Yoga, the ancient science of India, has a wide perspective, which includes not only the concept of achieving physical and mental fitness through different yoga exercises, but also establishing a tranquility of mind by their means, so as to realise man’s union with the supreme self, that is attainment of God-consciousness.
Continue reading Natural Cure: Treatment for Diseases Through Yoga
Dhyana Yoga is the concluding stage of the yoga practice of Hatha Yoga. It is the realisation of a mental conception of mind’s union with the Supreme self—a state of God-consciousness.
While the yoga asanas influence your hormonal system and the pranayama controls your ‘prana-shakti’. It is the Dhyana Yoga that lends you the consiousness factor of your spiritual energy, awakening in you the power of intuition (the jiva-shakti).
Pranayama is the exercise of the breath, to bring it under the control of the mind, for physical and mental benefits. The Yoga Shastra describes pranayama as a means to control not only the pranas, but also the chitta, the thought potential.
The importance of yoga and its exercises, the asanas, has increased in the present world of stress and strain. Work-load for man has increased so much that he cannot spare time even for a good walk, much less for a game or a sport.
Sit down, bending your legs at the knees and placing your heals under your hips, such that the toes are brought together. Keeping the amis straight, place your hands on the knees.
Keep this pose as long as convenient. This asana is generally advised to be performed after the meals, when it helps in the digestion of the meals. It also removes fatigue. This can be done while reading even, or to replace padmasana for the practice of pranayama.
Place your left foot on the joint of your right thigh. Place the right foot on the joint of your left thigh, such that both the heals touch each other below the navel. Straighten the back-bone and the neck.
Continue reading Natural Cure: Common Yoga Poses – Padmasana
Before describing the details of yoga asanas and their applications for particular diseases, it seems necessary to equip the seekers with some general directions to be followed in the practice of the asanas.
In practising asanas, one should practise moderation, to make each asana have a light and enjoyable effect. It is being particularly said, because some asanas are hard to begin with.
Continue reading Natural Cure: General Instructions on Yoga Practice
Lie straight on your back, over a carpet, with feet closely together. Keep the arms stretched, close to the body, palms resting on the ground. Then fold the legs over the abdomen, also the lower part of the trunk.
Now pressing the ground with your palms, stretch the legs upwards along with the trunk and bring them to a position of making an angle of 90° with your neck. Hold the raised part of the trunk and legs with both the hands.
Continue reading Natural Cure: Common Yoga Poses – Sarvangasana
Spread a folded carpet on the ground and on one side of it (say close to a wall in the beginning) place a turban-like pad of rounded piece of cloth, so that your head can be supported on it during the asana.
Kneel down on the carpet, placing the elbows and the hands on the sides. Bend the head down and place it on the pad for the head, its back being held with your hands, fingers entwined. Now bring your knees nearer and between the two elbows.
Continue reading Natural Cure: Common Yoga Poses – Shirshasana
‘Hala’ is a Hindi word for a plough. The pose of this asana, too, takes the shape of a plough. You are to lie down on your back and raise the legs and the lower portion of the trunk as described in the Sarvangasana.