#Essere_Yoga

[essereyoga]

Relaxation - relaxation techniques

Taken from MMGore's book "Anatomy and physiology of yoga techniques"

In yoga it is directly related to awareness and has as its purpose the easing of tensions operating at the level of consciousness (citta).

It is known that mental tensions give rise to physical tensions in the muscles. These mental tensions are the result of both the stress due to the external environment and the internal processes of thought, which act on the muscles and nerves making them more tense. Muscle tension, in turn, impedes blood flow and is easily the cause of fatigue...

the relaxation

the shavasana posture favors both physical relaxation and mental relaxation on a conscious level, if they are practiced correctly and with the right mental attitude.

It should be kept in mind that this condition is not only a state of rest of the body and mind, but a conscious relaxation.

It is not a sluggish or sluggish state of mind: on the contrary, the mental relaxation of citta brings new energy to the person and enables him to cope with the tiring routine of work as well as the various stresses and strains of daily life. A constant practice of savasana is sufficient to keep the mind balanced and to prevent mental fatigue.

The horizontal position of the body, lying on the floor, facilitates blood circulation. No body system is engaged against gravity; for example, the flexor and extensor muscles can also relax, as there is no need to keep the body in balance by circling the force of gravity.

It requires some kind of training,

especially at the beginning of the practice, to loosen muscular tension and to engage the mind adequately, otherwise it is subjected to the processes of conscious thought which cause tension through memory, intellect and imagination.

By adopting a relaxing asana, it is easy to practice pranadharana, which consists in passively observing the act of breathing. The flow of air (which enters the lungs during inhalation and exits through the nostrils during exhalation) is perceived by the subject as if he were a "witness" as if he were observing another person.

This awareness of the breath also relaxes the body: the relaxation is all the more profound the more one forgets about the rest of the body itself and the external environment.

Various stages have been developed in the relaxation technique, according to the principle “from the lowest level to the most subtle and it is not so easy to reach. We therefore train progressively to withdraw our conscious attention from the more "gross" aspects of the body and to gradually develop awareness of the more "subtle" functions of the body and mind. e.g. , at a certain level of training, awareness of the contact of the air with the nostrils is developed,

Asana postural practice for:

Establish a condition of balance in the various systems of the body, with a view to harmonious functioning. This ensures that the individual has maximum energy on an organic level.

Train the nervous system (especially the autonomic nervous system) so that it can easily withstand the impact of spiritual energy (kundalini) when it is awakened.

induce a state of stability and mental peace, as well as a sense of well-being, and condition the various joints, muscles and tendons, so as to offer a stable and comfortable posture for the highest practices, such as pranayama, dharana, dhyana.

Mental characteristics and personality are closely related to postural condition. This means that every attitude of the body is connected with emotional or psychological factors that contribute to forming the personality.

Through long practice changes or corrections of behavior are necessarily induced, in a completely involuntary way, thanks to the modification of the basic tone. It is even possible that the whole view of one's existence is changed.