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ExerciseWithoutMovement PDF
ExerciseWithoutMovement PDF
AsTaughtby
Sri SwamiRama
of the Himalayas
Exercise
Without
Movement
Exercise
Without
Movement
ManualOne
AsTaughthy
Sri Swami Rama
of the Himalayas
Q- ;
. ,..; .... .. ~
The Himalayan International Institute
of Yoga Science and Philosophy of the U.S.A.
Honesdale, Pennsylvania
Illustrations: Michael Smith
Photographs: Dave Gorman
Model: Doug Bill
(Manual: I)
I. Yoga. Hatha. 2. Stretch (Physiology) 3. MuscIe tone.
4. Relaxation. I. Title. 11. Series: Manual (Himalayan Inter-
nationall nstitute of Yoga Science & Phil osop hy of the USA); I.
RA 781.7. R2 6 1984 613.7'046 84-20500
ISBN 0-89389-089-8
Contents
Foreword ix
Pre/ace xi
Introduction 3
Part One
Basic Relaxation 7
Part Two
Tension j Relaxation Exercise 13
Part Three
The Boat Pose 33
Part Four
Aswini Mudra 37
Part Five
The Child's Pose 41
Part Six
Standing Tension j Relaxation 45
Part Seven
Agni Sara 51
Part Eight
Shavayatra 57
vii
Part Nine
Two to One Breathing 65
Appendix 1
Preparations for Practice 71
Appendix 11
Diaphragmatic Breathing 73
Appendix 111
Corpse Pose Relaxation 77
Appendix IV
Summary at a Glance 81
Vlll
List of Illustrations
31 points 60
61 points 62, 88
x
Foreword
XI
xii / Foreword
These exercises were carefully designed by Swami
Rama who came to the United States in the early 1970s and
participated in extensive research on the voluntary control
of internal states at the Menninger Foundation . Swamiji
also pioneered in the development of biofeedback as a
means for voluntarily controlling internal states . In this
book he has brought together in a succinct form some of
the most effective methods for mastering mind and body.
These exercises have been developed and applied over
thousands of years. At first glance they may appear
deceptively simple for achieving such remarkable results .
Sut as one goes on practicing and reaches new levels of
awareness , he finds that even more subtle mastery ofmind
and body are attained .
While Swamiji was teaching students, Rolf Sovik,
director of the Center for Higher Consciousness in Min-
neapolis, Minnesota, carefully compiled these exercises.
They may be practiced by people of all ages, and through
regular practice various aspects of the aging process will be
arrested . They will help one to remain strong, youthful ,
and vigorous yet calm and serene. I hope that those who
read this book will practice these methods systematically
so that they can acquire and enjoy health and vitality on all
levels of their being.
S.AJAYA
Preface
XIII
xiv I Preface
and brain function. You can have mastery over all these
functions, if you really know the body, breath, senses, and
mind to be your instruments. You can and should have
control over these instruments. All the functions of
personality can serve the final goal of human destiny:
liberation, or moksha.
The exercises have many practical benefits, but to reap
them, you will have to practice regularly. It is also
important to practice in the proper way and never to
exceed your capacity in performing the exercises . In
electricity, ifthe current exceeds the capacity ofthe circuit
through which the energy flows, a fuse will blow out. This
is also the ca se with the human nervous system . In the
body, the sign of excessive tension is shaking. When the
body shakes from tension then the capacity ofthe nervous
system has been exceeded.
With practice a time will come when the discomfort of
extreme temperature, the incapacities of aging, and the
disruption caused by unexpected emotional turmoil will
not effect you. Your body will become free from many
diseases like coronary heart disease and others involving
the nervous system.
So, may your practice of these exercises progress
without interruption . May you practice with full zeal and
with full determination. Tell yourself from the very
beginning that you will succeed. Don't fall back into old
grooves. Y ou can create new grooves that will carry you
along on your way. Simply fix a time, and practice at that
time each day. You will enjoy these exercises very much.
Exercise
Without
Movement
Introduction
3
4 Exercise Without Movement
observed, and the health of each link In the process is
promoted . Many parts of the body that do not normally
receive much exercise are thereby sti mulated .
In the beginning of practice some simple discoveries
are made. For instance, one finds that activity involving
the system of museies and nerves has two boundaries . The
first boundary is the upper limit of tension beyond which
the museie begins to shake. Another boundary is the state
of full relaxation, beyond which no more tension can be
released. The following exercises lead to both of these
boundaries through systematic tension and relaxation.
Each exercise focuses on a particular group of muscles,
and gradually, through mastery of the exercises, the
capacity to tense and relax these museies is expanded. The
student also begins to maintain the correct level of muscle
tone for optimum health.
It is very important to learn to discriminate while
performing the exercises. If the right leg is to be tensed,
then the left leg should be relaxed, and no sympathetic
tension need arise in other parts ofthe body . You wililearn
to tense one li mb so that it can hardly be lifted , while the
other limbs remain limp and flexible .
Accompanying the tension j relaxation exercises are a
number of other yoga practices. Each is effective in
improving the processes of cleansing, nourishing, and
vitalizing the human system. It is important to include all
the exercises rather than practice some to the exclusion of
others.
Through yoga practice, various levels of the human
organism and personality are systematically experienced ,
from the gross elements that constitute the human body, to
the subtle-most layers of mind that are illumined by joy and
Exercise Without Movement 5
tranquility. These exercises help the student move from the
gross to the more subtle. Relaxed self-observation through-
out the exercises is the key to enhancing this process .
Before practicing the exercises the student should have
a practical knowledge of diaphragmatic breathing and
should be familiar with the essential principles of hatha
yoga. It is worth repeating. even for experienced students.
that hatha yoga practices should begin only after food has
been digested . wastes eliminated . and a caring attitude for
the body has been cultivated. Appendices with more
informati on are provided in the back of this manual.
Photographs of all the important postures accompany
the descriptions of the exercises. One should study the
pictures carefully and try to assurne the same posture for
individual practice. Careful attention to one's own capac-
ity s hould also be paid. If museIe tension is introduced
gradually. there will be a feeling of strength and confi-
dence . with no shaking or over-exertion .
These exercises lead toward the fulfillment of the
purpose of hatha yoga . They are the preliminary steps to
mastery of the autonomie nervous system. At the same
time they prevent many diseases that modern medicine has
found difficult to treat and eure. Most importantly, in
these exercises one comes to experience the tremendous
potential of the mind itselL and one makes a dramatic step
inward through the layers of personality toward the Center
of mind and consciousness .
The following series of exercises is to be practiced from
beginning to end. After the initiallearning period. you will
find that a span of about thirty to forty-five minutes is
sufficient to complete the entire series. Choose a time when
you will not be interrupted, and practice regularly each
6 / Exercise Without Movement
day. These exercises are suitable for both men and wornen.
Students are advised to carefully review Appendix I before
commencing their practice.
PART ONE
Basic Relaxation
8 Exercise Without Movement
ONE
Crocodile Relaxation
TWO
Corpse Pose Relaxation
ONE
The Legs
Right Leg
Lying in the corpse pose , bring your attention to your
right leg. Consciously create tension in the toes, pointing
them away from the body. Do not tense any other part of
your leg until you have given the conscious command.
Now continue the tension upward through the foot, to the
anklejoint. The whole foot will point away from the body.
Continue the tension to the knee joint, tensing the calf
muscles and muscles of the lower thigh . FinaHy move the
tension upward through the entire leg, from the toes to the
uppermost muscles of the thigh . If there is shaking, you
have tensed too much and gone beyond your capacity .
Reduce the tension slightly by relaxing your effort.
Left Leg
Repeat
Both Legs
Repeat
Relaxed Breathing
TWO
Right Side/Left Side
Right Side
Left Side
00 the tension / relaxation on the left side of the body.
You may notice a difference in capacity or muscular
control from one side of the body to the other. These
exercises will help you to balance the two sides of your
body.
Repeat
00 the tension / relaxation again on each side, right
and then left.
Relaxed Breathing
When you have finished , relax completely and brea the
out and in , two times.
24 Exercise Without Movement
THREE
The Arms
Right Arm
Left Arm
Repeat
Both Arms
Repeat
Relaxed Breathing
FOUR
The Whole Body
C. Relax thoroughly.
32 Exercise Without Movement
Repeat
Boat Pose
Repeat
Relaxed Breathing
Aswini mudra
Exercise Without Movement 39
Aswini Mudra
Repeat
Vigorous Breathing
Relaxed Breathing
Repeat
Agni sara
Exercise Without MOl'ement 5~
Agni Sara
I
d
Pelvic contraction in agni sara
Exercise Wirhour MOl'emenr 55
Practice
ONE
Relaxation
18
6
31 Points
Exercise Without Movement 61
TWO
31 Point Relaxation
Repeat
3 15
13 25
27
..,
28 29
31
30
~
59
32
58
33
45
57
6
18
41
40
39 38 37
61 Points
Exercise Without Movement 63
TH RE E
61 Point Relaxation
FOUR
Tell Deep Relaxed Breaths
Sitting on achair
Exercise Without Movement / 67
Conclusion
APPENDIX I
Preparations for Practice
APPENDIX II
Diaphragmatic Breathing
INSPIRATION
EXPIRATION
The diaphragm
Exercise Without Movement / 75
Establish the habit of diaphragmatic breathi ng in daily
life - twenty-four hours a day. It does not take long.
Practice the crocodile pose three times dail y for five to ten
minutes each tim e. Wh en finished, roll onto the back
b riefly, relaxing and observing the breath . In thi s posture
t he abdomen will continue to expand and contract. Next ,
sit up in achair and again watch the breathing process,
relaxing the abdomen . Finally, stand as you continue to
b reathe diaphragmaticall y. Practice regularl y until dia-
phragmatic breathing is established.
APPENDIX 111
Corpse Pose Relaxation
Practice
stornach
navel region
pelvic region
upper legs
lower legs
feet
toes**
APPENDIX IV
Summary at a Glance
PART ONE
Basic Relaxation
Crocodile Relaxation
Corpse Relaxation
82 Exercise Without Movement
PART TWO
Tension/ Relaxation Exercise
ONE
Right Leg
Left Leg
Repeat
Both Legs
Repeat
Relaxed Breathing
Exercise Without Movement 83
TWO
~ Right Side
Left Side
Repeat
Relaxed Breathing
84 Exercise With out Movement
T HR EE
Right Arm
Left Arm
Repeat
Both Arms
Repeat
Relaxed Breathing
Exercise Without Movement / 85
FOU R
All Limbs
Repeat
Ten Deep Breaths
PART THREE
The Boat Pose
PART FOUR
Aswini Mudra
Aswini Mudra
Repeat
Ten Deep Breaths
PART FIVE
The Child 's Pose
PART SIX
Standing Tension/ Relaxation
PART SEVEN
Agni Sara
Agni Sara
Ten to Fifty Pelvic Contractions
88 Exercise With out Movem ent
PART E IG HT
Shavayatra
Relaxation
31 Points (twice)
or 61 Points
Ten Deep Relaxed Breaths
PART NINE
Two to One Breathing
The main building ofthe national headquarters, Honesdale, PA
f r /
/' founded the Himalayan
Institute so that interested
clinicians, practitioners, and
I ~ researchers could gather together to learn
I and apply their findings to their own
d·isciplines. The resulting blend of Eastern and Western techniques is the basis
for the programs of self-training pravided by the staff at the Himalayan
Institute. Swami Rama continues. to teach and wi-ite from his centers in India.
Published by
The Himalayan Intern!ltion ~ "' ll im~l!'
of Yoga SClence & Ph os, r • 1Ii.ll i ,dß 1111h..:; t
of the u.s.A. 4PIU\t
Honesdale, PennsylvaJ a c' '~ll .. Swami Rama \ ~"
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