| Yogis believe that energy is generated in the body by | | | | time! Just don't force anything and let your body |
| the cosmic force called prana. This prana is | | | | change a little at a time. These sitting postures are |
| automatically present in happy, innocent young children | | | | critical for a stable body during meditation and |
| but as we grow older and get conditioned by the | | | | pranayama. If none of these is possible, choose a chair |
| world surrounding us, along with the anxiety, anger and | | | | without sides and sit on it with your feet flat on the |
| depression, the prana and energy are depleted. We | | | | ground and your back straight, not touching the back |
| can replenish prana with the help of pranayama, or | | | | of the chair. |
| breathing exercises, and also direct it consciously to an | | | | Close your eyes and plug your ears with your index |
| ailing part of the body to heal it. In order to do this, it is | | | | fingers. Keep your teeth from touching but close your |
| necessary to have a calm and relaxed mind and this | | | | mouth. Take a deep breath and then exhale slowly |
| can be achieved with meditation. | | | | through your nose while producing an audible humming |
| The following asana is a combination of pranayama | | | | sound. You should start with a short, loud HUM for |
| and meditation and its objective is to heal an ailing | | | | which you will need to open your mouth for a second |
| spine. | | | | but then settle down to a low hum. It should sound like |
| Pranayama Chakra Breathing Exercise | | | | this: HUMMmmm... The sensation of the humming |
| Sit with your legs crossed in the classic Padmasana | | | | sound should be very pleasant both physically and |
| Lotus Pose or the easier Sukhasana Pose. If you | | | | mentally. Concentrate on the sensations and imagine |
| cannot do either or if your lower back hurts, kneel and | | | | the sound starting at the tip of your tail bone-called the |
| sit back slowly on your feet with the heels spread | | | | Muladhara Chakra-and rising up through the spinal cord |
| slightly apart to cradle your buttocks comfortably. You | | | | to end at a point behind the middle of your eyebrows- |
| may have some difficulty doing all of these if you are | | | | a point called the Third Eye or Ajna Chakra. This is |
| a beginner but persistence will pay rich rewards. Focus | | | | your inner eye through which you 'see' spiritually. |
| on the sensations as the ligaments and muscles in | | | | Repeat this pranayama for a total of 10 times. |
| your feet, thighs and legs stretch, perhaps for the first | | | | |