In This Chapter

V How opposites attract in Hatha Yoga

V How body obsession is a barrier

V How to keep yourself really, really clean

V Why yoga postures are so important

V Why the breath is so important

Yoga's ultimate realization of self-actualization isn't so mystical. It is a practical path with concrete steps. What is self-actualization? Yoga books often talk about enlightenment, but modern Western psychology has a similar notion.

According to psychologist Abraham Maslow, humans have certain needs, from basic to fully evolved, that must be met for self-actualization to happen. These needs must be met approximately in order, because humans won't feel the "higher" needs until the "lower" needs are taken care of. Often represented in a pyramid graphic (looks a little like triangle pose in Chapter 13, "What Do You Stand For?"), Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs includes the following levels:

V First, our basic needs must be met: hunger, thirst, shelter, and physical comfort.

V Next, we must feel safe and out of danger.

What Do We Need? East Meets West!

>- Third, according to Maslow, we require a sense of belonging and love. We need to know we are accepted and affiliated with others.

>- Next, we need to achieve something, feel competent, gain approval, and develop a sense of self-esteem.

>- Fifth comes the need to know and understand the world around us and ourselves.

>- Sixth is our need to experience beauty and order, and to develop an aesthetic sense.

>- Seventh is Maslow's level of self-actualization. Once our other needs are met, we experience a desire to find self-fulfillment, to realize our human potential, and to engage in work that is meaningful and to which we feel a personal calling.

>- The last level of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is transcendence. Once we have found personal fulfillment, we can reach out to help others realize their human potential, too.

So where does yoga come in? Hatha Yoga is a yoga system that emphasizes the physical along the path of self-actualization. After our basic needs are met, we feel safe, and we feel loved, yoga comes into play.

The yoga path helps us control and train our minds so we are better able to embark on a cognitive search. Its order, balance, symmetry, and the beauty of the poses can help fulfill our desire for aesthetic experiences. It can serve as a mode for

self-actualization, and it certainly contributes to fulfillment, to reaching individual human potential, to simplification; in short, to becoming fully realized human

beings.

While yoga doesn't necessarily have to be the vocation or activity you choose for self-actualization (perhaps you are an artist, a writer, an entrepreneur, a scientist, whatever), yoga trains your body, your mind, and your spirit so you can learn the fine arts of concentration, focus, commitment, and total immersion in the activities of your life. And that's where self-actualization happens.

Self-actualization through yoga comes out of more than just the poses, or asanas. It comes from purifying body and mind to make room for new experiences and broader awareness. It comes from the discipline of personal hygiene and maintaining a clean, simple environment (yoga cleansing rituals are called shodhana). It comes from the vi-talization of pranayama techniques (discussed in Chapter 7, "Can You Breathe?"). And it comes from the mental uncluttering of meditation.

Know Thyself

What does self-actualization or self-awareness mean to you? Self-awareness means different things to different people, but here are some ways to look at self-awareness. Self-awareness is ...

>- Finding out that the alignment of your large toe is responsible for your headache. Discovering that your body is full of links, clues, and connections to your health and mental well-being.

>- Pausing before your emotions take over your actions, and eventually finding out that your emotions can exist without taking over.

>- Feeling truly connected to another living thing—a parent, a child, a friend, a stranger in need, that stray cat that keeps hanging around.

>- Breathing deeply and slowly; noticing how different that feels.

>- Looking in the mirror and seeing beyond your reflection; seeing the inner you written all over your face.

>- Having vision and direction in your life; finding a deeper calling and heeding it.

>- Recognizing that the sun salutation (see Chapter 16, "A Continuous Flow") is reflective of the ebb and flow of life; finding the connection every day.

>- Finding the clear steadiness of the eyes in an externally changing face; both inner and outer movement are ever possible.

>- Experiencing pure joy simply by looking at something beautiful; you don't need to own it. You can be with it, then let it go.

>- Finding inner peace. Om.

When the body is strong, controlled, and purified, kundalini energy can move freely up the spine and through the chakras without getting blocked anywhere along the way. (See Chapter 20, "Chakras, Mudras, Mantras, and Mandalas") If kundalini energy gets blocked, both physical and mental problems could result. The body that's physically prepared for the rise of kundalini energy will derive the ultimate benefit from its power. Hatha Yoga is that physical preparation.

Joining the Sun and the Moon

Hatha Yoga is about balancing the opposing forces of the body, just as opposing forces are balanced outside of the body. Sun and moon, male and female, day and night, cold and hot—the universe is filled with opposites. Maybe you've heard of or seen the yin/yang symbol. This ancient Chinese symbol (see the following illustration) represents the universe of opposing forces. Notice how a white dot sits in the center of the black swirl, and a black dot sits in the center of the white swirl.

Yin and yang are commonly associated with many different complementary qualities. Yin is primarily present in the moon, the night, cold, female energy, and heaviness. Yang is primarily present in the sun, the daytime, heat, male energy, and lightness. And since every force has an opposite, and also contains a bit of its opposite within, male energy contains female energy, female energy contains male energy, night contains a bit of day in it, day a bit of night, and so on. So the universe goes—ultimately interconnected.

And so our bodies go, too. We are filled with opposites: a left and a right side, blood flowing to the heart and away from the heart, the delivery of nutrients and the removal of waste, our inhalations and exhalations, our hunger and satiety, sleeping and wakefulness, being with others and being alone, joy and sadness, birth and death, growth and decline. If any of the thousands of opposites and intricate balances within us become unbalanced, our bodies and minds won't work as efficiently.

Hatha Yoga balances us in many ways. Forward-bending postures are followed by backbending postures, contractions are followed by extensions, upright positions are followed by inversions, and so on. The practice of Hatha Yoga also balances our mental and spiritual energies—for what we do with the body affects the mind and the spirit (that triangle again!). Ultimately interconnected.

On a subtler level, the movement of prana is balanced through muscular exercises called bandhas. As prana is drawn into the body through the inhalation of breath, apana is the energy generated in the body by exhalation that moves away from the brain and carries impurities out of the body. Bandhas are exercises, or muscular locks, designed to lock the flow of energy in the body.

The three primary bandhas are ...

>- At the chin (called jalandhara bandha). This bandha strengthens and builds prana's upward movement by bringing the chin to the chest.

>- In the pelvis (called uddiyana bandha). This bandha strengthens and builds apana's downward movement by pulling your navel up and back toward your spine.

>- In the area of the rectum (called mula bandha). This bandha keeps prana from escaping from the lower body by contracting the perineal muscle (the muscle you sit on, in front of the rectum).

Know Your Sanskrit

Apana is the energy generated in the body by exhalation that moves away from the brain and carries impurities out of the body. Bandha means "to bind" or "to lock," and bandhas are muscular locks used during postures and breathing exercises to intensify the energy of prana and apana so it can eliminate impurities from the body. The three primary bandhas are anal ormula bandha (MOO-lah BAHN-dah), stomach or uddiyani bandha (ooh-dee-YAH-nah BAHN-dah), and chin or jalandhara bandha (jah-lahn-DAH-rah BAHN-dah).

Bandhas keep the system of balances in check by pulling everything toward a center point, intensifying the energy. Practicing these bandhas together while sitting in a meditative pose such as the lotus pose is a particularly powerful technique for concentrating and intensifying prana in the body.

The result is that prana and apana are retained within the body, joining together within sushumna—that hollow passageway through your spinal cord. Their mingling generates an intense energy that can help awaken the kundalini serpent power. This joining of opposites, of prana and apana, of sun and moon, of ha and tha, is at the heart of Hatha Yoga's power. Maybe you aren't too concerned with awakening your serpent power, especially since you aren't too sure exactly what it is—or even whether you want to know. Maybe you just want to feel more balanced, healthier, more in shape. Most Westerners don't practice Hatha Yoga to the extent that they're even aware of the importance of kundalini energy, but traditionally, this awakening of the "serpent power" is one of the primary purposes of Hatha Yoga.

Physical fitness—making the body feel good and look good—has traditionally been a peripheral benefit, but it has shifted to the primary focus for Westerners. If fitness is your motivation for beginning a Hatha Yoga practice, that's great. You'll benefit in many ways, no matter what reason brings you to the practice. But

while fitness is important in Hatha Yoga, it means more than cut shoulders and washboard abs. Total fitness—of the mind, body, and spirit—is a far cry from body obsession. Body obsession is fitness gone awry.

If fitness is your goal, it doesn't hurt (and may even be ultimately helpful) to be aware of the power of balanced opposites inherent in your practice. This knowledge may steer you away from the path of body glorification—a possible side effect of heightened body awareness—and toward the more advanced paths of mental control (Raja Yoga) and spiritual awakening.

Think how much time you spend worrying about your body! Check all the following statements that have ever crossed your mind:

□ I'm too fat.

□ I'm too thin.

Training the Body to Free the Mind

□ I'm having a bad hair day.

□ My skin looks terrible.

□ My body is unattractive.

□ I have the best body in the room.

Our bodies are so much a part of us and so emphasized by our culture that it's extremely difficult not to put too much emphasis on physical appearance. Remember, though, that your body isn't all of you. In fact, your body is just one tiny part of you. You are the entire universe. You have the potential for perfection, contentment, and pure joy. Your body is just a convenient container for the luminous being that is you. In comparison to who you really are, even the most "perfect" body is a little, well ... crude?

Wise Yogi Tells Us

Once you're comfortable in some of the postures, try adding a new dimension to your workout: visualization. Visualization is the process of picturing something in your mind and letting it affect you. Visualizing something beautiful—an ocean, a sparkling lake, a magnificent canyon, a spectacular sunset—can make you feel peaceful and relaxed. Practice visualization while holding postures that are easy for you. Hold your image for as long as you can before other thoughts take over.

One Body... or Three?

You have one body—or do you? Actually, according to yoga, you have three bodies: the physical body, the astral body, and the causal body. These three bodies can function separately, but they are intimately interrelated, too.

Maintaining an awareness of all three of your bodies will help you see more clearly who you really are. Self-actualization means knowing your whole self.

Here's a closer look at your three bodies:

>■ The physical body is the crudest of the bodies and the smallest. This is the you in the mirror. Yet even though it's crude, it's our best tool for growth. We can't deny we have physical bodies, so yoga helps us make the most of them. The first three aspects of Patanjali's Eightfold Path strengthen and train the physical

body: abstinences (yamas), observances (niyamas), and postures (asanas). (See Chapter 6, "Walking Yoga's Eightfold Path.")

>- The astral body is the vehicle of the spirit and corresponds with the mind. This layer exists within the causal body and encompasses the physical body. It is like layer number two, the second layer to form, extending beyond the physical body but not to the limits of the causal body. The astral body is strengthened through the next three steps of the Eightfold Path: breathing exercises (pranayama), sense withdrawal (pratyahara), and concentration (dharana).

>- The causal body is the largest, most widely reaching layer of you, starting with spirit. It's the subtlest body and holds the spirit, as well as the other layers. This is where you started. Individuality (as we normally think of it) exists to a minimal degree in the causal body, which allows the spirit to shine and truth to be evident. The causal body is reached or experienced through the final two limbs of the Eightfold Path: meditation (dhyana) and superconsciousness or bliss (samadhi).

Hatha Yoga works under the assumption that the inner you is the you worth working on, but to get to the inner you, the outer you—in all its crudity—must first be

controlled. Hatha Yoga works to get the physical body under control and in balance so it doesn't impede the other bodies—the astral and causal. Only then can the self-actualized, balanced you emerge in your full glory.

Hatha Yoga accomplishes this Herculean task of fine-tuning and delicate balancing by...

>- Building strength through exercises. >- Toning the organs and joints through exercises. >- Training the breath. >- Keeping the body infused with prana. >- Keeping the body clean.

Through these exercises, techniques, and rituals, the body is properly prepared for the rising of kundalini energy.

Hatha Yoga is about balance and emphasizes pranayama and asanas, or postures. Raja Yoga, or royal path, also incorporates Patanjali's Eightfold Path, but with a greater emphasis on sense withdrawal, concentration, and meditation. Hatha and Raja Yoga exist in a symbiotic relationship. If you've mastered your body and your breath so that prana is able to flow freely and unencumbered through your chakras, meditation is the natural next step in the progression. You have prepared your body to optimize meditation. In turn, meditation prepares your mind to stand back and let the spirit shine through.

As you look in the mirror, you might wonder about those different levels, those three bodies, and what they really are to the reflection you see. Actually, within the three bodies, there are five sheaths of existence, according to yoga. What you see in the

mirror is only one of those sheaths, or koshas (which can be translated as "envelopes") that make up the real you.

The Physical

>- The physical body, anna-maya-kosha (pronounced AH-nah MAI-ah KOH-shah) or "food envelope," consists of your material body. This is what you see in the mirror.

>- The vital body, prana-maya-kosha (pronounced PRAH-nah MAI-ah KOH-shah), is where prana lives and moves. It exists just beyond your physical body; it's your aura.

The Emotional or Astral

>- The mind sheath, mano-maya-kosha (pronounced MAH-noh MAI-ah KOH-shah), is the seat of the part of your mind that interprets all sensory input. "I have an awareness of an emotion."

>- The intellect sheath, vijnana-maya-kosha (pronounced vizh-NAH-nah MAI-ah KOH-shah), houses your intelligence and wisdom. "I am aware that I am more than my emotions."

The Causal (Where Everything Starts)

>- The bliss sheath, ananda-maya-kosha (pronounced ah-NAHN-dah MAI-ah KOH-shah), contains the field of energy that links you with the universe and in which all is bliss. This was the source of the original you, the other sheaths are unfolding all the way down into an incarnation—again, that's you in the mirror.

Did you have any idea you were walking around with all those layers?

Physical Cleansing

But what's all this about keeping the body so clean? You take showers. You wash your hair. You use deodorant. You don't smell bad. Isn't that enough? Not to the yogi! Of course, nothing should become an obsession, but to Hindu culture, where yoga has its roots, the body is impure and needs some serious hygienic upkeep to keep it from becoming a hindrance to the spirit and an impediment to kundalini energy.

This cleanliness is called shodhana and consists of cleansing rituals, shat kriyas, for the body. Hatha Yoga also concerns strict observance of dental hygiene. Yogis not only brush their teeth but rinse their mouths, massage their gums, and scrape their tongues to keep them clean. And don't forget to visit your dentist every six months! (If you follow that yogi regimen, your dentist will be very impressed.)

Read on for more on some of the other shat kriyas.

Sthala Basti (Ground Colon Cleansing): Elimination Illumination!

Let's start at the bottom. This ritual helps relieve gas and keeps the bowels moving smoothly. It also improves the digestion and gives your body a lighter feel.

Sit with your legs stretched out in front of you. Grab your toes, right toe with your right hand, left toe with your left hand. Bend forward, bringing your head toward your knees just a little, so that it feels comfortable. Relax the abdominal muscles, then churn them up and down. While churning your muscles, "lock" your anus (this is the mula bandha, one of the three bandhas discussed earlier in this chapter). Be very careful not to push yourself too hard. This ritual should feel comfortable. Practice this ritual on an empty stomach, or drink a glass of pure water first.

Agnisara Dhauti (Fire Stomach Cleansing): Tummy Toner

This ritual is called Fire Stomach Cleansing because it stokes the gastric fire and improves digestion. It helps keep the bowels healthy, cures constipation, and reduces belly fat. If you have abdominal problems or circulatory problems, you should avoid this cleansing ritual.

Perform this ritual by squatting just slightly from a standing position with your legs about one foot apart or slightly more. Exhale fully, then hold your breath. Next, perform the muscle churning described in the Ground Colon Cleansing ritual, but with the stomach muscles, moving them in more of a circular motion than an up-and-down motion. Rotate the muscles in this way as quickly as you can for as long as you

can without discomfort. Don't push to the point where you become exhausted.

After the muscle churning, relax and let the breath flow in and out. This makes one round. Work up to several rounds, eventually reaching 100 or so churning rotations.

KapalabhatirBloiv Off Some Steam

Kapalabhati (pronounced KAH-pah-lah-BAH-tee) is both a cleansing ritual and a breathing exercise. Remember it from the last chapter? Kapalabhati is the "Skull Shining" pranayama technique with the slow inhale and the sharp exhale meant to cleanse the respiratory passages and lungs. (See a more detailed description in

Chapter 7.) It is often included as a part of pranayama practice. This cleansing breath clears the sinuses, improves circulation, and charges your bloodstream with oxygen. It's said to increase longevity and prepare the body for the practice of pranayama.

Neti: Bless You!

Neti (pronounced NAY-tee) involves various methods for cleansing the nasal passages. One method is to sniff water into the nostrils and spit it out of the mouth, called vuyt-krama (VOOT KRAY-mah)—but please don't drown yourself! The water should be neither hot nor cold. You can also buy neti bottles; you use these to pour water into one nostril, which will then come out the other nostril. We prefer to simply blow our noses when necessary and suggest this might be the best course for you, too. Neti is good for relieving nasal congestion or even putting the brakes on an allergy attack.

Trataka: Seeing the Light

Trataka (pronounced trah-TAH-kah) cleanses the eyes by focusing them on a candle flame until they start to water. Gaze at a candle flame from a distance of at least two feet (don't bring your eyes too close to the candle). After a few minutes, rinse your eyes in cold water. Trataka is said to strengthen the eyes and, in some cases, induce clairvoyance. It can also be used as a meditation technique, with the candle flame as a point of focus.

Stabilizing the Body's Energies

You may be eager to hear a little more about the aspect of Hatha Yoga many Westerners consider the most interesting. Yes, the asanas, or yoga poses, are very important to the practice of Hatha Yoga, but not because yoga's purpose is to make you look great in a bathing suit or allow you to flaunt your flexibility.

In fact, even as we say that Hatha Yoga's emphasis is on the physical, we really mean Hatha Yoga emphasizes the physical in order to, eventually, de-emphasize the physical. Once you've mastered control of your body—once you're strong, flexible, and "master of your domain"—you can forget about your body!

In the state of samadhi, the self, including the body, blends into the universal energy we are all part of. All that body work is really just a way to learn how to transcend your body! And that will make your yoga journey easier.

Think of it this way: All your life, you've wanted to live in Florida, or Alaska, or California, or wherever. But you live on the opposite side of the country—say, in Providence, Rhode Island; or Amarillo, Texas. Finally, you're ready to start your big move, so you purchase a really nice car for your journey. As you drive across the country, you do everything you can to keep your car in top condition so you won't have any breakdowns or mechanical failures. You learn all about your car so you know what you're driving. And sure enough, you get there without a hitch, or if a tire blows out or a belt breaks, you know exactly what to do.

Hatha Yoga is the same way. The idea is not the car, or the body, but the destination and finding joy along the way. You want to get to Florida, and you know the best way to get there is to have a vehicle in great condition. Keep your body in great condition. Know your body. Know yourself. You'll be less likely to wind up in the shop (the doctor's office) for repairs!

Achieving Vitality

Pranayama is the final, crucial aspect of Hatha Yoga all yogis will do well to practice. We talk about pranayama in detail in Chapter 7, so we'll just say a few more words here about prana and vitality.

Prana is vitality. Mastering prana, both physical and mental, is probably the single most important aspect of Hatha Yoga. Prana powers the universe with its energy, and it's the profound connection between you and everything else. Amazingly, something as simple as a breathing technique is the first step to becoming aware of the movement of prana through your body and throughout the universe.

Even though prana can't be measured or observed, it can certainly be sensed by the yogi tuned in to its power. Wise yogis and others throughout history perceive prana on an intuitive level; those who use it will be astonished at its power. Try a little pranayama today, and you, too, will be on your way to greater awareness. Prana happens!

The Least You Need to Know

V Hatha Yoga is a balance of opposing forces.

V A trained body won't get in the way of spiritual enlightenment and can even encourage it.

V Cleanliness is next to enlightenment.

V Prana is in you, animates you, and flows through the universe.

Part 3

Starting Your Yoga Practice

Here's your comprehensive guide to getting started. You'll learn how to find a yoga class and a good teacher, how to practice on your own at home, what to wear, when to practice, and how to fit yoga into your busy schedule. You'll also find tips for changing the way you think about exercise, from banishing the "no pain, no gain" adage from your mentality to learning how your breath can enhance your workout.

You'll have a chance to examine your motives and reasons for considering yoga by taking an essay test you can't fail. It will help to direct your thinking inward and allow you to better analyze your strengths and tendencies. Knowing your body and mind will help you craft a yoga routine that will work best for you.