[Advaita-l] Asana Siddhi

[Swati Gupta]

Thanks Adityaji.  

If I understand your suggestions – you are saying focus on pranayama.  Take deep breath and do manasika mantra japa while keeping the body still and back erect.  Practice pranayama which need its necessary food habits.

Thanks and will wait for your videos.
   
From: Aditya Kumar
Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2018 10:33 AM
To: A discussion groupfor Advaita Vedanta
Cc: Swati Gupta
Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] Asana Siddhi

To align with pranic body means to facilitate the flow of prana through the most subtle nadis. This is not just some new age thing. Please observe or recall how our older generations were very particular about food, water, sleep, schedule etc. All these dietary habits are required if pranayama has to be achievd because prana consumes the food and drink. The Upanishads mention  the prana as the most subtle part of the body. However we are not sure what prana is in the first place. Is it inhalation or exhalation? Actually it is neither.  It is the breath in the  mouth. Hence chanting mantras mutely is the actual pranayama. Even more devoted people practise brahmacharya to attain perfection in pramayama. Merely doing yogasanas too offer great benefits but you wont progress beyond a point. The back should always be straight ideally. You can measure the progress as well. Once the body is able to levitate, perfection in pranayama  is achieved. This takes a long time obviously and I haven't come across anyone who has achieved it. But even before that, you can still notice the changes. The body wont fatigue much, not prone to diseases, no bad odors and less sleep. 

I can suggest 6 asanas (I'll share video links). Retention of breath will not do anything initially. Please chant om or any legitimate mantra deeply and mutely with your body completely still. If you do that, then you will start off with pranayama. Padmasana is the best posture but not possible initially for many. A simple swastikasana is fine too. 

In short, pramayama will increase your physical capacity by leaps and bounds. Please note that I am only a fellow seeker who is sharing my own understanding regarding the matter. So please use your own critical judgement regarding this. 

On Tuesday, 28 August, 2018, 12:57:54 PM IST, Swati Gupta via Advaita-l <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote: 


Thanks Adityaji for your thoughts.

When you say “align with Pranic body/Subtle body” – what exactly does it mean and how do you do that? 

I agree with you breathing exercises are not pranayama. Breath is a vehicle of prana and breathing excercises are a means to an end which is pranayama (Reference: Swami Niranjanananda in Prana and Pranayama).

When you say yogasana / pranayama – do you have any specific suggestions on asanas / pranayama “specifically” that help the topic of discussion?
Any references specifically on Asana Siddhi would be of great help.

From: Aditya Kumar
Sent: Monday, August 27, 2018 4:17 AM
To: A discussion groupfor Advaita Vedanta
Cc: Swati Gupta
Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] Asana Siddhi

I am not an expert but I can share something which might be useful. Basically you need to align yourself with the pranic or subtle body.  Yogasana, pranayama and mantra japa are all interconnected and they all help achieve the same goal. Yogasana alone will not help us reaching the destiny. Pranayama has to be done if you need to see a tangible progress. Breathing through alternate nostrils is not pranayama, it is nadi shuddhi. You have to chant the mantras to expand your breath. Without the expansion of breath, there is no way you can disassociate with your body and its ailments. Mantras should be chanted with the body still. Chanting mantras aloud will not fetch the desired results. You need to mutter OM deeply. Eventually you'll start seeing the results as the transformation will be holistic.

On Monday, 27 August, 2018, 12:48:04 PM IST, Swati Gupta via Advaita-l <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote: 


Pranam to all,

Are there any secrets/techniques/asanas/kriyas to lengthen the time one can sit in Sadhana with spine erect (say 6-8 hours)?
I am ok with 3 – 3.5 hours but failing to go beyond (my back gives up after that).  

I see so many learned members – I am hoping somebody might have some guidance for me.

Thank you.
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