Many decades have passed since yoga ceased to be only a secret teaching of Indian rishis and sadhus. Now. no matter which nationality, religion and political system, the worldwide spread of yoga shows its popularity.

In Yugoslavia this is mainly due to the work of the Yoga Society in Belgrade. With the help of a few yoga enthusiasts, yoga has been taught in the capital of Yugoslavia for the past fifteen years. There are several books on yoga which are popular here and through courses, lectures, radio and television, yoga has been promoted throughout the country.

The Yoga Society prints its own magazine and also organizes visits to other yoga centres in neighbouring countries. Much importance is placed on the visits of great yogis from foreign countries, especially India. Swami Satyananda Saraswati was heartily welcomed in Belgrade in 1973 during his tour of Europe. Later, some members of the society visited the Bihar School of Yoga in Munger and eventually translations of Swami Satyananda’s books became available in Yugoslavia. The great experience of BSY is very useful for greater endeavour in the yoga field and all its applications.

Despite the popularity of yoga in Yugoslavia there are only a few competent teachers, who are mostly in Belgrade. Although yoga is usually viewed as being solely related to the teaching of asanas, or hatha yoga. there are some who see yoga as a path of mysticism reaching towards a higher reality. In general, modern man is tending to lose himself in the desire for more and more material possessions. He is not really concerned with knowing himself, nor is he aware that the true goal of yoga is within himself and is reflected by his attitude to life. Yoga is not far from man, but he is far from yoga.

As well as self-study, there are many other aspects of yoga. Of course, hatha yoga is most well known, especially for its positive effects on physical and mental health. In India and other countries there is the growth of modern yoga institutes and clinics which have had very successful results in the therapeutic field. Presently, there are no such developments in Yugoslavia, but some doctors and psychologists are interested in yoga and its therapeutic application. Perhaps in the future they will organize the beginnings of a yoga therapy institute.

The potential for the widespread growth of yoga in Yugoslavia is as great as in other countries. At present we have a nucleus of knowledgeable and motivated teachers; however, we need more. A little practice of yoga with an experienced teacher is more beneficial than merely talking about it.

(Courtesy : Yoga Magazine, June, 1982)

Bandhas are a group of physical locks which allow the practitioner to control different organs of the body and their nerves. The word bandha means to hold or tighten’. These locks, created by contracting different areas such as the throat, abdomen and perineum, massage the physical organs and release psychic energy by the stimulation of chakras and prana. They help to redirect prana and strengthen the whole body.

In a report on the effect of bandhas on heart rate, pulse rate and pulse pressure, K.B. Gopal, S. Lakshman and M. Batmanabne from the Dept. of: Biology and Anatomy, Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, India have made some interesting findings. These highlight the effects of yoga in the possible treatment of blood pressure. *1

The report states that during the tests made on eighteen trained yoga students, the cardiovascular system was affected in a beneficial manner by lowering of the heart rate and blood pressure within physiological limits. Gopal et al. have observed that this could be due to increased peripheral blood flow while performing bandhas in conjunction with pranayama. This implies that there is a lessening of the sympathetic nervous stimulation of the peripheral blood vessels which leads to relaxation of mind and body.

According to Gopal et al. in jalandhara bandha (locking of the throat centre) the pressure receptors in the carotid artery are not stimulated. However, the carotid artery is stretched due to forward bending of the neck and elevation of the ribs which increase the diameter of the base of the neck. This, he believes, contributes to the lowering of blood pressure in normal people (not in hypertension).

Increased diameter of the chest (thoracic cage volume) is also caused by uddiyana bandha (abdominal contraction). According to experimental evidence these also contribute to lowering of the blood pressure. Though these techniques are not applicable to the treatment of hypertension, they can be utilised to prevent high blood pressure.

*1. “Some Anatomical Observations on Hatha Yoga: Bandhas, an Anatomical Study” ‘Ind. J. Med. Sc. 26, 9′.

(Courtesy Yoga Magazine, April, 1979)

Swami Satyananda Saraswati
Given at the Yoga Teachers Seminar in
Collbato, Spain in Aug.

The science of yoga has not brought any great surprise to the world, but it has given man the hope of awakening the potential that is dormant in every individual. When man was engrossed in ignorance, he was only thinking and identifying with the material part of his existence – the body, mind and emotions. He was then caught in the realm of pain and pleasure. But it seems that the universal consciousness is taking a round about turn and man is gradually becoming more concerned with the discovery of his real nature, and the means by which he can achieve this goal.

Because man is so habituated to identifying himself with the body and mind, he finds it very difficult to transcend this level of consciousness and realise or experience his higher consciousness. How can we separate the consciousness from the lower nature, and discover our link with the deeper and higher self? It is only through awakening our dormant spiritual energy- kundalini, that we can achieve this end. And yoga has a gradual and systematic method for awakening kundalini, which has been practised and perfected throughout the ages.

According to the scriptures, hatha yoga plays a very important part in awakening spiritual energy. Just as in an automobile there must be harmony between the functioning of brakes, accelerator and steering, etc., in our body the different systems must also function in harmony. Hatha yoga actually means balance between the two principal forms of energy in the physical body.

Harmonisation of the energy forces

The two energies comprise lunar energy, represented here by the syllable ‘ha’, and solar energy represented by the syllable ‘tha’. From the modern scientific point of view, lunar energy corresponds to the mental functions of man and is a composite of the knowing, thinking, reasoning, remembering and analysing processes. The solar energy, on the other hand, encompasses movement, locomotion and life. The processes of breathing, digestion, secretion, circulation and conception are all in the realms of solar energy.

When there is harmony between the mental and pranic functions of the body, yoga becomes swift and smooth. However, this harmony rarely occurs. In most people, either the solar or the lunar energy predominates. An excess of solar energy manifests rajo guna, and if lunar energy predominates, tamo guna is present. If the lunar energy is weak and the solar energy is powerful, one becomes restless, violent and schizophrenic. People are sensuous on account of excess solar energy. Conversely, when lunar energy is more powerful man falls into the realms of depression or frustration. Therefore, if you wish for harmony between the two forces, you must maintain a balance between frustration and depression, and aggression and action.

These two energies in the physical body should be known as mind and vitality. In modern terminology we call them the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous systems, and they control the functioning of the entire body. An imbalance between these systems can lead one to confinement in a mental hospital or a jail sentence. On the other hand, a balance results in an awakening of the higher energies.

Purification of the nadis

According to hatha yoga scriptures, there are 72,000 nadis or flow circuits in the human body which control all the different bodily functions. Of these, ida and pingala are the most important. The pingala nadi carries the solar energy or the flow of prana shakti, and ida the lunar energy or mental shakti. These two nadis flow within the framework of the spinal cord, ida on the left side and pingala on the right. In different centres along the spinal cord, ida and pingala branch off to the various organs of the body. Let us use the electric power station as an illustration. The high tension lines leave the main station and the current is stepped down at the transforming station ready for distribution to the domestic outlets.

In the same manner, ida and pingala carry a high range of energy to the chakra points where it is transformed into a lower voltage of energy. In this way the mental and pranic energy flow to different parts of the body. If the nadis do not flow freely you will feel mental or physical weakness. On account of excessive and useless thinking, the nadis are generally weak, impure and incapable of efficiently conducting the pranic and mental shakti to the various organs of the body. So an important function of hatha yoga is the purification of the nadis.

Besides ida and pingala there is one other very important nadi which flows through the centre of the spinal cord. It is called sushumna and it conducts a higher form of energy. We could say that while ida and pingala conduct earthly energy, the flow of energy in sushumna is of a cosmic nature. Whereas pranic and mental energy are finite, the cosmic energy of sushumna is infinite. Therefore, the major object of hatha yoga is to connect this finite body with that infinite source.

So now we arrive at the understanding that hatha yoga is not physical yoga; it is a higher practice carried out in the physical body. The practice of the six cleansing kriyas, asanas, pranayama, mudras and bandhas should not be considered as physical yoga.

The aim of asanas and pranayama

Although people have been using asanas for the treatment of disease, this is not their real purpose. It is only a side benefit. Yogasanas are an important preparation for kundalini yoga because they give a mild awakening to the chakras. When I lived with my guru, Swami Sivananda, I used to type his writings on yoga. When he wrote that sarvangasana awakens vishuddhi chakra, bhujangasana wakes up manipura chakra, and the practice of sirshasana awakens sahasrara, I did not believe it. I thought it was all nonsense until one day Swamiji explained how a mild awakening is exerted in each chakra when you practise the postures.

By practising pranayama we create proper organisation of the pranic energy in the body. We supply prana to the areas where there is a scarcity, and balance out the excess in other areas. Therefore, the word pranayama literally means supplying and balancing the pranic energy in different dimensions of the body.

Sometimes when you are relaxing, the prana is in the digestive system, or when you are eating, the prana is in the brain. When you need prana in mooladhara or sahasrara, you should be able to supply it. When you sit for meditation you need excess prana in the higher regions of the brain, and when you are eating you need more pranic energy in the digestive system. Similarly, when you are practising yoga nidra, or when you sleep, your prana should be distributed throughout the body. When you have mastered pranayama, you can transfer prana to any part of the body.

Pranayama increases vitality and ensures good health, but it is more than just a breathing exercise. It is intended to disturb the sleeping kundalini. Nadi shodhana, bhastrika, kapalbhati, sheetali and sheetkari pranayama are all ways of achieving this end.

Pranayama and mantra make a very powerful combination and they are said to be the real definition of yoga. If you have a missile and at its head you put an atomic weapon, then the missile is the carrier of that nuclear weapon. In the same way, prana is like a missile and mantra is like the nuclear weapon on top.

Understanding prana

Prana is not something we take in with the air we breathe; we are born with it. Prana was created in us when we were in the womb of our mother. The whole universe functions on account of prana. If there was no prana, there would be no existence, and if prana was withdrawn from the universe, there would be total disintegration. If you want to know what prana is, you must understand existence. When there is no existence, the pranas are dormant, and when the cosmos came into being, it was the result of an explosion of pranas.

Prana is comprehended in two aspects- microcosmic and macrocosmic I am not going to tell you about macrocosmic prana because you cannot conceive it; I cannot speak about it, and you would not be able to understand. But the microcosmic aspect of the universal prana is in me and you and every object of the universe, although it is in the gross form. We are not able to think about prana in its subtle form, but it is convertible. Just as matter is convertible into energy, energy is also convertible into matter; prana can be converted into action and action into prana. Therefore, in hatha yoga the science of pranayama is considered to be supreme.

Connecting ida, pingala and sushumna

In the human body there are two vitally important centres. One is mooladhara chakra, at the base of the spine, and the other is ajna chakra at the top of the spinal cord. Ida, pingala and sushumna emanate from mooladhara and terminate in ajna. The sleeping kundalini resides in mooladhara, and its path of ascent is through sushumna nadi. Unless you have been a regular practitioner of yoga for some time, ida and pingala are not in communication with sushumna. But when you practise trataka and kapalbhati, they are connected. When this link is established, the higher energy flows through them.

I will give you an illustration. In your domestic electrical meter there are three lines. One is positive, one is negative and the third is neutral. If you remove the neutral line, the lights immediately become dim. Although the energy is conducted through the positive and negative lines, neutral is necessary to maintain the higher voltage.

The negative line is called the ‘cold line’ and the positive line is called the ‘hot line’. In the same way, the ida nadi carries cold energy, pingala carries hot energy, and sushumna is the booster.

To awaken ajna chakra and create union between the three conductors of energy in the body, you should practise shambhavi mudra. Simply close your eyes and concentrate on the mid-eyebrow centre. When you open your eyes, try to look at the mid-eyebrow centre. When shambhavi mudra becomes effective there is light within.

In order to master shambhavi mudra, you must practise trataka. Trataka is not merely gazing at one point, although in the beginning you have to keep your eyes fixed on something. Then gradually the eyes become concentrated at the mid-eyebrow centre and shambhavi mudra develops, bringing ida, pingala and sushumna into union and triggering the flow of kundalini energy.

When this energy begins to flow, one experiences definite symptoms. The consciousness manifests in the form of illumination. It is a psychic experience in which you see the blazing of light. You can call this experience either illumination or enlightenment.

Many people see the blaze as an explosion of light, whereas others experience it as a twilight which slowly increases. This illumination indicates that the union of ida, pingala and sushumna has taken place, and this is the ultimate purpose of hatha yoga.

Prana and kundalini

When we examine the absolute meaning of hatha yoga we see that it is union of sushumna with ida and pingala. In other words it is macrocosmic pranic force united with the microcosmic spiritual force. Therefore, the practice of hatha yoga can lead one to the ultimate destination. What is the ultimate destination? Awakening of prana. And what is prana? Prana and kundalini are synonymous terms. Awakening of prana is awakening of kundalini, and in awakening kundalini you unite yourself with the cosmic prana.

Kundalini is microcosmic prana shakti. Symbolically, they say it is a serpent, but you can conceive kundalini in any manner you like. Prana has no form or dimension, it is infinite. Prana is existence, and we are all specimens of prana. But our prana is at a very low voltage, and therefore all of humanity has to be taught how to increase the voltage of prana.

(Courtesy Yoga Magazine, June, 1980)

There is a technique in hatha yoga called shankhaprakshalana which eliminates the toxins from the stomach and cleans the whole alimentary canal. This practice helps to cure almost all stomach troubles by regulating the vitiated bile, wind and mucus. In this process you are required to drink about sixteen glasses of salty, lukewarm water and in between you do five different asanas. This cleans the stomach completely; the body becomes very light and free from tension.

Likewise, there is also a mental shankhaprakshalana which makes the mind free from unnecessary thoughts and provides mental equilibrium. Our mind is constipated with foul conceptions, tensions, old samskaras and many unfulfilled desires. As long as we have unnecessary worries and inhibitions the mind cannot relax. When you clean the physical body, you have to drink salt water and go to the toilet a number of times. This will make you very tired, but afterwards you will feel much better. In the same way, you get tired during mental shankhaprakshalana in the beginning because of the tremendous amount of thoughts, but ultimately, when you are able to evacuate the mind of thoughts, you can enjoy real happiness.

Everyone of us has sexual desires, samskaras, superfluous thoughts and worries, whether one is male or female, king or servant. Everyone has many problems; nobody’s mind is pure. How can you say that you have no toxins in your body and no disturbances in your mind? If you say this, it implies that you are not speaking the truth. Desires and thoughts are natural. A man without desires and thoughts is not mentally balanced. He is definitely sick. You can know the thoughts in your conscious mind. But the subconscious and unconscious minds are as deep as the ocean. You can see the waves of the sea on the surface, but you cannot see the animals, scorpions, serpents or the valuable pearls in the deeper levels. Similarly, you are unable to know the infirmities or inhibitions deeply rooted in the subconscious mind. You cannot recognise your innermost samskaras which have been gathering there from your family, society or religion from time immemorial. But you have to become aware of them and start witnessing everything which is in your subconscious and unconscious mind. If you want peace of mind you must first know the mind.

In order to understand your mind, you have to practice antar mouna, inner silence. When you practice this yogic process, the suppressed samskaras are driven out from the deeper levels of the mind. While doing shankhaprakshalana you drink so much water; in the same way you have to do japa during antar mouna. The mantra goes into the mind and scratches out the samskaras and tensions. According to the quality of your samskaras, sometimes you may see many insignificant thoughts, sometimes you will visualise terrifying ghosts or very beautiful scenes and landscapes. When the aspirant finds bad ideas or frightening figures coming out from the mind he becomes nervous. This is because he has never seen or experienced these things during the ordinary course of his life. Especially when sitting for meditation, japa or prayer, a bundle of thoughts starts coming out. Why? The reason is that while meditating, you forget the outside world. The consciousness is withdrawn inside where you come across innumerable samskaras in various forms. These are the root cause of mental and physical ailments. When the aspirant looks at these petty and boring thoughts, he becomes desperate and stops his spiritual practices. He thinks that this process of sadhana is not suitable for him. Actually he should not stop, because this mental cleansing is necessary, it must happen.

When you enter a room after a long time, you find that everything is dirty, the floor and walls are covered with dust. In order to clean the room you have to put all the dirty things out. While sweeping, the dirt comes up. If you stop sweeping, the room will never be cleaned. Similarly you cannot clean the mind unless you remove the dirt of worries, tensions and inhibitions by the practice of japa and antar mouna.

The practice of antar mouna and japa should go on simultaneously. You should witness the thoughts like a seer, without identifying yourself with them. You do not have to concentrate your mind on one point in the beginning. But you should be persistent in doing your spiritual practices with utmost regard for them.

It is generally found that most of the aspirants, while doing japa, suppress their negative thoughts. This is not beneficial for them. If you suppress these thoughts, they return again to the depths of your subconscious mind where they hide themselves but continue to play havoc. These subconscious impressions often cause introversion. They are strong enough to confuse and spoil your whole life. During sadhana some aspirants become lean and thin, constipated and sometimes even mad, which is the outcome of suppressed thoughts. If you do not evacuate the bowel for many days, your system will become weak and susceptible to many diseases. Similarly, if you do not let your tensions come out you will have many mental problems.

As long as the elephant is strong and untamed, you have to understand and watch him very carefully, otherwise he will throw you. In the same way, as long as the mind is not under your control you have to make friends with it. Once you have become master of your mind you can treat it as you like, but definitely not in the initial stages. So while doing antar mouna and japa, you should leave the mind entirely free and witness its movements. Thus you will gradually be able to understand the mind.

Most people have very vague ideas about their own problems; they have no liberal ideas. They think only on behalf of their society and traditions. The cause of disease is not only previous karmas; society is also responsible to a great extent. You have to make your mind very strong in order to attain mental peace. You have to separate yourself from the wrong habits and untruthful ways of society. You have to change your thoughts. You have to understand the right purpose, philosophy and higher meaning of life. Unless you know the right way to solve problems, your life will not run smoothly. The members of a family always quarrel, and they become very upset at the death of their ‘loved’ ones. They lose all mental equilibrium when they have some kind of loss in their business. Therefore, you must learn to accept every situation, then you will find your own solution for all problems whether physical or mental.

Modern scientists proclaim that mind is the root cause of all physical and mental ailments. For instance, diabetes outwardly seems to be a physical disease which occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce insulin. But medical scientists have proved that when one constantly thinks about the abuses which he has received from somebody, then he becomes neurotic. This constant speculating has an adverse effect on the neurones of the brain. When the mind is tense, the brain- being the controller of bodily activities – affects the pancreas by stopping its regular function of producing insulin, thus diabetes occurs.

You also must have heard that when a thief goes out to steal, he first evacuates his bowels. Why is this so? Because at that time his mind is tense and full of fear, affecting his digestive system. In the same way, various kinds of tensions, whether they are mental or emotional, affect the different centres of the mind and consequently ruin health.

Again, when one achieves tremendous success in business, in passing examinations or in winning fame and reputation, the mind becomes very relaxed. There is no excitement in the brain-cells and consequently the circulation of blood is obstructed. In this state one can become a victim of coronary thrombosis. Similarly, those who are highly ambitious generally suffer from cancer. It is the mind which is responsible for all sorts of physical and mental disturbances whether they begin in the spinal cord or the stomach.

Last year when I was in London, I found myself sitting beside a young boy in a hotel. We had a long talk during which he told me that he was a heavy smoker. He also offered me cigarettes but I refused. After some time he drank some wine and ate some meat. He asked me whether I was a vegetarian. I said yes. He was astonished to know that I could survive without meat, wine or cigarettes. Later he told me that he suffered from colitis and also asked if I could prescribe any medicine for that incurable disease. So I explained some relaxation techniques to him and suggested that he could get rid of that disease by relaxing his mind. After a few days, he again met me in the same hotel and reported that his disease was fifty percent better. Therefore, be assured that by regularly releasing the tensions of the mind you will always stay healthy and cheerful.

Nowadays, yoga has become an international word; in every country people are familiar with this great science. Yoga is not designed only for sannyasins but it is also for those who are leading an ordinary life. Whenever you suffer either from physical or mental disease you can remove it by practicing yoga.

According to modern psychologists, many diseases can be cured by the process of self-analysis. The diseased person is asked to lie down on a bed and to witness his thoughts. Then positive suggestions are given to him by a psychologist. In this way the mind becomes very much relaxed and receptive. The ailing person starts feeling better day by day because his mind is becoming free from tensions.

People go to see films for entertainment which means that they are not self-content. They do not seek the real charm in life. They try to escape from their adverse circumstances by playing cards, chess and reading rubbish novels. This is not the solution to their problems. It is nothing but escape. The enmity or wars among the different countries, collapse of the societies, individual problems and worries are nothing but the product of unhealthy minds.

A married woman came to me and complained about her son who was a very mischievous, undisciplined drunkard. She was tired of trying to correct his bad habits, and was having no success. I suggested that she do tratak on his brumadhya (eyebrow centre) at midnight when the boy was in slumber. She did accordingly and sent positive ideas to him. After constant practice for about three months or so she reported success in correcting his habits.

This mind is mysteriously powerful. Lord Krishna proclaims in the Bhagavad Gita that the mind is the greatest opponent for those who are the slave of it, but the same mind is the greatest friend for those yogis who have brought it under their control. Therefore, it is your duty to understand and then subdue the mind by the practice of yoga. Then only can you attain the mental strength necessary to meet the challenges of life, of suffering and sorrow, without being affected.

(Courtesy: Yoga Magazine April 1977)