UNIT 3

YOGA
INTRODUCTION
Yoga, the oldest known science of self-development,
has been found to be the answer to the modern
machine age, man’s deepest need. It solves the
problems of health, physical fitness, and peace of
mind. Yoga teaches us how to improve and control the
condition of every part of the body. It also teaches us
how to quit our mind to attain real lasting peace. It is
simple to perform and enjoyable. These days yoga has
become universal. It can be used by everyone
regardless of age, gender, physical condition,
background etc. People use yoga to overcome their
individual problems. Yoga can be used to correct the
physical deformation of children and even elderly
people. Western countries are turning to yoga because
it is proved that yoga successfully prevents the
occupational pains that every person has these days.
Yoga is a means of balancing and harmonizing the
body, mind, and emotions.
3.1 MEANING AND
IMPORTANCE OF
YOGA
MEANING OF YOGA
Yoga is the oldest Indian way of dealing with the fitness
(physical, mental) of human body, mind, and spirit.
Yoga comes from Sanskrit word “yuj” which means to
unite or to join. Even though people think that the yoga
is a series of exercise with twisted body poses, it is not
so. Basically, it helps the individual to connect with the
inner spirit, which is essentially divine and is connected
with the ‘universal spirit’ or ‘god’. Yoga roots are in
India and sadhus (saints) used to practice yoga
thousands of years ago.
Yoga is a science which deals with the health of the
body and harmony of mind. The ultimate aim of yoga is
self-identification and self-perfection which comes
through self-purification and self-realization.
ACCORDING TO BHAGWAD GITA, yoga is defined as,
“samatvam yoga uchyate”- means yoga is balance and
harmony of the body and mind.
“Yoga karmasu kaushalam” – means, yoga is skill in
work.
according to Shankaracharya, “yoga is withdrawal od
sense organs from the worldly objects and their control
through yoga.”

Importance of yoga
The modern age is the age of stress, tension, and
anxiety. Everyone is in a hurry. Everything is time-
bound, and man is running after them. This makes him
tired physically and tense mentally. Most of the people
are leading such life. At this juncture, yoga can be very
significant for us. The following points show the
importance of yoga:
 Reduce tension: regular practice is helpful to
reduce the tension. Dharana and dhyana are
beneficial for getting peace of mind. Yoga helps to
relax the body.
 Improve concentration: various techniques of yoga
develop the concentration to great extent and thus
improve memory and mental sharpness.
 Cleans respiratory organs: the respiratory organs of
our body can be cleaned by various yogic
exercises. Neti, Dauti, kapalabhati etc. are such
yogic exercises to keep our respiratory organs
clean.
 Controls sense organs: various techniques of yoga
develop the ability to control the sense organs. It
helps them to function properly according to the
individual’s need.
 Relaxes the body: rest and relaxation are essential
for removing fatigue. Yoga relaxes the body. Yoga
relaxes the body. Shavasana and makarasan are
very beneficial for relaxation.
 Shapes the body: everybody wants to be slim. Yoga
shapes the body and controls body weight.
 Cures various diseases: yoga not only prevents us
from various diseases but also cures them. A large
number of diseases like asthma, high blood
pressure, heart problems etc. are cured by yoga.
 Reduces obesity: obese people fall prey to various
diseases. Yogic exercises can help in reducing
obesity. By reducing mental tension through
meditative asanas obesity can also be reduced.
 Improve health: yoga exercises improve the health
by making our muscles strong and regulating other
system of the body such as respiratory system,
circulatory system, nervous system, and digestive
system.
 Maintain correct posture: nowadays posture
deformities are common in individuals.
3.2 INTRODUCTION TO
ASHTANGA YOGA
Elements of yoga can be explained in the form of
‘ashtanga yoga’. ‘Ashta’ means eight and ‘Anga’ means
limbs. It means eight-limbs yoga. These were described
by Patanjali in yogasutras.
The elements of yoga are following:
 Yama (restraints): the Yama are five principles that
outline a code of conduct that should be observed
by an individual when interacting with the world.
Yama is also sometimes called “the five restraints”
because it describes what one should avoid
advancing on the spiritual path. They are:
o Ahimsa
o Satya
o Asteya
o Brahmacharya
 Niyama (observances): the niyama are inward
practices to improve the self. It contains 5 essential
teaching. They are:
o Saucha
o Santosh
o Tapas
o Swadhyaya
o Ishwara Pranidhana
 Asana: asana are various postures of yoga. These
poses help the person to remain healthy and
balanced. These help to develop concentration. By
practicing asana one can develop agility, balance,
endurance, and great vitality. They keep the body
free from diseases. Their real importance lies in
the way they train and discipline the mind. There
are various types of asanas such as corrective
asana, relaxative asanas, and meditative asanas.
 Pranayama: Pranayama improves the respiratory
system. Regular practice helps to control the mind
and emotions. Pranayama is the fourth step of
ashtanga yoga. Pranayama is the practice of
various breathing techniques. There are three
main stages of ‘pranayama’:
(a) Puraka: to inhale breath.
(b) Kumbhaka: to retain breath.
(c) Rechaka: to exhale breath.
Following are few important pranayama:
i. Surya Bhedi pranayama, ii. Ujjayi pranayama, iii.
Sheetkari pranayama, iv. Sheetali pranayama, v.
bhastrika pranayama.
 Pratyahara: detaching the mind and sense from
the related activity and attaching to God is known
as pratyahara. In pratyahara, the sense no longer
responds to the external objects that hinder
mental concentration. The attachment of various
senses such as words, beauty, taste, smell etc.
diverts the individual from the way of self-welfare.
The practitioner starts feeling extreme pleasure in
remembering and connecting to God.
 Dharana: dharana is the concentration of mind. In
dharana one is able to control self or mind
completely. He is concentrated wholly on a single
point or on a task in which he is completely
engrossed. Dharna is the first step toward
samadhi. In fact, dharana is a mental exercise
which enables a yogi to go ahead towards dhyana
and samadhi.
 Dhayan: dhyana or meditation is the seventh
elements of yoga. Dhayan is the process of
complete concentration of mind and one can
concentrate long and do meditation. It is the stage
prior to samadhi. In this condition one is able to
 integrate body, control over breath, senses, mind,
ego etc. In fact, dhyana is a complete
concentration of mind over a period of time
without any divergence.
 Samadhi: samadhi is the stage in which one loses
personal identity. It is the peak of meditation. It is
the union of the individual soul with the supreme
soul. A person remains in the state of samadhi and
his rest as one is sleeping but his mind remains
alert. In this state one is fully conscious and alert.
All these elements help to improve the individual
physical health, mental, emotional, moral qualities,
social qualities, and spiritual balance. The personality
of the individual is developer, and one is able to live
long and enjoy life.

3.3 INTRODUCTION TO
YOGIC KRIYAS (SHAT
KARMA)
In ayurveda, according to tridosha theory, the human
body is made of three basic constituents called
tridoshas, which are vata, pitta, and kapha. Any
imbalance in the constituents in the body leads to
diseases. Yoga recommended six purification processes
to get and keep the equilibrium of these tridoshas.
They are called as shat kriya (six purification processes).
Yogic kriyas help the individual to clean the internal as
well as external organs of the body with the help of
various yogic kriyas. The kriyas are also called
purification techniques. Various yogic kriyas are
described as below:
I. Neti kriya: it is a process of cleaning and purifying
the nasal passage. This includes Jal neti and sutra
neti.
a. Jalaneti: Jalaneti means cleansing with water. The
practitioner rinses out the nasal cavity with salted
water using a neti pot. It is also known as “nasal
irrigation”.
Technique:
1. Take one cup of warm water and mix with half a
teaspoon of salt to make a solution.
2. Pour the solution into the neti pot.
3. Place the spout into one of the nostrils. The cone
needs to be placed in the nostril and sealed inside
thoroughly, with the help of a few gentle twists.
4. Let the water flow right into the nostril and then
tilt your head to one side, so that the water can
flow out through the other nostril.
5. During the procedure, you need to ensure that
you breathe through your mouth. Make sure to
 neither sniff, not swallow while the flow of water
between the nostril.
Contraindication:
1. Should be practiced under expert guidance.
2. Should not be done if you are suffering from
persistent nose bleeding.
Benefits:
1. Reduce allergy problems.
2. Improves breathing.
3. Eliminates post-nasal drip.
4. Cures sinusitis or chronic sinus infection.
5. Improve resistance to common colds.
6. Improves sense of smell.
b. Sutra neti: sutra neti is yogic techniques in which
a waxed cotton string is used to clean the nasal
cavity to cleanse the nasal passage. A waxed
cotton string is inserted into the nose and then
pulled out from the mouth. Then both ends are
held with the hands and nasal cleaning is done by
moving the ends of the string in to and for
motion. Some people also use a rubber catheter
instead of the string as it is easily available in any
medical store.
Technique:
 1. Take a thread or rubber catheter in your hand and
very gently insert the tube inside your nostril.
2. Push this rubber string along the side of your nose,
till you can feel it touch the back of your throat.
continue inserting the catheter slowly.
3. Open your mouth and insert your middle finger
and index finger to catch the tip of the string at the
back of the throat.
4. Using one hand pull the string partially out of your
mouth gently while still holding the other tip too.
5. Move the string in a gentle massaging motion so
that it cleans the nasal passage.
6. While removing the string, pull it out of the nose.
7. Repeat the exercise with the other nostril.
Contraindication:
1. Should be practiced under the expert guidance.
2. Take care not to force the catheter through the
nose; do it very slowly as it can irritate the
sensitive membrane inside the nostril.
3. Try sutra neti only after you have mastered the
Jalaneti.
Benefits:
1. It helps to maintain nasal hygiene by removing the
dirt and bacteria trapped in the mucus in the
nostril.
 2. It de-sensitizes the sensitive tissues inside the
nose, which can alleviate rhinitis, allergies, and
some type of asthma.
3. Several health problems like sinusitis, migraine,
headaches, can be reduced by doing neti.
ii. Dhauti kriya: Dhauti is a kriya in yoga that helps
in the complete cleaning of the body with both
digestive and respiratory system. It also helps
clean eyes, ears, and respiratory. Mainly there
are 3 types of Dhauti kriya being practiced. They
are:
1. Vamana Dhauti: in Sanskrit, the world Vamana
means “middle” and Dhauti means “purification”.
Respiratory and upper digestive system can be
cleansed by this technique. This method is also
called kunjala (gesture of the elephant).
Procedure:
 Take a litre of lukewarm water and add a
tablespoon of salt to it. Stir it till all the salt
dissolve.
 Gulp the saltwater as quickly as possible till you
can’t drink anymore.
 Keep your torso horizontal by leaning forward.
  Vomit out the contents of your stomach by
inserting your middle and index finger into your
throat.
 Vomit out all water till is no more left.
 Lie down in shavasana once you’re done.
Precaution:
 Don’t sip the water. Drink it fast as the technique
will not work otherwise.
 Drink a large quantity of water.
 Keeping your body relaxed comes with practice.
2. Danda Dhauti: in this technique, a rubber tube is
inserted into the esophagus and down to the
stomach which helps in cleaning the windpipe too.
Before use, the tube should be disinfected.
Procedure:
 Take a litre of lukewarm water and add a
tablespoon of salt to it. Stir it till all the salt
dissolve.
 Gulp the saltwater as quickly as possible till you
can’t drink anymore.
 Gently insert the rubber tube into the throat till it
reaches the stomach.
 Let the saltwater ooze off by bending forward.
 After the water amount of salt water has come
out, remove the tube.
Precaution:
 If you are unable to swallow the tube, then you
should stick to performing the Vaman Dhauti.
 Should be done under expert yoga teacher.
3. Vastra Dhauti: Vastra means cloths. This method is
used to remove mucus from the stomach. In these
techniques a muslin cloth swallowed and removed
after ten minutes.
PROCEDURE:
 A disinfected muslin cloth of dimensions 20ft by 3
inch wide is used.
 Keep the muslin cloth in your mouth and slowly
swallow it.
 You can start with a 1ft cloth and gradually
increase the length.
 Increase the dimension gradually every day by
keeping the cloth in your mouth.
 Some warm water can be sipped if the muslin cloth
gets dry and stuck in your throat.
 When a length of 6 inches is left outside, stop
swallowing.
 The cloth can be withdrawn slowly.
PRECAUTIONS:
 Don’t use synthetic cloth.
  Make sure that there is no loose thread or frayed
edges in the cloth.
 Always leave some cloth outside. Don’t swallow it
whole.
 The cloth should be narrower that your tongue to
make sure it doesn’t fold with swallowing.
 Disinfect the muslin cloth after use.
 An expert yoga teacher should always be available
to train a beginner through the process.
CONTRAINDICATIONS:
 People suffering from hernia, ulcer, hypertension,
heart diseases should not perform Dhauti.
ADVANTAGES OF DHAUTI:
1. The body can return to its natural state by
elimination of toxins, stomach acids, bile, and
mucus.
2. People suffering from conditions like heartburn,
constipation, acidity, indigestion etc.
(iii)NAULI KRIYA: it is a method of massaging and
strengthening the abdominal organs. An individual can
become an expert in nauli kriya only through patience
and perseverance as it’s a difficult exercise.
These four variations of nauli:
 1. Madhyamanauli: this deal with central muscles of
the abdomen and its isolated contraction.
2. Vamanauli: the left portion of the most vital
muscles of the abdomen and its isolated
contraction.
3. Dakshinanauli: the right portion of the most vital
muscles of the abdomen and its isolated
contraction.
4. Naulikriya: this deal with central muscles of the
abdomen and its circular movement.
PROCEDURE:
 Part legs slightly and stand straight.
 Take deep breath from nose.
 Bend forward and exhale through your mouth
while keeping the back straight.
 Keep both your hands on your thighs and bend
your knees a little.
PRECAUTIONS:
 Should be practiced on an empty stomach.
 Avoid performing it after an abdominal surgery or
during menstruation and in pregnancy.
 A doctor can be consulted if you suffer from any
diseases concerning the intestine or pancreas.
ADVANTAGES:
  Muscles in the abdomen become strong and it also
massages the intestine and organs present in the
lower abdomen.
 Blood pressure can be regulated, and it can also
prevent diabetes.
 Skin problem like acne and also heartburn can be
treated.
 Digestion and digestive system improve.
(iv) Basti kriya: it is a technique used to cleanse the
lower abdomen and especially the colon. The benefits
of this technique have been mentioned in hatha yoga
and other sources.
The two main techniques to perform Basti are:
1. Sthalabasti is an alternative known as sushkabasti
or vatabasti too. The method cleans the colon by
sucking air in the body without the help of any
catheter or tube.
2. Jalabasti is also commonly called vatabasti. It
cleans the colon by using a catheter to suck water
into the anus.
(v) kapalabhati kriya: the word kapalabhati is made up
of two words: kapal meaning “skull” (here skull include
all the organs under the skull too) and bhati meaning
“shining, illuminating.” It is a breathing technique for
purifying the frontal region of the brain.