Yoga breathing

How to do yoga is an introduction on the practice of yoga, including the benefits derived therein, the instructions for several exercises, and the attitude of diet. If you have been “on the mat” for years, and have “down dog” down pat, you know there are a many yoga positions and poses built to improve posture. Read more »

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The corrective asanas prepare various muscles, articulations, tendons and many reflex mechanisms, in a way to make the body and mind fit for higher yoga practices. Read more »

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If you would practice this form of meditation, sit quietly in your usual place and let your thoughts and feelings simmer down until your mind dwells peacefully upon the thought of the great teacher. Read more »

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The second sheath is the prana-maya-kosa, or sheath of “breath” (prana), which manifests itself in air and ether, the presiding elements in the Anahata and Visuddha-cakras. Read more »

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Anahata-cakra is a deep red lotus of twelve petals, situate above the last and in the region of the heart, which is to be distinguished from the heart-lotus facing upwards of eight petals, spoken of in the text, where the patron deity (Ista-devata) is meditated upon. “Air” evolved from “ether” is the Tattva of the former lotus. On the twelve petals are the vermilion varnas - “Kam”, “Kham” “Gam”, “Gham”, “ngam”, “cam”, “Cham”, “Jam”, “Jham”, “jnam”, “Tam”, “Tham” and the twelve vrttis (vide ante-namely, asa (hope), cinta (care, anxiety), cesta (endeavour), mamata (sense of mineness),(1) dambha (arrogance or hypocrisy) vikalata (langour), ahamkara (conceit), viveka (discrimination), lolata (covetousness), kapatata (duplicity), vitarka (indecision), anutapa (regret). Read more »

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Visuddha-cakra or Bharatisthana, abode of the Devi of speech, is above the last and at the lower end of the throat (kantha-mula). The Tattva of this cakra is “ether”. The lotus is of a smoky colour, or the colour of fire seen through smoke. It has sixteen petals, which carry the red vowels - “am”, “âm”, “im” “îm” “um” “ûm” “rm” “ŗm” “1m”, “1m”, “em”, “aim”, “om”, “aum”, am”, “ah”; the seven musical notes (nisada, rsabha, gandhara, sadja, madhyama, dhaivata and pancama): “venom” (in the eighth petal); the bijas “hum”, “phat”, “vausat”, “vasat “, “svadha”, “svaha”, “namah”, and in the sixteenth petal, nectar (amrta). Read more »

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Above the ajna-cakra there is another secret cakra called manas-cakra. It is a lotus of six petals, on which are sabda-jnana, sparsa-jnana, rupa-jnana, aghranopalabhi, rasopabhoga, and svapna, or the faculties of hearing, touch, sight, smell, taste, and sleep, or the absence of these. Above this, again, there is another secret cakra, called Soma-cakra. Read more »

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In Lesson Sixth, of the present series, you will find a brief mention of the “Days and Nights of Brahm”–those vast periods of the In-breathing and Out-breathing of the Creative Principle which is personified in the Hindu conception of Brahma. You will see mentioned there that universal philosophical conception of the Universal Rhythm, which manifests in a succession of periods of Universal Activity and Inactivity. Read more »

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The doctrine of Reincarnation alone can explain satisfactorily and rationally the diversities among children and the reason of the many instances of uncommon powers and genius displayed in childhood. The theory of heredity has up to this time failed to give any good reason for them. Read more »

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