Yoga Notes - MMHV - 2022-2023 - 1st Semester PDF
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MMHV
2023
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This document provides notes on yoga, including various yoga poses and pranayama techniques. It is suitable for yoga students.
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DAY 1 Yoga य ोगः ∙ The term Yoga has its verbal root as yūj in Sanskrit. Yoga is that which joins. In traditional terminology, it is joining the individual self with the universal self ∙ Patañjali, the father of Y...
DAY 1 Yoga य ोगः ∙ The term Yoga has its verbal root as yūj in Sanskrit. Yoga is that which joins. In traditional terminology, it is joining the individual self with the universal self ∙ Patañjali, the father of Yoga, compiled all the essential features and principles of Yoga in the form of Sūtras or Aphorisms ∙ These Yogasūtras involve eight (8) limbs called Aṣṭāṅgayoga which can be applied in your day-to-day life for contemplation and for dealing with challenging situations in life ∙ According to Patañjali, Yoga is a conscious process of gaining control over the mind स्वर-सयं ोग स्वर-सयं ोग is a concept developed in India. It emphasises the need to stay aware that we're deeply related to breath. Generally, the human mind tends to ignore or take for granted that life is the source of existence. All that we plan and execute is only when we're breathing. Our life, its vision and the desire to achieve all goals successfully become intense when we respectfully treat our breath through practices developed by the Masters of Yoga. One such technique is called as स्वर-सयं ोग Herein, the flow of the breath is to be aligned with the movement in the postures. प्राणायाम Prāṇāyāma Prāṇāyāma (प्राणायाम) is a Sanskrit word meaning “Causing a movement of the Prāṇa or breath" or "extension of the life force". The word comprises two Sanskrit words – Prāṇa, life force, or vital energy, particularly, the breath, and "āyāma", to extend or draw out The process of respiration has three components – I. Pūraka (परूक) – Inspiration of air II. Recaka (रचे क) – Expiration of air III. Kumbhaka (कुम्भक) – Breath retention Kumbhaka (कुम्भक) is of 2 types – 1. Antaḥ Kumbaka (अन्तः कुम्भक) – Retention of the breath after the inspiration of air 2. Bāhya kumbhaka (बाह्य कुम्भक) – Retention of breath at the end of expiration. Sūryanamaskāra 1. Sūryanamaskāra is a set of 14 fixed cyclic movements (āsanas), which bring body, breath, and mind together 2. Sūryanamaskāra postures act as an excellent link between warm-ups and asanas as it works on all the body’s major muscles 3. Sūryanamaskāra postures are energising and relaxing. They also make the body flexible and improve blood circulation 4. The vital internal organs also become more functional with better blood circulation. It also benefits our skeletal and digestive systems 5. Some Sun Salutation poses help us lose extra fat on the belly by stimulating sluggish glands like the thyroid gland (which significantly affects our weight) and inducing it to increase hormonal secretions 6. Morning is considered the best time for Sūryanamaskāra as it revitalises the body and refreshes the mind, preparing us to take on all tasks of the day Tāḍāsana – Initial Position Namaskāra – Sthitiḥ/Āsana Ūrdhvāsana – Pūraka (परूक) as you arch back Pāda-hasta-āsana - Recaka (रचे क) as you bend forward Eka-pāda-prasaraṇa-āsana Pūraka (परूक) as you stretch your right leg back Dvi-pāda-prasaraṇa-āsana Recaka (रचे क) as you stretch another leg back Śaśāṅkāsana Pūraka (परूक) and Recaka (रचे क), breathe normally as you sit on your heels and bend down with your arms stretched Aśtahānga-namaskāra-āsana Recaka (रचे क), lie down and lift your hips and buttocks off the floor so that the chin, chest, palms, knees and toes are in contact with the floor. Ūrdhvā-mukha-śvāna-āsana Pūraka (परूक) as you lift your knees off the floor and arch your back Adho-mukha-śvāna-āsana Recaka (रचे क) as you bend downward and look at your feet Śaśāṅkāsana Pūraka (परूक) and Recaka (रचे क), breathe normally as you sit and bend down with your arms stretched Eka-pāda-prasaraṇa-āsanaPūraka (परूक) and stretch left leg back Pāda-hasta-āsana Recaka (रचे क) and bend forward Ūrdhvāsana Pūraka (परुक) as you arch back Namaskāra-Sthitiḥ/Namaskāra-āsana Tāḍāsana – Initial Position DAY 2 What is an Āsana? A steady and comfortable posture is called āsana Tāḍāsana - Basic Standing āsana Procedure for Tāḍāsana 1. Stand Straight. Join the feet and bring the toes and inner ankle bone closer 2. The weight of the body must be distributed equally on both feet 3. Straighten the legs by pulling the kneecaps upward 4. Tighten the thigh muscles, tighten the buttock muscles, and suck in the abdomen 5. Broaden the chest. Widen the shoulder from the centre collarbone to the sides of the shoulder 6. Lengthen all the muscles and joints of the hands. Keep the elbows straight. Both the palms facing the thigh and keep the fingers pointing downwards 7. Loosen the facial muscles and relax 8. Breathe normally and maintain this posture for 20 to 30 seconds Daṇḍāsana - Basic sitting āsana Procedure for Daṇḍāsana 1. Sitstraight with legs extended forward. Keep thighs, knees, ankles, and toes together 2. Pull all the toes towards the kneecap and stretch the heels outward 3. Keep both palms on the floor by the side of the hips, with the fingers pointing towards the legs 4. Inhale,raise the spine. Keep the elbows straight, broaden the chest, head and neck, and look straight ahead 5. Loosen the facial muscles and relax 6. Breathe normally and maintain this posture for 20 to 30 seconds Śithila Tāḍāsana A relaxing āsana Procedure for Śithila Tāḍāsana 1. Stand straight with legs about 6 to 12 inches apart 2. Hands hanging freely by the side of the body with the shoulders collapsed 3. Let the head hang freely behind or rest on either side of the shoulder 4. Make sure that the body is completely relaxed 5. Gently close the eyes Śithila Daṇḍāsana – Relaxing āsana Procedure for Śithila Daṇḍāsana 1. Sit with legs stretched apart and relax 2. Slightly incline the trunk backwards, supporting the body by placing the hands behind 3. Fingers pointing backwards 4. Let the head hang freely behind or rest on either side of the shoulder 5. Gently close your eyes What is the difference between STABILITY & BALANCE? If, BALANCE is the ability to control the body without movement against gravity, STABILITY is the ability to control the body during movement POSTURE - 1 Vṛkṣāsana This āsana increases the balance in the body Vṛkṣāsana A balancing āsana Procedure for Vṛkṣāsana 1. Stand in Tāḍāsana 2. Bend your right knee and place your right foot high on your left inner thigh. The sole should be placed flat and firmly near the root of the left thigh 3. Make sure your left leg is straight with all the toes pointing to the front. Find your balance 4. Inhale, raise your arms over your head from the side, bring your palms together, and interlock your fingers. Palms should face the ceiling 5. Keep the head straight and look straight ahead 6. Breathing normally, maintain this posture for 20 to 30 seconds 7. Exhale, remove your hands from the sides, release the right leg, and relax POSTURE - 2 Parivṛtta-tri-koṇāsana This āsana gives a rotational movement to the spine This āsana is a beautiful way to understand our ERROR of PERCEPTION Differentiating the Rotation of the Shoulder and Hip This āsana also increases the stability of the body and mind Parivṛtta-tri-koṇāsan a A hip-opening āsana Procedure for Parivṛtta-tri-koṇāsana 1. Stand in Tāḍāsana 2. Inhale, stretch the right leg to the right side with a distance of 3 to 3 ½ feet and extend the arms horizontally in line with the shoulders 3. Turn the right foot sideways to 90 degrees and the left to 60 degrees 4. Exhale and rotate the trunk in the opposite direction, i.e., to the right, to bring the left palm to the floor near the outer side of the right foot 5. Raise the right arm up, bringing it in line with the left arm 6. Turn the head and keep the eye fixed at the tip of the right thumb 7. Breathe normally and maintain this posture for 20 to 30 seconds 8. Inhale and raise the left hand off the floor, rotate the trunk back to its original position, exhale, come to position two, drop the hands, and join the feet 9. Come back to Tāḍāsana POSTURE - 3 Vīrabhadrāsana Many martial artists use this āsana as a foundational posture. FENCING, a game as seen in the Olympics, is a game that tests the strength of legs and thighs in particular This āsana improves our ability of grounding and, thus, the overall stability and balance of the body Vīrabhadrāsan a A Thigh stretching āsana Procedure for Vīrabhadrāsna 1. Stand in Tāḍāsana 2. Inhale, stretch the right leg to the right side. Maintain a 3½ to 4 feet distance between both legs and extend the arms horizontally in line with the shoulders. 3. Turn the right foot sideways to 90 degrees and the left to 60 degrees 4. Exhale and bend the right knee perpendicular to the ground. Keep the left knee straight 5. When you bend the right knee, the angle between the thigh and the shin should be a sharp 90 degrees 6. Turn the head to the right and keep the eye fixed at the tip of the middle finger 7. Inhale and straighten the right knee and exhale, drop the hand down and join the feet 8. Come back to Tāḍāsana POSTURE - 4 Paścimotthānasana Though all āsanas can exhibit a harmonious relationship between the different body parts, this āsana is one of the easiest ways to understand the body's harmony The Calves and their Relationship with the Feet Movement Paścimotthānasana – A Calf muscles loosening āsana Procedure for Paścimotthānasana 1. Sit in Daṇḍāsanam 2. Straighten the legs by pulling the toes towards the knee and extending the heels outward 3. Inhale, raise both hands from the side and take them above your head. Lengthen the spine 4. Exhale, stretch the hands forward and hook the big toes with your fingers. Make the back concave, broaden the chest forward, and place it on the knees 5. Breathe normally and maintain this posture for 20 to 30 seconds 6. Inhale, stretch the hands forward, lift the trunk upwards and lower the hands 7. Exhale and relax POSTURE - 5 Baddha-koṇāsana Āsana is one of the very few physical sciences that give us an experience of utilising all body muscles. Further, it helps us to remove rigidity and simultaneously add different dimensions of strength and flexibility to the muscles. Baddha-koṇāsana – A Groin muscle loosening āsana Procedure for Baddha-koṇāsana 1.Sit in Daṇḍāsanam 2.Fold the right leg and then the left leg and place the heels closer to the perineum. Keep the feet together 3.Inhale, straighten the back and broaden the chest 4.Exhale, bend the elbows, place them on the knee's inner joint, and gently push the knee towards the ground. Stretch the back and bend forward. Place the forehead on the ground 5.Breathe normally and maintain this posture for 20 to 30 seconds 6.With an inhalation, lift the head, stretch the back, and slowly come up by lifting the trunk upwards and sitting straight 7.Return to position 2 8.Exhale and release the legs and relax POSTURE - 6 Nāvāsana Today the aviation industry is exploring ways to develop jets that are noise-free, inspired by owls, which fly without making any sound. Such jets become a very powerful enemy plane, that can destroy the enemies without giving a little clue to the enemy about their arrival. The life of animals and birds can teach us lessons to understand science better. Similarly, a few man-made objects can also teach us how to understand the body. The boat which is a beautiful structure to sail through the water, can teach us to balance our body on the buttocks and simultaneously develop core strength. Āsanas thus, help us understand the symbiotic relationship between human beings and nature. Nāvāsana A core strengthening āsana Procedure for Nāvāsana 1. Sit in Daṇḍāsanam 2. Place the palms on the ground behind the buttocks 3. Lean backwards with the support of your hands 4. With an inhalation, lift the legs slowly above the ground. Stretch the hands forward, parallel beside the knees; palms should face each other 5. Feet should be slightly above the level of the head. Support your body weight on the tailbone and buttock bones. Broaden the chest. Gaze at the tip of the big toes 6. Breathe normally and maintain this posture for 20 to 30 sec; lower the legs slowly 7. Exhale, bring the hands down to the floor and lower the legs slowly and relax POSTURE - 7 Uṣṭrāsanam How to stop slouching? Try back bending Uṣṭrāsanam – A lower back strengthening āsana Procedure for Uṣṭrāsanam 1. Sit in Daṇḍāsanam 2. Fold the legs and sit in Vajrāsana 3. Come forward to stand firmly on the knees 4. Place the right palm on the right waist and the left palm on the left waist. Elbows should be parallel to each other, with the fingers of both the thumb touching each other 5. Inhale, rotate the right hand and place the right palm on the right heel. Then, rotate the left hand and place the left palm on the left heel 6. Keep the thighs perpendicular to the ground. Stretch the toes backwards. Straighten the elbows. Hang the head backwards and place the palms on the soles of the feet 7. Breathe normally and maintain this posture for 20 to 30 seconds 8. With an inhalation, return to position four and then to position 2 9. Exhale and release the legs and relax POSTURE - 8 Gomukhāsan a A Shoulder opening āsana Gomukhāsana Shoulder opening āsana BACK-VIEW FRONT-VIEW Procedure for Gomukhāsana 1. Sit in Daṇḍāsanam 2. Inhale folds your right leg, place it closer to your left buttock and fold your left leg, place it closer to your right buttock 3. Place both your knees together as they are stacked one on the other 4. Raise the right arm from the side, take it above your head, and bend the elbow Simultaneously, bring the left arm behind your back and interlock both hands 5. Breathe normally and maintain this posture for 20 to 30 seconds 6. Exhale, release the hands and the legs and relax POSTURE - 9 Vajrāsanam Can we keep our lower back straight without any special efforts? vajrāsanam An ankle-loosening āsana FRONT-VIEW SIDE-VIEW BACK-VIEW Procedure for Vajrāsanam 1. Sit in Daṇḍāsanam 2. Fold the right leg from the right side and place the foot under the right buttock 3. Fold the right leg from the left side and place the foot under the left buttock 4. Join the heels. The toes should stretch outwards. Straighten the back. Place the buttock on the heels 5. Turn the palms downwards and place them on the thighs closer to the knees 6. Breathe normally and maintain this posture for 1 minute 7. Exhale, release the legs and relax Śavāsana ∙ Śava means a corpse or a dead body. The literal meaning here is to be as stable and still as a dead body is. ∙ However, the only thing differentiating between the dead body and the person in the posture that resembles a dead body is AWARENESS. Śavāsana 1. This relaxation is done after asana and pranayama practice 2. This can be done on the chair or lying down on a yoga mat 3. Remove spectacles and wristwatch 4. Kindly switch off your phone during practice 5. Throughout the practice eyes should remain closed st 6. In the 1 stage, you observe the abdominal movements for five rounds. No manipulation with the breath st nd 7. To practice the 1 stage, you may place your right palm on the abdomen 8. In the 2 stage, synchronize the abdominal movements with the breathing for 5 rounds 9. In the 3rd stage, breathe with the feeling for 5 rounds DAY - 3 Bhrāmarī In Bhrāmarī the exhalation sound very much resembles the sound of a bee’s fluttering wings, and it is because of this, it is named as Bhrāmarī. Benefits of Bhrāmarī 1. This is the best method to achieve the concentration of the mind 2. It, over a period of time of regular practice, channelizes the mind into any one chosen action 3. It soothes the brain nerves immediately and can positively relieve various mental discomforts 4. Eliminates throat ailments like tonsils, pain etc. 5. Beneficial in relieving all forms of negative thoughts, only if practised regularly. Procedure for Bhrāmarī 1. Sit in Vajrāsana/Padmāsana/Sukhāsana 2. Close your eyes and breathe deeply in and out 3. Keep your spine upright and chin pointing towards the chest 4. Close your eyes. Adopt Ṣaṇmukhī-Mudrā. Bring the index and middle fingers over the eyelids. Draw the upper lids down with the pads of the middle finger and cover the remaining space above it with the pads of the index finger. Press the nostrils with the tips of the ring fingers. Keep the little fingers above the upper lip and close the ears with the thumb 5. Keep your mouth closed; breathe out slowly through your nose by making a humming sound with the help of N-kāra 5. Repeat this process for nine rounds Padmāsana – A meditative posture Important points to be remembered for Bhrāmarī ∙ While practising Bhrāmarī, we need to use the sound of 'N-Kāra' and not 'M-kara’ ∙ To chant 'N-kāra', you chant any word ending with 'N' such as King, Ring, Sing and stretch the 'ing' part ∙ Touch the tip of the tongue to the mouth’s upper (hard) palate Ṣaṇmukhi-Mudrā Trāṭaka Trāṭaka 1. The word Trāṭaka means ‘steady gazing’ 2. It is one of the Ṣaṭkarma (Six forms of Yogic cleansing), which helps in cleansing the inner tracts of the eyes, namely the optical path. 3. The process of Trāṭaka involves gazing at one point or object without blinking the eyes. 4. Through this method, all the attention and power of the mind is challenged into one continuous stream. Trāṭaka It involves 4 stages: 1. Effortless Gazing 2. Intense Gazing 3. De-focusing 4. Silence Trāṭaka Preparations ∙ Get candles, a candle stand and matchbox, plate. ∙ Wash your eyes with cool and clean water (with an eye cup if available) before practising for good results. ∙ When you practice in a group, sit around the candle stand, making a circle at a sufficient distance from the candle stand (1.5 to 2 meters). The maximum number of participants in a group around could be about ten. Keep the candle at the same level as the eyes. ∙ Arrange a few chairs for those unable to sit on the ground. ∙ Trāṭaka must be practised on a steady flame. ∙ Remove glasses, wristwatches, or any accessory that may be distractive and make yourself comfortable in the posture. ∙ Trāṭaka should be performed after asanas and pranayama. ∙ During palming, don’t let the fingers touch or press the eyeballs. Step 1 – Effortless gazing or Focusing Let us start Stage-I of Trātaka i.e.,“Effortless gazing or Focusing.” Gently open your eyes with a few blinks and look at the floor. Do not look at the flame directly Slowly shift your vision to the base of the candle stand, then move to the top of the stand, then to the candle, and then slowly look at the candle’s flame. Now, start gazing at the whole flame without any effort. Do not blink your eyes. There may be a few irritating sensations, but use your willpower and gaze in a relaxed way. If tears appear, allow them to flow freely. This is a sign of good practice. Let the tears wash out the impurities from the eyes. Learn to ignore the irritation and watering of the eyes Gaze at the flame for about 30 seconds Slowly close your eyes, rub your palms against each other for a few seconds, form a cup of your palms, and cover your eyeballs Give press and release palming After completing five rounds, gently drop your hands down Step II – Intensive Gazing ∙ Gently open your eyes with a few blinks and look at the floor. Do not look at the flame directly ∙ Slowly shift your vision to the base of the candle stand, then move to the top of the stand, then to the candle, and then slowly look at the candle’s flame. Now, start gazing at the whole flame without any effort ∙ Slowly gaze at the tip of the wick of a candle, the small black cord. Focus your attention at one point. This is a practice of focusing and concentration. Keep on gazing; use your willpower. Let the tears come out, and try not to blink your eyes. By practice, the gaze becomes steady, making the mind one-pointed ∙ Gaze at the flame for about 30 seconds ∙ Slowly close your eyes, rub your palms against each other for a few seconds, then form a cup of your palms and cover your eyeballs ∙ Give constant pressure palming. Press constantly around the eyeballs with your palms, inhale deeply, and exhale completely. Continue four more rounds. Count mentally. Do not touch the eyeballs with your palms directly. Relax your eye muscles completely ∙ After completing five rounds, gently drop your hands down ∙ Feel the cool sensation around the eyeballs. Relax for a few seconds. Do not open your eyes immediately Step III – De-focusing Let us proceed to Stage III of Trātaka i.e.,“De-focusing” Gently open your eyes with a few blinks and look at the floor. Do not look at the flame directly Slowly shift your vision to the base of the candle stand then move to the top of the stand, then to the candle and then slowly look at the flame of the candle. First, fix your attention on the flame, then gradually widen your vision. Slowly de-focus your attention from the flame and have a de-focused gaze on the flame. With expansive awareness, collect all the details of the flame such as the colour of the flame, the shape of the flame, and the aura around the flame. Then observe the aura expanding more and more and see the small light particles around the flame Recognize the subtle changes achieved by de-focusing After one minute of de-focusing, gaze or focus on the flame. Slowly close your eyes and retain the image in your mind. Visualize the flame between your eyebrows and collect all the details with your eyes closed. When the image disappears go for palming This time we combine palming with breathing and Bhrāmari. First, apply constant pressure around your eyes, then inhale and chant Bhrāmari Mm....; feel the vibrations of Bhrāmari throughout the body; repeat the same Inhale – chant Nn.... as you exhale, inhale Nn...., inhale Nn.... and the last round inhale Nn....; feel the sound resonance in the entire head region, especially around the eye region. Step IV – Silence ∙ Feel the silence and relax for a while. After sufficient relaxation, gently drop your hands down. Sit quietly for some time and feel the profound comforting effect of the practice. Be aware of the changes taking place inside you. Recognise that the mind has become entirely calm; your concentration, willpower, and sharpness of eyesight have improved ∙ Gently bring your hands behind the back, catch hold of the right wrist with your left palm, make a loose fist with the right hand and feel the pulse of the right hand ∙ As you exhale, gently bend down towards the floor ∙ Come back as you inhale. Gently give a feather massage around the eye muscles with three fingers (index, middle, and ring fingers) Benefits of Trāṭaka ∙ It keeps away the eye strain by improving the stamina of eye muscles and by giving deep relaxation to them. ∙ It makes the eyes clear, bright and radiant. ∙ It cleanses the tear glands and purifies the optical system. ∙ It balances the nervous system, relieving nervous tension, depression, and insomnia. ∙ It helps to develop intense concentration and improves memory. ∙ It helps to develop a strong will power. ∙ It's an excellent preparation for mediation. ∙ Palming with the hands helps in reducing swelling and opens the sinus passage, relieving sinus pressure and pain.