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a few minutes. These asanas are intended to gently massage the internal organs, glands and muscles as well as to relax the nerves throughout the body. They are specifically concerned with bringing tranquillity to the mind and preparing the practitioner for the higher practices of yoga, such as meditation. Some of them are particularly useful for inducing the state of sense withdrawal, pratyahara.
General notes for the practitioner The following practice notes should be thoroughly understood before going any further. Although anybody can practise asanas, they become more efficacious and beneficial when performed in the proper manner after correct preparation.
Breathing: Always breathe through the nose unless specific instructions are given to the contrary. Try to coordinate the breath with the asana practice.
Awareness: This is as essential to the practice of asana as it is to all yoga practices. The purpose of asana practice is to influence, integrate and harmonise all the levels of being: physical, prank, mental, emotional, psychic and spiritual. At first it may appear that asanas are merely concerned with the physical level because they deal with the movement of different parts of the body. Actually, however, they have profound effects at every level of being if they are combined with awareness.
Awareness has many connotations, in this context, but it may be understood as consciously noting the physical movement, the posture itself, breath control and synchronisation, mental counting, sensations in the body, movement of prana, concentration on an area of the body or chakra and, most important, any thoughts or feelings that may arise during the practice. Implicit in the concept of awareness is the idea of acceptance of any thought which comes uninvited to the mind; 'good' and 'bad' thoughts should be accepted equally, without judgement. In the final analysis, thoughts are energy, neither good nor bad. This awareness is essential in order to receive optimum benefits from the practices.
Relaxation: Shavasana may be performed at any point during asana practice, especially when feeling physically or
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