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Reference: Inner Engineering (Content)

This paper presents the summary of Part two, chapter 2.7 from the book, INNER ENGINEERING By Sadhguru. The contents are from the first edition (2016) of this book published in the United States by Spiegel & Grau, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

The summary of the original material (in black) is accompanied by brief comments (in color) based on the present understanding.

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In Sync with the Sun

The surya namaskar is a familiar sequence of yoga postures. It is neither just a physical exercise nor sun worship. Its objective is to organize the solar energies within you. The bodily cycles come in sync with the sun’s cycles. This produces an innate physical and psychological equilibrium that can be an enormous asset in one’s daily life. 

The word “cyclical” denotes repetition. Anything that is physical, from the atomic to the cosmic, is cyclical.  Between the menstrual cycle, which is the shortest cycle (a twenty-eight-day cycle), and the cycle of the sun, which is over twelve years, there are many other kinds of cycles. Yogic practice is always aimed at enabling you to ride the cycle, so you have the right kind of foundation for consciousness. The physical body is a fantastic stepping-stone for higher possibilities.

Samsar (संसार) is the repetitive nature of cyclical movements in this world. Being rooted in cyclical nature gives a certain firmness and steadiness to life. But once life has reached the level of evolution, it aspires to transcendence. It is left to individual human beings either to remain trapped in the cyclical, or to use these cycles to go beyond the cyclical entirely. Surya namaskar is an important tool that empowers human beings to break free from the compulsive patterns of their lives. 

Surya namaskar is an important tool that empowers human beings to break free from the compulsive patterns of their lives. 

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Reference: Inner Engineering (Content)

This paper presents the summary of Part two, chapter 2.6 from the book, INNER ENGINEERING By Sadhguru. The contents are from the first edition (2016) of this book published in the United States by Spiegel & Grau, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

The summary of the original material (in black) is accompanied by brief comments (in color) based on the present understanding.

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Morsel of the Earth

The physical body is just a fragment of this planet. Whatever happens to the planet happens to the body too. Therefore, the body is influenced by other planets in the solar system, and by the universe itself. It may just happen to be beyond most people’s perception.

The fact that we view the ingredients which constitute our body, like earth, water, air, and food, as commodities, is a fundamental mistake. The truth is that our body Is an organic part of the life process. If it is to rain today, some change will happen in the body. Simply by observing a completely different level of the human system and its ongoing transaction with the planet, the air, and everything around, you can predict the impending rain even if the sky, at the moment, is clear. 

At the magnetic equator there is no pull toward north or south; and this promotes a certain balance and equanimity in the life of the spiritual seeker. This equanimity can be a powerful device to liberate oneself quite literally from the limitations of the physical world. A few thousand years ago, yogis pinpointed the exact location of the magnetic equator and built a whole string of temples along this area for those who sought ultimate spiritual union.

This kind of spiritual system makes use of natural phenomena to support human efforts at spiritual growth. You can go slowly, step-by-step, accepting all natural assistance available to you. The other alternative, of course, is to withdraw from external life situations, and focus solely on the inner journey.

Another path in yoga is to make use of natural phenomena, such as the magnetic equator, to support human efforts at spiritual growth.

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Reference: Inner Engineering (Content)

This paper presents the summary of Part two, chapter 2.5.1 from the book, INNER ENGINEERING By Sadhguru. The contents are from the first edition (2016) of this book published in the United States by Spiegel & Grau, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

The summary of the original material (in black) is accompanied by brief comments (in color) based on the present understanding.

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Sadhana

“Sit in any comfortable posture, with your spine erect, and if necessary, supported. Remain still. Allow your attention to slowly grow still as well. Do this for five to seven minutes a day. You will notice that your breath will slow down. 

“What is the significance of slowing down the human breath? Is it just some respiratory yogic acrobatics? No, it is not. A human being breathes twelve to fifteen times per minute, normally. If your breath settles down to twelve, you will know the ways of the earth’s atmosphere (i.e., you will become meteorologically sensitive). If it reduces to nine, you will know the language of the other creatures on this planet. If it reduces to six, you will know the very language of the earth. If it reduces to three, you will know the language of the source of creation. This is not about increasing your aerobic capacity. Nor is it about forcefully depriving yourself of breath. A combination of hatha yoga and an advanced yogic practice called the kriya, will gradually increase your lung capacity, but above all, will help you achieve a certain alignment, a certain ease, so that your system evolves to a state of stability where there is no static, no crackle; it just perceives everything.”

This the ancient Pranayama that Patanjali talks about. Prana means breath, ayama is lengthening or widening through control. When breathing is controlled so as to retain the breath, it is pranayama. The ultimate aim of pranayama is to be able to retain the breath. Thus, if we breathe normally fourteen times per minute, in pranayama we breathe only once or twice per minute. 

DRILL: As you breathe, do japa: “I am breathing in; I am breathing out.”

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