Shadow Yoga - Chaya Yoga

Preface ld like to begin by paying my respects to all the people I WO h Uh ve been instrumental in t he cult ivation of t he w 0 , h Th ·· II . . t lIigence that flOW5 throug me. IS mle 1gence guides

~eeal0ng the yogic path like a flaming torch, dis pelling the

darkness of igno ra nce. Beyond all ot hers, I bow t o l ord Shiva.

the great God of YogiS and Wanderers o n t he pa t h. I was introduced to the practi ce of yog a at the you ng age

of six by my father. Through his e xam ple I lea rnt all the basic asanas, kriyas and bandhas. His guida nce was patient a nd persistent yet unimposed.later, I stud ied fo r two decades under the firm ha nd and watchful eye of yoga master B.K.5. Iyengar of Pune, lndia.

During this time, I also had t he good fo rt une to T«eive some of the earty wri tings of Sri I Kr ishnarnacharya of Madras (p resent day ( hennai). Among t hese. o ne 5ho rt work has influenced me profoundly: Salutat ions to t he Teacher and the Ete rnal One. It has been th is book mo re than any other t hat has helped me to d ecipher and understa nd the ancie nt ha tha yogic te xts in their fullness And it is this g rowing understa nding t ha t ha s de te r mmed my course over time.

This little book you are now hold ing. Shad ow Yoga. is t he culminatio n of what I have stud ied read a nd practiced t hus far. Its fo urteen chapters have been"wove n toge ther fro m threads drawn from the classical ha tha yoga te xts tha t t he knowledge may become more accessible to t he S i~cere seeker. There is nothing in this book that I ha ve no t test ed and put to use over many years of training. day a nd night .

~hUrilng that t ime I have explored bot h t he well known a nd e esser-known styl , f

ad vantages as well aseth0 . present day yoga . their d" studied other d' I I" elf lsadvantages. , have a lso KathakaH and b~c p tnes: mart ial arts a nd t he ancie nt aratanatya dance forms of southern India. What has be come apparent to . h basis in the prepa t me IS t at there is a common fa ory forms of all of these diSCiplines. Preparatory forms are ess . 1 Unfolding Of the en .ent~a for the learning of and the ..... _·-h ergetlc pTinciples f h . :-"""!I they have bee 0 t e yoga practice. I n (and are still) utilised in the Oller the ages. they ate no

longer found or known about in the popular styles of modem-day yoga. This lack of basic preparatory activity leaves the beginner wide open to confusion, injury and empty promises. Th roug hout the ages, the cultivation of power has always been achieved through very simple and uncomplicated m ovements. The prelude forms of the Shadow School of yoga are not a new invention but a resurrection of what is an age-old method of preparing the body, mind and spirit. The th eoretical information cont ained within th is book is therefore offered t o nou rish the seeds of the divine energy that is hidden deep within the human form; th at it m ay unfold. Shandor Remete Adel aide, 2006

contents hrt 0 KnowlNge 0

,

,

Sh.dowYOga

0'

Mita ha 'il the Controll~ Intake of Pu re Foods

"

The Pl anets and Signs of t he Zodiac and their Influence on the Human Syst ... m

• and theilloca tions

"

The Energet IC ("cults of t he MicrocosmiC Systems

,

6

, •

108

Ma,molS the Vital Junctions (Points)

The Chahils The Ten Vayus (Wmds 01 Motivato's of the Pran,c force)

The Thl.t~n Nadls (Subtle Ene'gy F'~)

9 The Tongue 00

"

" "

'.

Asanas the Tools Naull Kllya

P' anayama Mud'il s

L.Jya (Absol ption)

,

Prelude5 (Diagrams)

~

Asil'las (Phot os)

How to Use th is Book

Glossiu y Blbllog,aphy

'9

" "

"53

59

6, 6,

" '" 7S

"OS '"'0,

".

J. Before openin g a discus si on on Shadow Yog a It is import ant

to g ra sp the mean ing hidde n behind the term yoga itself. Yoga Is a spirit ual system tha t deals practica lly wit h the process of enlightenme nt. The fina l goal is t o diffe re nt iate the soul f ro m everything that is nol the soul. The method

of yoga leaches t he individ ual to d iscriminate. o r to see the differences between t hese two th ings. L

This process involves the skillful reduction of fi xed patterns w ithin th e ind ividual that obstruct o r dist ort perception of

reality and so create confusion. If we a TE' constantly mindful of t his end goal. to distinguish the soul from everyth ing that is not t he soul, we will al ways be ab le to choose the correct means for ma king t he ne xt step towards a successful complet ion of the yogic journey.

,

In the t hird verse of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Svatm a rama Yogendra states, "For those who are deluded by the mu lti plicity of views and are ignorant of Ra ja Yoga, 511at ma ra ma compassionately puts fo rth the lesson of Hatha Pradipika." Reflection on the hidden meaning of t his verse relleals that what is being offered here is a form of skillfu l means. This conSists of the necessary equipment. instructions fo r it s use and a d~cript lon of what is to be atta ined from that use. Hatha yoga is the eqUipment; avadhuta y oga (a sceticism) is the skillful use of the equipment. while raja yoga Is the fru it obt ained from th at use. These three t oget he r constitute maha yoga. Unless these t hree are lIiewed as parts of one whole they lose their mea ning . . Asana. knya. pranayama, mudra.yantra. mantra and laya a re all types of equipment. The right tool applied at the appropriat e ti me in a skillful manne r is Hatha-avadhuta y oga. which is th e m anifesta tion of the yama s (restraints) and niya mas (observances). Skillful activity is unobstructed. non -harmful behaviour. wh ic h b ri ngs about t he me rging oflhe t wo opposing energ ies of th e sun (ha) and moon (tha). This is raja yoga or siddha (attained) yoga. The moon IS t he shadow body of the sun. yet it reflect s t he life ~upport ing light of this st a r. 5hadow Yoga (Chay a Yoga) IS a synonym of hat ha yoga th at em phaSises this t ruth.

,

H~tha-avadh~ta yoga is t he ~eginnlng of th e path. while raja yoga. or slddha yoga is the goal. When this is ach ieved,

t he indiVIdual no longer pract ices but lilies accordin g to the one umversal Tru th t hat binds all. The noose or reins (pasha) represent s t he body of laws that governs the va rious ~Iement~ ~f matter and living beings in creat io n. Pashupati IS th~ shining herdsman wh o, throug h pati (m astery). has risen above pashu (animalist ic existence).

C The Sha dow School is built Upon t h investigating the shadow and its

'. ese pnnClples. By

" yog a IS the reversal of the mSOurce .. Smce an" f twe. COme to r19"1. must sta rt w ith the shadows By (O~- es :llon of life. one them, we can d issolve them. When th~nfi9~t~~~~rSland moon comes Int o con tact with obj ect s h d

O/h

e SUn and

Acco rding to one of the fo refat he rs t~ Ows aTe crea ted. Pra bhudeva , "the a ppea rance of th is bo!Y ~:i~i' AlI~ma

layers of frozen shadows."

i:

n9 ut

'"

These shadows aTe seven in numbe r· the shad f. ' . IJWOjO)', the hd s a ow 0 fh t e m tellect. the shadow of t he mund". . d th . . r h ... m in e power p rmclp e, t e gross structure. the lustre of the . skin and the sha dow on the ground. Each shadow is a blockage of light. By considering the list of shadows

given here one can see how different people are stuck on different planes. Some are Joy-hunters; some are power mongers, while others are intellectuals and so on. There is nothing wrong with any of these kinds of behaviour. but by themselves they lead nowhe re. However. if th ~e shadows are correctly investigated with an open mind, then they can fuel the journey to enlightenment.

9 The Siva Svarodaya. an ancient tant rika text on the life breath (svara). contains a short chapter entitled Yoga Of the Shadow Man. It describes how to observe one's own shadow and recognise the many symptoms hidden within It. Verse 382 states: ~I f the shadow does not have any head the man will die within a period of one month. if it does not have any thigh he wi1f die within eight days. etc."

3

In Cha raka Samhitha, section Indriya sthana. chapter seven. the follOWing interpretation of the shadow and lustre is given; ~If there is any deformity observed in ~y pa rt~ in t he shadow of the person in moonlight, sunl!ght, the hght • of a lamp. water or mirror he should be conSidered a ghOSt. These references reveal how the shadows can be used as diag nostic tools to ascertain where we are at any given moment. It should be borne in mi nd however. that the shadows hidden in the deeper recesses require correspondingly much closer observation .

. .,

The process of enlight~nment is a dynamiC evolving ac~ivity, and not a fixed state of attachment, as many conceive It t~ be The practice of yoga requires an open, flUId a nd.senslt mind which should not be confused with an e.motl0nal mind' Although many present day styles descn ~e . b th fluid and flowing, the fOCU Sing on any themselves as 0 lack of openness and weT.based one quality or attribute conceals a very fluidity. whethe~ it be fl owing S1:~~Od~~~~~::tes that the or alignment.orlented, the very

. . f'

, _.. wi'h one asped of the practice, This . "of t echniques or movements or POUlts leads to excess Jlle u~results in an unnecessary waste 0 f tIme . of adjustmen"h" mple x and attractIVe . appearance 0f sue h and energy. Th' co styles conceals a lack of rootS. mind lSlnau a. ~

Hath a yoga is a system of selfcultivation by which the individual free s him selffrom t he burden of the world and its bondage. Ai This cannot be achieved t hrough superficial work. One must begin at the root and grow slowly, grow with patie nce and grow through persistencf'. Boredom is overcome by paying

keen attention to the actiVity.

'2-

The early te xts on hathayoga all agree on the nine most important asanas, namely bhekasana, bhujangasana.

mandukasana. kurmasana, mayurasana, bhadrc;gana. 5iddh(lsana, baddha padmasana a nd kukkutasana These

nine asanas aTe the seeds for all the innumerable possibilities that are availa ble to any individual who possesses the ne
~

Every beginner is faced with 2et formul a to learn which. by its very nature, carries the inhere nt danger of attachment. In yoga these fo rmulas. or preludes as I term them, are,vital for the proper cultivation of the key asa nas. 'The indiVIdual works with the preludes a nd the key asanas In th ree stages of mild, medIum and intense. To progress in this way. one must understand the rhythm o f prelude, asana-vmyam (progreSsive use of asana) and conclusion a s well as the pri nciple of counter posing. Every asana has its counter pose and unless th is is known the individ ual will be confronted by unnecessary set backs or injuries.

" warrior and sun form s. The prel~de form s consist of The warTIor forms are Circular and spiral while t he s u n forms are linear. These forms are carried 'out in a flowing ner and t hey should be learnt fir st and practiced daily ,m'"h or tree -to seven years before b eglnn10g . . the asana-v;nyasa. Th ~ warnor !orms free the peripheral body from its tensions ,n "n,erget lC obstructions, while the sun form s ignite the cen ra power system. " ~~% ~~~~:~:!:~~udesbeha~e been mastered should the

-J nas gm The problem 'h ' b . encounter today is t h ' a egmners e premature exposure to diffi cult

asanas. The struggles that result excite t ha,', ' d ' dh h ,-mmsbut blm t em to t e nat ural o rder of prnnressio . h FT t b "ld f -" n In t e asaol'Th" lal.m g °t. UI ,Cl bo undation, they fall short of their goa . e r Impa lence IS om of ignorance of th . " of the system. e slmphClty

\J.

All the asanas fall Into one of five categori es: bending

forward, bending to the side, be nding backward s t . t ' ' Th fi ,WISing an db a lancmg . ese ve actions can be done standi ' Iymg ' f ace d own, f ace up. on one's side or invert "9.d 51'tt mg, These five bodily positions correspond to t he pancha_ e , mukhas (five faces) of lord Shiva.

I.

The same insight applies to martial arts and is contained in t he w.ork of Japan's ~ost. famous sword sman. Miyamoto Musashl, The Book oj FIVe Rmgs. He criticises other sword

schools for flowery and unnecessary techniques that are useless in combat. stating. "There are only five ways to cut a person down. the vertical downward cut, the horizontal cut, the diagonal up and diagonal down cuts and the thrust: Everything else, he says. is a variation of these five possibilities according to the needs of a given situation.

W

Most people today are teo stiff and unfit for even the so-called beginner asanas like j anu sinasana or urdhva dhanurasana. never mind the twists. balances and side bends. By prematurely attempting these positions beginner students end up overusing their arms to compensate for stiff hipS or shoulders to pull or push the body into poSition. Overuse of the arms in this way causes the subtle body (the power structure) to weaken and rupture. This type of misguided behaviour can result in weakening of the throat. heart, navel. perineal and rectal regions, triggering the enlargement ofthe liver and spleen and malfunctions of the pancreas. These are the dangers that the beginner unknowingly confronts. I~

,

Simple asanas that a re often overlooked Yield many benefits, when properly ut ilised. For example, swastikasana (sun wheel) demands a direct action from the ankles while indirectly affecting all the other joints, including the spine. It is little understood t hat the flexibility of the whole body can be achieved through the proper manipulation of th: ankles, wrists and neck. When these five regions are fleXible the entire system softens and gains elasticity. CO Mandukasana (the seated frog), another basic seat, together with its variations effects the hipS and the shoulders directly and all th~ other areas indiredly.lt is the bridge betwee'n preparatory work and forward and backward bends. As its name suggests, mandukasana mirrors the

resting posit ion in which many members of the frog family

, .. There is an indication he re tha t the removal of ·b h1 erna ,-. d h· stiffness in the hips and shoulders gaine in t 15 asana improves respira tion.

1.1

The hatha yoga system is desig ned to b rin~ about a cessation of respiration without agg ressIOn. ThIS ~ h ort flection on these two postures indicates how their p roper ~~e prepares the body in many w ays for the practice of asana. bandha, knya, pranayama, mudra a nd laya .

"- "-

The above nine key posit ion s have thei r primary. intermediate and ad vanced levels wh ich should all be

learned before one discards the fi xed forms and enters the practh:e of freestyle. The pract ice of t he fixed fo rms without their preludes and conclusions will result in few, if any, benefi ts. Only when these nin e most important asanas have been mast ered is the beginner ready for the hatha yogic journey proper. The practice of yoga Will fail due to an excess of o ne or more of t he following : food. exertion, talking. a usterity. pu blic contact , and greed

~ChOOl

The essence of th e Shado; teachings is contained in th e compound noun kaya -sama-sthana-ghat;-kriya. Kaya refers to th e body. sama m eans eve n o r equal, sthana refers to bodily placement or a stance, ghat i is a standard unit of t ime of 24 minutes, an d kriya m eans process. The full compound t ra nslates as,'a process u ndergone through a sequence of equalising movements over a period. of 24 minutes.'The term ghati is often used In t he te xts t o refer to the durat io n of different forms of practice a nd Is defined as the leng th of time it takes for the energy to circu late once around the body_ When th e implications of kaya -samasthana-ghati_kriya are properly understood. th e six possible causes of failure will be overcome.

2'1

A complete session of yogic practi ce co nsist s of a sana. kriya, pranayama, mudra and /aya (absorpt ion). Asana itself is. made up of the th ree steps of prel ude, chosen amnavmyasa and condusion.As ghati in the a bove com pou nd suggests, any umt of practice should be carried out w ith in 24 minutes (one ghati) since it takes th is much t im e for the energy to complete a ~ullcycle a round the body. According t o the t:xts. th~ p.ractlCe IS fulfilled when t he prana IS contained WIthin the body and is exe rcised cont inuously for five ghatika (two hours).

'IS Kaya-sama -sthana-ghati-kriya al so conveys the idea of

a many-faceted, organic, rhythmic development through th e complete practice. The three phases of each form (prelude, asana -vinya sa and conclusion) together with kriya, pranayama, bandha and mudra equip the practitioner with the necessary responsiveness t o the rhythmic qualities of prana for the state of laya (absorpti on), the desi red goal of all yogic activit ies. The rhythmic cha nges experienced in the d ifferent activities neutralise the bUil d-up of greed, the root cause of excessive and obsessive behaviour, which so often results in failure, not on ly in yoga but also in other areas of life.

If the mind remains open and fluid without wavering or losing the direction of action, a well-planned yoga session will reflect the saying that all motion ends in stillness while stillness ends in motion.

2

Mitahara: the Controlled Intake of Pure Foods

1

Shadow Yoga

, At t he beginn ing of every new subject in ancient Ind ian, te xts, the word 'atha' appears. Most read ers pass over thIs

single word wit hout realising its great sig nificance. It in dicat es t hat so mething else, someth ing unstated should

have taken place before this new subject is ap proached, With out the proper applicat ion of the preceding inform ation a person wh o undertakes the next step w ill

stumble. Th is conveys a wa rn ing t hat one should t horoughly investigat e th e requi red prelimina ries before engaging

in experimentation.

1Beari ng this in mind, the beginner should tread with

caution when acquiring theore tical knowledg e. They should no t forget that they aTe dealing with the practical science of yoga. Theoret ical informat ion shou ld never be imposed upon the practice; instead it should be used as a method for observing one's behaviour. It must not interfere with t he nat ural movements of the limbs and the pranic force. It provides t he beginner with a map of t he energ et ic sites and pat hways. and serves as a device by which one can check one's personal growt h in the practices of asana. kriya , bandha. pranayama. mudra and laya.

1

Theoret ical informat ion should be digested until it feels as if the information has sprung for th and grown from w ithin one's own self. Practice and theory will then be one inseparable living knowledge manifesting as wisdom and act ion at all t imes. Th is is the required state of mmd for t he opening of the gate t o t he path of yoga Until t his point is reached t he pra ctice w ill exi st as a rea lity separate from oneself. Yoga is t he art of merging all differing forces into one. The beginner must strive without t iri ng until their continuous effort s bring forth t he key that unlocks their inner power, Before informat ion about energetic locat ions and circuits can be utilised it is im portant t o reflect upon dietary habits. and t o modify them appropri ately. This helps to overcome greed -related abuse, The Chandogya Upanish ad gives a conci se analysi s of the breakdown of food in the human system ,

"

'The gross part of solids becomes feces; the middle part becomesflesh, while the subtle becomes mind. The gross part offluid becomes urine. the middle part blood and the subtle part breath. The gross part offi re (digestive process) becomes bone, the middle part becomes marrow and the fine part becomes speech:

, From this, one can see that by controlling the intake of

solids one gains control over the physical body and the mind. From control over solids we gain control indirectly over the fluids. blood and breath. It is at the blood level that the practice of yoga begins. A pollut ed bloodstream results in poor respiration. The proper practice of asana and

pranayama automatically reduces the quantity offeces and urine. This instantly increases the inner heat as well as the quality of bone and marrow.

C

An und isci plined mind is responsible for the pollution of blood and a reducti on in the quality of the inner light .

Before one attempts the practice of yoga one should investigate one's dietary habits and learn to curb them to a degree. The diet eventually should be fully vegetarian and restricted to a few foods that are agreeable to the individual.

"1 The hatha yogic texts suggest the use of three grains rice, barley and wheat; some leafy and root vegetables with mild spices; and sweets like honey, candy sugar, and maple syrup. Each individual should experiment with their food until they discover what is easily digestible for them, and use on ly those food s.

~

The controlled intake of these chosen foods should not be imposed, but introduced gradually over a period of time. It should be pleasing for the body as a whole and not just the palate. Salty, sour and excessively bitter foods should be avoided. Sweet, astringent and slightly pungent spices like black pepper, cloves. ginger. cinnamon and cardamom can be used freely.

By controlling the palate one gains control over the body and the mind, the blood is cleaned, the breath becomes powerful and one gains good bones, marrow and gentle speech.

3 The Planets and Signs of the Zodiac and their Influence on the Human System

moon

#

- -% ,

.-

saturn

saturn mercury jupi~l

venus mars

mercu'Y

PLANETS

The universe and the human being are related ~s a macrocosm is t~ a micr<><:osm, The human bein9 IS constituted from light pa rticles de rived from the the moon, a,nd planets of the solar system and the ~~~rent star formation s of the zodiac Be
This informat ion is of great importance to the yogic practitioner since it enables modification of the practice according to favorable and unfavorable cond it ions. Inju ries and many Illnesses can be avoided t hrough understanding these influences. Since yoga is the science of harmony. and we are only manifesta t ions of th e heavenly bodies, one should understand their areas of in fluence o n ou r bodies. It Is only in Ihis way Ihal one can neutralise th e effects of the planets. This provides one of the keys to knowing what to do, when to do it. how to do it and how much of it to do.

-

4

The En ergetic Circuits of the Microcosmic Systems and their Locations

ether

fire o

o

wind

-Ev

•

earth

8

g .•

".u

v

I

wat er

ELEMENTS

, Man is the product of th e fiYe basic eleme t f wind, fire, water an d earth. These aTe the '"0 '0,. sky (ethert · Ifh nSl tuent rna e rla so t e complex energetic systems of both the ' macrocosmlc body of t he universe and the ' . body of the Individual. micrOCosmiC

,

According to the yoga text s, the human fo rm Is m d of three distinct bodies, five traps (encasements O· h' uP ., I· ,. I · I r s eat h s) >0 8 dVI a June lOn5 f'Ofllnts. seven energy centres, ten winds' an 72,000 energetlc OWS or channels. Of th ese chan 1 thirtee n a re importan t. Of those th irteen. three aTe ne s. of great Importance. And of t hose three, one is of

supreme Importance.

,

There are nine gates In the human body through which

energy can be conserved or diss ipated. There are five organs of perception (ears. skin, eyes, tongue and nose). and their related qualities (sound. touch. sight. taste and smell). and five organs of action (mouth. hands. feet. genitals a nd anus). all of which correspond to the five elements.

pe~ePtion.

Among the organs of the tongue plays a central role in conducting energy between the penphera l and central channels. It consequently has a major innuence on the physiological functio ns of the body.

"

When these many energy systems work harmoniously there is synergy. they act together as a Single unit. But when any one part malfunctions the whole system begins to break down. All yoga practitioners should be well informed about the fun ctioning of this whole system be
o The correct movement of the limbs trigge rs all of these systems. The limbs can be moved nat urally in an harmonious manner, o r unnaturally and without harmony. This is why it is vital to start with simple and uncomplicated movements that allow the individual to observe and discover t he natural and inherent actio ns of the limbs. Forcing movement leads to distortion and disharmony. The pranic force can only be awakened through harmonicus rhyth mic activity. and unless .one is awa re of the energetIC. circuits and locat ions one will not know how to look for thIS. Ether is located in t he forehead, its re lated organ of sense is t he ears and the organ of action is the mouth (tongue). Wind is located at the base of the navel. it correlates to the sense organ of t he skin and the hands are its organs of action. Fire is located in the shoulders and its organs of

sense are the eyes. the feet its organs of action. Water is located in the feet, the orga n of sense is t he tongue and the organs of actio n are the genitals. earth is located In the knees, the org an of sen.,e is the nose and t he anus is the org an of adion.

Ether is responsible fOT soJ;,d. wind for touch, f ire for form , water for t aste and eart h for scent. The ear th's COIOUT is

yellow. wa ter's is white, fire is red. and the colour re lated to air Is black, while ether IS multi-coloured. Each element has a symbol: the earth's a ~q uare. water a crescent moon , fire a triangle. w ind a Clrcie and ethe r a pomt. ~

Earth is located in the centre. water fl ows downwards, f ire burns upwards. wind blows to the sides, while ether is ~rceived

a t every inte rsection of the othe r elements. The corresponding flavou rs are: ea rth is bland. water is ast ringent. fire is pungen t. ai r is acid ic. e ther IS bitte r. Each eleme nt exerts an action. those correspondmg act ions a re: ea rth engenders stability: water movement. Cluel acts belong to fire: killtng and cursi ng belong to the wind and the ether is good for meditative act iVities on Iy. Within each hour oflh e day. earth domina tes for 20 mmutes. water for 16 minutes. fire for 12 minutes, win d for eig ht minu tes and ether for four minutes. The sequence of dominance is wind first , then fire, water, earth and fi nally. ether

'l

u

Knowledge of the five ele me nts and what they correspond to is of great importance to yogIC practitIOners It helps to determine the choice and the appropriate rhyt hm of practice, To ensure good results, the practice of asana should always start when either ear th or water is ruling. If the practice of asa na is sta rted whe n either wind. fire or ether are ruling, one faces the strong possib ility of injuries and disappointing setbacks. 10 It is also important to be awa re of the appropria te times of the day that are conducive to yoga practices in order to avoid impediments to s uccess. These times a re before sunrise, a t midday. before sunset and before midnight. Out of these, dawn and dusk are most suita ble for beginners. For particularly st iff people, d usk is mo re appropriate t ha n dawn, since the body has warmed up during the activities of the day and the practice will requi re less effort. The most important thing Is to use this information to maximise results while minimising the expenditure of energy. The three bodies within the human system are the causal. karana sharira, the subtle, sukshma shar/ra and the gross,sthula sharira. The causal body is the seat and origin of the individual soul (j;va). Without the causal body, no manifestation of life is possible. The subtle

body is the out pouring of the causal body in the form of tife-fo rce (pra na). The su btle body is responsible for al11ife functions within the gross structure of the physical form (t he sthuia sho riro). ,I According to the texts of both yoga a nd Ayurveda, these three bodies also include a number of koshas. 'Kosho'is usua lly translated as sheath o r encasement. but a bette r transla tion is entrapment or trap. since this conveys the important nuance of limitation or bondage.

,l

Yoga te xts tis t five of t hese traps. while Ayurveda te xts lists seven. The koshas interweave t he t hree bodies. and are responSible fo r the integ ration of the different life functions of the individual. The Koshas are expressions of the prank force. They are d issolved back into thei r o riginal source through the transfo rma tive processes stimulated by yogic practices. I ~

Annamaya Kosha IS the trap of food. pronomayo kosho is the trap of power. manomaya kosha is tIle trap of the processing mind, vijnonamoya kosha is the trap the Intuitive intellect. and onandomaya kosha is the trap of joy.

The additional two me ntioned in Ayurvedic texts are the sheen of the skin and the shadow on the grou nd.

tr~is

8y exam ining these and then observing SOCiety. one can see how different people are caught in different traps according to their habitual patterns. These d tfferent traps a re nothing but the different fields of consciousness t hrough which the mind operates. The Slightest trace of obsession with any of these fields will render the individual a slave to that field. On the o t her hand. if one is alert to this tendency, one can maintain a detachmen t from these fields of projecting consciousness. Then, by developing t he a ppropriate skills, one can use t he energy inherent in these fields to fulfil one's d J ~r needs. Hatha yoga provides t he a p prop riate means for yo king t he energy of t hese fields, The practice of asana wit h the controlled inta ke of pure foods g ives control of the on no maya kosha . Kriya, pranayama, bandho and m udra harness t he e ne rgies of t he remaining fie lds. When all these energ ies a re harnessed and brought unde r vol untary control, the internal process of loyo (absorption) may begin. The link to the internal process is protyahara. This evolves later into dharano, dhyono and somadhi (or nQdonusondono, as it is termed in the hatha yogic texts). The remaining two layers, the sheen of the skin and the shadow on the ground are utilised fo r dIagnostic purposes. Agood sheen on the skin demonstrates that the inner fire

(agmJ is functioning properly. Agn; is responsible for the healthy fun ctioning of all t he inner fields.

,

~

Skillful reading of the shadow can reveal t hings about t he individual"s future. Reflect ion on the nat ure of t hese inner fields will make it clear t hat act ivity im posed by the m ind on the body will not bring th ese energ ies under volu ntary control. This control can only be ach ieved th rough nat ura l patterns of behaviour. Th is means one must start w ith preliminary movements like squatting , lu nging and various movements of the arms and hands, in ord er t o uncover t he natural patt erns of mot ion latent in t he physical form

5

Marmas: the Vital Junctions (Points) 108

fhere are 108 vital junctions spread over the surface of the bod and its limbs. They appear at the intersections of drfferent muscular patte rns. jOints. arteries, veins. nerves and subtle energy currents. These are the vulnerable areas or key points to diffe rent energetic centres of organic activity. The word marm a is derived from the verb root mrt-, which means death. Ma rmas were first observed to be vulnerable areas and have been utilized in Kalar;payyat. the Indian martial art (in the science of striking and reviving). and in Ayurvedic therapy (in massage). They also respond to different patterns of muscular use, movement and breathi ng. Each ma rma relates to specific vayus (the different pranas), doshas (humou rs), dhatus (ti ssues). and shrotas (channels). This system was devised and developed by the great South Indian sage Agastya and is highly recommended by two ancient texts: the Yogayajnava/l:ya Samh ,ta and the Vas is hta Sam hita (or the Yoga Kanda ofVasishta). At the beginning of the chapter on meditation (dhyana), Yajn avalkya states:

Only after understan ding the marmasthan a, th e junction of nadi and the location of vayu, must one proceed with the un derstanding of atma. Yogayajnavalkya Sa mh ita IX. 4 The marmas of this system should not be confused with the paints of Chinese acupuncture, although many parallels may be fo und in the two systems. Twelve of the 108 marma junctions are said to be of vital importance, while the other 96 are termed medial1ife centres. The twelve central life centres are situated between the centre of the perineal floor (yonisthana) and the crown of the head (adhipa ti). and they include the seven cha kras.

~

-••

~

E

•

"

~ •

""

The 96 medial life centres a re peripheral. Thirty-two govern the nerves and soft tissues, white 64 directly affect the blood and blood vessels. The 96 peripheral centres are in charge of the eight nadis (channels) that carry the life force through the peripheral areas and feed into the central channels. These are: two channels from the eyes to their corresponding big toes, two from the ears to their corresponding big toes, the channel fro m the throat to the

head of the genitals, the channel from the neck to the anus, and the two belt channels that encircle the abdomen, one from left to right. the other from right to left . When good peripheral activity is achieved these channels are cleared and the ene rgy fl ows through them without obstruction. This energy then feed s into the central channels. Correct activation of these marmas enha nces all these functi ons, while incorrect act ivation will damage the m. For example, the junctions in the w rists, ankles and neck govern the tendons and connective t issue throughout the body and are therefore responsible for flexibility. Failure to correctly activate these junctions often results in injury to other joints and t issues. The marmasthana information makes it clear that the appropriate use of the arms and legs increases Ci rcu lation, space and suppo rt for the jOints, and incorrect use decreases these, which can eventually result in injury, both to joi nts and to the organs that correspond to those jOints. It is through the system of marmas that the natural patterns of bodily activity can be discovered and the energy mastered without injury. When the map of marmas is memorised and put to work in the practice of asan as, kr(ya, bandha, pranayama a nd mudra benefits will qUickly accrue. The marmas not only affect th e physiological functions but also exercise great in fl ue nce over the pranic force in the thirteen nadis. This force the n pierces the seven chakras (subtle inner energy centres) rendering them passive. With the chakras passive, the prana is no longer dissipated and the intense energy that results is termed the shaW. At the same time th at the yoga practices move closer to meditation, the marmas all over the body are brought under voluntary control. When this level of control is reached the marmas can be closed at will, turning the whole surface of the body into protective armour. This further conserves the dissipation of energy and increases th e shakti (inner latent power).

cont .ol, sth (hab~ udanvayu. b.ain

(~shudh~)

KURPARA heaft . live' . spleen

""'~ ANSA PHALAK

vayu. touthlsenution. at ,ophy. 4th chab. (anaha.u)

VRIHATI major p'tta accumulat IOn s'te. ANSA PHALAK

cont ,oISl.d chah<1 (manipufl)

..-1'------ PARSHVA SANDHI PARSHVA SANDHI

pitt a. digtstlon ehmonatlon

0 - - - - KATIKATARUNAM fat. conSl1p.1tlOn.

KATIKATARUNAM

"''''

NITAMBA

KUKUNDARAYA .ep.oductlon. ehmona\Ion.

NITAMBA

leg moblhty. cont rols 2nd ch alTa (swadhisthana) .eplOductlon. colon. u!lne. gas. stool. 1St (halTa stimulatIon (mu1.1dhar.lJ

KATIKATARU NAM fatconShpatlon.

"''''

KATIKATARUNAM fj~ C{)IIltil'ltion. v')'II

ANI

r---- URVI

Vl)'J. muscletenslon

-/- ANI

JANU ~Tl.l~,. splttn

Vi)'U.

udakavaha s.ota. fluid movement

musc~ "~Mlon

JANU heart. lover. spl«n

INDRAVASTI jatharagni. digestion. small Intestines

IN DRAVASTI Jataragn i. digest ion. small intestines I

relf i!"'.'es • tlffne <; s

' - - - GUl PHA reh~ ;tiffness

AOIPAfI

-

.... "'" -~ .""'' ',

•

-.

SIMAN I A!CAS .. ~.,.,. 9· ..."" ..' '.1· '"'<"'11'"'''*'1>I00:I

•

~

-

"'' '

/'

"

~==+===-;;;;

!r

V~

5HRINGAT AKA <)'to,e.«.,."." 1On91Jt."..' ...,

PHANA ,.,.II",o"".,".,lt."

1------

SHRI NGATAKA t)'<"''''',..,...tong".,.ntNe.

>.."'::::::- MANYA DHAMNI 'l>H«'''''''''''_ "........ ....-. \, APANGA "' ...... , '!r~.

VIDHURAM

,

he., "9. "'.... ,~ppo<\

SI RAMATRIKA

SIRAMAHIKA blood,,,,"l.,,on

MAR MAS •

· .. . t en d on 5 and sinewS 50 ft tissue, la rge muscles, connectlVe tissue, ligaments.

•

glandular and circulat ory sys tems: blood, lymph and secretions

o

bones. joints, sutu res and nerves

KUIKHA

\fI,.",

TALHR IOAYA lu"'1'

KURCHASHIRA mY"""p>
\

\

o>-~-- KURPARA h~~,th_.lpl«n

J

-,

.:>/- r-- KAKSHAOHARA LOH ITAKSHA

mUlde ltn,lOn nu>d~nl. ~Jm blood

supply

APALAPA blood. sympalho1lc 80 pa,..ympatho1l< """"us .ysl~m.

\

\

,

, APA5TAMSHA bIoo
p.ar.,ympolht'lk ~rVO\l' ,),<,om.

NEH OHAMN I U.n,k' point

5TANROHITA ... ptr~, p ru •.• rm mu«~, .l.-l.~ STANMULA ".ph •. p,tt. , blood cir
HRIOAVAM

",.,n p,tt. "'........ "),,n"'Y"

INORAVASTI jillaragncd"J"'bon, ."'""'~ 'rl":'.... NABHI .... of.n_ Ira.,k'l'O'n''''

sr'l.. n,"I"!II'"

KURCHA

""LOI' KSHIPRA fiu,d_m.m log blood ,,,wi)"

TAlHROAVAM lung<

VITAPAM btllymu'd.'....ron. Impol''''', .."",n.

_m

KURCHASH IRA

KURCHASH IRA mu"'~ 'pa'''''

mU«~;pl;;m<

___ KURCHA ","oon ' - KSHIPRA !>tart, Iu"9' KSHIPRA ho.rt.1ung;

MAR MAS •

soft tissue,large muscles, connective tissue, ligaments, tendons and sinewS

•

glandular and circul atory systems: blood. lymph and secretions

o

bones, joints, sutures and nerves

6 The Chakras

8efOle entering a discussion on the chakra system one should consider the three different levels of yogic practices (yoganga sadhana). These a re bah/Tonga (e_ternal), antaranga (internal) and paromontaranga (supreme). This third stage reveals the existence of god and the soul in man and leads to the connection of theJlvotma (individual self) and paramatma (god).

Bahiranga sadhana begin s with the yamas and ends with pratyahara . Hathayoga only stresses oneyama mitahara (controll ed intake of pure food) - and one niyama - ahimsa

(non -violence) - th at must be brought to life through the practice of asana, kriya, ba ndha, pranayama, mudra and pratya hara . 8ahiranga sadhana cures all t he di seases of the body that are apparent to th e senses. Dharana, dhyana and samadhi, the oth er three limbs, belong t o antaranga sadhana and t ogether are referred t o a s samyama . Antaranga sadhana works on the mind, the brain, and the heart (hrdayam). The hrdayam should not be confused with

the physical organ that pumps blood but is located in the a~ahota chakra. The workings o(the hrdayam are not dI rectly perceptible to the senses but are respo nsible (or the cure of all diseases related to the mind the brain and the heart. '

Paramantaranga sadhana is dha rma megha samadhi, the final steppingst one to kaivalya (isolation) as

described by the sage Patanjali that corresponds exactly to the term kevala kumbhaka (used in the texts of hatha yoga). Kevala kumbhaka (spontaneous cessation of breath) is the final outcome of asana, kriya, bandha, pranayama - the sahita kumbhaka s (imposed cessation of breath), mudra and nadanusandana. The hrdayam is supported by the seven chakras. These supports for the hrdayam are also termed nadi granthis (knots within the central channel of sushumna) since they act as blockages to the shaW in the ordinary individual. The mind or manas has its seat in the hole of the heart in the

anahala chakra and is only inferior

to the jivatma (antaryami, the indweller) and the

paramatma. The manas can understand joy and sorr~w, which is not possible to the senses and organs of action.

Th e seven chakras supporting the hrdayam are: Muladhara between the anus and

the root of the genitals Swadhisthana at t he origi n of t he genital s Manipura at t he navel Anahatha at t he heart Viss hudha at the base of the throat Ajna between the eyebrows Sahasra ra at the crown of the head. These seven chakras are active in t hree ways: avritti (dissipating motion) due to puraka, rechaka and kumbhaka (inhalation. exh alation and their retention): parivritti (spiralling) as a result of the proper control of the three bandhas; and samavritti (even rhythm) due to t he variation in the length of rechaka kum bhaka (exhalation and exhalation retention) during pranayama (th is refers into the 32nd verse of Patanjali's Samadhi Pada), These seven chakras in themselves are not perceptible to the senses or emot ions, but their activit ies can be perceived by t he mind. just like the experience of JOY and sorrow. The activity of the seven chakras is brought to a complete halt during kevala kumbhaka, which is the voluntary stopping of respiration .

Sahasrara

pineal pituitary

Ajna (

Visshudha

Anahata

Manipura

Swadhisthana

Muladhara CHAKRAS

7 Th e Ten Vayus (Winds or Motivators of the Pranic Force)

devadatta

X

UOANA dhanamJaya

PRANA

SAMANA

~

•

~

0

"0

•

."•

"

VYANA

" •

0"

,

-

~

•0 •"

-0

.~ 0

~

"0

•

~

•

~

VAYUS

.

,;

, I '-

Fr~e move ment of the ten vayus (winds) leads to a strong m md and body, as well as to longevity, The main vayu s are prana, apana, s~ma~a, udana . a nd vyona a nd they carty out

t he main .fu.nct l~ns '" t he diffe rent areas of the body. T~ e remammg five a re ter med t he nagadi vayus (sub. wmds), a nd a re responsible fo r t he relief of the differe nt sorts of te nsion t hat a rise in the body due to the stresses of life. The locations and fu nctio ns of the prima ry vayus are as follows:

Pran avayu the main seat is in t he heart (h rday a). but it is also loca ted a t t he t ip of t he nose, in the navel a nd the big toes. Its colour is green a nd its na t ure is hot. It is responsible for inhalation and for the sepa rat ion of solid, liquid a nd gaseous food substances within the duoden um. It also maintains the healt h of the orga ns 111 the head regio n.

Apanavayu

(the downward moving wind)

t he main seat is t he a nus, but it is also located at the base of the neck, the spine, alo ng with t he whole of t he back and t he heels. It is responsible for a ll types of elimination including e xh alatio n, defecat ion, urinat ion, ejaculation. t he holding of t he child within the womb during pregnancy and also delive ry. During t he passage out of the womb, a type of apQnavayu causes t he child to forget its previous births. Its color is black. when this wind is wea kened because of incorrect lifestyle it can cause major healt h problems.

Sa m a navayu (the equalizer) the main seat is the navel, but it is also located at the t uft of the hair (the whorl), Its colour is white. This cur rent is respons ible for the assimilation of the essences of food as well as t he elect romag netic currents from t he process of respiration and the assimila tion of thought pa tte rns.

Udanavayu (t he upward moving wind) the main sea t is at t he base of t he throat. but it is also loca ted In the heart, the uvula, the t hird eye a nd t he ~rown of the head. Its colour is red. It is responsible fo r carrymg the power upward within the central ~ h a n nel s (of sushumna and vajrlni) nad/s. This wind contributes most to the practice of the three band has - uddlyana. mUI.a a nd 'alandhara . including the practice of nault knya (t~e . d j . '0") . when thiS wmt d rotation of the rectus abdommus mu ~ is abused through incorrect practice it leads to deep·sea e psychological and physiological illnesses that damage the

.

t m The control of this cu rrent should be ~~~ic:,,~~e.:ft~;ut ·imposition by using the intuitive intelligence.

Vyanavayu (the circulating wind) the seat is the skin all over the body..Its colour is that o~ th e . b It is responsible for ci rculat10n and for the dehvery :~t;11 ~;;es of food essence to the different parts of the body. The nagadi vayus (sub-vayus tha t are situated within and around the heart) are:

Kurma (the tortoise) its seat is directly under the heart and it is respo nsible for bUnking.

Krika ra (the partridge) its seat is on either side of the heart and it is responsible for sneezing, hunger and belching .

Devadatta (the gift of the gods) its seat is slightly above t he heart and it is responsible for yawning.

Naga (the serpent) its seat is in the centre of the heart and is responsible for the intuitive free moveme nts of the body's limbs, acting as a release mechanism for prana shakti which lives in the skin.

Dhanam j aya (the giver of victory) this wind is ail-pervasive and is responsible for the movement of sound throughou t the whole body. It is present in the body during life and after death, when it causes the decomposition of the body. Its seat is in the cent re of the heart. These ten winds are merely the diffe rent fu nctions of the one prank force responding to the different demands of life. Through the proper practices of yoga all these winds and functions are strengthened, rendering the body healthy and strong. This frees t he pranic fo rce from excessive demands related to the maintenance of the gross structure.

8 Th e Thirteen Nadis (Subtle Energy Flows)

According to yogic anatomy, the vayus are carried through a network of nodis. These number 71,000 and s ple~d throughout the whole body. Of these 72,000,. yoga. IS only concerned wIth thirteen. These th i rt~en a.r~ I~a. p mgo l~, sushumna. alambhusha (or saraswatl). va! r~ m. gan~han. hastYIVa. pusha.yashashvini. kuhu. sha~km l. varunl. and vishvodhara . These nadis are the most Important transporters of the pranic force or vayu.

These nadis all stem from the bulb (kanda) which hangs from the sushumna like a jewel on a thread slightly below th e manipura chakra . The ida nadi. channel of the moon. is connected to the left nostril and is responsible for the cooli ng of th e ent ire system and the supply of energy to the heart. The direction of th is energy is to the south and west . The plngala nodi is the channel of the sun. gives rise to heat in the body a nd is connected to the right nostril. It supplies the brain and its direction is to the north and east. The sushumna nadl consists of three flows · the upward (a rohan). the downwa rd (avarohan). and the thrust ing (vaj rlnl). These correspond to the governing. fu nctioning and thrusti ng me ridians of the Chinese system. The downward fl ow is also te rmed alambusha (or sa raswatl) nadi. the cha nnel of the tongue The tongue also ac ts as a bridge betwee n t he central and peripheral nadis. The sushum na nadi is oft en referred to as smashana (the bur ning grounds). which reveals its true identity as the bearer of fire. The remaining eight nadis carry the pra nic force to the peripheral areas of the body. Gandhari travel s from the kanda to the left eye and also to the big toe of the left foot. Hastijiva travels from the kanda to the rig ht eye a nd also to the big toe of the right foot . Pusha travels from the kanda to the right ear and also to the big toe of the rig ht foot. Yashashvinl travels from the kanda to the left ear a nd also to the big toe of the left foot. Kuhu travels from the kanda to the throat and also to the head of the genitals. Shankinl connects the neck and the anus through the kanda. Varun i and vishvodhara are the two belt channels, the former runni ng from left to right. the latter from right to left. Both start from the kanda and terminate in the kanda on the opposite side. If the movement of vayu is disturbed in these nadfs by the overgrowth of muscles or other causes, the outcome Is imbalance. There is a warning in some texts (mcluding

those of the late Sri T.Krishnamacharya, the father of present-day yoga) that people must refrain from repetitive and one-sided activity. Where one type of movement is continuously repeated throughout a practice session, it leads to an over-growth of those muscle groups that are being repeatedly used. This leads to th e obstruction of the movement of the pranic force whi ch gives rise to a host of diseases whilst causing the mind to become fixed and mechanical. However when the practice of asanas is mastered, it renders fiuid both the mind and the pranic force.

ida & pinga\a

1da & pinga\a

.- --

vishvodhara

gandhari & hastijil'a

NADIS

----

w"

•

•

•

•

y

( )

( )

,)

J l sushumna. saraswati & vajrini

(

)

(

)

(

l

sushumna

n -

---

v'

•

)~

~

•

•

varum

" (

)

( ) shankini

pusha & yashashvini

kuhu

NADI5

•

•

J~

•

--

•

•

" •

)

)

(

\ )

\ ) ida & pingala

,

)

,

ida & pingala

, \ushumna, saraswati & vajrin!

sushumna

, --..-

-

-

-

· w· ' - .

)\'

-

(

)

\ ) vishvodhara

gandhari & hastijiva

pusha & yashashvini

(

kuhu

varum

-• ~

0

,.,m •"c

~

.,v

~

.0

--"• ~

"0

•

Z

c

v v Ie

--

~

>V

~

NADIS

9 The Tongue

Of all the jnanendr{yas and the k~r.mend riyas , t~e tongue

I

the most complex and sigmflcant role. It IS the organ ~/::rception for taste, and the organ of action for. speech. All the major organs, nerves, ligaments, tendons, smews and sutures are under the influence of the t ?n9~e. The ha tha texts state tha t the re is no asana hke siddha sana , no r:;':bhaka like kevala, no mudra like kh~hari.and no laya like nadanusandana. What concerns us here IS the. . importance given to the khechari mudra (the moving In space gesture), This deals with th~ placement of the tongue appro priate to the different practIces of ha tha yoga. The tongue is the switch between the gross and the subtle, and between the central and peri phe ral energy systems. It plays a great role in the voluntary control of the Si xteen sinews and the seven sutures thro ughout the yogic practices. There are sixteen sinews (kandara) - t~o in each arm, two in each leg , fou r in the throat and four m the neck. Those in the a rms and legs extend to the tiP of the fingers and toes res pectively. Those in the throat pass through the heart and terminate in the generative organ, and those in the back terminate in the anus, Of the seven fibrous sutUles (shivanij, five are found in the cranium, one in the tongue, a nd one in the male organ or the clitoris. Through the connection between the tongue and the sinews, one can influe nce and direct the movement of the body parts using pran iC force rather than heavy muscular activity. Through the tongue's influence over the sutures, one can increase or decrease the inner space of the skull in order to adjust the brain and its fun ction during refined practice of pranasamyama. A set of daily exercises has been prescribed for the cultivation of the tongue's energy, These are e xt remely important even if one is not interested in undergOing the prolonged process involved in achieving khechari mudra (which requires the guidance of a guru) . These preli min ary exercises consist of the massaging and stretching or 'milking' of the tongue. Inserting the three middle fingers into the mouth, one should massage the root of the tongue. Next, one should use the th umbs to massage the sides and bottom of the tongue, including the fraenum (the sinew attached to the tongue). Then one should take the thumbs and massage the roof of the mouth, including the hard and soft palates and the uvula. practice will feel a little strange but this reaction soon disappear. There will be some thick salivation, wH\ hi~,~:~ as the energy begins to clarify. e, should take a thin, clean towel, take

hold of t he t ip of the tongue with the thumb anmex d· d . fmg ers of both hands and then pull t he t ongue dovvn be the Up of the ch in, up towards th e bridge of the n GSe ~ow then from side to side, This milking should be don at" · . th . be~ e 300So t lmes In e mormng lore practice. Finally. one should hold the towel with the three middle finge rs and wipe the

surface of the : ongue d ean u ntil the to ngue regai ns its na tural dee p pmk colour. By milking the tongue in this w it is surprisingly easy to release the st iffness of the inner ay organs as well as those oflhe limbs. Th ere is a milder fo rm of kechari mudra , te rmedjiva bandha

(lock of the soul). Every pract itioner can and should use this during the practice of yoga. There a re four distinct points located on the hard and soft palates where different energies can be brought unde r control a nd di rected by the placeme nt of t he tip of the tongue. These points correspond to the different elements operating in the body. For the practice of asana, the tip of the tongue should always be placed against the palate behind the root of the fron t upper teeth. though without actually touching the teeth. This is the seat of the element wind. By holding the tongue at this point it makes the movement of the breath much deeper and the motion of the body smoother a nd llghter. 1.

2. Placing the tip of the tongue ag ainst the centre of the roof of the palate increases the heating process in the body, since this is the seat of ti re in the mouth.

l Sometimes the surface of the tongue and mouth becomes dry due to e xcess heat . At such times, one should roll the tongue back furthe r a nd place the tip of the tongue to the edge of the soft palate. This increases moisture throughout the body because this is the seat of wate r in the mouth, and this is accompa nied by an increase in energy. 4. When there is an expe rience of instability in the mind or the body, one should push the tip of the tongue t ~wards the tip of the uvula while at the same time contractmg the uvula towards the tongue. When the two tips m~et the mind and the limbs will gain stablHty since the tIP of the uvula is the seat of earth within the back of the mouth. When the two tips touch, one will experience a firm contraction di rectly above the centre of the perineal floor, the seat of the element earth in the body. 5. The ftfth point is the seat of ether, which is situated

between the eyebrows. the locati,on of the th.i rd e~e . This is the point used in khecharl m udra. whIch wIll not be dealt with in this book. When the practice of jiva bandha is refined. the tongue will move of its own accord to these energy pOints to provide the necessary quality according to the needs of the practice at thaI moment . All these variations provide a necessary seal to prevent the leakage of energy. This concludes the theoretical information necessa ry for a well.gTOunded and rewa rd ing practice of hatha yoga. Deprived of this. the mind remains dull and blind to the energies awakened by the practices of yoga . This information should be received in such a way that it can be used spontaneously by the mind in actIOn.

10

Asanas: the Tools

, a the theor!tlcal information presented will whenpu t t ou,.... I b ) I r t the yama s (restraints) and niyamOS 0 servances, ~h!C~ a~e t he basis of all yogiC a(tivitie~. The yamas and

ni ama5 prepare the mind for the pract ICe of asana..

H~Weyer. asana. third in

the OT?er ~f the

as~tan9a (eight

limbs). plays a great role in enhvenmg the f1TS~ two. This occurs because in th e work of "sana one IS a,ble

to observe in action one's own patterns of behaVIOur, both conscious and unconsci ous.

lIf the mind is dull or sleeping. t he activity of asana forces it to awaken. A well-tuned mind is free from any type of thinking. and yet is f ully aware of ev:~yt hing. that happe ns. It is this combination of quahtles, whICh enables it to be spontaneous a nd fluid. To cultivat e th is, in the

Shadow School, the asanas are pract iced with a number of different rhythms and energetiC patterns. These p rogress from fluid, through st atic·dynamic, t o stillness wit h inte rchanging patterns of spiral, circular and linear movement. These are arranged in three phases the prelude, asana-vinyasa and conclusion. Together they involve the fu ll curriculum of bahiranga sadhana (asana, kr(ya, bandha, pranayama, mudra, pratyaha ra).

seque~ces

There a re four fixed in the Shadow School. th e preliminary, primary, intermediate and advanced sequence, so-named according to the level and type of activity involved. Balakra ma - Stepping into Strength 2. Chaya Vivaranam - Opening the Shadow l Chaya Yoddha Sancha/anam - Yoking of the Shadow

1.

Warrior 4· KarWkeya mandalam - Ga rland of ligh t

'< These four levels of pract ice accommodate t he various levels of student (s adhaka), wh ic h are t hree: mild, medium or Intense. According t o th eir individual ca pacity, th e student is taken throug h the preludes to th e different levels of asana th at bring t hem to the threshold of anta ranga (internal) and paramantaranga (supreme) sadhanas.

How can these sequences of asanas possibly bring the practitioner to such a point? 5

The first thi ng one should examine is how the innumerable va riations of the five body posit ions of forward, sideward

and backwa rd bends. twists and balances bring abou t different states of tra nsformation. This is aehi-' d th h . . " ... . e raug th eIT In . u enee over the five major wi nds that are responsible fo r the basic life functions. A fo rward bend like

pa1c-himottanosana reduces the

capacity for inhalat ion while increasing exhalation causing t he body to become light. It restricts the movement of prone va~u . while facilitating t he movement of apona vayu. This IS brought about by the cont raction cfthe lower abdomen and the Increased pressure on the area cf t he rect um and towards the heels. At the same time, the head presses the energy from the base of the neck to the anus the main seat of apona vayu, fo rcing the prane to enter' the sushumna (central channel).

q.

A side bend like ardha chandrasana restricts both inhalation and exhalation, while a back bend like urdhva dhanurasana restricts exhalation and increases inhalation. In the latter case, the resulting expansion of the body creates more inner space and intensifies agni. Twists and balances also rest rict prana and lengthen apana.ln addition, they force into action the other three vayus (samana, udana and vyana). because of the acute pressure on the area of the navel. When one considers the above information, it Is clear why such importance is placed on making exhalation twice as long as inhalation. With correct exhalation. the mind is brought to a state of surrender, empty of though!. It is of great importance that we understand the relationship between inner and outer work in practice. The gross body continuously influences the subtle currents. With this knowledge we can use t he physical form, our chief inst rument, with intell igence and care but without pam pering it.

'J

The type of breathing t hat should be adopted du ring the pract ice of asana is also important. This is a simple form of ujjayi. The breat h is slightly restrai ned through the na rrowing of the base of the t hroat a nd the application of t he three bandhas. This causes a gentle hissing sound behind t he hea rt. This accompanies t he increase in sadhaka pitta, which is located t here a nd is responsible fo r the control of cardiac tem perat ure. The power wit hin t he breat h should a rise from t he proper placeme nt of t he body a nd flu id moveme nt. This is only possible when each position is executed on Its point of balance without overuse or underuse of the limbs. If the b.QQyllQ[ot.oLbalance is maintained throughout the practice. whethe r holding a position or moving between positions. many things are gained. The tissues of the body gain even toning, the breath becomes smooth and fluid and the mind will be void of all

thoughts. This is the un imposed state of d~ara.na (concentration), the fir st step towards meditation. If practit ioners w ork in this direction they will arriye at a point w here t hey understand both t he inside and the outside of the asanas. For t eachers, it is import ant t hat they are capable of demonstrating what they teach, but also t hat t hey understand what asanas are good fo r what type of ailments and how they should be applied wi t h regard t o durat ion and breat hi ng.

!J

Good demonstrati ons are required, but without t he knowledge of the curative aspects of asanas, kriyas, bandhas, pranayamas and mudras people will not benefit from these practi ces and the science of yoga will be lost to future gen erati ons. At the same time, theoretical information not worked wi t h in practice may bring certi fication. but will not yield re sults in the real world.

11

Nauli Kriya

. / /., ' "lik! and chalan; aTe all synonyms fo r naulf I I, na... . ' , . Nauli kri"Q (the churning process) IS the king of the f(Yll." I d "bed shutkarmas. the six acts tha t are frequen.t y eS(TI . a s cleansing processes, but fulfil a more Importa nt fun ct IO n Nau /I, au

inyogo sadhana. The pancho-karm as (the five acts of Ayurveda) are mOTe

appropr iate for cleansing. and should be d one before the yoga sadhana IS begun. The sha tkarma s. are used mainl~ for g aining control over involuntary act ions. Here we Will only deal w ith naull kriya , since its use is an integral part of bahiranga sadhana . The other five acts should only be used a ccord ing to individ ual needs over a sh o rt period of time. Information about them can be fo und in m ost hatha yoga texts.

Nau li kriya involves a churning of the abdominal viscera by the rectus abdominus muscle, to draw t he inner heat from the abdominal fl uids. This image of churning was borrowed from the circular motions of the fire stiCK of the Vedic fire rituals. The mastery of this process requires the acquisition of the three bandhas. When uddiyana is complete the other two bandhas follow spontaneously and nauli becomes accessible.

The practice of nauli cannot be learned from books. One needs to work with a teacher wh o has mastered it an d cl early understands its function Its main use is at the bridging pOint between asana and pranayama and in the practice of shakti-chalana mudra (the churning or raiSing of power). The practice of naulf kriya is always combined with kapalabhati or bhastrika pranayama , and is performed during bahir kumbhaka (external retention of the breath). If practiced daily, the standard number of rotations is five hundred to a thOusand at one sitting . More can be done but this is sufficient for the ave rage practitioner. To reach this number of rotations requires about 15 minutes. The rotations should be done from left to right fi rst. and then from right to left within each set. The number of rotat ions should be increased slowly without sacrificing

thoroughness. The combined practice of bhastrika pranayama, uddiyana bandha and nauli kriya helps the practitioner gain control over the three doshas - vata, pitta, and kapha.

Nauli kriya increases the movement

of wind, fe eding the inner fire whilst stabilising its fl ame. For this reason, it is called the king of th e six acts. With th e consistent practice of nauli kriya, th e body becomes light and firm, free from energ etic obstructions .

12

Pranayama

The word pranayama has layers of meaning . Accor~~ng . . r ~, prana usually t ranslated as life-force.

to thesctenceo ]-" . ' .. be· . btl 'orm of energy that exists in al1l1vJng mgs IS a su e h n f t' until their death. This energy controls all t e , e une IOns within the body.

Prana should not be mistaken for the air i~volved in the physical process of breathing. Nor should It be confused ith the jivatman (the indwelHng soul). Ayama. the second

;alf of the compound. refers to a lengthening or prolonging process. The 'lengthening' of the ~r~na implies th~ i~ea of conservation, that the energy 15 In some ways hmlted and must be made to last longer by a process of restraint. This is achieved by regulating the pattern of respiration. which maximises the potential of this energy.

This is accomplished by manipulating the four phases of the respiration process: 1. Puraka - inhalation 2. Antara kumbhaka - retention of inhalation 3- Rechaka - exhalation 4. 8a hya kumbhaka - retention of exhalation

These four phases can be practiced with even or uneven ratios. The even rat ios are called samavrW. whilst the uneven ones are referred to as vishamavrttl pranayama. If the counting of the length of the three phases is done through the use of mantras it is termed samantrakam. When count ing is done with numbers only, it is called amantrakam or tantrikam . There is one type of pranayama that goes beyond these four phases. This is termed kevala kumbhaka, the voluntary and complete cessation of respiration. In this state, the pranic force is completely isolated within a closed circuit . This is the highest form of pranayama and is the natural outcome of well-conducted respiratory regulation. Most hath a yoga texts list ten different ty pes of pranayama for the regulation of the breath: I Suryabhedana - pierci ng the sun 2 Ujjayi - the victorious breath 3 Nadi shodana - cleansing of the channels 4 Sitkari - cooling breath

. cooling breath ,ho,o· - humming OJ Plavini - floating

8 Kapalabhati - shining the skull 9 Bhastri - bellows 10 Murcha - swooning

The Hatha Pradipika of Svatmarama Yogendra lists only eight (lahari a nd murcha are excluded), Sri T. Krishnamacharya. in addition to these two, also excludes bramhari. He considered the effects of those three pranayamas to be purely physical, short lasting and tending to cause s piritual retardation. Gfthe seven remaining pranayamas, suryabhedana, ujjayi and nadi shodana are to spiritually uplift the individual. They must be pract iced weI! for a long time before their fruit s are experienced but their beneficial effects are long lasting. Sitkari, shitali. kapa/abhati and bhastri are purely physical but also beneficial. The practice of pranayama is conducted utilising the three modes of anu/oma, vi/oma a nd prati/oma. These modes are given to the student according to individual requirements. They help to regulate the mind and maintain the right direction In thiS demanding discipline. Before engaging in the practice of pranayama one should gain control of the basic asanas. Without this, pranayama is not possible. Of all the asanas,padma5ana (when performed with all three bandhas) is the most suitable for pranayama. The movement of vayu through the nostrils is regulated using the right hand. The index and middle fingers are bent into the base of the right th umb. The tip of the thumb is then made to touch the tips of the ring and little fingers; this gesture is termed mrigi mudra (gesture of the deer) or omkara (the gesture of om). The hand is then applied to the nostrils so that the thumb regulates the right influx whilst the tip of the ring and little fingers control the left influx. The tips of the thumb and fingers are placed near the middle of the nose at the edge of the septum and gentty pull the skin towards the tip of the nose. The marma called phana (the hood) is located where the finge rs touch and governs the area of the brain responsible for respiration. Of the eight pranayamas recommended above, suryabhedana should be practiced first. Only when suryabhedana has been mastered will the other pranayamas yield significant benefits. Th!S. pr~nayama is responsible for removing all the impUTItles m the body

h t bstr uct or hamper the circulation of heat and light . ~h~ c~rrect application of the th ree bandhas constitutes the foundation of pranayama practice. Mulabandha is maintained during the entire practice,jaJandhora is introduced at the end of inhalation and is maintained during its retention, the exhalat ion and the re.ten.tion of the exhalation. Uddiyana is introduced at the begmnlng of exhalation and is maintained through its entire length as well as during the retention that foll ows. The modifications in the th ree bandhas regulate the rhyt hmic patterns of pranayama by increasing or decreasing the pressures within the different body cavities. It should be noted that the use of uddiyana bandha during the initial stages of pranayama practice may cause discomfort in the navel area, the liver, spleen and solar plexus. These discomforts slowly ease and finally disappear with consistent practice. Ujjayi, with anu/oma or vi/oma modes, is used to cleanse the breathing passages. Ujjayi in pratiloma mode

is a combination of these two. The regular p ractice of this pranayama helps in maintaining the health of the nose, lungs and breathing passages and helps in bringing the mind to become steady. Anuloma is effective in the treatment of diseases of the nasal passages, while vi/ema cures diseases ofthe th roat and tonsils. Nodi shodhana pranayama cleanses the arterial vessels that flow from the heart. Kapa/abha t; dries up the excess of phlegm within the skUll, while bhastrika pranayama gets rid

of the excess of phlegm from the lungs and the rest of the body. Sitkari and shitali pranayamas remove excess heat from the body, while sitkar; is also responsible for the removal of pOisons from the blood. With the exception of suryabhedana, ujjayi (i n anu/ema, vi/oma and pratiloma modes) and nadi shodhana pranayamas, all the other pranayamas are only used for therapeutic purposes. These three pranayamas also have the rapeutic effects, but their main role is to regulate the fluct uations of the m ind and annihilate habits of attachment.

13 Mudras

'be a seal or hermetic isolation. The word mudra descn 5 t f the body and Is held there Energy is directed to one i~:~ l~ngth of time to increase the with attentIon for ~ s~ area In this way. the mudras power of that parhCU1~atic ~wakenin9 of the kundalini cont ribute to the S:;:;e inherent in all individua ls),

shaW (the cosmIC

. d With the exception of vi pa ri to karam mu fa (the hea d stan d) . the mudras are all executed

in seated positions. I a mudrQ the combination of controlled postu re. " d'respna · t ion with breath retention. h. and ba ndhas regulate , . , In a cen re In is used 0h0 Id 'h i' power and the mind WIt 'd the subtle body. The energy of that ce ntr ~ IS then rawn up into the centre above it and this process IS rep~a t ed ali the way to the crown chakra . ln th is way, a mudra IS a process,

through which obstructions in the subt le channels are removed and the power of the subtle body is st rengthened and refined. At the same time,on another level, the attachments and rigid patterns of the mind are dissolved, The Hatha Pradipika ofSvatmarama, the most authoritative text on hatha yoga, describes ten mudras, the Gherandha 5amhita lists twenty five, and the Yoga Pradipika of Jayatarama speaks of twenty four sealing processes, The ten mudras mentioned by Svatmarama are mahamudra, mahabandh a, maha vedha, kechari, uddiyana, mulabandha,jalandhara bandha, vipari ta karani, vajroli and shaW chalana, Most of these mudras do not need to be

practiced by all, since they are intended for the removal of speCific energetic obstruct ions. The exceptions a re udd(yana, mulabandha and jaia ndhara, kechari. viparita karani and shaW chalana mudras. These should be used at all times for the concentration and the elevation of the kundalini shaW. M ahamudra helps in overcoming energetic blOCkages in the three lower chakras. Th ese three ch aleras (muladhara, swadhisthana and manipura) are in charge of respiration, heat and stability. Together these produce the increase in power. When there is a build up of fluid or overgrowth of muscle between the perineal centre and the diaphragm, maha mudra is used for the reduction of these excesses. This fr ees the pTanic force from domination by greed·lnfected activities like eati ng, drinking, sex, or overactivity of any kind. Mahabandha is the combinat ion of udd(yano, mulabandha andjalandhara and helps to overcome blockages in the

hea rt a ~ d th r~a.t centres including blockages a rising fro m mental ImpositIOn. Maha vedha is a developme nt of mahabondha that helps to shake t he pran!c fo rce free from t he base chakra a nd t hen pie rce th rough, aU the way to t he crown chakra. There a re indi viduals who ca n clear the inner pathways through t he practices of asana. kriya a nd pranayama alone (wit h the a pplicatfo n of the three bandhas). For such people these t hree mudras a re not required.

The three band has are t he true kin gs of the herm et ic isolat ion of th e prani c force. Without t hem, none of th e mudras would be effe ct ive. Kechar! mudra training should only be started with t he

ad vice of. a nd under the gUidance of, a n e xperienced teacher. Viparita karan! mudra (shirsasana) has two functions. It reduces the number of respirations per minute a nd eve nt ually it can lead to a com plete sto ppage of respi ration. By this pract ice. the movement of breath, t he heartbeat a nd t he fluct uations of t he mi nd a re brought under voluntary controL In addit ion, viparita karan i mudra also cultivates pratyahara (sense wit hdrawal). which is the link be twee n the exte rn al (bahiranga) and t he internal (antaranga ) practices. Pratyahara is achieved t hrough a numbe r of differe nt techniques. The best of these to practice initially is give n in t he Vash ishta Samh!ta a nd the Goraksha Sha taka. These texts recommend holding vipa r;ta kara n! mudra whilst systematically concentrating the pranic force a nd then movi ng it t hrough a chain of 16 (some schools say 18) vital pOints. To be able to practice in t his way shirsQ mna must be mastered fi rst . Accordi ng to Sri T. Krishnamacharya, the practice of asana, kriya, bandha, pranay ama a nd mudra is enoug h until t he age of sixty. The practice of pratyahara should only begin at t his stage of tife. This advice intimates that the correct practice of yoga sho uld be in harmony wit h t he unfolding of the energies of tife. If things are forced before their time, violation occurs, and t his wilt result in injury or terminal disease. In such ways are efforts wasted because of impat ience, fear, greed and lack of wisdom.

Shakti ch a/ana mudra (churning of the power) is the combination of bhastrika and suryabh edana pranayama s with the performance of na uli kriya during bahya kumbha ka. The time allotted for this practice is from on e to two and a half hours. The practice of all the mudras shou ld be learnt under the supervision of a n experienced

teacher. Until such a teacher is available. they should be left alone. The terms vajroli. amaroli and sahajoli describe essentially the same process. The names differ but thei r fun ctions are the same. These practices are elaborately explained in most of the hatha yoga texts. In the Yu kta Bhavadeva . Bhavadeva Mishra suggests that these three practices a re only prescribed for perversely infatuated a nd ig nora nt people. It may be added that there a re much better ways to facilitate the upwa rd movement of semen and ova. Sexual energy cannot be controlled through suppression and denial. Such control evolves nat urally out of a growing understanding of the energetiC principles of the yogic practices.

14

Laya (Absorption)

Laya is th e process of absorpti on achieved in hath . a yoga through the practlce of nadanusandana (listen in t th

innersound). It correspond s to the practice of sa~y~mae descnbed In the Yoga Sutra s of Patanjali, which consists of th e three st ages dharana (concentrati on). dhya na (m editation) and samadhi (which also mean s absorption ).

All th ese practices of antaranga sadhana require an advanced refin ement of the m ind. This is the t rue goal of the bahira nga sadhana and if these earlier stag es are not mast ered there is no way forward, however ardent or committed the practit ioner may be. The energetic cultivation a chieved through the stages of asana, kriya, bandha, pranayama, mudra and pratyahara creates an un obstructed field of energy in which the internal and external force s dissolve into each other. These forces then act as one unified power. This final point of the bah iranga sadhana is the sta rting point for the antaranga and paramantaranga sadhanas, w h·lCh are the goal of all the yogas

1

Preludes (Diagrams)

Balakrama (Steppin g into Strength)

-,

I

-

Balakrama (Stepping into Strength)

-

d

.,..

~

•

Chaya Vivaranam (Opening the Shadow)

.~ "

....

I

Chaya Yoddha Sancalanam (Yoking of the Shadow Warri or)

"•

-

c-

~ -~

,' .

~

,

... .

Karttikeya Ma nda la (Garland of Light)

-•

G.§7

! ".

Asan a Asana - seat, should be fi rm, light and at ease through the control of the bodies natural tendenCles by meditation on th e infinite. Patanjali Vogasut ra ii. 46

The effort for th e achievement is done only for t he mainten ance of the body's life. It is not a tool for asana By being th e accidental cau se for asan a, it may ruin t h e laws of vyasabhasya asana. One should arrive at an asana th roug h adaptat ion a nd not

by imposition, as Patanjali's sutra and vyasa's comment on it clearly state. This can only be achieved by choosing the simplest of asa nas in order to awaken the v1vid state of alert ness. The process for the seats should be via the coded patterns of the prelude fo rms that a re designed for overcoming energetic obst ruct ions ofthe body, rendering the m ind

sensitive towards the action. In selecti ng asanas to reveal the pract ical side of this book's intellectual (ontent • the most uncomplicated and simplest were chosen . To ensure a smooth and positive transition, these asanas should be learnt slowly, w ith patience, and under an experience d gUide.

The five asanas are ...

1.

Gomukhasana

Gomukhasana (seat of the cow's face) helps to remove the obstruction of marmas, clears the nadis and causes stability of the ,6 adharas (vital supports) of the body. promoting the free circulation of wind and fluids (blood. lymph).

2.Simhasana Simhasana (seat of the lion) is the best position for the

learning of the three bandho5 (tiesllocks) and also for gaining control over respiration and breath retention. It also balances the three bodily humours of vata, pitta, kapha,

3- Virasana VirQsana (the hero or warrior seat) subtly suggests that this

seat is the seed position for all possible configurative activity since it promotes the internal and external rotation of the hips. It also eases the mind from its rigidity.

4. Bharadwajasana Named after Bharadwaja, one of the great Vedic seers of ancient times. The correct execution of this seat free s the spine from the dominance of the body's limbs_

5. Padmasana Padmasana or kamalasama (the lotus seat). besides being the most popular seat for meditation, it also heals existing ailments of the body and cures diseases.

How To Use This Book The prelude sequences illustrated in this book can be memorised and then practiced using the understanding gained from reading the text This process of oohimnga sadhana will be enhanced by careful observation of the Shadow Yoga DVDs. The practice of yogasanas however cannot be learnt from books or audio-yisual tools alone. The internal processes. antamnga sadhana of yoga5ana5. pranayama s, kriyas, bandhas and mudras must be learnt with the guidance of a teache r well-versed In th is style so that these practices can be introduced and adapted according to the needs of the indiyidua1. The theoretical information contained in this book is intended to evoke an understanding of Universal principles that the mind can rest upon during practice. Detailed technical information on the other hand will pollute the mind and prevent absorption in the practice. The role of the teacher is to introduce technical points only when they are called for in order that the individual student can relate appropriately to the activity. As the practitioner matures and action is carried out in accordance with universal principles the necessary techniques hidden within the forms and movements will spontaneously reveal themselyes.lf the student practices the prelude forms diligently. with correct rhythm and attention. they will begin to experience this process of realisation for themselves. The mudms spoken of within this text should not be attempted. They relate to paramantaranga sadhana and are included here only to indicate the direction in which advanced practice should move. Many suggestiOns are contained in them that only time and diligent practice will revea1.ln the later stages only a few asanas are required for the spiritual unfolding of the Individual. In the early stages m ilder fo rms of these asa nas are learnt from an experienced teacher as the a ppropriate preludes are mastered. Final Note Only an outline of the basic asanas. kr~as, band has. pranayamas, mudras and pratyahara is given in this book nee,l these practices should be learnt directly unde r the an experienced teacher who is well-versed in al1 t. 0' tt" art, craft and science of yoga.

Glossary Adharas: vit al supports

Agn;: inner fire Animsa : non-violence Ajna chakra: subtle energy centre at the third eye Alambhusha: one of the t hirteen main nadis that transports

prana a round the body Amantrakamo' the use of numbers to count the breath Anahota Chakro : subt le energy at t he heart

Anandamaya kosha: trap of joy

Annamaya kosha: t rap of food Antara kumbhaka: re tent ion of bre at h following an inhalation AntarangG sadhana: internal practices of yoga, meditative

states Antmyami: the i ndwelling soul Anuloma: wit h the hair

Apanavayu: downward moving wind of the body, elimination Ardha chandra sa na: half moon pose, st and ing Adipati: crow n of the head Arohan: upward chan nel of sushumna Asana: seat, pose

Ashtanga; eight lim bs Mha : then, now Atma: the s upreme soul Avadhuta yoga : ascetisicm, the skillful use of the

equipment of hatha yoga Avarohan: downward channel of sushumna Avritti: dissipating motion Ayama: a lengthening process, as in pranayama Baddha padmasana: bound lotus Bahiranga sadhana: external practices of yoga, asa na, h iya, bandha, pranayama, mudra, pratyahara Bandha: lock, tie Bhadrasana' friendly pose Bharatanatya : style of d ance from southern India Bhastri, also bhasktrika: the bellows breath, a type of pranayama Bhaya kumbhaka, a/50 bahir kumbhaka : retention of breath following an exhalation Bhekasana: frog pose Bhujangasana: cobra pose 8ramhari: the hu mming breath, a type of pranayama Chakra : subtle inner energy centre

Cholo ni (see nauli kriya) Choy o: shadow Choyo Vivoronom: Opening the shadow Choya Yuddho 5oncholonom: Churning of the

Shadow Wa rrior Dharona; concentration Ohatu: tissues Ohyano; meditation Doshas: constitution or humour Ga ndhari: one of the thirteen main nadis th at transports prana around the body GhaU; 24 minutes, unit of time Ha5tijiva: one of the thi rteen main nadis that trans ports prana around the body Hatho ha _ sun, tho _ moon, merging of opposite energ1es Hrdayam; the heart space Ida nadi: the left nostril, the lunar channel Indriya; sense organ Jalandhara; one of the three main mudras Jonu sirsasana: a seated forward bend Jiva bandha: lock of the soul, a type of bandha Jiva: individual soul Jivatman also antaryami; the indwelling soul Jnanendr(yas: Five senses related to perception organs Kaivalya : isolation Kalaripayyat; an Indian style of martial a rts Kanda : pot or bulb, situated below manipura chakra Kondaro: sinews Kapa/abhati; the skull shining, a type of pranayama Kapha: one of the three main Ayurvedic doshas, earth/water Karana sha rira; the causal body Kormendr(yas; organs of action (mouth, hands, feet, genitals, anus) Kathakah: style of dance from southern India Kaya : the body Kechar;; a type of mud ra, the gesture of moving in space Ketu; the south node of the moon Kevala khumbhaka: spontaneous cessation of the breath Kosha ; entrapment, trap, sheath Kriya; process Kuhu; one of the thirteen main nadis that transports prana around the body Kukkuta sana; rooster pose Kumbh aka; retention of breath Ku ndalinl shakti: the cosmic force inherent in individuals Kurmasana; tortoise pose Lahari: the floating breath, a type of pranayama

Lauliki (see nauli kriya) Laya a/50 Samadhi: absorption Maha : great Maha vedha: one of the ten main mudra s Ma ha yoga: great yoga Mahabandha: one of the t en main mudras Mahamudra : one of the ten main mudras Man as: the t hinking, processing mind Mandukasana : seated frog pose Manipura chakra: in ner energy centre at the solar pie)(U5 Manomaya koshQ: th e trap of the precessing mind Marma : a junct ion or point of subtle energy Marma sthana: the science of marmas MayuTasana: peacock pose Mifahara: controlled intake of pure food MTigi mudra: gesture of the deer Mudra: gesture Mukha.- face Mulabandha: one of the three main mudras Muladhara chakra: a subtle energy centre at the base of the spine Murcha: the swooning breath, a type of pranayama Nadanusandana : the unstruck sound Nadi: subtle energy channel Nadi grant hi: knots within the central channel of sushumna Nadi 5hodhana: cleansing of the channels, a type of pranayama Nagadi vayu: sub-winds situated in and around the heart Nauli kriya: churning of the abdominal wall to purify the digestive tract Nauliki. see nauli kriya Niyamas.· observances regarding one's behaviour Omkara: gesture of am, a mudra Pancha: five Pancho. karma : the f ive cleansing acts used in Ayurveda sadhana: the supreme pract ice

i

herdsman marma point on the nose th at affects ri ght nostril, the solar (h a nne~ ,;" main AyurvediC doshas, fl re

Pla'llnl (see Lahari) Prana : life-force , Pranasamyama: even restraint of the Me-force Pranamaya l'osha : the tra p of power Pranovayu: the central wind locat~ in the heart Pronayama: practices of lengthemng th~ breath Pratiloma : combination of anuloma & Ylloma Pratyahara: withdrawal from the sensory world Pural'a: inhalation Pusha: one of the thirteen main nadis that transports prana

around the body Rahu: the north node of the moon Raja yoga: royal yoga Rechal'a: e)(haiation Sadhal'a pitta: internal fire, heat that builds during practice Sadhal'a: student, one with a s piritual practice Sadhana: spiritual practice SahasTara chaha: subtle energy cent re at crown of the head SaMa l'umhl'haka: imposed cessation of the breath Sarna: same, equal Samadhi: absorption Samanayayu: equali sing wind, seated in the nayel, assimilation Samantrakam: the use of a mant ra to count the breath Samavritti: even rhythm, an even ratio of mhale and exhale Samyama: even restraint ShaW: cosmic energy Shakti chalana mudra: the churning or raising of power Shal'ti chalana: one of the ten main mudras Shankini: one of the thirteen main nadis tha t transports pran a around the body Shatkarma: the six cleansing processes Shirsasana: also viparit a Karan; mudra, headstand Shitali: a cooling breath, a type of pranayama Shlyani: fibrous sutures Shrotas: channels Siddha: attained, a sage, a seer Slddhasana: adept pose Sitkari: a cooling breath, a type of pranayama Smashano: burning grounds Sthano: bodily stance Sthula ShOT/TO: the gross body SLtkshma shar/ra: the subtle body , piercing the sun, a type of pranayama cholera: an inner energy cent re below the . sun wheel

Tantrika: Tantra Trantrikam (see amantrakam) Udanavayu: upward moving wind, seated at the throat Uddiyana, one of the t hree main bandhas Ujjayi, th e victorious breath, a type of pranayama Urdhva dhanurasana, back bend Vajroli: one of the ten main mudras Varuni: one of the thirteen main nad is that transports

prana aroun d th e body Vasishta: Vedic seer Vata: one of the three main Ayurvedic dash as, ether/air Vayu wind, fo rce of prana moving within the body Vijnanamaya kosha, trap of the intuitive intellect Vi/oma, against the hair Vinya sa, placement Viparita karam' mudra: one of the ten main mudras,

the headstand Vishamavrtti: an uneven ratio of inhale and exhale Vishvodhara , one of the thirteen main nadis that transport

pra na around the body Visshudha cha kra, subtle energy cent re at the throat Vyanavayu: circulating wi nd, seated in the skin Yama s: restraints regarding one's behaviour Yasha shvini: one of the thirteen main nadis that tran sports

prana around the body Yoganga sadhana , yogic practices Yonisthana: perineal floor

Bibliography Bhavadeva Mishra, Yukto Bhava deva, translated~. Dr. M Gharote, Lonavla Yoga Institu te, Pune, Ind ia, 2002 (first edItIon). Gherando Samh ita , t ranslatfon by Sris Chandra Vasu, Th eosophical Publishing House, Adyar, India. 1895·

Gorakshanat ha, Gorakshashata ka m transla ted by Swami .. Kuvalayan anda & Dr. SA Sam iti, Kaivalyadhama S.MY.M Sam!tl, Pune,lndia (date unknown).

Gorakshanatha, Siddho $iddhant Padati, translated by Dr.~ . Gharote. Lonavla Yoga Institut e. Pune, India, 2005 (first edltlOn). Yogi $rinivasa, Hatha i?atnavali, t ransla te,d, by Dr. M. Gharote,lonavla Yoga Institute. Pun e, India, 2004 (first edlt lOn).

Kamil V. Zvelebil, Poets of the Powers. Rider & CO., london, U.K, 19]3.

Kamil V Zvelebil, Siddha Quest for Immortality. Mandrake of Oxford. Oxford U.K., 1996. Patanjali, Yoga Sutras, translated by Bangali Baba. MatHai Banarsidass, Delhi,lndia, 1975.

Siva Samhita. tra nslated by Rai Bahadur Sris Chandra Vasu, Munshiram Manoharlal. Delhi,lndia. 1975. La Siva Svaroday a translated by Alain Danielou, Arche, Milano, 19 82 . Sri T. Krishnamacharya. Saluta tions to the Teacher and the Eternal One. Manuscript from transcribed talks of Krishnamacharya. Sri 1. Krishnamacharya, Yoga sana (in Kannada). India. (publisher and date unknown).

Swatm arana.Hatna Yoga Pradipika , translated by Jyotsna of Brahmananda, Adyar library & Research centre, Chennai,lndia, 1972 (first edition). Vasishta Samh ita, Kaivalyadhama S.M.Y.M. Samiti, Pune.lndia. 1984. Yogayagnjavalkaya Samhita, tra nslated by Dr. M. Gharote & Dr. V.A. Bedekar, Kaivalyadhama S.MY.M. Samiti, Pune, India, 1982.