SOEM YOGA MOVES

Articles In This Section:

· LEARNING DEEP CONTRACTION IN YOGA

· KNOW HOW TO KEEP FIT

· DEEP CONTRACTION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT OF YOGA

· SOEM YOGA MOVES

· GETTING THE BENEFITS OF RELAXATION AND CONTRACTION

Next sit up and try grasping your toes or ankles with your hands, bending the trunk and keeping the legs stretched out. Continue to bend as far forward as possible, holding this position for a few moments before loosening your grip and slowly sitting up once more. Do not worry if at first you are unable to grasp your feet. You will gradually grow more Umber as you continue exercising a little every day. The main thing to keep in mind is that you are doing the best you can—and not to overtax yourself. Remember, too, to avoid jerky motions: the stretch should be natural. Again you have just completed the first step in a Yoga posture which has special value in strengthening the abdomen and spine, the Paschimottanasana (see Chapter XI).

Now lie flat on your stomach, keeping your legs straight out. Place your hands on the floor in line with the shoulders. Try to hft yourself by pressing down on the hands. At first this may seem hard, but after a week or so you will be able to hft your whole body from the hips up—and you will have performed the first part of the Bhujangasan, or Snake Posture (see Chapter XI), which is excellent for the spine.

Your last stretch is to be done standing. Stand with the feet slightly apart, knees slightly bent. Place the hands on the thighs. Take a deep breath, exhale, then expel the breath sharply. Now try to draw the abdomen in and up, raising the diaphragm as high as possible. Hold this position a moment, then relax. You have completed the first step toward the Ud-diyana Bandha (See Chapter XI), an asana which massages the colon, the large and small intestines, and starts peristaltic action, generally doing away with any tendency to constipa -tion by invigorating the nerves which control intestinal movements. Moreover, muscles which ordinarily are beyond our voluntary control are involved here. This is an exercise which also helps a fallen stomach, intestines or uterus. It should, of course, always be done on an empty stomach.

Ideally, when you try this final routine the stomach should be sucked in so deep that it practically disappears. But the beginning student is hardly likely to achieve anything like such an effect, for the average person's neglected abdominal muscles are apt to be weak and unresponsive. However, here again you are not striving for perfection. This, like the previous routines, should be in the nature of a glorified stretch. Do not ask too much of yourself. Be content to make haste slowly.

As to timing—each of the above four exercises should take about a minute so that, with rests in between, you should allow five minutes for the lot. Get in the habit of doing them immediately after your Deep Relaxation period, either before breakfast or the last thing at night. If neither time is feasible, find some other convenient break during the day. But always be sure to wear loose, comfortable clothing and to allow at least two and preferably three hours to elapse after a meal before you begin.