THE YOGA METHOD AND USES (MARICHYASANA AND PURVOTTANASANA)

MARICHYASANA A

(POSE DEDICATED TO THE SAGE MARICH A)

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THE YOGASANA RELIEVES TENSION USUALLY DEVELOPED ON THE BLACK PART OF LEGS. THE BLOOD CIRCULATION IN THE AREA IMPROVES.

METHOD : SIT ON A MAT. STRAIGHTEN THE LEFT LEG. MOVE THE RIGHT LEG WITH KNEE PROPERLY BENT, AS SHOWN IN THE IMAGE. PUSH YOUR HANDS BEHIND AND LET THEM REST ON LOWER BACK. MAKE SURE THE HANDS ARE JOINED WITH EACH OTHER. BEND YOUR FACE AND TRY TO TOUCH THE LEFT KNEE. REPEAT ON THE OTHER SIDE.

BENEFITS : THE ASANA HELPS REMOVING TENSION AND STRESS ON LEGS.

MARICHYASANA B

(POSE DEDICATED TO THE SAGE MARICH B)

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THIS ASANA WORKS INTERNALLY ON THE ORGANS OF THE BODY. IT ENHANCES DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. THE ASANA RELIVES STIFFNESS IN MUSCLE AROUND THE WAIST.

METHOD : SIT ON A MAT. PLACE YOUR LEFT LEG IN HALF LOTUS BY TURNING THE SOLE OF YOUR FOOT UPWARD, MOVING YOUR HEEL TOWARD YOUR NAVEL. TAKE BOTH YOUR HANDS BEHIND THE WAIST AND WRAP THE FOLDED LEG WITH THE HANDS. REST YOUR CHIN ON THE OPPOSITE KNEE. REPEAT ON THE OTHER SIDE.

BENEFITS : THE ASANA RELIEVES STRESS IN MUSCLES.

MARICHYASANA C

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THE ASANA IMPARTS STRENGTH TO ARMS. IT ALSO RELIEVES BACK PAIN. IT ACTIVATES INTERNAL ORGANS OF STOMACH.

METHOD : SIT ON THE MAT WITH BOTH LEGS STRAIGHT AND SPREAD APART FROM EACH OTHER. BEND YOUR RIGHT KNEE PUTTING THE FOOT ON THE FLOOR, WITH THE HEELS AS CLOSE TO THE RIGHT SITTING BONE AS POSSIBLE. KEEP THE LEFT LEG STRONG, FOOT ROTATED SLIGHTLY INWARD, TOES PULLED BACK. EXHALING , PLACE YOUR RIGHT HAND ON THE FLOOR IN LINE WITH THE TAILBONE. BRING THE LEFT HAND TO THE RIGHT KNEE AND PULL IT ACROSS YOUR BODY WORKING ON TWISTING YOUR SHOULDERS AND TORSO, WHILE KEEPING THE SPINE LONG. LOOK STRAIGHT OVER YOUR RIGHT SHOULDER AND OPEN THE CHEST AS YOU TWIST. REPEAT ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE.

BENEFITS : THE ASANA STRENGTHENS YOUR ARMS.

PURVOTTANASANA

(UPWARD PLANK POSE)

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IT GIVES OVERALL ACTIVENESS AND ENERGY TO THE BODY. IT PROMOTES STRENGTH AND HEALTH TO ARMS, ABDOMEN, LEGS, AND NASAL REGION. THE ASANA OPENS UP THE CHEST AREA. IT MAKES OUR MIND CALM AND STABLE.

METHOD : LIE DOWN ON A MAT. PLACE THE HANDS FLAT ON THE FLOOR BEHIND THE HIPS WITH THE FINGERS POINTING TOWARD THE TOES. INHALE AND DROP THE HEAD BACK. TRY AND PUSH HIPS UP TOWARDS THE SKY. KEEP BOTH LEGS STRAIGHT WITH THE FEET TOUCHING AND THE SOLES OF THE FEET ON THE FLOOR. BOTH ARMS STRAIGHT. PLACE THE FEEL HIP-WIDTH APART AND THEN LIFT. KEEP THE FACE IN UPWARD POSITION. EXHALE AS YOU LOWER THE HIPS TO RELEASE THE ASANA.

BENEFITS : IT ENERGISES THE BODY.

ASHTAVAKRASANA

(EIGHT ANGLE POSE)

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THE ASANA NOT ONLY STRENGTHENS YOUR ARMS, SHOULDERS AND WRISTS, ALSO TONES UP YOUR ABDOMINAL MUSCLES AND THIGHS. IT ALSO STRETCHES YOUR HAMSTRINGS AND MAKES YOU FEEL ENERGETIC. THIS ASANA BOOSTS PATIENCE AND FLEXIBILITY IN YOUR BODY.

METHOD : THE ASANA CREATES 8 ANGLES IN YOUR BODY. LIE DOWN ON FLOOR. TAKE BOTH LEGS TO OPPOSITE DIRECTION WHILE BENDING THEM. NOW JOIN THE LEGS TOGETHER. PLACE ONE OF THE HANDS RIGHT IN THE CENTRE OF THE LEGS. SHIFT YOUR BODY WEIGHT ON HANDS. LIFT YOUR BODY UP. LOOK STRAIGHT.

BENEFITS : THE ASANA IMPROVES FLEXIBILITY OF BODY AND ENHANCES PATIENCE . A MUST-DO ASANA FOR YOUNG GIRLS.

TITTIBASANA (FIREFLY POSE)

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THE ASANA STRETCHES THE INNER GROINS AND BACK TORSO. IT STRENGTHENS THE ARMS AND WRISTS AND TONES THE BELLY. THE ASANA ALSO ENHANCES SENSE OF BALANCE. IT STRENGTHENS THE SKIN.

METHOD : SIT ON YOGA MAT. WITH YOUR TRUNK KEPT LOW, LET YOUR LEGS STRAIGHTEN SUFFICIENTLY TO BRING YOUR PELVIS ABOUT THE HEIGHT OF YOUR KNEES. BRING YOUR SHOULDER AND LEFT UPPER ARM AS FAS AS YOU CAN UNDER YOUR LEFT THIGH, A LITTLE ABOVE YOUR KNEE. LET YOUR LEFT HAND BE PLACED ON THE GROUND AT YOUR FOOTS OUTSIDE EDGE WITH YOUR FINGERS POINTING IN THE FORWARD DIRECTION. CAREFULLY BRING YOURSELF TO COME OFF THE FLOOR. LET YOUR HANDS PRESS DOWN ON THE FLOOR AND START SLOWLY BRING YOUR WEIGHT AWAY FROM YOUR FEET AND TO YOUR HANDS. YOUR INNER THIGHS SHOULD BE PLACED AS HIGH UP ALONGSIDE YOUR ARMS AS IS POSSIBLE. YOU CAN ALSO MAKE ANGLE.

BENEFITS : THE ASANA IS VERY HELPFUL IN STRENGTHENING THE CALVES.

PARSHVA ASANA (LATERAL POSE)

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THE ASANA STRENGTHENS WRISTS, ARMS, FOREARMS AND INTERNAL ABDOMINAL MUSCLES. IT TONES ABDOMEN AND STRENGTHENS THE SPINE. ALSO DEVELOPS PROPER COORDINATION OF BODY PARTS.

METHOD : PARSHVA ASANA IS SIMILAR TO PAVAN MUKTASANA. LIE DOWN ON YOUR BACK. KEEP THE BODY STABLE. ALLOW THE SHOULDERS TO TOUCH THE GROUND. KEEP BREATHING NORMAL. IN CASE YOU FEEL STRESS IN KEEPING YOUR FEET TOUCHING YOUR CHEST, THEN YOU CAN ALSO PRACTICE BY KEEPING YOUR FEET ON FLOOR ITSELF.

BENEFITS : THE ASANA TONES ABDOMEN. IT IS VERY HELPFUL FOR YOUNG GIRLS, BOYS, MEN AND WOMEN.

EKA PADA GALAVASANA

(FLYING PIGEON POSE)

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THE ASANA INCREASES ARM'S STRENGTH, CORE STRENGTH, AND BALANCE. IT ALSO IMPROVES OVERALL SENSE OF BALANCE. ENHANCES MENTAL ENERGY.

METHOD : THE ASANA IS ALSO KNOWN AS "FLYING BLACK COW". LIE DOWN ON A YOGA MAT. BRING THE WEIGHT OF THE BODY FORWARD AND TRANSFER IT ON YOUR HANDS AND LIFT THE FOOT OFF THE FLOOR KEEPING THE KNEE BENT. KEEP GAZING AT THE FLOOR. STRAIGHTEN THE LEFT LEG BEHIND YOU. FLEX THE LEFT FOOT AND HUG YOUR RIGHT FOOT TO YOUR UPPER ARM. REPEAT ON THE OTHER SIDE.

BENEFTIS : IMPROVES WILL POWER AND MENTAL STRENGTH.

THE THREE LIMBS OF YOGA

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YAMA, NIYAMA, AND ASANA

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💟 YAMA 💟

THE FIRST LIMB, YAMA, DEALS WITH ONE'S ETHICAL STANDARDS AND SENSE O INTEGRITY, FOCUSING ON OUR BEHAVIOR AND HOW WE CONDUCT OURSELVES IN LIFE. BEING IN THE FIRST LIMB OF YOGA, THE FIVE YAMAS ARE THE FOUNDATION OF SPIRITUAL LIFE ON WHICH THE SUPER-STRUCTURE OF SAMADHI IS BUILT. FOLLOWING THE YAMAS MEANS STICKING TO IDEALS AND PRINCIPLES. IT IS ABOUT DEVELOPMENT OF POSITIVE TRAITS THAT WILL TRANSFORM THE HUMAN NATURE INTO A DIVINE NATURE AND ANNIHILATE CRAVINGS AND NEGATIVE QUALITIES. WHEN THE YAMAS ARE TRULY PRACTISED, THE HEART IS FILLED WITH COSMIC LOVE, GOODNESS AND LIGHT.

THERE ARE FIVE YAMAS IN YOGA-

AHIMSA

SATYA

ASTEYA

BRAHMACHARYA

APARIGRAHA

HUMAN MIND IS UNSTABLE. IT CHANGES WITH A FLICK OF A SECOND. THE INTENTION BEHIND"YAMA YOGA" IS TO EMBRACE THE JOY OF LIFE AND GIVE A MEANINFUL DIRECTION TO LIFE. HUMAN BEINGS HOLD ONLY LIMITED AMOUNT OF ENERGY WITHIN. WITH AGE, THIS ENERGY STARTS DRAINING. THE MAIN AIM OF YOGA IS TO HELP INDIVIDUALS ACCUMULATE THIS ENERGY AND TO BE ABLE TO USE IT FOR MEANINGFUL PURPOSES.

💟 NIYAMA 💟

NIYAMA, THE SECOND LIMB, HAS TO DO WITH SELF-DISCIPLINE AND SPIRITUAL OBSERVANCES. THE FIVE NIYAMAS OR RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES AND HABITS FOR A HEALTHY LIVING INCLUDE :

SAUCHA: CLEANLINESS
SAMTOSA : CONTENTMENT
TAPAS : HEAT, SPIRITUAL AUSTERITIES
SVADHYAYA : STUDY OF THE SACRED SCRIPTURES AND OF ONE'S SELF
ISWARA PRANIDHANA : SURRENDER TO GOD

NIYAMA IS A REFLECTION OF ONE'S OWN PERSONALITY. FOLLOWING THESE IMPACTS A SENSE OF PURITY AND DIVINITY WITHIN AN INDIVIDUAL, IT INDICATES A LIFESTYLE THAT IS ORGANIZED WELL AND DISCIPLINED.

💟 ASANA 💟

ASANAS, THE POSTURES PRACTICED IN YOGA, COMPRISE THE THIRD LIMB. IN THE YOGIC VIEW, THE BODY IS A TEMPLE OF SPIRIT, THE CARE OF WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT STAGE OF OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH, THROUGH THE PRACTICE OF ASANAS, WE DEVELOP THE HABIT OF DISCIPLINE AND THE ABILITY TO CONCENTRATE, BOTH OF WHICH ARE NECESSARY FOR MEDITATION.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS AWARE OF THIS LIMB OF YOGA. MOST PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT FOLLOWING SPECIFIC POSTURES BY BENDING/ TWISTING/TURNING BODY IS "ASANA" . IRONICALLY, NONE OF THESE ARE MENTIONED AS A PART OF ASANAS BY PATANJALI IN YOGA SUTRA. PATANJALI'S BASIC ADVICE IN YOGA SUTRA IS PRETTY SIMPLE STHIRA SUKHAM ASANAM (ASANA SHOULD BE STEADY AND STAY COMFORTABLE). IT MEANS THAT ANYTHING THAT KEEPS YOU STABLE AND STAY COMFORTABLE IS ASANA. IN ORDER TO EXPERIENCE MAXIMUM BENEFITS OF THIS THIRD LIMB OF YOGA, ONE MUST PRACTICE AND FOLLOW THE FIRST TWO LIMBS (YAMA, NIYAMA). EARLY TEXTS HAVE MENTIONED THAT PRACTISING OF ASANAS IN PERFECT ORDER IS SCIENCE. EXPERIEMENTS AND RESEARCH BY SCIENTISTS HAVE PROVED THAT PRACTICE OF ASANAS HAVE POSITIVE EFFECT ON HUMAN BODY.

RESEARCHERS AND SCIENTISTS HAVE STUDIED HUMAN BODY AND ITS BEHAVIOUR CLOSELY. THE EXPERIMENTS CONDUCTED HAVE REVEALED THE HUMAN MIND REACTS DIFFERENTLY IN DIFFERENT POSITIONS SUCH AS WHILE STANDING ERECT, SEATED, LYING, STRAIGHT, LYING ON THE BACK, ETC. STABILITY OF MIND WAS OBSERVED CLOSELY AND THE RESULTS REVEALED DIFFERENT LEVELS FOR DIFFERENT POSTURES. HUMAN MIND IS AT ITS MOST UNSTABLE STATE WHILE STANDING ERECT.

MANY SCIENTIST HAVE ALSO REVEALED THAT FORCE OF GRAVITY HAS A MAJOR EFFECT ON HUMAN BODY. VARIOUS STUDIES ON PYRAMID HAS REVEALED THAT THE SHAPE OF THE PYRAMID IS AN AMPLIFIED-RECEIVER OR RESONATOR OF VERIOUS KINDS OF ENERGY FIELDS SUCH AS COSMIC RAYS, ELECTRO-MAGNETIC WAVES, ELECTRICAL DISCHARGES, GRAVITATIONAL WAVES, ETC. THE ENERGY RECEIVED INSIDE THE PYRAMID INTERACT WITH ONE ANOTHER. THE SHAPE OF A PYRAMID IS SIMILAR TO THAT OF A TEMPLE (BROADER AT THE BOTTOM AND NARROW ON TOP). THE ASANAS COMPRISING OF DHYANA YOGA - SUKHASANA, PADMASANA, SIDDHASANA ETC. ALSO MAKE UP FOR A PYRAMID STRUCTURE. THESE ARE BROADER ON BOTTOM AND GET NARROWER AS THEY MOVE UPWARDS. THE SCIENTISTS HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THESE POSES WORK TOWARDS PROMOTING MENTAL STABILITY AND KEEP NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF FORCE OF GRAVITY ON BODY.

💟 DHARANA, DHYANA

AND SAMADHI💟

❤ DHARANA ❤

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AS EACH STAGE OF ASHTANGA YOGA PREPARES US FOR THE NEXT LIMB. SIMILARLY, THE PRACTICE OF PRATYAHARA CREATES THE SETTING FOR DHARANA (CONCENTRATION). JUST AS PRATYAHA RELIEVES OF EXTERNAL DISTRACTIONS, DHARANA HELPS WITH HANDLING DISTRACTIONS OF THE MIND. WHILE PRACTICING, CONCENTRATION PRECEEDES MEDITATION AND THE PRACTITIONER LEARNS THE TECHNIQUE OF SLOWING DOWN THE THINKING PROCESS VIA CONCENTRATING ON A SINGLE MENTAL OBJECT. THIS IS AN ENERGETIC CENTER IN THE BODY. IT CAN ALSO BE AN IMAGE OF A DEITY, MOON, STARS, OR THROUGH SILENT REPETITION OF SOME SOUND. THE MIND IS FIXED ON A MANTRA, OR ONE'S BREATH/NAVEL/TIP OF TONGUE/ANY PLACE, OR AN OBJECT ONE WANTS TO OBSERVE.

POWER OF CONCENTRATION HAS ALREADY BEEN DEVELOPED THROUGH THE PREVIOUS STAGES OF POSTURE, BREATH CONTROL, AND WITHDRAWAL OF THE SENSES. THE MIND SHOULD BE STILL AND CALM. FIXING THE MIND IS ALL ABOUT ONE-POINTED FOCUS SANS DRIFTING OF MIND, AND WITHOUT JUMPING FROM ONE TOPIC TO ANOTHER.

❤ DHYANA ❤

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IT IS ANOTHER NAME FOR MEDITATION OR CONTEMPLATION AND MAKES FOR THE SEVENTH STAGE OF ASHTANGA. IT MAKES UP FOR UNINTERRUPTED FLOW OF CONCENTRATION. CONCENTRATION (DHARANA) AND MEDITATION (DHYANA) MAY APPEAR TO BE ONE AND THE SAME. HOWEVER, A VERY FINE LINE OF DISTINCTION EXISTS BETWEEN THESE TWO STAGES. WHERE DHARANA PRACTICES ONE-POINTED ATTENTION, DHYANA IS ULTIMATELY A STAGE OF BEING KEENLY AWARE WITHOUT FOCUS. THE LITERAL MEANING OF DHYANA IS "CONTEMPLATION, REFLECTION" AND "PROFOUND, ABSTRACT MEDITATION".

DHYANA CAN BE DEFINED AS AN ACT OF CONTEMPLATING, REFLECTING ON WHATEVER DHARANA HAS FOCUSSED ON. IF IN THE SIXTH LIMB OF YOGA ONE FOCUSSED ON A PERSONAL DEITY, DHYANA IS ITS CONTEMPLATION. CONCENTRATION ON ANY ONE OBJECT MAKES DHYANA NON-JUDGMENTAL, NON-PRESUMPTUOUS OBSERVATION OF THAT OBJECT.

DHYANA IS INTEGRALLY RELATED TO DHARANA, ONE LEADS TO OTHER. DHARANA IS A STATE OF MIND, DHYANA THE PROCESS OF MIND. DHYANA IS DISTINCT FROM DHARANA IN THAT THE MEDITATOR BECOMES ACTIVELY ENGAGED WITH ITS FOCUS. ACCORDING TO PATANJALI, DHYANA IS THE MIND PROCESS, WHERE THE MIND IS FIXED ON SOMETHING, AND THEN THERE IS " A COURSE OF UNIFORM MODIFICATION OF KNOWLEDGE".

❤ SAMADHI ❤

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THIS IS THE 8TH FINAL STAGE ON THE EIGHTFOLD PATH OF YOGA. IT IS A STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS WHERE INDIVIDUAL AWARENESS DISSOLVES INTO THE WHOLE (UNAWARE ABOUT SELF).

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THERE ARE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SAMADHI OR DIFFERENT STYLE OF CONNECTION WITH THE DIVINE, BUT WHEN THE WORD SAMADHI IS USED ALONE, IT USUALLY REFERS TO THE STATE OF ENLIGHTENMENT, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF SAMADHI.

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SAMADHI IS NOT A PERMANENT STATE, AND LIKE THE STAGES BEFORE IT (DHARANA AND DHYANA) , SAMADHI DOES NOT COME UPON ANYONE BY ACCIDENT. IT TAKES DEDICATION AND EFFORT, AND A PERSON MUST BE WILLING TO TRAIN AND MIND AND GO DEEP INSIDE.

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SAMADHI MEANS "TO BRING TOGETHER, TO MERGE", IT IS SEEN AS ABSOLUTE BLISS. THIS IS PURE CONTEMPLATION, SUPERCONSCIOUSNESS, IN WHICH YOU AND THE UNIVERSE ARE ONE. THOSE WHO HAVE ACHIEVED SAMADHI ARE ENLIGHTENED. IN THE STATE OF SAMADHI THE BODY AND SENSES ARE AT REST, AS IF ASLEEP, YET THE MIND IS AWARE AND AWAKE.

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HUMAN BRAIN IS DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS - ONE CONTROLS EMOTIONS AND THE OTHER REASONS, THOUGHTS AND LOGIC. IMBALANCE BETWEEN THE TWO DUE TO SOME REASON CAN LEAD TO LACK OF HARMONY BETWEEN OUR EMOTIONS AND LOGIC. THIS RESULTS IN CONFUSION AND PROBLEMS. SAMADHI WORKS AS A SOLUTION TO THESE ISSUES. THIS PATH WILL ALSO LET YOU EXPERIENCE DIVINE POWER.

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RECENT RESEARCH AND STUDIES HAVE REVEALED THAT YOGA SHASTRA IS BOTH SPIRITUAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL. THIS IS BECAUSE YOGA SHASTRA IS INITIATED WITH PURIFYING CHITTA (THOUGHTS/INTELLECT). A LOT OF RESEARCH AND STUDIES ARE CONDUCTED UNDER INDIAN PHILOSOPHICAL THEORY. THE FIELD OF WESTERN PSYCHOLOGY IS ALSO MAKING EFFORTS IN THIS DIRECTION. WESTERN PSYCHOLOGISTS HAVE MAINLY FOCUSSED ON CONSCIOUS AND SUB-CONSCIOUS MIND FOR YEARS. THE DEEPER LAYER OF MIND, ALSO REFERRED TO AS "SUPERCONSCIOUS MIND" IS YET TO BE STUDIED BY THESE INTELLECTUALS.

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YOGA IS CONSIDERED AS A COMPLETE SCIENCE THAT TACKLES THE ISSUE OF EGO AND MERGES IT TO A SUPERIOR ENERGY. THIS ENERGY IS THE "SUPERCONSCIOUS MIND". THE TERM "SUPERCONSCIOUS MIND" STANDS FOR GOD. EVERY SPIRITUALISTIC OUTCOME IS WELL PROVED TRULY BY THE MODERN SCIENCE. EVERY EXPERIMENT DONE ON THESE SPIRITUALISTIC RESULTS HAS BEEN PROVED AUTHENTIC UNDER VARIOUS SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS. WITHOUT ANY DOUBT IT IS WELL DEVELOPED AND SUPERIOR IN COMPARISON TO THE MODERN SURVEY. AND BY THE FOLLOWING IT PROPERLY OUR COUNTRY WOULD BE WORLD-GURU IN THE COMING TIME.