Natural Power-Stretching Exercises (NPSE) of ISAI and Yoga

 

 

In the previous chapter (please see the chapter “How to be naturally strong”) I described how we naturally develop amazing strength and power. I wrote that natural way to develop strength and power is to power-stretch and yawn. Both these actions include special breathing action (please see the chapter “Yawning, stretching and functions integration in living organisms”). I wrote that there two natural ways of breathing during power-stretching – single and cascade breathing.

Now let’s look at the ancient science and art of yoga. The breathing exercises are known in yoga as pranayama. Most of the readers, even those who practices yoga, consider pranayama as an art for developing health and spirituality. But this is also another aspect of pranayama, known only to few serious practitioners. This aspect deals with developing of supernormal strength, power and beautifully developed muscles.
I recommend to reread again the chapters I mentioned here before reading the text from yogic book.

One additional remark. As I already mentioned for my opinion yogic breathing exercises came out from the natural breathing and motion during yawning and power-stretching. During the centuries this connection was disturbed and finally disappeared. We still can see it partially in special movements of neck, head and tongue and muscles contraction of the pelvic floor during pranayama. We also can see it partially in practice of Kundalini Tantra by Swami Satyananda Saraswati and by other authors. I will discuss these similarities and connections with Kundalini Tantra in other chapter.

Now let’s just read the yogic text and compare it with what is written in the chapter    “How to be naturally strong”. Please read descriptions of  pranayama No 41. Eka Anga Stambha Pranayama, No 42. Sarvanga Stambha Pranayama , No 47 Nadi Awarodha Pranayama:

 

 

 

 

From childhood I have practiced yoga during some 30 years. My favorite practice was pranayama, breathing exercises. Hereafter some personal experiences and impressions from practice above mentioned pranayamas.

 

At 1987 during my trip in Nepal I visited local hospital in Katmandu. I came there to donate blood to the tourist from Australia, who urgently needed help. The nurse inserted the needle with transparent plastic tubule connected to it into my vein in the inner part of my elbow. She prepared to collect my blood. Suddenly I thought that it can be really cool if I will stop my pulse in this hand. This is unique opportunity to see what really happens when I stop the pulse. May be this is only subjective feeling and my blood will continue to flow as usual. I quickly stopped my pulse in this hand and looked at the tubule. The flow of blood stopped completely. The half of tubule was full with my blood and then it stopped and next part of tubule was completely clean and empty. The blood inside the tubule didn’t move and was completely still. It worked! Proudly I looked at the nurse. Her previously dark brown face became gray and white. Suddenly I realized – she thought my heart stopped to beat and I was already dead person seating in front of her! She was in complete shock, she couldn’t even say any single word and just stared at me with her widely opened eyes. I freed the pulse in my hand. The blood suddenly started to flow vigorously through the tubule. The color of the nurse’s face slowly returned to normal as she realized that I still alive!

Another experiment I committed was prolonged pulse stopping in the hand. After few minutes the hand became blue exactly as it appears in yogic text.

I also stopped the heart many times so in any place in my body the pulse was stopped completely and couldn’t be felt.

These phenomena are exactly what happens during NPSE if it performed with full power. 

I believe these similarities are not just by case. I believe these yogic pranayama practices came out from our natural, inborn behavior, from natural power-stretching. It happened in ancient times, many centuries ago, and finally the naturalness was lost. I hope that finally we found our way back to ourselves, back to the Mother Nature.