Strengthening the Muscular System with Asans

Bent bodies, greying hair, back-aches, spondylitis, lack of vitality & stamina, stomach disorders, joint pains, muscle ruptures…the list is endless. And so is the fact that these are not the ailments of a 70-yr old, but 30-year olds and even younger.

Unfortunately, while a fast paced modern lifestyle has its perks, it is but short lived as it brings with it the perils of a body that is rapidly ageing.

Looking beautiful, having a great body, is something that plagues everyone today, young and old alike. As a result, long hours spent at the gym, running on the treadmill and various other modern fitness mantras and diet regimes in the hope of staying young and maintaining your youthful glow. All of these work on the principle of increasing body’s metabolism. You sure get in shape, but as an equal and opposite reaction, your cells deteriorate at an exponential rate. Ruptured joints, weak and bent spines, loss of glow and stamina, are natural by-products. It is said that gymming continuously for years can ruin your knees, dry up your vital fluids, and damage your spine.

Vedic rishis were masters of the body and gave us asans. Asans are not exercises but tools to increase the strength and vitality of the body by slowing down and optimising the metabolism of body. So perfect is the science of asans that not even one asan puts strain on 5th or 6th vertebra, which can cause serious damage to the body.

In this issue, we will look at a set of asans from Sanatan Kriya that will help strengthen the Muscular and Skeletal system.

Asans work on the principle of consciousness and affect etheric layers of the body which in turn control physical body. Our musculature and skeletal framework is governed by the Mooladhar chakra in the etheric body (corresponding to the base of the spine in the physical body), along with the survival instinct. The Mooladhar chakra is said to be the highest chakra in an animal and the lowest in a human being. Any imbalance in this chakra leads to neuro-muscular problems, weak bones, anxiety, stress, fear, disorders of the excreta organs and even affects the heart. To keep such diseases at bay, we will look at a set of asans, to help activate the chakra that controls their vital functioning.

Vrikshasana: Stand tall with arms by the side of your body. Bend your right knee, bringing the right foot high upto your left thigh, such that the sole of the foot rests firmly near the root of the thigh. Find yourself a perfect crevice where your foot can firmly hold itself there. Ensure the left leg is straight and not bent. As your body is in balance, gently raise your arms over the head and join your palms in a Namaskar position. Maintain the awareness of Mool chakra. Gently bring your hands down and your right leg. Repeat this posture with the other leg.

Caution: This asan should not be attempted by people with problems of knee or sciatica.

Utthanasana: Bring your left leg down while holding the hands above the head. Spread your legs apart with toes pointing outwards. Keeping the back and neck straight and buttocks squeezed in; bend the knees to go down by about ten inches. Maintain ujjai breath. Hold this posture for a count of seven and then go down another ten inches. Once again hold for a count of seven and go further down so as to squat. The heels stay on the floor and the back does not bend. Stay for a count of seven.

Caution: The asan must not be practiced in case of uterus prolapse and after three months of pregnancy.

Naukasana: Next, lie down on the back. Exhale, raise your legs (joint together) to about twenty-five degrees. Also raise your upper body and your arms (the arms will point forward) to twenty-five degrees. Maintain the posture for as long as you can. Ensure that your back is straight and knees do not bend. Inhale, come back to the starting position.

The reader may note here that asans are not exercises. They are the gradual process of evolution in the body effectuated under sanidhya of a Guru. They are to be performed gently, with eyes closed, internal awareness and breathing in Ujjai, or long deep breaths.

Ensure you are wearing comfortable clothes and are in a well-ventilated place.

Yogi Ashwini is the Guiding Light of Dhyan Foundation and an authority on the Vedic Sciences. His book, 'Sanatan Kriya, The Ageless Dimension' is an acclaimed thesis on anti-ageing. Log onto to www.dhyanfoundation.com or mail to [email protected] for more.