I am not a yoga expert. My knowledge is very limited but my experience so dramatic that 1 have been asked to write this article. No one could be less eager to discuss their disabilities and ailments publicly than I am, but I reluctantly do so out of sheer gratitude to the person who introduced me to yoga via the teachings of Swami Satyananda. I also hope it might help someone else with similar problems.

My basic trouble is that I was born with a spina bifida, which damaged the nerve controlling the muscles of the feet and the ‘plumbing’. Still, the situation could have been very much worse and I have managed to lead a full life punctuated by orthopaedic operations, which have kept me mobile. As 1 have grown up with these problems I am used to them, but a few years ago I began to feel ill which was rare for me. A fibroid tumour was eventually diagnosed and a hysterectomy performed in December 1976.

Nobody could have looked forward more eagerly to the operation that was to make ‘a new woman of me’. To cut a long story short, it didn’t. Indeed, it seemed to spark off all sorts of trouble and, when asked, all concerned (i.e. my doctor and three assorted consultants) admitted that they had not before come across a combination of hysterectomy and spina bifida.

The medical profession continued to do its best for me and some problems were solved, but 1 continued to feel ill. Life became a bore as I dragged myself around, unable to plan ahead, never feeling very well and for days on end I would unaccountably suffer abdominal pains or attacks of what I could only describe as ‘internal distress’. Added to this were pressing orthopaedic problems. I’ve always had backache if I’m on my feet for long, but I was now also getting it while sitting down. Since I do almost everything sitting down, this was a very serious setback indeed. X-rays revealed no deterioration and my orthopaedic consultant told me gently that my new problem was due to advancing years and I must expect it. I was fitted with a spinal jacket which seemed to me to spell defeat (didn’t help much either). The ‘plumber’ consultant was plainly baffled by my persistent internal symptoms, which I found impossible to describe. He assured me that there was no deterioration of my innards but I was getting older and must expect trouble. My gynaecologist and my local doctor also expressed the opinion that I couldn’t expect to feel the same at 52 as I had at 25.

I had better mention at this point that I have always had a fat face and rosy cheeks and look well even when I feel like death. I suspected my medical advisers of writing me off as a neurotic and who can blame them? I felt humiliated and isolated and prayed desperately that I would get better or die. Through all this my marvellous husband was endlessly patient, endlessly caring and endlessly worried- which was really the worst thing of all. I did my best to hide my distress and not make his life a misery as well but it wasn’t easy.

This state of affairs continued until May 1980 when an old friend from student days flew to England on one of her lightning visits. On this occasion she was fresh from a World Conference of Yoga Instructors in Japan and, noticing that I was creeping about in rather a subdued way, asked me what was wrong. Well, 1 thought she’d be off in a couple of days, so I could tell her. At the end of this dreary recital she said she was sure yoga could help me.

Because she had talked to me about yoga before. I had made enquiries locally in case it could help me but it had meant joining a class which was, for me, out of the question. I begged my friend to give me a lesson during her brief visit. She did and promised to send me a book when she got home. We also discussed the spiritual side to some extent. I do not find this difficult to comprehend as I have been aware of a power and a presence to which I have been able to listen and communicate since I was fourteen years old and lying with both feet in plaster casts, desperately wondering how I was going to live my life and unable to discuss my problems with anyone. Being brought up as a Christian in the Church of England I call this presence and power ‘God’, but the name seems to me to be quite irrelevant. The important thing is that you are never alone.

Some weeks later, Swami Satyananda’s book ‘Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha’ arrived. The first thing that impressed me was that each exercise was, if necessary, accompanied by a health warning under the heading ‘Limitations’ e.g. “Not for people with high blood pressure or a weak heart.” I read and reread the ‘Introduction to Asanas’ and practically learned by heart the theory of the backward bending asanas. My only ambition at this time was to strengthen my back, but I was intrigued by the possibility of additional benefits. With the blessing of consultants and local doctor I got started.

In the firm belief that I must follow the instructions to the letter if I were to give the book a fair trial, I rose at 6 a.m., went into the spare bedroom and lay down in front of an open window with the book on the floor in front of me. In these early days I practised the asanas very, very slowly and carefully, obeying all the instructions to the last detail and, miraculously it seemed to me, everything claimed in the introduction to the backward bending asanas was true. Not only did the back muscles become stronger, but that terrible feeling of internal distress’ began to go. So immediate were the benefits of the three asanas I performed consecutively every day (bhujangasana, ardha shalabhasana and sarpasana) that my one desire on waking each morning was to get into the spare room and practise them, (he book said that these exercises would give the internal abdominal organs a good massage, the mere idea of which astounded me. Yet this must have been exactly what was needed because I felt better every day. I soon got rid of my backache (and the spinal jacket), the plumbing is now more efficient than it has ever been and blinding headaches which had suddenly started to attack me were easily cured by short spells in advasana, the reversed corpse pose. I also added the leg lock posture to my daily program. As my friend said: “It is all so logical.”

It is now November 1981 and I have not once missed my morning yoga since the book arrived from Australia in July 1980. I dare not as I am convinced that its effects are both remedial and preventative. I boast loudly and at some length, to anyone interested, about the virtues of Swami Satyananda’s book and the miraculous improvement that yoga has wrought in me. My husband backs me up enthusiastically with the story of how I cured his ‘almost slipped disc’. He has had this trouble before and it has taken much time and physiotherapy to put it right. On this latest occasion Swami Satyananda’s book and I got him back to normal in a week. I keep a spare copy to lend out and often supply the address of the ashram in London to people who wish to buy a copy.

I cannot imagine that I will ever meet Swami Satyananda, much as I would wish to, but I hope that he reads this because it is my ‘thank-you’ to him.

(Courtesy : Yoga Magazine, Sep, 1982)

Dr. Swami Karmananda Saraswati, MB, BS (Syd)

There will come a time when drugs will be recognised as the cause of disease and debility rather than as the panacea for all of modern man’s physical and mental anguish. We need drugs today because we lack the strength and self knowledge to confront disease directly and overcome it. This is why drugs are necessary and why they exist in such abundance. Although disease can be healed from within, we lack the willpower necessary to initiate the self healing process. By mobilising our will, we can awaken and direct prana to heal ourselves. Mastery of this science is surely not easy, but even if a few people are able to discover the great secret powers which lie dormant in themselves, and which they can wilfully awaken, then something important has been gained. How can we develop something as intangible as willpower? The best way is through regular practice of yoga.

If we are going to heal ourselves, then we should avoid using drugs as far as possible because they weaken the will, which is man’s only real weapon in healing himself. Drugs lower the natural resistance to disease, while yoga strengthens both the will and the natural resistance. A few examples will illustrate this point very well.

If one develops infective bronchitis in the chest, and takes an appropriate antibiotic, then the bacteria which are multiplying there will be effectively killed and the symptoms magically relieved. The fever will drop, the cough will stop and the patient will feel much better. But has he been cured of his disease? In fact he has not, because the bacterial overgrowth is not the cause of the illness- it is the effect. The prime problem is a weakness, a deficient energy level in the chest region, a blockage or deficiency of prana. Because of this deficiency, the bacteria is able to multiply and the symptoms commence. Only in individuals whose natural resistance is diminished, whose energy is low, will disease come. After all, bacteriologists tell us that we all harbour many bacteria which are known to produce infectious disease, but without developing them. When the prana is deficient and one contracts a disease such as bronchitis, taking an antibiotic may render him free of symptoms, but in fact he is sicker than before. This is because the energy of the respiratory system remains low, but now he is unaware of the deficiency due to removal of symptoms.

How should a case such as infective bronchitis be treated? There are two ways. Firstly, we can utilise antibiotics to remove the symptoms and then adopt a daily program of asanas and pranayama specifically aimed to build up the energy and natural resistance of the respiratory system, This will prevent subsequent infections and by correcting the basic energy deficiency will cure the tendency towards the disease. Secondly, you can rely solely on the powers of body and mind, augmented by yoga, to overcome the infection. This may take longer and requires personal effort, but the rewards are far greater.

Another good example of symptomatic healing is surgical and medical treatment of peptic ulcer. The primary cause of ulcer is mental stress and gnawing anxiety. This results in excessive acid eating a hole in the wall of the stomach or duodenum which has a diminished mucosal resistance of its cellular lining. When the surgeon sews up the hole and removes the exposed nerves there, from contact with the acid secretions of the stomach, the pain is certainly stopped.

But this doesn’t do anything at all about curing the disease- the autonomic nervous system remains exactly as before. Unless one learns how to effectively remove the mental tensions and anxieties, then he will suffer either a recurrent ulcer in a few months or else develop some other more serious, perhaps fatal, disorder later in life, resulting from the ever continuing accumulation of stress and anguish. In this case it would be better to perfect the practice of yoga nidra to remove both cause and symptoms of ulcer through releasing the accumulated stress of daily life. Techniques such as kunjal kriya can be used to fortify the prana of the upper gastrointestinal tract.

How do drugs affect our ability to mobilise our own inner pranic energy for self healing purposes? Firstly, a great effort of concentration is needed to awaken the higher pranic and psychic faculties of man, and liberate healing energy. This concentration can be found only in the face of a pressing stimulus such as pain provides. Once the symptoms are relieved, the impetus to seek the solution is lost.

Secondly, the major tranquillising and hypnotic drugs, as well as the powerful pain relieving agents, disorientate the consciousness and fragment the will. These agents disconnect the junctions of various faculties and dimensions of awareness which are needed in healing. One is no longer fully conscious.

There is recent evidence that the human central nervous system produces very powerful painkilling agents of its own called endorphins. These have been isolated and proved to be many times more powerful than even the most powerful opiates such as morphine and heroin, in pain relief. However, the key to their release and action in the nervous system is not known. It is suggested that these endorphins can be stimulated and released by the wilful expansion of conscious awareness in the face of pain in the bodily systems.

Drugs are not to be condemned, but their indiscriminate use by the spiritual aspirant will cause him to miss valuable experiences. If one is dedicated to self knowledge and a higher understanding, then he can learn a lot through his sicknesses. Of course, drugs can always be resorted to if necessary. They are neither good or bad in themselves- it depends on the situation. However, the level of drug usage today reflects the collective level of man’s awareness. We need drugs to take away the pain of life. To be able to avoid the pains which confront us may be considered a great achievement, but it is also a very mixed blessing. This is because our propensity to experience pleasure can never exceed our ability to tolerate pain. This is one of the most basic facts of life. If the human nervous system is dulled whenever the reality of pain arises, then it is never sensitised to the experience of pleasure either. This is one of the reasons why many people can find nothing but boredom and unfulfilment in modern life. Life becomes mundane as man grows weaker and weaker, madly seeking pleasure and avoiding pain.

We are very proud of modern medical science and its progress, yet we must be careful in assessing its contribution to our demise. The family doctor who is ever ready with his armoury of drugs is indeed a mixed blessing for mankind. By overly relying on his magic bag of tricks, we are forgetting that we can evolve, learn and grow through our pains to greater cosmic understanding and happiness.

Please note, however, that yoga should not be adopted for relief of pain or disease without the guidance of a competent yoga therapist, preferably in an ashram situation.

(Courtesy Yoga Magazine, June, 1979)

After two years of research I reached the conclusion that yogasanas, pranayama, bandhas and mudras have been brilliantly developed from a thorough knowledge of the nadi system, and the results of twenty years research in our institute have proven that the meridians of Chinese acupuncture and the nadi system are essentially the same.

Asanas: Prana can accumulate in the joints resulting in painful diseases such as rheumatism, neuralgia, backache, etc. To release this accumulation everyone should practice simple exercises daily to ensure the free flow of prana. Bending the toes, rotating the ankles, twisting the wrists, clenching the hands, etc., take but a few minutes to perform and effectively release prana which accumulates in these areas causing painful diseases.

Pranayama : Daily practice of nadi shodhana will induce calmness, remove pranic blockage and balance the flow of prana in the ida and pingala nadis, leading to a general purification of the body. This pranayama is an indispensable preliminary to meditation and should be practiced under the guidance of a teacher.

Bandhas: Moola bandha is performed by contracting the perineum while holding the breath. The special contractions associated with the bandha bring energy upwards in an effort to unite the lower and upper pranas and to create a healthy and harmonious state of body and mind. Similarly, in Chinese medicine, acupuncture treatment is given to the sansho or triple heater meridian to create a balance in the body. Sansho means ‘three energies’ and treatment of particular points along this meridian aims to harmonize the upper, middle and lower body energies. The effect is therefore similar to that of performing moola bandha and it is my feeling that moola bandha was created by Indian yogis out of an awareness of this energy channel or meridian.

Mudras: Khechari and vajroli mudras are used to awaken swadhisthana chakra. As the swadhisthana chakra controls the genitourinary functions, it is related to the kidney and urinary-bladder meridians. The tongue position in khechari mudra stimulates a point on the kidney meridian at the back of the palate which affects the genito-urinary organs and therefore stimulates the swadhisthana chakra.

Although the Chinese and Indian cultures evolved differently, they did in fact both possess a similar knowledge of the workings of the energy system. The Chinese developed acupuncture and the meridian system; the Indians developed yoga and the system of the nadis. They did later seem to exchange their views and influence each other. For example, the triple heater meridian mentioned above which has the same effect as moola bandha is quite different from the Chinese concept of yin/yang dualism which is the basis of acupuncture theory. This meridian seems to have been a later addition to acupuncture and was probably influenced by Indian thought. The asanas, pranayamas, mudras and bandhas of yoga are cleverly constructed from a thorough and deep knowledge of the directional flow and function of the nadis or meridians. Furthermore there is a definite relationship between the chakras and the nadis and meridians, and also the internal organs.

(Courtesy Yoga Magazine, January 1979)

The commands of nature are silent. None an disobey them without being punished. Nature doesn’t warn the transgressor; the punishment is as silent as the command. However, to those who obey her commands faithfully, she grants their prayer for a joyful, complete life.

May we see through a hundred autumns. May we live through a hundred autumns. May we know through a hundred autumns. May we rise through a hundred autumns. May we prosper through a hundred autumns. May we remain established through a hundred autumns. May we grow through a hundred autumns. Even more than a hundred autumns.

Atharvaveda XIX. 67

Yoga is a comprehensive technique for living a long, healthy, happy, purposeful life at the optimum physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual level for the fulfilment of the ultimate goal of life through complete self-actualization.

Since the knowledge of yoga is verifiable and systematic, it is a science. And since living is subjective, it is an art. Yoga may therefore be briefly defined as the science and art of optimum living.

The aim of yoga has always been lofty. It has never been one of therapy. It may, however, be used for therapeutic purposes in just the same way as the knowledge of a university professor in atomic physics is used by his son for solving his difficulties in eighth grade arithmetic.. But the aim and purpose of the professor’s knowledge is much higher.

It often happens that conventional therapeutic measures fail to save an erring man from the verdict of nature’s silent punishment, but knowledge of yoga and its application either reduce the intensity of the punishment or even completely free him. That is the value of yoga in therapy.

In western countries, the improved health measures of modern times have been able to wipe out completely microbial and parasitic infectious diseases like smallpox, cholera, plague, typhoid, malaria, tuberculosis, dysentery, anthrax, diphtheria, filariasis and so on, and dietary deficiency diseases like scurvy, rickets, beriberi, pellagra and pernicious anaemia. Moderately developed and developing countries are following suit; expectancy of life in all countries is increasing.

With removal of infectious and parasitic diseases together with deficiency diseases, the number of chronic stress diseases, psychosomatic disorders, degenerative diseases, cancer and old-age problems have started to appear more prominently on the disease map of every country. In addition, atmospheric pollution, industrial hazards, accidents, drug addiction, alcoholism and abnormal behaviour are assuming frightful forms in the health problems of a country.

Yoga can play an important role in reducing stress, treating stress diseases and psychosomatic disorders, in preventing drug and alcohol addiction and in eliminating abnormal behaviour.

As a result of increasing tension of the highly competitive, individualistic, neo-industrial civilisation, a large number of diseases like asthma, peptic ulcer, ulcerative colitis, neuro-dermatitis, migraine, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, coronary insufficiency, diabetes and obesity have come to be recognised as diseases having a bearing on conflicts of the mind. Since the cause of these diseases is subtle, treatment with medicines and surgical operations alone, even at the hands of the best specialists, is often not obtainable. Help of a psychotherapist generally improves the condition without bringing about a cure, since the subtle cause is not completely removed. For cure to occur, the conflicts have to be resolved and harmony established within by the patient himself. Unless this is done, all measures remain temporary.

Yoga, through its different disciplines of asanas (postures), pranayamas (breathing exercises), bandhas (locks), mudras (gestures), kriyas (cleansing techniques), pratyahara (sense withdrawal), dharana (one-pointed concentration) and dhyana (meditation), assisted by japa and kirtan (repetition and singing of God’s name) is capable of providing perfect harmony and equanimity in the layers of mind. Practice of these yogic disciplines prepares the mind for detached self-analysis. In moments of meditation one can observe himself as a bundle of instincts, and his mind as a battlefield for different forces. By this practice, one can resolve all his inner conflicts. With the disappearance of the agitations of the mind, and the conflicts therein, all diseases caused by them disappear too. Regular and sincere practice of yoga, during the very early course of which therapeutic assets arise as a by-product, ultimately leads to the evolution of the mind, the ascent of the spirit and the dawn of true self-knowledge.

Courtesy: Yoga Magazine, May 1977

Dr. Swami Shankardevananda Saraswati

Backache and slipped disc are major problems in today’s world, and as yet modern medicine can do very little to alleviate them. Many people are turning to yoga for an amazingly simple, yet effective, way to remove the intense and crippling pain of backache and sciatica, and to prevent their recurrence.

Backache

Probably the most important cause of backache is tension. In today’s fast moving world most people find that they are being threatened by their environment and job situations. This tense state of mind causes tightness in the neck, shoulders and back muscles. When we are threatened, we clench our teeth and raise our shoulders in a defensive manner. We close ourselves off from the environment, and this involves hunching our back and shoulders. This unconscious reflex must be corrected by awareness and relaxation.

Another reason for so many back problems in our modern world is the advent of furniture. Chairs and spring mattresses promote poor posture and induce weakness of the back muscles so that slipped disc and sciatica can occur. When you sit in a chair you cannot maintain a straight and strong back for any period of time. This causes our neck and shoulder muscles to compensate for the poor posture by tightening up to prevent us from slouching excessively.

A strong spine is necessary for health. Yoga postures promote a straight and relaxed spinal cord. This allows the prana to flow freely and the nerve currents to move unhindered. Yogasanas such as makrasana, bhujangasana and dhanurasana strengthen the spine and back. Sitting in a cross-legged pose, such as sukhasana, siddhasna or padmasana, keeps the back straight and is of great benefit to all those suffering from back pain and sciatica.

Cause of backache

The major causes of backache today are:

1. Injury from twisting, lifting or crushing.

2. Degeneration of the back resulting from congenital or acquired causes or to lumbar spondylosis.

3. Spinal disease in the form of inflammation, tumours or Paget’s disease of the bone.

4. Fevers such as influenza or abdominal disorders of the stomach, duodenum, pancreas or urogenital tract.

5. Idiopathic (unknown cause) such as fibrositis, myofasciitis, sacroiliac strain, etc.

Slipped disc

This common occurrence is the main cause of backache. The disc lies between the bony spinal vertebrae and is composed of a fibrous ring of tissue called the annulus which contains a fluid called the nucleus pulposus. The disc supports the vertebrae and allows movement of the spine to take place. Slipped disc is caused by prolapse of the disc substance. Either the annulus or the nucleus slips out of its normal position. It can then press on the spinal cord causing backache, or on the nerve roots causing backache and/or sciatica (pain starting in the buttocks and shooting down into the back of the legs). Prolapse is usually below or above the fifth lumbar vertebra, at the level of the waist. It is accompanied by swelling which makes the symptoms worse; this generally subsides with time, allowing the disc to slip back into place. If the swelling is severe, the disc many remain prolapsed, interfering with the functions of the spinal cord and the mechanics of the joints of the vertebrae. This causes permanent weakening of the disc and if it has gone back into place, it may slip again due to the slightest strain or provocation, unless strengthened through yoga and revitalised with prana.

Slipped disc is usually due to strain caused by lifting with the back bent, thus tearing a ligament along the vertebrae. Incorrect movement is therefore the main cause. When you lift anything, the back should be straight with the knees bent. Use the power of the legs and hips rather than the back. Slipped disc is also caused by an increase in pressure inside the annulus from the absorption of fluid, or the degeneration of the ligaments due to old age or ill health.

The first symptom of slipped disc is a sudden onset of intense pain, though the pain may be slight at first and increase with time. The patient may be fixed in the forward bending posture with backache and/or sciatica. Subsequent attacks can also come suddenly and often follow a trivial event such as coughing or slight straining. The pain is made worse by straining or stooping.

Medical treatment

Medical treatment consists of applying heat to the area, analgesics for the pain, and exercise to strengthen the muscles. To treat the prolapse itself, medical science has three possibilities.

1. Rest on a hard bed, made by placing boards beneath a thin mattress. (This is the type of bed used in the ashram.) If it is a severe attack, the patient should stay in bed for three weeks. For less severe attacks a special corset can be made, and for minor attacks the patient is asked to avoid stooping or lifting.

2. Reduction by traction or manipulation can be applied to open the disc space allowing the prolapse to move back into place. This also lessens pain. Manipulation is a valuable tool in the right hands, but is usually avoided if there is sciatica. Alternatively, to reduce pain, local anaesthetic can be injected.

3. Removal by operative techniques has an eighty per cent success rate. It is only suggested by the doctor if the attacks are severe, recurrent, disabling and persistent despite other forms of treatment. This may leave the patient permanently disabled, perhaps with a fused spine, and should be avoided unless other treatment has proved ineffective.

After medical treatment, rehabilitation involves education in lifting from the hips rather than the spine, and exercises (backward bending) to strengthen the muscles. These exercises are similar in many ways to yoga and restore suppleness and muscle power. Patients are advised to continue sleeping on a hard mattress.

Yoga treatment

Through the practice of yoga combined with medical expertise, the strength of your back will return, thus preventing further trouble. This is true preventative medicine. Backward bending asanas aid in the treatment of slipped disc and sciatica by exerting traction on the area, strengthening and loosening the muscles, releasing muscle spasm and freeing nerves which have been constricted. At the same time they supply prana to the affected area.

The following three postures should be practiced regularly with awareness and relaxation for the relief and cure of all back problems: makrasanna, the crocodile pose; bhujangasana, the cobra pose; and dhanurasana, the bow pose. There are many other backward bending asanas which can also be used to strengthen the back, for example: sarpasana, the snake pose; shalabhasana, the locust pose; ushtrasana, the camel pose; supta vajrasana, the sleeping thunderbolt pose; chakrasana, the wheel pose; and ardha matsyendrasana, the half spinal twist. All these postures offer the same benefits for back problems. However, a few poses done well and practised regularly are far better than many poses performed quickly without awareness and relaxation. All the above-mentioned asanas can be found in Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha, published by the Bihar School of Yoga.

While you have back pain or sciatica do not bend forward or do any forward bending poses. These will come later when your back is stronger and free of pain. In order to strengthen your back as quickly as possible, use makrasana whenever you have a chance- while you are reading a book, watching TV, etc. This pose relaxes the whole body and eliminates pain. In this position be aware of those parts where you have felt pain and try to direct prana into that area. Imagine this prana as a golden, warm, tingling, flowing stream of force that revitalises and removes all dis-ease.

While doing any of the backward bending asanas, remember to feel into the spinal cord. Feel the vertebrae and discs moving, massaging the annulus and making it strong and firm. When these postures are practised as a supplement to medical treatment, the speed of cure and removal of symptoms is increased. In this way you will benefit from the best of both sciences- yoga and medicine.

Physical benefits of backward bending asanas

The vertebral column and the discs between the vertebrae are made strong and flexible. This ensures that the discs are maintained in the best possible health and do not become squashed or weakened, thus preventing slipped disc. Spinal deformities can be straightened out and posture corrected, e.g. rounded shoulders are eliminated.

The spinal cord is massaged. The nerves which emerge from the spinal canal can pass through the vertebrae unimpeded. If regular exercise is not done, it is possible for the vertebrae or a disc to move out of position and impinge on a spinal nerve, thus preventing the flow of vital nerve currents. Backward bending asanas also increase the blood flow into the spinal cord ensuring a good supply of nutrients. This is done by squeezing the blood out during the asana, so that on relaxing the pose, new blood washes the impurities from a usually sluggish venous system. This encourages maximal function in the nerves and thus affects the health of the whole body.

The autonomic nervous system is rebalanced and toned up by the action of the blood supply and the massaging effects.

The back muscles are strengthened and nourished by the increased flow of blood. Backache is quickly and easily removed. Posture is readjusted and corrected, removing spinal deformities. Backache will be removed by relaxing tense muscles, releasing compression of the spinal nerves and removing general body fatigue.

Slipped disc can be eliminated by the traction created, but it is preferable to have a teacher to help you with these asanas, at least the first few times.

Rheumatism and other causes of backache are prevented and removed by the action of these asanas on the joints of the spine and the rest of the body. This maintains flexibility and efficiency in the whole musculo-skeletal system.

The whole body is made healthy through these powerful asanas. The abdominal organs are massaged and manipura chakra, the pranic centre of the body, is stimulated and rebalanced. The lungs are fully inflated and massaged, cleaned and stretched. The heart is stimulated and cleansed. The blood is purified more efficiently by the lungs, kidneys and liver. The brain benefits from an increased amount of blood. Massage of the spinal cord also improves brain function. When the spinal cord and brain are relaxed and the whole body is toned up, back problems are eliminated.

Effects on Prana

Backward bending asanas increase prana by acting on the spinal cord and the solar plexus. These physical manifestations of the most important areas of prana are revitalised, unclogged and cleaned out. The spinal cord is the vehicle for sushumna, the central nadi of the body. It is the vehicle for the autonomic nervous system, the physical manifestation of the ida and pingala nadis. The solar plexus is the physical manifestation of the manipura chakra where prana is generated, stored and distributed. When prana is generated from the solar plexus, the back remains naturally straight as the flow of energy in the spine is like a rod, supporting the vertebrae and flowing into all parts of the body, maintaining good health and preventing disease. Thus it can be seen how valuable a tool yoga is in co-operation with modern medicine and healing systems in general.

The spiritual side

When you are crippled by back pain or slipped disc, how can you help your fellow man? Instead you must be helped to regain your health and vitality. When the body and mind function as a harmonious unit and prana flows freely, psychic centres open up. These are the chakras located in the spinal cord. But if you have spinal trouble or back pain, it is not possible to open these centres in a healthy manner. First the spine must become strong and straight, and the mind healthy. Only then can you reach the higher levels of awareness that are the birthright of everyone.

Courtesy: Yoga Magazine, June 1977