Mountains tumbling into head stands, suddenly converting into speeding cycles. Bridges collapsing into roaring lions, cocooned caterpillars turning into beautiful butterflies.
These are not pictures out of an animated fantasy film, but scenes in your home.
Watch a child and you will know. The natural postures of a child are yoga asanas. This is what the body is born with - simple yoga asanas that are part of a child's body language from the minute he/she is born.
Even an infant unconsciously follows the yoga mudras (hand postures).If you observe a sleeping child, its thumb and the index finger slightly touch, a formation which is the ‘Chin mudra’ or the thumb inside the fist
You don't have to go to a school or learn yoga from anybody if you have the sharpness of mind. But our mind is so preoccupied with so many things, so many judgements, so many opinions, and so many impressions that we are unable to observe, perceive the refined things in nature.
The yoga asanas are something which everyone has done as a child.
Have you seen a six month old baby lying on its back with its legs up? It kicks its legs and head also up, almost like what you do with the abs (abdominal) machine.
Then it goes on its back and does what we call the 'cobra' posture in yoga.
This natural body language is forgotten as one grows older. Regular practise of yoga will bring you back to your natural state and enliven the child in you.
Balanced Breath – Feelings and Frequency of Breath
In one minute we breathe nearly sixteen to seventeen times. If you are
- Upset it may go up to twenty
- Extremely tense and angry - it could total twenty-five times per minute
- Very calm and happy - ten
- In meditation - two to three breaths
Deep Meditation can reduce the number of breaths you take. If you observe an infant, you will be amazed at how balanced they breathe. They breathe from all the three sections of the body. As they breathe in, their belly rises and as they breath out their belly drops. But the more nervous and tense you are, you will do the reverse. When you breathe in your tummy drops and when you breathe out, it rises.
The practise of yoga brings you back to your natural state and enliven the child in you.
