Yoga and Your Health

By Misak Misakyan

This is an illustrated guide to key yoga poses, breathing exercises, and other techniques that help you achieve a strong and flexible body, mental clarity, and robust health.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Misak Misakyan
• Release date: Sep 21, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301522934

Book preview

YOGA AND YOUR HEALTH

(How Yoga Can Improve Your Health)

By

Misak Misakyan

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2012 Misak Misakyan

Smashwords Edition, License Notes.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What’s Inside This Book

What is Yoga

The Limbs of Yoga

Kundalini and Chakras

Practice of Asanas

Bandhas and Mudras

Pranayama – The Yoga Breathing

Kriyas or Body Cleansing Techniques

Appendix - Schedule of Exercises

Therapeutic Index

About the Author

What’s Inside This Book

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The first three chapters give brief theoretical information about yoga and the next chapters cover the practical side of yoga.

Chapter 1: What is Yoga gives the outline of the concept of yoga and its historical development.

Chapter 2: The Limbs of Yoga introduces the eight limbs or steps of yoga towards perfection defined by Patanjali.

Chapter 3: Kundalini and Chakras gives you an overview of the energy centers in human body and describes their place and function according to yoga theory.

Chapter 4: Practice of Asanas includes the techniques of static and dynamic body postures called asanas, plus their beneficial influences and contraindications.

Chapter 5: Bandhas and Mudras describes various techniques to awaken the dormant forces within you and boost up your energy level.

Chapter 6: Pranayama – The Yoga Breathing introduces breathing techniques that help you control your mind and keep the energy level high.

Chapter 7: Kriyas or Body Cleansing Techniques gives some body cleansing techniques that help you keep your body clean inside in addition to the outside hygiene.

In the Appendix, I have included a 14-week schedule of exercises for the day-to-day practice. The exercises are arranged so that they gradually increase the flexibility and improve your skills; however, you can make your own adjustments according to your likings and needs.

At the end of the book, there is a Therapeutic Index that helps you find appropriate yoga techniques according to special benefits you want.

1

What Is Yoga

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Nowadays there is a constantly growing interest in the world about yoga. Since ancient times the incredible tales about Indian yogis and fakirs have roused wonder among many people. To these belong such stories as the ones about a fakir who grows a mango tree right in front of the audience, about witches who conjure snakes, or the one about a boy who climbs up the rope hanging in the air and disappears into the sky… Yogis can die and resurrect themselves, they can walk over burning coals; they can communicate with each other by telepathy. We hear many stories about yogis that are beyond belief. Some of these stories have simple explanations; however, there are made-up stories as well, and there are such stories which modern science is unable to explain. So, what is yoga that is so much talked about, discussed in books, articles and movies?

Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline originated in ancient India. The word yoga means ‘union’ and is derived from the Sanskrit word yuj, which means ‘to join’. This concept of unity is meant to unveil the illusion of separateness from individual consciousness from the universal consciousness; or, more practically, it is meant to harmonize the practitioner or yogi with the outside world and make their life easier and happier.

The goal of yoga is one, but the paths to reach it are various. As there are different types of personalities, so there are different branches of yoga to suit the character types, such as some people prefer active lifestyle, some sedentary, some are introverted, and some extroverted. The popular branches of yoga are hatha yoga, raja yoga, karma yoga, gnani yoga, bhakti yoga, and a few others.

Hatha yoga aims at establishing control over the physical body by making it strong and flexible through dynamic and static postures and breathing techniques. Contrary to hatha yoga, the main objective of raja yoga is to control the mind by means of meditation. Even though these two systems appear radically different, they are complementary to each other, and one cannot be reached without the other.

Karma yoga is the yoga of action. Karma yoga revolves around the idea that every action produces its own effect. The philosophy of karma yoga is that you must act for the sake of acting, and not for the sake of results; that is, to act without expectations. The best treatise on karma yoga is considered to be the Bhagavad Gita, a Hindu religious and philosophical scripture.

Gnani yoga is the yoga of wisdom. The followers of gnani yoga spend much of their time on studying the scriptures. Bhakti yoga is the yoga for devotion. The practitioner develops universal love and compassion by giving all his thoughts and love to God and nature.

Patanjali who lived about 2000 years ago is the first person who systematized and compiled in a book the haphazard data about yoga in the form of aphorisms. His book is considered to be the foundation of yoga. Before the time of Patanjali, written data about yoga can be found in Upanishads and Vedas, the ancient Hindu religious texts.

2

The Limbs of Yoga

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Patanjali divides the path of yoga into eight steps or limbs, which are as follows:

1. Yama – universal ethical principles

2. Niyama – personal observances

3. Asana – body postures

4. Pranayama – breath-control

5. Pratyahara – withdrawal of the senses

6. Dharana – concentration of the mind on a certain object

7. Dhyana – contemplation, meditation

8. Samadhi – union with the Divine

Yama and niyama are the moral codes of yoga. These are universal commandments transcending creed, country, age, and time, as says B.K.S. Iyengar, the founder of Iyengar Yoga, in his book ‘Illustrated Light on Yoga’. Yama deals with our attitude towards the outside world, and niyama deals with our attitude towards ourselves.

The principles of yama demand constant attention. They are designed to form a perfect relationship between individual and society. The five principles of yama are non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence, and non-hoarding.

Ahimsa (non-violence)

This is a broad concept implying non-violence or non-injury towards people, animals, or nature with action, words, or thoughts. Ahimsa includes things such as non-fearing or getting angry, non-ill-wishing, non-criticizing or even non-praising someone.

Satya (truthfulness)

Satya is truthfulness in action, words, and thoughts. You should be true both unto yourself and unto the surrounding. One should not lie through his actions or words; should not distort the truth or be afraid of the truth.

Asteya (non-stealing)

Asteya is non-stealing of others’ possessions, ideas, or time. Patanjali says that when abstinence from theft, in mind and act, is complete in yogi, he has the power to possess all material wealth.

Brahmacharya (continence)

The main point of this principle is that one should remain celibate when single keeping away from promiscuity in action, word, or thought and devote their creative energy to study. Then after marriage they create family.

Aparigraha (non-hoarding)

Aparigraha implies non-collecting or non-hoarding. Attaching ourselves to material objects, we misunderstand their place in our life, as they are merely tools for us to reach higher goals. Aparigraha also implies non-acceptance of gifts, because otherwise we put ourselves in a bind with the gift-giver.

Niyama is the rules of our personal behavior. The five principles of niyama are purity, contentment, austerity, self-study, and surrender to the divine.

Saucha (purity)

Saucha implies the purity of body and mind. One should keep their body and belongings clean, as well as keep their minds away from impure thoughts or disturbing emotions, such as hatred, jealousy, greed, or pride.

Santosha (contentment)

The main idea of this principle is that man should always be content or satisfied of whatever he has or whatever condition he is in. Yoga philosophy teaches that everything is perfect at each point of time in its stage of development; therefore, to be dissatisfied or discontent about things is to deny the universal principles.

Tapas (austerity)

Tapas is usually translated as austerity or self-discipline. Yoga teaches us that without discipline and austerity it is impossible to succeed in life. This principle is the burning desire and effort to reach our goals without giving up half the way and losing our faith.

Svadhyaya (self-study)

The main idea of this principle is that man should constantly be engaged in the study of the self and the study of scriptures. Knowing yourself, you know others as well; and the more we discover others the more we feel our connection with them.

Isvara pranidhana (surrender to the divine)

The Sanskrit word Isvara is translated as ‘God’, ‘Lord’, ‘Supreme Being’, and the word pranidhana means ‘attention’, ‘surrender’, ‘love to’, or ‘profound meditation’. The core idea of this principle is that one should dedicate all his thoughts and actions to the Lord.

Asana is the third limb of yoga. Asanas are static or dynamic body postures that strengthen and enhance the flexibility of the body, boost the function of internal organs and improve physical and mental health. Despite of making the body healthy and flexible, the real purpose of asana is to make one’s body fit to sit still for meditation for extended periods.

Pranayama, the fourth limb, is generally defined as ‘breath control’. Pranayama techniques are breathing exercises that vitalize and energize the whole body and establish mind-control. The theory of yoga states that breath and mind are intimately connected; therefore, through the control of the one, you can control the other. Pranayama techniques are generally combined with asanas in order to enhance the benefits.

Pratyahara is a powerful tool to develop your powers of concentration. This is the withdrawal of the senses from the external objects. Through the control of the senses, the aspirant is to realize