First the Art of Relaxation
(by Avadhutika Ananda Mitra Acarya)


Watch a baby asleep on a bed. It gives up its weight entirely to the
bed, without any muscular tension Nomadic peoples all over Asia,
journeying night and day, reach an oasis or camping place and at
once
throw themselves on the ground and lie there limp, apparently
lifeless
from head to foot. One hour of this rest refreshes them with as much
new vitality and energy as a night's sleep for the average person.
These wanderers are able to undertake surprisingly long journeys
with
very little rest.
Babies and so-called primitive people have not yet forgotten the art
of
relaxation, the ability to completely rest at will. This art has
been
practiced by yogis since ancient times. They began their
experimentation on this state by watching animals in deep relaxation
during sleep, and especially during hibernation.
During even a few minutes of deep relaxation, there is a rapid fall
in
blood pressure and pulse rate; and the strain on the heart is
reduced.
The overtaxed nerve centres are revitalised and muscle tension drops
even below the basal muscular tension level. Since during deep
relaxation only a very small amount of vital energy is being
consumed,
the remaining energy which is being constantly produced by the cells
of
the body can be conserved and accumulated for future use.
Yoga practitioners do not need to go on vacation to relax. They can
remain seated in a room open to the traffic of a busy metropolis and
can transform themselves to the point that they hear no sounds,
being
relaxed and quickly self-possessed on a chair, just as if they were
in
a green Swiss valley. Translated into medical language, this
capacity
of voluntary sensory--motor inhibition is achieved through a gradual
and conscious inversion of biological current: no longer a flux from
the interior to the exterior, but a flux from the exterior to the
interior
To give an example, again taken from electricity, yoga practitioners
can voluntarily put themselves in the position of a telephone or
radio
operator who wants rest, and so switches off all the live contacts
of
his or her sets; impulses still reach the sets, but are no longer
perceived as active, and therefore, do not disturb the operator, but
are certainly there and may be recorded. Lying thus in a state of
perfect and conscious peace, yoga practitioners can, through
respiration, connect themselves with vital energy or pranic energy.
Now
they are like batteries put into contact with a source of electrical
energy, whereas the average person is like a battery working
continuously, unable to recharge itself.


POISE IN ACTION
When this deep relaxation is carried over to the state of activity,
the
muscular reflexes respond more rapidly to stimuli and every task can
be performed more efficiently, more effortlessly.
A cat crouches before a mouse-hole, gracefully motionless. It
exhibits
tremendous strength and vitality in repose. The machinery of action
is
not strained in waiting, but all is ready ... and when it darts
forward, action bursts like a flash of lighting from its stillness.
Every genius consciously or unconsciously relaxes during the process
of
creation, and for this reason is so efficient in his or her art.
Contrast this poised grace to the movements of today's hurried
business
people, who with their exaggerated, wasteful movements, fidget and
fume, and wear themselves out before the hour for action has
arrived.
Through the regular practice of deep relaxation, yoga practitioners
develop the ability to keep their minds and bodies in perfect
equilibrium in all situations. Learning how to relax and maintain
"grace and pressure" in this age of rapid change - when high blood
pressure and heart disease are the number one killers in
technological
societies - is one of the most valuable abilities of human life.


DEAD POSE
Shavasana or "Dead Pose" can be done anytime, even at times when
most
other yogic postures (asanas) cannot be done, such as during
sickness,
menstruation, or pregnancy. In this pose, the body remains
completely
motionless and becomes recharged with vital energy or pranic energy,
and the mind's attention is gradually withdrawn from the body and
surroundings to be absorbed in a state of deep inner tranquillity.
The
body and mind together attain a perfect blissful repose.
To receive the complete benefit from the practice of yogic postures
(asanas), the Dead Pose should be performed for about ten seconds to
one minute between two postures. The proper rest in Dead Pose
completely calms the body and prevents the overstraining of muscles
and
the over-stimulation of the glandular, circulatory and respiratory
systems. One should rest at least until the breathing and heartbeat
have become calm. Asanas and massage should always be followed by
the
deep relaxation pose for at least three minutes. Those with high
blood
pressure should do at least five or ten minutes of deep relaxation
daily; for as we have seen this is one of the best treatments of
hypertension.
To perform the Dead Pose lie down on your back, covering yourself
with
a sheet if you feel a chill. Stretch the arms and legs gently apart
and aim the palms up; the fingers will naturally curl in. Close the
eyes. Do not move any muscle of your body, even your eyeballs.
Remain
as motionless as if you were dead. Immerse your mind in the flow of
your breathing, in a state of refreshing peace.
Relax your feet and your toes ... your calves, knees and thighs ...
feel that both your legs are completely relaxed - there is no
tension
or pressure anywhere. Now relax all your internal organs - your
digestive system, your lungs, your heart ... relax your back and
spine
... Now feel your fingers: relax your fingers and hands, your
wrists,
your lower arms and elbows, your upper arms and shoulders, and your
neck ... Now you should feel that your entire body from the neck
down
is completely relaxed; there is no tension anywhere.
Feel that flow of relaxation now moving up into your face, relaxing
your cheeks, your mouth and lips, your ears, your nose, and your
eyes
- feel all the tension around your eyes completely dissolving - your
forehead and head are completely relaxed ... Feel your brain inside
your skull ... your brain is also completely relaxed. Now your whole
body from the tips of your toes to the top of your head, is
completely
relaxed. You feel as light as a feather, and very comfortable.
Now be aware of your breathing. Breathe slowly and deeply, from the
diaphragm. As you inhale, imagine that you are inhaling cosmic
energy
into every cell of your body; your mind and body are becoming
completely recharged Feel the energy from the cosmos flowing through
you, washing away all the tensions and negativity, cleansing you
inside and out ... Feel yourself full to overflowing with this
purifying energy, radiating from every pore of your body ... filling
your whole being with joy and love ...
Remain in this position for as long as you like. Afterwards you will
feel completely refreshed in body, mind and spirit.