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Yoga
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T H E R E L A X A T I O N
The nervous cells are the only cells that do not have a regenerative function. These cells are the most intimate support of what is usually called personality. Consequently, if we do not take proper care of them, if we exhaust them, we actually accelerate the process of their destruction and as they are irreplaceable, we destroy in fact our vital potential and our chance of having a long, happy life. The yogic relaxation opens up the door to our inner world, allowing us to bring fresh energy to our nervous cells. The purpose of deepening your relaxation is the relaxation of all your muscles, including those that we usually ignore. There are some exercises that will help you realize the difference between your normal, ordinary muscular state and the relaxed state. In order to test your state of abandon and relaxation, try the following simple exercise: stand on your feet, soles spread approximately to the width of your shoulders.
Lean forward, until your trunk forms a 90-degree angle with the feet, allowing your arms to balance freely. Let them oscillate from left to right, under the impulse they got from the body, avoiding the direct implication of the muscles of the arms in this balance. Another method to help you deepen your relaxation is as follows: fill the tub with warm water, get inside and relax. Let your body float on the water and enjoy the feeling of warmth and lack of weight. You should have approximately the same sensation when relaxing. After fully enjoying this sensation, let the water drain gradually, and when the tub is empty, you will have again the sensation of weight. The first stage in deepening your relaxation is to learn how to create at your will this sensation of lack of weight. These exercises prepare you to relax fully and completely, and to be able to relax properly when doing SHAVASANA. Lie back as described before, with your feet and spread and your hands facing up, your head towards the nord and feet towards the south.
First of all, become aware of your breath; observe the rhythm of your breath without influencing it in any manner. Although this may seem difficult in the beginning, you have to act slowly, because even the fact that you become aware of your breath determines a change in the pattern of breathing and you alter it involuntarily. The most important thing is to become aware of where and how you breathe, and to continue until there is a slow rhythm installed, generating a state of calmness and peace. If you breathe irregularly, you will notice that you will not be able to attain a state of calmness and inner peace. Continue to breathe calmly and regularly until this rhythm is settled. From the moment in which you feel relaxed, you may start influencing your breath. Impose a different rhythm of your breath, exhaling slowly, but not deeply. Gradually increase the time of exhalation until it lasts two times more than the inhalation. In Yoga, the relaxation and the breath are in close connection. A newborn baby will have the same pattern of breathing as described above. After this, try to stop your breath for a second. Breathe out, and then hold your breath for several seconds, while focusing your attention on the level of Manipura chakra.
Furthermore, imagine that you lie somewhere sunny and that the sun is warming up this area of your body. After fully experiencing this sensation of warmth, get right down to the relaxation. Start with the left toes, sole, ankle, etc, as described in our previous article. Then, try to create a sensation of warmth in the areas you have just relaxed. The yogic relaxation is always performed from feet to head and from left to right because of the following reasons: first, we begin with the left side because Yoga states that this side is the receptive side of a person. Furthermore, the direction of the relaxation is from feet to head because it is important to relax first the muscles that have more volume and only then the smaller muscles of the face. So, good luck and have a successful relaxation! PART 1 | PART 2 |