Yogi Ashwini
If you trace a person from being an infant to a full grown adult, you will notice, in most cases, a progressive decline in the skin texture and complexion. A baby is glowing pink whereas most adults, even in their prime youth, are plagued with a diseased skin and dull complexion. This is because, in the process of growing up, one is exposed to certain unnatural practices and stimuli from which it was kept protected in the womb.
Take for example, the simple act of breathing. If you observe a baby breathing, you would notice a pronounced abdominal movement. The stomach inflates as it breathes in and deflates as it breathes out. If you observe your own breathing patterns, most likely, you will find it to be the opposite and with little or no abdominal movement…this breathing pattern of yours, holds the key to the way you look and your present state of health.
Abdominal breathing maximizes the up and down movement of the diaphragm and ensures that lungs function at their optimal level, that is, they throw out spent air completely and also adequately replenish the body with fresh air from the environment. A decreased lung activity causes toxic residue to stay put in the body manifesting as disease and loss of natural radiance.
Our physical body, formed of the five elements, is a grosser reflection of the next layer, commonly known as the aura, which comprises of various energy centers and channels, called chakras and nadis respectively. The physical lungs and respiratory system, for example, are a reflection of the functioning of the anahat chakra in the etheric body. These chakras interpenetrate the physical and etheric layers, spiraling three and a half times in clockwise, and three and a half times in the anti-clockwise direction. When a chakra moves clockwise it is pulling fresh prana in, and while in reverse motion, it is throwing out heavy prana.
Our hyperactive lifestyle and artificial environment, results in decreased activity of the chakras hampering the proper exchange of prana. As a result, there is a congestion of prana in the pranic layer and the physical body being a reflection of the pranic body, shows symptoms of old age and disease. The book 'the ageless dimension' details specific practices from the Sanatan Kriya to stimulate and ensure optimal functioning of the various chakral points to prolong youth and radiance. For the specific example of the act of breathing, one may practice the Ujjai pranayam.
Yogi Ashwini is the Spiritual Head of Dhyan Ashram and can be reached atwww.dhyanfoundation.com.
Phenomenal power of yog
When we read the ancient vedic texts like puranas etc, we come across human beings with supernatural abilities, exuding phenomenal strength. We hear of women with amazing beauty and radiance, which used to even attract gods. When we compare these beings with today's people, they seem like unbelievable stories and myths. Hence, the term mythology…
I really don't blame the people for calling all this mythology, as it is not possible for a normal mind that exists in the present day and age to believe such facts to be true. If we logically think and observe our grandfathers, we would notice that their bodies were stronger and much more healthier than ours. Our grandmothers had beautiful skins even till the late years, that too without recourse to artificial aids and beauty treatments. Modern science now tells us that the human brain and bodies have shrunk over time.
So if we just project ourselves backwards, we would observe that the mythologies were realities and if we project ourselves forward the image that will come would be scary.
What is the reason? Being a student of yog, having studied for nearly two decades, I am convinced that the answer lies here.
From satyug to the present day kaliyug we have progressively moved away from reality towards unreality and from light towards darkness. Let us take the help of Patanjali Ashtang Yog to understand the process.
Ashtang Yog was conceived 5000 years back - the time when, according to modern historians, the world was primitive and men lived in caves as hunters and food gatherers, men who had descended from apes. At that time Patanali gave us the eight limbs of yog as yama, niyam, asan, pranayam, pratyahaar, dharna, dhyan and samadhi.
Without going into the details, let us just look at the five yamas. 5000 years back, when the world was supposedly inhabited by barbarians, Patanjali understood the power of truthfulness and non-violence and the hazards of stealth, hoarding and excessive sexual indulgence. And mind you, this is only one-eighth of Ashtang yog…Obviously, the secret to health, beauty and glow lies herein.
Patanjali emphasizes upon truthfulness or satya as the first yama. The one who speaks the truth under all circumstances has nothing to fear. It is fear that breeds negative emotions like anger, jealousy, insecurity, etc. In the absence of fear, there is no negative emotion. The body is perpetually in positive prana and the food is digested properly. This translates as a glowing complexion and radiant skin for the one who follows the yama of satya. In fact, the first siddhi of yog, vak shakti (that is, whatever you speak manifests) comes with speaking the truth. |
