Yoga and Health
by
Swami Adhyatmananda

 ADDICTION 

In Frankfurt city in Germany on a very quiet night of winter cold wind was whistling, the snow had not yet started; but the signs were clear. The cold icy wind was blowing on the doors and windows as well as the walls. The buildings were getting frozen by the severe cold on such night; we were camping at the residence of Dr. Christina. Sister Christina, her brother, her mother all of them were long time devotees of Sivanand Ashram. Christina was sum­moned on that night for emergency duty. She was a dental surgeon. One very well known T.V. Artist had tremendous pain in the tooth. The tooth was already weak, it may have to be removed, but some thing extra may also have to be done. I asked, sister; you are going alone at such a late night? Should we accompany you? With her concurrence, her brother and myself accompanied. X-ray was taken out. Tooth was full of pus and it was found necessary to clean out everything and remove the tooth. Local anesthesia was given and the doctor caught hold of the tooth; tried to pull. But the patient shouted out fearfully it was found that the anesthesia had not affected.

A new bottle was opened and more doses were injected but there was no effect. Still that patient was able to speak out. We could gather that the patient was a great addict. He used to smoke cigarettes and then proceeded to hashish opium, and LSD and thereafter he started getting pathedine injections. Scorpions and serpents even went on stingling him and the addiction had affected him all throughout his veins in such a way that there was no effect of the injections for anesthesia. This is a very preliminary stage. I knew a son of a doctor friend. He was from a high family He innerly decided to marry a girl of his own caste studying with him. The girl was beautiful and curvy; she was clever and hailed from a common middle class family the boy came from a high family but was very fat. He had an obese (bulky) body and hardly had any handsomeness. It was a big achievement that he had passed M.B.B.S. He had no special aptitude for further studies. The father was well known in the society, he was much honored. The father had two hospitals with an arrangement to admit 80 indoor patients. Based on all these strengths the father of the girl got the daughter married to this boy without finding out her liking. The daughter studied further after her marriage and got the degree of M.D and D.G.O. She was an expert in gynecology. The husband used to roam about in the hospital with a stethoscope in hand. Patients did not give their hand for examination to this doctor. At the consulting room of the wife, patients teemed like ants. The wife had emergency call for all the 24 hours, operations, patients and visits. The hubby had to sit alone and spend life in loneliness. He had a feeling of something missing in him. Thus separation increased between the two. The doctor tried to throw away the gloom of apathy by getting addicted to smoking and then proceeded to take injection of pathedine, initially once or twice in a week and then the habit increased to daily dose. He went on doing all days and one day suddenly he passed away.

We come to hear of many stories about the addicted persons in our society. In order to meet the expenses of addiction, they would start theft in their own houses, they will start selling their furniture and belongings, they will even sell the tins of ghee and oil and will fall a person to prey to so many bad habits. This is such a habit that once addicted is sure to be ruined. One cannot say what will he not do when he feels drawn by the addiction!” Him and the addiction had affected him all throughout his veins in such a way that there was no effect of the injections for anesthesia. This is a very preliminary stage. I knew a son of a doctor friend. He was from a high family He innerly decided to marry a girl of his own caste studying with him. The girl was beautiful and curvy; she was clever and hailed from a common middle class family the boy came from a high family but was very fat. He had an obese (bulky) body and hardly had any handsomeness. It was a big achievement that he had passed M.B.B.S. He had no special aptitude for further studies. The father was well known in the society, he was much honored. The father had two hospitals with an arrangement to admit 80 indoor patients. Based on all these strengths the father of the girl got the daughter married to this boy without finding out her liking. The daughter studied further after her marriage and got the degree of M.D and D.G.O. She was an expert in gynecology. The husband used to roam about in the hospital with a stethoscope in hand. Patients did not give their hand for examination to this doctor. At the consulting room of the wife, patients teemed like ants. The wife had emergency call for all the 24 hours, operations, patients and visits. The hubby had to sit alone and spend life in loneliness. He had a feeling of something missing in him. Thus separation increased between the two. The doctor tried to throw away the gloom of apathy by getting addicted to smoking and then proceeded to take injection of pathedine, initially once or twice in a week and then the habit increased to daily dose. He went on doing all days and one day suddenly he passed away.

We come to hear of many stories about the addicted persons in our society. In order to meet the expenses of addiction, they would start theft in their own houses, they will start selling their furniture and belongings, they will even sell the tins of ghee and oil and will fall a person to prey to so many bad habits. This is such a habit that once addicted is sure to be ruined. One cannot say what will he not do when he feels drawn by the addiction!”

The question then arises whether Science of Yoga can give a new life to these friends. Of course yes! Why not! If the addict himself wishes to get out of the addiction, there is nothing impossible at such a juncture. One should not hate the addict, but one should love and, shower goodwill towards him. If we can create faith in us that we are his well-wishers, if he once understands and accepts this role of ours, everything else can be achieved.

Before going into these details let us understand what is addiction, how is it formed and to which items can one can get addicted?

It is well known the world over that man first forms a habit and then the habit makes him fall. This type of habit on which we have no control and we may become a slave to that habit is called Addiction.

Everything in the world has some use or the other; but if our use is ill placed, or it is misused, then gradually that turns into a bad habit and ultimately results in addiction. If a man starts consuming some medicine or an intoxicant material which is not recommended by a doctor but which is put into use by oneself and gradually it becomes impos­sible to do without that intoxicant; man feels obliged to take it; the man completely relies on it. In such a case we term it as addiction. Such an addict is never welcome in the society. Society drives him out. Such person frightens the family members, and is neglected by all from all the sides. The addicted man is left with no other support than the addiction. 

NORMAL INTOXICANTS USED FOR INTOXICATION 

1.   Beetle leaves, tobacco, mixture of tobacco and Chuno (slaked lime). Pouches of readymade tobacco, Gutkhas, scented Supari, cigarette etc. (All these material do contain one or the other intoxicant to more or less extent).

2.   Toddy, Country liquor or English liquor, alcohol, beer, champagne, triple X, black bull and others.

Opioids, opium, brown sugar, heroin, injectables, morphine pathedine, fortwin and others.

4.   Use is also made of capsule mixed in water containing poppy seeds mixed in water.

5.   Cannabis products like hashish and others

6.   Sedative hypnotics, diazepam, mandrex, barbiturates.

7.   Cocaine and caffeine.

There is no end to this list. As earlier mentioned when the addict is not satisfied by all these addiction he goes on adding more and more stronger items, ultimately getting scorpions and serpents giving stings on his tongue. 

MAIN REASONS FOR FORMATION OF ADDICTION 

1.     Bad company of friends who have wrong habits.

2.     Curiosity

3.     Family problem or sedentary life having no occupation.

4.     Very strong reason of natural circumstances: (I) People doing overlabour, intensive job; take to addiction to remove feeling of tiredness. (ii) Person habituated to addiction, which unknowingly weakens the sensory nerves. (iii) People who are having no work and want something to pass time. (iv) Illiterate people residing in cold regions.

5.   People also form a habit of addiction as a part of social and religious functions.

6.   Some persons start taking certain medicine, which ulti­mately results in addiction. 

HOW TO RECOGNISE AN ADDICT 

It is not always possible to identify an addict from the outer signs, on all occasions. It is necessary to get the addict sit with us peacefully and obtain detailed information. However, there are certain definite signs, which allow a man to identify an addict. He can be normally known from the following main identifications:

1.   Whenever any work is entrusted to an addict he is found irregular and normally does not welcome the job. This also applies to education.

2.   A nil result both in a work entrusted and in education.

3.   You will find no connection between one’s behavior and an addict will be going his own way

4.   He will be a spendthrift in spending money

5.   An addict is absolutely careless about personal hygiene and cleanliness.

6.   He suffers from anorexia; he has no liking for eating and drinking.

7.   He stammers; his eyes are found reddish.

8.   In the surroundings of his residence you will find empty bottles, aluminum foils, small pieces of cardboards or metal tubes, empty match boxes and injection syringes, injection needles etc.

9.   He is used to desert his old friend circle and joins new associations. 

COMMON POINTS TO HEAL ADDICTS 

i.      Search the addict and inspire him to leave the addiction.

2.     Have detailed discussion with pros and cons.

3.     Advise suitably about detoxification

4.   After offering advice follow up with necessary care, take proper care once the detoxification takes place, and work for rehabilitation in the society

5.   Remain ever vigilant to see that the person does not relapse; proper care and efforts must be exercised to avoid relapse.

It is quite necessary to shower love, goodwill and sympathy if the patient is not true to himself or till he does not leave his internal wish to restart taking the intoxicants. If this precaution is not observed, when the temporary self-control is lifted, the addict returns to the original state violently with double the strength and speed and gets again bound with the intoxicant.

Each and every family must be provided with this much medical advice and essential instructions.

A psychiatrist may be often consulted, family gathering must be organized, everyday there should be assembly of the house members, necessary and essential knowledge of Homeopathic treatment and treatment with essential Ayurvedic or Allopathic medicine should be introduced so that gradually opium and similar addiction material are consumed less.

An addict gets pain in the whole body, he finds the bones aching; he gets diarrhea, loses sleep, gets anorexia, feels the body lifeless as if it was like a. sack. He may have nausea, a feeling of vomiting, feel giddy, and get lacrima­tion. He forms a habit of getting injected now and then.

If detoxification is arranged then the inclination to be without intoxication hardly persists for a day without eating or drinking intoxicant and in case it continues longer, it does not go beyond 10 to 15 days.

Addicts suffer from trembling of the hands and feet, getting restless and hasty in small matters, losing the sleep, anorexia as well as idleness, laziness and similar problems and difficulties. Normally for detoxification of alcohol, benzodiazepin is employed and gradually the quantum of this medicine is also reduced to a nil level. This process is not very long. If the addict himself decides to get free from addiction, this is possible within a period of three to four week. In addition, diazepam and chlordiazepoxide are also employed. Most of the addicts of alcohol are normally given a support of disulfiram, but this disulfiram has a relation similar to that between cats and dogs; when compared to ethyl alcohol. And therefore, if this is administered the patient suffers from nausea, feeling giddy, vomiting and in addition many unnecessary and opposite effects are also felt. An addict leaves an addiction only getting bored and tired of these symptoms. 

SOME SUGGESTIONS TO THE ADDICTS

1.     When you doubt that a certain man is an addict and suffers from addiction, first meet the friends of that addict and thereafter meet their relatives as well as the nearest of his kiths and kins and discuss about the details. Thereafter you should try to take the addict in personal confidence and converse with him with very thick friendship and affection.

2.   When the addict accepts his mistake and presents his problem, you should very peacefully listen to him, thereafter also you should not take any one-sided view never even indicate the slightest of hatred or dislike towards the addict. He should have a perfect confidence in you and know that you love him with all your heart and would not only help him to be free from the addiction but you would be prepared to offer all types of help required.

3.   We can make him aware of different manner of treatments and detoxification.

4.   You should keep close contact. You should go on inquir­ing about how the treatment proceeds and how far he had reached in the treatment. You should also personally verify the report. You should necessarily offer new life to the addict and help him in all manners, to get established in life.

5.   If unluckily the addict reverts to the addiction, without feeling the least setback, one should make honest efforts to help the addict and continue the efforts.

6.   You should go on instilling faith in the addict about the possibility and efficiency of the treatment.

7.   And the most important fact to remember is whether the addict is a clean man or not, one has to welcome him as a human being and extend treatment, care and love, fully 

YAUGIC TREATMENT 

The addict gets a wonderful help from Yoga. Yoga has really proved very helpful. It releases an addict from his addiction gradually that too, this is achieved with such an ease that the addict hardly comes to know wherefrom he has inherited the new life. Spring follows the winter slowly and adorns the whole world. Similarly in the life of an addict Yoga-abhyas instills new consciousness, new enthusiasm, fullness and the most important matter is that Yoga-abhyas creates an irrepressible desire to live his life fully

Slowly and gradually the life of an addict becomes more and more lively; and the addict even does not know about this. He starts getting self-control. It will then be much easier to explain him and educate him because of the change brought in him. You will definitely love to meet him. Thereafter you will not approach him sympathetically but enthusiastically in a friendly manner, full of kindness. You are then meeting a newborn, a composed and a great man who has strong character. The training in Yoga-abhyas adds to the self-confidence and the addict will have courage of looking at the world in face. He will feel the need for correcting the error. Internal soul force will add to the capacity to correct the error. There will be a tide of internal consciousness to see that the error is not repeated and beautiful life resulting from the no error condition will again fill him with soulful happiness, peace and prosperity.

The addict should be trained in Yoga-nidra to see that detoxification is achieved through the treatment of Yogasana. 

YOGA-NIDRA 

Lie with face upward in a bed; keep the hands and feet relaxed. Keep the legs nearby each other so that they do not touch each other. Keep the hands parallel to the body but at a distance so that the same do not touch the body Keep the eyes closed. In the center of the room, one should lie down on a cot. Remaining surrounded by the four walls listen to the beating of your heart. Remain witness to both your inhaling as well as exhaling. No breath should either be inhaled or exhaled without your knowledge.

Now experience that you are in Shavasana position. The fingers and thumbs of both the legs, soles, heels front part of the soles, ankles, muscles of calf, knees and thighs, buttocks waist and back, fingers and thumbs of both the hands, palms, wrists of hands, the hand under the elbow, biceps of the hands, upper arm, elbows, armpits, all these are relaxed. They are peaceful almost as if they don’t exist, they are corpse like.

Tummy under navel, stomach above the navel, organs inside the belly, bladder, small intestine, big intestine are all relaxed peacefully they are composed; they are without any tension. Experience this condition. Liver, kidney, pancreas, spleen, adrenal are also without any tension, peaceful, composed and relaxed. Try to experience this condition. The trachea is clean. There is no pollution. There is no hindrance. Lungs expand fully

Diaphragm goes up and down properly The vital potential breathing capacity of lungs is within the range of 2800 cc to 3600 cc. Arteries, veins, heart, valves of heart are all proper. Heart beats regularly the incoming clean blood and its circulation is regular. Blood pressure range is 120/80:

Hemoglobin is 16.5 %. Both triglycerides and cholesterol are regularly and absolutely under control. There is regular sleep, no effect of cold, there is a cough, and proper hunger is felt. Breathing system works very well, there is no hindrance; you are completely composed and healthy the bodily health will make you experience mental health and composure.

Slowly raise your right leg; 4” to 6”, stiffen the whole leg and slowly put it back. Now bring it down very slowly now raise your left leg 4” to 6”, stiffen the leg and slowly take it back. Similarly right hand should be raised 4” to 6” up from the ground. Close the fist and stiffen the hands, now slowly place it back on the ground. Thereafter raise the left hand 4” to 6” above the ground, close the fist and stiffen the hand, put it also slowly on the ground. Stiffen buttocks. Relax. Pull the arms inside. Relax. Fill the chest by respiration and expand it, release the breath feel fully composed. Now tighten muscles of the mouth and face, relax. Keep the mouth a little open, leave the lips loose. Now release the entire body does not move any organ of the body

Now witness your breath only your lungs are in complete rest. Breathing and exhaling is also being achieved with perfect ease. You can now think of the consciousness within you, now that the body and the mind are perfectly healthy Body is disease-less, mind is happy you are glowing with the beauty of your soul. You are feeling completely fresh.

Now again think of the breath entering your chest. In you is the entry of clean and composed breath with full freshness and power. Your consciousness fills you with a new power, new breath, new zeal and new enthusiasm. You are a big stream of happiness.

You are a Gangotri of happiness. Happiness does not come from outside. Happiness is not outside. Body and mind remain under the wrong impression of happiness because of the wandering of the senses. If a cloud moves in, the sun gets covered. There is no reason to think that the brightness of the sun has reduced. You are completely composed inside. The man, who is in composure, is stoic in the self. That man is happy you are not unhappy you are not diseased, remember this. All this is a mental creation. If you think that you are disease-less, you will remain without disease. You start thinking that you are sick; you will definitely fall ill. But this is a reflection of disease-less mind. Your mind is not sick. God surrounds you. God is on the right, on the left, inside, outside in the front, in the back. God is everywhere. God is equivalent to power, energy, truth, Shiva, beauty God means - consciousness. God means knowledge, brightness and development. Experience that you are fully composed and healthy Get up slowly with ease and expe­rience composure. Try this method two to three times in a day; you will surely attain complete composure and health.

JAPA SADHANA 

Remember name of any God in which you have complete faith, while you move about, walk, sit and get up. Forget the past. Do not worry about the future. Remember God in your quiet and peaceful mind. God means peace, composure, beauty and happiness. Peace and happiness are your aims in life. Remember that name which would fill you with peace and composure in your internal consciousness. If there is no peace inside you, how can there be peace brought from outside? You are peace personified. You are a symbol of happiness and enthusiasm. Observe God every­where in the planes with green grass extending on long distances in green field, in the high trees reaching the skies, beautiful streams, open sky, sunrise, sunset, the chirping of the birds, your sickness will run away Open your heart before God. Oh God, I belong to you, you are mine, let anything that is good for me, happen. You are a prototype of God. If  God and yourself are not distinct. God is inside you also. It is absolutely distinct from sensuality. God is forever; God is truth. You are also pure, you are intelligence incarnate. Feel this and you will inhabit new life.  

Dhyana (Fig—38)

In addition you can perform Dhanurasana, Chakrasana

Paschimottanasana and in addition all the Asanas that you may know thoroughly also perform Sukhapurvaka Pranayama and Bhastrika in addition to Asanas.

Chankrasana (Fig—39)

For Sukhapurvaka Pranayama, (a) inhale through left nostril (Puraka); (b) retain the breath (Antar-kumbhaka), (c) Exhale through the right nostril (Rechaka) and (d) retain the breath (Bahya-kumbhaka). Thereafter inhale through the right nostril, hold the breath inside, exhale through the left nostril. The ratio of timings a:b:c:d being 1:4:2:4 respy. If you cannot do anything, breathe in peacefully and exhale peace­fully with every breath experience that it is not air that is getting in but along with the breath you are inhaling new power, light, knowledge, brightness and development inside you. When you breathe out, think that you are distributing to the world around all your happiness, composure, divinity and the entire Sattvik element going out. Fill the universe with composed and healthy thoughts, health and composure will return to you thousand-fold. Even if one continues a routine of Pranayama two to three times a day for ten to fifteen minutes for one continuous month, one can feel tremendous improvement in health. (see Hypertension)

Bhastrika Pranayama is a panacea for the health of the mind and the heart. Sit on the folded legs with the spinal column straight. Thereafter without movement of the body or the shoulders and with no tension on the face, breathe in and out rapidly. By doing so the lungs open out. Energy and capacity as well as alertness increase. That is the reason why the Gita declares that if one regularly and daily carries out even a little of what is taught to be done, one will save himself of the great dangers. All these talks are not merely repeated after reading or writing or cramming up; this is all a knowledge after bearing actual experience. Hence go ahead and give a trial to the experiment described herein and enjoy the full happiness of happy life.  

OM SHANTIH!  

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