BOOK 1. CHAPTER 23. WEEK 10

TENTH WEEK

The hazards of modern life style have robbed man of his chances to perfect health, peace and happiness.  It is our sacred duty to do our utmost to achieve them. Yoga and meditation offer us the opportunity of a lifetime.  It is up to us to make the best of this exceptional privilege.

Every posture is truly galvanizing to the whole body, with considerable stimulation of all systems. Muscle tension will be greatly reduced.  It will ease off much bodily and mental tension.  Concentrate on every single posture, whether easy to perform or comparatively more difficult to tackle.  Practice makes perfect.  It will come in its own time. Patience is gold.

Scalp exercises are part of this week’s series.  They are splendid for stress, headache and hair problems.  Performed at bedtime they are excellent to induce sound sleep.

We should find time to daily practice the eye exercises.  The two new wonderful eye exercises are a blessing in disguise for they tone both external and internal eye muscles.  They are indeed unique and we should not neglect them.  We can do all together or separately any time during the day or before retiring to bed.

 

Palm tree posture V – Talasana V

1. Stand legs together, fingers interlocked in front. (Fig 231)

   

2. Breathing in, raise on toes, with arms above head. Stretch body and limbs to maximum. Breathe out, release tension. (Fig 232)

   

3. Keep on toes. Complete 3-5 breathing rounds.
4. Breathing out, lower arms and flatten feet.
5. Relax.

 

Camel Posture – Ustrasana

1. Kneel down, toes raised, arms alongside body. Breathe out. (Fig 233)

   

2. Place both palms against waist. Breathing in, slowly bend backwards. (Fig 234)

   

3. Try to catch ankles one after the other (Fig 235) or catch heels (Fig 236). Breathe out.

   

   

    

    

 

 

 

 

 

4. Maintain posture. Complete 3-5 breathing rounds.Breathing out, place one arm after another against waist. (Fig 234)

5. Straighten up. (Fig 233)

6. Relax.

 

Half Bow posture III- Ardha dhanurasana III

1. Lie on tummy, arms alongside body, palms up, chin on floor. Breathe out. (Fig 237)

   

2. Stretch right arm forward. Breathe in. Bend right knee and catch right ankle or toes with left hand. Breathe out. (Fig 238)

   

3. Maintain posture. Complete 3-5 breathing rounds.
4. Lower limbs and head. (Fig 237)
5. Repeat with left arm stretched forward, right hand catching left leg.
6. Relax.

 

Half Bow posture IV- Ardhadhanurasana IV

1. Lie on tummy, arms alongside body, palms up, chin on floor. (Fig 237)

   

2. Stretch right arm forward. Breathe in. Bend right knee and catch right ankle or toes with left hand. Breathe out. (Fig 238)

   

3. Maintain posture. Complete 1-2 breathing rounds.
4. Breathing in, raise right arm and left leg a few inches off floor. Breathe out. (Fig 239)

   

5. Maintain posture. Complete 3-5 breathing rounds.
6. Breathing out, lower right arm and left leg. (Fig 238). Lower limbs and head. (Fig 237)
7. Repeat with left arm stretched forward, right arm catching left leg.
8. Relax.

 

Half Twist posture I, II, III – Ardha matsyendra I, II, III

1. Sit upright, legs stretched. (Fig 240)

   

2. Bend right knee and place right heel under left thigh. Breathe out. (Fig 241)

   

3. Breathe in. Cross left foot over right thigh, left ankle close to right knee. (Fig 242)

   

4. Maintain posture. Complete 1-2 breathing rounds.
5. Cross right arm over left knee. (Fig 243)

   

6. Breathe out. Catch left toes (Fig 244) (I) or left ankle (Fig 247) (II) or left knee (Fig 248) (III) with right hand.

   

   

   

7. Breathe in. Cross left arm from back to catch left knee. (Fig 245)

   

8. Breathing out, twist trunk and head to left. (Fig 246)

   

9. Maintain posture. Complete 3-5 breathing rounds.
10. Breathing in, slowly return head and trunk to front. (Fig 245)
11. Breathe out. Undo legs. (Fig 240)
12. Repeat on opposite side.
13. Relax.

 

Elephant posture – Gajasana

1. Sit on heels, toes raised, arms resting on thighs. Breathe in. (Fig 249)

   

2. Breathing out, bend forward, keeping head between arms. Place palms flat on floor. ( Fig 250)

   

3. Maintain posture. Complete 1-2 breathing rounds.
4. Breathing in, raise body, flatten feet. (Fig 251)

   

5. Maintain posture. Complete 3-5 breathing rounds.
6. Breathing out, kneel down to Fig 250.
7. Breathe in. Sit back on heels. ( Fig 249)
8. Relax.

 

Scalp exercises

1. Sit anywise. Hold hair in big fistfuls and gently yank forward, backward and to the sides. (Fig 252)

   

2. Spread fingers and press fingertips firmly on scalp. Massage scalp firmly moving fingers in circles, clockwise and anti clockwise. (Fig 253)

   

Eye exercise-Fixing nose tip – Nasagra-Drishti

1. Sit anywise.
2. Slowly direct the eyes towards tip of nose. (Fig 254)

   

3. Keep gaze fixed as long as possible. Avoid strain.  Breathe normally.
4. Breathing in, slowly return gaze to normal. Breathe out.
5. Close eyes and wink 5-10 times, breathing normally.
6. Relax.

 

Eye exercise-Fixing between eyebrows – Bru-Madhya-Dhristi

1. Sit anywise. Breathe out.
2. Fix tip of nose. (Fig 254)

   

3. Breathing in, slowly travel gaze up nose to a point between eyebrows. (Fig 255)
4. Keep fixing the point between eyebrows as long as possible. Avoid strain. Breathe normally.

   

5. Breathing in, slowly return gaze to normal. Breathe out.
6. Close eyes and wink 5-10 times, breathing normally.
7. Relax.

 

MEDITATION

CORPSE POSTURE, 5-10 minutes