• Stand erect with feet close together, knees together.
•  Hands along the thighs with fingers stretched out. 
• The legs, trunk and the head aligned in a straight line. 
• Close eyes.

• Stand erect with legs about six to twelve inches apart, hands hanging freely by the side of the body with the shoulders collapsed. 
• Make sure that the body is completely relaxed. 
• Gently close the eyes.

• Sit with both legs stretched and heels together. 
• Place the palms on the floor by the side of the buttocks. 
• Make the spine, neck and head erect. 
• Close the eyes. 

• Sit with legs stretched apart and relaxed. 
• Slightly incline the trunk backwards supporting the body by placing the hands behind. 
• Fingers point backwards. 
• Let the head freely behind or rest on either of the shoulders. 
• Gently close the eyes.

• Lie down on the abdomen with legs together, toes pointing outward and the soles of the feet facing up. 
• Chin or forehead touching the ground. 
• Stretch the hands straight above the head, biceps touching the ears and palms resting on the ground.
•  Close the eyes.

• Lie down on the abdomen with the feet wide apart, heels and facing each other. 
• Bend both the hands and place the right palm on the left shoulder and he left palm on the right shoulder.
• Rest the chin at the point where the forearms cross each other.
• Gently close the eyes.

• Lie down on the back with legs together. 
• Stretch the hands straight above the head, biceps touching the eras and the palms facing the ceiling. 
• Close the eyes. 

• Lie spin on the ground with hands and feet apart. 
• Slightly stretch the body and allow the whole body to relax completely with eyes gently closed.
•  If your back hurts, bend the knees. 
• Become beware of different parts of the body starting from toes to head. 
• Feel the spread of relaxation in all parts of the body progressively.
• With regular long practice, the relaxation will become deeper, natural and spontaneous. Then the whole body is relaxed to the extent that one forgets the body. The mind experiences alert full rest

Sthiti: Tadasana

Practice

• Stand erect with feet together (heels together and toes 4 to 6 inches apart) hands relaxed by the side of the body.
• Gently bring your hands in front of the chest.
• Interlock the fingers and place the palms on the chest.
• Collapse and relax your shoulders.
• Close your eyes.

Stage I: Horizontal

• While inhaling, stretch the arms straight out in front of your body so that the arms are at shoulder level.
• At the same time twist the hands so that the palms face outwards.
• Fully stretch the arms, but do not strain.
• Now, while exhaling reverse the process and bring the palms back on to the chest.
• Collapse the shoulders again.
• This is one round.
• Repeat 5 times.

Stage II: At 135-degree

• Repeat the same movements now stretching the arms in front of the forehead at an angle of 135-degree.
• Repeat 5 times.

Stage III: Vertical

• Repeat the same movements, this time stretching the arms vertically above the head.
• While moving up and down, the palms move close to the tip of the nose.
• Repeat 5 times.

Note

• In stage III while the arms move up and down in the same plane of the body the hands with crossed fingers need to move very close to the tip of the nose.
• Collapse the shoulders at the beginning and end of each cycle.
• Maintain perfect awareness of the breathing.
• Exhalation should be longer than inhalation.
• If required, it can be practiced sitting in a chair too. Properly synchronize the breathing with hand movements.

Sthiti: Tadasana

Practice

• Stretch out your arms in front, in level with your shoulders and bring the palms together.
• Inhaling spread your arms sideways in horizontal plane.
• While exhaling bring the arms forward with palms touching each other.
• Repeat 5 times, making your arm movements, continuous and synchronising with the breath flowing in and out rhythmically.
• Relax in Tadasana. Feel the changes in the breath and the body, especially the arms, shoulders and the back of the neck.

Sthiti: Tadasana

Practice

• Open the eyes and fix your gaze on a point on the wall ahead. Place the palms on front of your thighs.
• While inhaling, raise your hands and stretch the ankles. Feel yourself growing taller and firm.
• As you exhale, bring your hands and heels down.
• Repeat 5 times keeping the movement of hands and ankles continuous, breathing in synchronization. Feel the stretch from your ankles up to finger tips as you reach upwards.
• Relax in standing position, hands by the side of the thighs. Observe your breath and enjoy the stability for a few seconds.

Sthiti: Dandasana

Practice

• Come to Vajrasana.
• Separate the knees by one arm distance.
• Lean forward and place the palms at one arm distance from the respective knees with the fingers pointed forward.
• Separate the foot in such a way that palm, knee and foot are in one line on right as well as left.
• In this position back will be parallel to the floor.
• While inhaling raise the head and look at the ceiling.
• At the same time, depress the spine making it concave.
• While exhaling, arch the spine upwards and bend the head downward bringing the chin towards the chest.
• This constitutes one round of tiger breathing.
• Repeat 5 rounds.

Note

• Before starting the practice ensure that you are comfortable while standing on "all-fours" (i.e., two hands and two knees).
• Co-ordinate the movements with breathing.
• Keep the eyes closed and practice with awareness.
• Do not bend the arms or move the thighs forwards and backwards.

Benefits

Up and down movement of the back, stretching and relaxation of the back, increases the attention to the pancreatic area, gives the stimulation and relaxation to pancreas, toning of pancreas.

Sthiti: Vajrasana

Practice

• Keeping the knees together, bend forward and rest the forearms on the floor, keeping the elbows by the side of the knees and palms flat on the ground.
• Maintain the head at a distance of one hand length from the ground to chin. Open your mouth partially. Protrude the tongue partially. Touch the lower lip resting on the lower set of teeth.
• Gaze at a point about 2 feet on the ground in front of you.
• Pant quickly like a rabbit, using only the upper part of the chest. Feel the air moving beautifully in and out of the lungs. Feel the expansion and contraction of the chest muscles. Continue for 20 to 40 breaths.
• Close your mouth and relax in Sasankasana. Stretch  your hands forward with the forehead resting on the  ground. Feel the relaxation of chest and thorax. Allow your breath to return to normal.

Note

• Breathe rapidly through the mouth only, using the thoracic muscles.
• Make sure that the abdomen presses on your thighs, preventing any abdominal movement.
• Do not drop your head on to the floor.

Benefits

The pressure on the abdomen increases the stimulation of pancreas and let go attitude of mind achieves deep relaxation of pancreas.

Stage I: Alternate Legs

Sthiti: Supine Posture

Practice

• While inhaling slowly raise the right leg without bending the knee, as far as comfortable (up to 90-degree, if possible).
• While exhaling return the leg to the floor as slowly as possible.
• Repeat the practice with the left leg.
• This is one round. Perform 10 times.

Note

• If you need, you can keep the arms by the side of your body with the palms facing the floor at any convenient position or at shoulder level.
• Do not bend the knee throughout the practice.
• Do not disturb the leg lying straight on the ground in order to be able to raise the other leg further.
• Even if you can, do not raise the leg beyond 90-degree.
• Perfectly synchronize the breathing with leg movements.
• Maintain perfect breath awareness during the practice.

Stage II: Both Legs

Sthiti: Supine Posture

Practice

• As you get stronger, you can do the leg raising exercise with both legs. Avoid this exercise if you have low back pain.
• Lie on the back with the legs together, hands stretched out over the head, biceps touching the ears and palms facing the ceiling.
• While inhaling slowly raise both the legs without bending at the knees, as far as comfortable (up to 90-degree, if possible).
• While exhaling return the legs to the floor as slowly as possible.
• Perform 5 times.

Note

In case of both legs, as you exhale and bring down the legs, there will be a tendency for them to fall down too rapidly as they come close to the floor. So use strength and have control over the movement.

Benefits

• Exercise effect reduces the abdominal fat and abdominal muscles get toned up, strengthened.
• Increased Intra-abdominal pressure, brings the deeper awareness and relaxation to Intra-abdominal organs mainly the pancreas.

Sthiti: Vajrasana

Practice

• Take the hands behind the back, make a fist of the right hand and hold the right wrist with the left hand.
• Relax the shoulders.
• While inhaling bend backwards from the waist opening up the chest.
• While exhaling slowly bend forward from the waist bringing the forehead on to the ground in front of the knees. Collapse the shoulders.
• While inhaling slowly come up to the vertical position and then slightly lean backwards.
• This forms one round. Continue ten rounds slowly.

Note

• Keep the shoulders collapsed.
• You can separate the knees as per your comfort to avoid unnecessary pressure on the abdomen and chest.
• Synchronize breathing with movement.
• Keep your eyes closed and maintain breath awareness.

Benefits

Show rhythmic backward and forward movements done with the breathing with total awareness to pancreas, provides deep relaxation to pancreas.

Sthiti : Savasana 

Practice

• Bring your legs together; join the heels and toes together and place the palms by the side of the thighs.
• Keep the face relaxed with a smile all through the practice.
• Start tightening from the toes.
• Tighten the ankle joints, and calf muscles.
• Pull up the kneecaps.
• Tighten the thigh muscles.
• Compress and squeeze the buttocks.
• Breathe out and suck the abdomen in.
• Make fists and tighten the arms.
• Inhale and expand the chest.
• Tighten the shoulders, neck muscles and compress the face.
• Tighten the whole body from toes to the head.
• Tighten; tighten; tighten.
• Release and let go the whole body instantaneously.
• Legs and arms go apart with the open palms facing the roof.
• Collapse the whole body.
• Enjoy the instant relaxation.

Benefits of Loosening practices

• Increases the oxygen concentration in the blood.
• Normalization and slowing down of breath done with total awareness gives the deep rest to the body and calms down the mind.

Sthiti: Tadasana

Practice

• Make loose fists of your hands and place them on the chest.
• Collapse and relax your shoulders.

Stage I: Slow Jogging

• Start jogging on your toes slowly.
• Jog about 20 times.
• As days go by, gradually increase upto 100 times.

Stage II: Backward Jogging

• Lean a little forward and increase the speed of jogging gradually.
• Start hitting the buttocks with the heels.
• Repeat this 20 times at your maximum speed.
• Then gradually slow down the speed.
• Do not stop.
• Continue and move on to slow jogging for at least 10 times.

Stage III: Forward Jogging

• Lean backward a little and now as you increase the speed again, try to raise the knees higher and higher.
• Raise the knees forwards to reach the chest level.
• Repeat 20 times at your maximum speed.
• Slow down the practice coming back to the stage of slow jogging again.
• Continue slow jogging for a few rounds, count 10 times.

Stage IV: Side Jogging

• Gradually increase the speed taking the heels side ways.
• As the speed increases bring the heels as close to the elbows as possible.
• Repeat this movement 20 times at your maximum speed.
• Gradually slow down to come back to slow jogging stage.
• Keep jogging a few more rounds (10) and finally stop the practice.

Note

• Increase the speed of jogging gradually and not too quickly.
• Try not to stop at any stage of the practice until you have completed all the 4 stages of jogging.
• Keep the fists on the chest throughout the practice.

Benefits

• Gives good exercise to leg muscles, tones up the calf and thigh muscles.

Stage V: Mukha Dhouti to relax

• Bend forward and place the palms on the respective thighs keeping the arms straight.
• Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth.
• While exhaling blast out the air forcibly through the mouth.
• Then, stand in Tadasana and relax for a while.

Note:

• Exhalation in Mukha Dhouti relieves the strain of jogging and jumping.
• Pulling the abdomen inwards, during exhalation can improve the force of expulsion of air.

Sthiti: Tadasana

Practice

• Stretch the arms straight above the head with the palms facing forward.
• Inhale and bend backwards with arms stretched above the head.
• While exhaling bend forward as much as possible.
• While inhaling come up and bend backwards and go on rapidly to forward bending with exhalation.
• Repeat 20 times with increasing speed.
• Gradually slow down and ultimately stop the practice.

Note

• Start slowly and gradually increase the speed within your limits.
• You may also practice this while standing with legs apart when the arms will be moving between the legs.
• While bending forward do not let the hands touch the ground; swing them in the air backwards.
• Always bend from the lower waist.
• Make the movements free, easy and flowing.

Benefits

• Reduces the fat from waist, back, specially abdominal region and thus tones up that area.
• Increased flexibility of spine gives the generalized feeling of well being.

Sthiti: Tadasana

Practice

• Keep the legs about one meter apart.
• Raise the hands sideways parallel to the ground while inhaling.
• Bend to the right till the right hand touches the right heel while exhaling. Bend in the same plane.
• Look at the palm of the left hand directing forwards.
• Come up with inhalation.
• Repeat 4 or 5 times to the right and left side alternate.
• Relax in Tadasana.

Sthiti: Tadasana

Practice

• Spread the legs about one meter apart.
• Raise the hands sideways parallel to the ground while inhaling.
• Keep the legs firm on the ground and twist to the right, keeping the right hand straight.
• Simultaneously twist the neck and look at the tip of the fingers.
• Bend the left hand at the elbow to bring the hand close to the chest.
• Come back while inhaling.
• Repeat the same on the left.
• Gradually increase the speed to your maximum capacity.
• Repeat 10 to 20 rounds.
• Slow down the speed and stop the practice.
• Relax in Tadasana.

Note

• All twisting should be above the waist level. Keep the body below the waist, straight and firm.
• Do not bend the knees.

Benefits

• Reduces the fat from waist and abdomen.
• Increases the flexibility of spine.

Stage I: Leg Rotation

Sthiti: Supine Posture

Practice

• While inhaling raise the right leg up to 45-degree position, without bending the knee. Keep the left leg firm on the ground.
• At 45-degree exhale and again while inhaling raise the leg further up to 90-degree position.
• Now while exhaling, bend the right leg at the knee and pull the right knee towards the chest with the hands (fingers interlocked) and lift the head simultaneously and place the chin on the right knee. Normal breathing.
• Maintain with lift the left leg and rotate five rounds clockwise and five rounds anti-clockwise without bending the knee with normal breathing.
• Then lower the left leg to the ground.
• Now while inhaling release the hands, bring the head back on to the ground and straighten the right leg.
• While exhaling lower the right leg to 45-degree position.
• Here inhale and while exhaling again lower the right leg further down to the ground. Relax for a while.
• Repeat the same practice on the left side.

Note

• While rotating the leg, try to draw as big a circle as possible in the air.
• Maintain the compression around the abdomen to have the best results.
• Here, the leg is raised to 90-degree position with two inhalations and similarly lowered on to the ground with two exhalations.
• Do not bend the leg at the knee, which is being rotated.

Stage II: Rocking and Rolling

Sthiti: Supine Posture

• Inhale and raise both legs to 45-degree position.
• Exhale here and while inhaling again, raise the legs further up to 90-degree position.
• While exhaling fold both the knees and pull them towards the chest with the hands interlocked around the knees and place the chin on the knees.
• Normal breathing.

Practice

a. Rocking

• Rock the body forwards and backwards 5 to 10 rounds.
• While rocking forward, try to stand on the feet and while rocking backward, feel the nice massage to the spine.
• Relax for a while in the same position and go on for rolling.

b. Rolling

• Roll the entire body to the right until the right elbow touches the ground.
• Then roll to the left until the left elbow touches the ground.
• Repeat this rolling alternately to the right and left 5 rounds.
• Stop the movement.
• Inhaling, release the hands, bring the head on to the ground and straighten both the legs to 90-degrees.
• While exhaling, lower the legs slowly to 45-degree position.
• Inhale here and while exhaling again lower the legs further down till the legs are on the ground.
• Relax in Savasana.

Benefits

• Compression and relaxation increase the pranic flow to pancreas.
• Pressure and rocking movements reduce the abdominal fat.

Sthiti: Prone Posture

Practice

• Bend the knees and hold the ankles by the palms.
• As you inhale, raise the head and the chest upwards. Pull the legs outwards and backwards so that the spine is arched back like a bow.
• Stabilize (rest) on the abdomen.
• Do not bend the elbows.
• Look up.
• Keep the toes together.
• Rock the whole body forward and backward rhythmically 5 to 10 times.
• Then relax for a while. Slowly comeback to Sthiti.

Benefits

• Important practice particularly, as preparatory practice in achieving dhanurasana.
• Reduce the abdominal fat.

Sthiti: Tadasana

Practice

Stand erect with legs together. Bring the palms together to namaskara mudra.

Step 1

• Take the hands above the head while inhaling and bend the trunk backwards.

Step 2

• Bend the body forward while exhaling. Touch the forehead to the knees.
• Keep the palms on the floor on either side of the feet.

Step 3

• In this step breath in and kick the right leg back.
• Push the buttock forward and downward so that the left leg is perpendicular to the ground.
• Look up.

Step 4

• In this step, exhale and take the left leg also back, resting only on palms and toes. Keep the body straight from head to toes inclined to the ground at about 30-degree.
• Take care to keep the neck in line with the back.

Step 5

• While inhaling, bend the legs at the knees and rest them on the floor with buttocks resting on the heels without altering the position of the palms and toes.
• Exhale as you rest the forehead on the floor.
• Then relax in normal breathing.

Step 6

• While exhaling without shifting the positions of hands and toes, glide the body forward and hold the breath (Bahya kumbhaka) and rest the forehead, chest, hands, knees and toes on the ground. Raise the buttock off the ground.
• Note that eight points of the body are in contact with the ground - hence the name sastanga namaskara (salutation with eight parts).

Step 7

• Inhale, raise the head and trunk making the spine concave upwards without lifting the position of the hands and feet.
• Arch the back as far as you can until the elbows are straight.
• Keep the knees off the ground.

Step 8

• While exhaling, raise the buttocks, push the head down until the heels touch the ground without shifting the position of hands and feet.

Step 9

• Same as step 5.

Step 10

• Inhale and bring the right leg in between the two hands. Arch the back concave upwards as in step 3 until the right leg is perpendicular to ground.

Step 11

• Exhale and bring the left foot forward next to the right foot and reach down with your upper body to touch the forehead to the knees as in step 2.

Step 12

• While inhaling, come up to sthiti.
• This completes one round of Surya Namaskar. Repeat 3 rounds.

Note

• (In 10-stages- Suryanamaskar the 5th and 9th stages are omitted). The prolonged pronunciation of 'Omkar' followed by the Bija aksara, 'Ha' and the sounds 'R' 'M' which come in every Mantra influences and stimulates the nerve centers in the brain corresponding to the respiratory, circulatory and digestive systems, make them more active, efficient and healthy.
• The different names of the Sun according to their meanings, instil in you, those qualities like friendship, devotion, energy, health, strength, lustre and vigor, as you identify with the Supreme and meditate on those qualities during the practice.

Benefits

• Suryanamaskara balances, harmonizes the prana throughout the body, thus revitalizes the whole body.

Sthiti : Tadasana 

Practice

• While inhaling, slowly raise the right arm sideways up. 
• At the horizontal level turn the palm upwards.
• Continue to raise  the arm with deep inhalation vertically until the biceps touches the right ear, palm facing left side.
• Stretch the right arm upwards.
• While exhaling bend the trunk slowly to the left.
• The left palm slides down along the left thigh as far as possible.
• Do not bend the right elbow or the knees.
• Maintain for about a minute with normal breathing.
• While coming back slowly to vertical position inhale and stretch the right arm up. Feel the pull along a straight line from waist upto the fingers.
• Bring the right arm down as you exhale to Sthiti position.
• Come back to Tadasana Sthiti.
• Repeat on the left side by bending towards the right side.

Note

• Bend laterally. Do not bend either forwards or backwards.

Benefits

• Reduces fat in waist region, stimulates sides of the body.
• Gives lateral bending to the spine, improves function of liver.

Sthiti : Tadasana

Practice

• Support the back at the waist by the palms, fingers pointing forwards.
• Inhale and bend backwards from the lumbar region. Drop the head backwards, stretching the muscles of the neck.
• Maintain for a minute with normal breathing.
• Return to Sthiti.
• Relax in Tadasana.

Benefits

• Makes the spine flexible, stimulates the spinal nerves, promotes circulation of blood into head.
• Gives the strong stretching and relaxation to the pancreas, improves the blood flow to the pancreas.
• Strengthens the neck muscles. Expands chest and shoulders. Improves breathing.

Limitations

Persons with problems of vertigo have to avoid this posture.

Pada Hastasana

Sthiti: Tadasana

Practice

• Stand erect with legs together.
• Inhale slowly and raise the arms sideways.
• At this horizontal level, turn the palms upwards.
• Continue to inhale and move the arms upwards until the biceps touches the ears. Turn the palms forward.
• Stretch up the body from the waist.
• Keeping the lower back concave, exhale and bend forward until the trunk is parallel to the ground. Stretch out the shoulders at horizontal plane and inhale.
• Exhale while going down further until the entire palm rests on the ground and chin touches the knees.
• Maintain in this final posture for about 2-3 minutes without bending the knees.
• Inhale, come up slowly to the vertical position and stretch the arms above the head.
• Exhale, drop down the arms, turn the palms downwards at the horizontal position.
• Continue to exhale and return to Sthiti.
• Relax in Tadasana.

Note

• Never bend the knees.
• Keep the neck up until the forward bending at the hip and the waist is completed and then drop the neck freely down to touch the chin to knees.

Benefits

Makes the spine flexible, strengthens the thighs. Helps preventing constipation and menstrual problems. Gives the strong stretching and relaxation to the pancreas, improves the blood flow to the pancreas. Improves digestion. Enhances blood flow to the head region.

Limitations

People with vertigo, severe degree of hypertension, cervical spondylosis, and disc prolapse to avoid this posture.

Sthiti : Tadasana

Practice

• While inhaling spread the legs apart by about a meter by moving the right leg away from the left. Simultaneously raise both hands and bring them parallel to ground.
• While exhaling, the right hand is taken down to the ground on the outside of the left foot, while the left arm is raised up to vertical position.
• Turn the face up to look at the raised hand.
• Maintain at the final posture for 1 minute with normal breathing.
• Return to sthiti and repeat the same on the left side.

Sthiti : Dandasana

Practice

• Bend the right leg at the knee and place it beside the left knee.
• Twist the waist towards the right as you exhale. Bring the left arm around the right knee and catch the right big toe.
• Take the right arm back and keep the palm on the ground in such a way that the trunk is kept erect with a proper twist.
• After maintaining for about a minute with normal breathing return to sthiti and relax for a while in Sithila Dandasana.
• Repeat the same on the other side.

Sthiti: Dandasana

Practice

• Bend the right leg at the knees by drawing it along the ground.
• Place the sole of the right foot against the inner side of the left thigh.
• Keep the right heel about 4 to 5 inches away from the perineum.
• Bend the left knee and place the left foot on the outer side of the right thigh near the right knee.
• Do not sit on the heels.
• Inhale, raise the right arm up vertically and stretch up the shoulder.
• Exhale, twist the waist to the left and bring the right arm over onto the outer side of the left knee. The left knee acts as a fulcrum for getting maximum twist of the spine. Catch the left big toe with the right hand. The right triceps rests on the outer side of the left knee.
• Now take the left hand behind the back and try to touch the right thigh.
• Look back over the left shoulder keeping the trunk erect.
• Maintain for about a minute with normal breathing.
• Come back to Sthiti.
• Relax for a while in Sithila Dandasana.
• Repeat the same, on the other side.

Benefits

Lateral twist gives flexibility to the spine, tones up the spinal nerves. Helps to cure constipation, dyspepsia, stimulates the pancreas and useful for diabetes. Improves the lung capacity.

Limitations

People who have recently undergone abdominal surgery may avoid.

Sthiti : Dandasana 

Practice

• Sit in Vajrasana.
• Stand on the knees. Place the palms on the waist with fingers pointing forwards.
• Inhale and bend the trunk backwards and place the palms on the heels.
• Maintain for about a minute with normal breathing. 
• Exhale while coming back to Sthiti.
• Relax in Sithila Dandasana.

Note

• The thighs should be perpendicular to the ground. 

Sthiti: Vajrasana

Practice

• Stand on the knees keeping them about 10 inches apart.
• Place the hands between the knees, fingers pointing inwards (i.e. towards the feet), elbows close to each other.
• Bend the elbows, lean forwards supporting the trunk on the elbows at the navel and place the head down on the floor.
• Stretch and stretch the legs backwards so that toes are on the ground.
• Now raise the head so that the neck is in line with the trunk. Look in front of you.
• Maintain this final position with normal breathing. In this position, the body is in a straight line from heels to the head, at an inclination of about 30-degree to the ground. All the weight of the body should rest on the hands and the tips of the toes.
• Slowly bring the head down to the floor.
• Bend the knees and bring the knees forward by the side of the hands.
• Sit in Vajrasana.
• Finally relax in leg stretch sitting position.

Benefits

Deep compression and relaxation of pancreas, balances, harmonizes the prana, by removing pranic blockage thus rejuvenates the pancreatic cells. Makes the wrists flexible and the arms stronger. Improves digestion. Helps to clear constipation. Activates the pancreas.

Limitations

Abdominal surgery, menstrual problems in woman, hernias, hyperacidity and ulcers should avoid this posture.

Sthiti: Vajrasana

Practice

• Stand on the knees keeping them about 10 inches apart.
• Place the hands between the knees, fingers pointing inwards (i.e. towards the feet), elbows close to each other.
• Bend the elbows, lean forwards supporting the trunk on the elbows at the navel and place the head down on the floor.
• Stretch and stretch the legs backwards so that toes are on the ground.
• Move forwards on the toes to raise the legs off the grounds. Balance the body on the two hands only. Keep the entire body parallel to the ground by keeping the elbows as the supporting points. Look forward. Maintain the final position for sometime with normal breathing.
• Return to Vajrasana and then to leg stretch position in the same way as in Hamsasana and relax.

Note

• In the final position, you can even elevate the legs and feet higher keeping the knees straight.
• In the final position, the muscles of the abdomen and not of the chest support the weight of the body.

Benefits

Beneficial for poor appetite, constipation irritable bowel. Tones up abdomen, reduces fat on tummy, strengthens the forearms, wrists and elbows. Prevents accumulation of gases. Vitalizes the endocrines in the abdomen. Very good for diabetes.

Limitations

Abdominal surgery, menstrual problems in woman, hernias, hyperacidity and ulcers should avoid this posture.

The word Bhujang means snake in sanskrit. This posture resembles a serpent with its hood raised.

How to Do?

• Lie on your stomach keeping the toes flat on the floor and forehead resting on the ground.

• Keep your legs close together, with your feet and heels lightly touching each other.

• Place your hands (palms downwards) under your shoulders, keeping your elbows parallel and close to your torso. 

• Taking a deep breath in, slowly lift your head, chest and abdomen while keeping your navel on the floor.

• Pull your torso back and off the floor with the support of your hands.

• Make sure you put equal pressure on both the palms

• Keep breathing with awareness, as you curve your spine vertebra by vertebra. If possible, straighten your arms by arching your back as much as possible; tilt your head back and look up.

• Keep your shoulders relaxed, even if it means bending your elbows. With regular practice, you will be able to deepen the stretch by straightening the elbows.

• Ensure that your feet are still close together. Keep smiling and breathing. Smiling Cobras!

• Don’t overdo the stretch or overstrain yourself. 

• While breathing out, gently bring your abdomen, chest and head back to the floor.

• Good for shoulders & neck

• Tones your abdomen

• Improves flexibility

• Expands the chest

• Boosts blood circulation

• Relieves fatigue & stress

Sthiti: Prone Posture

Practice

• Bend the knees and hold the ankles by the palms.
• As you inhale, raise the head and the chest upwards. Pull the legs outwards and backwards so that the spine is arched back like a bow.
• Stabilize (rest) on the abdomen.
• Do not bend the elbows.
• Look up.
• Keep the toes together.
• Maintain for about half a minute with normal breathing.
• Slowly come back to Sthiti while exhaling.
• Relax in Makarasana.

Note

• Initially the knees will spread out, but with practice they can be brought very near, almost touching each other.

Benefits

Deep compression of abdominal organs specially pancreas, and Dharana and Dhyana on pancreas in the final posture gives deep rest to the pancreatic cells. Useful for diabetes patients. Removes gastro intestinal disorders, stimulates and helps in slimming the whole body. Gives good stimulation and flexibility to the back.

Limitations

People with general debility should be cautious while performing this Asana. Practice after expert consultation.

Sarvangasana is often hailed as the queen or mother of all asanas. It has several benefits. Many variations of this posture exist like supported shoulder stand. This posture has several amazing benefits.

How to Do?

• Lie on your back. And with one movement, lift your legs, buttocks and back so that you come up high on your shoulders. Support your back with the hands.

• Move your elbows closer toward each other, and move your hands along your back, moving up towards the shoulder blades. Keep straightening the legs and spine by pressing the elbows down to the floor and hands into the back. Your weight should be supported on your shoulders and upper arms, and not on your head and neck.

• Keep the legs firm. Lift your heels higher as though you are putting a footprint on the ceiling. Bring the big toes straight over the nose. Now point the toes up. Give attention to your neck. Do not press the neck into the floor. Keep the neck strong with a feeling of tightening the neck muscles slightly. Press your sternum toward the chin. If you feel any strain in the neck, come out of the posture.

• Keep breathing deeply and retain the pose for 30-60 seconds.

• Come out of the posture. First, lower the knees to forehead. Bring your hands to the floor, palms facing down. Without lifting the head slowly bring your spine down, vertebra by vertebra, completely to the floor. Lower the legs to the floor. Relax for a minimum of 60 seconds.

Benefits:

• Helps to stimulate the thyroid and parathyroid glands and enhances their functions

• Strengthens the arms and shoulders and keeps your spine flexible

• Stimulates brain functioning with more blood 

• Stretches the heart muscles by returning more venous blood to the heart

• Relieves constipation, indigestion and varicose veins

Sthiti: Supine Posture

Practice

• Take the right leg and place it on the left thigh.
• Place the left leg on the right thigh as in Padmasana.
• Place the palms on either side of the head with fingers pointing towards the shoulders.
• Inhale, take the weight on the palms and lift the head and the back off the ground.
• Bring the center of the crown of the head to the ground by bending the dorsal and cervical spine backwards.
• Exhale and remove the hands after the weight is well balanced on the head and catch hold of the big toes hooking the index fingers around them.
• Press the elbows on the ground to bear the weight of the upper half of the body.
• Maintain this position for one minute with normal breathing.
• As you exhale come back slowly step by step to supine sthiti.
• Relax in Savasana.

Benefits

Complementary to Sarvangasana, good for diabetes, asthmatics and other respiratory problems.

Limitations

Those who have recently undergone any abdominal or thoracic surgery and those with cervical spondylosis should avoid this posture for 3 months.

Sthiti: Tadasana

Practice

• Stand with the legs 2 to 3 feet apart, bend forwards slightly from the waist and place the palms on the thighs with the arms straight.
• Make yourself quite comfortable in this position.

Stage I: Uddiyana Bandha

• Exhale completely through the mouth by vigorously contracting the abdominal muscles.
• Simultaneously press the hands against the thighs, tighten the arms, shoulders, neck muscles and lift up the ribs.
• As a result of this, the diaphragm automatically rises up, producing a concave depression of the abdomen. The abdominal wall gets sucked in as if to press the spine.
• Hold this condition as long as comfortable.
• Then inhaling slowly release the abdominal muscles and return to the upright position.
• Rest for a while and then go for the next round.
• Repeat 5 rounds.

Stage II: Agnisara

• In the position of Uddiyana Bandha, move the abdominal wall in and out vigorously like a pump as many times as you can (while holding the breath in exhalation).
• This movement of the abdominal wall is done through mock inhalations & exhalations i.e., it seems as if one is inhaling and exhaling whereas it is not so.
• Then stop the movement of the abdominal wall, release the bandha and while inhaling come  up to Tadasana and relax.
• Repeat a few times.

Nauli is an abdominal kriya in which isolated contraction and rolling manipulation of the abdominal recti muscles (rectus abdominis) which form the front linear wall of the abdominal cavity, are accomplished.

The following are preparatory for Nauli.

Madhyama Nauli

• Maintaining Uddiyana, give a forward and downward push to the abdominal point just above the pelvic bone in the mid-line, where the two recti originate. This push brings about the contraction of these muscles which stand out in the center, leaving the other muscles of the abdominal wall in a relaxed condition.

Daksina and Vama Nauli

• For Daksina (right) Nauli, one has to contract the right rectus alone leaving the other muscles including the left rectus relaxed.
• For Vama (left) Nauli, only left rectus is contracted leaving the others relaxed.

Nauli Calana

• When one has gained full control over these three types of Nauli, rolling of the recti muscles clockwise and anti-clockwise is practised. This is called Nauli calana.

Benefits

Stimulates and activates the abdominal organs. Stimulates the intestines, tones up recti muscles, helps to relieve constipation, piles and gastritis. Creates the '-ve' pressure in the abdominal cavity and thus draws the blood to the abdominal cavity improving blood supply to the pancreatic cells.

Limitations

Avoid in cases of acute ulcers in stomach for one year after abdominal surgery. Avoid this practice if you have hypertensive, ischaemic heart disease, severe back ache or hernia. Avoid during menstruation.

Sthiti : Supine Posture

Practice

• Lie down on the back beside the wall, placing the body parallel to the wall.
• Turn the trunk as you raise both legs 90⁰ and slide them onto the wall, keeping the knees straight.
• Rest for a few second with legs resting on the wall as you continue to lie down with the body perpendicular to the wall.
• Now raise the buttocks and trunk off the ground, support the body with the hands at the waist allowing the legs to rest on the wall. In this final position, weight of the legs are completely on the wall. The trunk in inclined at about 45⁰.
• Maintain this position with normal breathing.
• In this position, consciously try to relax the back.
• Then slowly lower the buttocks to the ground, rotate the legs back onto the floor, and relax.

Note

• In Viparita Karani position you can keep a pillow under the buttocks if necessary.

Sthiti : Savasana 

• Gently move your whole body, make yourself comfortable and relax completely.
• (Deep Relaxation Technique can be practiced in Makarasana. It can also be practiced being on back with legs folded at the knees and supported by the wall.)
• Practice

Phase I

• Bring your awareness to the tip of the toes, gently move your toes and relax. Sensitize the soles of your feet, loosen the ankle joints; relax the calf muscles; gently pull up the knee caps, release and relax; relax your thigh muscles, buttock muscles, loosen the hip joints, relax the pelvic region and the waist region. Totally relax the lower part of the body, R..e..l..a..x... Chant 'AAA' and feel the vibrations in your lower parts of the body.

Phase II

• Gently bring your awareness  to the abdominal region and observe the abdominal movement for a awhile; relax your abdominal muscles and relax the chest muscles. Gentle bring your awareness to your lower back; relax your lower back, loosen all the vertebral joints one by one. Relax the muscles and nerves around the back bones. Relax the mid back, shoulder blades and upper back muscles, totally relax. Shift your awareness to the tip of the fingers, gently move them a little and sensitize. Relax your fingers one by one. Relax your palms, loosen the wrist joints, relax the forearms, loosen the elbow joints, relax the back of the arms (triceps), biceps and relax your shoulders. Shift your awareness to your neck, slowly turn your head to the right and left, again bring back to the center. Relax the muscles and nerves of the neck. Relax your middle part of the body, totally relax. R..e..l..a..x...Chant 'UUU' and feel the vibrations in the middle parts of the body. 

Phase III

• Gently bring your awareness to your head region. Relax your chin, lower jaw and upper jaw; lower and upper gums, lower and upper teeth and relax your tongue. Relax your palates - hard and soft, relax your throat and vocal chords. Gently shift your awareness to your lips, relax your lower and upper lips. Shift your awareness to your nose, observe your nostrils, and feel the warm air touching the walls of the nostrils as you exhale and feel the cool air touching the walls of the nostrils as you inhale. Observe for a few seconds and relax your nostrils. Relax your cheek muscles, feel the heaviness of the cheeks and have a beautiful smile on you cheeks. Relax your eye ball muscles, feel the heaviness of eye balls, relax your eye lids, eye brows and in between the eye brows. Relax your forehead, temple muscles, ears, the sides of the head, back of the head and crown of the head. Relax your head region, totally relax. R..e..l..a..x...Chant 'MMM' and feel the vibrations in your head region.

Phase IV

• Observe your whole body from toes to head and relax, chant an OM. Feel the resonance throughout the body.

Phase V

• Slowly come out of the body consciousness and visualize your body lying on the ground completely collapsed.

Phase VI

• Imagine the vast beautiful blue sky. The limitless blue sky. Expand your awareness as vast as blue sky. Merge yourself in to the blue sky. You are becoming the blue sky. You are the blue sky. Enjoy the infinite bliss. E..N..J..O..Y the blissful state of silence and all pervasive awareness.

Phase VII

• Slowly come back to body consciousness. Inhale deeply. Chant an OM. Feel the resonance throughout the body- the soothing and massaging effect from toes to head.

Phase VIII

• Gently move your whole body a little. Feel the lightness, alertness and movement of energy throughout the body. Slowly bring your legs together and the hands by the side of the body. turn over to the left or the right side and come out when you are ready.

Sthiti: Dandasana

• Move into any meditative posture. 

Practice

• Exhale with a blast, continue breathing with active and forceful exhalation and passive  inhalation. 
• During each exhalation, blast out the air by vigorous flapping movements of the abdomen in quick succession. 
• Allow the air to flow in passively by relaxing the abdominal muscles at the end of each exhalation. 
• Repeat at the rate of 20 strokes per minute.
• Continue for 2 - 3 minutes
• Now observe an automatic suspension of breath. In fact, there will be no urge for breathing for a few seconds.
• Simultaneously the mind may experience a deep state of silence. Enjoy this state of deep rest and freshness.
• Wait until the breathing comes back to normal.

Note

• Throughout the entire practice the spine must be kept erect without any movement f the trunk, neck or the face.
• It is important to learn to allow the inhalation to happen automatically by relaxing the abdominal muscles at the end of each quick exhalation.
• Kapalabhati can be practices through alternate nostrils by alternately closing the right and left nostrils in Nasika mudra.
• Normally Kapalabhati is practiced at the rate of 60 strokes per minute. For persons with back or neck pain we practice only at a rate of 10 to 20 strokes per minute and repeat it 2 to 3 rounds with normal breathing intervals of a few seconds. With regular daily practice and when the back pain disappears you can increase the speed to 60 -120 strokes per minute. 

This is a preparatory breathing practice for Pranayama. It corrects the wrong breathing pattern and increase the vital capacity of the lungs.

a) Abdominal Breathing (Diaphragmatic Adhama)

Sthiti : Vajrasana 

Practice

• Place the hands resting on the thighs in Cin Mudra.
• Inhale, (puraka) deeply, slowly and continuously, the abdomen bulges out.
• Before exhaling stop the breath for a few seconds effortlessly.
• Exhale, (recaka) draw the abdomen inwards continuously and slowly.
• Before the breath is reversed, stop the breath for a second.
• Repeat this breathing cycle five times.
• There should be no jerks in the whole process. It should be smooth, continuous and relaxing.

Note

• In abdominal breathing the air fills the lower lobes of the lungs.
• Avoid movement of chest.

b) Thoracic (Intercostal) Breathing (Madhya ma)

Sthiti : Vajrasana 

Practice

• Place the hands resting on the thighs in Chinmaya Mudra.
• While inhaling, expand the chest cage forwards, outwards and upwards.
• While exhaling relax the chest wall and return to resting position.
• Repeat this breathing cycle five times.

Note 

• Avoid Attention on movements of abdomen.

c) Upper Lobar (Clavicular) Breathing (Adya)

Sthiti : Vajrasana 

Practice

• Sit in any meditative posture.
• Place the hands resting on thighs in Adi Mudra.
• While inhaling raise the collar bones and shoulders upwards and backwards.
• While exhaling drop down the shoulders to the resting position.
• Repeat this breathing cycle five times.

Note 

• Try and avoid movements of the abdomen and chest.

d) Full Yogic Breathing

• Full yogic berating is a combination of all the three sections of Vibhagiya Svasana

Sthiti : Vajrasana 

Practice

• Place the hands resting on the abdomen at the navel Brahma Mudra.
• During inhalation, the Adhama, Madhyama and Adya pranayama occur sequentially. 
• Now exhale in the same sequence(abdominal, chest and clavicular).
• Repeat the berating cycle 5 times.

Note 

• The whole process should be relaxing and comfortable, without any tension in the face.
• Roughly gauge the time of your inhalation and exhalation. take one third of your inhalation time for adhama, one third for madhyama and one third for adya. Follow the same sequence and timing for exhalation.
• This exercise can be performed lying down in savasana or sitting in a cross-legged position with head,neck and spine erect.
• All breathing should be performed through the nose and not through the mouth.
• As you increase the number of rounds of Full Yogic Breathing day after day, you will come to develop this practice as an automatic and normal function of the body.

Sthiti : Vajrasana 

Practice

• Sit in any meditative posture.
• Adopt Nasika Mudra.
• Close the right nostril with the right thumb and exhale completely through the left nostril. Then inhale deeply through the same(left) nostril. 
• Close the left nostril with your ring and little fingers of Nasika Mudra, release the right nostril. Now exhale slowly and completely through the right nostril.
• Inhale deeply through the same (right) nostril. Then close the right nostril and exhale through the left nostril. This is one round of Nadisuddhi pranayama.
• Repeat nine rounds.

Note

• This practice helps to maintain balance between Nadis.
• If you feel headache, heaviness of the head, giddiness, uneasiness etc. it means you are exerting much pressure on the lungs.
• The first symptoms of correct practice is the feeling of freshness, energy and lightness of the body and mind.

Benefits

Physical

• It promotes balance between the two nostrils apart from cleansing the nasal tract. It increases the vitality. It increases the digestive fire and appetite.
• Brings the balance in sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system by relaxing the sympathetic nervous system and by strengthening the parasympathetic nervous system. This helps in reducing the stress and stress hormones.
• Metabolic rate is reduced by experiencing calm and tranquil mind which keeps the blood sugar at normal level.

Therapeutic

• It lowers the levels of stress and anxiety by harmonising the pranas. It is beneficial in respiratory disorders such as Bronchial asthma, Nasal allergy, bronchitis etc.

Spiritual

• It induces tranquility, clarity of thought and concentration. It clears pranic blockages and balances Ida and Pingala nadis, causing susumna nadi to flow, which leads to deep states of meditation and spiritual awakening. It helps to maintain Brahmacharya, which is a pre-requisite for spiritual progress.

a) Sitali Pranayama

Sthiti : Vajrasana 

Practice

• Place the palms resting on the thighs
• Stretch the tongue forward out of the mouth and fold it so as to resemble the beak of a crow.
• Slowly suck the air through the beak and feel the jet of cool air passing down the trachea into the lungs.
• Enjoy the Kevala - Kumbhaka (automatic cessation of breath).
• Slowly exhale through the nostrils, carefully feeling the movement of warm air all the way up from the lungs through the trachea and the nasal passages.
• Enjoy the stoppage of breath and promote this blissful Kevala - Kumbhaka before the breath starts moving in again through the beak of the tongue.
• This completes one round of Sitali Pranayama. Repeat nine rounds.

b) Sitkari Pranayama

Sthiti : Vajrasana 

Practice

• Fold the tip of the tongue inwards and press the root of the upper plate with the tip of the tongue. The folded tongue slightly comes out between the two rows of teeth and provides a narrow opening on both the sides.
• Slowly suck the air in, which enters through the two sides of the tongue, diffuses throughout the mouth and moves down the trachea into the lungs.
• Promote Kevala - Kumbhaka and feel its effect.
• The warm air is exhaled out slowly through the trachea, and the nostrils and the breath stops automatically.
• The deep relaxation obtained due to cooling extends the Kevala - Kumbhaka.
• This completes one round of Sitkari pranayama.
• Repeat nine rounds.

c) Sadanta Pranayama

Sthiti : Vajrasana 

Practice

• Let the upper teeth touch the lower teeth.
• Keep the tip of the tongue just behind the teeth and suck the air in through the crevices of the teeth and feel the cool stream of air as it moves over the gums slowly and continuously into the mouth and passes down the trachea into the ;lungs.
• The warm air is exhaled out slowly through the trachea, and the nostrils and the breath stops automatically.
• The deep relaxation obtained due to cooling extends the Kevala - Kumbhaka (automatic cessation of breath)
• This completes one round of Sadanta.
• Repeat nine rounds

Benefits of Sithali, Sithkari, Sadanta Cooling Pranayamas

• Cools down the body, relaxes the mind.
• Good for mouth hygiene specially for Diabetes Mellitus.

Preparatory practices of M - kara and N - kara:

• In order to chant M - kara, you can chant word ending with 'M' such as 'OM', 'Mum', 'Swim' etc but stretch the 'M' part only. This will result in 'M-kara' chanting.
• Chant 'MM' a few times and observe that your lips are closed, rows of teeth are separated and the tongue is just behind the lower set of teeth.

N -kara

• In order to chant N- kara, you an chant any word ending with 'N' such as 'King', 'Ring', 'Sing', etc.. and stretch the 'N' part only. This results in the 'N- kara' chanting.
• Chant 'NN' a few times and note that your lips are separate during this chanting.
• While practising Bhramari, we need to use this sound of 'N- kara' and not 'M- kara' whereas while practising Nadanusandhana we use the 'M- kara'.

Sthiti : Vajrasana 

Practice

• Assume Chinmudra.
• Inhale deeply.
• Exhaling, produce a low pitched sound resembling the humming of a female bee.
• Feel the vibration in the entire head.
• This is one round.
• Repeat nine rounds.

Note

• During the practice of Bhramari use 'N- kara' and not 'M- kara'.
• Touch the tongue to upper(hard) palate.
• Initially the sound vibration is felt more at the throat region only.
• With long practices try to feel the strong vibrations in the entire head region along with it's resonating effect through out the body.

a) A- kara Chanting

Sthiti : Vajrasana 

Practice

• Sit in any meditative posture and adopt Cinmudra.
• Feel completely relaxed and close your eyes.
• Inhale slowly and completely.
• While exhaling chant 'AAA' in a low pitch.
• Feel the sound resonance in the abdomen and lower parts of the body.
• Repeat nine times.

b) U- kara Chanting

Sthiti : Vajrasana 

Practice

• Sit in any meditative posture and adopt Cinmaya mudra.
• Feel the sound resonance in the chest and the middle part of the body.
• Repeat nine times.

c) M- kara Chanting

Sthiti : Vajrasana 

Practice

• Sit in any meditative posture and adopt Adi mudra.
• Inhale slowly and completely.
• While exhaling chant 'MMM' in a low pitch.
• Feel the sound resonance in the entire head region.
• Repeat nine times.

d) A-U-M Chanting

Sthiti : Vajrasana 

Practice

• Sit in any meditative posture and adopt Brahma mudra.
• Inhale slowly and completely to fill the lungs.
• While exhaling chant 'A-U-M' in a low pitch.
• Feel the sound resonance through out the body.
• Repeat nine times.

Note

• Different sounds like A, U, M and AUM are produced loudly so that the generate a fine resonance all over the body. Resonance will occur only when the frequency of the generated sound matches with the natural frequency of your body.
• These resonant sounds act as stimulations and post- resonance silents deepens the awareness and releases even very subtle tensions.
• Therefor, while producing different sounds (A, U, M and AUM) try to adjust the pitch in such a way that a fine resonance is achived.

Sthiti

Sit in any comfortable meditative posture feeling completely relaxed.

Phase I

• Close your eyes and start chanting OM mentally. Allow the mind to repeat OM continuously without break. If there are distractions, you chant OM faster, not giving a chance for distractions. After a while the chanting slows down. Consciously slow it down further. If the mind jumps to distractions, again increase the speed of japa of OM kara. Thus, by increasing and allowing speed to slow down, you should be able to have an unbroken stream of the japa in your mind.

Phase II

• Make the chanting softer and softer and gentler and gentler, and more and more effortless. As you progress on the path of meditation, you will reach the second phase of japa in which you start feeling the vibrations of the japa in some part of the body and later throughout the body.

Phase III

• As you slow down the japa of OM, observe the gap between two OMs. Further as you slow down, the gap goes on widening to diffuse into complete silence.

Phase IV

• The deep experience of silence helps to expand from the dimensional awareness of the body to all pervasive awareness. The bed of silence becomes deeper and more expansive- an ocean of silence with waves on it. Now merge into complete silence- AJAPA. This silence is the source of Creativity, Power, Knowledge and Bliss. 

Phase V

• From this deep ocean of silence in the heart region, let one OM emerge as an audible sound which diffuses in to the entire body and the space all around. Enjoy the beautiful vibrations.
• Blink the eyes slowly, gently open the eyes and come out of meditation.

Note

• Try to touch this state of deep rest and inner silence several times in the day whenever you have some free time.

Benefits

• Meditation is a powerful tool in removing disease and leading towards a state of optimum health.
• Lowers the blood pressure, specially important for Diabetes Mellitus.
• Relaxes the heart by slowing down the heart rate which is important for diabetics.
• Relaxes the sympathetic nervous system, resulting in lowering the stress hormones like cortisone, adrenaline.
• Through meditation, by learning to balance the involuntary nervous system, one no longer is dominated by stress and strains of modern living. The body and mind will be less susceptible to illness.

Sthiti : Tadasana

Practice

• Add about half a teaspoon of salt to a Neti pot full of sterile lukewarm water. 
• Stand with legs apart. 
• Hold the Neti pot in your right hand. 
• Insert the nozzle of the Neti pot into the right nostril.
• Keep the mouth open and breathe freely through the mouth.
• Tilt the head first slightly backwards, then forwards and sidewards to the left so that the water from the pot enters the right nostril  and comes out through the left by gravity. Allow the flow till the pot is empty.
• Repeat the same on the left side.
• To clear the nasal passages of the remaining water, blow out the water by active exhalation through alternate nostrils as in Kapalabhati. 

Sthiti: Tadasana

Practice

• Insert the blunt end of a thin soft rubber catheter horizontally into the right nostril.
• Gently push it along the floor of the nose until the tip is felt in the back of the throat.
• Insert the right index and the middle finger through the mouth and catch the tip of the catheter at the back of the throat.
• Pull it out through the mouth and gently massage the nasal passage by catching the two ends of the tube.
• Remove the catheter through the nose.
• Repeat on the left side.

Note

• Take care not to push the catheter vertically into the nostril.
• Before you start this practice, cut and trim the nails of the fingers to be used for inserting in the mouth, as it may injure the throat when you are trying to grasp the tip of catheter in the throat.

Benefits of Sutra Neti

• Done as a preparatory practice for Vaman Dhauti kriya.
• Improves the concentration and strengthens the will power, is useful in saying no to sweets.
• Good for eyes specially for Diabetes Mellitus.

Sthiti: Tadasana

Practice

• Drink about one and a half liters of lukewarm saline water (about 1% saline) as quickly as you can until you feel like vomiting it out.
• Churn the stomach by twisting exercises.
• Now, spread the legs about two feet and bend the trunk forward forming an angle of about 90 degrees to the ground.
• Now with the help of the middle three fingers of the right hand, tickle the back of the throat to vomit out (vaman) all the water.
• Repeat the process of tickling the throat until no more water comes out, which may mean that all water has been vomited.
• With continued practice one can stimulate the vomiting sensation and vomit out the water without using the fingers to tickle the throat.
• Relax completely in DRT for about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Have a bland breakfast after about half an hour.

Note

• This is to be done early in the morning on an empty stomach.
• A bland breakfast could preferably consist of Indian kichadi (rice and lentil-dhal, cooked with or without salt), along with a tea spoon full of pure ghee. Avoid coffee or tea for breakfast.
• With long practice one can learn to vomit all the water as if it is a continuous jet. This is called Gajakarani.

Sthiti: Tadasana

Practice

• Drink a glass or two of lukewarm saline water.
• Perform the following exercises.

Step I: Tadasana Stretch

• Stand with the legs about 10 cms. apart, and arm by the sides.
• Steady the body and distribute the weight on both feet.
• Raise the arms above the head. Interlock the fingers and turn the palms upward.
• Bend the neck backwards and look at the back of the hands.
• Inhale and stretch the arms and chest upwards. Raise the heels to come up on the toes.
• Stretch the whole body from toes to the fingers, without disturbing the balance. Do not move the position of the feet.
• Hold the breath in this position for a few seconds.
• Exhaling, lower the heels and bring the hands to the top of the head.
• Repeat the same 8 to 10 times.

Note

If you are not able to maintain the balance while you are looking at up the back of the hands, you may look and concentrate on a point on the wall in front of you.

II) Swing Tadasana

• Stand with feet two feet apart.
• Fix a gaze on a point directly in front.
• Interlock the fingers and turn the palms upward.
• Inhale and raise the arm over the head.
• While exhaling bend to the right side from the waist.
• Do not bend forward or backward or twist the trunk.
• Hold this position for a few seconds while retaining the breath outside.
• Inhale and slowly come to the upright position.
• Repeat on the left side. Practice 8 to 10 times on both sides.

III) Waist Twisting Posture

• Stand with the feet about half a meter apart and arms by the side.
• Inhale deeply while raising the arm to the shoulder level. Exhale and twist the body to the left.
• Bring the right hand to the left shoulder and wrap the left arm around the back. Look over the left shoulders as far as possible.
• Keep the back of the neck straight and imagine the top of the spine is the fixed point around which the head turns.
• Accentuate the twist and try to gently stretch the abdomen.
• Inhale and return to the starting position.
• Perform the rotation smoothly without jerking or stiffness.
• Repeat the same with the other side.
• Practice 8 to 10 times each side.

IV) Bhujangasana Twisting

• Lie down on your abdomen either with legs half a meter apart or close together. The toes rest on the ground. Place the palm by the side of the chest.
• Assume the final position of Bhujangasana. The head should be facing forward instead of bending backward.
• Twist the head and the upper portion of the trunk and look over the right shoulder to look at the heels.
• In the final position, the arms remain straight or slightly bent as the shoulders and the trunk are twisted.
• Try to feel the diagonal stretch of the abdomen.
• Relax the back and keep the navel as close to the floor as possible.
• Return to the starting position.
• Repeat the same the other side.
• Practice 8 to 10 times each side.

V) Crow Twisting

• Sit in the squatting position with feet apart and the hands on the knees.
• Inhale deeply, exhale completely and bring the right knee to the floor near the left foot.
• Using the left hand as a lever, push the left knee towards the right, simultaneously twisting to the left.
• Keep the toes of the right foot on the floor or stretch out the toes and sit on the right heel.
• Try to squeeze the lower abdomen with the combined pressure of both the thighs.
• Look over the left shoulder.
• Repeat the same to other side.
• Practice 8 to 10 times each side.

VI) Emptying

• Now move to the lavatory and try to defecate by relaxing the anal passage.
• Repeat the entire cycle of drinking water, performing yoga postures I to V and emptying the bowel, 3 to 5 times until clear water is excreted.

VII) Deep Relaxation Technique

• Practice DRT for 20 minutes until you feel completely refreshed and the abdomen feels easy.

Note

• If you are not able to defecate after the first round of exercise, again drink a glass or two of lukewarm saline water and repeat the same practice. If you are not able to defecate till 5 rounds, then stop practice and relax in DRT for about half an hour. The water will go out of the body through the excretory system after some time.
• This is to be done early morning on an empty stomach.
• Eat kichadi (rice and dhal boiled together preferably without salt) more than half an hour after the practice and you can also add about 4-6 teaspoon full of pure ghee for breakfast. Lunch can be a normal diet but masticate properly. Avoid spicy food for the day.

Benefits

The period of flushing the whole digestive system followed by deep relaxation technique is the only opportunity that (digestive system) pancreas ever gets to really rest, gives chance to pancreas to rejuvenate, because only when the intestines are completely empty, do the secretion stops giving complete rest to pancreas. Brings deep awareness and relaxation to the pancreas.

A. Preparations

• Get candles, candle stand and match box. 
• Wash your eyes with cool and clean water (with eye cup if available) before starting the practice. 
• When you practice in a group, sit around the candle stand, making a circle at sufficient distance (1.5 to 2 meters) from the candle stand. The maximum number of participants in a group around could be about ten. Keep the candle at the same level as the eyes.

Sthiti : Any Meditative Posture

Practice

• Sit in any comfortable meditative posture, if necessary you may sit in a chair.
• Remove your glasses and wrist watches.
• Keep your spine, neck and head in a line. Collapse your shoulders.
• Close the eyes and adopt Namaskara mudra.
• Maintain a smile on your face through out the practice. Calm down your mind. Observe your body and breath.
• Begin the session by chanting the verse from the Upanishads praying for the welfare of the teacher and the students. 

Step 1: Effortless gazing or focusing at flame

• Gently open your eyes with a few blinks and look at the floor. Do not look at the flame directly.
• Slowly shift your vision to the base of the candle stand, then move to top of the stand, then to the candle and slowly look at the flame of the candle. Now, start gazing at whole flame without any effort. Do not blink your eyes. There may be few irritating sensations, but use your will power and gaze in a relaxed way. If tears appear, allow to flow freely. This is a sign of good practice. Let the tears wash out the impurities from the eyes. Learn to ignore the irritation and water from the eyes.
• Gaze at the flame for about 30 seconds. 
• Slowly close your eyes, rub your palms against each other for a few seconds, form a cup of your palms and cover your eyeballs.
• Give press and release palming.
• After completing five rounds, gently drop your hands down.
• Feel the cool sensation around the eyeballs. Relax for a few seconds. Do not open your eyes immediately.

Step 2: Intense focusing - Dharana

• Gently open your eyes with a few blinks and look at the floor. Do not look at the flame directly.
• Slowly shift your vision to the base of the candle stand, then move to top of the stand, then to the candle and slowly look at the flame of the candle. Now, start gazing at whole flame without any effort.
• Slowly gaze at the tip of the wick of candle, the small black cord. Focus your attention at one point. This is a practice of focusing and consecration. Keep on gazing. Use your will power. Let the tears come out and try not to blink your eyes. By practice the gaze become steady, making the mind one pointed.
• Gaze for about 30 seconds.
• Slowly close your eyes, rub your palms against each other for a few seconds, form a cup of your palms and cover your eyeballs.
• Give constant pressure palming. Press constantly around the eyeballs with your palms and inhale deeply and exhale completely as you maintain the pressure. Do not touch the eyeballs with your palms directly. Relax your eye muscles completely.
• Open the again and focus on the wile of the candle. Proceed with alternate gazing(30 seconds) and palming.
• After completing five rounds, gently drop your hand down. 
• Feel the cool sensation around the eyeballs. Relax for a few seconds. Do not open your eyes immediately.

Step 3: De-focusing 

• Gently open your eyes with a few blinks and look at the floor. Do not look at the flame directly.
• Slowly shift your vision to the base of the candle stand, then move to top of the stand, then to the candle and slowly look at the flame of the candle. First fix your attention at the flame, then gradually widen your vision. Slowly de-focus your attention from the flame and have de-focused gaze on the flame. With expansive awareness, collect all the details of the flame such as colour of the flame, shape of the flame and aura around the flame. Then observe the aura expanding more and more and see the small light particles around the flame. Recognize the subtle changes achieved by de-focusing.
• After one minute of de-focusing, gaze or focus on the flame. Slowly close your eyes and retain the image in your mind. Visualize the flame between your eyeballs and collect all the details with your eyes closed. When the image disappears go for palming.
• This time we combine palming with breathing and Bhramari. First apply constant pressure around your eyes, then inhale and chant Bhramari Mm...; feel the vibrations of Bhramari throughout the body; repeat the same. Inhale- chant Mm... as you exhale, inhale Mm..., inhale Mm... and the last round inhale Mm.. feel the sound resonance in the entire head region specially around the eyes.

Step 4: Silence 

• Feel the silence and relax for a while. After sufficient relaxation, gently drop your hands down. Sit quiet for some time and feel the deep comforting effect of the practice. Beware of the changes taking place inside. Recognize that the mind has become completely calm.
• Gently bring your hands behind the back, catch hold of the right wrist with your left palm, make a loose fist with the right hand and the feel the pulse of the right hand.
• As you exhale, gently bend down towards the floor and surrender to the All Mighty.
• Gently give a feather massage around the eye muscles with the three finger(index, middle and ring fingers).

Note

• This is to be practiced in the dark preferably in the evening.
• Remove glasses, wrist watches, and belts and make yourself comfortable in the posture.
• Sit with your head, neck  and spine upright. Always open the eyes with a few blinks.
• During palming don't let the palms touch or press the eyeballs(palms and not the fingers cover the eyes).
• During palming do very slow and deep breathing with the awareness.
• Palms are placed in such a way that there is complete darkness to the eyes.