Classical Hatha Yoga
Swami
Mounamurti Saraswati
In today’s society the word Hatha Yoga
has come to mean to the uninitiated many things. Yoga has always been about
awakening, enlightenment of the spirit. By systematically following a classical
system of Hatha Yoga you will eventually “experience” Yoga.
Introduction
Originally
Classical Hatha Yoga, which is a complete system of Yoga in itself, only
consisted of six techniques known as the Shatkarmas. The six cleansing or purification processes
which leads the sadhaka to dhyana (deepest meditation).
Shatkarmas: The shatkarmas (six purification actions) are
Neti, Dhauti, Basti, Nauli, Kapalbhati and Trataka.
Neti: Jala Neti (using water and a neti lota (pot) or Sutra Neti
a more advanced technique a using a 3mm
– 5mm diameter catheter or specially prepared
waxed thread, Neti cleanses the cranium and bestows clairvoyance. (Chap2, V30
HYP). Sutra Neti demonstration below.
Dhauti:
Antar Dhauti: (internal) 1 vatsara (plavini), 2
varisara (shankhaprakshalana- poorna & laghoo –
drinking water and then evacuation of the body temperature saline water out
through the bowels), 3 vahnisara (Agnisara
Kriya) seated abdominal/diaphramatic breathing- a good preparatory practice for
kapalbhati or bhastrika, 4 Bahiskita (rectal cleaning with water).
Danta Dhauti: (teeth) 1 cleaning the teeth with a neem stick, 2 jihva (tongue) cleaning the tongue and squeezing it with
the finger & thumb, 3 Karma (ear) cleaning
the ears with the middle finger, 4 Kapalrandra
(frontal sinuses) cleaning the upper back palate, 5 Chakshu (eyes) bathing the eyes.
Hrid Dhauti: (cardiac) 1 vastra (cloth), 2
danda (stick) 3 vaman
(Kungal – drinking saline water and then regurgitating the stomach contents
& Vyaghra Kriya).
Moola Shodhana: 1 (Anal) traditionally a tumeric
root (which is an antiseptic) was inserted into the anus to clean it, however a
clean finger with short nail will do to clean the anus of stool.
Basti:
1 Jala
(yogic enema) – traditionally the technique was to insert a hollow bamboo tube
into the anus whilst standing waist deep in a flowing stream, however these
days the technique is done by using water in a bucket and a lubricated plastic
tube or catheter. Squatting over the bucket you insert the tube into the anus
4cm, then performing external kumbhaka (breath retension), do Uddiyana Bandha
and then Madhyana Nauli. You then draw body temperature saline water from the
bucket into the intestines. Churn the intestines whilst holding the kumbhaka,
and then expel the contents into the nearby toilet .
2
Sthala (dry basti - sucking air into the
intestines using muscular control only, either seated in paschimottasana, or
inverted in viparetta karani asana).
Nauli:
1
Dakshina (right), 2 Vama (left), & 3 Madhyama (middle). Advanced abdominal massage or churning
technique, by use of muscular control which awakens the solar plexus, agni or
Manipur chakra.
Kapalbhati:
1 Vatkrama (breathing), 2 Vyutkrama (reversed) & 3
Sheetkrama (cooling). A frontal brain cleansing pranayama (breathing technique)
has confers infinite degrees of experience on the sincere practitioner. Stills
the breath and mind and takes the sadhaka within to the experience of the soul.
Trataka:
1 Bahiranga (external) & 2 Antaranga (internal ). One pointed gazing which induces
sensory withdrawal (pratyahara) and concentration (dharana) objects to gaze
upon progress from the gross to the subtle.
Classical
Hatha Yoga later evolved over many centuries to encompass Asana, Pranayama,
Mudra, Bandha. All are progressive Yogic techniques to be learned by a
proficient guide over many years of dedicated practice. Classical Hatha Yoga is
a tried and proven path to self-realization that has been finely honed and
developed by Indian, Nepalese and Tibetan Yoga Masters for millennia.
It not
only confers a healthy and purified mind and body but also leads the sincere
and dedicated aspirant to psychic and spiritual awakening and to the discovery
of their inherent creative potential. This is the path of Yoga most suited to
the Yoga aspirant of today’s world as it works systematically from the grosser
physical body that we are already familiar with through to the most subtle
aspects of our total personality. Thus making classical Hatha Yoga the ideal
foundation for the most advanced Yoga’s.
Asana: Foremost important Asanas are: Siddhasana or Siddha Yoni
Asana (Adepts pose) and Padmasana (Lotus pose) which all classical Hatha yoga
texts recommend as the most important to master. Additional asanas up to 82 are
also recommended until one is ready for higher Yoga’s such as Raja Yoga or
Kriya Yoga, which is an advanced form of Kundalini Yoga. The Classical Ancient
Hatha Yoga Texts are: Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Gherand Samhita, Hathratnavali,
Shiva Satarka
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Pranayama:
Is the next limb of classical Hatha Yoga following Shatkarmas and Asana.
Classically Pranayama is commenced after ones body has been prepared through
Asana and one has commenced to moderate and purify the diet and is practicing some
shatkarmas according to the instructions of the teacher.
The
word “Prana” is a combination of two syllables, pra and na. Prana denotes
constancy, a force in constant motion. Prana is the vital life force and
pranayama is the process by which the internal pranic store is increased or
expanded. Pranayama is comprised by the words prana and ayama, which means”
pranic capacity or length”. It is a technique through which the quantity of
prana in the body is activated to a higher frequency.
Through
Pranayama mind and breath can become calm and in this calmness when the nadis
are purified the mystical chakras and deep meditation can be awakened. Many
different branches of Yoga utilize the effectiveness of Pranayama. As one
becomes more advanced in the pranayamas of Hatha Yoga, Kundalini Yoga and Kriya
Yoga can become more achievable Sadhanas other wise not. Pranayama is a
supremely valuable Jewel in the Yogic repertoire.
Click here for more insight
into Pranayama , my thoughts on future research direction needed and more
Bandha: Is the next limb of classical Hatha Yoga following the
Shatkarmas, Asana and Pranayama. A Bandha is a Psychomuscular energy lock, which
redirects the flow of psychic energy “Prana”in the body. There is mainly three
Bandhas, but the combination of all three Bandhas is sometimes used to make a
fourth very important lock or Bandha. The Bandhas are:1) Moola Bandha6 triggered by the contraction
of the Perineum in the male and the
Cervix in the female body. 2) Uddiyana Bandha : Abdominal retraction lock 3)
Jalandhara Bandha : Throat lock.
Maha
Bandha: the Great lock is the coordinated combination of the previous three
Bandhas. Universal Prana life force in the physical body is subdivided into
five prana vayus. These Prana Vayus are operating in different locations, they
flow in different directions and perform different functions. The Prana Yayus
are Apana, Samama,Prana,Vyana,Udana. The three most important are Prana,Apana
and Samana. The natural movement of Prana is upwards, Apana downwards and
Samana is sideways. Through the practice
of Maha Bandha the direction of Apana and Prana is reversed and made to flow
towards Samana. The force of Samana is strengthened and redirected backwards to
help awaken the transcendental Nadi of Sushumna.
Mudra:
In classical Hatha Yoga after practicing Shatkarma, Asana, Pranayama, Bandha
the student of Hatha Yoga begins the practice of Mudra.
Mudra
literally means “gesture” a physical, mental and psychic attitude which
expresses and channels the cosmic energy of Prana.
The
most famous Mudras are: 2Khechari Mudra, Maha Mudra, Maha Bheda
Mudra, Vipareeta Karani Mudra,Vajroli and Sahajoli Mudra, Naumukhi Mudra and
Yoni Mudra, Shambhavi Mudra, Manduki Mudra, Shakti Chalini Mudra.
Mudra’s
channel the refined and subtle pranic energy that is produced through the
preceding Asana, Pranayama, Bandha, and arouses or induces a particular state
of mind. When this state arises Deep Meditation can become spontaneous.
Cultivation of this state of high energy opens the doors of perception through
which a Yogi explores their consciousness
Nadis: Nadis are Psychic channels through which flows the
distribution of prana in the Astral body or Pranamaya Kosha.
“When we
heat ice, we speed up the energy within it, and the ice becomes water. The
characteristic expression of water is flow. So to in the pranamaya kosha, the
prana flows in rivers of energy”.
Quote:
Swami Satyananda Sasaswati.
According to Ancient Yogic Texts there are 72,000 or more nadis through
which prana and consciousness are distributed throughout the body. There are
Ten main nadis out of which, three are the most important. These Nadis are Ida,
Pingala and Sushumna. Ida is the channel of mental energy, Pingala the channel
for vital energy and Sushumna Nadi is the channel for spiritual energy. When
the left nostril is flowing Ida is active, and when the right nostril is
flowing Pingala is active.
But when both are made to flow perfectly equal for an extended period
of time through Sadhana (“Spiritual Practice ie:Yoga”) or other means, this is
said to herald the auspicious moment when the transcendental Nadi of Sushumna
begins to open and flow. The Physiological correlate for Sushumna is the Canal
Centralis of the spinal cord. Perfection of Nadi Shodhan Pranayama and many
other techniques begins the awakening of Pranas in the Pranamaya Kosha3
and eventually through much effort Sushumna. Through Sushumna you can
experience deep transcendental experiences related to the mystical Chakras and
Kundalini.
Chakras: A Chakra is a Psychophysical reality
or entity4, a vortex of light or psychic energy existing
multidimensionally at the interface between body and mind. At the grosser level
the Chakras have associated links in the physical body through various
Endocrine Glands, Nerve Plexuses, Organs and the (CNS) Brain and Spinal Cord.
On a more subtle level Chakras operate like transducers stepping down the
cosmic energy like a top down hierarchy of energy and consciousness filtering
down through the depths of the Unconscious Mind to permeate the physical Body.
Chakras can be understood as part of the here and now mortal body and part of
the complex and immortal collective super conscious state of the divine, which
is inherent in all beings.
Kundalini: The Goal of Yoga is to awaken your dormant potential,
which is the evolutionary spiritual
force known in Tantra as Kundalini. Stabilizing the awakened state of Kundalini
in Samadhi is the Goal of all Yogas.eg Hatha, Raja, Kriya, Kundalini. Few ever
achieve the highest goal which is said to be a transcendental state of supreme
bliss at one with all of creation. It is only reached through diligent Sadhana
for many years under the tuition of a capable Master of this Science. This is
our evolutionary destiny to have a firm grip of the experience of Kundalini and
have permanent access to the wisdom that it reveals.
Kundalini
does not belong to the physical body, though it has to be searched for there,
nor in the mental body or even in the astral body. It is in the unconscious
causal body, in that particular state of awareness where the concept of time,
space and object is completely lost. The seat of the unconscious in man is in
the perineum, known in yogic terminology as mooladhara. It is a gland, a
muscle, it is a body in which all the unconscious powers and initiatives of man
are hidden. “Quote by Swami Satyananda Saraswati”
By Pranayama and other yogic processes the static Shakti is
affected and becomes dynamic. When completely dynamic, when Kundalini unites
with Siva “Divine Consciousness” in the Sahasrara, the polarization of the body
gives way. The two poles are united in one and there is the state of
consciousness called Samadhi. “Quote by Swami Sivananda Saraswati” No duality exists and you experience oneness with the
ultimate experience beyond mind and body.
Some Verses of Wisdom
From the
Hatha Yoga Pradipika: Circa 6th Century AD
C1Ver43: There is no asana like Siddhasana,
no Kumbhaka like Kevala, no Mudra like Kechari and no Laya or
dissolution of the mind like Nada, the inner sound
C2Ver75: There is no doubt; the state of Raja
Yoga is also attained through Kevala Kumbhaka. By retention Kundalini is
aroused, Sushumna becomes unobstructed and perfection of Hatha Yoga takes place
C2Ver76: There can be no perfection if Hatha Yoga
is without Raja Yoga or Raja Yoga without Hatha Yoga. Therefore, through
practice of both, perfection is obtained
C4Ver114: While the prana
does not flow in the middle passage (Sushumna), while the Bindu is not steadied
by restraining the Prana, while the mind does not reflect spontaneous
Meditation, then those who speak of Spiritual knowledge are only indulging in
boastful and false tales
References
Saraswati,
Swami Muktibodhananda & Swami Satyananda
Hatha Yoga Pradipika1
Munger,
1985
Saraswati, Swami Satyananda
Kundalini Tantra2
Bihar School of Yoga
Munger,
1984
Saraswati, Swami Niranjanananda
Prana Pranayama
Pranavidya3
Bihar School of Yoga
Munger,
1994
Saraswati, Swami Anandakapila (Dr.Jonn Mumford)
A Chakra &
Kundalini Workbook4
Llewellyn Publications
Saraswati, Swami Sivananda
Kundalini Yoga -Yoga Kundalini Upanishad, Tenth Ed5
Divine Life Society
Rishikesh, UP
Saraswati, Swami Buddhananda
Moola Bandha the Master
Key6
Bihar School of Yoga
Munger,
1978
Copyright 2003 © Swami Mounamurti Saraswati
Other
articles on Hatha Yoga written by the author and resources for
in-depth study
can be
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