“Yoga Asanas: A Journey to Optimal Health and Naturalization”
Yoga asanas are often misunderstood and misinterpreted. Instead of just focusing on physical flexibility, stretching or performance, yoga asanas encompass a broader range of benefits.
*Debunking Common Misconceptions about Yoga Asanas*
Some common misconceptions about yoga asanas include:
– Focusing solely on physical flexibility: A person who is flexible in the joints can perform well, but this type of flexibility in the joints does not prevent mechanical deformity, such as osteoarthritis.
– Viewing yoga as a performance or competition: Yoga is a personal journey, and the focus should be on individual growth and self-awareness.
– Believing yoga is only for physical postures or exercises: Giving different forms to the body and going from one pose to another. Yoga asanas are not a performing art or exercise to exert and increase workload on body organ systems. Instead, they’re meant to improve and enhance their function optimally to reach meditative poses which I call “Superhumanposes”.
The aim of yoga asanas is not just about moving our hands and legs or inhaling and exhaling through the nostrils. Rather, the goal is to:
– Move the center from the periphery: To bring physical stability and mobility, achieving a state of ease and conscious control over our voluntary nervous system, ultimately leading to a higher state of physical and physiological function of organ systems.
– Bring physical and physiological control over the voluntary nervous system: To enhance our mechanism of ventilation, improve and bring control over our breathing, and gain control of the autonomous nervous system.
By understanding the true nature and benefits of yoga asanas, practitioners can approach their practice with greater awareness and intention.
*The True Purpose of Yoga Asanas*
The aim of yoga asanas is to evolve genetically, achieving a higher state of meditative poses that tune us with the universe, ultimately leading to a higher state of consciousness. In today’s fast-paced lifestyle, it’s essential to prioritize our health and well-being by preventing internal distortions that can lead to illness, health issues, and diseases.
*The Foundation of Health*
Health is a prerequisite for exploring the deeper aspects of yoga, including the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi. By focusing on our physical and mental well-being, we can create a strong foundation for spiritual growth and self-discovery.
*Embracing Naturalization for Optimal Health*
To achieve optimal health, we must first understand the naturalization of our being and align ourselves with the universal physical laws that govern our bodies. Nature inherently exists in a state of ease, and embracing this principle is crucial for our well-being. As bipedal and vertical beings, humans have the unique capacity to evolve our naturalization through the development of our nervous system, facilitated by a feedback mechanism. Unlike other species that operate primarily on instinct, humans are endowed with the mind and intellect, enabling us to consciously work towards our evolution. By leveraging these gifts, we can overcome the obstacles of disease and dysfunction, which hinder our growth and potential. It’s indeed paradoxical that despite our technological advancements, we seem to be regressing as a species, highlighting the need for a more integrated approach to our development.
*Understanding the Human Body’s Systems*
The human body operates through two main systems: the voluntary and involuntary systems. The voluntary system, comprising the musculoskeletal system, is under the control of the nervous system and our conscious will. By becoming aware of and working with our muscular architecture, we can gain control over our voluntary nervous system.
*Gaining Control over the Voluntary Nervous System*
To achieve this control, we need to move beyond reflexive actions and develop conscious awareness of our voluntary muscular architecture. Our muscular architecture, governed by our conscious will and command, holds ancient memories stored in our primal brain in coded form. By encoding their natural sequential order with specific direction of simultaneous flow of movement, through physical efforts and conscious awareness, we can reprogram these deep-seated patterns in our conscious brain.leading to greater control over the voluntary nervous system.
*The Autonomic Nervous System*
The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) is indeed divided into two main branches: Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous Systems.
The involuntary, autonomic nervous system governs the functioning of various organs, including those responsible for respiration, circulation, digestion, hormone regulation, and excretion. This system also encompasses our special sense organs, such as the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin.
*Enhancing the Autonomic Nervous System*
By gaining control over our voluntary nervous system, we can potentially enhance the functioning of our autonomic nervous system. This can lead to improved overall health, well-being, and resilience.
*Control Over the Autonomic Nervous System*
The autonomic nervous system, comprising the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, operates under the control of nature, functioning on the principle of demand and supply. Emotions play a significant role in influencing the functions of various organs within this system. However, by gaining control over the sympathetic nervous system through conscious movement of muscles in their ancient sequential order and direction, we can eventually gain control over the autonomic nervous system.
*The Role of Musculoskeletal Architecture*
The organs of the autonomic nervous system are situated within body cavities formed by the musculoskeletal architecture. The space and pressure differences within these cavities are dependent on the flow of movement of the musculature. The elastic property of the musculature is crucial in creating space for smooth movement and optimal function. External forces can exert significant pressure on these organs, making it essential to strengthen the inner forces.
*Key to Optimal Function*
To achieve optimal physiological function, it’s essential to remove physical pressure and obstruction on these organs. By doing so, we can create an environment that allows them to function optimally. This can be achieved through conscious movement and awareness of the musculature, ultimately leading to a state of balance and harmony within the autonomic nervous system.
I am highlights the importance of gaining control over the autonomic nervous system through conscious movement and awareness of the musculature. By understanding the relationship between the musculoskeletal architecture and the organs of the autonomic nervous system, we can take steps to optimize their function and promote overall well-being.
In normal life, both voluntary and involuntary systems work hand in hand through the nervous system. Through this integration, we can create an optimal inner space and inner environment of homeostasis that is healthy for minimizing workload while maximizing benefits for the organ systems within these body cavities. Only when this balance is achieved, we are ready and effectively bring the breathing mechanism under control.
The autonomous systems (voluntary and involuntary) can be grouped into three parts:
1. Peripheral nervous system, which supplies energy to muscles and joints.
2. Autonomic nervous system, which supplies energy to vegetative organs and is divided into Sympathetic and Parasympathetic nervous systems.
3. Central nervous system, which controls all organs through discriminative intelligence, ‘Vivekaja gnyanam’.
The autonomous system is relies and activated only through the medium of the central and peripheral nervous systems. The smooth and harmonious work of the voluntary and involuntary systems is disturbed when we lose voluntariness of muscles, leading to disease, either physical or mental. This further triggers with any disturbance or stimulation, slowing down the function or working of organ systems, and death permanently stops it.
Lord Patanjali precisely described the aim of yoga as “Heyam duhkham anagatam,” which means that the practice of yoga guards us against pain that has not even risen on the horizon of time. Regular, consistent, dedicated, and devotional practice of Asana, strictly following universal physical laws, protects the body from unforeseen pain. This is achieved through the two pathways of the voluntary and involuntary systems of the body.
The mode of action is through the voluntary musculoskeletal system, is a direct only medium of the central nervous system. The effect of Asana on the involuntary system is directly related to the muscular system. All movements of voluntary muscles, joints, and bones are under the command of the central nervous system, consisting of the Cerebrum (the large, conscious brain) and spinal cord. Reflex actions are governed by the spinal cord and serve as the body’s defense mechanism. I want to strongly emphasize that in all types of exercises labeled as yoga asana, people often make the same mistake of relying on spinal reflexes and joint movements. These types of movements lead to more wear and tear on the musculoskeletal system while increasing the physical and physiological workload on all other systems. Consequently, we fail to achieve the desired results in preventing and enhancing organ systems. What’s lacking are conscious, intentional, and intellectual movements of the voluntary system, which we can program in our Cerebrum – Conscious brain.
*Natural Development In Infancy”
Initially, in infancy, all movements of voluntary muscles are purely in an unwinding sequential order, which is imbibed in the ancient brain in coding form. Slowly, they are brought under the volitional control of the cerebrum through a trial-and-error process of efforts, failure, and success. This process starts from lying on the back and involves movements of hands and legs for elongation and expansion to counteract gravitational force, creating natural spaces within body cavities. As the child develops, they progress to rolling over, moving onto their belly to achieve clockwise and anticlockwise forces, further advancing to sliding forward to achieve antigravitational force, then classical crawling for lifting against gravity, and eventually sitting, standing, and walking on their own. It’s essential not to interfere with their own efforts in decoding their movements or provide unnecessary support, allowing them to follow their sequential muscular order without being rushed. All these movements exist in a genetically programmed form and are stored in the memory center. A child learns these actions quickly over a period of 1 to 2 years.
As children master these physical movements, they become automated, freeing up cognitive resources to explore and interact with the world around them. This automation allows them to focus on learning, socializing, and developing other essential skills.
Once the art of standing and walking is achieved, these actions become automated. Through prolonged and repetitive practice, they transition into reflex mechanical actions governed by the spinal cord, becoming second nature. However, since these movements weren’t learned consciously or intellectually, we’ve lost and forgotten touch with the natural way our muscles are meant to work. We’ve adopted unnatural patterns, leading to deterioration, a continuous process that can result in an unhealthy state and even impact DNA at cell division. It’s essential to understand the concept of naturalization, as described in Yoga Shastra, but this , secrecy ,knowledge seems to be lost in practical application.
What are we ignoring ?
This is automation. Once this is achieved, the physical properties of each cell assume a new dimension to suit the new character of that species, and then this information is stored in genes and gets transferred to the next generation.
This is the secret of the human being who can stand on his two feet without much difficulty. Once any action like standing posture becomes automatic, it assumes limitations of minimum and maximum skills, which is governed by genes. e.g. in horse racing; one finds that a particular breed of a race horse wins a maximum number of races. This is true in human beings also. Defects in a posture in any member of the parent – father or mother – are also visible to some extent in their children.Hence better correct as early as possible.
“The limitations in any automatic, involuntary, and natural action can be modified by coaching. Since the musculoskeletal system is under volitional command, it’s possible to modify and overcome its limitations. By encoding natural, ancient memory through regular, consistent, and dedicated practice based on biofeedback principles, with sequential order in specific directional movements, fractional variations in muscle density can be achieved. Unlike reflex actions often mistakenly taught in any type of exercises and teaching methods of Yogasan . This is why our bodies adapt incorrectly, and even physically fit individuals may not understand the root cause of their suffering. “It is possible to modify and overcome the limitations of the musculoskeletal system in a human being through regular practice based on the basic principles of physical laws.”
*Conscious movement in Asana * I call it intellectual movement.
Yogic intellectual movement of muscles in asana, or posture, aims to bring physical stability to our unique vertical and biped species. Yogic movement is a conscious movement of voluntary musculature in a particular direction, following a natural sequential order that is imbibed in our ancient brain, rather than a reflex action driven by strong contraction of a defensive force. Instead, yogic movements involve conscious efforts to engage the sequential order of voluntary musculature, effectively modifying the stretch reflex. Expansion force is essential in this process, playing a crucial role in enhancing human evolution at multiple levels – physical, physiological, psychological, intellectual, spiritual, genetic, and naturalization – evolving us to a higher level.
The five facets of making efforts in asana you’ve described include:
1. *Point of anchorage*: Reinforcing stability using gravitational force.
2. *Pivot or fulcrum*: Executing motion through specific muscle groups.
3. *Moving axis*: The area where movement occurs.
4. *Movement*: The actual action of muscles and joints.
5. *Freezing the movement*: Holding the final pose with controlled muscle flow.
By maintaining the pose with a conscious flow of movement of muscles, like strings of pulleys in opposite directions, with synchronized movement of joints in the same direction, for a sufficient length of time, one can bring about physiological changes in the functioning of different involuntary systems. The key lies in the smooth movement of voluntary musculature, with posterior musculature moving towards the feet and anterior musculature towards the head, extending from head to tail. The main obstacle in maintaining a pose is the resistance from contracted muscles, which are short, stiff, and hard, often due to reflex and decisive contraction aided by gravitational force.
*The Challenge of Muscle stiffness and its Contraction in Yogic Practices*
As we have lost and forgotten the ancient memory of muscles and adapted to joint movements, the result is stiffening of muscular architecture. Therefore, it is difficult to execute the phase of contraction in any muscle. When one set of muscles starts contracting, the opposite group of muscles gets stretched, which is already hard to move. When the muscle is stretched or expands from both ends, the central portion starts contracting to resist the stretching process beyond limits. This inhibits the attainment of the final pose. Any amount of struggle is useless.
*Understanding Stretch Reflex in Yogic Practice*
The stretch reflex is the process of contraction and retraction of the minutest working unit of voluntary muscle, known as the muscle spindle, and serves as a protective defensive mechanism. The contraction of a voluntary muscle is naturally accentuated by gravitational force, making it more powerful. However, during physical activity or posture, forcible contraction of one group of muscles can lead to overstretching of the opposite group, resulting in tears of muscle fibers and hardening of tissues. It can lead to increased friction, energy expenditure, excessive sweating, and exhaustion, ultimately resulting in degeneration rather than regeneration. This is a primary cause of inflammation and wear and tear, reduced joint space, and increased pressure on structures, ultimately leading to hardening of soft tissues, including organs, in an attempt to stabilize the body.
This damage is averted by ‘Stretch Reflex”. The muscle spindle is the smallest unit of voluntary muscle, visible only under the microscope. A muscle spindle has a bulky central portion tapering at both ends. During stretch both ends portions start contracting and lengthening the central portion when this lengthens process crosses the danger level of tearing the fiber the stretch reflex is activated by contraction of central portion which instantaneously halts the process of retraction or relaxation or stretch and stops the contraction of opposite group of muscles trying to achieve the final pose.Hence there is a technique one must learn in a pose
At this stage, the ego starts functioning by forcing further contraction, resulting in an increased friction and excess of energy expenditure. Normally, 25 % energy is utilized in action, and the remaining 75% is wasted in the form of heat. This increase in metabolism is visible as excessive sweating and total exhaustion. Which actually leads towards degeneration instead of regeneration.
As we never make efforts for conscious movement of musculature with their own natural ancient memory, instead getting stuck in movement in joints. On the contrary, any additional force in stretching the muscle results in a spasm of the contracting muscle, and the whole process ends up in chaos. This is again a reflex action. This often occurs in the majority of yogic asanas and physical exercises leading to Chaos .
*Understanding Muscle Physiology to Avert Chaos*
This chaos can be averted through understanding the basic physiology of the qualities of voluntary muscles, which include contraction, excitation, expansion, and elasticity. Contraction is a strong passive force that happens in excitation as well. However, expansion is an active force that requires strength and strong will. Elasticity is a healthy state of muscles, characterized by partial contractibility when expanding. Understanding muscle tone is also crucial, as hypertonia (high muscle tone) leads to stiffness, while hypotonia (low muscle tone) results in weakness and floppiness. Additionally, hypertrophy refers to the growth and increase in size of existing muscle fibers, not an increase in their number. Muscle strength, which enhances the force of contraction, relies heavily on the elasticity of muscles. By grasping these fundamental concepts, one can better navigate the complexities of muscle movement and function.
Yogic movements of muscles differ, that’s why they give a guarantee about health if done correctly, and diseases are the first obstacle in Raja Yoga/Patanjali’s Yoga, which has Ashtanga (eight stages of evolution).
The key word of our SYS method is expansion, which does not mean torture or abuse of force in the joints. On the contrary, expansion means extension or active relaxation. Here, the direction of the force of musculature in the opposite group is the key and is the most important factor.
In contrast, yogic movements aim to utilize 75% of energy in conscious movement of musculature and minimize energy waste. This approach enhances the functioning of all organ systems, promotes smooth movement, and supports regeneration. By understanding the biomechanics of the stretch reflex, one can modify it to prevent muscle fiber tears and other damage. This modification involves precision in stretching without triggering the contraction force, and it requires practice and dedication to master. The key lies in conscious movement and awareness of the musculature, allowing for a more harmonious and beneficial practice.
Once the biomechanics of stretch reflex is fully understood, it is possible to avert the disaster of tearing the muscle fibre by avoiding precipitation of stretch reflex. This yoga method exactly teaches the methodology to counter the stretch reflex by executing precision in stretch without precipitating the contraction force. This is called the modification of stretch reflex.
We modify, how do we do? That it is easier said than done, but it can be done. I will give you a secret, how it can be done , let’s go deeper.
Every cell has a nucleus and cytoplasm, i.e… water There is water inside the cell, called intracellular fluid and outside the cell called extracellular fluid. In extracellular fluid, there is dominance of sodium atoms, and in intra-cellular fluid, there is dominance of potassium. So balance of Sodium and Potassium, is the balance of Sun and Moon, is balance of Ida and Pingala.Sodium stands as the Sun and Potassium stands for a Moon fluid inside the cell which is kept together because of Potassium it maintains the wall and structure of the cell. So if we want to extend, bring sodium more, so along with sodium water, it will also come.
So Yogic posture( remember ,what efforts one makes is important) acts by fractional variation of the density of the matter. At the Anchor, it is very dense, at the Pivot it is diluted, at moving axis dilution is more and at movement dilution continuous. It is like a wave pattern. It is like a flow. E.g. A piece of ice kept doesn’t flow but gives heat and it will start flowing. So give heat, where is the heat? We must have the heat source, i.e… energy source. This energy source we have to activate, we have modification of stretch reflex. Otherwise, we just can’t do fractional variation, and when it becomes a state of the posture, freeze everything, i.e… moment. So what an intellectual capacity one must have, and are we using it when we practice poses. How the Sun must shine that is activated and the Moon should take care of and nullify the exaggerated effect of the Sun.
This is done with the help of different props such as support of furniture , Ropes ,belts and Grill, without this , it is not possible to achieve desired results because we really do not know what direction of movement is and how to do efforts in the right direction. Its formlessness, which we have to program in our memory, will tell us what form we should get in the name of Asana. Suppose we name it Trikonasana. The body has to go into Trikonasana. Therefore formlessness is the quality, which is in the brain in the form of memory, a coded memory we do not know, how it is coded but that will help our Motor center to recognize our body in the form of a Triangle which is most stable structure with minimum vectors which applies to human spices. So, what we learn is an informative process. We inform the individual by programming muscle memory by giving different Symbols in the name of those postures to help them to go into the postures by the teacher with the help of different props .
What we are really doing is arranging the energy ( is ability to arrange) flow in the body. Suppose we have a small river flowing into our city .It gets obstructed by something, then we remove that obstacle, and then again, flow goes. The same is true in our body. The life process is a continuous process like a flow of River , so any obstruction in that flow we remove and that should be aim of practicing Yoga ( it’s not at all going from.one pose to another pose from movements of joints ) So that gradually we will come to such a state ,we will get pleasure inside our body just by sitting I.e. possible stimulating different centres in the brain . The pleasure which we get from five organs of perception, the same pleasure is not the contact of the subject and the object but pleasure is in the form of memory. So if we can bring out that pleasure from that memory and chew it in our mind. At this stage we don’t need to do many asanas/ postures. Sitting Pose is enough which we have evolved and natural means ease .
Sitting is not killing , if it is killing us today, then that means our species is deteriorating very fast. It is devolution insted of evolving. It’s high time to be aware and work in the right direction .
Swati Joshi
Swati Yoga Shalaa
