Sri Aurobindo emphasizes an all - round personality development: at the physical, mental, intellectual, emotional and spiritual levels. He means by YOGA a methodical effort towards self-perfection by the development of the potentialities latent in the individual. It is a process by which the limitations and imperfections can be washed away resulting in a Super human race. Control involves two aspects - a power to concentrate on any desired subject or object and a capacity to remain quiet any time. All of us have been developing the first aspect namely concentration. Rarely, the second capacity of man to remain calm and silent has been harnessed. Hence, Yoga mainly emphasizes, this second aspect. In Yoga-Vasistha one of the best texts on Yoga, the essence of Yoga is beautifully portrayed thus:'Manah Prasamanopayah Yoga ityabhidhiyate' - Yoga is called a skilful trick to calm down the mind. It is an Upayah a skilful subtle process and not a brutal, mechanical gross effort to stop the thoughts in the mind. An unskilled layman trying to repair a radio is almost sure to spoil it, while an experienced and skilful person knows exactly on what to lay hands and to rectify the malfunctioning. He operates at the right place. Knowledge is the key. Similarly, in the control of mind, a novice tries hard and gets disgusted when he finds himself more 'messed up' while Yoga gives him the necessary techniques to operate at the right place at the right time to gain complete mastery. This skill is the trick of allowing the mind to calm down and not to use brutal force to stop it. One of our patients would sit up in the middle of the night with an episode of asthma and could shift her mind to a state of state of total inner quietitude through chanting of OM and could stop all her medicines and remain free from asthma. Step 7: Ardhachakrasana - Padahastasana in 3 stages -
Movement only (5 times) From Tadasana move to Ardhachakrasana slowly and then shift to Padahastasana allowing the hands to hang loosely down.
The return to Tadasana.
This is one cycle. Repeat five times slowly and continuously. -
Movement with breathing (5 times)
Synchronize the movements with the breathing. While inhaling move to Ardhachakrasana and while exhaling move to Padahastasana. Then again while inhaling come up and move Ardhachakrasana. Repeat the cycle five times. -
Movement with M-Kara (5 times)
Chant M-Kara in a low voice while bending forward to Padahastasana. |