Fitness with Yoga Exercises - Energy Meditation Zeal Rigour Excercise

Breathing techniques to induce relaxation

The breath of an individual can be utilised in two ways, to release blocked energy or to induce a peaceful and calm state into his system. I have already given you techniques to unblock pent up energy. Today’s breathing techniques will help you in a positive way to move from agitation to stillness, from frustration to relaxation. Decide to bring relaxation into your system and then practice the following techniques.

Caution: Those with high blood pressure and respiratory illnesses should not hold their breath. Those with cervical spondylosis should keep their chin up and not press it downwards.

Exercise 1

Exercise 1

• Sit with your legs stretched out and your back straight

• Bend one leg; place your ankle on the opposite thigh close to the groin. Bend the other leg and place your ankle on the thigh of the bent leg, close to the groin. Place your hands on your knees

• Keep your eyes closed and your back straight, the palms resting on your knees

• Breathe normally, allowing your breath to become relaxed, rhythmical and slow

• Gently contract the glottis and continue inhaling and exhaling slowly. There should be a soft snoring sound. Imagine you are breathing through the throat, not the nostrils

• Concentrate on the sound of the breath in the throat

• Practice this for two to five minutes.

Exercise 2

• Sit as directed in exercise one

• Bend the forefinger and the middle finger of your right hand. Close your eyes and practice deep breathing

• Close your right nostril with your thumb, place the ring finger between your eyebrows and inhale to a count of five

• Close the left nostril with the ring finger. Hold your breath for count of ten

• Raise your thumb between the eyebrows, exhale slowly through the right nostril to count of ten

• Now breathe in again through right the nostril to a count of five. Close the right nostril with your thumb and hold your breath to a count of ten. Place the ring finger between your eyebrows and exhale through the left nostril to a count of ten

• Repeat the complete cycle for two to five minutes.

Exercise 3

Exercise 3

• Sit in padmasana with your back straight

• Inhale deeply, press your chin down on your neck, and hold your breath

• Raise your chin and exhale through the mouth. Repeat this 15 times.

Bandhas are an indirect, yet the best and most powerful method of taking care of your emotional state. The following exercises will help you maintain a sense of balance and calm and prevent bouts of anger, anxiety and agitation.

Caution: Those with cervical spondylosis, vertigo, high blood pressure or heart diseases should avoid exercise one. Pregnant women and those with heart problems or high blood pressure should avoid exercise two. Those suffering from backache or severe arthritis of the knee joints should not attempt exercise three.

Exercise 1 : Step 1

EXERCISE 1

•  Sit with your legs stretched out and back straight

•  Bend one leg, place the ankle on the opposite thigh, close to the groin. Bend the other leg and place that ankle on the thigh of the bent leg, close to the the groin. Place your hands on your knees

•  Inhale deeply, keeping the chest high, hold your breath and press your chin against the chest

•  Hold the position as long as comfortable

•  Release the chin, look up and exhale.

•  Repeat thrice.

Exercise 2

EXERCISE 2

•  Sit in padmasana, as directed in steps one and two of exercise one

•  Take your hands behind your back and grasp one wrist with the other hand

•  Close your eyes, relax the body and inhale

•  Exhale as you bend forward and rest your forehead on the floor

•  Hold the position for 10-30 seconds, breathing normally

•  Inhale as you raise the body back to the starting position.

Exercise 3

EXERCISE 3

• Sit in padmasana, as directed in steps one and two of exercise one

• Exhale completely, pull up the genital space and close the anal space. Keep the abdominal muscles tight

• Relax and inhale

• Repeat only thrice.

Postures to induce a state of relaxation

Certain movements of the body combined with breath, work more effectively to change your internal state of agitation and frustration. They help to not only release pent-up energy but also to move into postures which induce a state of relaxation and a calm state of mind. As you practice these techniques, remember it is your willingness to let go of your anger which will give you the best results.

Caution: Those with back problems or severe arthritis of the knee joints should not do exercises two and three. Those with heart problems, high blood pressure and pregnant women should avoid these exercises and exercise one. Those with hernia, hyper-thyroidism should be very careful or avoid exercise three.

Exercise 1

EXERCISE 1

•  Stand straight with your feet spread apart
•  Bend the knees; place the palms on the thighs, the fingers facing in as shown
•  Exhale deeply through the mouth, hold your breath and move your abdominal muscles in and out rapidly as many times (10-50) as possible
•  Repeat three times.

Exercise 2

EXERCISE 2

Step 1
•  Sit back on your heels, the knees together, the toes overlapping, the back straight and the palms on the knees

Step 2
•  Inhale, slowly raise both arms straight above your head.

Step 3
•  Exhale and slowly bend forward, your arms straight and in line with the ears. Rest the forehead on the floor and bring the palms together
Step 4
•  Inhale, slowly raise the upper body and both the arms straight above your head
•  Repeat steps three and four five times, paying attention to your breathing
•  Inhale, slowly raise the arms and the upper body, exhale and lower the arms to start position.

Exercise 3

EXERCISE 3

Step 1
•  Sit with one knee bent on the ground; place the other leg across it

Step 2
•  With the opposite arm, lock the knee from the outside and grasp the foot

Step 3
•  Fold the other arm behind the back, slowly inhale and twist the spine and look back

Step 4
•  Slowly exhale, relax the arms and straighten the upper body
•  Repeat steps three and four five times paying attention to your breathing
•  Repeat with the other side.

Techniques of the breath to release toxic and suppressed energy

An angry individual lives in a constant toxic state. To remove this state, certain techniques of the breath can be utilised to release this toxic, suppressed energy and bring an individual back to a natural state of ease. Breath and emotions are totally connected to each other so with the use of breath, we can change the emotional state of our minds. The following techniques should be done intensely with a lot of focus and understanding so that the anger can flow out of your system with every breath.

Caution: Those with heart problems, high blood pressure should avoid exercise one and three and not hold the breath in exercise two. Pregnant women should avoid exercises one and three.

Exercise 1a, 1b

Exercise 1

• Sit back on your heels as shown

• Bend the arms at the waist, the elbows close to the body and make fists

• Raise both fists up, a bit higher than the head, keeping the elbows close to the body

• Exhale forcefully through the mouth (the cheeks puffed out) as you pull the arms down — taking the elbows behind the waist as shown

• Repeat 20 times, exhalation should be rapid, movements smooth not jerky

• Inhale deeply and slowly

• Exhale slowly.

Exercise 2

Exercise 2

• Sit in padmasan, the eyes closed, the back straight and the palms resting on the knees

• Focus on your breathing

• Breathe in slowly

• Hold your breath to a count of 10

• Exhale slowly

• Repeat for five rounds

• Do another five rounds but this time hold your breath to a count of 20

• Keep your complete attention on the breathing.

Exercise 3

Exercise 3

• Sit back on your heels as shown, place the palms on the knees as shown, keep the back straight

• Exhale forcefully and rapidly through the nose in quick succession, pulling the stomach in towards the spine as you exhale. Inhalation will be automatic and passive between every two exhalations

• Practice 30-50 inhalations at a stretch

• Repeat three times.

Anger is nothing but energy which is unable to flow in the right direction. This blocked, restricted, suppressed energy finds unnatural ways of venting itself and creates violent and ugly situations in life. Today, it is almost a disease as most of us live with tremendous frustration trapped within. Imagine your natural energy put into a pressure cooker, which, someday will definitely explode. To avoid this, you either need to keep releasing this energy little by little or not bottle it up in the first place.

Over the next few days we will work on practices that help us to release this energy. Today we will focus on some simple movements to release the energy physically and return to a peaceful state.

Caution: These asanas should not be practiced by those with high blood pressure, heart diseases or hernia. Those with acute back conditions should be cautious and discontinue if the condition is aggravated.

EXERCISE 1

STEP 1

•   Stand straight, with your feet placed together and palms joined in front of your chest

•   Breathe normally.

Exercise 1 : Step 2

STEP 2

•   Inhale, keep your palms together, straighten your arms and bend back, stretching your arms over your head.

Exercise 1 : Step 3

STEP 3

•   Exhale and bend forward

•   Place your palms on the floor and your head on your knees

•   Inhale as you raise your arms and upper body and bend back, as in Step 2.

STEP 4

•   Repeat steps two to four 10-15 times

•   Movements should be dynamic and vigorous.

EXERCISE 2

STEP 1

•   Lie on your stomach, legs straight, feet together and arms by your side

•   Place your palms by your chest and tuck your elbows in.

Exercise 2 : Step 2

STEP 2

•   Inhale and raise your upper body up till your navel

•   Then straighten your arms, raise your torso, as shown, tuck your toes in and look up.

Exercise 2 : Step 3

STEP 3

•   Exhale, push your body weight back with the help of your arms and raise your hips

•   Tuck your chin towards the chest and look at your navel

•   Keep your heels flat on the floor

•   Inhale, raise your head and upper body and drop the hips and legs (as done in Step 1).

STEP 4

•   Exhale and repeat Step 2

•   Repeat steps two and three 10-15 times

•   Movements should be dynamic and vigorous.

Meditation techniques for sexual awareness

An individual could be in an unconscious state even though his or her eyes are wide open.  Any sexual act performed from a state of unconsciousness becomes more a way of releasing tension rather than emphasising the erotic and meditative aspects.  Sexual awareness means that you accept your sexuality as a beautiful part of yourself and not simply for a few minutes of pleasure or stress relief. Until and unless man and woman accept their own sexuality as a natural and beautiful gift from God, their sexual performance will generally be short and frustrating.

The art of meditation teaches you that this god-given act of sex is natural and instinctive in all of us.  The following technique will help you introspect and follow your instincts rather than follow rules of sexual performance.

Exercise 1

STEP 1

•  Sit in Padmasana

•  Breathe naturally. Focus on your breathing and each time you exhale let the whole body relax. Do this for two minutes

•  Now bring your awareness to the lower half of your body.

STEP 2

•  Bring your awareness to the root plexus called the Mooladhara Chakra, the point between the anal and genital areas

•  Completely bring your mind to this point and breathe in and out deeply.

STEP 3

•  Inhale and as you exhale mentally chant the beej mantra "Ra".  As you do this, keep relaxing and loosening the body

•  Now bring your natural focus to your sex organs and concentrate the energy there

•  Focus until you feel tired

•  Lie down and breathe deeply.

Breathing exercises for better sex

Remember that by controlling your breath, you can control your orgasms as awareness decreases the hormones, which are responsible for your orgasm. A man whose breath is stable is able to re-gain control and can move through the entire sexual performance with a control on himself.

Practice the following breathing exercises to be more relaxed and aware, thus improving your sexual performance.

Caution: Those with high blood pressure and heart problems should avoid Exercise 3.

Exercise 1

Exercise 1

• This exercise should be one smooth, flowing movement without any jerks
• Sit in padmasana, palms resting on the knees, back straight, body relaxed and eyes closed
• Inhale slowly and deeply as the abdomen expands
• Now expand the ribs and the chest, lifting it up. Feel the air enter and expand your lower lungs
• Keep inhaling slowly and now feel the air enter and expand your upper lungs, raising your shoulders and collar bone
• Slowly and gradually exhale, relaxing your shoulders, collar bone and upper chest
• Continue to exhale slowly, relax the chest and gently pull the diaphragm up and the abdomen in, towards the spine so that you empty the lungs
• Hold the breath and then start again
• Do 5-10 rounds.

Exercise 2

Exercise 2

• Sit in padmasana
• Bend your forefinger and the middle finger of your right hand
• Place the thumb between your eyebrows, pressing your ring finger on the left nostril. Breathe in through the right nostril to the count of five
• Hold your breath to the count of 10
• Reverse the positions. Place your ring finger between your eyebrows, pressing the right nostril with the thumb. Exhale through the left nostril to the count of 10
• Now inhale through the left nostril, holding your breath
• Reverse the position of your fingers (with reference to Step 3), exhale through the right nostril
• Repeat 12 times.

Exercise 3

Exercise 3

• Sit back on your heels, as shown
• Bend your arms at the waist, placing your elbows close to the body and make fists out of your hands
• Raise both fists, a bit higher than your head
• Exhale forcefully through the mouth as you pull the arms down, taking both your elbows behind the waist, as shown
• Repeat 20 times, exhalation should be smooth, rapid movements
• Inhale deeply and slowly
• Exhale slowly.

Bandhas and mudras for sexual hormonal levels

In yoga, bandhas and mudras regulate endocrine (glandular) secretions in the body, re-balance hormonal levels, help release suppressed anxieties and blocks and therefore help to regain a state of renewed health on a physical, emotional and mental level. They help us to feel more relaxed and as a result we feel more in touch with our bodies. Today I am giving you three exercises to do that are especially important for sexual performance as they consciously contract muscles in the genital region. The first one contracts the area between the anus and scrotum/clitoris and the perineal body/cervix and helps to improve sexual retention. It will be beneficial to all including those with premature ejaculation problems. The second exercise helps to revitalise inner organs and particularly regularise the adrenal glands so that those with low energy will feel more energised and those that are anxious, more relaxed. The third exercise contracts the anal muscles.
At the physical level these may seem like simple muscular contractions that will give you more physical control during sexual performance but they also work at very deep levels, revitalising you, relaxing you, raising your awareness and thereby improve your sexual performance. It may take you a while to master but be regular and diligent and you will feel the difference.

Caution: Those with heart problems, high blood pressure and pregnant women should avoid these exercises. Those with enlarged thyroids, slipped discs and severe back problems should avoid exercise three.

Exercise 1

EXERCISE 1

• Bend one leg; place the ankle on the opposite thigh close to the groin. Bend the other leg and place the ankle on the thigh of the bent leg, close to the groin. Place your hands on your knees
• Exhale completely, pull up the genital space and close the anal space. Keep the abdominal muscles tight
• Relax the lock and inhale
• Repeat three times only.

Exercise 2

EXERCISE 2

• Stand with your legs apart and slightly bent, the feet out. Rest the palms on the thighs
• Bend your back and exhale forcefully
• Suck in your stomach to create a hollow space
• Hold your breath as long as it is comfortable
• Release contraction and breathe in
• Repeat only three times.

Exercise 3

EXERCISE 3

• Lie flat on the back with your arms by your side
• Slowly raise the legs to a 90 degree position
• Lift the hips and support them with the hands as in exercise one and bend the legs as shown
• In this position, inhale and contract the anal muscles tightly but without strain
• Hold the breath and the contraction for 10 seconds
• Slightly release the contraction and exhale a little, release contraction a little more and exhale a little. Now release contraction completely and exhale completely
• Repeat three times.

Today, we will practice Sarvangasana and Matsyasana, which benefit sexual performance. In Yoga, the body is considered to be a living magnet. The legs, resting on the earth are considered to be positively charged while the head is said to be negatively charged. In Sarvangasana, the body is inverted. The legs are in the air, the head and shoulders on the ground, resulting in reversal of polarity and charges. This helps improve blood circulation to the sex organs, thus improving vitality and sexual performance.
The second exercise, Matsyasana, stretches the pelvic region, which directs the blood flow to the sexual glands (to the testes and prostrate glands in men and to the ovaries in women). This asana helps to revitalise these areas and is also very helpful to women in treating various sexual malfunctions.

Caution: • Pregnant or menstruating women or those suffering from high blood pressure, heart problems, severe back or cervical conditions, enlarged thyroid, liver or spleen or peptic ulcers should not attempt Exercise 1

• Pregnant women and those with a heart disease, peptic ulcers or severe back conditions should not attempt Exercise 2.

Exercise 1

Exercise 1

• Lie on your back, arms by your side. Slowly raise both legs to a 90-degree position

• Lift your hips and back off the floor, lowering your legs towards your head, as shown

• Slowly lower your hands towards your shoulders and place your legs in a 90-degrees position. Support the whole body with your shoulders, keeping the body and legs in a straight line. Keep the chin pressed against the chest

• Hold the position for 30-60 seconds, breathing normally

• Gradually lower your back and legs without any strainful or jerky movements.

Exercise 2

Exercise 2

• Sit with your legs stretched out and back straight

• Bend one leg and place the ankle on the opposite thigh, close to the groin. Bend the other leg and place that ankle on the thigh of the bent leg, close to the groin

• Lean back on your elbows and slowly lower your head and back to the floor

• Bend your elbows behind the head, place the palms on the floor, fingers pointing towards your feet. Taking the support of your palms, raise your head and shoulders to rest on the crown of the head. Hold the toes with your fingers

• Hold the position for 10-30 seconds, breathing normally

• Release the toes and raise your head and shoulders with the support of your elbows. Prop yourself up on the elbows, then straighten them one at a time and return to the starting position.

Asanas to improve concentration and self confidence

Good sexual performance requires a relaxed body and a calm and focused mind. Today we will start with ‘Om’ chanting, which is one of the most powerful methods of relaxing the entire mind and body, releasing tension and bringing about a feeling of mental peace.  The second exercise greatly affects the Vajra nadi which is an important energy pathway in the body that carries nervous impulses of the genito-urinary system to the brain and gives some control over sexual functions. The last two exercises help develop focus and concentration. This combination of chanting, exercise and mudras that I am giving you today, will help you release tension, calm your nerves, develop good concentration and will power and direct your energy towards expanding your consciousness. You will find that you are more relaxed and confident about yourself and your sexuality.

Caution: Those who have undergone knee or spinal surgery or suffer from severe arthritis should not do exercise two. Those with glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, recent cataract or eye surgery and lens implants, should not do exercises two and three.

Exercise 1

EXERCISE 1

•  Sit in padmasana or as shown
•  Place the hands on your knees, your palms up, place the tip of the forefinger on the centre of the thumb
•  Keep the back straight and breathe normally, keep your eyes closed, and your body relaxed
•  Inhale. As you exhale, chant ‘Om’ emphasising the ‘M’ sound for as long as you can draw the breath out. Listen to the sound vibration of ‘Om’ in the body as you chant.

Exercise 2

EXERCISE 2

•  Sit with both legs stretched out straight towards the front
•  Bend the right leg and bring the foot back under the hip
•  Place the other foot under the other hip and sit on your heels
•  The toes should touch each other and the heels should be turned out making a ‘V’
•  Keep the back straight, breathe normally and hold the position for 10-30 seconds.

Exercise 3

EXERCISE 3

•  Sit either in padmasana or as for exercise two
•  Keep the head straight
•  Close your eyes and relax the face and the body
•  Open the eyes and focus them on the tip of the nose
•  Hold for a few seconds
•  Close the eyes and relax them
•  Repeat three times.

Exercise 4

EXERCISE 4

•  Sit either in padmasana or as for exercise two
•  Keep the head straight and the body still
•  Close your eyes and relax the face and body
•  Open the eyes and look at a fixed point in front of you
•  Now, focus on the eyebrow centre
•  Hold for a few seconds
•  Close and relax the eyes
•  Repeat three times.