The Yoga Book

Having thoroughly covered yama and niyama we now come to Patanjali's third limb, Asana, which means ‘posture’ or ‘seat’.

Although it is popular now in the West to practise many different yoga postures (Hatha Yoga), Patanjali deals with the subject in only three sutras (2:46–8), and does not name one. In the first of these sutras he says: ‘Posture is an attitude in which the body is kept steady (motionless), while producing a feeling of ease.’ (Yoga Sutras 2:46)

This sutra was prescribed by Patanjali because he mentions in another sutra: ‘Unsteadiness of the body or its limbs is an indication of the unsteadiness of the mind.’

Patanjali's description of asana does not refer to any particular yoga postures, but only to the ability to hold the body motionlessly still in preparation for, and sitting for long periods in, deep meditation. If the body is restless, then the mind will also become restless. So, in order to ensure that the mind becomes still and quiet, the body needs to be trained, to make it steady with ease and comfort.

A sign of perfection in asana is to be able to sit in one place completely motionless and relaxed for three hours. With both the body and the mind stilled, one is able to go deep into meditation and experience calmness, inner peace and inner joy. He says: ‘Posture is mastered by freeing the body and mind from tension and restlessness and meditating on the infinite … When posture is mastered, one is undisturbed by the pairs of opposites (dualities).’ (Yoga Sutras 2:47–48)

In these sutras he informs us that when we have mastered posture by being steadily seated with both the mind and body in an alert, effortless, relaxed condition, free from restlessness, the mind is then free to meditate on the Infinite. The mind becomes one-pointed and flows in one direction. It is not distracted by the dualities of thought processes and their associations, such as heat and cold, joy and sorrow, pain and pleasure or success and failure.

The Sanskrit word hatha consists of two letters, ha meaning ‘sun’ and tha meaning ‘moon’. The sun refers to the positive, heating, male energy principle in the body, associated with the flow of breath through the right nostril (pingala). The moon refers to the negative, cooling, female energy principle, associated with the flow of breath through the left nostril (ida). When you have to do something active, you need to have the predominant flow of breath in the right nostril. When you are more reflective or doing something passive the predominant flow of breath should be in the left nostril. With practice it is possible to change the flow of breath mentally from one nostril to the other. For meditation you need the breath flowing evenly through both nostrils.

The aim of Hatha Yoga is to balance, integrate and harmonize these two energy flows in the body, resulting in mental calm, vitality and inner balance.

Hatha Yoga is a complete discipline and practice for the harmonious development of the entire being. It is concerned primarily with preparing the body and mind for the higher spiritual practices and stages of dharana—dhyana—samadhi (concentration—meditation—blissful union with God).

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, a 15th-century treatise on the practice of Hatha Yoga by Svatmarama specifically states that Hatha Yoga is a preparation for Raja Yoga (the royal path or yoga of meditation).

It is also the aim of Hatha Yoga to purify the physical body from all toxins, waste matter and disease; to free the body and mind from tensions, and to make the body strong, firm and supple, so that it will remain seated in one position, steadily and comfortably, relaxed for extended periods of time in meditation. Without securing a comfortable, relaxed, steady posture, one cannot progress in meditation.

The Gheranda Samhita, another major text of antiquity on Hatha Yoga by Yogi Gheranda, gives six main practices in preparing for the superconscious state of samadhi, and the stages attained by practising them.

• purification by regular practice of the six shat kriyas: dhauti, neti, vasti, tratak, nauli and kapalabhati

Of these four, the Gheranda Samhita and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika are the two principal ones.

According to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Lord Shiva (the lord of the yogis) is the founder of Hatha Yoga. He taught all the 84,000 asanas to his consort, Parvati. Throughout the centuries this great science has been passed down in disciplic succession. Lord Shiva initiated Matsyendranath, who in turn taught his disciple, Gorakshanath and so on. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika lists 35 great Hatha Yoga masters (great siddhas). As time went by the many thousands of asanas were greatly reduced and modified, until there were no more than a few hundred, of which only 84 are generally known and are of importance. Out of these, only 32 are thought to be commonly useful today.

The oldest known evidence of Hatha Yoga being practised dates back to about 2500 BC. In archaeological excavations at Mohenjo-Daro, a north Indian civilization, a fired clay seal belonging to the ancient Indus Valley civilization (Chalcolithic Age) was found, which is often pointed to as an indication of how old the science of Hatha Yoga really is. It portrays a three-faced human figure sitting in the meditative asana, bhadrasana (auspicious posture) — the ankles are placed under the buttocks on either side of the perineum and the soles of the feet are pressed together. This posture is also called gorakshasana.

The true purpose of yoga postures and other yoga practices is to awaken and harmonize the inner source of energy, and direct it toward the higher brain centres, to expand one's awareness and consciousness of God.

Hatha Yoga is a wonderful system for attaining perfect health, but the yogi is not really interested in that; he or she does not practise yoga postures just to be healthy. The yogi values health only to the extent that the body should not disturb or distract the mind in its quest for truth or God. The yogi finds a balance in life; he or she does not want to become a health-conscious fanatic or faddist.

Patanjali specifically states in his sutras that ill health is an obstacle to spiritual progress, because if the body is not in a good state of health it will create psychological disturbance in the mind, which will make one's search for truth extremely difficult.

The mind and its mental attitudes influence and affect the body positively or negatively. Conversely, the body and bodily postures influence the mind. The practice of Hatha Yoga re-establishes physical and mental equilibrium in the individual, creating a harmonious flow of energy in the body and mind as one integrated whole.

Hatha Yoga practice removes tension, toxins and impurities and releases energy blocks, which impede the harmonious flow of energy in the body. It promotes perfect health, rejuvenation and longevity. It is to our advantage to live a healthy, long life, because it enables us to fulfil our worthy purposes and to awaken, learn and grow spiritually. The highest purpose and aim in life is to know, love and serve God — to be Self-realized.

With the mind and body in a harmonious, balanced, healthy condition, one is more useful in helping others and serving humanity. In service we consider the needs of others. Through service we learn to see God in all people and all things. Service expands our vision beyond the narrow limits of the ego, and the joy of service is its own reward.

The system of Hatha Yoga co-ordinates the physical and mental aspects of the individual being through conscious control, discipline and awareness of the body and mind. It also teaches the physical body to function efficiently with the minimum consumption of energy. The physical body wastes a great deal of energy, but Hatha Yoga reduces this wastage to the minimum so that more energy can be directed to the attainment of the higher states of consciousness, in which lies the fundamental aim of the yoga system.

The advanced Hatha Yoga student reveals the benefits of yoga and the inner changes that have subtly taken place over some years of practice by the following characteristics: calm, steady gaze; sparkling, aware eyes; soft, mellow, resonant voice; clear skin; strong, firm, supple body; exuberance of vitality and energy; the radiation of joy; emotional and mental balance; complete lack of restlessness in the position and bearing of the body; awareness and alertness, good concentration; a positive, enthusiastic attitude; cheerfulness; physical and mental relaxation; good digestion; and good elimination.

• mudras — ‘seals’ to awaken and direct the flow of kundalini (see below)

• bandhas — body ‘locks’ that assist in controlling the flow of prana

• pranayama — purification of the nadis (the subtle channels of the body), through the control of the breath and vital inner pranic currents

As I have said, Patanjali does not specify any particular postures, saying only that the body must be kept motionless. I do not therefore intend to cover them here in any detail, although some traditional postures are dealt with in chapter 8. There are many excellent books which specialize in this subject alone. This chapter will deal with the shatkarmas, mudras and bandhas as well as the practices of fasting and yogic diet, which I feel are necessary in the purification of the mind and body. Pranayama will be covered in detail in the next chapter.

Kundalini (the coiled power) is the coiled-up energy present in all organic and inorganic matter. In the human being it lies dormant in the lower centre of consciousness at the base of the spine (muladhara chakra). Because kundalini is a spiralling power, it is symbolized as a coiled-up serpent.

When this vital force is awakened by the practice of such yogas as Kundalini, Laya, Kriya, Hatha, Raja or Bhakti, it forces a passage upwards through the chakras, via the sushumna canal (located within the spinal column, in the astral spine) from the muladhara chakra to the opening in the crown of the head (sahasrara chakra) and the yogi experiences higher levels of consciousness. When the kundalini reaches the sahasrara chakra the yogi attains supreme bliss.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body.

Purity of heart is the fulfilment of non-attachment which those people achieve who are ‘poor in spirit’. Non-attachment requires mental affirmation and self-effort, at least in the beginning of spiritual life. When non-attachment is perfected, it becomes purity of heart. Purity of heart is an effortless surrender of one's entire being into God's love. Purity of heart is achieved when one's feelings have been purged of all that is foreign to one's spiritual nature.

The purpose of all spiritual practice (sadhana) is purification and inner transformation. As a result of purification and self-discipline, one experiences perfection and control of the body, mind and senses.

Purification is necessary to remove disease, toxins and impurities from the body. If the body is functioning in optimum health, the mind will also function properly.

Purification clears the mind of bad habits, inner resisting influences, restlessness, inertia, negative thoughts and emotions and negative attitudes. When your mind is clear and alert you can more easily develop an awareness of the presence of God.

Purification of the body and mind helps to awaken us from our identification with the sense of illusion, so that we can awaken to the reality of life, instead of the way it appears to us because of our conditioning and lack of understanding.

In reality we are perfect and self-complete, but until we purify the mind and clear all illusion and false understanding from it, the pure light of the soul within cannot be revealed or realized.

I am committed to the path of higher consciousness. I will engage in all useful disciplines to prepare myself for further purification and spiritual awakening. My body is the temple of spirit — the healing power within it heals, strengthens and perfects my mind and body. God's light and energy radiates through every tissue and cell of my body, making me whole and healthy.

I let go and let God, acknowledging that God is in charge. The presence of God is forever within me, restoring me to health and wholeness in mind, body and spirit. The divine intelligence within provides all the strength and guidance I need.

Wrong diet and wrong living habits cause a build-up of toxins and impurities in the body tissues and block the body's channels. The aim of many of the Hatha Yoga techniques is to unblock the channels to revitalize and purify the body, preparing it for the higher spiritual practices. We need to take care of the body and keep it clean inside and outside, because it is a vehicle by which higher consciousness is attained. Revitalization of the body organism cannot be considered without being preceded by detoxification treatment. The yogi detoxifies the body, keeps it clean, healthy and vibrant with energy by practising the shatkarmas or the six purification techniques.

These techniques are both preventative and curative from a health point of view. They purify the body by removing impurities, excess mucus and toxins. They increase the body's resistance to disease and bring clarity and harmony to the mind. The nadis (subtle energy channels) are also purified by these techniques.

• tratak — steady gazing at an object or a particular point, without blinking

• kapalabhati — purification and vitalization of the frontal lobes of the brain.

Some of these shatkarmas have ‘subdivisions’ involving different techniques such as jala neti, sutra neti, shankhaprakshalana, agni sara dhauti and danta dhauti.

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika makes the point that those who wish to practise yoga who are of a flabby and phlegmatic constitution should first practise the six shatkarmas. This is particularly important before beginning the practice of intense pranayama. The reason for this is that there are three humours in the body: kapha (mucus), pitta (bile) and vata (wind). In Ayurveda (the science of life and healing), health is a state of dynamic equilibrium of the body elements — mucus, bile and wind. In Ayurveda they are called tridoshas. When any of the three doshas becomes excessively agitated or if there is an excess of one and a shortage of another, the healthy balance is lost and ailments or disease develop due to overheating or not enough heat in the body. So before starting pranayama, any imbalance in the doshas should be removed.

The practices cannot be effectively learned from a book. They are powerful, and one must be personally instructed how to perform them and how often, according to individual need. Please seek a qualified and experienced teacher in these practices, including the shankhaprakshalana, which cleans the complete digestive system from mouth to anus.

Method: To practise this dhauti one needs to swallow air to the stomach by closing the epiglottis. The yogi swallows small volumes of air to the stomach until the stomach is filled with air, then slowly expels the wind and gases from the stomach through the mouth.

Benefits: Cleans the upper digestive tract of mucus and excess acids. Good for digestive problems and headaches.

Caution: To be practised under the guidance of an expert teacher. Women should not practice during the menstrual cycle; this is to avoid any kind of hormonal or glandular imbalance within the body.

Method: Drink 4 pints (or 8 half-pint mugs) of lukewarm salt water (just below body temperature). Add 1 teaspoon of sea salt to 1 pint of water. Drink the water quickly one glass after another, then bend forward, contracting the stomach. At the same time rub the root of the tongue with the index and second fingers to induce vomiting of the water. After completing this practice, rest in shavasana, (relaxation pose) for 15–20 minutes.

Benefits: Good for excess bile and mucus problems, diseases of the stomach and spleen, gastritis, dyspepsia. It clears the bronchials and lungs, and is helpful in the treatment of asthma.

Caution: Do not practise without the guidance of an experienced teacher, and in full accordance with the instructions given. Females must not practise during menstrual cycle.

Method: You will need a finely woven muslin cotton cloth which is new and clean. The cloth should also be neatly trimmed so that there are no loose threads. The size of the cloth needs to be at least 1 metre and no more than 1½ metres in length. The width should be 2 inches (5 cm).

Sterilize the cloth in boiling water for a few minutes. Then dip it in lukewarm salt water and squeeze out the excess moisture.

Spread the cloth out, so that it does not fold as you use it. Either squat down on your heels or sit at a table on a chair to practise. Take one end of the cloth with both hands, and spread it over your tongue, then begin to swallow it by slowly sucking on it. If it catches in the throat and will not pass down, drink sips of warm water to lubricate the throat as you swallow the cloth little by little. The cloth tends to stick in the lowest point of the throat, but keep swallowing it and resist the urge to vomit. When the cloth has passed a little further down the oesophagus, there will be no problem. On the first day, swallow only 1 foot (30 cm), keep it there for a few seconds then take it out very slowly. On the second day, swallow a little more and so on until you have swallowed all the cloth except for 1 foot (30 cm) in order to remove it. Do not spend more than 30 minutes trying to swallow it. The cloth can be left in the stomach for 5–20 minutes but not longer. Then very slowly and carefully remove it.

Benefits: Stimulates liver, spleen, kidneys and pancreas. Good for constipation, tones the abdominal muscles. Creates heat at the navel centre (manipura chakra), purifying the nadis (subtle energy channels), and stimulating digestion.

Practice time: Daily on an empty stomach. The best time is early in the morning before breakfast. Good for awakening the prana shakti in preparation for meditation.

Method: Sit in a comfortable cross-legged posture. Inhale deeply, then exhale deeply, forcing as much air out of the lungs as possible. While holding the breath out, the diaphragm is automatically raised, and the abdominal muscles are pumped inward and outward in quick succession for as long as the breath can be held out without strain. Then inhale gently.

Start the practice with three rounds and increase gradually to ten, so that you are practising ten rounds of 20 daily.

The mouth is the gate-keeper of the digestive system and the tongue functions as an organ of elimination. When you get up in the morning, you will probably find when you look in the mirror that your tongue is coated with a white mucus, composed of bacteria and dead cells (leucocytes). These toxins need to be expelled to keep the mouth sweet and clean.

Tongue: To clean the tongue, join your index, middle and ring fingers together and insert them into your mouth. Rub the root of the tongue with your fingers and water. Wash your fingers and rinse your mouth out and repeat the process several times until the coated tongue becomes a healthy, pink colour. Rubbing the root of the tongue will also cause a gagging reflex, which will clear out any excess mucus.

The amount of mucus on the tongue indicates the state of the digestive system. With a clean, pink tongue, one is able to absorb prana from food more effectively.

One can also clean the tongue with a toothbrush, by lightly brushing the top surface with water.

Teeth: If the mouth is kept unclean and food particles are allowed to stick in the crevices of the teeth (combining with bacteria to produce an acid), decay sets in and diseases of the gums such as pyorrhoea and gingivitis take a hold, causing pain and suffering. Many germs and bacteria breed in an unclean mouth. To give you an idea of the amount of bacteria living around the gums and teeth, an estimate by modern counting methods yielded approximately 5 million cocci bacteria per milligram of scrapings from the gum cleft.

Proper cleaning of the teeth and gums along with proper nutrition is important for healthy teeth and gums.

The ideal toothbrush to use is one with a head less than 1 inch long, with its bristles arranged in a straight line. Nylon bristles that are soft to medium with smooth, rounded ends will not scratch the tooth enamel or tender gums.

There are a number of natural toothpastes on the market containing plant and herb oils and extracts. There are two that I particularly recommend.

• Vicco Vajradanti herbal ayurvedic toothpaste from India. It contains 18 herbs and bark extracts.

• Parodontax, a medicinal toothpaste against periodontitis and dental caries. Made by Madaus in Germany, it contains various plant and herb extracts: myrrh (strengthens tissue); ratanhia (astringes the gums); sage (deodorizes); chamomile (inhibits inflammation); echinacea (stimulates resistance, reinforcing tissue defences). This toothpaste also includes sodium bicarbonate in a stabilized form, which neutralizes the acids which attack the enamel of the teeth.

Brush the biting surfaces and the surfaces away from the gum a few times. Then gently insert the toothbrush bristles as far as possible at a 45-degree angle within the crevice where the teeth meet the gums. Now wiggle the brush back and forth, using short strokes.

To brush the front teeth, hold the brush vertically with the bristles inserted into the gum crevice. Then rinse the mouth out with water and gargle.

Use dental floss once or twice a day to clean between the teeth, where a brush cannot reach. Remember to floss methodically from the last tooth, upper or lower, and continue from tooth to tooth until all the crevices between the teeth are flossed. Then rinse the mouth out with water.

Stick to a balanced wholefood/vegetarian diet, avoiding sugar-laden foods that cling to the teeth and gums. A raw diet is good, because fibrous foods such as apples, carrots and celery stimulate a greater flow of saliva, which helps to remove debris from the mouth.

In India it is a custom to chew a few neem leaves to keep the mouth sweet and clean. Neem leaves act as a powerful germicide.

Throat: Mouthwashes and gargles with salt water help to keep the throat clean and free from infection.

Sage is a good gargle for sore throats. Use one teaspoonful of sage to one cup of boiling water. Steep for several minutes and strain. Gargle and sip morning and evening as required.

Ears: Wet the middle finger and clean the opening of the ear. If the ear is blocked with wax, it can be softened by pressing firmly but gently behind the ear, in front of the ear, and then by gently pulling the ear lobe up and down. This stimulates ear circulation and can be repeated daily.

Syringing of the ears can be harmful, so use a cotton bud and massage the ear first to remove wax that has hardened.

On no account try to probe into the ear with wires, sticks etc, as the tissues of the ear are very delicate.

Eyes: Bathe the eyes with tepid saline water. Another way is to fill a bowl or basin with cold water, hold your breath and plunge your face in with eyes open, and move the eyeballs upwards, downwards and circularly. Then gently pat the skin area around the eyes with a dry towel.

You can also clean your eyes by scooping clean cold water up into the palms of your hands and splashing it over the face to flush the eyes.

Forehead: Rub the depression between the forehead and the nose with the thumb of the right hand. This purifies the nervous system and clairvoyance is induced.

There are two techniques of vasti, sthala vasti or vata vasti, which cleans the colon by sucking air into the body, and jala vasti, whereby one sucks water into the anus.

Benefits: Vasti completely washes the bowel and removes excess bacteria, old stool, threadworms and heat from the lower intestines. It is good for digestive disorders, constipation and urinary problems and strengthens the abdominal muscles. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika says:

By practising jala vasti the appetite increases, the body glows, excess doshas are destroyed and the dhatu, senses and mind are purified.

It also improves and purifies the blood supply, controls nervous diarrhoea and pushes apana vayu upward.

Caution: Vasti should not be practised by anyone with a fever, ulcers, haemorrhoids, high blood pressure, hernia or any serious digestive ailments. Women should not practise during the menstrual cycle.

Practice time: If you have normal bowel movements, once a week; if you have loose bowels, twice a month; if you have constipation, twice a week.

Method: The practice of vasti induces a great flow of pranic energy. It stimulates the pranic energy, making one feel very active and dynamic afterwards. However, this practice also removes heat and energy from the physical body. The water absorbs the heat of the body and draws it out when the water gushes out. It is important that one practices vasti in a warm room or outside in warm, dry weather. If the body loses heat and is unable to regain it, it may suffer from constipation.

Squat in a tub or bath of lukewarm water up to the level of the navel. Take a small tube (rubber catheter) about 6 inches (15 cm) long and ½ inch (10–12 mm) wide. Make sure it has been sterilized first. Mark the middle of the tube with string or tape and lubricate one end with pure vegetable oil. Gently insert the tube about 3 inches into the rectum, then squat, exhale and practise nauli kriya (rolling and isolation of the abdominal rectus muscles — see pages 141–2), which creates a vacuum, drawing the water into the large intestine. If the water is not sucked up through the tube into the bowel, then practise madhyama nauli and hold; if this does not work, then practise vama or dakshia nauli. When you can no longer hold your breath out (kumbhaka), remove the tube without exhaling. Then stand up and exhale slowly through the nose. When you do this it is advisable to squat over the toilet because stool in the lower intestine will also come out.

After the practice, lie in shavasana (relaxation pose) on a blanket and slowly assume pashinee mudra (the folded mudra — see pages 158–9). This releases air from the bowel and induces a bowel action if there is any water remaining. Come out of the position slowly and rest for one hour before beginning your daily activities.

Shank means conch shell, which has convolutions resembling the intestines and prakshalana means ‘to wash thoroughly’.

This practice is the most comprehensive of the Hatha Yoga cleansing processes. It gives the most thorough and complete cleansing of the entire length of the digestive and eliminative system from mouth to rectum. It requires no apparatus or expense and it is simple and safe under the supervision of an expert teacher who is experienced in this practice.

The cleansing process is a lengthy one, which can take about four or five hours to complete. It completely removes all the hardened faeces that have stuck to the walls of the colon and which do not pass out with regular bowel movements, which may include post-putrefactive matter that began to accumulate shortly after birth! Diet alone will not remove these old faeces that may have built up in pockets, coating the entire length of the colon and small intestines. It thus requires a special technique that dissolves the glue which binds them to the body. The longer the material remains in the colon, the more moisture is absorbed from it and the more dry and compressed it becomes.

Can you imagine your colon being packed with a lifetime's accumulation of old black and grey hardened faeces! These can deform the shape and provide a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. These bacteria and toxins from the decaying process travel into the bloodstream to all parts of the body, causing disease.

Figure 12 The digestive system — showing the flow of warm salt water in the practice of shankhaprakshalana

Benefits: This practice improves digestion and is recommended for those who suffer from chronic constipation, acidity, gas and digestive upset. It is good for the kidneys and urinary system.

It purifies the nadis (subtle energy channels) and makes the body feel light. It cleans both physically and mentally by removing and releasing blocks in the mind and body systems.

The treatment of psychosomatic illnesses such as asthma, migraines and allergies have had a good success in cure, using shankhaprakshalana as a part of the therapy.

Caution: Do not practise without the expert guidance of an experienced teacher. It is also better to practise with a few other people to help enthusiasm and to help you to be positive and cheerful. Be positive and lighthearted, as it can be quite a tiring and lengthy process to practise, especially the first time. Women should not practise during the menstrual cycle.

Practice time: Early in the morning on an empty stomach; Practise every six months — the best times are the beginning of spring and autumn.

Eat lightly the day before you practise (fruit and salad would be ideal). Or from noon onwards you could fast, drinking only pure fruit juice or pure water. On the morning before the practice commences completely fast from food and drink. The reason for eating lightly or fasting the day before is so that you will not have so much waste to eliminate from the body on the day of the practice.

Preparation: Prepare about two or three gallons of very warm salt water. Add one teaspoon of salt to each pint of water.

• Salt helps to dissolve the contents of the intestines so that elimination of wastes and impurities is made easier.

• The correct quantity of salt ensures that the water drunk is not excreted through the kidneys, but remains mostly in the intestines and is evacuated through the rectum.

• Osmotic pressure (salt/water ratio) remains the same on both sides of the intestinal wall, so that the body's normal salt and liquid concentration is not disturbed.

Method: Using a half-pint mug or glass, drink two glasses of the salt water quickly. Then practice the following asanas in the order shown. In order to prevent nausea, breathe deeply while practising them.

1 Tadasana: Stand with your feet about 6 inches apart, interlock the fingers and turn the palms upwards, stretching your arms above your head. Rise up onto your toes and completely stretch your whole body. Then slowly relax. Practise eight times.

2 Tiryaka tadasana: Stand with your feet about 2½ feet apart. Interlock your fingers and turn your palms upwards, stretching your arms above your head, balancing on your toes. Then bend from the waist to the right side and then to the left. Practise eight times to each side.

3 Kati chakrasana (waist rotating pose): With your feet 2½ feet apart, rotate your body from the waist upwards so that your arms swing loosely out from your body. Twisting to the right, look as far back as you can over your right shoulder, with the left hand resting on the right shoulder. The left arm is bent at the elbow and swings round to touch the lower back. Repeat on the other side. Practise eight times.

4 Tiryaka bhujangasana (twisting cobra pose): Lie on your stomach with your palms flat on the floor beneath your shoulders. Spread your legs 2½ feet apart and raise your trunk off the floor by straightening your arms. Then twist your head to the right and look back at your heels; then twist to the left and look back. Practise eight times to each side.

5 Udarakarshanasana (stomach squeezing pose): Squat down with your feet apart, hands on knees. Bring your body's weight to the ball of your left foot by sitting on your left heel. At the same time bring your left knee down to meet your right foot. Twist your upper body to the right and look over your right shoulder. With your right hand, press your knee and thigh in against your stomach and abdomen. Practise eight times to the right and the left.

Immediately after these five asanas, drink another two glasses of warm salt water, then repeat the five asanas eight times each again. Drink another two glasses and repeat the asanas until six glasses have been drunk. Then go to the toilet. Even if you have no urge to go, sit on the toilet.

Gradually, as you keep drinking the water, the pressure will build up inside. Try to keep this pressure up, then the water will come out quickly.

Continue this process of drinking water, practising the five asanas and going to the toilet until a clear water is passed through the anus (90 per cent of the water under pressure will be released through the anus), only slightly coloured by bile. Then stop.

At the beginning of this practice you will pass fairly solid stools; they will break up more and more as the practice goes on, until the stools become very watery. Finally water will be passed through the anus.

Constantly going to the toilet, with salt water pouring through your anus, can make your anus feel a bit sore, so when you have finished, lubricate the area with some pure vegetable oil.

It may take over 20 glasses of water to clean your digestive/eliminative system out — it varies with each individual. It takes considerably less water for those yogis who have practised shankhaprakshalana a few times before.

If you smoke and are full of toxins through eating meat and junk food, and you practise shankhaprakshalana for the very first time, you may feel an urge to vomit. If so, then vomit, but afterwards drink as much water as was vomited.

To help activate the flow and pressure of water through the intestines, squat down with the soles of your feet flat on the floor and your knees pressed against your abdomen, and rest your arms on your knees. One can also practise additional asanas like dhanurasana (the bow), chakrasana (the wheel) or pavanamuktasana (gas- and wind-eliminating pose) (see figure 14) to help the water to flow through the body.

2 Inhale deeply as you bend your left knee towards your chest. Your hands should be locked together and clasped tightly around the knee, pulling your knee down to squeeze your thigh against your abdomen. Bring your forehead to your knee.

5 Repeat with right leg; then with both legs together. The whole process can be repeated three to five times. Then completely relax.

2 Bend your knees and grasp your ankles with your hands. Allow your knees to be slightly apart.

3 Inhale and raise your head, chest and thighs off the ground as high as possible; so that your body is resting on your abdomen.

6 Repeat twice more. Try ‘rocking’ backwards and forwards in the final pose to massage the abdomen.

Benefits: This is an excellent asana to massage and invigorate all the internal organs. Tones up the abdominal muscles. Regulates the pancreas, liver and spleen. Gives flexibility to the spine. Good for people who have diabetes.

1 Lie down on your back with your knees bent, and pull your feet close to your buttocks.

2 Place your hands beside your ears, palms flat on the floor with your fingers pointing towards the shoulders.

3 With your feet flat on the floor, raise your hips as high as possible. Inhale and slowly raise your body up, by pushing with your hands and feet. Arch your back and neck, and rest the crown of your head on the floor between your hands. Exhale. In this stage the elbows are still bent.

4 Inhale as you straighten your elbows and push up with your hands and feet, arching your hips and chest as high as comfortable. Breathe deeply while holding the pose.

Benefits: Invigorates and tones the whole body. Gives flexibility to the spine. Strengthens the arms and legs. Massages the abdominal organs and muscles. Removes sluggishness of the liver and gastro-intestinal disorders.

Caution: Not to be practised by people with hernia, peptic ulcers or intestinal tuberculosis.

After practising shankhaprakshalana go on to practise kunjal kriya (see page 118), then jala neti (see pages 135–7).

On completion of these practices lie down in a quiet room and rest in shavasana (relaxation pose — see page 132) for 45 minutes to an hour. Relax completely, but do not sleep.

After resting it is necessary to eat a specially prepared meal (do not let more than one hour elapse before eating), consisting of polished boiled rice (whole brown rice is difficult to digest after doing this practice), pulse or lentils and ghee (clarified butter). This mixture in India is called kicheri.

The recipe is as follows. Take three parts rice to one part lentils. One cupful of this dry mixture will easily suffice one person after cooking. While it is cooking in water, add a tiny quantity of ground turmeric root (powdered), sufficient to make the mix appear yellow. When the grain is well cooked and the consistency is like thin porridge, serve a large plateful with a teaspoon of ghee mixed into it. This is to lubricate the intestines, because the mucous membrane of the alimentary canal has been somewhat stripped by the practice of shankhaprakshalana. If, after one plateful, you can eat more, then do, because the main purpose of the meal is to provide packing, lubrication and relining of the alimentary canal. Eat as much as you want, but the food must be warm, not too hot or cold. Another kicheri meal may be taken in the evening at least three hours before sleep.

Shavasana (relaxation pose or corpse pose)

Method: In a warm but well-ventilated room lie down on a mat with a blanket covering your body to keep warm. Your body should be straight but relaxed, with your feet slightly apart, your arms slightly away from the body, palms upwards. Close your eyes and completely relax your whole body. Breathe deeply for a few minutes, being aware of each breath as it flows in and flows out. Remain aware of the breath and how the mind is aware of the breath.

Now bring your awareness to your body. Rotate your consciousness through each part of the body. Begin by bringing your awareness to your feet and mentally repeat: ‘I am aware of my feet, I let go of all tension and relax them.’ Repeat the same process as you bring your awareness to each body part. Continue in this order:

1 feet

2 shins

3 kneecaps

4 thighs

5 abdomen (navel to pubic bone)

6 solar plexus (navel to breastbone)

7 upper chest

8 spine

9 hands

10 forearms

11 upper arms

12 throat

13 back of the head

14 jaw, facial muscles

15 nose, eyes, ears

16 scalp, crown of head

After rotating the consciousness through your body, become aware of your breath — breathe consciously and be aware of the sense of feeling in your body. Feel the weight of your body lying on the floor. Begin to slowly move your fingers and toes. Roll your head gently from side to side.

Slowly stretch your arms behind your body as you breathe in, lengthening the whole body. Yawn if you need to, breathe out and relax. Roll over on to your side and slowly sit up, opening your eyes.

Spend the rest of the day in a relaxed, peaceful atmosphere, but do not sleep until the evening. Be aware of any changes which take place physically, mentally and emotionally within you. Many people experience wonderful peace of mind, increased energy and vitality after practising shankhaprakshalana. This practice certainly removes impurities both from the body and the mind (mental blocks).

For the next ten days there are certain dietary restrictions that one must follow: no meat, fish, eggs, tea, coffee, chocolate, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, all forms of sugar, sweets, strong spices, garlic, onions, leeks, raw vegetables and all dairy produce.

Smoking should definitely be avoided. If you are trying to stop smoking, then this is a very good practice, because your increased sensitivity will help you to be more aware of the unpleasant aspects of filling your lungs with a pollutant.

For the next 30 days avoid meat, fish or eggs. For the next ten days your diet should consist mainly of cooked whole grains (millet, rice, wholewheat, oats, etc), beans and pulses and cooked vegetables (steam the vegetables lightly). Use a pure vegetable oil (grapeseed, sunflower or safflower).

After the ten-day cooked food diet you can begin to add fresh fruits, raw vegetables and a little dairy produce, as well as seeds and nuts for a well-balanced vegetarian/wholefood diet.

After purifying your body by means of shankhaprakshalana, do not fall back into your old habits. Resolve always to remain healthy, functional and radiantly alive with vitality and energy. Make the following affirmation.

My body is the temple of the spirit and radiates the light and energy of God through every system and body cell. I align my thoughts with the divine intelligence within me, and achieve freedom from all that would block the flow of healing energy in and through me. Abundant energy is mine. God is glorified through my physical form.

To stop the build-up of faeces again, it is advisable to reduce the mucus-forming foods in your diet. Each of us has the ability to create health or disease. We are responsible for our own health. If our bodies are to function optimally in good health, then we need to remove those foods that upset our body chemistry and eat wholesome, natural vegetarian foods that create good health and balance in the physical body. The mucus-forming foods are:

• dairy products (especially those derived from cow's milk — goat's milk is less mucus-forming)

There is a short form of the cleansing technique that you practise by yourself, called laghoo shankhaprakshalana.

Method: Drink two glasses of warm salt water. Perform the five asanas eight times each, then sit on the toilet. Complete this cycle twice more. The complete cycle will take eight glasses of salt water and three complete rounds of the five asanas.

Then rest in shavasana (relaxation pose) for 20–30 minutes. Wait at least 30 minutes before eating breakfast. There is no special diet to follow.

Of course with the short cleansing, it is unlikely that you will completely cleanse the system, but this short wash is definitely recommended for people who may be suffering from constipation (usually caused by stress, tension and poor nutrition).

Note: Shankhaprakshalana should not be seen as the ultimate treatment for all diseases of the digestive system, but together with the practice of asanas, pranayama, meditation, proper rest, proper exercise and eating a balanced vegetarian/wholefood diet, it will promote a free flow of body energies and help to enhance homoeostasis (when the body chemistry is in balance).

When we breathe in air we also breathe in bacteria, pollen and dust. To prevent this foreign matter from entering the lungs, nature has designed a perfect filtering system.

The path that the air follows is determined by the shape of the nasal cavity inside the nose. The nasal cavity has three turbinates, whose function is to circulate the air as it enters the nose so that the stream of air passes over a great surface. These turbinates have a great effect on the moisture content and temperature of the entering air. As the air enters it passes over the warm, moist turbinates, drawing to it humidity and heat. When we breathe out, the air passes over the turbinates which have just been cooled and dried by the incoming air and rewarms and moistens them, preventing loss of heat and moisture from the body.

The inside of the nose is lined with a covering, called a mucous membrane, which secretes mucus. In the mucous membranes and sinuses are found numerous tiny hairlike structures, called cilia, which all quiver in the same direction. A layer of mucus covers the cilia and traps bacteria, viruses, dust and pollen, carrying them down the nose, throat and eventually into the intestinal tract where the digestive enzymes dissolve both the mucus and the bacteria.

Sometimes the ciliary movement is affected if the mucus is too thick or viscous and dries out easily, becoming crusted and hard. It is at this stage that bacteria begins to invade. It can also be a problem if the mucus is too runny, for it drips down around the cilia and reduces their effectiveness in keeping the mucus together. Again, infection can occur.

The sinuses are also lined with mucous membrane and can secrete mucus, although their function is to remain hollow.

The mucus secretions produced in the sinuses are continually being swept into the nose by the ciliated surface of the respiratory membranes. If the tiny passageways that lead down into the nasal cavity are blocked then inflammation occurs, causing sinusitis and sinus headache.

Benefits: The practice of jala neti helps in preventing and eliminating sinusitis and sinus headaches by promoting drainage of the sinuses, preventing stasis of mucus and keeping them clean and functional. It maintains healthy secretory and drainage mechanisms of the entire ear (including the eustachian tubes in the nasopharynx), nose and throat area. This helps to ward off colds, coughs, catarrh, hay fever and tonsillitis. Jala neti also strengthens the eyes, because there is stimulation of the blood vessels of the eyes and nose. It exerts a relaxing and irrigating effect upon the eyes by stimulating the tear ducts and glands.

On an emotional level, it releases tensions and is beneficial in depression, anxiety, and hysteria.

This practice also promotes a balance between the left and right nostrils, balancing the right and left hemispheres of the brain and the entire central nervous system. It gives mental clarity and helps in creating a balanced flow of prana in the three nadis: ida, pingala and sushumna.

Caution: Seek the guidance of a qualified teacher who can instruct you correctly and safely in this practice. Do not practise in the evening before going to bed, because water may remain in the nostril and cause sinusitis or a cold. Those suffering from chronic haemorrhage should not attempt neti.

Practice time: Neti can be practised every day if you are suffering from colds, catarrh, sinusitis, headaches, eyestrain or eye infections, otherwise it is best to practise only twice a week.

Method: Take a small pot with an extended spout that fits comfortably into the entrance of the nostril. You can buy neti pots that are specifically designed for this purpose. The pot needs to hold at least ½ pint of water.

Fill the pot with lukewarm salt water, one teaspoon of salt to one pint of water. Too little salt will create pain, while too much will cause a burning sensation.

Now stand with your legs apart and lean forward over a bath or sink if you are inside a building. Outside you can stand in the garden. Keep the whole body relaxed. Take the pot of salt water and hold the spout to one nostril, while tilting the head slightly forward and to the side. Breathe through your mouth. Let the water run in one nostril and pass out through the other. If the head is tilted properly, the water will easily flow down and out of the lower nostril. Now with the head centred again blow the nose to clear the nostril of water. Then repeat the process again using the other nostril.

If one nostril seems to be blocked before you practise then begin your practice by pouring the water into the nostril through which you are breathing freely. The nostril which is open provides an easier entry for the water within the nasal passage, and that water, once it enters, is able to force its way out through the other nostril much more easily.

You can also pour the salt water through one nostril, closing the other nostril with the thumb. Then raising the head you allow the water to flow down to the throat and out of the mouth.

After practising jala neti you may find that you still have some water left in your nasal passages, so to drain it out, stand with your feet 2 feet apart and bend forward from the waist, so that the head is lower than the waist. Remain like this for a minute or two, to allow excess water to trickle down into the nostrils. Then closing one nostril with the thumb, blow the air out with the water in short, sharp bursts, still keeping the head lower than the waist. Repeat with the other nostril.

Afterwards sit in vajrasana (kneeling on your heels) and practise a few rounds of bhastrika pranayama (see chapter 5) and kapalabhati (see pages 142–4), first through one nostril, closing the other with the thumb, then through the other. This will dry the nose and generate heat in the nostrils.

Method: Kneel down and sit on your heels, with your feet stretched back. Keep your knees together and your heels apart. Cross your left big toe over your right big toe.

Place your hands on your knees, palms downward. Sit for as long as comfortable, breathing normally and relaxed. To improve your digestive system sit for at least 5 minutes in this pose.

Benefits: Increases the efficiency of the entire digestive system. Strengthens the pelvic muscles; reduces blood flow to the genitals and massages the nerve fibres which feed them.

Benefits: This practice is beneficial for the eyes, clearing the nasal passageways and strengthening the mucous membranes.

The soft cotton string will absorb and clean various foreign particles accumulated in the nasal passages.

Caution: Seek the guidance of a qualified teacher who can instruct you carefully and safely in this practice. Do not practise sutra neti if you have frequent nose bleeds or lesions inside the nose. If you have a deviated septum, use a thin string first, then gradually increase its thickness.

Method: The method of sutra neti is practised by passing a length of thread through the nose.

Traditionally the thread used by yogis in India is specially prepared. It is made of cotton, tightly wound together and then wiped with melted beeswax (so that it is hard enough to push through the nasal cavity). However, it is more convenient to use a thin rubber catheter which can be bought from a surgical shop.

The string or catheter must be sterilized in boiling water and then lubricated with ghee (traditionally), or vegetable oil, before inserting it into the nose. Another way is to wet the string or catheter in warm salt water before insertion into the nose.

Before you start the sutra neti practice, it is a good idea to practise jala neti first to make sure the nostrils are clear. Then squat or sit and tilt the head slightly back, and insert the thread or catheter gently into one nostril, pushing it gently so that it passes slowly down into the throat. When it reaches the back of the throat (look in a mirror), insert the first two fingers into the mouth and pull the thread out through the mouth, leaving a few inches of thread hanging out of the nose. Slowly and gently pull the thread backwards and forwards 30 times. Remove it slowly and repeat the same process with the other nostril.

The Sanskrit word nala or nali, means a tubular vessel, vein or nerve of the body, a reed or a hollow stalk. It is also the Sanskrit word for the rectus abdomini. It is also interesting to note that the Sanskrit word nau means ‘ship’, for when nauli is perfected, the abdominal muscles seem to flow or roll like the rolling waves of the ocean. The muscles create the same wave-like motion as that produced by a ship.

Nauli is the practice of contracting and isolating the rectus abdominal muscles. These two long vertical muscles, situated in front of the abdomen, originate at the pubic bone and are attached to the cartilages of the fifth, sixth and seventh ribs above. Though these are the muscles you are manipulating in nauli, the external oblique, internal oblique and transversalis muscles are also utilized.

At first nauli is practised with the hands just above the knees, with the body leaning forward. Once this is perfected you can practise in the more erect position, with the hands placed on the upper thighs.

Benefits: The ancient yogi Swatmarama, author of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, informs us that nauli is the most important of all the Hatha Yoga practices. It kindles the digestive fire, removing sluggish digestion.

Nauli prevents dyspepsia and constipation. It strengthens, tones and invigorates the abdominal muscles and removes sluggishness from the stomach, intestines and liver. It is a corrective for the liver, spleen, pancreas and kidneys. Nauli balances the endocrine system and helps control the production of sex hormones.

It increases heat in the navel area, which aids digestion, elimination and blood circulation. It is also good for alleviating sexual and urinary disorders, lack of energy and hormonal imbalances. The nerve plexuses and their fine terminals in the pelvic region are stimulated.

Caution: Seek the guidance of a qualified teacher who can instruct you carefully and safely in this practice. First master uddiyana bandha (see below) before practising nauli, as it takes time to bring the abdominal muscles under control.

Nauli should not be performed by those suffering from or suspected of abdominal tuberculosis or chronic colitis, heart disease, high blood pressure, hernia, peptic or duodenal ulcer or gallstones. It is contra-indicated in chronic appendicitis. Pregnant women should not practise it, but it is highly recommended after childbirth to strengthen the abdominal and pelvic muscles. Boys and girls of a pre-pubertal age should not perform this exercise. Avoid during menstruation.

Practice time: Daily, early in the morning on an empty stomach (at least five to six hours after meals).

If you feel any pain in the abdomen during nauli you should immediately stop the practice and resume when the pain subsides.

Method for uddiyana bandha: Stand with your feet about 2 feet apart with your knees slightly bent. Place your hands firmly on your thighs just above the knees, with the thumbs on the inside of your thighs and fingers touching the outside. Bend your trunk slightly forward and keep your head up. Breathe in deeply through your nose and empty your lungs by exhaling quickly through your mouth, slightly pursing your lips as you do so. Apply the jalandhara bandha (chin lock) (see page 154–5) while holding the breath out. This will cause the diaphragm to rise naturally to the thoracic cavity. Now pull the intestines and navel up and back towards the spine. Hold this position for as long as you can comfortably hold your breath out. Finally, release uddiyana bandha first, then jalandhara bandha. Raise the head and slowly inhale through the nose as you stand up straight and relax. Take a few breaths before starting the next round. Repeat three or four times.

1 As in uddiyana bandha, stand in the same position. Practise uddiyana with the diaphragm raised, pulling the intestines and navel up and back.

While maintaining uddiyana, press your palms just above your knees, and give a forward and slightly downward thrust to the abdominal portion between the umbilicus and the pubic bone. The push at this region contracts the rectus muscles keeping the other muscles of the abdomen in a relaxed condition. The equal pressure on both knees further helps one to achieve the perfect isolation of both the abdominal rectus muscles and to make them stand side by side in the centre. This is known as madhyama nauli (the central aspect of nauli).

I would advise that you practise before a mirror to watch what progress you are making and whether you are performing the technique correctly. The whole of the abdomen must not be contracted; only the rectus muscles are to be isolated. This is but the first part of the whole exercise of isolation. You can only proceed to the other part when this has been thoroughly mastered.

2 The next part consists in isolating each rectus muscle separately and rolling them alternately in a wave-like movement.

While maintaining the central isolation of the rectus muscles, bend forward. If the right rectus is to be isolated lean a little more on the right side, keeping the left side of the abdomen relaxed. The pressure just above the right knee is increased, while simultaneously the pressure on the left thigh is removed. In this way one is able to contract and roll the rectus muscle to the extreme right side, while the left rectus remains relaxed. This isolation of the right rectus muscle is called dakshina nauli.

The same technique applies to the left rectus by leaning on the left thigh and simultaneously applying more pressure just above the left knee, making the left rectus muscle isolated and rolled off to the extreme left side. The isolation of the left rectus muscle is known as vama nauli.

3 When the recti have been brought under perfect control singly, one is ready to roll them from side to side. This is achieved by performing vama nauli and then rolling the muscles to the right and back to the left. The rotation of the rectus muscle is continued in a clockwise direction (known as churning). Start by practising three times consecutively, then release. Practise dakshina nauli (isolation of right rectus) in the same way, rotating the muscles anti-clockwise. When this churning is perfected, practise it three times with vama nauli (left rectus), then three times with dakshina nauli and release. When this is perfected you can increase from three to seven rounds, taking a few normal breaths with the body relaxed in between each round if necessary. The whole sequence of rotation should be practised without any discomfort, pain or strain at any stage.

In Sanskrit, kapala means ‘skull’ and bhati means ‘shine’, ‘light’ or ‘splendour’. Kapalabhati is a pranayama technique which invigorates the entire brain and awakens the dormant centres which are responsible for subtle perception.

This purificatory process involves the breathing apparatus, the nasal passages and the sinuses in the skull that are cleansed effectively. It is a similar practice to bhastrika pranayama (see chapter 5), except that exhalation is emphasized and inhalation is the result of forcing the air out.

The Gheranda Samhita, an ancient yogic text, mentions three varieties of kapalabhati whose main characteristic is cleansing the nasal passages of the skull: vatakrama, vyutkrama and sheetkrama. Here we are mainly concerned with vatakrama kapalabhati, which involves the breath without using water. Vyutkrama is similar to jala neti. Warm salt water is scooped up in the palm of the hand and then it is sniffed up into the nostrils and expelled out through the mouth, and sheetkrama is the reverse: one takes a mouthful of warm salty water, but instead of swallowing it, one expels it through the nose.

Benefits: Kapalabhati stimulates the nerves. In turn they activate the nadis, which then activate the pranas. The pranas then gravitate towards the area where the action is taking place in the frontal lobes of the brain. This brings an awakening to the spiritual eye (ajna chakra).

Kapalabhati purifies the respiratory passage, keeping it clear from impurities and mucus. It purifies the nadis and stimulates every tissue in the body by eliminating large quantities of carbon dioxide and making the blood rich with oxygen. The stomach, pancreas and liver are stimulated by the constant movements of the diaphragm, improving digestion.

The fast abdominal breathing in kapalabhati has a soothing and calming effect on the central nervous system and the autonomic nervous system. The blood circulation in the abdominal and the pelvic region is increased, which tones up the nerves and the muscles. It rejuvenates tired cells and nerves, keeping the face young, shining and wrinkle-free. Kapalabhati helps in awakening the kundalini power and induces alertness and inner awareness.

Caution: There should be no undue strain on the breathing mechanism at any stage of the practice of vatakrama kapalabhati. In the beginning, practise carefully under the expert guidance of a qualified teacher.

Do not practise if you have high blood pressure or lung disease. A hypertension or heart patient is advised not to resort to kapalabhati without expert supervision.

Do not retain the breath longer than is comfortable. Stop the practice if you feel dizzy.

Practice time: Daily. Beginners can start with three rounds of 15–20 rapid respirations.

Add ten respirations each week until you reach 120 respirations in each round, so that in the 12th week you are practising three rounds of 120 expirations.

Method: Sit in a comfortable meditative posture. Padmasana is the best asana for practising kapalabhati, or siddhasana (for both these postures, see chapter 8). Press your palms moderately on your knees, and with your spine erect, close your eyes and relax.

Exhale and inhale quickly and lightly through both nostrils. Emphasize the exhalation (quick, strong and short). Your abdomen contracts, your diaphragm moves up into the thoracic area and pushes your lungs up. Allow the inhalation to come as a natural reflex (slow, lighter and longer). Your abdomen relaxes, your diaphragm descends down to the abdominal cavity, lowering the lungs with it.

In kapalabhati there is no resistance to breathing. Both the nostril and the glottis are wide open. The muscles of the neck and the face are kept relaxed so that the air escapes smoothly.

A greater number of respirations can be taken in kapalabhati than in bhastrika pranayama without hyperventilation occurring. Even ten minutes’ practice of kapalabhati has been found to be physiologically harmless. Hyperventilation techniques of breathing are performed with the mouth. The breathing is fast and very deep at the frequency of 30—60 respirations per minute, causing an extreme wash-out of carbon dioxide and oversaturation of oxygen. Kapalabhati, on the other hand does not cause any abnormal situation like hyperventilation. The fast abdominal breathing in kapalabhati has a calming effect on the central and autonomic nervous system.

Tratak means to gaze steadily with concentration at a fixed point without blinking. Tratak is a process of concentrating the mind and curbing its restless tendencies.

Benefits: The practice of tratak strengthens and cleanses the eyes, stimulates the nerve centres, is therapeutic in depression, insomnia, anxiety, poor concentration, and encourages strong, positive will-power and one-pointedness. Relieves eye ailments such as eyestrain, myopia, astigmatism and even early stages of cataract.

Practice time: Tratak can be practised at any time on a daily basis. Practise on an empty stomach. The most suitable time is between 4am and 6am after asana and pranayama practice. Or it can be practised late at night before meditation and retiring to bed.

Method: Practise in a darkened room. Sit in a comfortable meditation posture, with your head, neck and spine upright, but relaxed. Sit 3 feet away from a candle in front of you, with the flame at eye level. Make sure that the flame is not flickering from a draught.

Throughout the practice, keep your body still and your mind calm and quiet. Gaze at the mid-point of the flame for as long as possible without blinking and without strain until your eyes begin to water or become tired. In the beginning practise for about one minute and gradually increase to ten minutes. Then close the eyes and visualize the flame internally at the point between the eyebrows for one minute. If the after-image of the flame moves, bring it back to the centre and continue gazing until the image disappears.

As you concentrate on the candle flame do not allow your mind to wander. Observe your thoughts and feelings as they arise in your mind but do not become involved with them, just remain a silent witness to them.

When you have finished your practice, rub the palms of your hands together until you create heat in them. Place the warm palms over your eyes to relax and soothe them.

In addition to the classical shatkarmas are four purification techniques based on these which were devised by yogis to simplify and make safer the methods of purification.

These four purification techniques can be practised instead of the classical shatkarmas for purifying the nadis (subtle nerve channels), and for awakening the life energies in the body. The four purifications are:

Practice time: The four purifications must be practised for two to three months before beginning the practice of pranayama, in the order given above.

Method: Throughout the practice, sit in a comfortable meditation posture keeping yourself upright and relaxed. With your eyes closed, concentrate on the mid-point between the eyebrows (the spiritual eye or ajna chakra).

Most people who practise yoga regularly find that it holds them to their correct weight, but basically the true yogi follows a diet that does not introduce too much waste matter into the body. Moderation is the keynote of a yogi's diet, and it means cutting down on all waste-producing drinks and foods that put a strain on the body's system, draining energy from the mind and body.

One of the first things to understand is that food is needed primarily to build up and maintain the body, but by about the age of 25 growth stops, ageing begins and only maintenance is needed. If the body is loaded with excess food or the wrong food, it will degenerate and age prematurely. Therefore food should be eaten in the right quantity and with the right quality to keep the body in a state of optimum health and balance. If you eat an excess of animal fats and proteins, ageing begins much faster. You can slow this ageing process down by practising the yoga techniques shown in this book on a regular basis: purification of the mind and body; the daily practice of yoga asanas and pranayama; meditating deeply every day; proper breathing; positive thinking; proper and sufficient rest and sleep; cultivating an optimistic and joyful outlook on life; regular exercise; and eating a vegetarian diet, with a moderate intake of food and fasting one day a week. These are all helpful vitalizing procedures that enliven the mind, body and soul.

To realize God, a sound body and a sound mind are essential. The body is a sacred temple and the mind controls the body. The soul, your true Self, which is conscious and luminous of itself, gives expression through the mind-body instrument. When the mind and body are purified of restricting mental and physical characteristics, the light of the soul can be self-revealed.

Fasting helps in keeping the body in an optimum state of health. Saints and monks of every order have used fasting with prayer and meditation to reach higher spiritual states of consciousness. Others have used it as a practice to improve their physical and mental health, while natural therapists recommend fasting as a basis of curing many diseases.

There is a difference between fasting and starving. Fasting is undertaken for religious or spiritual purposes, or to regain bodily health by detoxifying the body. It is giving up food when there is no real hunger, to eliminate toxins and poisons that the body's system has accumulated, and to allow nature to do its work of healing. In fact, the point where the body starts to starve because it has depleted its nutritional reserves is the end of the fast. From the beginning it is important to realize that the fasting stage only takes place so long as the body can support itself on the stored reserves within the body. Starvation begins when the body's reserves are depleted or at a dangerously low level.

Fasting helps in removing toxins and poisons from the body, assisting in eliminating disease so that one can regain perfect health. Fasting is nature's own doctor.

By fasting, prana in the body is vivified and the life-spark rekindled. Fasting purifies the pranamaya kosha (the vital sheath) and makes the mind serene and tranquil. It purifies the mind and takes one away from the body/ego-consciousness into the spiritual awareness and consciousness of the Self. The mood for prayer and meditation comes easily during a fast and the body feels lighter.

When there is no food being digested, the body can concentrate fully on what is already there. The build-up of waste materials is more effectively expelled via the bowels, kidneys, skin and lungs, purifying the blood. This in turn gives a wonderful feeling of lightness and freshness.

A complete fast for 24 hours gives the digestive system a chance to have a rest; the mind is free to contemplate the reality of God, meditate and pray.

Fasts of over one week not only cleanse the body but vivify one with more energy, power and spiritual strength. The will-power and concentration are developed, and all one's energies are thoroughly recouped. The body becomes firmed and the skin clearer, and the eyes sparkle like a baby's. The mind, insight and thoughts become clearer.

The Vedic scriptures point out that fasting helps one to control the mind and senses, so that one can advance in spiritual realization.

The most advanced yogis and saints fast inadvertently in that they actually forget to eat! This forgetfulness to eat is not the result of self-abnegation, but of spontaneous, pure love of God. Christ, Buddha and St Francis of Assisi, all fasted for 40 days before starting their divine missions.

In India, Ekadasi is observed on the 11th day after each full moon and the 11th day after each new moon. On these days yogis fast for God by concentrating their energies and attention towards spiritual activities like meditation, prayer, devotional chanting and observing silence.

There are different ways to observe Ekadasi. One may fast by drinking only pure water, or by eating only fruit. Devotees of Lord Krishna observe Ekadasi by abstaining from all grains and beans.

The Brahma-Vaivarta Purana, one of the oldest Vedic scriptures, states: ‘One who observes Ekadasi is freed from all kinds of reactions to sinful activities and advances in pious life.’

The simple austerity of fasting on Ekadasi helps one to advance spiritually if it is carried out with faith and devotion. On the other hand, if one sacrifices eating simply for material reasons, one's sacrifices are denigrated by Lord Krishna, who says in the Bhagavad Gita (17:28), ‘Sacrifices performed without faith in the Supreme are non-permanent. They are useless both in this life and the next.’

Do not fast if you have diabetes, are seriously toxic, with kidney disease, or have an eating disorder such as bulimia or anorexia (unless under medical, expert guidance). Also do not fast without expert guidance if you are recovering from serious alcohol or drug dependency.

The day before you fast eat lightly so that there is not much food to evacuate from the bowels. In the early morning of the day of the fast practise laghoo shankhaprakshalana (see page 130).

The duration of the fast depends largely on the purpose for which it is undertaken. For a general detoxification, one to three days a month is sufficient if you are following a balanced vegetarian diet. If you fast once a week the benefits will be greatly enhanced. Without guidance, the standard duration of three days is generally long enough to give the whole system a complete rest.

On a one- to three-day fast (a short fast) one can drink mineral water only or dilute pure fruit juice. On a pure fast one should take only pure mineral water, nothing else. It is good to drink plenty of water while fasting, as this increases the natural processes of purification. In a fast longer than two days, take pure mineral water with freshly pressed lemon juice (no added sugar, honey or sweetener) three times daily to aid in the cleansing process. Lemon juice is very good; it is a natural disinfectant for the stomach and a good cleanser for the liver and kidneys.

For a prolonged fast of up to one month I would suggest the grape fast, which is very purifying. There is an excellent book on grape fasting, The Grape Cure by Basil Shackleton, which is well worth reading. Fast on grapes, pure grape juice and pure mineral water only for two weeks, or for maximum benefit three or four weeks.

The grapes must be well washed in hot water to eliminate any chemicals that may have been sprayed on them. (Place grapes in a large bowl and wash with hot water three times, throwing the water away after each wash). Begin by eating a few ounces of grapes every few hours when you feel hungry. You must also eat the grape pips, as this will give you the needed roughage to keep the bowels working. Then you can gradually increase the amount from 2lb a day, up to 4 or 5lb a day.

On the first day of the fast your positive mental attitude will make all the difference to how you progress with it. Look upon fasting as a spiritual practice. Do not advertise it, let only those people know who are close to you, or who are sympathetic and understanding.

During the fast you will find that your tongue becomes thickly coated with a white or yellowish colour. This indicates that the process of cleansing is being accelerated to a great degree, and the toxins are being eliminated from the body. This coating will clear as you continue to fast. You can also help to clear the coating by cleaning the tongue with water and your fingers or toothbrush, as in danta dhauti (see page 136). Rinse your mouth out with water containing pure lemon juice and sea salt, then massage your gums and clean your teeth.

If you are having no bowel movement during the fast, then on each day of the fast choose one of the following options:

• Take powdered psyllium seeds. Mix a tablespoon of powder with half a pint of water in a blender, or whisk it by hand, and drink the mixture straight down. This gives a bulk which is not absorbed, but which clears the bowels, attracting toxic waste as it passes through the body.

While fasting try to rest by relaxing as much as possible. Do not practise any demanding, vigorous exercise or strenuous activities while fasting. Yoga postures, pranayama, taking walks in the fresh air, meditation and relaxation are all recommended during a fast.

The skin is an organ of elimination, as are the kidneys, liver and colon. Every day 1 lb of waste products is discharged through your skin. If the skin becomes inactive with its pores choked with dead cells, then uric acid and other impurities will remain in the body. Then the other eliminative organs, mainly the kidneys and the liver, will have to increase their work and will eventually become overworked. If toxins begin to build up in the tissues because the kidneys and liver cannot cope, then sooner or later disease will follow.

During a fast the eliminative organs, including the skin, are throwing off more toxins. To help this eliminative process and to keep a healthy and well-functioning skin we should take a few minutes every day to practise skin brushing.

To brush the skin take a moderately stiff, natural bristle brush. Keep it dry. Begin at the soles of your feet and work your way up your legs, your front and your back, brushing quite vigorously. After a week or so of daily brushing the skin will be less sensitive and more pressure can be used. But start off by using the brush very gently and gradually increase the pressure after the first few days. It is important that the bristles feel firm, as they help stimulate your blood circulation and lymphatic system. Then brush your hands and up your arm, followed by your chest (not the sensitive breasts) and upper back, with the brush strokes towards the heart. Do not brush your face, but go on to your neck and scalp.

There is sometimes a tendency toward an abnormal craving to eat more food and all kinds of food after finishing a fast. Be very cautious and careful, for if you yield to these impulses, the consequences could be serious and harmful.

The method of breaking the fast will depend on its duration, but generally the first food taken should be liquid — diluted fruit juices and/or vegetable juice.

• On the fourth day, drink fruit and/or vegetable juice (dilute 50/50 with water).

• On the fifth day, eat fresh vegetable soup (no canned or packet soups!) and fresh fruit, but not at the same meal.

After a two, three or four-week fast, eating only grapes, the diet should then include two days of fruit and vegetable juices, live cultured yoghurt and grapes. Then continue the diet as for the fifth, sixth and seventh days of the three-day fast as above.

• Take only small amounts of food and chew each mouthful well. Eat with awareness.

• Your stomach will have shrunk and will require less food, so take care not to overload it.

A vegetarian diet is essential for one who wants to follow a spiritual life. If you sincerely wish to progress and grow from the ordinary and materialistic life to a higher spiritual consciousness, then it becomes important to live on a vegetarian diet. For there are certain foods that help the mind and body to become more refined, and others that keep it down to the consciousness level of an animal.

The yogi selects and eats those foods which regenerate and impart vitality to the body with the minimum of waste and stress, and which leave the mind calm, clear and elevated.

Purification of the body and mind goes hand in hand with spiritual awakening. A vegetarian diet is highly conducive to sublime thoughts, divine contemplation, meditation and compassion.

The yogi has compassion and respect for all living things. This is reflected in the Bhagavad Gita:

The humble sage, by virtue of knowledge, sees with equal vision, a learned brahmin [teacher-priest], a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcast].

The yogi's diet is comprised of those foods which grow naturally — vegetables, herbs, fruits, nuts, seeds, grains, legumes (beans and pulses) and certain dairy products. The yogi consumes these foods either in their natural state or in a state that renders them fit for easy digestion with the minimum destruction of their prana (life-force).

To be a vegetarian is good and is a step forward in purifying the mind and body, but to purify one's consciousness one needs to offer one's food to God with love and devotion, with the thought that God is tasting and blessing the food first. This will also help you to remember God every day: ‘If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.’ (Bhagavad Gita 9:26)

The preparation of food is also important. When one purchases, prepares and cooks food with awareness, care and love, prana is transmitted into the preparation. There is definitely a difference between the taste of food that has been cooked with love and that of food which has not.

Here is how you can prepare, cook and offer your food to God, bless it, and enjoy the eating of it.

First select natural, healthy vegetarian foods. Then wash your hands thoroughly as soon as you enter the kitchen. Wash the vegetables and fruit. In all preparations, use only fresh foods: do not mix leftovers in with the fresh food, for that which has been offered to the Lord should not be offered a second time. Try not to taste the food during preparation and cooking. We are cooking for God, offering our food to the Lord, so He should be first to taste it. Then when the food is nicely prepared with love and devotion, offer it back to the Source (God) from which everything emanates.

Now display the food attractively and sit quietly before it. If you are with your family or with spiritually minded friends, you can join hands and sit in meditation for one or two minutes with your eyes closed. Together you can repeat a prayer to God.

The one that I have used for many years is by my teacher, Sri Kriyananda (a direct disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda). You may like to use it, or perhaps make up your own.

After offering your food, enjoy eating it with awareness in silence. Eat slowly, chewing the food well before swallowing it. Remember, digestion begins in the mouth.

When you have finished your meal, sit for five or ten minutes in the asana called vajrasana (sitting on your heels with your hands relaxed on your knees). This posture diverts the blood supply from the legs to the stomach, aiding digestion.

Bandha means ‘lock’, but it can also refer to a posture in which certain parts of the body are controlled or contracted in some way. It is very important to use bandhas in advanced pranayama, for without them you could injure the nervous system and possibly cause a pranic short-circuit in your body. To understand this, you need only a basic knowledge of an electrical circuit. Electricity is sent through a circuit which can work well and cause no harm so long as it has transformers, fuses, conductors and switches. Without these, the electric current going through it could be lethal. The bandhas ‘lock’ in the prana to prevent it being dissipated and direct the pranic energy or current to its destination, according to the concentration of the yogi. The bandhas also help to unite the prana and apana and direct this powerful pranic current into the sushumna nadi, to awaken the kundalini shakti. (Apana is prana [vital energy force] having a downward pranic air current. It operates in the region extending from below the navel to the anus. Its functions are to do with expulsion; it is responsible for the activity of ejaculation, defecation, urination, reproduction, digestion and childbirth delivery. Apana also carries the kundalini force upward in the sushumna to unite with prana.) What actually happens is that the prana is prevented from flowing upwards by jalandhara bandha (chin lock); and the apana is prevented from flowing downwards by muladhara bandha (anal lock). This causes the prana and apana to unite and flow into the sushumna.

Jala means ‘net’ or ‘network’. In the neck there is a network of nerves and arteries which go up to the brain. Dhara means ‘pulling upwards’.

When jalandhara bandha is applied, the internal and external carotid arteries, which lie on both sides of the neck and carry blood to the brain, are squeezed under pressure. Jalandhara also places pressure on the carotid sinus nerve. These pressures influence the blood pressure, slow down the heartbeat and slow down the nerve impulses to the brain. This brings calmness to the mind.

1 Sit in a comfortable posture, preferably padmasana or siddhasana (see chapter 8) (it is better to have the knees firmly on the floor) and place your palms on your knees. Close your eyes and relax.

3 Without straining your neck muscles, bend your head forward and press your chin firmly into the hollow of your neck, between your collar bones. This gives a good stretch to the cervical vertebrae, which stimulates the nervous centres, frees the cranial nerves and beneficially affects the thyroid gland.

4 Hold this position for as long as comfortable without strain, then slowly release the chin lock by raising the head and exhale. Practise up to ten rounds, gradually increasing to 20. Do not inhale or exhale until the chin lock has been released and the head is upright.

Jalandhara bandha should not be practised by persons with high intracranial blood pressure or heart ailments without expert guidance.

From an esoteric point of view there is a subtle nectar that flows from the sahasrara chakra through the hole in the palate to the manipura chakra and is consumed by the gastric fire. Jalandhara bandha prevents this nectar from falling and so the elixir of life is stored and life itself is prolonged.

Jalandhara bandha can also be practised from a standing position, with the feet about 2 feet apart, the trunk leaning forward with the palms on the knees and the arms straight.

Uddiyana comes from the Sanskrit root ud and di, which means ‘flying up’. The pranic energy flies up through the sushumna nadi from the manipura chakra to the higher chakras.

It can be practised either standing or sitting. For beginners it is best to start practising from a standing position, because it is easier to accomplish in this position.

2 With your knees slightly bent, grip the middle of your thighs with your hands and lean your trunk forward from the waist.

3 Look forward as you inhale deeply, then exhale completely. Slowly drop your head forward and rest your chin in the hollow of your throat.

4 Contract and pull your whole abdominal region back towards your spine, lifting it upwards. Raise your lumbar and dorsal spine forward and upwards.

5 Retain your breath out holding the bandha for as long as is comfortable. On no account strain or go beyond your endurance.

6 To release the bandha relax the abdominal muscles first. Then slowly raise your head and inhale slowly.

7 Return to normal relaxed breathing for a few breaths, then repeat the whole process again. In the beginning practise three to five abdominal lifts, gradually increasing to ten in each held breath.

Release the chin lock before inhalation. Do not practise if you have high blood pressure, hiatus hernia (hernia of the diaphragm), ulcers or heart ailments. Women should not practise during pregnancy or menstruation.

• When combined with nauli kriya it acts as a gastro-intestinal tonic and eliminates constipation.

• It stimulates the sympathetic nerves of the solar plexus and manipura chakra.

The Sanskrit word mula means ‘root’ and refers to the region between the anus and the genitals (the perineum). Mulabandha is practised in conjunction with pranayama and mudras.

1 Sit in a comfortable meditation posture, preferably siddhasana or siddha yoni asana (see chapter 8), because these asanas improve the effect of the bandha by the heel being pressed against the perineum.

4 Simultaneously contract the internal and external anal sphincter muscles. This may seem difficult at first, but if you first bring your awareness to the anus and contract it, then concentrate on a point just above this sphincter muscle (perineum) and contract it, you will find that it is not so difficult. Simultaneously draw the apana upward by contracting the abdominal muscles.

5 The breath is retained internally holding both mulabandha and jalandhara bandha in order to unite the prana and apana.

6 Release the contraction of both the internal and external sphincter muscles. Then slowly release the jalandhara bandha, by raising the head and exhale.

Mulabandha can also be held with external breath retention. The breath retention, internal or external, is held for as long as comfortable. Do not strain. It would be helpful for beginners to practice ashwini mudra first before attempting mulabandha (see pages 159–60).

In mahabandha, the three bandhas — mulabandha, uddiyana bandha and jalandhara bandha — are practised simultaneously during external retention of the breath in pranayama.

3 Perform mulabandha, uddiyana bandha, then jalandhara bandha in that order.

4 Retain your breath, holding the three bandhas for as long as is comfortable. Do not strain.

5 Release the bandhas in reverse order: jalandhara, uddiyana then mulabandha.

Mahabandha vitalizes the whole body with prana, stimulates the psychic energy flow and combines all the benefits of the three individual bandhas.

The Sanskrit word mudra means ‘to seal’. The Gheranda Samhita describes 25 mudras and bandhas, many of which can only be practised under the expert guidance of a guru. Among these are 12 that are important, some of which I have already covered under ‘Bandhas’ above.

Mudras give both mental and physical benefits, but are primarily used to invoke a spiritual mood. They prepare the mind for meditation and serve to control and direct the pranic forces within the body.

1 Lie down on your back, raise your legs together to touch the floor behind your head. This is the plough posture (halasana).

2 Now separate your feet about hip-width apart. Bend your legs at the knees and bring your thighs in towards the chest, until your knees touch your ears, shoulders and the floor.

3 Clasp your arms tightly around the back of your knees. Breathe deeply and slowly with your concentration on the breath in the navel centre.

Be careful not to strain the back muscles. Do not practise if you suffer from sciatica, high blood pressure or detached retina. Females should not practice during menstruation.

The benefits of this posture are that it balances the nervous system, stretches the back muscles and stimulates the spinal nerves. It also massages the abdominal organs and tones the sexual organs.

This mudra is so called because, after a horse has evacuated its stools, it then dilates and contracts the anus several times.

1 First lie down on your back and bend your knees, with your feet about hip-width apart and flat on the floor. Keep your back flat on the floor. In this position the abdomen is relaxed, which makes it easier for the next stage.

2 Now contract and release the anal sphincters, which are situated at the rectum.

2 Contract and release the anal sphincter rapidly and repeatedly for as many times as you can hold your breath comfortably.

Start with three rounds of 30 contractions each, gradually increasing this number to ten rounds of 60 each. Be careful not to strain.

• It strengthens the pelvic floor, preventing prolapse of the rectum and uterus.

Note that mulabandha differs from ashwini mudra in that there is no alternate contraction and dilation of the sphincter.

This is the most important mudra. It forces the prana upward and aids in awakening the kundalini.

2 Fold your left leg and press the left heel against your anus. Extend your right leg forward and grasp your toe with both hands. Keep the leg straight.

3 Inhale deeply and retain the breath, applying both mulabandha and jalandhara bandha.

4 Retain the breath for as long is comfortable while keeping your inward gaze at the point between the eyebrows (ajna chakra).

7 In the beginning practise two mudras on each side, gradually increasing to ten.

If you cannot fold your leg right under your buttocks so that you are pressing the heel against your anus, then you can practise siddhasana or siddha yoni asana with the heel pressed against the perineum.

2 It prevents haemorrhoids (piles), constipation, enlargement of the spleen and abdominal disorders.

1 Sit in padmasana (see chapter 8) with your palms resting flat on the floor beside your buttocks.

3 Retain the breath and apply mulabandha and jalandhara bandha. Concentrate on ajna chakra.

4 Raise your body from the floor by balancing on your hands and gently drop your buttocks against the floor.

A variation for those that cannot sit in padmasana is to sit with the left heel pressed against the anus, and the right foot on the left thigh. In the same way you can place the palms by your sides on the floor and raise the buttocks slowly, then drop them against the floor.

In terms of benefit there is not much difference between maha mudra, maha vedha mudra and mahabandha.

1 Sit in padmasana (lotus pose — see chapter 8). If you are unable to do this, then sit in half-lotus, siddhasana or even vajrasana. Close your eyes and relax.

2 Bring your hands behind your back and hold your right wrist with your left hand.

3 Inhale slowly and deeply, feeling the consciousness rise with the breath from the muladhara chakra to the ajna chakra.

4 Retain your breath for a few seconds with your concentration at the ajna chakra.

5 Slowly bend your head and trunk forwards as you slowly exhale, extending the whole of the front of your trunk.

6 Rest your forehead on the floor and relax into the pose, breathing normally, with your concentration on the ajna chakra.

7 Hold the pose for as long as is comfortable. Be careful not to strain your knees, ankles or back muscles.

Start by holding this pose for one or two minutes, and gradually increase the duration to 15 minutes or more.

7 It prevents constipation and indigestion by increasing assimilation and elimination.

This is a very advanced mudra; in fact it is an important yoga kriya and requires a very high stage of control over the sexual organs. Vajroli consists of several stages, in one of which a silver tube (catheter) is inserted 12 inches into the urethra. Then water is sucked up through this tube, and when this is perfected milk, oil and honey can be sucked up. At the final stage the urethral control is attained and the yogi is able to suck up fluids into the bladder via the urethra without the silver tube. Even air can be sucked inside via the urethra.

These stages are practised under the expert and experienced guidance of a guru. It is a very advanced practice and in the beginning the silver catheter is only inserted 1 inch into the urethra and gradually increased to 2 inches and so on up to 12 over a period of time. The object of vajroli mudra is to gain perfect control over the sexual organs and to preserve the semen. To practise this advanced technique one would have to observe strict celibacy.

1 Sit in a comfortable meditative asana, placing your hands on your knees and closing your eyes.

2 Draw your sexual organs upwards by tensing and pulling the lower abdomen and contracting the sexual organs — the testes in the male and the vagina in the female. Do not strain or over-exert the contraction.

2 Inhale slowly and raise your trunk to a 45-degree angle with your legs at 90 degrees. Support your body by cupping your hips in the palms of your hands, with your elbows rested on the floor. Your whole body should be relaxed, with your eyes closed.

3 Apply kechari mudra (see pages 164–6) and inhale throughout this practice with ujjayi pranayama (see chapter 5).

7 Continue breathing in this way for as long as is comfortable, then exhale and come down to relax.

Of all the inverted poses, viparita karani is the easiest to perform. You may experience some discomfort to the elbows, which can be lessened by practising on a folded blanket. It is said that the sun dwells at the root of the navel and the moon at the root of the palate. In viparita karani mudra this process is reversed, bringing the sun upward and the moon downward.

In the beginning practise this mudra for only a minute, then gradually increase to five minutes or more. It is said in the yogic treatises that if a yogi practises this mudra for three hours daily, he conquers death. It is also said that if one practises for three hours daily for six months wrinkles on the face and grey hair disappear.

• It prevents constipation, haemorrhoids, prolapse of the organs in the abdomen and dyspepsia.

• It preserves the subtle nectar that flows from the sahasrara chakra, and so rejuvenates and purifies the body.

• It diverts the flow of blood to the thyroid glands, promoting their health and increasing their vitality.

However, it should not be practised until at least three hours after a meal; and you should wait half an hour after strenuous exercise, or until the body is rested, before attempting it. It should also not be practised by women during the menstrual period, nor by people with high blood pressure, enlarged thyroid or serious heart problems.

The Sanskrit kha means akasha (‘space’), and chari means ‘to remove’. So kechari mudra means ‘moving-in-space position’. Through practising kechari mudra the consciousness dwells in akasha, the space between the astral and the physical.

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika refers to kechari as ‘the greatest of all mudras’ and says that one who perfects kechari can overcome sleep, hunger, thirst, disease, old age and death.

The traditional practice of kechari by very advanced yogis in India, under the direction and guidance of a guru, involves having the lower membrane of the tongue (fraenum linguae) gradually cut over a period of months, until the membrane that connects the tongue with the lower part of the mouth is severed. The reason for this is to make the tongue as long as necessary, so that when it is retroverted it can be made to enter the upper back cavity, above the palate. The tip of the tongue is pressed towards the eyebrow centre, where the three nadis, sushumna, ida and pingala, join.

Some very advanced yogis with the retroverted tongue in kechari mudra actually close the rima glottidis (a narrow triangular fissure or cleft between the inferior or true vocal cords in front and the bases and vocal processes of the arytenoid cartilages behind). This completely closes the air passage and controls the impulse to breathe in, so that the period of breath suspension can be lengthened.

Advanced yogis of this technique with perfect control over their mind and body have been known to sit perfectly still and suspend the breath for 40 days.

The positive and negative energies in the tongue and nasal passages, when joined together, create a cycle of energy in the head, which instead of allowing the energy to flow outward to the body, generates a magnetic field that draws energy upward from the body and from the base of the spine to the brain.

CAUTION: Under no circumstances cut the membrane of the tongue. It is definitely not recommended. Sri Kriyananda related a true story of how his guru, Paramhansa Yogananda spoke severely against this practice at one time, when one of his students began to cut the membrane of the tongue to lengthen it.

Within the tongue there are five main nerves, blood vessels and arteries, mucous glands and lymphatic vessels. To cut the fraenum of the tongue could sever nerves, making the tongue go numb and could also leave it without a proper blood supply.

The practice described here is a safer version of kechari, without cutting the tongue.

1 First, turn your tongue back and touch your uvula (the fleshy grapelike structure that hangs down from the back of your soft palate). Look in a mirror as you practise, to see what is happening.

2 Turn your tongue backwards and reach the uvula with the underside. With your mouth closed, push the base of your tongue up towards the roof of your mouth until you feel a stretch underneath your fraenum. Gently but firmly practise without straining. Practise as often as you want to.

3 Place the top side of your tongue up against the roof of your mouth, and press it there. Then create a suction by sucking your tongue hard to the roof of the mouth.

Now, gently open your mouth, still with your tongue sucked up against the roof of the mouth, until you feel the fraenum being stretched.

The final position of this exercise involves opening the mouth wider, so that the suction is released, and the tongue falls forward making a ‘plucking’ sound.

4 Take a fine, clean, damp cloth. Stick your tongue out, grasp it with the cloth and ‘milk’ it by pulling on it gently and massaging it, to stretch it. This is called dohana.

5 With your fingers, gently but firmly push the tip of the tongue backwards until you feel the fraenum being stretched. This is called chalana.

2 With your mouth closed, roll your tongue back, so that the lower surface touches your upper palate. Without straining, draw the tip of your tongue as far back as possible, and press it upward against the back part of the mouth.

Retain this position while practising ujjayi pranayama (see chapter 5). Practise for as long as comfortable, then relax the tongue.

In this practice, the tongue goes behind the uvula (the soft palate) and is inserted into the nasal cavity. The tip of the tongue presses upward and forward, stimulating certain nerves in that area. Breathing is performed through the nose, because the mouth is blocked by the tongue.

The tongue in this position actually creates a short-circuit from energy in the medulla oblongata (base of brain) and directs it to the eyebrow centre (spiritual eye). Normally, the energy enters through the medulla oblongata, then comes down and goes out through the body.

This helps to awaken the kundalini and higher states of consciousness. It purifies the body and brings calmness to the mind.

With daily practice of the tongue-stretching exercises it can take three to six months for the tongue to lengthen.

1 Sit in a comfortable meditative posture, preferably siddhasana. Relax your body and close your eyes.

3 Close your ears with your thumbs, pressing lightly over the tragus of each ear (the tragus is the fleshy prominence in front of the opening). Close your eyes, with your index fingers lightly pressing over the outer corners of the closed eyelids. Close your nostrils with your middle fingers and place your third fingers above, and your little fingers below your lips to close the mouth.

4 While holding your breath with yoni mudra, inwardly gaze at the point between your eyebrows (ajna chakra). Concentrate on this point and try to see the spiritual eye of the opalescent blue, surrounded by a gold circle of light. In the centre of the blue is a tiny five-pointed silvery-white shining star. Dive deep into this star and meditate. Listen for any inward sounds, as this is also a technique of Nada Yoga.

5 Retain your breath for as long as is comfortable, then release your fingers and exhale.