FINAL INGREDIENT WITH ASANAS

Articles In This Section:

· SECOND CHANCE AT YOUTH

· ENDOCRINE GLANDS

· APPRECIATING THE YOGI'S PHILOSOPHICAL AND SPIRITUAL ORIENTATION

· THE THYROID

· GONADS THE ENDOCRINES

· FINAL INGREDIENT WITH ASANAS

· SENILITY IS DUE TO THYROID DEGENERATION

To keep your spine straight and Umber and promote good elimination, try the Camel Pose, and later the Spine and Fish Poses. You will notice that these also keep the pelvic region young and strong. The Cobra Pose combined with the Posterior Stretch makes for rejuvenation of the entire body, stimulating most of the vital organs. The Plough Posture is insurance against arthritis. Whichever asanas you choose, remember that in order to benefit from the very start, it is wise to work out a program that is realistic for you and relatively easy to execute. You are not trying to win prizes for achievement, or even for effort. All you want is results. Later on, as you continue to practice you will become more adventurous and start experimenting with more difficult asanas. By then your body will have become much more responsive and you will never want to go back to your old habits of inactivity. But do not try to rush results. And remember never to neglect relaxation poses; the Savasana and either the Lotus Pose or the

Simple Pose are a must for you along with the more arduous exercises.

There is one final ingredient which asanas alone will never supply. Done merely as exercises, no matter how accurately and faithfully, they would remain a glorified "daily dozen" unless your mind and your spirit were fully involved. The will to change, to grow instead of ossifying, to give of yourself and to make yourself wide-open to new experiences—these too are part of the secret of eternal youth. So also is the will to live. Just as doctors agree that such a will is often the single precious factor making the difference between saving a patient and losing him, so also we cannot get along without it in our day-by-day existence. Think young and you will remain young. Think old and your joints will creak in answer.

How else can you influence your own longevity? This entire book is really an answer to that question. If you have followed it carefully, you know by now the secrets of the trinity of mind, body and spirit which can make you over into a powerhouse of creative vitality. You know how mind influences matter while matter, in this case your nerves and muscles and blood vessels and secretions, influences mind. You know what happens when these forces work harmoniously and also the consequences of their being divided against each other.

There are a few simple rules which the Yogis follow and which might be mentioned here: Freedom being the recognition of necessity, it is wise to recognize that as we grow older we must husband our resources. We can no longer drive ourselves like youngsters and will do well to avoid fatigue and any unnecessary expenditure of energy. We need rest and sleep. On the other hand cutting down on food is advisable after the age of thirty-five. Leanness and longevity go together, as the

Yogis have known for centuries and as our nutrition experts now frequently remind us.