Yogena chithasya Padena vacha malam sarirasya cha vaidyakena yopakarottam pravaram muninam Pathanjalim pranjalim ranatosmi

I offer my salutations with folded hands to Pathanjali the renowned amongst sages, who removed
impurity of mind through Yoga , of the speech by grammar and of the body by Ayurveda. Sage Pathanjali was the first person to present the ancient tradition of Yoga in a systematic way. Thus he is considered the founder of Yoga. Pathanjali lived around 200B.C. Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj meaning to unite, to integrate or cohere and thus taken to represent union, integration or coherence between human consciousness and cosmic or divine consciousness. Yoga is a way of living practiced from vedic period(approx 8000 years old) by sages for good health physical mental and spiritual. Progress of yoga practice feature relaxation of muscles, slowing of breath, calming of mind and softening of emotions. Is there anything yoga can not do? Yes like truth, when properly understood and adopted in our lives it can never do any harm to anyone. Yoga helps man to synchronize his diverse life currents, making them united, uniform, unidirectional and ultimately universal. Yoga holds the key for self-unfoldment and self-improvement. Yoga bestows inner strength, sharpens our intellect, teaches us control over emotions and efficiency into our action and work making one do the right thing in the right way at right time and that is why yoga is often described as skill in action. Yoga practice can increase our lung capacity and respiration, improve our ability to resist stress, reduce body weight and girth, decrease cholesterol and blood sugar level and thus stabilize, restore and vitalize the bodys natural system. Yoga is therefore the best curative and preventive medicine for all the ills of man resulting from the socalled modern living. Yoga can delay aging process and maintain youthfulness of body and mind. There is no short cut for maintaining good health. Proper food habits and proper exercise is the only way. Yoga the science of ancient India for maintaining good health is the best suited for achieving this goal. Yoga has many unique features that overshadow many other forms of physical exercises. It re-juvinates all the muscles ,nerves, blood vessels , nourishes bones and delays aging process and also stimulates and tone up for proper functioning of internal organs like heart, lung, liver, stomach and gastro-intestinal organs, spleen, pancreas, kidney, thyroid glands, pituitary glands and name what not? This scientific exercises are proved to cure or control heart ailments, blood pressure, diabetic condition, asthma, rheumatic problems , mental stress, depression etc etc. The best part of yoga as said earlier, is that it is both preventive and curative the least expensive with no ill effects. On practicing yoga one start to get relief from mental tension, short temperament, and transforms them to refrains from crimes and revenges. One tend to gain patience in everything improves endurance, kindheartedness and make one love others. This wonderful aspect of yoga is so powerful and relevant today that it has made its way to jails in many countries which reduced criminality in many inmates. Yoga can be practiced by anybody without any age/sex bar. It is so simple and natural that it can even be practiced by patients. Any body can practice it by observing the pictures and sequence of practice described in the lessons. There is no harm if you make any mistake in the sequence of action or breathing. Yoga will no doubt reduce criminality in the society, reduce ailments and diseases and reduce our food expenses and make us to lead a simple peaceful life for many years.
1

Most people are aware of only two aspects of yoga, the asanas(postures) and meditation.Yoga is more than these two aspects. Yoga has an eight fold path namely Ashtanga Yoga Yama Non-violence, truth and honesty, non-covetousness, continence and self control, non accumulation of needless wealth. Niyama Personal disciplines like cleanliness, purity, satisfaction and contentment, austerity, ability to bear hardship, introspection and faith in god. Asana(Posture) Postures Pranayama Control of breath and bio energy. Prathyahara Withdrawal of sense organs from the object of sense. Dharana Intense concentration for developing inner vision. Dhyana Meditation, uninterrupted and deep concentration for a long period. Samadhi The goal of yoga , attained after prolonged period of dhyana. Just as a river merges into ocean and becomes one with it, so also the individual self merges into the Universal Spirit and becomes one. Peace and happiness are experienced as all polarities such as pain and pleasure, good and bad vanish. Only yama, niyama, asana and light pranayama and dhyana are relevant for a normal individual.

Important Dos and Donts Place

1)Asanas(postures) should be practised in a clean, airy and well lit room. The floor should be level. If it is not possible to practise indoors, you may practise on level ground out doors or on open terrace. Do not do them on bare floor.Do the asanas on a carpet or mat.

Time
2) The best time to practise asanas is in the morning before breakfast or in the evening before dinner(between 5 to 8 am and 4 to 8 pm).But if it is convenient and possible for any individual to practise twice in a day he may do so.Before starting to practise asanas the bladder should be emptied and the bowel evacuated.Any individual practising yoga regularly can expect non constipated regular bowl movement. Never attempt advanced asanas without evacuating the bowel. Practicse in the morning makes one work better in his vocation(It is a wonderful experience one should experience.It enhances your capacity to work) .In the evening it removes the fatigue of the days strain and makes one fresh and calm and will experience better sleep.

Food
It is advisable to pratise yoga on empty stomach.Do not practise immediately after eating.Let two to four hours pass after eating a meal and one to two hours after eating a snack.Food may be taken half an hour after practice. It is advised not to consume alcohol. It is advisable to reduce the intake of other beverages like coffee, tea and coke. Instead may switch over to fruit juices , tender coconut water etc.

Bath
Taking a bath before asana make it come easier. But initially one tend to perspire while doing asanas .So it is desirable to bath after fifteen minutes .Taking a shower before and after yoga refreshes the body and mind.

Sickness
It is advisable to take rest when one has fever or heavy cold. One will get relief from mild headaches and similar ailments after practising asanas

Women
Women should refrain from difficult and upside down posture while menstuating.It is advised that they may limit to breathing exorcises and practise savasa(described later) to keep the tempo of regular practising.

Who can do yoga?

Yoga may be practised by anyone regardless of age, sex, or physical ability. It will enhance your studies, reduce stress, and help you enjoy your free time. However if you suffer from any specific medical condition, it is best to check up with your doctor before taking up asana practise. Yoga should not be seen as a sustitute for a medical prescription although you may be able to reduce the medical support or eliminate it completely at a later date.(may be few months or few years). Weight lifters, boxers, wrestlers may not derive much benefit from yoga. But football players, hockey players, cricket players and the sort may derive benefit from yoga.

What to wear
Loose cotton fabric is advised since it permit freedom of movement and allows body to breath better than synthetic clothes. Asanas are best done with bare feet.

Pregnancy
All asanas can be pratised during the first thee months of pregnancy. They can do light yogasanas twice daily but should avoid postures that exert pressure on the stomach like dhanurasana or naukasana(desribed latter in the course).Regular deep breathing exercises will considerably help in labour.

Breathing
In all the asanas breathing should be done through the nose and not through mouth.

Yoga is not black magic

One can not expect results without regular and proper practise. Initially it is advised to do yoga with the company of other persons to avoid the monotony of doing it .Once you start deriving the benefit of it one can do it alone :by then one would have gained enough concentration and control of body and mind. Continuous practise will change the outlook of the practiser. He will discipline himself in food,sex,cleanliness and character and will become a new man. *Faulty practice causes discomfort and uneasiness within a few days and this is sufficient for one to know that he is going wrong . Consult the center over e -mail if you have any such problems or doubts on any method or posture.

Food habit
Proper food habits have first and foremost role in maintaining good health. Those who have carefree food habits, will eventually suffer from poor health conditions. Unfortunately even educated people are not taking enough care in this direction.It is the bad habits that make us sick.According to Hindu philosophy man has life time of 120 years. It is curtailed by our own mistakes. It is unfortunate that we do not get enough knowledge on food habits in the schools. Man is the only creation of God which eats and drinks when it is not hungry or thirsty. We go by time others go by natural instinct. Why vegetarian food ? It is very important to know how much one can eat, how many times, how to eat, what time One should eat, what type of food is best suited for humans. Until we have enough idea of the above ,however rich or nutritious food we take, we will land up in the grip of sickness. Good food habits and proper exercises are inter- related like two sides of a coin. Simple vegetarian food supply essential energy while maintaining purity of body and mind. The human digestive system functions best on a vegetarian food. Vegetarians have low cholesterol level and fewer heart problems. They have a 40% lower incidence of cancer and are less likely to suffer from arthritis, obesity, diet related diabetes, constipation, gallstones, high blood pressure, food poisoning, and many other ailments. There are striking differences between the digestive tracts of the carnivores and humans. The human small intestine is 5.5 to 7 metres long which is several times the length of the mat eater. A carnivores intestine is smooth and straight while a human intestine is pocketed in structure to extract the most from a vegetarian diet. Mans set of teeth with developed incisors, reduced canine teeth and flatter molar teeth suggest that man is more frugivorous. Eating meat in such a system is like running a petrol engine on kerosene. It will reduce the life of the engine.
3

Yoga has very specifically prescribed food habits for humans. Non vegetarian food is categorized as inhuman and also said that he will become sick on consuming it. It is said to influence the behavior of humans. We know that all the meat-eating animals are cruel in character. Some even eat their own babies. Were as we can find that all vegetarian animals like cow , deer , goat etc are passive animals. Meat eating harbours animal instincts in humans. There is nothing that a vegetarian diet can not give to lead a healthy life. The scare of colon cancer has cut down the beef consumption drastically. Latest research has shown that a vegetarian regimen of non-excesses can reverse coronary diseases and even the cholesterol deposits can be drastically reduced. Ideal yogic food stuffs All nuts and fruits All kinds of edible vegetables and green leaves All kinds of pulses Milk ,curd Dates , honey, jaggery Wheat , rice etc Sprouted pulses and cereals. Rules of eating Try to keep your meals on a regular schedule, but if you do not feel hungry at meal time, fast until next meal. Eat slowly, and savour your food. Chew it thoroughly till the solids are made to a pulp in the mouth, remembering that digestion begins in the mouth. Drink solids and eat liquids is relevant here.It allows the saliva to mix up thoroughly with the food. Do not drink water in between, lest it will dilute the digestive enzymes. Drink only when you are thirsty.
Do not eat more ,fill half the stomach with food and quarter with liquid and leave the rest empty.

Do not eat complex mixtures of food that is difficult to digest. Do not eat too much of oil fried food items, artificially coloured or with preservatives. Avoid all junk foods, go for natural food. Maintain peaceful attitude during eating. Try to eat in silence. Change your diet gradually. Avoid cola and all aerated liquids, instead go for fresh juices. Eat at least one raw salad every day. Try to fast one day a week.

Eat to live dont live to eat.

Before you eat remember of god , who dwells in all foods and who bestows all bounties. Take rest for 15 minutes after a heavy meal. Leave a gap of atleast 4 hours before each meal. Try to limit to two meals a day and preferable finish it before sun set. Remember, all vegetarian animals finish eating before sun set.

First week
Breathing Exercise Breathing exercises are inseparable parts of yoga. Practising yoga postures without breathing exercises is unscientific and thus a trainee should primarily know the way of breathing. Man breath continuously from birth to death. Although this is a continuous process, the air seldom fill more than a third of the lung volume. Thus we are under utilizing an important organ in our body. Were as with regular breathing exercises we can improve the intake of air into lungs and thus more oxygen supplied to the body. Thus every important asanas( postures)are Joined /clubbed with deep breath.

Method of deep breath practice

Lie on your back as in the illustration breathing 1. Keep the arm straight and close to the body.Taking deep breath slowly though the nostrils, lift both hands together slowly bring it behind the head like in picture breathing 2. While lifting the hands count 1,2,3,4.Hands will touch the ground behind the head as in the breathing2 position at count 4. Hold the breath for two counts ie1,2.Then by exhaling slowly counting 1,2,3,4,lift the hands from behind and bring to the starting position breathing -1 while finishing the count 4.Now you have completed one round of breathing exercise. Thus it takes approximately 4
4

second to breath in ,2 seconds to hold and 4 seconds to breath out. Breath in as much air as you can and also breath out as much air as you can. Repeat the exercise 10 times on the first day,15 times 2nd day,20 times 3rd day and make upto 40 times in the first week and upto 50 times in the 2nd week. If anybody find it difficult to do it 5 times first day and so on. Do not strain the body atall. This is a training schedule even suite to the sick and aged. So do only as much as you can. Never strain repeat never strain yourself while doing any of the posture. Remember you are not going to do this today and leave. You are going to take yoga as a way of life. Slow and steady always wins the race. Yoga has scientific method of combining both exercise and rest at the same time. This is achieved by practising Savasana(corpse post).Those who are aged, or sick should be able to pursue this practice . So relaxing in between is very much significant and Savasana(corpse posture) has the immense capacity to refresh a tired or exhausted person.

Savasana(corpse posture). Lie flat on your back with your arms and legs apart. And the eyes closed. To ensure that there is no tension in the body , shake out the shoulders. Slowly roll the head from side to side once or twice, bringing one ear to the ground , and then the other .Bring the head back to the centre and fix the mind on the breath. Placing feet about 50 cm apart, with your legs straight but relaxed, allow your toes to fall outwards. With your arms at an angle of about 45 degree to the body , relax your hands, palm upwards ,on the ground. Close your eyes. The lower jaw should hang loose , not clenched .the tongue should not be desturbed. Even pupil of the eye should be kept completely passive. Give autosuggestion as under :Bring your attention to the left leg; then relax it. Then concentrate on the right leg; relax it. Concentrate on the hip region; relax it. Concentrate on your trunk; relax it. Concentrate on your left hand; relax it. Concentrate on your right hand; relax it. Concentrate on your neck; relax it. Concentrate on your chin ; relax it. Concentrate on your ears; relax it. Concentrate on your mouth; relax it. Concentrate on your cheek; relax it. Concentrate on your nose; relax it. Concentrate on your eyes ; relax it. Concentrate on your forehead; relax it. Concentrate on back of your head ; relax it. Concentrate on the top centre of your head; relax it. Try to remove all thoughts from your mind concentrate on your breathing .Breath slowly and normally and lie down for 50 breaths and gradually increase to 100 breaths in 2 weeks practice. It is advisable to practice savasana twice daily and in between exercises when you feel tired or exhausted. At the end of every days practice one has to do savasana. If the mind wanders ,pause without any strain after each exhalation. Breath through nose only. One is apt to fall asleep in the beginning. Gradually when nerves become passive, one feels completely relaxed and refreshed. In good relaxation one feels energy flow from the back of the head towards the heals and not the other way round. One also feels as if body is elongated.
6

The stresses of modern civilization are a strain on the nerves for which Savasana is the best antidote. You will receive the 2nd weeks training module in the next week.
Yours in yoga,

Director. Kerala Yoga Center.