Yoga and Health
by
Swami Adhyatmananda

How Yoga can be done?

POINTS ON PERFORMANCE OF YOGA 

It is necessary to keep certain matters in view for performing Yogasanas. They are

1.   For the purpose of eradication of diseases one should perform Yogasanas under the personal guidance of an experienced teacher.

2.   Practice of Yoga should be regular and without break, bearing in mind the necessity of seven elements —discipline, faith, self-confidence, love, effort, sincerity and ample soul force.

3.   Yoga exercise should be undertaken after brushing the teeth, cleaning the tongue, washing the mouth and other morning rituals.

4.   It is very important to clean the bowels before starting Yoga exercises, especially for eradication of diseases. For the performance of special poses, it is absolutely neces­sary to have bladder empty and bowels clean.

5.   If before performance of Yogasanas bowels have not been cleared with nature’s aid, then it may be necessary to drink a full glass of warm water or a cup of tea, coffee, cocoa, or milk chocolate. If one wants to perform Yoga exercises after light breakfast then atleast a minimum of one hour period should elapse before performance of Asanas. One should not perform Yoga exercises unless four hours have passed after eating regular food. One should take a breakfast or meals atleast half an hour after Yoga exercises. 

6.   If one takes bath before performance of Asanas, this practice will be found very helpful as one feels lightness in the body If due to heat, one perspires during Yoga exercises, he is allowed to take shower bath after half an hour of exercise. If before and after Asanas one takes shower or wash bath, then lightness of the body freshness as well as satisfaction will be experienced.

7.   Yogasanas can be practised in the morning or evening depending upon availability of time.

8.   One should perform Yogasanas in open or in a place well ventilated and clear of pests.

9.   One should not perform exercises on an open ground or unlevelled ground. One should spread a carpet and there on a blanket on a level ground and then only perform Asanas.

10. One should not continue wearing spectacles or ornaments during the performance of Asanas. If you do so; either they may break or may injure your body

11  One should not perform Asanas immediately after a long walk in sunlight heat.

12. During the practice of Asanas facial muscles should not get stressed and eyes, ears and breathing should not suffer any strain and no kind of pressure should be felt.

13.      Performance of all Asanas should be rhythmic. There should be no hurry or sudden jerks.

14. One should not have physical tiredness or mental stress and the body should not feel stiffness as it is not proper to carry out Yoga in such bodily conditions. One should therefore avoid undesirable conditions.

15. If one performs Asanas only mechanically, much advan­tage can not be gained. Hence on every occasion such exercise should be carried out with mental concentration, proper understanding and feeling of getting desired effect of Asanas.

16. One should not unnecessarily talk during Yogasanas practice. 

     17. When initially you start practice of Yogasanas keep your eyes open so you can thereby see what and how you are performing, whether it is right or wrong. After due experience when you feel perfect in Yoga practice. keep your eyes closed so that with desired discipline and control of the body, you concentrate your mind on the advantage being gained by each Asana on the internal glands. 

18. During the practice of Yogasana, body only should be active. Mind should be quiet and at ease. If the mind is uneasy or it is working in the opposite direction then one cannot be capable of finding out mistakes being committed during Asanas.

19. Always breathe through the nostrils during practice of Asanas. Do not breathe through mouth. One should be alert about this habit. Breathing should be rhythmic with forward and backward bending during performance of Yogasanas.

20. On completion of all Asanas it is essential to practise Shavasana for atleast ten to fifteen minutes. This practice will allow any strain suffered by any part of body to get relaxed and the body will feel lightness.

21. Such Asanas, where one has to bend backward or for­ward are helpful when one has higher or lower blood pressure.

22. For a patient who has pus in the ears or whose eyes are weak or whose ratina has some damage should not perform Shirshasana or Sarvangasana as well as Halasana and such other Asanas where legs go up and head is kept down.

23. If one performs Asanas in haste or incorrectly or just as a drudgery the ill effect of the same would be observed in a few days only and one can see the need to make the necessary correction in the practice. If you do not find out your mistake it is absolutely essential that you get guidance from a person who is regular in practice of Asanas and Pranayama, and one who has the knowledge, who is willing to teach other fellow. The teacher should not only have a liking to teach and knowledge for the same but it is also essential that he should come down to the level of understanding capacity of the student.

24. If practice of Yoga is imparted methodically, scientifically, in a straight forward manner and naturally as well as with enough interest; then only within a few days practitioners will experience the advantages and effect of the lessons. Yoga practice will make body feel light , mind will remain happy, mind will lose fickleness. Practitioner will feel hungry, natural call will be clear, he will have deep sound sleep and he will experience brightness of the body, mind and soul as like bright sunshine after a downpour of rain.

25. Spiritual practitioner will observe an extraordinary change in his individual capacity, if he carries out Yoga­abhyas regularly He will be more honest in his personal life as well as social life. One will observe plenty of discipline in his habit of eating, drinking and all move­ments as well as sleep. He will inherit a new life.

26. Children upto 12 to 14 years of age should not be instructed in all Asanas.

27. Have faith in practice of Yoga. An aspirant should sincerely practise Yoga then he will be able to save himself from big damage. 

            OM SHANTIH!

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