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Not only can the body be controlled by the mind under direction of the will, but the mind itself can be trained and cultivated by the exercise of the controlling will.
BENEFITS OF YOGA
BRANCHES OF YOGA
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF YOGA
GETTING STARTED WITH YOGA
YOGA BREATHING
YOGA DIET
YOGA EQUIPMENT
YOGA FOR MEN
YOGA FOR SENIORS
YOGA FOR WOMEN
YOGA MEDITATION
STANDING YOGA POSES
SEATED YOGA POSES
PRONE YOGA POSES
YOGA RELAXATION
A TYPICAL YOGA SESSION
YOGA AND SEX
YOGA POSES
REIKI
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CHAPTER XV.
MORE PHENOMENA OF YOGI PSYCHIC BREATHING.
(1) THOUGHT PROJECTION.
Thoughts may be projected by following the last mentioned method (Distant Healing) and others will feel the effect of thought so sent
forth, it being remembered always that no evil thought can ever injure another person whose thoughts are good. Good thoughts are always
positive to bad ones, and bad ones always negative to good ones. One can, however, excite the interest and attention of another by sending
him thought waves in this way, charging the prana with the message he wishes to convey. If you desire another's love and sympathy, and
possess love and sympathy for him, you can send him thoughts of this kind with effect, providing your motives are pure. Never, however,
attempt to influence another to his hurt, or from impure or selfish motives, as such thoughts only recoil upon the sender with redoubled
force, and injure him, while the innocent party is not affected.
Psychic force when legitimately used is all right, but beware of "black magic" or improper and unholy uses of it, as such attempts are
like playing with a dynamo, and the person attempting such things will be surely punished by the result of the act itself. However, no person
of impure motives ever acquires a great degree of psychic power, and a pure heart and mind is an invulnerable shield against improper psychic
power. Keep yourself pure and nothing can hurt you.
Learn this week's asana (yoga posture) from the world's #1 yoga teacher.
(2) FORMING AN AURA.
If you are ever in the company of persons of a low order of mind, and you feel the depressing influence of their thought, breathe
rhythmically a few times, thus generating an additional supply of prana, and then by means of the mental image method surround yourself
with an egg-shaped thought aura, which will protect you from the gross thought and disturbing influences of others.
(3) RECHARGING YOURSELF.
If you feel that your vital energy is at a low ebb, and that you need to store up a new supply quickly, the best plan is to place the feet
close together (side by side, of course) and to lock the fingers of both hands in any way that seems the most comfortable. This closes the
circuit, as it were, and prevents any escape of prana through the extremities. Then breathe rhythmically a few times, and you will feel
the effect of the recharging.
(4) RECHARGING OTHERS.
If some friend is deficient in vitality you may aid him by sitting in front of him, your toes touching his, and his hands in yours. Then
both breathe rhythmically, you forming the mental image of sending prana into his system, and he holding the mental image of receiving
the prana. Persons of weak vitality or passive will should be careful with whom they try this experiment, as the prana of a person of evil
desires will be colored with the thoughts of that person, and may give him a temporary influence over the weaker person. The latter, however,
may easily remove such influence by closing the circuit (as before mentioned) and breathing a few rhythmic breaths, closing with the Cleansing Breath.
(5) CHARGING WATER.
Water may be charged with prana, by breathing rhythmically, and holding the glass of water by the bottom, in the left hand, and then
gathering the fingers of the right hand together and shaking them gently over the water, as if you were shaking drops of water off of
your finger tips into the glass. The mental image of the prana being passed into the water must also be held. Water thus charged is found
stimulating to weak or sick persons, particularly if a healing thought accompanies the mental image of the transfer of the prana. The caution
given in the last exercise applies also to this one, although the danger exists only in a greatly lessened degree.
(6) ACQUIRING MENTAL QUALITIES.
Not only can the body be controlled by the mind under direction of the will, but the mind itself can be trained and cultivated by the
exercise of the controlling will. This, which the Western world knows as "Mental Science," etc., has proved to the West portions of that
truth which the Yogi has known for ages. The mere calm demand of the Will will accomplish wonders in this direction, but if the mental
exercise is accompanied by rhythmic breathing, the effect is greatly increased. Desirable qualities may be acquired by holding the proper
mental image of what is desired during rhythmic breathing. Poise and Self Control, desirable qualities; increased power, etc., may be
acquired in this way. Undesirable qualities may be eliminated by cultivating the opposite qualities. Any or all the "Mental Science"
exercises, "treatments" and "affirmations" may be used with the Yogi Rhythmic Breath. The following is a good general exercise for the
acquirement and development of desirable mental qualities:
Lie in a passive attitude, or sit erect. Picture to yourself
the qualities you desire to cultivate, seeing yourself as
possessed of the qualities, and demanding that your mind
develop the quality. Breathe rhythmically, holding the
mental picture firmly. Carry the mental picture with you as
much as possible, and endeavor to live up to the ideal you
have set up in your mind. You will find yourself gradually
growing up to your ideal. The rhythm of the breathing
assists the mind in forming new combinations, and the
student who has followed the Western system will find the
Yogi Rhythmic a wonderful ally in his "Mental Science"
works.
(7) ACQUIRING PHYSICAL QUALITIES.
Physical qualities may be acquired by the same methods as above mentioned in connection with mental qualities. We do not mean, of
course, that short men can be made tall, or that amputated limbs may be replaced, or similar miracles. But the expression of the
countenance may be changed; courage and general physical characteristics improved by the control of the Will, accompanied by
rhythmic breathing. As a man thinks so does he look, act, walk, sit, etc. Improved thinking will mean improved looks and actions. To
develop any part of the body, direct the attention to it, while breathing rhythmically, holding the mental picture that you are
sending an increased amount of prana, or nerve force, to the part, and thus increasing its vitality and developing it. This plan applies
equally well to any part of the body which you wish to develop. Many Western athletes use a modification of this plan in their exercises.
The student who has followed our instructions so far will readily understand haw to apply the Yogi principles in the above work. The
general rule of exercise is the same as in the preceding exercise (acquiring Mental Qualities). We have touched upon the subject of the
cure of physical ailments in preceding pages.
(8) CONTROLLING THE EMOTIONS.
The undesirable emotions, such as Fear, Worry, Anxiety, Hate, Anger, Jealousy, Envy, Melancholy, Excitement, Grief, etc., are amenable to
the control of the Will, and the Will is enabled to operate more easily in such cases if rhythmic breathing is practiced while the
student is "willing." The following exercise has been found most effective by the Yogi students, although the advanced Yogi has but
little need of it, as he has long since gotten rid of these undesirable mental qualities by growing spiritually beyond them. The
Yogi student, however, finds the exercise a great help to him while he is growing.
Breathe rhythmically, concentrating the attention upon the Solar
Plexus, and sending to it the mental command "Get Out." Send the
mental command firmly, just as you begin to exhale, and form the
mental picture of the undesirable emotions being carried away with the
exhaled breath. Repeat seven times, and finish with the Cleansing
Breath, and then see how good you feel. The mental command must be
given "in earnest," as trifling will not do the work.
(9) TRANSMUTATION OF THE REPRODUCTIVE ENERGY.
The Yogis possess great knowledge regarding the use and abuse of the
reproductive principle in both sexes. Some hints of this esoteric
knowledge have filtered out and have been used by Western writers on
the subject, and much good has been accomplished in this way. In this
little book we cannot do more than touch upon the subject, and
omitting all except a bare mention of theory, we will give a practical
breathing exercise whereby the student will be enabled to transmute
the reproductive energy into vitality for the entire system, instead
of dissipating and wasting it in lustful indulgences in or out of the
marriage relations. The reproductive energy is creative energy, and
may be taken up by the system and transmuted into strength and
vitality, thus serving the purpose of regeneration instead of
generation. If the young men of the Western world understood these
underlying principles they would be saved much misery and unhappiness
in after years, and would be stronger mentally, morally and
physically.
This transmutation of the reproductive energy gives great vitality to
those practicing it. They will be filled with great vital force, which
will radiate from them and will manifest in what has been called
"personal magnetism." The energy thus transmuted may be turned into
new channels and used to great advantage. Nature has condensed one of
its most powerful manifestations of prana into reproductive energy, as
its purpose is to create. The greatest amount of vital force is
concentrated in the smallest area. The reproductive organism is the
most powerful storage battery in animal life, and its force can be
drawn upward and used, as well as expended in the ordinary functions
of reproduction, or wasted in riotous lust. The majority of our
students know something of the theories of regeneration; and we can do
little more than to state the above facts, without attempting to prove
them.
The Yogi exercise for transmuting reproductive energy is simple. It is
coupled with rhythmic breathing, and can be easily performed. It may
be practiced at any time, but is specially recommended when one feels
the instinct most strongly, at which time the reproductive energy is
manifesting and may be most easily transmuted for regenerative
purposes. The exercise is as follows: Keep the mind fixed on the idea
of Energy, and away from ordinary sexual thoughts or imaginings. If
these thoughts come into the mind do not be discouraged, but regard
them as manifestations of a force which you intend using for the
purposes of strengthening the body and mind. Lie passively or sit
erect, and fix your mind on the idea of drawing the reproductive
energy upward to the Solar Plexus, where it will be transmuted and
stored away as a reserve force of vital energy. Then breathe
rhythmically, forming the mental image of drawing up the reproductive
energy with each inhalation. With each inhalation make a command of
the Will that the energy be drawn upward from the reproductive
organization to the Solar Plexus. If the rhythm is fairly established
and the mental image is clear, you will be conscious of the upward
passage of the energy, and will feel its stimulating effect. If you
desire an increase in mental force, you may draw it up to the brain
instead of to the Solar Plexus, by giving the mental command and
holding the mental image of the transmission to the brain. The man or
woman doing metal creative work, or bodily creative work, will be able
to use this creative energy in their work by following the above
exercise, drawing up the energy with the inhalation and sending it
forth with the exhalation. In this last form of exercise, only such
portions as are needed in the work will pass into the work being done,
the balance remaining stored up in the Solar Plexus. You will
understand, of course, that it is not the reproductive fluids which
are drawn up and used, but the etheripranic energy which animates the
latter, the soul of the reproductive organism, as it were. It is usual
to allow the head to bend forward easily and naturally during the
transmuting exercise.
(10) BRAIN STIMULATING.
The Yogis have found the following exercise most useful in stimulating
the action of the brain for the purpose of producing clear thinking
and reasoning. It has a wonderful effect in clearing the brain and
nervous system, and those engaged in mental work will find it most
useful to them, both in the direction of enabling them to do better
work and also as a means of refreshing the mind and clearing it after
arduous mental labor.
Sit in an erect posture, keeping the spinal column straight, and the
eyes well to the front, letting the hands rest on the upper part of
the legs. Breathe rhythmically, but instead of breathing through both
nostrils as in the ordinary exercises, press the left nostril close
with the thumb, and inhale through the right nostril. Then remove the
thumb, and close the right nostril with the finger, and then exhale
through the left nostril. Then, without changing the fingers, inhale
through the left nostril, and changing fingers, exhale through the
right. Then inhale through right and exhale through left, and so on,
alternating nostrils as above mentioned, closing the unused nostril
with the thumb or forefinger. This is one of the oldest forms of Yogi
breathing, and is quite important and valuable, and is well worthy of
acquirement. But it is quite amusing to the Yogis to know that to the
Western world this method is often held out as being the "whole
secret" of Yogi Breathing. To the minds of many Western readers, "Yogi
Breathing" suggests nothing more than a picture of a Hindu, sitting
erect, and alternating nostrils in the act of breathing. "Only this
and nothing more." We trust that this little work will open the eyes
of the Western world to the great possibilities of Yogi Breathing, and
the numerous methods whereby it may be employed.
(11) THE GRAND YOGI PSYCHIC BREATH.
The Yogis have a favorite form of psychic breathing which they
practice occasionally, to which has been given a Sanscrit term of
which the above is a general equivalent. We have given it last, as it
requires practice on the part of the student in the line of rhythmic
breathing and mental imagery, which he has now acquired by means of
the preceding exercises. The general principles of the Grand Breath
may be summed up in the old Hindu saying: "Blessed is the Yogi who can
breathe through his bones." This exercise will fill the entire system
with prana, and the student will emerge from it with every bone,
muscle, nerve, cell, tissue, organ and part energized and attuned by
the prana and the rhythm of the breath. It is a general housecleaning
of the system, and he who practices it carefully will feel as if he
had been given a new body, freshly created, from the crown of his head
to the tips of his toes. We will let the exercise speak for itself.
(1) Lie in a relaxed position, at perfect ease.
(2) Breathe rhythmically until the rhythm is perfectly established.
(3) Then, inhaling and exhaling, form the mental image of the breath being drawn up through the bones of the legs, and
then forced out through them; then through the bones of the arms; then through the top of the skull; then through the
stomach; then through the reproductive region; then as if it were traveling upward and downward along the spinal column;
and then as if the breath were being inhaled and exhaled through every pore of the skin, the whole body being filled with prana and life.
(4) Then (breathing rhythmically) send the current of prana to the Seven Vital [Energy] Centers, in turn, as follows, using the
mental picture as in previous exercises:
(a) To the forehead.
(b) To the back of the head.
(c) To the base of the brain.
(d) To the Solar Plexus.
(e) To the Sacral Region (lower part of the spine).
(f) To the region of the navel.
(g) To the reproductive region.
Finish by sweeping the current of prana, to and fro from
head to feet several times.
(5) Finish with Cleansing Breath.
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