PRACTICAL LESSONS IN YOGA

Exercise

(a) Sit on your favourite Asana before your Beloved Deity in your meditation room. Close

the right nostril with the right thumb and slowly inhale through the left nostril as long as you can do

with ease and comfort. Then exhale through the same nostril@ Do this half a dozen times. This will

constitute one round. Do one round daily to begin with and gradually increase the number of rounds

to 12.

@ Feel that all the divine qualities such as love, mercy, forgiveness, peace, joy and knowledge enter your system

along with the inspired air, and that all the devilish qualities such as lust, greed, anger and Avidya are thrown out

along with the expired air. Also repeat mentally OM or SOHAM or any other Sacred Word given by your Guru

during Puraka, Kumbhaka and Rechaka. This is the traditional method of doing Pranayama. This is the best

method.

(b) Inhale through the right nostril by closing the left nostril with the little and ring fingers of

the right hand just in the same manner as you did before. Then exhale through the same nostril. Do

this half a dozen times. This will constitute one round. Do one round daily to begin with and

gradually increase the number of rounds to 12.

Close the right nostril with the right thumb and inhale through the left nostril. Then close the

left nostril with the little and ring fingers of the right hand and exhale through the right nostril after

removing the thumb. Inhaling again through the right nostril and closing it with the thumb, exhale

through the left nostril. Do in this manner half a dozen times. This will constitute one round. Do one

round in the morning and one in the evening to begin with and gradually increase the number of

rounds to 12 according to your capacity.

III

Inhale through both the nostrils as much as you can and exhale through both the nostrils in

the samemanner. Repeat this twelve times. This will constitute one round. Start with one round and

increase the number of rounds gradually to six.

Draw the air in through both the nostrils as much as you can, retain it as long as you can, and

then exhale as much as you can. Repeat this process twelve times. This will constitute one round.

Start with one round and increase the number of rounds to six gradually.

Close the right nostril with the right thumb and inhale through the left nostril. Then close the

left nostril with the ring and little fingers of the right hand, retain the breath as long as you can

comfortably do, and exhale through the right nostril by removing the thumb. Now half the process

is over. Drawing again the air through the right nostril, and retaining it as before. exhale it through

the left nostril by removing the ring and little fingers. These six processes constitute one

Pranayama. Do 20 such Pranayamas in the morning and 20 in the evening to start with and

gradually increase the number to 80.

If you wish to have time-unit, inhale till you count 1 OM; retain the breath till you count 4

OMs and exhale till you count 2 OMs. Observe the ratio 1:4:2. You may either use the left hand

fingers for counting or mentally remember the numbers. In the second week increase the ratio to

2:8:4; in the third to 3:12:6, and so on and so forth until you reach the maximum of 20:80:40. While

increasing the ratio, if you find it hard to retain the breath, have the same practice for two or three

weeks more until the capacity and strength to increase the ratio further are gained. Let there be no

suffocation during the practice.

Close the right ear with the right thumb, and the left ear with the left thumb. Press the right

eye with the right index finger and the left eye with the let’s index finger. Place the middle finger of

the right hand on the right nostril, and the middle finger of the other hand on the left. Let the ring

fingers of the two hands press upon the upper lip, and the two tiny fingers upon the lower lip. Now

inhale through both the nostrils as much as you can do with comfort; immediately close both the

nostrils and swallow the breath. Retain the breath inside as long as you can do with comfort and

exhale it slowly. This is Shanmukhi Mudra. “The Yogi, by having thus firmly confined the air, sees

his soul in the shape of light. When one sees, without obstruction this light even for a moment,

becoming free from sin, he reaches the highest end. The Yogi, free from sin, and practising this

continually, forgets his physical, subtle and causal bodies, and becomes one with that Soul. He who

practices this in secrecy, is absorbed in the Brahman, though he had been engaged in sinful works.

This should be kept secret; it at once produces conviction; it gives Nirvana to mankind. This is my

most beloved Yoga.” (Siva Samhita: Ch. V-22, 23, 24, 25, 26).

VII

RHYTHMICAL BREATHING

The breathing of worldly people is irregular. In exhalation the breath goes out 16 digits, and

in inhalation only 12 digits, thus losing 4 clear digits of breath in every act of inspiration and

expiration. Now just imagine how much Prana is wasted every day by you at this rate! If you can

inhale 16 digits of Prana as in exhalation, everything is all right. There is absolutely no loss then.

You will have rhythmical breathing. The Kundalini will be roused. Moreover, by practicing this

exercise and making it part and parcel of your daily life, you will enjoy perfect rest, a rest that you

have never known or enjoyed even in your deep sleep.

The one striking feature of rhythmical breathing is that the time-unit is the same both in

inhalation and exhalation. This is done in the following manner: Inhale till you mentally count 6

OMs and exhale till you count mentally 6 OMs. This is breathing in and out in a measured and

harmonious manner. This kind of breathing will harmonise the whole system.

There is another variety in rhythmical breathing. You inhale through both the nostrils till

you mentally count 4 OMs, retain the breath till you count 8 OMs and exhale through both the

nostrils till you count 4 OMs. Then retain the breath outside (external Kumbhaka) till you count 8

OMs. These four processes constitute one Pranayama.

Do this as many times as your strength and capacity would allow. Gradually increase the

duration of inhalation and exhalation till you count 16 OMs. There is no hurry. Enjoy every breath

you inhale and exhale. Enjoy also the retention of breath. Pay good attention to the rhythm

throughout. Feel the rhythm throughout your system. By slow and gradual practice with zeal and

enthusiasm, you will attain perfection. Weep not! Grieve not! You are nearing the goal now, my

child!

VIII

KAPALABHATI

Kapala means a skull and Bhati means to shine. Because this exercise makes your skull

shine, it is called Kapalabhati. It is a wonderful exercise to cleanse the skull nicely. This exercise

also does not come under the category of Pranayama, but as it is a breathing exercise, it deserves a

place of honour.

Sitting on your usual meditative-pose, do Puraka and Rechaka so vigorously that you

perspire profusely. There is no Kumbhaka in this exercise. But Rechaka plays a prominent part.

Puraka is mild, slow and long and is best done by releasing the abdominal muscles, while Rechaka

is forceful and quick and is done by contracting the abdominal muscle with a backward push. The

important point to remember while doing this exercise is to keep the body, head and neck erect, and

not to bend even a bit. In the beginning you can have one round only consisting of 10 expulsions in

the morning. That will suffice. In the second week you can do the same in the evening also. In the

third week have two rounds in the morning and two in the evening. In this manner you can

cautiously and slowly increase 10 expulsions to each round till you get 120 expulsions per round.

The benefits of this exercise are even more alluring. The respiratory system and the nasal

passages are thoroughly cleansed, the spasm in the bronchial tubes is removed, asthma is cured, the

apices of the lungs are nicely oxygenized, consumption is cured and the impurities of the blood are

eliminated. The circulatory and the respiratory systems are toned up beautifully, and the

practitioner enjoys blooming health and vigour.

SURYABHEDA

Sitting on your favourite meditative pose again and closing the eyes, inhale through the

right nostril, retain the breath by forming Jalandhara Bandha till perspiration flows from the tips of

the nails and the hairs of the body stand on end, and then exhale through the left nostril slowly. Of

course in this exercise you cannot reach the point of perspiration at the very outset; but gradually

increasing the period of Kumbhaka you will by all means attain it. By the constant practice of this

Kumbhaka, cephalalgia is relieved, coryza is cured, and the worms in the frontal sinuses are

expelled.

UJJAYI

The practice of this Kumbhaka enhances the personal beauty of the practitioner. Assuming

again your favourite pose, inhale through both the nostrils in a smooth, methodical and uniform

manner till the inspired breath fills the space between the throat and the stomach with a noise.

Retain the breath as long as you can comfortably do and then exhale slowly through the left nostril.

The striking feature of this exercise is that a mild, uniform, continuous and peculiar sound is heard

due to the partial closure of the glottis.

This Kumbhaka is also practiced while standing or walking. Then instead of exhaling

through the left nostril only, you can exhale through both the nostrils. In any case, start with three

rounds and add one round every week gradually.

The practitioner of this Kumbhaka gets rid of pulmonary, cardiac and dropsical diseases.

All diseases dependent upon deficient inhalation of oxygen are cured.

SITKARI

Folding the tongue in such amanner that the tip of the tongue touches the upper palate, draw

the air through the mouth producing a sound of c. c. c., retain the breath as long as you can without

the feeling of suffocation and then exhale through both the nostrils. These three processes constitute

one round. Start with three rounds and add one round every week.

This Kumbhaka increases the beauty and vigour of the body, removes hunger and thirst,

indolence and sleep and makes the whole body cool. Many diseases of the blood are cured.

XII

SITALI

Contract the lips and throw out the tongue. Fold the tongue like a tube and draw in the air

through it making a hissing sound. Fill the lungs and stomach slowly with the air drawn in, and

retain the same as long as you can do with comfort. Then exhale through both the nostrils. Practise

this 10 to 20 times daily, morning and evening.

The practitioner acquires great tenacity of life and the power to repair the effects of injury.

He is freed from all fevers, splenitis and several other organic diseases. Like crabs, lobsters,

serpents and frogs, he becomes proof against all kinds of inflammations. He acquires the power to

cast off his skin and endure the privation of air, food and drink. Poisons of all sorts in the blood are

thrown out and the blood is purified. Scorpion-stings and serpent-bites cannot injure him in any

way. Whenever you feel thirsty, do this Pranayama a few times. At once your thirst will be

quenched.

XIII

BHASTRIKA

Bhastrika means bellows. Quick succession of powerful expulsions of breath is the chief

characteristic of this Pranayama. Just as the village smith blows out his bellows quickly and rapidly,

so also the practitioner of this exercise blows out the bellows of his lungs in quick and rapid

succession.

Sit on Padmasana or Siddhasana with the body, neck and head erect. Close the mouth.

Inhale and exhale quickly 6 to 10 times in rapid succession like the bellows of the village-smith.

While practicing this Pranayama a hissing sound is loudly heard. If you can expel 10 times like this,

the tenth expulsion is followed by a deepest inhalation, retained as long as it can be done with

comfort, and another deepest exhalation. This completes one round of Bhastrika. Take rest for a

while after one round is over, and do another round, and another round. In the beginning you can

have three rounds in the morning and three in the evening. You must be able to expel 120 times at a

stretch by cautious and gradual practice.

If you can do Kapalabhati and Ujjayi nicely, you will find this Pranayama quite easy. Some

do this exercise till they get quite fatigued. Then you will profusely perspire. Stop the practice even

if there is the slightest giddiness. Take a few normal breaths. Then you can resume the practice

again after the giddiness is gone.

XIV

PLAVINI

This Pranayama requires some skill on the part of the practitioner. If you can do this

perfectly, you can float on water for any length of time, even though you do not know swimming. It

enables you to live purely on air for some days. It is done as follows: Drink the air like water

through the mouth and fill your stomach with it. The stomach becomes inflated. You will hear a

tympanic sound, if you tap it with your fingers. Practise the Pranayama slowly and gradually. The

air is then expelled from the stomach by slow belching.

KEVALA KUMBHAKA

Kumbhaka is of two sorts—Sahita and Kevala. The Kumbhaka that is associated with

Puraka and Rechaka is called Sahita; that which is devoid of these two is called Kevala (pure and

absolute). Kevala Kumbhaka should be practiced when the Sahita Kumbhaka has been completely

mastered. In the Vasishtha Samhita you will find: “When after giving up inhalation and exhalation,

one holds his breath with ease, it is absolute Kumbhaka (Kevala Kumbhaka).” In this Pranayama

the practitioner can retain his breath as long as he likes. He attains the stage of Raja-Yoga. Practise

this three times a day, morning, midday and evening. He is a real Yogi who knows this Kumbhaka

and Pranayama. Now there is nothing unattainable by him in all the three worlds. This Kumbhaka

cures all diseases, bestows longevity of life and awakens the Kundalini-Sakti, which passes through

the hollow Sushumna-Nadi to the crown of the head, after piercing one Chakra after another.