Practising Asanas 3
Yoga practice requires synchronization, observation, and depth. Begin by relaxing completely in Ānandāsana, feeling the body's heaviness and observing the complete yoga breath. Synchronized movement creates a harmonized energy, unlike individual rhythms which disperse it. This principle applies to physical postures and collective chanting, balancing the ego. Practice with control, not quick movements, to strengthen core muscles and influence the thyroid gland and energy centers. Observe the body's sensations and circulation after each posture. The worst outcome is believing one already knows everything; consistent practice reveals new dimensions within the same postures.
"Once, the first secretary of the Indian embassy in Zagreb was at a seminar. He was so surprised that we were practicing all together, not each in our own rhythm. What he said was, 'Oh, it’s a completely different energy. It is so harmonized.'"
"Try to chant together, not too loud, and be aware of our collective sound. This is also excellent against our ego."
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Prana and Soul
The prāṇa is life, and its management is the art of living. Ten prāṇas function within the body, with Prāṇa and Apāna being most crucial for inhalation and expulsion. Their meeting at the navel can awaken Kuṇḍalinī. Prāṇa is the guard of the soul; if prāṇa is lost but the soul remains, medical science may restore life, but it cannot if the soul departs. Pure prāṇa ensures health, our primary wealth. Health exists across five bodily layers, starting with nourishment from food. Fresh food retains prāṇa; overcooking destroys it. Cook vegetables with spices and water in a covered pot with minimal oil or ghee. Āyurveda favors ghee over oil for internal use. Chemical medicines can save lives but cause side effects, as they are foreign to the body's nature. Our long intestines are designed to process food, but poor diet harms them. Prāṇa leads to higher consciousness. Practice Prāṇāyāma and eat consciously. Avoid junk food, which becomes foul when chewed, and avoid alcohol, a destructive drug despite its medicinal origins. Choose a balanced, yogic life for longevity and happiness.
"Prāṇa is life, and life is prāṇa. We can compare our prāṇa to our soul."
"The first happiness or first wealth is good health."
Filming location: Fiji Islands
Bhramari and bhramari pranayama
Brahmari Pranayama balances the nervous system and refines the voice. This practice is derived from the bee known as Brahmari. The female bee constructs a nest with intricate passages. She captures a specific worm and places it inside. She nourishes it until it develops wings and emerges as a new bee. The yogic practice mimics this process of internal transformation through sound. One method involves gently biting the teeth together. This directs resonance to the temples, balancing the Ida and Pingala nerve channels. It alleviates certain tensions and improves speech. Another method keeps the lips closed but the teeth apart. This directs energy upward toward the crown chakras. Both techniques significantly benefit singers and speakers by refining vocal quality and release. Practice should be avoided during an active headache.
"The sound goes from our ears and comes back here to the temple area."
"This prāṇāyāma balances both nerve systems, Iḍā and Piṅgalā."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
The Harmony of Yoga and Āyurveda
Yoga and Āyurveda are two wings for the soul's flight. This is a lifelong work of discipline. The first happiness is a healthy body, called niroga. A healthy family is the foundation; parents must remain together with children for harmony. Husband and wife require mutual understanding. Obedient children learn from parents who do not quarrel. Good neighbors are the fifth happiness. The sixth is having a milking animal and a kitchen garden. Āyurveda teaches that every plant has value, as shown in the story of Charaka. Discipline is essential: for medicine like chyavanprāś, follow strict dietary rules. Yoga begins with discipline; Āyurveda medicine begins with discipline. The cause of disease is eating constantly, which disrupts the digestive fire, Jāṭharāgni. Seek advice only from a trained Āyurvedic doctor who understands pulse diagnosis. These sciences make us healthy, grant long life, and aid spiritual achievement. The soul departs with speed, guided only by karma and spirituality.
"The first happiness is a healthy body."
"Yoga and Āyurveda will make us very healthy, happy, and give us a long life and spiritual achievement."
Filming location: Rijeka, Croatia
Sanskrit names are important
Āsana is a term with deep meaning in the yogic system, which is connected to the Sanskrit language. The word signifies a seat, a dwelling place, or a posture. One's yoga mat is a yoga āsana. The place one sleeps is an āsana. The specific postures, like Bhujaṅgāsana, are also called āsana. The term's meaning depends entirely on context. Yoga is a vast science greater than allopathic medicine, and its proper terminology carries inherent knowledge. Similarly, prāṇāyāma fundamentally consists of inhalation, retention, and exhalation. The Sanskrit alphabet resonates with the body's energy centers, and the language balances the mind. True communication begins with the heart's touch.
"Wherever you sit, that is your āsana."
"Prāṇāyāma is only three: pūraka (inhalation), kumbhaka (retention), and recaka (exhalation)."
Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic
