Beauty through Yoga

“ One who practices Hatha Yoga will attain slimness of the body, luster on the face, clarity of voice, brightness of eyes, freedom from disease, control over the regeneration of cells in nadis (nervous system) and these are the marks of success in Hatha Yoga. “

Yoga provides infinite power of nature in the practitioner. Practices from Hathayoga can increase the beauty in a person.

Beauty express itself in two ways internal and external. Internal beauty is that of the mind while external is that of the body. Increasing the beauty in the mind will directly reflect the beauty of the body. This is an experience we can relate to in our daily lives. Anger, depression, restlessness and anxiety are emotions that affect the beauty of a person while happiness is an expression that enhances the beauty in a person.

The practice of Hathayoga consists of asana – body postures, Pranayama – a practice of breath regulation to increase the level of prana in the body, Bandhas these can be grossly defined as ‘neuromuscular locks’, Mudras – Special postures of the body, and Kriyas – practices to clean the internal systems.

Jala Basti – Insert a tube into the anus and adopt the Utkatasana posture and sit in water that is navel deep in water. One must wash the intestine by contracting the intestinal muscles. This process is known as basti.

Effects of Basti – Practice of Basti invigorates the tissues, the senses, internal organs and gives a sense of well–being. It bestows luster, stimulates digestion and completely destroys all the accumulated diseases. The tubes used in earlier days were usually made of hollow bamboo. These days also such practices are carried out with bamboo shaft, but what is more prevalent through the advent of modern technology is a lubricated rubber tube and the use of enema.

Sitkari - While inhaling, one must take the breath through the mouth and produce a sound seet. Exhalation must always be through the nostrils.

Effects of Sitkari – when a person practices Sitkari, he is surrounded by hosts of admiring yogins. He acquires the capability of creating or destroying and never feels hungry, thirsty, sleepy or lazy.

Practicing Sitkari – Place your tongue behind and in between the row of front teeth so that air does not pass through this area. Now widen the lips and inhale through the gaps on either sides of the mouth. Inhaling this way produces a sound ‘seet’. While inhaling you must inflate your abdomen and make sure that more air goes into the abdomen. Inhalation must be from the mouth and exhalation must always be from the nostrils. Persons with artificial dentures must be careful while practicing as their dentures will interfere with the practice. The shastra does not explicitly mention retention of breath, however it is advised as all other practices advise retention of breath.

Sitkari pranayama must not be practiced in cold climatic conditions. One must not perform sitkari under a fan or in a windy area. Persons who have chest congestion, sinusitis, and any form of allergic conditions where mucous is produces must not try this practice.

Viparitakarani – All the nectar that flows from the splendid moon (in the throat) is swallowed up by the Sun (at the navel) and it is for this reason that the body gets old. Viparitakarani is a very good practice that deprives the mouth of the sun (in the navel region) the flowing from the moon (in the throat).

This is a practice where the palette is below and navel is above and the moon below. Viparitakarani means, inverted posture.

Effects of Viparitakarani – Wrinkles and grey hair disappear after six months of practice. This also increases gastric heat in a regular practitioner.

Practice of Viparitakarani – Let me explain how you can go into the posture step-by-step. Lie down flat in the supine position. Now exhale and lift both the legs up. Keep the legs straight without bending them at the knee. When they are at right-angles with the body, inhale. Exhale again and lift the legs further up so that the hips and the waist are lifted. Now fold the legs at the knee and bring the knees down to rest on the forehead. Make sure the pressure is on the shoulders and arms and not on the neck. When the legs rest on the knees, clasp the fingers of your arms together behind the back and stretch them bringing them closer to each other. Now support your hands so that the back remains straight and then lift your legs up. Ensure that the legs are in line with the body. This final posture is called ‘Viparitakarani’.

Coming out of the posture – While coming out of the posture, you must not collapse in to the supine posture. This can be very dangerous and may lead to physical injuries, sometimes so severe that it may cripple you for life. One must come down in a planned sequence.

From Viparitakarani posture, exhale and bring the legs down over the head till they are parallel to the body. Now inhale and lower the waist and hips carefully and lower the legs.

It is indicated that one who practices Hathayoga regularly must consume ample food. If he eats insufficient foods, the increase in heat soon consumes the body.

In the beginning, the practitioner can stay for a very short time in Viparitakarani. The duration of the practice must be increased gradually day after day.

Viparitakarani must not be practiced by persons with back problems, sinusitis and also by persons with weak neck, shoulders, arms and back.

Yoga is more than skin deep. One must not look at beauty as a means of practicing Yoga. Yoga leads to good health – physical and psychological, the very balance we require so much today.