1. Nasal cleansing with water
2. Nasal cleansing with Thread
3. Nasal Cleansing with Milk
4. Nasal Cleansing with Refined Butter

Nasal Cleansing with Water or Water Neti:

To do this activity, a special type of vessel or a bucket is used, with which a nozzle is attached to perform the neti. In one liter of lukewarm water, add ten grams salt. Then sit in the Crow Posture and attach the nozzle with that nostril through which you are currently breathing. Slightly bend your head in the direction of that nostril. The moment you bend your head forward, the water will start entering through one nostril and coming out through the other. After about half the water has come out like this, change the nostril. While performing Neti, always keep your mouth open and breathe through the mouth.

With this activity, all the water comes out through the nose. If the water remains inside, there is possibility of catching a cold or getting a headache. Therefore, after the Water neti, always perform Kapal Bhati and Bhastrika Pranayama.

BENEFITS:

Water Neti is very useful in complaints of headache, bad cold, insomnia, excessive sleep, falling of hair, premature graying of hair, etc. This activity also increases memory and power of recall.

Ailments of the eyes, discharge from ears, hearing impairment and madness are made better. Telling its importance, so states the Bhakti Sagar:

Ailments of the ears,

The nose and the teeth are cured

Eyes sight is improved

Of those, who perform Neti.

Nasal Cleansing with Thread or Thread Neti:

For this, a thin rope made of cotton thread is used. First this thread is dipped in hot saline water. Then one end of the thread is made into a loop and sitting in the crow Posture, this loop is slowly inserted in one nostril. Then this end is caught hold off by inserting two fingers in the mouth, and is slowly pulled out. This exercise is repeated with the other nostril.

Beginners should first practice with a small rubber tube or a catheter. This neti may be practiced two or three times a week and those with poor eye sight, should practice it daily for two three months. Its practice cures headache, poor eye sight, cold, catarrh, asthma and sinuses.

For performing the Sutra Neti, a thin rope, which is made of cotton, is made of cotton, is used. One end of his rope is inserted inside the nostril and taken out from the mouth. First, the rope is dipped into saline hot water and then a loop is prepared of the one end while sitting in the posture of the Crow as shown in the picture. The folded end is put in one of the nostril slowly. After insertion, two middle fingers of the right hand are put inside the mouth and the end of the rope is pulled out slowly. Likewise, this process should be repeated with the other nostril. The new learners should first practice with a soft rubber tube (Known as catheter). Ordinarily, this process may be performed twice or thrice a week. Those having poor eyes sight, should do it daily for two three months. Ailments like headache, poor sight, asthma, cold, catarrh are cured. Sinusitis is also cured with this process.

Nasal Cleansing with Milk or Milk Neti:

Sit in the crow Posture. Like the Water Neti, take a vessel with a nozzle but instead of filling it water, fill it with fresh cow-milk. Slightly raise your head and insert the nozzle in one of your nostril while closing the other nostril with your thumb or forefinger. When you raise your head, the milk will start flowing into your throat through your nostril.

Slowly drink so much of the milk as you will be able to easily digest. Perform this exercise with other nostril as well. Before performing the milk neti, one should perform Water Neti. Similarly, after Milk Neti also, water Neti should be performed so that both the nostrils and throat get cleansed.

BENEFITS:             

 Milk Neti is useful for removing weakness of the eyes muscles, to improve eyes sight and to increase memory.

Nasal Cleansing with Refined Butter or Ghrit Neti:

This activity should be performed one to two hours after the Sutra Neti. This helps re-hydration of the nostrils. Refined butter made out of the cow milk is very useful for the nose and for the brain. With this, even the chronic headache and mental weakness get cure. Memory power and thought-process also increases.

BENEFITS:

This method of cleansing has benefits like sutra Neti, Jala Neti and dugdha Neti. Those suffering from nasal bleeding, find relief with this method of cleansing.

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Air, food, beverages, sunlight, etc, are the mediums through which we absorb the force of prana inside our body. Here prana means the force that causes life inside our body and is also equated with air or the process of breathing. The activities above the navel are controlled by the prana and the activities below the navel are controlled by apana. Prana, Apana, Sam,ana, Vyana and Udana are collectively called the pancha pranas. These are described in details hereunder.

The Inhalation Force (Prana Vayu)

This force is not situated in the whole body, but particular parts of the body. The area of prana vayu is throat, wind pipe, vocal cords and the muscles required to keep these organs working. This is that power by which outside air is pulled inside the body.

The Exhaust Force (Apana Vayu)

This is situated below the navel. This power provides strength to the large intestine, the anal region and urinary organs. This power helps to pull the prana vayu  up to the anus and also to throw out the used air through the nostrils.

The Equalizing Force

This force is concerned with the chest and the middle portion of the navel. This primes and regulates the digestive system, live, small intestine, pancreas and gastric juices. It also activates the heart and flow of blood. It brings adoptability to what we eat and also regulates the prana and Apana.

The Force of Consciousness

With this life force, all the sensory organs and the mind are regulated. In absence of this power, we shall not be able to have the power of thought and will thus lose that very consciousness with which we feel our own existence and that of the world around us.

The Coordinating Force

This life force is situated in the entire body. It coordinates other forces and also controls and regulates all the activities of the body. It also brings coordination between various parts of the body, muscles, nerves and blood vessels and brings them into action.

The Sub-Life Force

The Yogis have not only classified the prana into the above five parts, but have also further sub-classified prana as “Sub-life Force” or Upa Prana, whose main constituents are: Naga, Kurma, Kinkear, Devdutta and Dhananajaya. The work of Upa Prana is to control smaller movements like sneezing, yawning, itching, batting the eyelids, hiccupping, etc.

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By pursuing your goal,

you get rid of impurities.

Contentedness

Contentedness does not mean sitting idle, doing nothing and relying on luck. On the contrary, it means being contented with whatever you receive as a result of your whole-hearted efforts. Being contented does not stop you from putting in efforts, rather, it stresses on being contented with the results, after you have put in all the efforts. Not being slave of greed, is contentedness. According to Yoga Darshan (“Insight into Yoga”), there is no happiness greater than contentedness.

Describing the importance of contentedness, Goswami Tulsidas has said:

As you cannot row a boat on dry ground,

In the same manner, without contentedness

You cannot get happiness in life

Even if you put in billions of efforts.

Having Faith in God

It is apposition of unshakable faith in God. When body and soul surrender themselves before the god or the deity that the person believes in, then the Yoga practitioner can conquer even god.

When he is able to take his mind away from materialistic things and meditates in the glory of God, then the Yoga practitioner conquers the time and the death and acquires position of nirvana. Faith in god is of great importance and fruit bearing. This is the principal base of self-progress. On the contrary, an atheist is like a no-good person who roams aimlessly like a boat without row. He is of no use either to himself, or to others.

Charity (Danna):

Giving a portion of your income for the welfare of others without any selfish interest is known as charity. Holy Gita preaches of three types of charity: Satvik Charity, Tamasi Charity and Rajasi Charity. ), Virtuous charity, Contemptuous Charity and Selfish Charity respectively)

1.  Satvik Charity:

It is everyone’s duty to contribute some money to charity. Giving timely charity in the welfare of your motherland or other deserving person, who is not doing charity to you on reciprocal basis, is known as satvik charity.

2.  Tamasi Charity:

The charity given with contempt or without any respect, to the undeserving country or undeserving person, is Tamasi charity.

3.  Rajasi Charity:

The Charity given under considerable pain and in return for a favour, is known a Rajasi Charity.

What is meant by prayer is devoting your body and mind to god by placing Him in your mind in whatever form or manner you wish.

The practitioner prays to god by offering Him fruits, flowers, etc. by doing so, he attains qualities to be submissive and thus his ego vanishes. Describing the result of prayer in Holy Gita, Lord Krishna has stated thus.

Holy Sentences

Holy sentences do not mean just reading them – rather, it means understanding them and also trying to put them in practice. Until we understand these words (and questions like: What is God?), till then we cannot contribute to uplift ourselves and the society. To succeed in any work or worship of god, it is very essential rule to know about their fundamental principles. Our interest in this rule only, can take us to the heights of success of our life.

Probity

Probity means being ashamed while doing bad deeds. When a person becomes conscious that if he will do something wrong, then his reputation in society will be adversely affected and people will think of him in bad light, then he will avoid doing wrong deeds. Grace is rule which helps us directly or indirectly to maintain our character. Probity is an ornament of noble persons. While describing probity in Bhakti Sagar (sea of Mediation’) Swami Charan Dass has said that gentlemen and preachers must observe probity. They must not do anything bodily, mentally and by spoken words which is contrary to the command of decency. These persons must observe probity in all situations.

Prudence:

Prudence means doing anything after considering its pros and cons. Using prudence, a person must test everything that he does – whether it is useful for society or not. Holy Gita makes three classifications of Prudence: Satvik Prudence, Rajsi Prudence and taamasi Prucence (virtuous Prudence, Selfish Prudence and Contrary Prudence respectively).

Satvik Prudence:

The prudence, which can make a correct distinction between good and bad, duty or not a duty, fear or lack of fear, obligation or not an obligation, is Satvik Prudence.

Rajsi Prudence:

A prudence, with which a person cannot make a correct distinction between good and bad, duty and not a duty, is Rajsi prudence.

Tamsi Prudence:

A prudence which recognizes bad as good, and all things full of vices as full of virtues, is taamasi prudence.

Virtuous prudence helps a person attain eternal happiness. Therefore, the persons who want their own welfare must make their prudence virtuous prudence.

Recitation

Recitation means speaking and repeating the name of god and thinking about god again and again. This is done both by speech and by speech and by mind. In Yoga recitation has been described as the act which takes the human mind away from the unorganized and material things and to the god. Recitation is important form the point of view that it helps achieve concentration of mind, which concentration cannot be achieved by any other means. Lord Krishana has also said in Holy Gita that recitation is better than any other form of prayer. The learned men have given three classifications of Recitation: Sound producing Recitation (Bekhri), Recitation in silence ( Upansujay) and Mental Recitation (Maansik). These are described below:

Sound Producing Recitation 

In this form of recitation, the word “Om” is spoken so that others can also listen to it.

Recitation in Silence

In this form of recitation, no sound comes out of the lips. Rather, the sound is produced somewhere between the navel and the throat. Thus, although there is lip movement, no sound is produced. Bekhri Japa converts into Upansujay Japa automaticallyand slowly.

Mental Recitation

Mental recitation has been described to be the best of all forms of recitations. This recitation takes place in the area of navel and this is the place where the sound finds stability. However, to reach the stage of Mental Recitation form Sound Producing Recitation, one has to be very patient and wait for considerable time.

Saints like Gorakh Nath and Kabir have widely mentioned about ajapajapa (recitation without words) in their literature. When sound gets concentrated in the navel, then recitation automatically takes place without any conscious effort.

With the help of recitation, the practitioner soon becomes of virtuous mind and begins to get spiritual thoughts.

Fire Worship

Fire worship, worship with holy fire as a witness, or offerings to holy fire forms part of Hindu mythology since times immemorial. None of the happy or sad rituals of the Hindus is deemed to be complete without fire. Since birth till death, there are sixteen rituals in which Havana is always included. The Aryans worshipped fire since ancient times.

In every religious discourse, religious fasting and festivals, Havana is considered to be essential. Festival of Holi is the biggest festival which is celebrated at community level. Holy Gita amply describes the benefits arising out of performing havanas and the ill-effects of non-performance of havanas have been described as follows:

The Gods become pleased with those performing Havanas.

Even this Earthly life is not a happy life for those not performing the Havanas.

Then how can they be happy in the spiritual world?

While performing Havana, refined butter and other articles are offered to fire, which is symbolic of the emotion of sacrifice inside the person performing the Havana. From scientific point of view, the articles which are put into fir purify the air, which is beneficial not only to us, but also to the society.

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After practicing the Yoga Rituals, and then Dhaarna and meditation, the Yoga practitioner tries to take his mind and soul to the ultimate destination of spiritualism which is Samadhi. While in state of meditation, when the practitioner gets completely lost, this satiation is known as Samadhi.

According to Yoga Darshan “when the practitioner, reaches such a meditative stage that he is not aware of his own existence, this situation is known as Samadhi.”

In the stage of Samadhi, all the sensory organs get directed towards the mind, rather than getting directed outwardly. The practitioner is no longer conscious about his body or what is happening to or around him.

He who is lost in a Samadhi

is not conscious about

the sense of smell, taste, shape, touch, sound

or what is his and what is not.

As the salt, when put into water loses its won physical existence and becomes just lite water, in the same manner, losing touch with the entire world and getting connected with the mind is what is known as Samadhi.

It is the meditative position, which matures into Samadhi. So long as the practitioner is aware of his own body organs he remains in meditative stage. When he is not aware of his own existence or his body organs convey no outward messages to him, he reaches the Samadhi stage.

When the person is not aware of the process of inhalation and exhalation and the mind becomes quiet, that position of Samadhi. In Samadhi, the person need any other feelings because, when the mind meets the soul, both become one and do not need any other thing.

According to ancient meditative literature, holding one’s breath for five minutes, concentrating one’s mind for sixty minutes and being conscious about the inflow and outflow of breath for twelve days, is Samadhi. Getting rid of all thoughts and considering the god and the soul to be one and unified, when the practitioner gets lost in meditation, this position is known as Samadhi.

TYPE OF SAMADHI:

There are many schools of thought regarding types of meditation. However, Patanjali has described two types of meditation:

Conscious Samadhi

In conscious Samadhi, the practitioner is able to see the shortcomings and futility of this physical world and gets adverse to the material things and, as such, ceases to have any desire for them. In this position of being free from desire, he reaches conscious Samadhi.

In Conscious Samadhi, the practitioner is not thinking of anything at all except the idol or the god that he is meditating upon. Apart from it, his mind wanders nowhere.

Vitarkanugata Samadhi-Idolatry Samadhi:

Mediating upon the sun, the moon, the planets, any deity or any physical thing by looking at these things or the pancha bhootas, the five constituents of the body and getting completely lost in meditation is Idolatory Samadhi.

Vicharanugata Samadhi-Thoughtful Samadhi:

When a Samadhi is practiced meditating upon abstract things like taste, smell sound, etc, it called is micro Samadhi which involves conscious thoughts. In this Samadhi, instead of placing something in front of him, the practitioner mentally imagines actual presence of the deity in front of him and meditates upon Him.

Anandanugata Samadhi- Samadhi that Leads to Joy:

In this Samadhi, the mind becomes completely blank. It is a state of quietness which results in joy and joy only.

Asmitanugata Samadhi- Egotistic Samadhi:

In this Samadhi, even the joyu vanishes. The person is conscious of only his existence and nothing else. Patanjali has described this Samadhi to be the best Samadhi because in this Samadhi, the practitioner is just conscious about himself and nothing else.

In Bhakti Samadhi

Yoga Samadhi

Gyana Samadhi

Bhakti Samadhi:

In this Samadhi, the practitioner meditates on the feet of his dity. After constant practice, a stage comes when he is able to actually See the feet with his mind’s eye. He forgets himself and even the fact that he is into a Samadhi.

Yoga Samdadhi:

In this Samadhi, help of Yoga Asanas and pranayamas is taken and simultaneous, the practitioner mentallyshifts his meditation from the lowest Chakra to the Highest chakra and in the end, concentrates on the Sahasrara Chakra. While in this process, when the practitioner forgets himself and that he is into a meditation, then this stage is called Yoga Samadhi.

Gyana Samadhi:

In this type of Samadhi, one involves his mind on just one thought –that in this universe, there is  none except lord Brahma (the god) Whatever is into existence, is Brahma. Soon the practitioner gets lost into the meditation of Brahma and for him everything becomes Brahma.

IMPORTANCE OF SAMADHI

The most important part of the Ashtaanga Yoga is Samadhi. To reach the Samadhi stage, one has t perfect the seven lower stages (saupana) with great labour. Samadhi is the only position in which one is able to understand the reality of this materialistic world. There is no beginning or end to the elements in which presence of god can be felt. The God, for his own existence, leans on no one and has no shape. The God is not a part of this marerialistic world and is the purest. He who understands this fact, has the real knowledge of Yoga.

According to Gorakh samhita , when a Gogi is into a Samadhi, then he acquires the knowledge that the god has no beginning, no end, is not dependant on anybody, is away from manipulation, is pure and shapeless. After this knowledge is acquired, there remains no further knowledge which needs acquisition.

Lord Krishna has so stated in Gita  “The person who has adopted yoga in his life, sees the presence of god in everything. When he sees god in everything, then he looks at everything with equality.”

In the position of Samadhi, the practitioner gets rid of his worldly attachments and gets attached only to te truth-like god and thus becomes just like God.

According to Shankaracharya (head priest of Hindu religious high place) those who have fully denounced world the pleasure, are truly detached from this materialistic world. Those who talk of god only, without conquering their own weaknesses, never get detached from the world.

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In this posture, the body is made dot relax. As there is no effort or movement in a corpse (dead body), endeavor is made to make the whole body relaxed. When the body is in a completely relaxed state, full rest is received by the body while all the veins, arteries and muscles collect power during this period. This posture is performed in a supine position i.e. lying on back with face upward. This posture makes true the old saying that a best posture is the one which makes the body relaxed.

The main characteristic of this posture is that the whole body becomes like a corpse, thereby making the life-energy flow in the body. As you can clean a substance by passing it through a sieve, in the same manner when you act as a dead person, your body and mind becomes completely free from tiredness.

BENEFITS:

1. This posture is unique for conservation of energy. The body gets peace and relaxation. Those suffering from nervous disorders. High blood pressure and neurasthenia can greatly reap benefits from this posture. While performing a number of Yoga postures, the corpse posture must be included in it. This posture relieves mental tension and helps attain a state of mental equilibrium. During this posture, none of the body part has to work against the gravitational forces. When muscles are relaxed, tiredness goes away and the body becomes more active and energetic.
2. The heart does not have to exert much effort to pump the blood. The body being parallel to the ground, the impure blood easily flows towards the heart. The heart gets some rest, thus reducing high blood pressure.
3. Mental tension is one of the reasons attributed to diseases like high blood pressure, heart ailments, asthma, diabetes, etc. The corpse posture reduces mental tension, thereby reducing severity of these diseases.
4. Physically evidencing the process of regulated inhalation and exhalation has very calming effect on the nervous system. When nervous system is tense, all bodily activities become chaotic. As against sleep, corpse posture is a posture during which the person is in a state of complete, yet conscious relaxation. It has been experimentally observed that during this posture, both body and mind are more relaxed than they are during sleep. With this posture, blood circulation, inhalation-exhalation and digestive organs become slower and calm along with the nervous system. Both body and mind get complete rest. Napoleon Bonaparte, performing this Yoga posture for just five minutes, was capable of working for twenty-four hours at a stretch.

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Importance of Cleansing the Astral Tubes Before Doing Pranayamas

Before beginning pranayamas, one should practice cleansing the astral tubes by doing the Cleansing.

Pranayamas: Prominent among these are Bhastrika Pranayama and Kapal Bhati Pranayama. Since pranayamas are concerned with the web of tubes spread all over inside the body, pranayama will not be much effective unless these astral tubes are cleansed first. That is why knowledge about cleansing of astral tubes is necessary.

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Root Energy Centre (Mooladhar Chakra):

In the seven energy centers described in Yoga, the ‘Root Energy Centre’ is situated lower-most in the body i.e. in the base of the spine. The persons in whom this energy center is very active, are materialistic by nature. Wealth and material things have natural attraction for these persons. They are, in a way, ruthless by natural attraction for these persons. They are, in a way, ruthless by nature. Those persons, in whom this energy center is less active, they are quiet by nature and weak by physique. Persons, who have healthy and balanced base Energy center, have wisdom and in a way feelings of security.

To keep the base energy center healthy, one should try to conquer one’s fears and maintain a balance between the materialistic and the spiritualistic aspects of life. By awaking this energy center by yogic actions, a person acquires additional physical power and capability.

The Prostatic Energy Centre (Swasisthana Chakra):

This energy center concerns with sex and pleasure in human beings. When this energy center is over-active, a person becomes excessively obsessed, with sex and pleasure. Such a person spends his entire life seeking excitement. Those persons, in whom this energy center is less active are not so much obsessed with sex.

The Navel Energy Centre (Manipoorak Chakra) Which is also Known as the Great Junction of Nerves:

This energy center concerns with heat, energy and power. This energy center is situated near the navel (or ‘belly button’). Those, in whom this energy center is active, are ever in search of power and invention. Such persons feel satisfaction by keeping others in their power and supremacy. Those, in whom this energy centre is weak, show exactly opposite signs.

The Cardiac Energy Centre: (Anahata Chakra):

This energy centre is situated near the heart. Those, in whom this energy centre is very active, are very emotional, rather out of reign, so long as the emotions are concerned. Such persons are very logical and act only after giving due thought of everything. When this energy centre is balanced, then the person has fellow-feeling and such persons devote to social service or take up professions like nurses, etc. Awakening of this energy centre gives rise to qualities of spiritualism and telepathy in person.

The Laryngeal Energy Centre (Vishudhi Chakra):

This fifth energy centre concerns with mind. Persons having this energy centre as active one, view everything and every incident analytically and critically. They are ever-ready to enter into an argument and are enjoy belittling, insulting or making fun of others.

The Cavernous Energy Centre (Agya Chakra):  

This energy centre is also referred to as the ‘third eye”. This energy centre concerns with control. According to Hindu mythology, the logic behind applying a bindi or tilak (a dot of vermilion or other brilliant pigment) on the forehead, is to make this energy centre strong and powerful.

The Supreme Energy Centre (Sahtara Chakra):

This is the seventh energy center. A person, who is able to discover this energy centre, is able to control even death.

In most of the people, the last two energy centers always remain dormant. However, many Yoga specialists do not consider that activating these energy centers is useful for a common man. According to them, due to ordinary efforts of human beings to live a happy life, these energy centers automatically become active. Therefore, it is advisable for every ordinary being to direct his efforts to live a happy life, rather than forcing these powers to awaken. The act of awakening the energy centers by conscious yogic methods, and thereby connecting oneself with the god, is known as Rhythmic Yoga. Accordingly, this is also an extreme situation of Yoga through Persistence (Hatha Yoga).

Control of the mental activities by yogic exercises is known as Scientific Yoga. According to sakhya Darshan (a Hindu test), the nature consists of three powers:

1. The noble (Satva)
2. The Kingly (Rajasa)
3. The Cruel (Tamasa).

Expression of these powers can be said to be action and inaction. Rajasa signifies action and Tamasa signifies inaction. Satva signifies the power which balances the action and inaction to reach the state of equilibrium. Satva Rajasa and Tamasa powers are concerned with Yoga through Persistence, Yoga through science (Raja Yoga) concerns with both body and the mind. In addition to this, there is fourth i.e. Yoga through philosophy (Gyana Yoga) which is a method of attaching knowledge of reality. Yoga knowledge can be derived from these four powers.

The ultimate aim of all human life is to find true happiness, peace and enjoyment after getting rid of all types of sorrows, state of dissatisfaction and temptation. To fulfill this aim, every prudent man takes help from various resources in accordance with his actions, interests and wisdom. To achieve this situation, Patanjali, the great sage, has preached eight parts of Yoga as follows:

By practicing eight parts of Yoga

When all the sorrow and impurities die,

There is light of knowledge

And eternal happiness is achieved.

He has described the eight parts of Yoga as follows:

• Proper conduct (Yama)
• Regulated life (Niyama)
• Systematic breathing (Prayanama)
• Diet (Pratyahar)
• Meditation (Dhyana)
• Meditative Esctasy (Samadhi)

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