Hatha Yoga
Hatha Yoga
A 24-Posture
System of Body Tuning and Preparation for Meditation
Hatha yoga is a system of handling the physical
body so that the mind and the nerve system
are
calmed and quieted. It is primarily a means
to prepare
oneself for meditation. Hatha yoga is founded
on a principle
of putting the physical body into a position
so that the
nerve currents in the physical body get tuned
up to a perfect
pitch. It is like tuning the strings on a
violin; if you tune the
violin just right, then each string will be
in harmony with the
other strings.
This chapter consists of original
illustrations and instructions
for 24 asanas
organized in eight sets of three to be performed
in series. While there are many more complex
hatha
yoga routines, these 24 relatively easy poses provide a good,
balanced system for daily use. To prepare
yourself for an effective meditation, this
routine is all you will ever need. For the
very best results, hatha yoga should be
taught personally by a qualified teacher.
The instructions and illustrations given
here are a rudimentary aid. For more
elaborate regimens, inquire at a recognized
school specializing in hatha yoga.
Asanas elongate, tone and strengthen
muscle tissue, massage the organs, stimulate
the nerves and balance the pingala
and ida nadis. From the hundreds of
known asanas, these 24 affect all the
major parts of the body. Each pose is to
be held in relaxed stillness for 30 to 120
seconds, without straining. As maximum
stretch and flexibility are approached, a
subtle stimulation of the physical and
psychic
nerve system begins to occur.
Perform the postures daily in the
privacy of your own room, without drawing
attention to yourself.
Naturally, they should not be performed after
meals.
Don’t worry if you can’t perform them
perfectly, or if some
are difficult for you. Do the best you can.
Progress at your
own pace, rather than in a competitive
manner. With practice,
you will find the body becoming more supple,
reflecting
the mind’s flexibility, alertness and freedom
from subconscious
repressions.
By controlling breath we control thought and
life energy,
or prana. Yogis call this pranayama. The pranayama for these
asanas is simple: breathe in for nine equal
counts (ideally
counting with mathura, the heartbeat), then hold one count,
breathe out nine counts, hold one, and so on.
Breathe deeply,
fully and diaphragmatically, rather than
shallowly expanding
the upper chest. Harnessing the breath’s
three phases (inhalation,
retention and exhalation) directs the flow of
prana,
calming and relaxing body and mind.
When physical tensions are released through
hatha yoga,
mental-emotional tensions are automatically
dissolved. This is
a great secret and a wonderful tool that you
can use every day
of your life. Free the mind of thoughts and
tensions and you
will be more aware, more alive, more serene.
As you perform
the hatha yoga asanas, put out of your mind
all thoughts relating
to your work, family, friends, associates,
problems and challenges
that normally concern you.
Relax. Relax. Relax. Be completely
at peace with yourself and fully
enjoy this contemplative art.
Try to sense the inner and
outer nerve system reaching a
crescendo
of energy as you sustain
each pose. When this peak
is felt, gracefully shift during the
outbreath to the next asana. The
whole series of 24 poses is like a
dance; and a deliberate flow from
one to the next is a key to perfect
serenity. Each set includes
a color visualization to quiet the
mind and intensify healing. The
color of the background wall
in each illustration is the color
to visualize while in that pose.
Mentally fill your body with that
color, from your head to your
toes; or imagine yourself suspended in space,
surrounded on
all sides by the color shown with the pose.
If tensions in the
body or mind are discovered, visualize
them flowing away
with the outbreath. At the end, plunge into
meditation. Tradition
sets the best times for hatha yoga at dawn,
noon and
twilight. Minimally, only 12 minutes of time is needed.
An
Important Caution: Individuals
with neck or back
problems should abstain from poses that place
strain on the
spine, such as the headstand, shirshasana, and the shoulder
stand, sarvangasana.3
Set 1
1. Bend the right leg back around the thigh and
tuck the right foot along the contour of the
buttocks.
Bring the left leg in front of the torso,
tucking
it close to the groin. Hands are on the
knees, palms
up, thumb and index fingers touching, in the
akasha
mudra. Keep the spine (the powerhouse of the
body) straight, the head erect and balanced
at the
top of the spine. 2. Next reverse leg positions. 3. In
the third pose tuck the right leg into the
groin area,
then place the left leg in front of it, with
the left
heel in front of the right heel. This is a
variation of
the accomplished pose, siddhasana, ⁄–ØÛŸ–≤. Keep
both legs resting fully on the floor.
Visualize
deep,
ruby red for physical vitality during this
first set.
Set 2
4. From the last pose of set one straighten the left
leg, lean forward and grasp the left foot
with the
thumb and index fingers of both hands. This
is the
janu
shirshasana, úŸ≤‹À¤OE@Ÿ–≤, head-to-knee pose. Relax
into the position, letting the head drop
lower and
lower until it rests on the knee. In full
flexibility the
elbows lower to the floor, and the torso
rests on the
leg. 5. Repeat
these steps on the right side. 6. Then
extend both legs (a little bend is OK at
first) into the
forward bend, pashchimottanasana,
¥⁄ÀºË%Ÿ≤Ÿ–≤.
Grasp the toes with the thumb and index
fingers
and let the head gently fall to the knees.
With practice,
the elbows will lower to the floor. In this
set,
visualize marigold orange for pure, selfless
service.
Set 2
4. From the last pose of set one straighten the left
leg, lean forward and grasp the left foot
with the
thumb and index fingers of both hands. This
is the
janu
shirshasana, úŸ≤‹À¤OE@Ÿ–≤, head-to-knee pose. Relax
into the position, letting the head drop
lower and
lower until it rests on the knee. In full
flexibility the
elbows lower to the floor, and the torso
rests on the
leg. 5. Repeat
these steps on the right side. 6. Then
extend both legs (a little bend is OK at
first) into the
forward bend, pashchimottanasana,
¥⁄ÀºË%Ÿ≤Ÿ–≤.
Grasp the toes with the thumb and index
fingers
and let the head gently fall to the knees.
With practice,
the elbows will lower to the floor. In this
set,
visualize marigold orange for pure, selfless
service.
Set 4
10. Kneel and spread the feet apart, sitting between
the ankles, hands on the knees, palms down.
This is
the heroic pose, virasana,
Δ¤¿Ÿ–≤. 11. Still kneeling,
arch back as far as possible until the head
touches the
floor behind you in the couch pose, paryankasana,
¥æ@óÏŸ–≤. Hold the palms together over the chest in
namaskara.
12. When you reach the right pitch of energy,
bring the torso up (ideally without aid from
the
arms) and bend forward until the forehead
touches
the floor, palms down near the head, buttocks
on
the floor between the ankles. In this set,
visualize
emerald green for physical and emotional
health.
Set 5
13. Move the upper body forward, inhale, arch the
back slowly and extend
the arms until straight, in
the cobra
pose, bhujangasana,
∫‹úóÓŸ–≤. Hold for
two or three breaths, then lower the torso
gracefully.
14. Bring the legs up, reach back and clasp
the ankles. Inhale as you pull the legs up
and raise
the head and upper body into the bow pose, dhanurasana,
∞≤‹¿Ÿ–≤. Look up and back. Hold for two
or three rounds of breathing. Exhale as you
release
the legs and lower to the prone position. 15. Rise
into a kneeling position, buttocks on the
ankles, in
the panchanga pranamasana,
¥ÄòŸóÓ¥˘®ŸºŸ–≤, forehead
on the floor, arms forward, palms down. In
this
set, visualize bright royal blue for peace of
mind.
Set 6
16. From the last asana, move
the body forward and form
a triangle of forearms and
head, hands clasped behind
the head, fingers interwoven.
The hairline touches the
floor. Raise the body slowly,
keeping the knees bent.
Pause, then extend the legs
vertically into the headstand,
salamba shirshasana,
–≤. Keep most of the
body weight on the arms,
not the head. 17. When
ready, bend and tuck in the
knees and carefully lower
into the curled pelvic pose
for at least 8 cycles of breath
to allow the blood to equalize.
18. Slowly rise into the
upright pelvic pose, hands on knees, palms
down. Keep
the head down momentarily against the chest
in a
bandha, or lock, and then straighten the neck.
Visualize
purple for the flooding forth of spiritual
knowledge.
Set 7
19. Sit on the left hip and place the right foot over
the left knee. Insert
the left arm under the bent right
knee. Extend the right arm behind the back
and clasp
the left hand with the right (as an easier
alternative,
grasp the right knee with the left arm). Keep
the
spine as straight as possible. This is the
spinal twist,
matsyendrasana,
Turn the head
slowly to
the left each time you inhale, and back to
the right as
you exhale. 20. Repeat
the posture on the opposite
side. 21. Finally, bring the soles together and hold the
feet with both hands in the bound-eagle pose,
baddha
konasana,
ΠØÛéË®Ÿ–≤.
Let the knees
lower to the floor.
Throughout this set
visualize lavender
to purify karma
through divine sight.
Set 8
22. Extend the
right leg and place
the left ankle high
on the right thigh.
Stretch forward and
clasp the right foot
with the thumb and
index finger. This
is a variation of the
head-to-knee pose,
janu shirshasana,
23. Repeat
this same procedure
on the left side,
with the right foot
on the left thigh.
24. Finally, assume the lotus posture, padmasana,
¥Æ˜Ÿ–≤. The right foot is already on the left
thigh. To
complete the lotus, carefully place the left
foot on the
right thigh. Spine straight with the hands
resting in the
lap, palms open, right hand on top, with the
thumbs
gently touching in dhyana mudra.
Visualize white
during this set to attain moksha, freedom from rebirth.
Om Tat Sat
(Continued...)
(My
humble salutations to Sadguru Sri Sivaya
Subramuniyaswami
ji, Hinduism Today dot com for the collection)
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