ToC AC AOL Lal Spi S, N. Tayvaria)ATTENTIVE TENSION RELAXATION “Are you free from brooding and/or day-dreaming? Are you free from experience of various emotions? Are you free from inner dialogue between your various centres? Are you free from frequent and unwanted drifts?" - Excerpt from 'The Purpose of Birth and Death' by SriS. N. Tavaria As quoted, people experience all kinds of pains, hurts, emotions, stress and tensions, both physical - at muscular and nervous level, and emotional - accumulation of negative feelings in our emotional body. These result into deposition of acids in joints at the physical level and granthis (knots) at the emotional level. These start draining us of our energy levels and we feel fatigue, pains in the joints, backache and other aches and pains, later leading to problems with the organs and the glandular system. The tension needs to be released from both the bodies. The tension from the physical body can be released by tensing and relaxing the muscles. This will also increase the circulation of blood. This circulation will cleanse the joints and wash out the acids deposited in the joints and relieve the tension accumulated within the joints and the muscles. The nervous system is also honed by these exercises. At the emotional level, the tension and granthis (knots) can be treated by circulation of prana - life sustaining energy. The circulation of prana releases emotional and mental tensions, providing an inner calm. While exercising, we need to focus on tensing and relaxing particular body parts and not the whole body. Refer to the illustrations which advises on what areas of the body to focus on. This will enable cleansing of acids and relaxation of those body parts. The law of tension states that "Tension demands Attention". While performing these exercises, we will pay attention to the tension we are generating within the body, which, will release the tension upon relaxation. This process will help us cleanse our bodies of all kinds of tensions - now deposited in our body as debris - physical and emotional. Hence, the name Attentive Tension Relaxation.ATR Exercises (Illustrated) Exercise 1 Focus Area: Palms to Shoulders Exercise 2 Focus Area: Palms to Shoulders Feel pain in that area, Exercise 3 Focus Area: Back Legs Heel, Toes Exercise 4 Focus Area: Chest Feel pain in that area. Benefits: Finger Joints, Arthritis, Pains near elbow, shoulder, biceps. Benefits: Frozen Shoulder Tennis Elbow Wrist Problems Benefits: Rheumatism Knee pains Sciatica Benefits: Asthma Bronchitis Cough and Cold Congestions Heart ProblemsATR Exercises (Illustrated) Rota Rota helps strengthen the muscles around the spine. The lower back and the neck has no support and invariably, the spine gets strained. Rota will keep one's spine strong and enable the muscles around the back to absorb pressures. Emotional debris is also deposited around the spine. Rota helps clear this. Exercise 5 Focus Area: Benefits: Abdomen Digestive Problems Liver Problems Acidity Kidneys Exercise 6 Focus Area: Benefits: Back Spine Abdomen Muscles Circulation Improves Whole Body is stretched Crawling Helps cure back problems. Does the same work that ‘traction’ would do. We stretch our spine, to gain flexibility and strengthen the muscles of the spine and the area around. Both Rota and Crawling are excellent exercises for people with chronic back Swiso Focus Area: Benefits: Breath @ 36 cycles Lungs Free movement of Heart the hands Spondylosis Frozen Shoulder Mood BoosterREFINING EXERCISES Refining means to cleanse. A process to separate pure gold from the other impurities. Impurities are the obstacles to extracting pure gold The main obstacles for our evolution are the emotional granthis or knots which have formed in the astral body. The astral body is a body of fine energies or pranas which have the quality of emotions and that is why negative emotions can create blocks. These granthis have been formed by the collection of negative emotions and their memory patterns over very long periods of time (not only this life, but birth after birth after birth). Granthi means a deeply embedded negative pattern which keeps on repeating in our actions. Just as a block in the physical body leads to blockage in the circulation of blood, To remove emotional debris from the granthis within the organism and to tone up the nerves, improve circulation of blood, ease tension, etc., the following six simple breathing exercises are recommended to be done daily. They are designed to work towards clearing the residue of undigested experiences from within the system. These six refining exercises tone up the nerves, correct respiration and speech, give strength and energy, improve circulation and digestion, remove tensions and reduce joint pains. In short, they help in preventing bodily disability and mental inertia, which are the primary obstacles to soul cognition. Later on, an increase in their intensity will effect regeneration of the vagus. These practices are not normal, ordinary physical exercises, though as a by-product they give benefits that almost all other physical exercises do not. What is required here, and in the practices to follow, is total involvement. These practices are designed for a higher purpose. If that purpose is not kept in mind or drawn in before one's eyes, the real benefits -- internal purification -- will not accrue, just as mechanical prayers, however often indulged in daily, yield nothing. Ideally, the exercises are to be performed soundlessly and with minimal movement of head, torso and knees; it is breath which drives the muscles and organs, not vice versa. Correct performance entails ensuring awareness and control of breath all through inhalation and exhalation. Each exercise is done with a particular area of the physical body and this area in turn is connected to the granthis and plexuses (chakras) at the astral level. So when the granthi and the emotional debris is cleared at a particular area, only then the emotional energies relevant to that area get upgraded.Refining Exercises (Illustrated) E ise 1 Deals with the Area of the -xercise Heart and the Lungs Method: Take deep and fast breaths at the speed of 36 breaths per minute along with the musical rhythm by placing both the hands (palms) on the chest. Be attentive the chest should go out while inhaling and it should go in while exhaling, and the others parts of body should not move. Deals with the Area of the Solar Plexus - Abdomen and organs in the torso. Exercise 2 Method: Put both the hands (palms) on the stomach, at the upper part of the navel. Take deep and swift breath along with the musical rhythm at the speed of 36 breaths per minutes. Be attentive that the stomach should go out while inhaling and should go in while exhaling. Breath restricted to stomach, abdomen area Deals with the Area of the Exercise 3 BackBone, Pelvic Girdle and the Knees. Method: Stretch the legs and hold the toes by fingers of both the hands (if you can). Legs to remain straight and not bent at the knees; head to remain straight up. Take deep and swift breaths with musical rhythm at the speed of 36 breaths per minute. Here, there is complete breath i.e. entire chest/stomach and abdomen areais used. Deals with the Circulatory Exercise 4 System specially Heart, Also deals with lungs. Method: Staccato Breathing : Five short, quick inhalations totaling on full breath, followed by one forceful exhalation through the mouth emptying the lungs, completely. The body should not move and the head should be still.Refi ing Exercises (Illustrated) Oxygenates the Blood, Exercise 5 Builds up immunity system Method: Square breathing: [1] Inhale for 3 seconds [2] Retain (Breath) for 3 seconds [3] Exhale (Breath out) for 3 seconds [4] Keep (Breath out) for 3 seconds. Slowly increase duration to 5 seconds . Deals with the 5 senses. Exercise 6 Throat, Thyroid Gland, Glands in the Brain Method: Bundh in the throat. Take a deep breath through the nose, close the mouth block both nostrils with the fingers and thumb, press the chin tightly to the hollow of the throat, and swallow five times as in the act of drinking water. Then release the bundh and unblock the nostrils. Additionally, one could also do the first 3 exercises in reverse order. Exercise 3 first. followed by Exercise 2 and Exercise 1 Exercises are meant to be enjoyed. Initially, one should exercise only as much as is possible physically and is enjoyable. They can be increased later, but to NOT more than 3 minutes for each exercise. BEST PERFORMED UNDER GUIDANCE Deals with the Perenium, Golden Nugget from where prana energy flows through the body. Method: Empty the Lungs. One hand to pull the abdomen below the navel inwards as much as possible. Should be tried initially for ten seconds. Then increase timing gradually up to 40 seconds.ABOUT SRI S. N. TAVARIA Sri Tavariaji met his master, Sri Ram, when he was only seven years old. Over a period of 12 years, he learnt the practices of a very secret Yoga System from his teacher. He said that this system was passed from master to disciples in Guru- Shisya parampara, originating from Maharshi Patanjali who is credited with the authorship of the Yoga- Sutras. Sri Tavariaji condensed the system into a few simple exercises (Refining Exercises) together with the 3 Step Rhythmic Breath, so that the benefits of such a rich system of Yoga could be easily available to every one. His teacher advised him to be a householder, so he lived a family man throughout and is survived by his wife and two children. He said that the real test of Yoga is in a normal family life. Sri Tavariaji had two engineering degrees and two degrees of Master of Arts. He had a tremendous control over his body-brain system brought about by Yoga practices. He ate only three meals a week. He was able to lead a normal and very active life. He has written two valuable books: 1) Yoga Sutra - Explanation and Exposition 2) The Purpose of Birth and Death. WAY OF LIVING ACCORDING TO THE YOGA SUTRA OF SAGE PATANJALI In India, contact : Sri Ram Yoga Mandir Trust Behind Toran Bunglow, Rajendra Bhuvan Road, Veraval, Gujarat - 362 266. India Phone : +91 (2876) 242443