breathing exercise

प्राणायामेन युक्तेन सर्वरोगक्षयो भवेत्।

अयुक्ताभ्यासयोगेन सर्वरोगस्य संभवः॥

हठयोग प्रदीपिका॥

prāṇāyāmena yuktena sarvarogakṣayo bhavet|

ayuktābhyāsayogena sarvarogasya saṁbhavaḥ||

haṭhayoga pradīpikā||

This is a quote from the great treatise on Yoga, Hatayoga Pradipika of Swatmarama

If a person follows the rules and exercises of breathing… Pranayama in the right and well directed manner and performs the exercises all his diseases and maladies would get depleted

On the other hand if a person follows a regimen of exercises which are wrong, improper and not according to the well established rules, such faulty practices becomes the breeding ground for all diseases

The Indian wisdom always understood the life sustaining and curative properties of breathing.. and obviously the intake of Pranavayu or Oxygen in the proper manner. That is a reminde today in the days of air pollution, oxygen scarcity, and epidemics

युक्तेन well directed, well practices, well execruted प्राणायामेन breathing exercises सर्व रोग क्षयो reduction, deplection, removal of all diseases भवेत् would happen

अयुक्त improper, misplaced, misused, done in the worong way अभ्यास योगेन performance or practice of regimen of exercise सर्वरोगस्य संभवः source and cause of all illness

പ്രാണായാമേന യുക്തേന സര്‍വരോഗക്ഷയോ ഭവേത്|

അയുക്താഭ്യാസയോഗേന സര്‍വരോഗസ്യ സംഭവഃ||

ഹഠയോഗ പ്രദീപികാ||

ഒരു വ്യക്തി ശരിയായ നിയമക്രമങ്ങളും നിര്‍ദ്ദേശങ്ങളും അനുസരിച്ച് പ്രാണായാമം, അതായത് ശ്വാസം നിയന്ത്രിച്ചുള്ള യോഗ വ്യായാമങ്ങള്‍ പിന്തുടരുകയാണെങ്കില്‍ അയാളുടെ രോഗങ്ങളും അസ്വാസ്ഥ്യങ്ങളും എല്ലാം നശിച്ചു തീരെ ഇല്ലാതാവും. അയാളുടെ ആരോഗ്യം എന്നും നല്ല നിലവാരത്തില്‍ തുടരും

അതെ സമയം തെറ്റായ അഭ്യാസക്രമങ്ങളും നിയമങ്ങളും പിന്തുടര്‍ന്നു ശ്വാസവ്യായാമങ്ങള്‍ ചെയ്യുകയാണെങ്കിലോ , ശ്വാസ നിയന്ത്രണം വേണ്ടത്ര ശ്രദ്ധിക്കുന്നതില്‍ നിഷ്കര്‍ഷ പുലര്‍ത്താതിരിക്കുകയാണെങ്കിലോ, അത് തീര്‍ച്ചയായും രോഗങ്ങള്‍ക്കും അനാരോഗ്യത്ത്തിനും കാരണം ആവും.

ഭാരതീയ ചിന്തയ്ക്ക് ശ്വാസോച്ഛ്വാസനിയന്ത്രണത്തിന്‍റെ ആരോഗ്യപരമായ പ്രാധാന്യത്തെക്കുറിച്ച് എക്കാലത്തും ബോധ്യം ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു. ശ്വസനവും പ്രാണവായുവും ശ്വസനത്തിന്‍റെ ശാസ്ത്രമായ പ്രാണായാമവും ശതാബ്ദങ്ങളായി ഭാരതം പിന്തുടര്‍ന്നിരുന്നു . അന്തരീക്ഷ മലിനീകരണത്തിന്‍റെയും പകര്‍ച്ച വ്യാധികളുടെയും പ്രാണവായു ദൌര്‍ലഭ്യത്തിന്‍റെയും കാലഘട്ടത്തില്‍ ഇതൊരു ഓര്‍മ്മപ്പെടുത്തല്‍ മാത്രം

Indian thought system gives great stress to quiescent state of mind

 

In Indian ideas on psychology and meditation, we  envisage, a state of cessation of thoughts.

Even for the theories of conscious, subconscious, and superconscious states enumerated by western psychological theories, we have no concrete evidence. Moreover, there can be no concrete evidence in this matter because the measuring standard is the mind and the thing measured too is the mind.

There can be theories at macro levels.

However, in very subtle matters, only experiences can guide us. The recording or documentation of such experiences can vary, and can be faulty too. The error factors abound.

In spite of these limitations, the research by Indian seers on the mind and thoughts advanced to dizzying levels of insights eons prior to the time when even people elsewhere recognized even the existence of the art and science of psychology very slightly.

Even in physics,( I mean the most advanced western science of theoretical physics) whether energy gets transmitted in waves of electrical and magnetic variation or whether the energy is transmitted in disjointed quanta is not yet certain. 

In this backdrop, if we take cue from that uncertainty principle, even if there is a subconscious mind, how can we be sure that that subconscious mind is functioning continuously in in periodic bouts of activity and inactivity?

Suffice to say that the Indian thought system gives great stress to quiescent state of mind, state of mind bereft of all activity. Moreover, the Yoga the chittavrittinirodha (चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः), of Patanjali and others aim at that state.

Yoga in sum and substance is a way of life..

yoga as a system of philosophy (Patanjala Yoga Sutra is the leading standard treatise) got integrated into Hinduism..

and that way can be called part of that religion..

But Hinduism with its theistic and ritualistic hues is what we find as a religion these days,

and Mimamsa of Jaimini and Advaita of Badarayana,,, and the later Bhakthi cults seem to guide that religion at present.

Yoga in sum and substance is a way of life.. guiding us to channelise our thoughts and physical action( this physical element is less pronounced traditionally,

but the West generally understands only the physical postures and exercises as yoga,,)

and here there is hardly any Hinduism or for that matter any religion involved

Yoga is part of Hinduism only to the extent that it does not negate the authenticity of Vedas..

You can find Advaitins, Dwaithins, Visistaadwaitins, followers of Bhakthi cult, Tantriks, Shakthas Shaivas etc in Hinduism,, but there is hardly anyone who uses the yogasutras as a spiritual text..

Of course all of them and non Hindus too can easily follow the concepts of yoga

Yoga is completely secular.. it has no caste creed or religion attached to it in reality..

But if some particular group assumes the parenthood, others need not accept such parentage.

The idea of rising of Kundalini energy through the six chakras

The idea of rising of Kundalini energy through the six chakras and finally reaching the sahasrara and up -- even without seriously believing that such phenomenon is a reality--can give an idea as to what we have to jettison and move up..

As we move upward from mooladhara, swadhishatan, manipoora, anaahata, vishuddhi, and ajna chakras...in that order, if we are to reach the yogic samadhi of no return, we just forget each stage below. and move up.. and in that process, even the lower chakras themselves become redundant and at those stages we have to completely abandon them.. otherwise one cannot really move up..

Gita talks of "VishayaaH vinivarthante niraaharasy dehinaH..विषयाः विनिवर्तन्ते निराहारस्य देहिनः".

desire for worldly this get repelled away from a person who consciously starves the body of such desire--

these are all indicators..

But some can easily jettison the fluff, some will have to starve and burn off calories, some others require surgical intervention, and some succumb to the fatty content.. Each has his own way....

signs of a person engaged in yogic activities

अलौल्यमारोग्यमनिष्ठुरत्वं गन्धः शुभो मूत्रपुरीषमल्पम्।

कान्तिः प्रसादः स्वरसौम्यता च योगप्रवृत्तेः प्रथमं हि चिह्नम्॥

शार्ङ्गधरपद्धती

alaulyamārogyamaniṣṭhuratvaṁ gandhaḥ śubho mūtrapurīṣamalpam|

kāntiḥ prasādaḥ svarasaumyatā ca yogapravṛtteḥ prathamaṁ hi cihnam||

śārṅgadharapaddhatī

The positive effects of one being engaged in yoga practices is summarized in a sloka in Sargadhara Paddhathi a 14th century compilation of wise saying.. attributed to Sargadhara.. traced to present day Rajasthan

============

The foremost signs of a person engaged in yogic activities are

1. clarity of thought.. confidence and lack of frivolity

2. Robust physical health

3. Absence of cruelty in thoughts, words and deeds

4. Pleasant physical Odour

5. Adequate but not excessive passing of urine and excreta

6. Physical lustre

7. Pleasant demeanour

8. Mildness and softness in tone

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Is it not worth giving a try to Yoga, even if a single of the above attributes would visit us.?

===========

Analysis..

अलोल्यं lack of tendency to take things lightly

आरोग्यं good health

अनिष्ठुरत्वं lack of cruelty

शुभो गन्धः pleasant and benevolent odour

अल्पं मूत्र पूरीषः limited urine and excreta

कान्तिः lustre, shine

प्रसादः pleasantness

स्वरसौम्यता mildness, softness in tone

एते योगप्रवृत्तेः प्रथमं चिह्नं हि these are the foremost signs of one who is engaged in yogic activities.

Three definitions of Yoga are seen in gita.

Three definitions of Yoga are seen in gita.
योगः कर्मसु कैशलम् yogah karmasu kausahalm
समत्वं योग उच्यते samatwam yoga uchyate

योगो भवति दुःखहा yoga becomes the remover of sorrows

First complete efficiency in work is Yoga
Second ..Equanimity is yoga

Third Yoga leads to balance and realism in all states of existence..waking dreaming sleeping and turiya stated and therefore is the killer of sorrows.

These three principles should cover all the secular aspects of yoga and gita roo

musings 81

I quoted something from Bagavat Gita and remarked that the quotes form rather the secular content of Gita.

A person asks

"Why quote it as secular.. It is from Bhagavat Gita a HIndu book

My answer is..

Bagavat gita is from an epic Mabhabharatham.. a creation for the whole of the universe and mankind..

Where is it ever said that the itihasam is Hindu..?

 Is any particular religion called Hinduism defined in the time of Mahabharatham..

So what is the justification in calling Gita a Hindu book?

In fact, no book has any religion

And I mentioned the three statements on yoga  (समत्वं योग उच्यते, योगः कर्मसु कौशलं, योगी भवति दुःखहा )as secular because they have nothing to do with any religion or worship.. but are mere records of reality..

Let me make it clear..

If you are trying to read my posts always in the light of religion or brahminism, that is not in accordance or in consonance with my beliefs or convictions.

Religion, spiritualism, etc happen .. just to reinforce the moral fabric in a human being

So ideas can be imbibed and quoted from any source including religion..

But that does not necessarily imply that such ideas are the copyright or exclusive property of any particular religion

And genuine secularism is to raise up above blind and unreasonable adherence to an idea merely on the basis of a religion..

The definitions of Yoga in Gita are not definitely religious ..

They are universal.. they transcend religions

If a great idea is found in a religious text and it is praised as shining above religion and therefore it is considered as secular, how can you counter that concept saying that the text from which idea is quoted belongs to a particular religion?

Words, ideas, and books are open for all..

And such words ideas and books which lead to moral elevation are more so.

If anyone sees me in the light of propagator of any blind faith, they are mistaken..

I want to steer clear of such persons..

Faith in god is something which is between me and my god.

.And that is not a subject for social media posts..