. They contribute to the flexibility of the spine and render the back and spinal muscles stronger. They also stimulate proper working of the vital organs in the thoracic and abdominal cavities. There are innumerable varieties of Cultural Asanas, which are performed through sitting, lying and standing position Pavan Muktasana, Naukasana, Viparita Karni, Sarvangasana, Matsyasana, Halasana, Chakrasana etc.

3. Relaxative

Relaxative Asanas are few in numbers like Shavasana, Makarasana, Balasana etc. They are performed in the lying position and are meant for giving rest to the body and mind.

Following are some of the most common Asanas.

Pranayama

Pranayama is a Sanskrit word meaning "restraint of the prana or breath" and is concerned with controlling one’s breath.

These practices bring control over the respiratory impulses, which form one of the channels of the flow of autonomic nerve impulses. Holding of the breath for a prolonged and comfortable time is an essential technique of Pranayama. The expiratory phase is so controlled that the following inspiratory phase is not affected in its slow and controlled inspiration. The main purpose of Pranayama is to gain control over the autonomic nervous system. It is useful in higher Yogic practices like meditation.

Bandhas & Mudras

These are locks and holds of the semi voluntary and involuntary muscles in the body. They decongest the vital organs, improve circulation and nutrition by pressure manipulations and contribute to general health and emotional stability. A difference is made between the Bandhas and Mudras on the basis of their use in Pranayama. Mudras that are used in Pranayama are usually called Bandhas because they bind and channelise a particular nervous activity in a particular place or direction. Jalandhara, Uddiyana and Moola are important Bandhas. Some Asanas are called Mudras because of their specific effects and channels through which the effects are brought about.

Shatkarma

These are purificatory processes usually classified into six divisions and therefore they are often called Kriyas or Shatkriyas or Shatkarma. These are Dhauti, Basti, Neti, Trataka, Nauli and Kapalbhati, each one of which consists of many sub-sections. They increase the range of adaptability of the tissues forming various organs and systems and raise the threshold of their reactivity. Kriyas bring control on different reflexes and establish psycho-physiological balance. The modes of purification in the Kriyas are air, water, friction and manipulating movement.

Shatkarma consists of two components: shat meaning 'six' and karma meaning 'art' or 'process'. The word kriya or karma is used in Hatha Yoga in a special technical sense regarding the techniques of cleaning. These practices, outlined by Yogi Swatmarama in the Ha?ha Yoga Pradipika, are:

• Neti, nasal cleaning.
• Dhauti, cleaning of the digestive tract.
• Nauli, abdominal massage.
• Basti, colon cleaning.
• Kapalabhati, purification and vitalization of the frontal lobes.
• Trataka, blinkless gazing.