Fifth self study sheet

Aum Guruve Namaha

SHORT ESSAYS

1. Is someone would say, “I am sick”. Swamiji would reply, no you are not. You are toxic”. What did he
mean by this?

He furthermore would say.” Learn the difference between being sick to get sicker and sick to get
better”. What did he mean by this?

Well let me try to guess what Swamiji meant by this. The yogi’s body can fall sick during the process of
cleansing. The wastes or toxic substances are be stored in body due to unhealthy lifestyle, or bad food
habits or harmful attitude or negative emotions. These substances get stored in the body and create
sickness immediately or at some other point of time (when it has a trigger). Yoga cleanses the body at
the cellular level and hence layers of filth that has been deposited will be washed out and this washing
can happen in the form of fever, cold etc.

Some people fall sick (mostly unconsciously) as a matter of habit, as a means of escapism from
duty\reality, as an attention seeking tool, as an excuse from not doing one’s Dharma, as a self pity
exercise etc. in such cases, sickness breeds sickness. Excessive attention and pampering is given to the
sickness and it is tempted to visit frequently and enjoy its stay in the body. It dulls the mind, reinforces
the unhealthy pattern of falling sick. They are some who exploit the body in the name of work, duty or to
feel a sense of importance and enjoy recognition for that. They do not give the rest the body needs and
the body can show signs of rest needed. If due rest is rejected for the body that can result in serious
sickness.

When a yogi falls, his sense of ease is not affected so much. He allows the body to do its work. He still
enjoys a sense of happiness and peace and co-operate with the body as per its needs. Yogis do not
glorify sickness and sickness leaves the body faster and leaves it for better.

I have noticed one difference. People who fall sick to get better do their dharma in spite of sickness and
those who fall sick to get sicker use sickness as an excuse to escape from Dharma. This is my current
opinion. Just as I change my opinions may change 

2. Maharishi Pathanjali’ yoga sutras and Swamiji’s statement “you don’t have problems. You are the
problem”. Its understanding of human nature and its application in daily life.

3. List Of Hatha Yoga Sets And Their Purpose

 Samasthithi group of asanas

 Hathenas

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 Loma viloma
 Katha Shaitilyas (Pelvic Looseners)
 Viparita Karana (Topsey Turvey positions)
 Dhyana or Pada Asanas (Meditative or Foot Postures)
 Oli Mudras

Overall purpose of each Hatha Yoga Set:

1.Samasthithi group of Asanas

Samasthithi group of Asanas is intended to improve body strength, flexibility and balance besides
increasing the awareness of the body and placement of limbs. It serves as a foundation set for other
Hatha yoga groups as it build the body’s readiness for advanced practices.

2. Overall purpose of Hathena Group

Hathena Group aims to increase one’s breathing capacity. It is a forcing technique intended to use and
expand the capacity of the entire lungs. It is well structured and rationally sequence of asanas aimed at
improving the breathing capacity of every lobe of the lung to its full potential.

4. Overall purpose of Loma Viloma

Loma Viloma is intended to develop, stimulate and balance the two great energy forces Prana and Apana
of our body. Prana or Loma is a positive, warm, golden masculine flow of energy while Apana or Viloma
is a cool, silvery, watery, moon like energy. By using the body in all its available positions with the
rationally structured asanas, we build up an energy account (the base of the body being the energy
bank)) which can remain dormant and be put to

5. Katha Shaitilyas (Pelvic Looseners)

As the name implies, they help in opening up the pelvis and loosen the legs.this group besides
srthening the abdominal organs and the digestion also builds a healthy attitude toewards the pelvic
region clearing up the negative memories associated with that region( the solar plexus being the seat of
the emotions, this group cleanses and strengthens that seat.as they improve the strength and flexibility
of the legs they sre very useful in prepearing the body for the foot postures as well.
6.Viparita Karana (Topsey Turvey positions)

This group stabilizes and strengthens the solar plexus area. Besides the physical benefits, every action at
a physical level has a corresponding effect on the mental, emotional and psychic planes as well. Thus by
strengthening the abdominal, solar plexus area one really builds the foundation for healthy physical,
mental and emotional set up of the body.

7. Dhyana or Pada Asanas

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Foot postures help in decrystallization of many of the nerve endings as we know that the feet contain
the reflex nerve endings of the body organs. Thus they help in stabilizing the glandular secretions of the
body by stimulating appropriate pressure points of the feet besides other benefits.

The asana that Patanjali refers to is basically a seated pose. (Asana comes from the Sanskrit word ‘asi’
which means to sit.)Practice of such postures enable the ease of sitting positions which are essential for
meditative practices eventually. The ability to sit with ease with the straight spine is highly essential as
one progresses in the Hatha Yoga Practice.

8.Oli Mudras

As per Swamiji’s statement, the Oli Mudras is “the bridge between Raja Yoga and Hatha yoga”. They have
benefits at highly multi dimensional level. I have not experienced its benefits at my current stage. From
the material given, I understand that they are excellent glandular stimulators. They facilitate the
channelizing of the gross sexual energy (Tejas) into subtle spiritually applicable power called Ojas.

4. Principle of Yantra and improvement it can bring in the quality of life?

“As the Graha, so the image, as the image so the experience. The Nine Grahas (planets) are The Nine
Chief Masks Of Reality. They are a group of powerful astral forces which inhabit the corporeal planets
in the same way that human personalities reside within human bodies. Their most important
influence is their ability to give us their Darshana (Darshana means both philosophy and seeing) and
to create image within us whether we will it or not (extracted from The Greatness Of Saturn by Robert
Svoboda. Pg 156).

I BELIEVE that the Nine Basic Numbers are the representations of the Nine Planets. They are just
another dimension to understand Reality. In this context I believe understanding these living entities
called numbers can have a profound effect in my perception and awareness and thus expand my
consciousness. Yantra – the science of name number and form….. I can hardly say I know this science. I
am given some tools to understand its framework.

I am exposed to some of the basic concepts of Yantra. I am yet to apply them with consciousness and
experience its effectiveness. It just gives a different perspective in understanding the law of karma and
offers tools to live a dharmic life in a harmonious and smooth way.

Just like every other art Yantra is again a living deity by herself and will come down to beings whose
consciousness is ready for its digestion. I believe that YANTRA has made me more open to these living
entities that I perceive as numbers. They are windows to reality.

In a very practical sense, it will help me understand and accept nature’s offerings in a holistic way. Most
important learning is that with every number, I understand (to an extent) the lesson to be learned for
this lifetime. Till I learn the lesson, the experience or the event is going to be repeated. Yantra prepares
the mind to open for such lessons and make the best out of every experience. Choosing the time for
important events and decisions and their implementation are very practically useful applications.

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It can offer powerful insights into relationship between name and form (which currently I cannot
comprehend adequately) I hope in future as my consciousness expands, that wisdom opens herself to
me. Understanding the harmony of sounds with the qualities of the birth path and making appropriate
changes in the name or the attitude can help along way in catalyzing my evolution.

I believe that I will make myself worthy to understand this science as I evolve. The better the
understanding, the better the quality of my life will be.

5.a student remarked” the Ashram structure protects me from my lower self” what did he or she
mean?

Honestly I do not know what he or she meant by it. I will try to guess the meaning . Lower self
implies the unhealthy egoistic conditioning stored in the animal brain. Just as how a plant needs the
fence till it attains a certain state of growth, this Ashram structure provides the fence of allowing only
certain behaviors to manifest... behaviors which fit into the structure…. This restriction coupled along
with the other disciplinary practices help one keep his lower nature in control until his Sattvic nature or
conscious behavior is well established. And one day you transcend the need to have fence called Ashram
Structure.

6. Meaning of Pranayama and its value in Evolution

Pranayama is a practice that cleanses controls, channelizes and leverages the bodily energies by
manipulation of breath. They are categorized into various types by way of their effect on the body.
Pranayama can be cleansing types (Yoga pranayamas)or to build concentration (Samyama pranayamas)
and some of advanced are called Shakthi Pranayama (work with higher energies and mostly involves The
Bandha Trayam)

On a theoretical level, I have been taught that breathing is a involuntary unconscious function that has
been conditioned in our being in the deepest of layers. By making this action a conscious controlled one,
very profound signals are sent to the body which eventually facilitates one to let go of this dependency
on breathing for survival. The survival instinct is acted upon in a positive way. This impact will catalyze
the evolutionary process significantly. Well, I believe in this learning but my comprehension of the
experience with Pranayama has not yet been to the level of realizing this learning.

Besides the direct benefits of a Pranayama like emotional balance, increased concentration, expansion of
consciousness is probably the most significant benefit with respect to evolution. In my exposure to many
of the Prakriyas and pranayamas like Savithri and other named after the alternate breathing practices, I
have realized they are highly effective in cleansing the sub conscious trauma and building positive self
images that penetrate deep into the consciousness. It bridges the gap between the conscious and
unconscious mind. With respect to the Eka Desi Prakriya, I have had insights to understand the
extrapolation of the past events into current life and replaying of the trauma. THIS is a very mundane
example of the levels at which pranayamas work. I am sure it works on a lot more levels that I cannot see
in my current range of perception.

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7. Meaning of Asana and its value in Evolution

Asana has been derived from the Sanskrit word “asi” which means ‘to sit’ or ‘to be’. Traditionally
scriptures refer to asanas as sitting positions only. In the past hundred years the spectrum of positions
has been increased. Asana is a meaningful, purposeful, controlled position (physical, mental and
emotional). They operate and benefit a sadhaka at multi dimensional levels.

Asana is about building the space within and without oneself. “You build the building and then the
building builds you”. This saying can be extrapolated to the body as well. You build the body and the
body builds you. You build your space and then the space builds you. It is an ongoing interdependent
inter - influential process.

An asana build up one’s body so that it begins to build one in a healthier way. From the outside it may
look like we are acting on the physical level. For an outsider asana may look like physical work alone but
any action on physical plane impacts the emotional, mental and psychic planes as well. The degree of
impact on the other planes depends on the level of consciousness.

There is an esoteric to the meaning of asana itself. In this essay I shall share how the Hatha Yoga Asanas
facilitate evolution. Asanas are named after animals, birds, objects or sages or with respect to the
technicality of the position. It is a beautiful ego sublimating exercise. Asana when done with right
attitude helps you to identify with something or someone that you usually do not relate with. For that
moment you let go your ego to become something else. Besides many of the unhealthy animal
conditioning that we have carried in various incarnations are cleansed as perform the asanas that
resonate with them.

Asana is basically higher wisdom coded into a spatial kinesthetic dimension. To access that wisdom, the
correctness of the physical posture along with the attitude and emotion will have to be in place. This
happens by conscious sincere practice. Sometimes when you do the asana, you know you are “there”.
Some thought which are too beautiful to be mine come into my mind. The various stretches, pressure
applied on the body, the twists and pressure exerted prepare all the koshas for the digestion of the
higher energies that flow into the body as a byproduct of advanced practices.

6. Music is the easiest way to access wisdom… to get in touch with your nature. The beauty is every
being can access the wisdom in varying degrees of subtlety according to the plane of consciousness they
operate from. It is probably the fastest vehicle to travel from one plane of consciousness to another.
Rockets in the spectrum of consciousness….

THEORETICAL UNDERSTANDING

1.Presenting the value of deep controlled breathing to the following groups (time – 2 hours).

Assumption – no of people in the group = 20

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Honestly most of my teaching is very spontaneous delivery. I customize as per the audience’s readiness
and sensitivity. So, it is quite a challenge for me to answer this question. I think it is easier to do it rather
than writing as how I will go about it.

Well the content presented will be the same. Light will be thrown on the following areas:

 Relation between breathing and emotional stability

 Influence of emotion and thought and behavior patterns and vice versa.

 Effect of deep breathing on the bodily functions

A. Children below ten years

Start the class with a lot of jathis. Get them interested and engaged. Play the “sun. moon, earth
game for them. Allow them to relax and then observe their breathing for some time. Play the
game again and show them that it took a longer time for them to finish the game because the
concentration levels were improved by their conscious breathing that preceded the game. Then
I’d give the explanation on the importance of breathing.

B. Teenagers

Play two video interviews of the same person (preferably a film star)showing composed and
uncomposed behavior and ask the audience to notice their breathing rate in both the cases.
Suppression of expression can be dangerous for the body but regulation or consciousness of the
breath during the extreme situation can harmonize the body condition and result in the best
optimum response to any condition. Breadth as a toll to manipulate thought, behavior and
emotion can be illustrated in this session.

C. Housewives

Give them a role play of the soap opera kind. They can only act but not use words. A role play
having a mother in law, daughter in law, two school going kids, a dog and a relatively equal
minded husband. Allow them to play their roles.( a quarreling scene between the a mother in
law, daughter in law and the naughty children running around, a husband who is calm and
unagitated and helps them to see their situation from a different perspective and smoothens the
relationships often house) (20 to 30 minutes)

Give them a short yoga class with breathing practices. A simple Aumkara Pranayama and deep
breathing with Sparsha Mudra will be delivered for 45 minutes to an hour

Request them to play the same role play but breathing deeply and help the see how impossible
it becomes to lose one’s temper or indulge in extreme negative emotional expression when
breathing deeply. From there on I can elaborate on the multi dimensional multi layered impact
that deep breathing has one’s body.

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D. Middle aged businessmen

Divide them into groups of five Give them business case studies and ask them to present
solutions. (20 to 30 minutes)

Give them a short yoga class with breathing practices. A simple Aumkara Pranayama and deep
breathing with Sparsha Mudra will be delivered for 45 minutes.

Divide them into groups of five Give them business case studies and ask them to present
solutions. (20 to 30 minutes) help them to see for themselves the improved ease with which
they did business case analysis the second time and the effectiveness of the solutions.

E. Dedicated sadhaks with valid experience and knowledge

Just take a simple Pranayama oriented yoga class for 2 hours. During the session I’ll request
them to share the importance of deep breathing from their experience and learning and add on
to the explanation if anything is missed out. I will set the class so as to allow the group to come
out with importance of deep breathing.

2. Starting yoga class in my locality

I will approach the schools in my locality and check for the possibility of taking class. Internets will the
source to generate the data base of schools. I will also pass on this word to the network of my friends
and other contact as appropriate. I will have concrete plans with respect to schedule, venue, target
audience, fees and verbalize the expectations clearly for the parties involved. I will finalize on a mutually
agreeable contract in this context to avoid any disappointment and to make the best out of the
opportunity.

If the school option does not seem convenient, then I will have to explore options of taking it in a
different place or make space in my home. However, lot of changes are happening in my family and , we
may be changing the house and so I may wait for things to settle if required and then plunge into action
but do the required background work parralelly.

3. My life as I would like it to be

A home environment that is close to nature and based on the principles of beauty, simplicity and
aestheticism…. An environment that stimulates harmony with nature in thoughts, behavior and action….
An abundance of trees, plants, flowers with a kitchen garden…. In internal waste water and garbage
disposal system that helps irrigating the plants as well…. Usage of a herbal soap\ powder for the body
and the hair…. Usage of natural oil for external and internal use…. Use of most of everyday vegetables
from the kitchen garden….. a building that is made of materials that create a natural balance in terms of

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vision, texture and feeling….. An environment that houses beings that are non human as well… an
environment that stimulates and co creates beauty

Work that expands consciousness …both mine and the ones I work with…. A work that I will feel happy
about when I go to sleep…. Work that is fun and beauty… cheerfulness being the underlying current
irrespective of whether it is related with administrative work or education or management or yoga or
cooking or researching…. work that cleanses and nourishes the body at all levels…. Work that has a
balance of right and left brain…. Work that keeps my eyes turned to the divine… work that keeps the
Guru Spirit vibrant…honestly, I need lot of variety in the work I do.. And I love working with people than
working alone… a spectrum of work that demands a variety of skills and exposure to people from various
backgrounds… Work that gives good time for personal life and duty…

Work, recreation and Sadhana are overlapping areas for me… that is how I like it to be…. Work is
Sadhana and recreation.. that’s the ideal setting for me… traveling to some of beautiful temples that I
have not been before may be added in recreation section….making Every moment being a moment of
awareness is possibly my Sadhana…. love, grace and compassion in thought, deed and action for all
beings that I associate with is what I can see in Sadhana . Fun, laughter, love flavoring every moment of
life..

4. Sadhana schedule I would set for myself in my home environment

My Sadhana will be more on the way I do my duty to my parents than the literal yoga practice. I will put
kolams at my home. My mom has always been doing it. I will do back walk for my mom every day and
other family members as regularly as possible. I will teach Bhajans to my family members and cousins .I
will teach Vibhaga Pranayama and few basic practices for my family. I will teach the mantras we chant at
Aarati and try to use it in our pujas. I will put Sambhrani in my house instead of my mom. I will wipe by
dining table every time after we eat. I will put ginger tea every day for my family. I will give my best to
not shout at my mom. I will take the kitchen work as much as possible from my mom. I will dispose the
garbage from my family instead of my mom doing it. As far as what I dispose is concerned, I will separate
the degradable and non degradable waste and dispose the non degradable in the public dust bin while
the degradable in nearby land. Well I honestly intend to all that I have mentioned. I hope that I will make
all that I have mentioned into reality.

I have always felt that God would appreciate my mom for doing her duty with dedication and being quite
selfless. And He would probably teach me a lesson on how to be a good child. I have envied and
appreciated her selflessness. My dad is probably one of the most liberal, magnanimous, generous and
manly man I know. It is my good karma that has given me my parents and it is their bad karma that I am
their child. I have exploited the freedom they have given. I want to be a good, kind daughter to them.
That’s going to be my Sadhana. From this point of my life, I being their daughter can turn out to be
fructification of their good karma. I am indebted to my family for lifetimes.

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My answer may not seem politically right. I have tried to be as honest as possible. At my current state of
mind, I do not want to set any Hatha Yoga Sadhana schedule for myself. I feel that I need a break from
this intensive practice and thinking.

I will sing more often the Bhajans I have learnt. Singing the Bhajans has been the easiest and most
spiritual experience for me here after the morning Hatha Yoga Class.

After a month or in less than a month, I want to teach some people whom I already know….. People with
whom I have some association with… That teaching will probably be my yoga Sadhana. Teaching by
practicing with the students is what I can envision right now.

I would also like to finish my correspondence course by April or may. That will help me revise, digest the
teaching I have had in the last few months and also give e me a greater understanding of the various
practices.

My experience in the last few months with intensive practice was not all rosy. I felt a lot more drained
out and sick quite often. It felt like the longest sickness I have ever had in my life. I am still wondering if
my body is ready for intensive practices especially the pranayamas. Somehow I am dreaded to practice
the pranayamas as I developed a throat lock after Suka Purvaka Pranayama and had a very difficult time.
I choose not to elaborate on that experience. But after the course I going to take a break from Sadhana
for a month I guess.

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