Yogic tips from the Siddhars, by Nandhi,

Yoga magazine

Yogic tips from the Siddhars

Below are yogic techniques as practices, guided by spiritually evolved beings, the Siddhars, meant for a householder practicing yoga.

Upon waking up in the morning

1.Reach the source of thoughts and extend gratitude for having 'born' into another day, take both your palms and place them before your face. Imagine your left hand to be the presence of your mother and the right hand to be the presence of your father. Then, gently put your palms over your eyelids and express your love, gratitude, respect and warmth to the two divine Gods through whom you were born.

2. Cut into the wedges of the end of each running thought and the beginning of each thought by seeking your Source. Try to hold the Source by then igniting your fire by reciting your mantra. Dedicate your day to the Source and gently bring your thought to the present moment.

3. Drink lots of water immediately. This is made easier by ensuring that the water is room temperature or slightly warm. Drink the water without tasting it. Feel your stomach as a huge pot capable of holding large capacity of water.
Rub your stomach gently clockwise with the belly button at the center with each circular motion proceeding inside to out.
When going through your bowel movements, visualize the part between your navel to the base of your spinal cord as in the form of four petals.

4. Start your yogic activity with pranayama, the control of breath to ensure that the mind is made steady and in balance as you are about to invoke divine energy. It is best to use a mantra which helps keep counts as timing and to allow visualization that a mantra would extend.

5. Ensure a build up of the sacred fire within yourself to reach a 'flow' wherein each breath flows into the next elongated breath, like the flow of breath while singing. This is the single most important aspect of yoga.

6. Start your Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) with easing into each pose very slowly and gently. Each pose has a deep meaning and its own energy circle. Absorb the energy from each pose while being aware of your breath. Feel the center of relaxation in each pose through your breath connecting to the divine as surrender of the body.

7. Dedicate as surrender, each pair of Surya Namaskar, to the divine five elements within you. ie. As sacred earth, the body; as sacred water, the life within us; as sacred fire, our mind, thought and thinking process; as sacred air, our breath to receive higher wisdom of absolute void; as sacred space to then know pure joy as our true being universal in expansiveness.

8. Imagine your body and mind now as freedom in space. This is the yogic body ready to be set alight.

9. Begin your plunge into the rest of the hatha yoga poses holding within your personal space of absolute equilibrium, constantly aware of the nourishing relaxed state within you. Hold this center of relaxation as your true home to run back to after every asana. The larger the center of relaxation, the more tremendous energy you possess as you feel the gross energy within you transcend into subtle energy.

10. Utilize the moment after the session of hatha yoga to meditate, as your body and mind is now ready to enjoy this inward divine journey. Remember to keep your spine straight as a stack of coins one over the other.

11.. The body perfection of flexibility, strength, health and rejuvenation will follow naturally the mind, which is at peace with sparks of inspired energy found in true yoga. Unite the divine in you and become. This is all what yoga is about… and unfold a beautiful crisp day filled with possibilities that your silent void fertile mind waits to manifest!

12. Know pure yoga to be attaining your fifth sheath of true self that is, overflowing joy!

The author Nandhi, is an initiate in the path of the Siddhars. He lived in South India and journeyed through the depth of spiritual India where he studied under evolved masters practicing higher forms yoga. “Visions Beyond Enlightenment” is the theme of his website www.nandhi.com, an art gallery of divinity, insight and the sacred. It is dedicated to the humane treatment of animals and sacred yoga.