Healing Yogic Traditions: Knowing more about Pranayama: Extending your Life Force

Table of Contents

Introduction
A Basic Introduction to Yogic Practices
How Not to do Yoga!
5 Forms and Methods to Achieve Your Final Goal – Sadhana
The 5 Yogic Rules – Niyamas for Right Living
Meditative Asanas
The Lotus Pose- Padmasana- P’h d’mma aasana
Sukhasana- Happy Pose
Vajrasana-literally Thunderbolt/Iron Posture
Sidhasana – the Adept’s Pose
The Jnana Mudra
The Anuloma/Viloma Pranayama
Surya- Bhedana Pranayama
Bandhas- Bund- Huh
Abdominal Lock-Uddiyana Bandha-
Mool Bandha or rectal lock
Sheetali Pranayama - the cooling Pranayama
Sheetkari Pranayama
Ujjayi Pranayama – the Victorious Breath
Conclusion
Author Bio
Publisher

Introduction

Why am I writing this book on yoga, its practices and most of all, on Pranayama- literally the extension of the life force?

Well, I was just reading Diana Killian’s fourth book on the mantra for murder series – Death in a Difficult Position, I said, aha , here it comes. Here is somebody going to say that yoga is the work of the devil, it is unchristian like, and it was his job as an evangelist to speak against it. The practice of yoga was the work of the devil and no God-fearing soul was permitted to do anything which would imperil his soul and prevent him from going to heaven.

The Reverend David Goode was doing that to get some free publicity in the story. In fact he was not even a Reverend at all. And he was getting an audience to listen to him. Those were the people who definitely had not bothered to try out yoga for themselves and let somebody else do their thinking for them.

This book is for all of my friends out there who want to know more about Eastern philosophy, and the way human beings lived 5000 years ago, disciplining themselves through regular yogic practices.
Well, my friends, the truth is that there are many people out there, who still believe that the word yoga is based on religious practices. I have been practicing yoga, ever since I was a child, without even knowing anything about the rational and practical interpretation of scientifically sound methods with which diseases could be prevented, cured, and one could have a physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally sound body.

We children learned yoga, as a part of our lifestyles, exercising every morning during school prayers. And boy, were we healthy! Also, it was such fun, trying to sit in Lotus poses – we did not know that they were called Lotus poses, but we had to sit the way our teacher did, and as we were really flexible, we did not have burning ankles at the end of the session!
So for everybody who is out there thinking that yoga is restricted to just one region or people, I am here to emphatically say no. Yoga was thought up more than 6000 years ago, in the East, based on experiments by wise men who had time to meditate on the Science of Living, and the best way in which mankind could achieve enlightenment.

Yoga is universal and nondenominational. It does not take into account your nationality, beliefs, culture, traditions, creed, cast, race, age, gender, and mental and spiritual make up. It is not a religious discipline. It is a way of living, and a practical art of living lifestyle.

You cannot just put on a garb of a holy one, read religious text, and talking about them to be called a Yogi – Master – teacher. You have to practice what you preach. Ancient yoga was actually taught by teachers in Sanskrit, when people could understand the meaning of the Sutras – literally aphorisms.

At that time they had all the time in the world to spend years and years in order to gain knowledge in the Hermitages under the guidance of their wise men. Times have changed today. One literally has to take time out to sit and stare. He definitely does not have the time to go out in the open air, and take 15 minutes out to sit quietly in a place and meditate on the unity of his spirit with the universal spirit of the one most powerful being who created the universe.