Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Cinema Plus | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

LET GO And feel reborn

High levels of blood lactate are present if one is tense or one has over exerted. Stiffness is actually very predominant these days, due to increasingly stressful lifestyles and junk food and emotions. Not just lack or over exercise but the functioning of the kidneys also affects the stiffness levels. The kidneys’ dysfunction can cause an increase in blood urea levels leading to toxicity.

Asanas and kriyas when done gently and with deep breathing go a long way in releasing stiffness, muscular tension and blood lactate levels that indicate anxiety. When asanas are held for long periods they also relax connective tissue. They bring about deep rooted relaxation on a physical as well as emotional level.

In shava asana one needs to keep the head to the north. The guru in Indian tradition sits in the north. The word guru actually means one who dispels darkness and hence the head to the north or in the lap of the guru is symbolic for a deep relaxation that opens one to the light.

The shava asana is very important after the practice of asanas and should not be skipped. It is the state where one lets go of effort. That is rare in today’s productivity oriented push, push environment and it is no surprise that so many of us are breaking down.

Death, the corpse or the shavam is not a bad situation or ultimatum here. It is a just a phase. In fact it is a period for transformation and assimilation. Just as the mystic poet Rumi had written in his poem:

“I died from minerality and became vegetable;

And from vegetativeness I died and became animal.

I died from animality and became man.

Then why fear disappearance through death?

Next time I shall die

Bringing forth wings and feathers like angels;

After that, soaring higher than angels -

What you cannot imagine,

I shall be that.”

This is a beautiful way of looking at death. In our daily lives we can die to old unhealthy habits and be reborn into something new all the time. The shava asana is indicative of that positive change.

Lie on the ground on your back. The palms are turned upwards and the body is relaxed. In the classical shava asana or shanthi asana the heels are kept together to maintain the energy circuit, in the mrtyu asana the heels are kept apart. Mrtyu means death.

Be aware to let your body weight be borne by the earth. Get a sense of being fully supported by mother earth and be grateful to her.

Feel your self melt into her. The palms are turned upwards to signify that you can take nothing with you, neither your wealth or your worries. A complete letting go is cultivated.

(Visit www.arkaya.net or e-mail maitreyi9@hotmail.com )

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail