[B.K.S Iyengar] Light on Pranayama

8/10/2019 [B.K.S Iyengar] Light on Pranayama

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Light

Prana1am


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Light on

Prana'am Y Ar Br

B K. YENGAR

Y M


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prt:

d ub m z vu k

K S. Iyengar

All ights reseved. No pat of this book may epruced, stored in a retieval

system, or tansmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,potocopying, recording, or oterwise, without the written permission ofTe Crossroad Pbishing Company

Pinted in the United States o America

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Iyengar, K S, 1918-

Ligt on pranaaaIncludes index1 Breating exercises 2 Yoga, Hata

Title II Title: PranayamaRA782I95 63'192SBN 0-826448

81609AACR2


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This book is dedicatedto the memo of m beloved weRammani


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NOCON

I alu Lo Haum, Lo of Ba, So of Wi Go

wo ba v fac a wl wii uI fom of v w o ipvai ou bo, mi a oul,

Wo ui Pai (S) wi Puua (Rma) Ma H bl paciioB uii via pa Wi Divi Spii wii

I bow bfo obl of a, Paaai Wo bo i of mi b i wo o Yoa,Clai of pc b i wo o amma, aPi of bo b i wo o mici

W i Yoa,

T i popi, ucc, fom,a bli


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RE RM MY GRJ

B Suaja aci auiiiYoaam amlaa pma pap

Viviai paaca i oa vioaaiiacaaia jl loia oaaii 2

Paapa paaica ioca oaaiiYulca Pmili 3

oica avaam ma aoiiaima aaaam uvi vipaciaa

u ramcharya


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Lght o Prym wi B Suaa RaaIa a f upoa aio of aci cic of Yoa

2 I al wi ul fucioi of a vaiou

ciu of ihalaio io a xalaio a of laio of cimo colou ui LifFoc wi ucck ow ou wok ofcal (


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Introductionby Yhudi MenuhinB S Ia a o fo mo iv pma, a i movm of ai wic i ai o mi if o a, am vica a o pica fa of aa oa H a movio a mo a, b apc of ou v xic H a pac i a of ama a boo wic coai, i om pc, moifomaio, mo ow a mo wiom i a mo ia waa i avaiab o o mo bi ia of covioa mici, fi i a mici of a a o of ic, i i a ai of pi i,bo a mi a a ai a i i ivioai No o ca iivia b o o wo b wo po of a ifim i s i powf ppciv H ac i i wi aci Iiapioop a if i o o o , b ai o ai, a, a wi poc of , ma i afom io a, i a aiaio fowic w ma a B i mo a afoaio of ma io o fom of ma, i i afomaio of wo cc of ai a it io ma a bac aai I fac, i comps

Eii' aio of ma a a a a i io ma, ivi icaaio I i o o a aomic bomb, i i o o xpoio of aom, ai of ma, i i iaiaio of uma bi wi i a pow, v oc of

I biv a i ai, aw fom aci, ca ica I ia x, wpovi imiai uii o cociiaio of vaio pacic fmici fom acpc o oc a o ap o mua acipoca b of m a I wi ao ac u o pc o mwic w av a wi uc comp ai, wa a i wio

wic if cao viv Wi i boo, M Ia, m u i o,a a a w a a imio o if of pop of W,ui u o oi o bo of v coo a v c i tcbaio of if wi u vc a ppo

Yhdi Mh


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orewordYoa i oi bu oal xpic of

uma lif i i a cic of ial ma!Jau S. Maui.

oca Si B. . S Ia, auo ofLgh o Yoga al a ioucio o of li o Pma. T cic a a ofYoa, a p b Paaali cui bo Ci, bi b moaa o pcp fo pical, vial a mal al, poc apuicaio. I poc o pou aa, wic iuc apiabciall ou uopioloical m a ocila Si Ia a wl wi m i i boo Lgh o Yoga i uc aoou a ail ma, wi abou ix u pooap, a i cacl a o wo o a ubc o cclopaic, pcia luci T boo iv compl o of Yoa a a ubc of aa full, wi a pp io pma. Pubi b Go lla Uwi, , boo i o popua a i a io ma iioa a b ala io val laua. I i bi u a a pacical

ui b popl all ov wol.Si Ia, impl b au a iv b cicumac, laYoa a wa a f of i uu Si iamca SiIa a b imlf a ac of Yoa, a a oo ama a a,al im. Wa pa a wi abou Yoa i li a abuaov pill fom al l i ric a maiful poal xpic . Tmoaio lcur o aa a av i Bomba la Dcmb o occaio of i ix bia, wi i au G a oPaa, wa a mavllou vlaio of i cool ovr v v a

mucl of i uppl bo. Hu of i icil fom abroawi pformac a wo ow ai uc plaicia viou a a a. To im i wa ci l pa, a m oui. O of iclo icipl ma a a ai i bo o wi, o wi, ou, o b, o wi, o pull, o x a muc bi!

I i bu loical a o oul xpc fom Si Ia a ualxauiv a iuciv boo o Pma, wic i x p iYoa, aml, cic a a of bacorol Tou ava oa paci, uc a aaoa, aoa, aoa,aliioa, maaoa, laaoa a o o, baicall a i cYoa i a ciic a maic icipi for a uccful oaiaio of


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xvi gh o Pyma

all i a faculi of ial uma bi wi a viw oaaii i caic commuio wi comic ali o GoBacool i lpful i v o of oa mio abov ll x o oa a wll a xpic of a if o fac a bacool i a impoa faco i cool of mi a wll Howv,bacool, a i pma, i o m pbai obai xci, omall a pa of pical culu I i omi famo, ivolvi xci wic ac o ol pical, pioloicala ual i bu alo pcoloical a cbal acivii, uca mmoaii a caivi Si uobio, a a ofoic, a co a af pacii pma coucompo a ai i i mmo abou wo u li of po, wil

ali cou o a v a oz c ca, w mici, af xpimaio, a com ocoi a aivi a ivioai c of wa ical voua piaio oa ac a paci pma,acb o puabl ucaiv, ulaiv a piiual valuWaim ic, i Cap 1 of Th Fom ad Tch oflc ad al Gowh a a mica cic a owcocil ilf o om of mo boow fom oi a mupl c of coc voua piaio H a

ai muip c of i o ml o lu bu o wolmabolim of uma bo H a ai a pioap, am v o mo, op w a boa oizo o mici, oi a o apuic a b ai a iviaio ofmo cic av ol com mpiica iuiio of oiaa a pioop

ma, a a ial ii of oic icipli, mi wlbow a umb of b o a mal a piiual Bu maiaim of oa i lfaliaio, commuio of lf wi Slf ci of pma ivolv coo of mi a of wol ofuma cociou, wic i bai of all coiio a awa uma bi co i of i bo, i lif, iclu i all b ioloical ac ivii,a i mi, wic i a of wa w call o a allcbal acivii c ou oa of oa i o mp wol of o' baic pow of cociu of all mmo, iaio,ual u a i a o b awa of pu cociou, a apa of comic ilf, wic i of au of lfcociou

picipl of Supm Illic Fo a po wo wa o a pa of oa, i o will av o b o ca o iif imlf wi bolifmi complx compll a o loo upo o lm a ool fo aci o, i o o iif i ibi wi pu, umix pow of cociou wo v au iallpac, amo a caiv o


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Forword xvii

Pma fo a a pcial mai a iicac i YoaPa ma ba, ai a lif ilf Bu i Yoa, pa (i all iv apc i ma of pa, apa, va, ua a ama) i v

c of i i picipl of aima a iaima wol. I pva wol uiv. pma ma full cool of aii picipl i o' ow bi b a cai icipli. Tiicip li aim o ol a oo al, a ui libium i pical avial i, bu alo puicaio of wol vou m i oo ma i mo capabl of poi o wi ll of Yoi i coolli u, a i mai mal pow mo ubl a iivo call of voluioa u, i ivi au i ma.

I i o of a pma i a a a ip ubc. Mo

of aci x o Yoa, bii wi Paaali , a i a a ialpa of oic icipli. Rcl owv, av b publ icaio oi ub c ipl, ou a fw w compa wi wil of boo o aa. full ciic am, ba o alifim xpic of aci i all apc of Yoa a, owv, bloawai. Ev lov of Yoa will fo wlcom Si Ia'boo.

W I oo up Si Ia' mau cip i o o wi Fowo,I coul ow icul a calli a a i mu av b fo im o

wi o i ubc fo w i Eli laua. Uli mao wi o uc a ub c, a b a ouol a a follow aiio of ivoi i Ia Dva (co i) a wll a uoi Ga a lva x. H I woul a a Yoa i o a pa ofa liio i a olo a iualim I a o iac. I i aculual a piiual icipl i op o all mai wiou a iicioof ca, c, colou, ac, x o a. Pap ol ialualicaio i a blif i poialii of o' ow cociou a

a apiaio o ac i ummi b followi law of cociouilf. o v uooox a ii caaciic of Si Ia ia ia of looi upo a famil a a bu, a a wif a a obacl ooic lif, a am i Yoa Iiu i Pu af i pa lifma Simai Rammai a ica i boo o . B ac S iIa abual po a Yoa i/ lif a o away om i, a Siuobio a o of pa.

o icul cocr miolo a u of wo wic aall i Sai i oiial. Si I a a o i b o b a pci

a accua a poibl i i coic of Eli uival a a i ocov of oiial H i a ma of ail a i vai il l fl a a a uoo wa a wa ol l im. Ta wo Pma ilf: i i o ic i i cooaio ao cov i mai b ai bahcool', volua piaio' o cic of bai' woul o b aua a all . Fo iac, o of


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xviii Lght o Pryma

th pha can includ th ida of kumbhaka, no of bathing thoughaltnat notil in dint mau. Much l can thy indicat thdint typ of bathing uch a ujjy, tali and o on, on th in

combination with mda and bandha i ynga ha takn pcial cato that vn th u of th thumb and ng fo holding th notil inpoition i accuatly and adquatly dcibd. Thi ca in th u ofwod, togth with ncay pcaution and combnd with thillutation, a calculatd to guid th apiant in following th at ofpyma a cloly a th wittn wod can achiv.

i ynga know full wll that th cinc and at of Yoga i notcomplt without dhana, dhyna and amdhi . Thi tiun i th cown ofYoga and i calld ayama t lad th yogi tp by tp to tancnd th

ion of th n and th ign of th o fo th gadual tanfomationof t intgal bing into a nw lif of unitiv living with th upmpiit in unmid joy and hamony ha thfo givn in thi book aninklin of what i calld mditation o dhyna. ha ndd by poviding aw hint abot avana, th potu which lad to utt laxation withfaint awan ound o thi gat ot of witing on pyma byoin t ad th ct of al laxation, o that h may b ady foth nt and nal acnt to th ummit of mditativ amdhi t u lookfwa f t compltion in du cou of th tio: Lght o Yoga, Lght o

Pryma and ght o Dhya, o that whil i yna li f would bon of fulllmnt, that of oth would hav a tipl illumination fo thijony to th vt of piitualty

analo R R Dwakar


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Prefce

My t book, Lght o Yoga captued the mind and heat of adenttudent and even changed the live of many who at t wee cuiou aboutthi noble at, cience and philoophy hope that Lght o Pryma willalo enhance thei knowledge

With epect and eveence to atanjali and the Yogi of ancient ndiawho dicoveed yma, hae with fellow men and women the nectaof it implicity, claity, ubtlene, nene and pefection n the ecentpat, duing my pactice, a new light of inne awaene dawned on mewhich had not expeienced when wote Lght o Yoga My fiend andpupil peed me to put my expeience a well a my oal teaching downon pape hence thi attempt to explain the ubtle obevation andeection that made to help tudent in thei each fo enement andpeciion

Many weten chola have accepted the ancient conception that man i a tinity of body, mind and piit Vaiou technique of phyical execie ,athletic and pot wee devied to keep men and women healthy Theywee deigned to upply the need of the body (annamaya koa) with it

bone, joint, mucle, tiue, cell and ogan ndian chola call thidicip line the conquet of matte Thi have explained fully in my bookLght o Yoga Only ecently have weten avant become awae of thetechnique developed in ancient ndia fo examining the ytem ofbeathing, blood-ciculation, digetion, aimilation, nouihment, theendocine gland and the neve, the ubtle fom of which ae collectivelyknown a the Conquet of ife Foce (pamaya koa)

Yoga Vidy i a codied ytem which ha laid down eight phae fo elfealiation They ae: Yama, Niyama, ana, yma, atyha,

Dha, D hyaa and amdhi n thi book emphai i laid on yato keep the involuntay o autonomou contolling ytem of the humanbody in a balanced tate of health and pefection

Thee wee no chola, aint o yogi in my home to inpie me to takeup Yoga A child wa aicted with many dieae, and a detiny wouldhave it, thi led me to Yoga in 34 in the hope of egaining my healthince then it ha been my way of life t ha taught me to be punctual anddiciplined depite hadhip which fequently diupted my daily pactice, leaning and expeience

n the beginning, yma wa a tuggle Oveindulgence in thedaily pactice of ana hook my inne body many time wihin minute of


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xx Lght Pryma

tatng yma ach monng got up to pacte and it wa a tan tohod my beath and keep to the hythm. tuggled on hadly dong theeo fou cycle by whch time wa gapng fo a woud et fo a few

mnute and then ty agan untl t wa impoibe to continue akedmyelf why could not do o could nd no anwe. had no-one to guideme Failue and eo taunted my body mind and elf fo a numbe ofyea but teadfaty contnued to impove my tandad. Today tdevote day on hou at a tetch to yma and nd that even thi inadquat

Wod can hypnote and attact a eade towad a elgou pactce(dhana) and make him thnk that he undetand a ptua expeience.Rading howv only make hm moe leaned while pactice (dhana)

in what he ha ad bng hm neae to tuth and claty. Fact i tuth andclaty puity The pent ag i one of centic advancement and newwod ood th dctonae eing a pue dhaka and not a man of wod nd it dcult to choo th coect techncal tem to expe al want towt can only do my inadquat bet to pent to my eade all that hav xpncd in my pactice of th net of at

nya a vat ubct with il lmtabe potental te. t pychoomatc nce t epoe the ntimat eatonhp between the body and themind t may appa qute mpe and ay but th moment on t down

t pacti on qucky eae that it i a dcut at. t ubtletie ae ltteknown and much moe eman to be exploed. n the pat wte of Yogatet deat moe with the eect of yma than wth t pactcalapplcaton Th may b bcaue yma ued to be widy pactiedand h maj oty wee famia wth t. The explanation of t eect gveome dea of thei xpeence which upa the wod

any of the movement n yma ae nnitely ubtle Fo exampeth debeat and ne movement of the kn n oppong diectionappa objectvely mpoble but a poce developed n Yog. Withtanng the kin can be moved n th way and th play a mao oe innyma pactice Thu yma i in many epect a ubj ectve at.Whn thi k ued to maxmum ect whee kin movementynchone with thoe of nhalaton exhalation and etenton the ow ofnegy (pa) hamonou.

ode centt have veed the ecacy of th e ntuitve knowedge ofyogi b ung eectonc ntument The eect of yma aedente and not l luoy am condent that in the not too di tant futue the

poe of obectve knowedge (cence o expementaton) and the othe ofubectve knowedge (at o patcpaton) wl pay the pt in unifyngthe tudy of nyma and t benet.

Owing to the

development of technoogy moden lif ha becomeende competitve euting n inceaed tain on both men andwomen t d icult to mantain a baanced life Anxet and d eae


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Preface xxi

actin th nvou and ciculatoy ytm hav multiplid. n dpai,popl bcom addictd to pychdlic du, mokin and dinkin oindiciminat x to nd lif. Th activiti allow on to fot onlftmpoaily, but th cau main unolvd and th dia tun.

Only yma iv al lif fom th poblm t cannot b lantby aumnt and dicuion, but mut b matd with patint andcautiou ot. t tat by ivin lif to u fom odinay ai lmntlik common cold, hadach and mntal dihamony. t nadi i thlixi of lif.

Th i book i in two pat . Th t cov th ction dalin with ththoy, th at and th tchniqu of yma. Th cond pat, ntitldFdom and atitud i concnd with th conqut of th oul (tma

jaya). t dal with mditation (dhyna) and laxation (avana)n th t pat, hav tid to intat yma with all th dintapct of Yoa. yma i th connctin link btwn th body andth oul of man, and th hub in th whl of Yoa.

hav tid to bin out hiddn tchniqu, o that th ad may divmaximum bnt without bin bt by doubt and conuion havincopoatd tabl analyin dint ta of impotant vaiti ofnyma. Th tabl iv dtaild infomation of th mthodoloy foay fnc Thy alo iv th ad om ida of th innit numbof pmutation and combination poibl in thi nobl at and cinc.Evn th uninitiatd dhaka can pacti indpndntly without fa of il lct Th iomation containd in th tabl will mak th dhakacautiou and bold

n th appndix hav intoducd v cou, aanin thm ta byta fo th pactition to follow accodin to hi capacity . Each of thcou may b xtndd by additional wk if th tandad ivn cannotb compltd within th tipulatd tim. Thouh yma i ntial lyto b lant at th ft of a uu (mat), hav ndavoud with allhmility to uid th ad both tach and tudnt to a af mthod ofpfctin thi at.

hall b happy if my wok hlp popl to achiv pac in body, poiin mind and tanqui llity in th lf yma i a vat ubjct i nc myknowld in thi ld ha it limitation, hall wlcom ution foincopoation in futu dition.

Th Yoachd aad ay that yma i an xaltdknowld (mah vidy) t i a oyal oad to popity, fdom and bl i

Rad, -ad and dit at of th i book bfo tatin to pacti. am indbtd to my uuj i T ihnamachaya fo hi tibut toth book. am incly atful to M Yhudi Mnuhin fo hi ntoduction and M R. R. D iwaka fo hi owod and uppot. amindbtd to my childn Gta and ahant and to my pupil Taapovala, M T Tijoiwala, N. Motivala, and D Cauth,


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Lght o Pryma

, C, RC, who gav thi vauab tim in th ppaation of th wok.Thi patinc in diting and -dit ing thi b ook ov and ov again gavit it na hap. am gatfu to mai Simathi Rao fo typing th cipt

innumab tim thank M R Shid fo akng innumabphotogaph fo th book. xp my inc gatitud to M Gad Yok fo hi contuctiv

uggtion and ncouagmnt. ut fo hi pitnt guidanc, thi bookwoud not hav com to ight. am pmannty indbtd to him fo thca h ook in diting th nti cipt.

am gatfu to Gog An Unwin td fo pubihing andpntig my wok to a wod-wid pubic.

B . S. ygar


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ContentT RI BUT E by m revered gurjI Sr T. KJmachry xINTRDUCTIN by Yehudi Menhin Xlll

FREWRD by R R Diwkr xv R E F A C E X

A R T N E

ECTIN T TER F RYMA

Wht is Yog? 32 tges of Yog

3 Pra nd Paayam 2 Praayam nd the Respirtory yste Nads nd Chkrs 32 Gu nd Siy 0 Food 43 Obstcles nd Aids The Eects of Praaya

E C T I N I I T E AR T F RYMA

0 Hints nd Ctions 3 The Art o itting in Paayam 2 The Art o Prepring the Mind for Praayam 3 Mudras nd Bndhas The Art of nhltion (Prk) nd Exhltion (Rechk) The Art of Retention (Kumbhk) 0

Grdes of adhk in Paayam 2 Bj Praayam Vtti Paayam

E CT I N I I I THE TECNIQUE F RNAYAMA

Uja Paayam 2320 Vilom Praayam 2 Bhramr, Mrchha nd Plavi Paayam 222 Digitl Praayam nd the Art of Plcing the Fingers

on the Nose


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xiv Lght Pryma

23

22227

28

hstrika nd Kpalbhati PraayamSt nd Stkar PraayamAnlo Praayam

Prtilom Praayamry Bhdn nd Chndr Bhedn PraayamNa Sodhn Praayam

A W DM A ND BA I TUD

2 hyn (Mdtton)3 Sn (h Art of Rlxton)

N D I X: P ra yam CorssAYINX

185

23209

223

232

255

262

288


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Section The Theory of Pralayam


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Cp

Wht S Yog?I Noboy know he imele, pimeval abolue One, no when he wolcame ino exience. Go an naue exie beoe man appeae, bu aman evelope he culivae himel an began o realie hi own poenial.Though hi came civiliaion. Wo wee evolve wih hi, concep o

Go (uua) an naue (praki), eligion (hama) an Yoga developed.

2 Si nce i i o icul o ene hee concep, each man ha o inepehem accodng o hi uneaning. When man wa caugh in he web owolly j oy, he oun himel epaae om Go an naue. e becamea pey o he polariie o pleaue an pain, go an evil, love an hae,he pemanen an he anien.

Caugh in hee oppoie, man el he nee o a peonal iviniy(urua), who wa upeme, unaece by aicion, unouche by acionan eacion, an ee om he expeience o joy an oow.

4 Thi le man o eek he highe ieal emboie in he peec uua oGo. Thu he Eenal Being, whom he calle vaa, he o, he guu oall guu, became he ocu o hi aenion, an o hi concenaon anmeiaion. n hi unamenal que o eaching im, man evie a coeo conuc wheeby he coul live in peace an hamony wih naue, hi

ellow being an himel.

5 e lean o iinguih beween goo an evil, viue an vice, anwha wa moal an immoal . Then aoe a compehenive concep o ighacion (hama) o he cience o uy. Dr S. Rahakihnan woe ha t Dhara whch hold ta ort an guie mankind o live ahighe lie iepecive o ace, cae, cla o aih.

6 . Man realie ha he houl keep hi boy healhy, ong an clean in

oe o ollow Dhama an o experience he iviniy wihin himel. nian ee in he earch o ligh iilled he eence o he Va in heUpania an Daana (mo o pi ual pecepion) The Daana ochool ae: khya, yoga, nyya, vaeika, pva mma and uaamma.


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4 Ligh on Pryma

Smkhya ay that a cation tak pac a a pduct oth twty-vnta mnt (tattva but do nt cogni th Cato vaaYoga cogni th Cao. yya t ogic and i imai

concnd with th aw thought, ying on an and anogy. taccpt God a th ut infnc Vaika t notion uch apac, tim, cau and mat, and i uppmntay to nya t, to,ndo th Nyya viw o od Mma i dpndnt on th Vda andh wo cho pva ma, whic da with th gna cocpt fth ity but t th impotanc f action (kama and rita anduttaa mma, which acpt God o th bai of th Vda, ut apcia t on piitua nowdg (jna.

8 oa i th union o th idividua f (jvtma with t Univa f(aamtma Th ka phioopy i thotica whi oga ipacica. khya and Yga combin giv a dynamic xpoitio of thytm of thought and if nowdg ithout action, and action ithotknowdg do not hp ma Thy mut b intmingd. o ya andYga go togth

9 Accoding o Yoga, jnavaka mi, th Cato (am aayagabha (th Godn Fotu w th oigina popoundr of th

Yoga ytm fo th hath f th body, onto of th mind and attinmntof pac Th ytm wa t coatd ad wittn down by ataj i in hioga Sra o aphoim Th a dictiv ath than diuiv,vng th man and th nd Whn th ight dicip in of oga acmb ind and pactid, t yogi xpinc onn with th Cto ando hi idntity of body, ind and f. Thi i th Yoga of intgation(ayama

O Th oga Sra cont of 5 aphoim dividd into fou capt.Th t da with th toy of Yoga. It i aimd at to wo havaady attand a poid ind and a down what thy houd do tomaintain thi poi. Th cond chapt on th at of Yoga initiat thbginn into hi pactic h thid i oncnd with intna icipinand th pow (iddhi gain. Th fout and th at chapt dawith mancipation o fm fo th hack of thi wod.

Th wod Yoga i dvd om th ankit oot yuj which man tobind, join, attach an yok o dict and concntat th attntion in od

to u it for mditation. oga, thfo, i th at which bring anincohnt and cattd ind to a ctiv and cohnt tat. t i thcommunion of th human ou with ivinity.

1 In naur hitag t man a th th chaactitic o uaiti(guna, namy, iuminaion (attva, action (aja an intia (tama.


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Wha i oga? 5

t on th whl of tim (klachaka: ka = tim, chaka = wh), ik apot on th pott whl (kulachaka), man i moudd and mouldd inaccodanc with h pdominating od of th th fundamnta

intminging chaactitic.13. Man i ndowd with mind (mana), intllct (buddhi) and go(ahaka), colctivly known a concioun (chitta), which i a oucof thinking, undtanding and acting. A th wh of if tun,concioun xpinc th v mii of ignoanc (avidy), lhn (amit), attachmnt (ga), avion (dva) and lov of lif (abhiniva). Th in tun av th chitta in v dint tat which may bdul (mha), waving (kipta), patialy tabl (vikipta), onpointd

atntion (kga) and contolld (niuddha). Chitta i ik , fulld bydi (vana), without which th di out. Chitta in that pu tatbcom a ouc of nlightnt.

14 atanjal i volvd ight tag on th path of aliation, which a daltwith in th nxt chapt. Chitta in a tat of dulln i puid thoughyama, niyama and ana though whch th mind i pud to activity.ana and ym bing th waving mind to a tat of om tab ility.Th dicipin of pnyma and atyha mak th chitta attntiv andfocu it ngy. t i thn taind in thi tat by dhyna and amdhi.A it pog th high tag of Yoga bcom pdominant, but thpcding tag which lay th foundation hould b nith ignod nongctd.

1 5 . fo xploing th unknown tm, th dhaka ha to an abouthi known body, mind, intllct and go. Whn h know th known in ittotality, th mg into th unknown l ik iv mging into th a. Atthat momnt h xpinc th hight tat of joy (nanda).

16 . Fit, Yoga da with halth, tngth and conqut of th body. Nxt,it ift th vil of dinc btwn th body and th mind. aty, it adth dhaka to pac and unalloyd puity.

17. Yoga ytmaticaly tach man to ach fo th divinity withinhimlf with thooughn and cincy. H unav himf fom thxtnal body to th lf within. H pocd fom th body to th nvand fom th nv to th n. Fom th n h nt into th mind,which contol th motion. Fom th mind h pntat into th

intlct, which guid aon. Fom th intllct, hi path lad to th willand thnc to concioun (chitta) . Th lat tag i fom concioun tohi lf, hi vy bing (tm).

18. Thu, Yoga ad th dhaka fom ignoanc to knowldg, fomdakn to ight and fom dath to immotality.


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Cp

Stges of Yog The tage of Yoga ae eight: yam a niyama ana paayamapatyha dhan dhyna and amdhi. They ae a integaed bu fothe ake of convenience they ae deat wih a independt componen.

2 A te ha oot tunk banche eave bak ap owe and fui.ach one of thee component ha a epaate ideniy bu each componencannot by ief become a tee. t i the ame with Yoga. A a the pat putogethe become a tee o a the eight age put ogehe fom Yoga. Theunivea pincipe of Yama ae he oo and the individua di cipine ofiyama fom the tunk. ana ae ike vaiou banche peading inieent diection nyma which aeate he body with enegy i ikethe eave which aeae the entie ee. atyha peven he enegy ofthe ene owing ouwad jut a the bak potec a ee fom decay.

han i the ap of the tee hat hod the body and inteec m. Dhynai the owe ipening into the fui of amdhi Even a he fuit i thehight veopment of a ee the eaiaion of one ue ef (maana i the cuminaion of the pactice of Yoga.

3 hough he eight tage of Yoga the dhaka deveop undetandi ngof hi own ef. e poceed tep by ep fom he knownhi body o theunknown e poceed fom he oute enveope of the bodythe kin tohe mind Fom the mind (mana he goe o the ineect (buddhi the wi

aapa diciminating concioune (viveka-khyti o paj concience (ad-aad-viveka and ay he ef (m.

m4 Yam a i a co ective name fo univea moa commandmen. Theecommandment ae eena iepective of ca time and pace. Theegeat vow (mahvata ae non-vioence (ahim tuh (aya nonteaing (aeya continence (bahmachaya and non-covetoune (apaigaha. on-vioence i wihdawa fom he inicion of any type of

injuy whethe phyica o menta in though o deed. When hated andanimoiy ae abandoned an aembacing ove emain. The yogi iuthey uthfu and hone with himef and whaeve he think opeak tun out o be tue. He conto hi de ie and educe hi want otha he become iche without tea ing and thing come to him withou hi


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Sag o oga

aking Continence (bahmachaya) i enjoined in all matte of ex,whethe in imagination o in fact Thi dicipline bing in it wake viili tyand he ability to ee divinity in all fom without exual aoual One

hould not de ie thing that ae not neceay to maintain life, fo deie ifollowed by avaice which lead to oow if one cannot get what one wan When deie multiply, ight conduct i detoyed

Niyama5. Niyama ae the ule fo elf-puication, namely, puity (aucha),contentment (antoa), auteity (tapa), tudy of the ciptue (vdhyya) and uend to the od of all ou action (vaa panidhna)The yogi know tha hi body and ene ae uceptible to deie, which

pejudice the mind, o he obeve thee pinciple uity i of two kind,intenal and extenal, and both mut be cultivated The latte mean puityof behaviou and habit, cleanline of peon and uounding Thefome i the ooting out of ix evil, namely, paion (kma), ange(kodha), geed (lobha), infatuation (moha), pide (mada), malice and envymtaya) Thi eadication i achieved by occupying the mind with goodcontuctive though, leading to divinity Contentment educe deie,make one cheeful and give balance of mind Auteiy enable one todicipline the body and to endue hadhip and adveity, thu diectingthe mind towad the Self within Study hee i the education of oneelf byeaching fo tuth and elfealiation Finally it i the uende of all ouaction to the od and abiding entiely in i wil l Thu the niyama aethe vitue which calm te ditubed mind, leading towad peace bothwithin and aound the dhaka

an6 efoe dealing with the ana, it i eential to know about puua and

pakti uua (liteally peon ) i the univeal pychic pinciple, whichthough unable to pefom any action by itelf, animate and vitalie natue(paki o the poduce), te univeal phyical pinciple, which thoughit thee qualitie and evolutionay powe (gua) poduce intellec(budhi) and mind (mana)

uua and pakti acting togethe ti the mateial wold to activityoth are limitl, without beginning o end akti conit of ve goelement (pancha mahbhta) namely, eah (pthvi), wate (ap), e(teja), ai (vyu) and ethe (ka) Thei ve ubtle countepat

(tata) ae mell (ganda), tate (aa), fom (pa), touch (paa) andou (abda) Thee go element and thei countepat mege with thethee qualiie and evolutionay powe (gua) of pakti, namely,illuination (attva), activiy (aja) and domancy (tama) to fom thecomic inellect (mahat) Ego (ahaka), inellect (buddhi) and mind(maa) fom concioune (chitta), the individual countepat of mahat


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8 Ligh on Prnyma

Mahat i th unvovd pimay gm of natu o poductiv pincipwhnc a phnomna of th matia wod a dvopd. Th a vogan of pcption (j nndiya ) a, no, tongu, y and kin

and v n of action (amdia) g, am, pch, xctay andpoductiv ogan. akti, th v go mnt, thi v ubtcountpat, th go, intlct and ind, th v ogan of pcption, thv ogan of action and puua mk up th twnty-v baic mnt(tattva) of khya phioophy. A pitch cannot b mad without apott, no can a hou without maon Cation cannot tak pacwithout puua, th imva Foc, coming into contact with th tattva.A xitnc vov aound pua and pakti.

if i a cobination of th bdy, ogan of pcption and action,mind, intct, go and ou. Th ind act a a bidg btwn th bodyand th ou . Th mind i impctib and intangib . Th lf fu itapiation and plau though t mind acting a a mio and th bodya an intumnt of njoymnt an attainmnt

8 Accoding to th ndian yt of mdicin (yuvda) th body imad up of vn contitunt t (dhtu) and th humou (doa).h vn mnt a o cad bcau thy utain th body. Thy achy (aa), bood (akta), h (ma), fat (mda), bon (athi),aow (ma) and mn (uka). Th kp th body immun fominfction and dia.

Chy i fomd by th action of gatic j uic on food. ood poduch and fh th nti body. Fh potct th bon and poducfat. Fat ubicat and bing mn to th body. on uphod th bodyand poduc maow. Maow giv tngth and poduc mn. Smnnot ony pocat but, accoding to th ancint txt, in it ubtl tatow thoughout th ubtl body in th fom of ctain vita ngy.

10 Th th humou (doa) of wind (vta), bi (pitta) and phgm(ma), whn vny baand gi pfct hath. mbaanc in thmcau dia. Th ubtl o vitl ngy cald wind pompt bathing,movmnt, action, xction and pocation. t co-odinat th functionof dint pat of th body and uman facuti. il cat thit andhung. t digt food and convt it into bood, kping th bodytmpatu contant. hgm ubicat th joint and muc and hpto ha wound . Maa i th wat matt, oid , iquid o gaou . n it

xctd, dia t in, ditubing th baanc of th th humou.

Th Ko1 1 Accoding to Vdanta phioohy, th a th fam o typ ofbody (aa) nvloping th o. Thy conit of v intpntatingand int-dpndnt hath (koa).


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Sag o oga

The three arras are: (a) sthla, he gross frame or he anatomical sheath,(b) sksma, the subtle frame, consisting of the physiological, the psychological and inellecual sheaths, and (c) kraa, the so-called casual frame

the spiriual sheah.The sthla ara is the sheath of nourishment (annamaya koa).The physiological (prnamaya), the psychlogical (manomaya) and the

intelectual (vijnamaya) sheaths make up the subtle body (skma arra).Prnamaya koa includes the respiratory, circulatory, digestive, nervous,

endocrine, excretory and genital systems. Manomaya koa aects thefuncions of awareness, feelig and moivation not derived from subjectiveexperience Vijnamaya koa aects the intellectal process of reasoningand judgement derived hrogh subjecive experience.

The kraa arra is the sheath of joy (nandamaya koa). The experienceof being aware of it is fel by the sdhaka when he wakes afer a deeprefreshing sleep and when he is oally absorbed in the object of hismediaion.

The skin ecloses all he sheahs and bodies. It should be rm andsensitive to he slighes movemen All he sheaths are inter-mingled ontheir dierent levels from the skin o the Self

Aim in Li Prrha

12 . Man has four aims in his life dharma, arha, kma and moksa. Dharmais duty. Without this ad ehical discipline, spiritual attaient is impossible

Arha is the acquisitio of wealh for indepedence and higher pursuitsin life t canno give lasting joy neverheless, a poorly nourished body is aferile ground for worries and diseases

Kma means the pleasures of life, which depend largely on a healthybody As the ahoania says, the sel cannot be experienced by a

weakling.Moka is liberaion. The enlightened man realises that power, pleasure,wealth and knowledge pass away and do not bring freedom. He tries to riseabove his sttvic, rjasic and masic qualiies and so escape from the graspof the gns

1 3 . The body is the abode of Brahman. It plays a vital par in attaining thefourfold aims of life The sages knew that though the body wears out, itserves as an instrument o aain realisation and, as such, it has to be kept in

good condion

14 . saas purify the body and mind and have preventive and curativeeecs. They are innmerable, caering to he various needs of hemuscuar, digesive, circulatory, glandular, nervous and other systems ofhe body


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10 Ligh on Pryma

They cause changes at all levels rom the pysical to the spiritual. Healthis the deicate alance o ody mind and spirit. By practising sanas thesdhaka's physical disailities and mental distractions vanish and the gates

of h spirit are opened.sanas ring heath eauty strength rmness ightness carity ospeech and epression calmness o the nerves and a happy disposition.Their practice can e compared to the growh o a mango tree. I the treehas rown sound and healthy its essence is to e found in its fruit.Likewis the ssence distilled rom practising sanas is the spirituaawkenig o the sdhaka. He is ree rom all dualities.

S The is popula misconception that oth sanas and prymahod practised together from the ime Yoga-sdhan is egun. It is theahors perience that if a novice attends to the perection othe posturesh ano concentrate on reathing He loses aance and the depth of thess tain sediness (sthirat) and stillness (achalat) in sanas eoreinoducing rhythmic reathing techniques. The range o odily movens aries ro posture to posture The less the range of movement thesmlle wil e the space in the ungs and the reathing pattern wil err The greater the range o odily movement in sanas the geater

wi b he lung capacity and the deeper the reathing pattern Whenyma and sanas are done together see that the perect posture is notdid Unti he postures are perected do not attempt pryma.O soon reaises that when sanas are wel perormed prymicahig automaticaly sets in.

yma ryma is a conscios prolongation of inhalation rtention andaation Inhaltion is the act o receiving the primeva energy in thefom of reath and retention is when the reath is held in order to savour energy In ehalation all thoughts and emotions are emptied withrath: the whie the lungs are empty one surrenders the individualenrgy I to the primeva energy the tm.

The practice of Prnyma deveops a steady mind strong wi-powerand sound judgement.

rayhra1 7 This is a discipline to ring the mind and senses under contro. Themid plays a dual roe. On one hand it seeks to gratiy the senses and on the

other to unite with the Sel. Pratyhra quietens the senses and draws theminwards leading the aspirant to the Divine.

Dhraa Dhyna an amhi18 . Dhrana is concentration on a single point or tota attention on whatone is doin te mind remaining unmoved nd unued. It stimuates the


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Stg o Yog 1 1

inne awaeness to integate the eve-owing inteigence and eeases atensions. When it continues fo a ong time it becomes meditation (dhyna)an indescibabe state that has to be expeienced to be ndestood.

19 When the state of dhyna is maintained fo a ong time withoutinteuption it meges into samdhi whee the sdhaka oses his individuaidentity in the object of meditation

In samdhi the sdhaka oses consciousness of his body beath mindinteigence and ego. He ives in innite peace. In this state his wisdom andpuity combined with simpicity and humiity shine foth. Not ony is heenightened but he iumines a those who come to him in seach of truth.

2 1 Yama Niyama sana and Pyma ae essentia parts of the Yoga ofaction (kama). They keep the body and mind heathy fo pefoming aacts that pease God. Pyma Patyhra and Dhana ae pats of theYoga of knowedge (jna). Dhyna and samdi hep the sdhaka to megehis body mind and inteigence in the ocean of the Se This is the Yoga ofdevotion and ove (bhakti).

22. These the steams of na karma and bhakti ow into the ive ofYoga and ose thei identity. Thus the path of Yoga aone takes evey typeof sdhaka fom the du (mdha) to the estained (niuddha) towardsfreedom and beatitude.


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Chapter 3

I . I i a dicl o explain Pn a i i o explai od Pa i eenegy pemeaing he nivee all level i ysical, meal,inellecal, exal, piial and cosmic enegy All vi in enegie epna All phyica enegie uch hea, ligh, ga, gneim eeciciy are alo pna I i he hdden o poenial egy in ll bei,

eleaed o he flle exen in imes of dange I i im move llaciviy I i enegy which ceae, poec and dess Vgo, poe,viliy, life and pii ae all fom of pna

2. Accoding o he paniad, pa is he pinciple ife ad conci I i eqaed wih he

'eal Self (m) Pa i e ea of life all

ing in nive They ae bon hogh and ive i, nd wen edie ei individal beah diolv ino he comic eah Pa is eb f he Whel of Life. Eveyhig i eablihed in i I emeae e

lifegiving n, he cld, he wid vys), he ea p;tvi), n allfom of mae I i being a) an non-being aa) is h ouce allnowledge I i he Comic Peoaliy (he pua f Sky pilpy Thefoe he Yogi ake fge in pa

3 Pna i aly anslaed a beah, ye i is o on of i mmanifeaion in he hman body. f beaing op, doe life. AncienIndia age knew ha all fncio of he ody we efomed by veype of vial enegy (pa-vys Thee e know s pa hee he

geneic erm is ed o deignae paicl), apna ma, udna nvyna Tey ae pecic apec of one vil comic foe via ind), epimeva picie of exience in ll being. God i ne, b he iedesignae Him y vio name, nd so i i wi p

4. Pna moves in e hoacic egion and conol bein abbvial amopheic enegy Apna mve in he lowe aben and cnlhe eiminain of uine, emen and faece Smna es e asic e,aiding digeion and mainaining he haoniou fncining of e

abdoin ogan. t inegae e hoe of e hman oss ody Ud,woking houg he thoa he phynx nd the lay), contol he vclchods nd e inake of i nd fod Vy peves he entie by,disibuing he enegy deived fo food nd beah ou he aeie,vein and neve


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Pr d Prym 1 3

5 In pryma, he pra-vyu is activaed by he inward breah and theapna-vyu by an outward breah. Udna raises he energy from he lowerspine o the brain. Vyna is essenial for he funcion of pra and apna as

i is he medium for ransferring energy from he one o he oher6 There are also ve subsidiary divisions known as upapras orupavyus, namely, nga, krma, kkara, devadatta and dhanajaya. Ngarelieves pressure on the abdomen by belching. Krma conrols themovements of he eyelids o preven foreign mater entering the eyes italso controls the size of he iris, thereby regulaing the inensity of ligh forsigh. Kkara prevents subsances passing up he nasal passages and downhe hroa by making one sneeze or cough. Deadaa causes yawnings and

induces sleep. Dhanajaya produces phlegm, nourishes and remains in thebody even afer deah and sometimes inates a corpse.

7. According o yurveda, va, which is one of the hree humours (doa),is anoher name of pra. Charaka Sahi eplains he functions o va inhe same manner as Yoga es eplain prna. The only perceptibleepression of the funcioning of pra is fel in he movements of he lungsacivaed by inner energy, causing respiration.

Chitt d Pr8. Chitta and pa are in consant association. Where here is chita therepra is focused, and where pra is there chita is focused. The chitta islike a vehicle propelled by wo powerful forces, pra and vsan (desires).It moves in he direction of the more powerful force. As a ball reboundswhen struck to he ground, so is the sdhaka ossed according o hemovemen of pra and chita If breah (pra) prevails, then the desiresare conrolled, he senses are held in check and the mind is stilled. If theforce of desire prevails, the breahing becomes uneven and the mind ges

agiaed.9 In the third chaper of Hh Yog Prpik Swtmrma states thatas long as the breath and pra are sill, he chitta is steady and here can beno discharge of semen (ukra). In ime e sdhaka's increased vigour issublimated for higer and nobler pursuits. He then attains the state ofrdhva-retas (rdhva = upwards reas = semen), one who has sublimatedhis seual energy and hs chta o merge in pure consciousness.

Prnym10 Pra' means breah, respiration, life, vitaliy, energy or strength.When used in he plura, i denoes certain vial breaths or currents ofenergy (prnavyus). yma' means strech, etension, epansion, length,breadh, regulation, prolongaion, resraint or control. Pryma' husmeans the prolongaion o breath and its restraint. The iva Sahi calls it


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4 Light o Prym

vyu sdana (vyu = breat sdana = practice, uest) Patanjai in hisYog Srs ( 2, Stras 495 ) describes prnyma as te controedintake and outow of breat i a rmy establised posture

I I Pryma is an art and has techniues to make the respiratory organsto move and expand intentionaly, rytmicay and intensivey It consistsof long, sustained subtle ow of inhaation (praka), exalation (rechaka)and retention of breat (kumbhaka) Praka stimulates the system rechakathrows out vitiated air and toxins kumbhaka distributes the energyhroughout the body The movements incude horizontal expansion(dairghya), vertical ascension (roa) and circumferential extension (vilata) of te lungs and the rib cage The processes and techniues of

pryma are explained in laer chaptersTis discipined breathing elps the mind to concentrate and enables thesdhaka to attain robust health and ongevity

2 Pryma is not just automatic abitual breating to keep body andsoul together Throug te abundant intake of oxygen by its disciplinedtechniues, subte chemical changes take place in the sdaka's body Tepractice of sanas removes te obstructions which impede the ow ofpa, and the practice of pryma reguates tat ow of pra

throughout te body It aso regulates a te sdaka's thougts, desiresand actions, gives poise and the tremendous will-power needed to become amaster of onesef


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Praayam nd theResprtory ystem

As long as hee is beah in he body hee is life. When beah

depas so oo does life Theefoe egulae he beah.Hth Yog Prdpik Ch.2: 3 . )

Duing nomal inhalaion an aveage peson akes in abou 500 cubiccenimees of ai duing deep inalaion he inake of ai is abou six imesas gea amouning o almos 3000 cubic cenimees. The capaciies ofindividuals vay accoding o ei consiuion. The pacice of pymainceases he sdhakas lung capaciy and allows he lungs o achieveopimum venilaion.

2. The second chape of he Hh Yog Prdpik deals with pyma.The s hee veses sae Being mly esablished in he pacice ofsanas wih his senses unde conol he yogi should pacice pnymaas taugh by his Guu obseving modeae and nuiious die. When hebeah is iegula he mind waves when he beah is seady so is hemind. To aain seadiness he yogi should estain his beah. As long ashee is beah wihin he body hee is life. When beah depas life alsodepas. Theefoe egulae he beah.

3 The pacice of pyma helps o leanse he n


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1 6 Lght o Prym

Why So My Prym?4 Nmeros sas have bee evolved to exercise varios parts of theaatomy mscles erves orgas ad glads so that the etire orgaism

works i a healthy a harmoios maer ma eviromets, costittios, temperamets ad states of health ad mid vary, ad dieretsaas help i dieret sitatios to alleviate huma ills ad evelopharmoy May types of Prymas have bee devised ad evolved tomeet he physical, metal itellectal ad spirital reqiremets of theshakas der cuatig coditios

or St o Prym5 The v Sh discsses the for stages (avasth) of pryma i

is thir chaper These are: (a) commecemet (rambha), (b) itetedeavor (gha!a), (c) itimate kowledge (parihaya) ad (d) cosummatio (ipati)

I he rambha stage, the sdhakas iterest i pryma is awakeedI he begiig he is hasty ad by reaso of his exerti ad the speed withwhich he wats reslts his body rembles ad he perspires Whe byperseverece he coties his practice, the tremors ad perspiraio cease

ad he sdhaka reaches the secod stage of gha!vasth Gha!a meas awaer po. The body is compare o a pot Like a baked earthe pot, thephysical body wears away Bake it hard i the re of pryma to gaistability this stage the ve koas ad the three arras are itegratedAfter this itegratio the sdhaka reaches the parichayvasth where heobtais itimate kowledge of pryma practices ad of himself Byths kowledge he cotrols his qualities (gas) ad realises the causesof his actios (karma). From the thir stage, the sdhaka goes forthowards ipatti avash the al stage of cosmmatio is eorts have

ripeed the seeds of his karma are brt ot e has crossed the barriers ofhe gas ad becomes a gtta e becomes a jvamkta a perso whois emacipated (mkta) drig his lifetime (jvaa) by the kowledge of theSpreme Spirit e has experieced the state of ecstasy (ada).

Rprtory Sytm7. To eable he reader to have a clear picture of how pryma beetsthe body it is essetial o have some idea of the respiratory

system This is

iscssed below8 I is kow that the basic eergy eeds of the hma body are metpredomiatly by oxyge pls glcose The former aids i the process ofelimiatio by oxidisig the wase matter, while glucose spplied withoxyge orishes the body cells i the ow of respiratio


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Prym d th Rspirtory Systm

ronta l S inus

Sinuses

Hard Palate

To Que

-

Pharynx

andible

arynx hyroid{ Vocal Cords

Cricoid at "e

racheal Rigs

hyrid Gland

rontal Lobe of Brain

Air passage during spiration through

the N ose arynx, arynx and TracheaFg

Trachea

The prpose of pryma is o make he respiraory ysem funcion ais bes. This auomaically improves he circlaory sysem wihowhich he processes of digesion and eliminaion wold suer Toxinswould accmulae diseases spread hrough he body and ill-healhbecomes habia

The respiraory sysem is he gaeway o prifying he body mind andinellec. The key his is pryma.

Respiraion is essenial fr susaining all forms of animal life from hesingle-celled amoeba o man I is possible o live wihou food or waer for


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Scalenus Medius ( Insp)

Stenal Head of

Extenal Obl que (

Abdomnal Muscles -

Steno Hyoid ( nsp)

ntena l ntecostal s

and I ntenalI ntecostal s

Extenal Obl ique, I ntenal Obl i que Tansvesus Abdoinis (Expiation and duing Panayamic beathing, Ealy Inspiation)

g2

Obl iquus E(Exp )

Obl quusI ' s

(E )

evato Scapulae ( I nsp)

Rh ombodeus Mino ( I nsp)

Rh omboideus Majo( lnsp )

Sacospna l is ( l nsp)

Lateal Sacospina l is(Exp )

Seatus An teo( l n s p )

ntecostales ( & E )

Seatus PosteioI nfe io (Exp)


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Pryma ad th Rpirato Sytm

few das but whn respirtion ceases so does lif I n the Chdogyopaiad it is said Even as the spokes ar fastend to th hub so on this lifereath all is fastned ife moves with the lif breath which givs life to a

living creature ife breath it one's fathr one's mother one'srother one's sister and one's tachr the Brahman Vrilhe who ses this knows and understands this becomes the ecellenspeker' (S adhakrishnan Th Pcipal paiad, VII 5 4)

The Kaitaki paiad sas One can live deprived of speech for wesee the dumb; one deprived of sight for w s the blin; of hearing for wesee the deaf; and of min for we see the childish; one can liv without armsnd legs for hus we see But now it is the breathing spirit alon the

intelligenceself that seizes hold of this bod and maks it ris up This ishe all obtaining in the breathing spirit What is the breathing spirit that ishe intelligencesel What is intelligenceself that is he breathing spiritfor togethr th live in this bod and ogethr the go of it' (SRhakrishnan h Prcipal paiad, III 3.)

Fg

Accessy Msesf nspitin

Sternocl eido astoid_ -

Cut edge ofLatissimus

Exteral O bl i eof Abdome

Accessy Muscesf Expiatin

Serrats Aterior

Serrats Posterornferior

.l terna Ob l ique

of Abdome


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0 Light Pryma

3 Breathin starts with independent life outside the mother and endswhen life ceases. When the child is stil in the womb ts oxyen is suppiedthrouh its mothers blood, and its luns are not reuired to function.

When it is born, the rst breath of life is started by command from thbrain

4 Durin most of ones life, the depth and rate of breathin are selfreulated throuh the nerous system to meet the purposes of breathin, tosupply in a reulated and controlled way the fresh oxyen which isconstantly needed by the cels and to dischare the carbon dioxideaccumulated in them

S Mst f us assume that ecause breathin is usually automatic, it isbeyond ur actie control This is not true. In pryma by arduoustrainin of the luns and nerous system, breathin can be made mreecient by chaning its rate, depth and uality. The lung capacity of reatathletes, mountain climbers, and yois is far greater tha that of ordinarymen, allowi them to perform extraordinary feats Better breathin meansa better and healthier life.

16 The act of breathin is so oranised that the luns are normally iated

sixteen to eihteen times a minute. Fresh air containin ife-iin oxyenis suckd into them, and ases containin carbon dioxide from the bodytissues ar sent out in exchane throuh the breathin passaes. The

F 5

nh

nor B

Pleural Merae


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Prym th Rspirto Systm 2

yhmic inaion o the so, honeycombed bellows o he lungs isaintained by he movemens o he rib-cage and diaphragm. The latter inrn are driven or powered by impulses sent down by he respiratory centre

n he brain to he relevan muscles through he nerves. Thus the brain ise insigator hrough which he respiraion and the hree menal unctionsf hought, will and consciousness are regulaed.

The breathing cycle consists o hree parts inhalation, ehalaion andeention.

Inhalaion is an acive epansion o the chest by which the lungs are lledith resh air Ehalation is a normal and passive recoil o the elastic chestall by means o which he stale air is ehaled and he ungs are empied.

etention is a pause at he end of each inhalation and ehalation Theseree orm one cycle o breahing. The breahing aects he hear raeuring he prolonged holding o breah, a slowing o he hear rae isbserved, which ensures increased res o he heart musce

8. Respiration may be classied ino our ypes

a) High or clavicular breahing, where he relevan muscles in he necmainly activate the op pars o he lungs.

b) Inercosal or midbreathing, where only he cenral pars o he lungsare acivted.

c) Low or diaphragmaic breahing, where he lower portions o the lungsare activated chiey, while the op and central porions remain lessacive.

d) In oal or prymic breathing, he enire lungs are used o theirfulles capacity

I sprato

E x p i rat io


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22 Light on Praym

nspiratio

:Expiration

Fig 7

I nspi ration


42/311


43/311

24 Light Prym

orgn at the spne Fnally the hghest ntercostals and the musclesconnectng the upper rbs, sernum and cavcles to the neck nd skul arecontracted, enablng the upper part of the lungs to be lled Then the

already epanded horacc cavty expands further forwards, upwards andsdeways

Upwrd vement f Uppe hrcic W d i n nspirtin

npration

F g

Scale u Aterior ad edi u fixor elevate R ib during piration

R i b

Direction of pull ofnternal ntercotal ucle

-R ib

Di rectio of pul l ofExternal Itercotal ucle

Rib ad lpul led uptoward Rb by I tercotal

Dwnwrd Mvement f Lwe hcic W din rced Etin

D recto of pul l ofI ternal I tercotal ucl e

Drection of pull ofEx ternal I tercotal u cl e

i b X and pul led down\toward Rib by Itercotal

orced Expratio

R i b X

R i b (f loating r ib)

Quadratu l um borum fixe ordepree Rib du ri ng forced expi ration


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Superf ic ia l F asc ia

Mu

sc l

-

(Serratus Anterior

Prm th Rspirtory Systm 2

n g

Visceral Pleura

Parietal Pleura

I ntercosta l M usc le Laye r

t;

_

I ntercostalVein

'

i

l

terc

osta

l

Artery(E xternal I ntercostal nternal Intercostal ,ransversus h oracis

R i b

F 3

I ntercosta l N ee

This series of movements of the abdomen chestwal and neck inwhich each step of the sequence prepares the ground for the next results ina maximum llng of the lungs to create space or the incoming air to reachvry corner of each lung

20 The sdhaka must rst direct hs body-conscous aareness specically and intellgently at the lower anteror abdominal wall just above thepelvis To accmplish this he has to move te ower abdominal wall

toward the spine and aganst the daphragm as massagng from the skinto the muscles and muscles to the inner organs This sense of activeconcious contraction is assocated wit visbe movements of te abdomina wall from the surace skin to its deepest ayers and can be directedat will After that direct your attention to expand te lateral and posteriorregons of the chest Elevate the lower chest wall smultaneously expandingthe top chest wall wth its skin and muscles Te diapragm gradually andsmoothly resumes its domed shape as it starts to relax towards the end ofinspiration uring exhalaton the dome moves up agan t is actve at the

start of expiration to encourage a smooth slow start to the elastic recoil ofthe lungs

The fresh oxygen which is sucked n percolates the minute sacs (thealveolar sacs) whch orm the basc unit of the lungs The membranesrond these alveol convey ths oxygen into the blood stream and then the


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26 Light Prym

carbon dioxid from h blood ino th air of h lungs for is disposalhrough xhalaion Th blood with frsh oxygen is carrid by arris fromh lf sid of h hart o clls in vry nook and cornr of th body thus

replnishing heir store of life-giving oxygn Th wat product (mainlyh carbon dioxid) hrown out by ach sac ar thn akn by h vnousblood sram from th righ side of th hart o the lungs for dispoal Thhar pumps his blood through h body a an avrag rat of vny imspr minu. nc o brah proprly w nd th smooth co-ordinaionof all he rlevan pars of the body he powr or conrol hous (th nrvoussysm) th bllows (h lungs) he pump (t har) and th plumbingysm (he areries and vins) besides h driving motor of th rib cag andthe diaphragm

h h T ches is he cage formd by h rib in which th lungs and harare locad. i shapd like a runcaed con narrow at h op andwidening below Th op is closd o by h muscls of neck atacd ohe clavicles Th wind-pip (rachea) passes hrough i on is way from thhroat o he lungs Thi runcad con is slighly a from fron to back bony surfacs includ h horacic par of h verbral column in hmidlin a he back and h breas plae in he fron a wlv pairs of

atened ribs which curve acro h gap bwn he spin a th back andhe brasbon in front to form smicircular bridgs on ach side. Thpace between rib ar lled by inrnal and xrnal inrcosalmcle Tre are in adiion uce oining he welft rib o he pelvis

F 4

(Cecal )

nsetn f Scalenus Med us

I nsetn f Scalenu s Ante

R b

Supapleual Membanencl u ng bes fmScalenus and Insetn

f Scalenus M n imus

Cstchndal J u nctin

Ma ubum Sten


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R ght cupola, end of E xp raon

F.

F . 6

Pryma and the Respirato System 27

ef cupol a, end o I nspaton

nd the rst one to the cervicl spine There re eleven pirs o muscles inll The expnsion nd contrction o the chest re controlled by thesemuscles and the diphrg. The thorcic dors re is like the brod midsection o bnn le, he spine being the stem, the evenly spced ribsbeing the veins nd the til bone the thin end o te le (Ps I 2)

The Lungs and the Bronhia Tree23 The right nd left lungs dier in shape nd cpacit. In most o us thebulk o the hert which is bout the sie o st, is on the let sideConequently th lung is smller It is divided into two lobes, one abovethe other, wheres the right lng has three lobes (Fig. )


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2 Light Pryma

Pl.! Pl .2

24. The lungs are overed with a membrane alled the pleura and due totheir shape expand rather like the bladder of a footbal.

5 The dome of the right diaphragm is higher than the left Beneath it isthe liver, the argest solid abdominal organ, less ompressibe anddepressible than the stomah and spleen lying below the left diaphragm Infull ialation, when attempting to l the lungs, most people an feel a

sense of inreased resistane beow the right side of the diaphragm, wherethe liver is, when their attention is drawn to the area In order to equalisethe ling of both lungs from base and side, speial eort and attention mustbe direted to diaphragmati and hest wall movements on the right side.

26. The bronhial system, onneting the windpipe and the alveoli, is inthe thorai age It resembles an inverted tree with its roots in the gullet,while the branhes spread out downwards towards the diaphragm and theside walls of the hest avity.

27 The windpipe in the throat is a tube about four inhes long and lessthan an inh wide, wih branhes out into two primary bronhi, oneleading into eah lung. Both then branh out into numerous tiny airpassages aled the bronhioles At the end of eah of these bonhioes arethe alveoli, the tiny air sas ustered like bunhes of grapes, some 300


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Pryma and the Respiratory System 29

illion lining each lung, heir surface covers abou eighy o one hundredare yards fory o fy imes ha of he human skin.

These alveoli are small, muliple saclike chambers wih an incompleeining of cells. The gap beween he cells (he inesiial space) is lled wihid Around he ouer wall of he alveoli lie minue blood vessels (hepillaries). Echange of gases akes place beween he alveoli and he redood cells and plasma of he blood via he uid in he alveoli or inesiialace.

The air in he alveoli conains more oygen and less carbon dioiden he blood passing hrough he capillaries in he lungs. uring he

change of oygen and carbon dioide, he molecules of oygen diuseio, and carbon dioide ou of, he blood.Cp l r s w connuousndotl l Cl l n

r AolrWl

r Alvor Pre

Cnos A lvolrbrn wt n n gEl C s

sd Bsmntbrns

Alvo r Mcropg(Scvngr C l )

Avolr Mcropg(Scvngr l l )

Co lgn nd E l s c brs

n Srucurs of l onry A r Scs Sowng t Mm brns cross wicG E b A d B l d


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30 Light on Pryma

The Spine30 The spine should be kept rm like the trunk of a tree The spinal cord isprotected by thirty-three vertebrae The seven vertebrae in the neck are

caled cervical Belo them are the twelve dorsal or thoracic vertebraewhich are connected to the ribs, forming a cage to protect the lungs and theheart The ten top ribs on either side are joined in front to the inner side ofthe breastbone, but not the two oaing ribs below The oating ribs are socaled, as they are not anchored to the breastbone Beow the dorsal are heumbar verebrae and lower still the sacrum and coccyx, both formed offused verebrae The owest coccygeal vertebra curls forward

The Breastbone

3 he breasbone has hree parts In breathing, the op and bottomshould be kept perpendicuar to the oor. Use it to act as a support forifing the side ribs like the handle of a bucket, and so create more spacehrough the expansion of the ungs sideways and upwards

3 he lungs open sideways and space for expansion is created with thehep of he inercostal muscles Keep the interior intercostal muscles at theack rm If the skin at the back does not co-ordinate with the intercostalmuscles breathing becomes shallow, reducing the intake of oxgen,

causing phsical weakness and lack of bodily resistanceThe Skn3 3 As a drummer tightens the skin of his drum to get resonance anda violinist ightens his strings o get carity of sound, the yogi adjussand sretches he skin of his torso to create maximum response fromhe intercosta muscles to aid he respiratory process when practisingprnyma

34 The oating ribs, not eing xed in front to the sernum expand like apair of calipers to create more space in the chest Laterally, the thick middleribs can also expand laerally, thus widening and lifting the rib-cage Thisdoes not aect he top ribs To l the uppermos reaches of the ungsrequires raining and atenion Learn to use the upper inner intercosamuscles and the top part of the sternum Expand the ribcage from heinner frame outwards, as his wil stretch the inercostal muscles.

The Diaphragm

35 The diaphragm is a large dome-shaped muscle-like partition whichseparates the thoracic cavi from the abdominal one Anchored al aroundhe circumference of the lower thoracic cage, it is attached at the back to thelumbar verebrae, at he sides to the lower six ribs and in the front to thedagger-shaped cartilage of the breastbone Above it are the heart and ungsand beow it the liver on the right and the stomach and spleen on the lef.


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essory Muses

Pryma a the Respiratory System 3

6. The respiratory muscles of the throat, torso, spine and abdomen arethe accessories usd in breathing, which is ordinarily dominated by the

diaphragm Besides the muscles already described, those of the neck,especially the sternomastoids and the scalenus, pay their parts Theycontribute very litte to quiet breathing, but become active when the rate ordepth is increased and rigid when the breath is held The use of accessoryrespiratory muscles varies from one individual to another It also variesfrom time to time in the same person, depending on how powerfully heexerts in his breathing and how eciently and how tensely

37 We all breathe, but how many of us do so correctly, with attention? Bad

posture, an illshaped or cavedin chest, obesity, emotional disorders,various lung troubles, smoking and uneven use of the respiratory muscles,lead to improper breathing, below one s capacity We are aware of thediscomfort and disability which then arises Many subtle changes takeplace in our body as a result of poor breathing and bad posture, leading toheavy breathing, inadequate pulmonary function and aggravation of heartdisease Prnyma can help to prevent these disorders and help to check orcure them, so that one can live fuly and well

38 As light radiates from the disc of the sun, so air is spread through thelngs Move the chest up and out If the skin over the centre of thebreastbone an move vertically up and down and it can expand from side toide circumferentially, it shows that the lungs are being lled to theiaximum capacity


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Cp 5

Nads nd Ckrs he wrd nd is derived rom nd menin hollow stlk, sod,vibrtion nd resnnce ds re tubes, ducts or chnnels which crr ir,wter, blood, nutrients nd

other substnces throuhout the bod. ey

re our rteries, veins, cpillries, bronchioes nd so on. n our so-cledsubtle nd spiritul bodies, which cnnot be weihed or mesured, the re

chnels or cosmic, vitl, seminl nd other eneries s wel s orsenstions, consciousness nd spiritul ur. he re clled by dierentnmes in ccordnce with their unctions. diks re smll nds nddchkrs re li or plexuses i ll three

bodies the ross sutle

d cusl. he subtle or cusl bodies re not et reconised b scietistsor the medicl proessio

t is sid in the Varhopaniad (V, 54/5) tht the ns penetrte thebod rom the soles o the eet to the crown o the hed I them is pr,

the breth o lie nd in tht lie bides tm, which is the bode o ti,cretrix o the nimte nd innimte worlds

All nds oriint rom oe o two centres, th kndsthn littlebelow the nvel nd the hert houh Yo texts ree bout teirstrtin points, they vr bout where some o them end.

Nqs Starting from Beow the Nave4. welve diits bove the nus nd the enitl orns nd just below the

navel, there is n e-shped bub clled the knd From it 72,000 ndsre said to spread throuhout the body, ech brnchin o into noer72,000 hey move in every direction ad hve countless outlets ndunctions.

5 he iva Sahit mentions 350,000 nds, o which ourtee re sttdto be importnt. hese nd ew others re isted with their unctios in theiven tble below. he three that are most vitl re the susumn, id ndpinl.

6 he suum, which runs throuh the centre o the spine, is spit t theroot nd termintes t the crown o the hed i the thousnd-petlled lotus(shsrr, which is the set o re (ni. he Varhopaniad (V, 29 30)describes it s blzin nd shinin (jvlnti, nd s bein sound incrte


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N and Chakras 33

Tabe of N Starting from the Kanda Beow the Nave

N N41 lc by Tmu Fuc Suuma Centre of spine Crown of hed Agni Fre

(sttv),illumntion

2. I9a Left of Left nostrl ChndrCoolng(tms)inerti

3 Pingla Right of Rght nostrl SOry

Burnng(rjs) cton4 Gandhar Behnd 2 Left eye Seeng5 Hstjihva n front of 2 Rght eye Seeng Pa Behind 3 Rght er Herng7 Ysvin Before 3 - Between 4 Left er nd

nd 0 Left big toe8 lmbusa Bfurctes mouth nd

nus9 Kuh n front of Evcuton

10. Srsvt Behind Tongue Controlsspeech ndkeeps llbdomnlorgns freefrom disese

Varui Between nd 9 Flows Evcutesthroughout body urine

12 Vvodhri Between 5 nd 9 Absorbs food

1 3 ysvn Between nd Rght bg toe4 Skhn Between 4 nd 1 Gentl orgns Crres theessence offood

1 5 ubha1 Kuik Big toes1 7 ra Between

eyebrows18 Rak Cretes hunger

nd thrst;

collcts mucust sinuses9 KOrm Stbilses body

nd mind20 Vijan Vessels of

N9 consciousness


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34 Light on Pryma

(ndarpn) It alo called the Supporter of the Unre (Vvadhrvva = univere, dhr = upporter), the brahmand and the aperture ofBrahma (Brahmarandhra) It llumnaton (attva) It gve delght to the

dhaka hen pra enter t and alo tmeNq Starting from the Heart7. Accordng to the Kathopaniad (VI 16, 17) and Pranopaniad the tm, hich i ad to be the ze of a thumb, dell within the heart,from hch a hundred and one n radate In the Chndogyopaniad (II,12,4) t aid that a the outer cover of man i h phyca body, h nnercore (hdayam) the heart (VIII 3.3), heren abde the tm It alocalled the antartma (oul, heart or mnd Antahkarana (ource of thought,

feelng and concoune) and chdtm (faculty of reaonng andconcioune)

8. ere the heart tand for both the phycal and the pritual one All thevtal breath or ind (vyu) are etablhed there and do not go beyond tIt here that the prna tmulate acton and activate ntellgence(praja) The ntellgence bcome the ource of thinking, magnaton andill hen the mnd controlled and the ntellect and heart are unted, thelf i rvaled ( vetvataropaniad IV 17 )

9 . From each of thee 10 1 nd emanate one hundred ubtler nd, eachof hch branche o nto another 72,000. If there i harmony beteen theve nd (vyu) (namely pra apna, udna, vyna and amna) andthee nd, then the body become a heaven on earth but if there idharmony, t become a battle ground of deae

10 . Of the 10 1 n, only the chtr plt nto to part at the root of theuumn One part of the chitr move withn it, extending upard to the

aperture (randhra) of Brahma at the cron of the head above the aharrachakra Th the gateay to the Supreme Sprt (Parabrahman) Theother part of chtr move donard toward the generatve organ fordcharge of emen I t ad that at the tme of death, yog and antconcouly leave through the Brahmarandhra Snce the aperture i in thepirtual or caual body (kraa arra), t cannot be een or meauredhen pra re upward, va the chitr through the chakra, t take tht the radance (oja), a creative energy latent n emen The chtr itranformed nto the Brahma nd or par (upreme) n Then the

dhaka become one ho ha ublmated hi exual appetite (an rdhvareta) and i free from al dere

Dhamani and Sira1 Nd, dhamani ad ra are tubular organ or duct ithn thephyca and ubtle bode conveying energy n derent form The ord


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Ns and Chakras 3 5

amani is deried from damana, meaning a pair of bellows Tearest analogy is an orange. Its rind represents te gross (stla), teembranes represent te subtle (skma), and te segments, ontaining

juiy buds, te ausal (kraa) bodies respetiely. Te nds arry air, damani arry blood, and te siras distribute te ital seminal energyrougout te subtle body

[ yurea is te siene of life and longeity Aording to its texts,i dea wit anient Indian mediine, siras start from te eart. Teyary blood (rakta) and seminal itality (ojas) from and to te eart Sirasre tiker atte eart and beome tinner as tey bran out like te einsf a eaf Seen undred of tem are onsidered important. Tey are

ivided eenly into four ategories, ea of wi aters for one of temours wind (ta) for proper funtioning of te body, bile (pitta) forarmonising te organs, pegm (kapa) for free moement in te joints, andlood (rakta), wi irulates oxygen and its own form of ital energy.

ds and Ciruation3 Te iva Sahit (V 5255) states tat wen food is digested, teds arry te best part to nouris te subtle body (skma arra), temidde part to te gross body (stla arra), and disarge te ierior partin te form of faees, urine and sweat.

4 Te food tat is onsumed is turned into yle, wi is arriedoug ertain duts known in yurvedi texts as sotas a synonym forns. Teir funtions are wide, for tey also arry te ital energy orbreat known as prna, water, blood and oter materia to arious tissues,marrow and ligaments, as well as disarge semen, urine, faees and sweat.

5 . In breating, ns, damanis and siras perform te dual funtion ofabsorbing vital energy from te inoming air and trowing o teresultant toxins Te in-breat moes troug te windpipe to te lungs,on into te bronioles (damanis) and ten to te aleol (siras). Tebood takes up te energy from te oxygen and perolates it into tedamanis wit te elp of pra in te n


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3 Light on Prma

avours (essence of food), forms, sounds and inelligence (jna). Yogahelps hem o funcion properly by keeping all hese channels pure, hebody immune from diseases and he inelligence keen, so ha he sdhakacan ge o know his body, mind and soul ( arhopaniad, V 46-9)

17 Some ns, dhamanis and siras may correspond areries, veins andcapillaries of he respiraory and circulaory sysems. They may also benerves, channels and ducs of he nervous, lymphaic, glandular, digesiveand genio-urinary sysems of he physical and physiological body Oherscarry vial energy (pra) o he menal body, inellecual energy (vijna)o he inellecual body, and spiriual energy o he causal or spiriual body(oul) The erminaing poin of each nd is o be found in follicle, cell orhair They funcion as inles and oules of various energies. In all, 5 9billion of hem ow in he gross, suble and causal bodies No wonder i issid ha h body is full of nd.

udain1 8 Kunalin is divine cosmic energy The word is derived fromunala, meaning a ring or coil The laen energy is symbolised as asleeping serpen wih hree and a half coils i has is ail in is mouh, whichfces downwards. lies a he hollow base of he suumn, wo digis below

he genial area and wo above he anus.19 The hree coils represen he hree saes of mind (avash), namelyawake (jgra), dreaming (Svapna) and in deep sleep (suupi) There is afourh sae, urya, combining and ranscending he ohers, which isrepesened by he las half-coil. is aained in samdhi.

20 . The Hafha YogaPradpik(III.I ) statesthatas Adi Sesa, the Lord ofSerpents,supports heuniverse, soku


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Ns a Chak ras 37

, eed, nfatuaton, pde and envy Then hs ntelect becomesnd. The cosmc negy latent wthn hm s then awakened by the gacof od and the guu (Haha Yoga Prapik, 2.). As ths ses, the

aka gets mo and moe n tune wth the Dvne. He becomes fee fomachment towads futs of acton (kama mukta) and unattached to lfeana mukta).

. Accodng to Tntc texts, the obect of Pya s to aouse thent powe (akt) called ku


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3 Light Pryma

29 The generatin and distribtin f pra in the hman system may becmpared t that f electrical energy The energy f faling water r risingsteam is made t rtate trbines within a magnetic eld t generateeectricity The electricity is then stred in accmlatrs and the pwer isstepped p r dwn by transfrmers which regulate the vltage r crrent.It is then transmitted alng cabes t light cities and rn machinery. Prais like the faling water r rising steam. The thracic area is the magneticeld. The breathing prcesses f inhalatin, ehalatin and retentin fbreath act like the trbines, whie the chakras represent the accmlatrsand transfrmers The energy jas) generated by pra is ike electricity. Itis stepped p r dwn by the chakras and distribted thrght thesystem alng the ns, dhamanis and siras, which are the transmissin

lines. If the pwer generated is nt prperly reglated it will destry themachinery nd the eqipment. It is the same with pra and jas, fr theycan destry the bdy and the mind f the sdhaka.

30 The main chakra are: mldhra mla = srce, dhra = spprt, vital part), sitated in the pelvis abve the ans; (2) svdhihna seatf a vital frce), sitated abve the rgans f generatin; ( 3 ) manipraka,sitated in the nave; (4) srya, the sn; and (5 ) manas mind), beween thenave and th hart; anhata hart), in the cardiac area; (7) viddhi

pre), in the pharyngeal regin; () j cmmand), between the eyebrws; (9) Sma, the mn in the centre f the brain; ( 10 ) laa, at the tp fthe frehead; and sahasrra, which is called the thsand-petaled ltsin th brain. Th mt imprtant f them are mldhra, svdhisthna,manipraka, anhata, viddhi, j and sahasrra

3 The mldhra chakra is the seat f the element f earth thvi tattva)and f smell It is the base f the annamaya ka, the bdy f nrishment,cnncted with the absrptin f fd and the evacatin f faeces. When

this chakra is activated, the sdhaka becmes rm in vitality and ready tsblimate his seal energy rdhvartas)

32. The svdhihna chakra is the seat f the element f water ap) and ftaste When it is activated, the sdhaka becmes free frm disease andacqires vibrant health Feeling n fatige, he becmes friendy andcmpassinate

33 The manipraka chakra is the seat f the element f re agni), andwhen it is activated the sdhaka btains calmness even in adversecircmstances

34 The svdhihna and the maipraka chakras are the ndatins fthe Pramaya ka, the physigical bdy. Bth have t mve tgether,


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Ns and Chakras 39

oordinating teir untins during inaation and exaation inyma

5 . he srya ara, ommy nown as te soar pexus, ies betweene nave and the diapragm. t eeps te abdomina rgans eathy andreases te liespan.

6. he manas ara ies between te srya and te anata. t is te seato emotin, igniting imagination and reativity, and an be stabiised bynymas involving etention o te brea.

. e anata akra ies in te region o te pysia and te spiritua

at t is the eemnt o ai (vyu) and tou.

e manas and te aata aras represent te psyhoogia bodyanomaya koa). Wen ativated, tey strengten te eart, deveopadratio (bakti) and knowledge (ja) ey ree te sdhaa romensua peasures and mae him low te pat o spirituality.

9 e viuddhi ara, in te region o te troat above te est, and ate base te ne, is the element o ether (ka). t represents te

nteetua body (vijamaya oa). When it is ativated, te sdhaa'swe o understanding inreases. He beomes inteetuay aert. Hispee beomes dis tint, ear and uent.

40. e aj akra represents the abde joy (nandamaya a). Whent is ativated, te sdaka gains peret ontro over is body and deveopsa piritua aura

4 Soma ara reguates the temperature o te body.42 When te aa hakra is ativated, te sd" a beomes te master ois estiny.

43 . e saasrra akra, aso aled saasrra daa (daa = a bdy oroops, a arge number) is te seat o te Supreme Spirit (Parabraaman) ate end o te Brama or suum.

44. Wen te ain nergy reaes te saasrra, te sdhaa asrssed al bariers and bemes an emanipated soul (sidda) . is state ised to in the $a Chakra Nirpaa (Verse 40) as te State o Void Snya D ea).


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Cp 6

Guru nd iy1 g (ta) ad is ppi (i\ya) ae togete onernd witspirita kowdg (Brama-vidy). gr rst stdies is ppi addissses wat te ppi kows, wie t ppi stdis t gr ad tsbjt i s beig tagt xt stp or t ppi is proogd astipratie (tapas) ti te kowdge as b y absorbed . I tim

wisdom (praj), te it o rstad xpi, mats ad t gad isya xpor it togt

. Saskit wod g is drivd om t two roots g' manigdakss ad ' igt As a tea o sad kowdg rmovs tedakss o igoa ad ads is ppi towads e igtment ad trt.H is aso o rom wom w a igt ondt or d wom onstdis ow to ad a good ie. e om ated, as sard widy ortt H pts is spiita kowdg ito pati H is ot ontt wit

t totia v oy H sows by xampe wat as xpidad ivs p to wat e pas A g sod b (a) ea in ispptio ad kowdge, (b) ga in spirita pati (aa), ()ostat ad dtmid i stdy (abysa), (d) r om desi or te its o is at ios (karma paa tygi or vaigya), ad ) pr i wat edos to gid is ppis i t tr sse o kowedg (paratattva) Hsows tm ow to t ti sss ad int ige iwards, so tat tya to xpor tmsvs ad to a t so o tei ow being

(

tm) g is t bidg btw t individa (j vtm) ad God(Paramtm)

3. Th cassical xamps of the guuiya ationship arethos m-tioed inth Kahopniad and inth Bhagavad GU. In th formr,Yama,

th Godof Death gives spiitualkowdgeto thearest ske Nachikt,

whowithuhesitatingcouagfacsdath. I thlattr,Si Ksa rmoves

th doubs and dejectioof themighty bowmaAjuna, whose unerig

aim ad spirit of humility ld him to th highest goal of life.

strengt and enrgy o a obbe named Ratnkara we diverted byt sag rada towads God. obber timaty beame te sageVmki, t ato ote pi Rmyaa. By way o paabe te Rmyaaompars t man body to Lak, te isand kingdom o Rvaa,


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Guru ad iya 4

tn-eaded demon king wit a n inated ego e tn eads ae teorgans o knowedg and ation, wose desis ave no bounds; ike te n aound te isand, S, te individua sou o pakti, is kept onned

n okavana, Rvaa's pasue gaden St is djeted and u o so at te od sepaation om e Lod, Rma, and tinks o imtanty Rma snds is messenge Hanumn, son o Vyu (t vitawind), to onsoe St and aise e agging spiit Hanumn eps to oy Rvana, te ego, and to unite S and Rma (pakti and puua;a and Paamtm) As Hanumn brougt about te eunion o St ma, pyma bings about t union o te sdaka wit is

nitiay te guu bings imse down to te eve o is pupi, wom e ages and gaduay its up by preept and exampe is is oowed aing adjusted to t pupi's tness and matuity unti te attes as eass and indpndent as is guu Like a mot at oding nd and pess kitten in mout, st ks te movments ohs pi, eaving im wit itte initiativ In t next stage, aows im ae edom tat a mote monkey dos wn e baby st eeases ip on e u, o se keps it ose to e In t st stage, t pupi is

te unquestionabe disipine o te guu; in te seond stag ndes is w ompty In t tid stage, ike t s witinking eys bomes bot skiu and an in tougt, wod and

( p is a o t atgois du , avage and intens o supeioTe du pupi as itte entusiasm, bing snsua, unstabe and owady s unwi ing to sed is ngative qaities o to wok ad o sesation sond typ o pupi is a wave, euay attated to

ds wody matts as by te sp iitua, sometims giving weigt to te and sometims to t ote H knows wat is te igest good, buts ouage and detemination to od on steadasty He needs stong tent to ot is ke natue o wi te guu is awa ense o supeio pupi as vision, entusiasm and ouage He esiststations and as no esitation in asting o quaities wi take imay om is goa He teo beomes stabe, skiu and stady e is aways at to nd a way to guid is intense pupi to eaise isst poentia unti e beomes a eaisd so (sidda) e guu is

ays appy wit is ppi, wo may eventuay supass im

7 woty pupi nds is guu by te gae o God Satyakma-Jbi,w onessed tat was not awae o is paentage, was apted as a by te sage Gautama, wo was impssed by is innoene and tuness vetaketu poudy etuned ome ate yeas o study, but


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42 Light Prym

faed to answer wen s fater Uddaa ased m wat ad made a ugetree grow from a tny seed. Wen wt due umity vetaetu onfesseds gnorane, s fater aepted m as a pup and gave m sprtua

nowedge. A dspe soud unger after sprtua nowedge and sefontro He soud pratse onstanty wt attenton and possess greatendurane.

8 Sprtua tranng (sdana) as notng to do wt teoreta study,but t eads to a new way of fe. Just as sesame seeds are rused to yed oand wood gnted to brng out ts atent eat, so must te pup beunswervng n s prate to b rng out te nowedge atent wtn m andnd s own dentty Wen e reases tat e s a spar of te Dvne

ame burnng trougout te unverse, ten a s past impressons(sasras) are burnt out, and e beomes engtened. He is ten a guru ns own rgt.


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p 7

Food e Mahnryaopaniad (79I) desribes ood (anna) as e priary requisite wiou wi man anno deveop is anaomia body o epiriua eve I is saed a e sun radiaes ea wi evaporaes watere vapou beomes ouds rom wi rain a s o e eart Man is e

a and produes ood wi, wen onsumed, reaes e energy aainains vigour Vigour egenders disipine, wi deveops e aia gives knowedge; knowedge besows earning, wi brings omosure a reaes amness; amness esabises equanimiy, wideveops memory a indues reogniion; reogniion brings judgemen,i eads o e reaisaion o e Se

2 e body needs ood onaining e rig baane o arboydraes,proeins, as, viamins and minera sas Waer is needed o ep digesionand assimia ion ood in e orm o nourismen is nay ass imiaed inarious orms rougou e body

ood soud be woesome, paaabe and ongenia o te body, andoud no be eae merey o graiy e senses I is broady divided inoree kinds svi rjasi and aasi e rs promoes ongeviy,ea and appiess; e seond produes exiemen, and e irdreaes disease Rjasi and masi ood make e onsiousness du and

mpede spiriua progress I is e duty o e sdaka o nd ou by riaand experiene wi is suiabe or im

. Wereas i is rue a araer is inuened by ood, i is equay ruea e praie o Pnyma anges e eating abis o e sdakaa's emperame is inuened by is die beause wa e eas aese unioning o e mind Stvi vegearian ood, owever, may beake by yrans wi diturbed minds, u o ared, ye ey remainjasi or masi n e ame way nobe araers (ike e Budda or

Jesus) may no be aeed by e ype o ood oered o em or b y tosepersons wo give i, oug ey woud normay be regarded as masi I s e sae o mnd o e eaer a is imporan Y e a de onsising osvi ood ony wi ep e praiione o mainain a ear anduwavering mind


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44 Light on Pryma

5 e boy is te aboe o te iniviua se (jvm). it were toperis rom ak o oo te se' wou eave it just ike a tenant woreuses to resie any onger in a iapiate ouse . e bo tereore, as

to be protete to ouse te Se . o neget tis boy eas to eat anestrution o te Se.

6 . Aoring to te Chndogyopaniad (V 7) soi oo, uis an atswi ue te boy are ea spit up into sixteen parts on onsumption.oo is ivie into tree o tese; te grossest beomes aees, te meiumbeomes es, an te subtest beomes te min, in te ratio o 10 / 16 ,5 / 6 an 1 / 16 respetivey Wit uis, te grossest beomes urine, temeium beomes boo an te subtest beomes energy (prna). Simiary

wit ats, te rossest ingreient beomes bone, te meium beomesmarrow an te subtest spee (v). vetaketu ive on ui or teenays an ost is power o tinking, but regaine it as soon as e ate soioo again; is power o spee iminise wen e went witout ats.is experiene reveae to im tat te min is te prout o oo,energy o uis an spee o ats.

7 e Hatha Yoga Pradpik ( I I 1 4) says tat uring is pratie opryma e saka as to eat poune rie ooke in mik an arie

butter Wen we estabise in pryma, e may oose te ooongenia to im an is pratie

o not eat wen saiva oes not ow, or tis iniates tat te booes not nee more oo. Bot te quantity an quaity o oo sou bemoerate Cosen oo migt appear to be ainty an eiious, but itmay not be goo or te saka. t may ave ig nutritive vaue an yet itmay eveop toxins aeting progress in pryma Wen one is reayungry or tirsty, oo is immeiate absorbe into te system anbeomes nourising. Water by itse an aways quen tirst. Rea tirstooses no oter rink but water. Restrain artiia unger an tirst.Yoga texts presribe tat te saka sou a is stoma wit soioo, one-ourt wit uis an keep oneourt empty or te ree ow obret.

9 o not eat wen emotionay isture . Wie ining, tak we an eatwisey. en a nobe rame o min prevai s wie eating, a b ut poisonous

oo is sttvi.

10. e re o igestion is it by te nergy tat arises rom respiration.Moerate an nourising oo is essentia to maintain vigour, strengt anaertness Avoi asting.


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Food 5

. Aording to Taittiya paniad, ood is Braman t is to be repeted, not derided or abused


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Cp 8

Obsals ad AdsI T s mst b r t bsts s trb srm r nss r nnss H s v strtns n sn t rr s b n mn


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Obstaes and ids 47

Patanj ai gives a list o obstaes to yogi praties. ey are : s iknessydi), ak o menta d isposition ( styna), doubt bout ones pratiessaaya), insensibi ity (pramda), laziness (laysa), sensuality or rousing

desire wen sensory objets possess te mind (airati), alse or invaidnowedge (brntidarana), ailure to attain ontinuity o tougt oronentration (aabda-bmikata), instabiity to ontinue te pratiede to slakness and aiure (anavastitattva), pain (duka), despairdaurmansya), unsteadiness o te body angamejayatva) and breatingsa-pravsa). ( Yoga Stra, 3 /3 I ) ese eit

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[B.K.S Iyengar] Light on Pranayama