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A
ASSIGNMENT
REPORT ON

Different Yogic practices (EPC - 4)

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INTRODUCTION
Yoga is a family of ancient spiritual practices that originated in India, where
it remains a vibrant living tradition and is seen as a means to enlightenment.
Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and Raja Yoga are considered the four
main yogas, but there are many other types. In other parts of the world where
yoga is popular, notably the United States, yoga has become associated with the
asanas (postures) of Hatha Yoga, which are popular as fitness exercises. Yoga as
a means to enlightenment is central to Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and
Jainism, and has influenced other religious and spiritual practices throughout
the world. Important Hindu texts establishing the basis for yoga include the Yoga
Sutras of Patanjali, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika

 Yoga practice and intention

Modern yoga practice often includes traditional elements inherited from
Hinduism, such as moral and ethical principles, postures designed to keep the
body fit, spiritual philosophy, instruction by a guru, chanting of mantras through
meditation. These elements are sometimes adapted to meet the needs of non-
Hindu practitioners. Proponents of yoga see daily practice as beneficial in itself,
leading to improved health, emotional well-being, mental clarity, and joy in
living. (Some skeptics question these claims.) Yoga adepts progress toward the
experience of samadhi, an advanced state of meditation where there is
absorption in inner ecstasy. The goals of yoga are expressed differently in
different traditions. In theistic Hinduism, yoga may be seen as a set of practices
intended to bring people closer to God - to help them achieve union with God.
In Buddhism, which does not postulate a creator-type God, yoga may help
people deepen their wisdom, compassion, and insight. In Western nations,
where there is a strong emphasis on individualism, yoga practice may be an
extension of the search for meaning in self, and integration of the different
aspects of being. The terms Self-Realization and God-Realization are used
interchangeably in Hindu yoga, with the underlying belief that the true nature
of self, revealed through the practice of yoga, is of the same nature as God. The
ultimate goal of yoga is the attainment of liberation (Moksha) from worldly
suffering and the cycle of birth and death (Samsara). Yoga entails mastery over
the body, mind, and emotional self, and transcendence of desire. It is said to
lead gradually to knowledge of the true nature of reality. The Yogi reaches an
enlightened state where there is a cessation of thought and an experience of
blissful union. This union may be of the individual soul (Atman) with the supreme

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Reality (Brahman), as in Vedanta philosophy; or with a specific god or goddess,

as in theistic forms of Hinduism and some forms of Buddhism. Enlightenment
may also be described as extinction of the limited ego, and direct and lasting
perception of the non-dual nature of the universe. For the average person still
far from enlightenment, yoga can be a way of increasing one's love for God, or
cultivating compassion and insight. While the history of yoga strongly connects
it with Hinduism, proponents claim that yoga is not a religion itself, but contains
practical steps which can benefit people of all religions, as well as those who do
not consider themselves religious

 The word "yoga"

The word "yoga" – from the Sanskrit root yuj ("to yoke") – is generally
translated as "union of the individual atma (loosely translated to mean soul)
with Paramatma, the universal soul." This may be understood as union with the
Divine by integration of body, mind, and spirit. Thus, in essence, one who
attempts yoga may loosely be referred to as a yogi or in Sanskrit, a yogin
(masculine) or yogini (feminine). These designations are actually intended for
advanced practitioners, who have already made considerable progress along the
path, towards yoga.(Ajit,2005)

DIFFERENT YOGIC PRACTICES

Lotus Pose: Padmasana

I. Sit on the floor with your legs straight in front. Bend your right knee and
bring the lower leg up into a cradle: The outer edge of the foot is

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notched into the crook of the left elbow, the knee is wedged into the
crook of the right elbow, and the hands are clasped (if possible) outside
the shin. Lift the front torso toward the inner right leg so the spine
lengthens (and the lower back does not round). Rock your leg back and
forth a few times, exploring the full range of movement of the hip joint.

II. Bend the left knee and turn the leg out. Rock your right leg far out to the
right, then lock the knee tight by pressing the back of the thigh to the
calf. Next swing the leg across in front of your torso, swiveling from the
hip and not the knee, and nestle the outside edge of the foot into the
inner left groin. Be sure to bring the right knee as close to the left as
possible, and press the right heel into the left lower belly. Ideally the
sole of the foot is perpendicular to the floor, not parallel.

III. Now lean back slightly, pick the right leg up off the floor, and lift the left
leg in front of the right. To do this hold the underside of the left shin in
your hands. Carefully slide the left leg over the right, snuggling the edge
of the left foot deep into the right groin. Again swivel into position from
the hip joint, pressing the heel against the lower belly, and arrange the
sole perpendicular to the floor. Draw the knees as close together as
possible. Use the edges of the feet to press the groins toward the floor
and lift through the top of the sternum. If you wish, you can place the
hands palms up in jnana mudra, with the thumbs and first fingers
touching.

IV. Padmasana is the sitting asana par excellence, but it’s not for everybody.
Experienced students can use it as a seat for their daily pranayama or
meditation, but beginners may need to use other suitable positions. In
the beginning, only hold the pose for a few seconds and quickly release.
Remember that Padmasana is a “two-sided pose,” so be sure to work
with both leg crosses each time you practice. Gradually add a few
seconds each week to your pose until you can sit comfortably for a
minute or so. Ideally you should work with a teacher to monitor your
progress

 BENEFITS:
a) Calms the brain

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b) Stimulates the pelvis, spine, abdomen, and bladder

c) Stretches the ankles and knees
d) Eases menstrual discomfort and sciatica
e) Consistent practice of this pose until late into pregnancy is said
to help ease childbirth.
f) Traditional texts say that Padmasana destroys all disease and
awakens kundalini.

Mountain Pose: TADASANA

I. Stand with the bases of your big toes touching, heels slightly
apart (so that your second toes are parallel). Lift and spread
your toes and the balls of your feet, then lay them softly down
on the floor. Rock back and forth and side to side. Gradually
reduce this swaying to a standstill, with your weight balanced
evenly on the feet.

II. Firm your thigh muscles and lift the knee caps, without
hardening your lower belly. Lift the inner ankles to strengthen
the inner arches, then imagine a line of energy all the way up

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along your inner thighs to your groins, and from there through
the core of your torso, neck, and head, and out through the
crown of your head. Turn the upper thighs slightly inward.
Lengthen your tailbone toward the floor and lift the pubis
toward the navel.
III. Press your shoulder blades into your back, then widen them
across and release them down your back. Without pushing your
lower front ribs forward, lift the top of your sternum straight
toward the ceiling. Widen your collarbones. Hang your arms
beside the torso.
IV. Balance the crown of your head directly over the center of your
pelvis, with the underside of your chin parallel to the floor,
throat soft, and the tongue wide and flat on the floor of your
mouth. Soften your eyes.
V. Tadasana is usually the starting position for all the standing
poses. But it’s useful to practice Tadasana as a pose in itself.
Stay in the pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute, breathing easily.

 Benefits
a) Improves posture
b) Strengthens thighs, knees, and ankles
c) Firms abdomen and buttocks
d) Relieves sciatica
e) Reduces flat feet

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TREE POSE: Vrksasana

I. Stand in Tadasana. Shift your weight slightly onto the left foot,
keeping the inner foot firm to the floor, and bend your right
knee. Reach down with your right hand and clasp your right
ankle.
II. Draw your right foot up and place the sole against the inner left
thigh; if possible, press the right heel into the inner left groin,
toes pointing toward the floor. The center of your pelvis should
be directly over the left foot.
III. Rest your hands on the top rim of your pelvis. Make sure the
pelvis is in a neutral position, with the top rim parallel to the
floor.
IV. Lengthen your tailbone toward the floor. Firmly press the right
foot sole against the inner thigh and resist with the outer left
leg. Press your hands together in Anjali Mudra. Gaze softly at a
fixed point in front of you on the floor about 4 or 5 feet away.
V. Stay for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Step back to Tadasana with an
exhalation and repeat for the same length of time with the legs
reversed.
 Benefits

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a) Strengthens thighs, calves, ankles, and spine

b) Stretches the groins and inner thighs, chest and shoulders
c) Improves sense of balance
d) Relieves sciatica and reduces flat feet
Cobra Pose: BHUJANGHASANA

I. Lie prone on the floor. Stretch your legs back, tops of

the feet on the floor. Spread your hands on the floor
under your shoulders. Hug the elbows back into your
body.
II. Press the tops of the feet and thighs and the pubis
firmly into the floor.
III. On an inhalation, begin to straighten the arms to lift
the chest off the floor, going only to the height at
which you can maintain a connection through your
pubis to your legs. Press the tailbone toward the pubis
and lift the pubis toward the navel. Narrow the hip
points. Firm but don’t harden the buttocks.

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IV. Firm the shoulder blades against the back, puffing the
side ribs forward. Lift through the top of the sternum
but avoid pushing the front ribs forward, which only
hardens the lower back. Distribute the backbend
evenly throughout the entire spine.
V. Hold the pose anywhere from 15 to 30 seconds,
breathing easily. Release back to the floor with an
exhalation.
 Benefits
a) Strengthens thighs, calves, ankles, and spine
b) Stretches the groins and inner thighs, chest and
shoulders
c) Improves sense of balance
d) Relieves sciatica and reduces flat feet
Dhanurasana (Bow Pose):

I. Lie on your belly with your hands alongside your torso, palms
up. (You can lie on a folded blanket to pad the front of your
torso and legs.) Exhale and bend your knees, bringing your
heels as close as you can to your buttocks. Reach back with
your hands and take hold of your ankles (but not the tops of
the feet). Make sure your knees aren’t wider than the width of

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your hips, and keep your knees hip width for the duration of
the pose.
II. Inhale and strongly lift your heels away from your buttocks and,
at the same time, lift your thighs away from the floor. This will
have the effect of pulling your upper torso and head off the
floor. Burrow the tailbone down toward the floor, and keep
your back muscles soft. As you continue lifting the heels and
thighs higher, press your shoulder blades firmly against your
back to open your heart. Draw the tops of the shoulders away
from your ears. Gaze forward.
III. With the belly pressed against the floor, breathing will be
difficult. Breathe more into the back of your torso, and be sure
not to stop breathing.
IV. Stay in this pose anywhere from 20 to 30 seconds. Release as
you exhale, and lie quietly for a few breaths. You can repeat the
pose once or twice more.

 Benefits
a) Strengthens thighs, calves, ankles, and spine
b) Stretches the groins and inner thighs, chest and shoulders
c) Improves sense of balance
d) Relieves sciatica and reduces flat feet

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Corpse Pose: SAVASANA

I. In Savasana it’s essential that the body be placed in a neutral

position. Sit on the floor with your knees bent, feet on the
floor, and lean back onto your forearms. Lift your pelvis slightly
off the floor and, with your hands, push the back of the pelvis
toward the tailbone, then return the pelvis to the floor. Inhale
and slowly extend the right leg, then the left, pushing through
the heels. Release both legs, softening the groins, and see that
the legs are angled evenly relative to the mid-line of the torso,
and that the feet turn out equally. Narrow the front pelvis and
soften (but don’t flatten) the lower back.
II. With your hands lift the base of the skull away from the back of
the neck and release the back of the neck down toward the
tailbone. If you have any difficulty doing this, support the back
of the head and neck on a folded blanket. Broaden the base of
the skull too, and lift the crease of the neck diagonally into the
center of the head. Make sure your ears are equidistant from
your shoulders.
III. Reach your arms toward the ceiling, perpendicular to the floor.
Rock slightly from side to side and broaden the back ribs and
the shoulder blades away from the spine. Then release the
arms to the floor, angled evenly relative to the mid-line of

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torso. Turn the arms outward and stretch them away from the
space between the shoulder blades. Rest the backs of the
hands on the floor as close as you comfortably can to the index
finger knuckles. Make sure the shoulder blades are resting
evenly on the floor. Imagine the lower tips of the shoulder
blades are lifting diagonally into your back toward the top of
the sternum. From here, spread the collarbones.

IV. In addition to quieting the physical body in Savasana, it’s also

necessary to pacify the sense organs. Soften the root of the
tongue, the wings of the nose, the channels of the inner ears,
and the skin of the forehead, especially around the bridge of
the nose between the eyebrows. Let the eyes sink to the back
of the head, then turn them downward to gaze at the heart.
Release your brain to the back of the head.
V. Stay in this pose for 5 minutes for every 30 minutes of practice.
To exit, first roll gently with an exhalation onto one side,
preferably the right. Take 2 or 3 breaths. With another
exhalation press your hands against the floor and lift your
torso, dragging your head slowly after. The head should always
come up last.

 Benefits
a) Strengthens thighs, calves, ankles, and spine
b) Stretches the groins and inner thighs, chest and shoulders
c) Improves sense of balance
d) Relieves sciatica and reduces flat feet

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Fish Pose: MASCHAYASANA

I. Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent, feet on the
floor. Inhale, lift your pelvis slightly off the floor, and slide your
hands, palms down, below your buttocks. Then rest your
buttocks on the backs of your hands (and don t lift them off
your hands as you perform this pose). Be sure to tuck your
forearms and elbows up close to the sides of your torso.
II. Inhale and press your forearms and elbows firmly against the
floor. Next press your scapulas into your back and, with an
inhale, lift your upper torso and head away from the floor.
Then release your head back onto the floor. Depending on how
high you arch your back and lift your chest, either the back of
your head or its crown will rest on the floor. There should be a
minimal amount of weight on your head to avoid crunching
your neck. (For more about this, see the Beginners Tip below.)
III. You can keep your knees bent or straighten your legs out onto
the floor. If you do the latter, keep your thighs active, and press
out through the heels.

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IV. Stay for 15 to 30 seconds, breathing smoothly. With an

exhalation lower your torso and head to the floor. Draw your
thighs up into your belly and squeeze.

 Benefits
a) Strengthens thighs, calves, ankles, and spine
b) Stretches the groins and inner thighs, chest and shoulders
c) Improves sense of balance
d) Relieves sciatica and reduces flat feet

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Peacock Pose: MAYURASANA

I. Kneel on the floor, knees wide, and sit on your heels. Lean
forward and press your palms on the floor with your
fingers turned back toward your torso (thumbs pointing
out to the sides). Bend your elbows slightly and touch the
pinky sides of your hands and the outer forearms (up to
the elbows) together. Then bend your elbows to a right
angle and slide your knees to the outside of your arms
and forward of your hands. Lean your front torso onto the
backs of your upper arms and burrow your elbows deep
into your belly at or below the navel.
II. If your elbows slide apart, you can bind them together
with a strap. Position the strap just above your elbows. If
you can’t quite manage the full pose (as described in the
next step), support your feet on a block (sitting on one of
its sides), placed near the back end of your sticky mat.
III. Firm your belly against the pressure of the elbows. Lower
your forehead to the floor. Then, straighten your knees
and stretch your legs out behind your torso, tops of your
feet on the floor. Firm your buttocks and round your
shoulders slightly downward. Lift your head off the floor

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and look forward. Lean your weight slightly forward—if

your legs and buttocks are firm and active, this slight shift
of weight will lever your feet off the floor. Position your
torso and legs approximately parallel to the floor.
IV. Hold at first for about 10 seconds, gradually increasing
your time to 30 seconds as you gain more experience with
the pose. Then lower your head and feet to the floor,
bend your knees, and lift your torso off your arms.

 Benefits
a) Strengthens the wrists and forearms Tones the abdomen
Strengthens the back torso and legs

Staff Pose: DANDASANA

I. Sit on the floor with your legs together and extended in front of
your torso. If your torso is leaning back, it may be because tight
hamstrings are dragging the sitting bones toward the knees and
the back of the pelvis toward the floor. It may be helpful to sit
on a blanket or a bolster to lift the pelvis.
II. A simple way to check alignment is to sit with your back against
a wall. The sacrum and the shoulder blades should touch the

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wall, but not lower back or the back of the head. Put a small
rolled-up towel between the wall and the lower back.
III. Sit towards the front of the sitting bones, and adjust the pubis
and tail bone equidistant from the floor. Without hardening the
belly, firm the thighs, press them down against the floor (or
your support), rotate them slightly toward each other, and
draw the inner groins toward the sacrum. Flex your ankles,
pressing out through your heels.
IV. To lengthen your front torso perpendicular to the floor, think of
energy streaming upward from the pubis to the sternum, then
down the back from the shoulders to the tail bone. Then
imagine the tail lengthening into the floor.
V. Imagine your spine as the “staff” at the vertical core of your
torso, rooted firmly in the Earth, the support and pivot of all
you do. Hold the pose for one minute or longer.

 Benefits
a) Strengthens the back muscles
b) Stretches the shoulders and chest
c) Improves posture

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Lord of the Dance Pose: Natarajasana

I. Stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). Inhale, shift your weight

onto your right foot, and lift your left heel toward your left
buttock as you bend the knee. Press the head of your right
thigh bone back, deep into the hip joint, and pull the knee cap
up to keep the standing leg straight and strong.
II. There are two variations you might try here with your arms and
hands. In either case, try to keep your torso relatively upright.
The first is to reach back with your left hand and grasp the
outside of your left foot or ankle. To avoid compression in your
lower back, actively lift your pubis toward your navel, and at
the same time, press your tailbone toward the floor.
III. Begin to lift your left foot up, away from the floor, and back,
away from your torso. Extend the left thigh behind you and
parallel to the floor. Stretch your right arm forward, in front of
your torso, parallel to the floor.
IV. The second option with the hands is to sweep your right hand
around behind your back and catch hold of the inner left foot.
Then sweep the left hand back and grab the outside of the left
foot. This variation will challenge your balance even more. Then

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raise the thigh as described in step 3. This second variation will

increase the lift of your chest and the stretch of your shoulders.

 Benefits
a) Stretches the shoulders and chest
b) Stretches the thighs, groins, and abdomen
c) Strengthens the legs and ankles
d) Improves balance

Conclusion
The purpose of Yoga is to create harmony in the physical, vital, mental,
psychological and spiritual aspects of the human being. In the
foregoing pages of this book, I have described the Technique of
relaxation in different postures viz., standing, lying and sitting
postures which brings in this harmony. Yoga is not mere practice for
an hour or two in a day but it is the most scientific way of living, all the
twenty-four hours of the day. During the whole day you may be only
in one of these three postures and hence a skilful adjustment in them
will affect the required harmony. "Yogasthah Kuru Karmani- Be
established in Yoga and do all your duties." "Yogah karmasu Kausalam-
Yoga is skill in action." Skill here means to be in tune with the nature
of the Supreme Reality. Be a Yogin always, is the loving instruction of
Lord Krishna. Convert life into Yoga, so that you may ensure success in
all the fields of activity. By regular practice, by using your presence of
mind, skill and wisdom, you can become Yogins and enjoy happiness
and peace, whatever be the circumstances and conditions in which
you are placed.

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