Preksha Dhyana Self Awareness by Relaxation

Author(s): Mahapragna Acharya
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

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Besides being an essential rerequisite for meditation, the exercise of Käyotsarg is performed for the following purposes.
For Self-Realisation
Necessity and emphasis on the preformance of relaxation is laid down because that is the only way one can hope to communicate with one's subconscious self. So long as there is turmoil in the body, i.e. the muscles and nerves are tense and taut, one cannot reach the subconscious level. Now Kāyatsarg can be performed in both directions, i.e. from outside to inside or from inside to outside. In other words, it can be from relaxation to self-awareness or from self-awareness to relaxation. In the former, first steps are to (i) stop all voluntary movements, (ii) relax the skeletal muscles of the limbs, trunk and head, (iii) stop speaking, and (iv) discipline the sense-organs. Once the total steadiness is achieved, self-awareness and self-realisation follow. In the latter case, self-awareness precedes the relaxation. The conscious mind is completely withdrawn from external environment and seeks the separate being of the spiritual self. The body is forgotten as soon as even a glimpse of the spiritual self is realised. The self-awareness porgresses and finally the body becomes limp, relaxed and cast off automatically.
The conventional performance is, however, outside to inside. Cessation of voluntary movements of the body and speech brings about the discipline of sense-organs. The normal attraction of sensuous pleasure vanishes or is drastically reduced. The state of total relaxation is achieved and self-awareness-the journey to self-realisation-commences.
For Conservation of Energy
Why is the practice of this exercise prescribed on several occasions and so often? What is the purpose behind this? One of the reasons is to save colossal waste of nervous energy in muscular action, in speech and in thought. Fre
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