The Serpent Power — Arthur Avalon (Sir John Woodroffe) (1924)
3 The same, except that the hands are passed behind the back, and the right hand holds the right toe and the left hand the left toe. By this, increased pressure is placed on the Mūlādhāra, and the nerves are braced with the tightening of the body. The position is figured in Plate XVII.
corpse,¹ respectively, form the seat of the Sādhaka. These, though they have other ritual and magical objects, also form part of the discipline for the conquest of fear and the attainment of indifference, which is the quality of a Yogī. And so the Tantras prescribe as the scene of such rites the solitary mountain-top, the lonely empty house and riverside, and the cremation ground. The interior cremation ground is there where the Kāmik body and its passions are consumed in the fire of knowledge.²
Patanjali, on the subject of Āsana, merely points out what are good conditions, leaving each one to settle the details for himself according to his own requirements.
Āsana is an aid to clear and collect the thought. The test of suitability of Āsana is that which is steady and pleasant, a matter which each will settle for himself. Posture becomes perfect when effort to that end ceases, so that there is no more movement of the body.³ The Rajas Guna, the action of which produces fickleness of mind, is restrained. A suitable steady Āsana produces mental equilibrium. Hathayoga, however, prescribes a very large number of Āsanas, to each of which a peculiar effect is
1 In successful Shavāsana the Devī appears to the Sādhaka. In Shavasādhanā the Sādhaka sits astride on the back of a corpse (heading the north), on which he draws a Yantra and then does Japa of Mantra with Shodhānyāsa and Pūjā on its head. A corpse is selected as being a pure form of organised matter, since the Devatā which is invoked into it is the Mahāvidyā whose Svarūpa is Nirgunabrahman, and by such invocation becomes Saguna. The corpse is free from sin or desire. The only Vāyu in it is the Dhananjaya, “which leaves not even a corpse”. The Devatā materialises by means of the corpse. There is a possession of it (Āvesha)—that is, entry of the Devatā into the dead-body. At the conclusion of a successful rite the head of the corpse turns round, and, facing the Sādhaka, speaks, bidding him name his boon, which may de spiritual or worldly advancement as he wishes. This is part of Nīla Sādhanā done by the “Hero” (Vīra), for it and Shavāsana are attended by many terrors.
2 As the Yogakundalī Upanishad says (Ch. III), the outer burning is no burning at all.
3 Pātanjala Yogasūtra, 46, 47 (Sthirasukham āsanam).
ascribed. These are more in the nature of a gymnastic than an Āsana in its sense of a seated posture. Some forms of this gymnastic are done seated, but others are not so, but standing upright, bending, lying down, and standing on the head. This latter is Vrikshāsana. Thus, again, in Chakrāsana the Yogī stands and bends and touches his feet with his hand, a familiar exercise, as is also Vāmadakshinapadāsana, a kind of goose step, in which, however, the legs are brought up to right angles with the body. These exercises secure a fine physical condition and freedom from disease.¹ They also bring different portions of the body into such a position as to establish a direct contact of Prāna-vāyu between them. They are also said to assist in Prānāyāma, and to help to effect its object, including the rousing of Kundalinī. The author of the work last cited says² that as among the Niyamas the most important is Ahingsā, and among Yamas Mitāhāra, or a moderate diet (a significant choice), so is Siddhāsana (in which the Mūlā- dhāra is firmly pressed by the heel and the Svādhishthāna region by the other foot) among the Āsanas. (See Plates XI, XII). Mastery of this helps to secure the Unmanī Avasthā, and the three Bandhas (v. post) are achieved without difficulty.
Sthiratā, or fortitude, is acquired by the practice of the Mudrās.³ The Mudrā dealt with in works of Hathayoga are positions of the body.⁴ They are gymnastic, health-giving, and destructive of disease and of death,
1 See Ch. II of Gheranda Sanghitā, and Hathayogapradīpikā, I, vv. 19—35; Shāndilya Upanishad, Ch. I.
2 Ch. I, v. 39.
3 The same, except that the hands are passed behind the back, and the right hand holds the right toe and the left hand the left toe. By this, increased pressure is placed on the Mūlādhāra, and the nerves are braced with the tightening of the body. The position is figured in Plate XVII.
corpse,¹ respectively, form the seat of the Sādhaka. These, though they have other ritual and magical objects, also form part of the discipline for the conquest of fear and the attainment of indifference, which is the quality of a Yogī. And so the Tantras prescribe as the scene of such rites the solitary mountain-top, the lonely empty house and riverside, and the cremation ground. The interior cremation ground is there where the Kāmik body and its passions are consumed in the fire of knowledge.²
Patanjali, on the subject of Āsana, merely points out what are good conditions, leaving each one to settle the details for himself according to his own requirements.
Āsana is an aid to clear and collect the thought. The test of suitability of Āsana is that which is steady and pleasant, a matter which each will settle for himself. Posture becomes perfect when effort to that end ceases, so that there is no more movement of the body.³ The Rajas Guna, the action of which produces fickleness of mind, is restrained. A suitable steady Āsana produces mental equilibrium. Hathayoga, however, prescribes a very large number of Āsanas, to each of which a peculiar effect is
1 In successful Shavāsana the Devī appears to the Sādhaka. In Shavasādhanā the Sādhaka sits astride on the back of a corpse (heading the north), on which he draws a Yantra and then does Japa of Mantra with Shodhānyāsa and Pūjā on its head. A corpse is selected as being a pure form of organised matter, since the Devatā which is invoked into it is the Mahāvidyā whose Svarūpa is Nirgunabrahman, and by such invocation becomes Saguna. The corpse is free from sin or desire. The only Vāyu in it is the Dhananjaya, “which leaves not even a corpse”. The Devatā materialises by means of the corpse. There is a possession of it (Āvesha)—that is, entry of the Devatā into the dead-body. At the conclusion of a successful rite the head of the corpse turns round, and, facing the Sādhaka, speaks, bidding him name his boon, which may de spiritual or worldly advancement as he wishes. This is part of Nīla Sādhanā done by the “Hero” (Vīra), for it and Shavāsana are attended by many terrors.
2 As the Yogakundalī Upanishad says (Ch. III), the outer burning is no burning at all.
3 Pātanjala Yogasūtra, 46, 47 (Sthirasukham āsanam).
ascribed. These are more in the nature of a gymnastic than an Āsana in its sense of a seated posture. Some forms of this gymnastic are done seated, but others are not so, but standing upright, bending, lying down, and standing on the head. This latter is Vrikshāsana. Thus, again, in Chakrāsana the Yogī stands and bends and touches his feet with his hand, a familiar exercise, as is also Vāmadakshinapadāsana, a kind of goose step, in which, however, the legs are brought up to right angles with the body. These exercises secure a fine physical condition and freedom from disease.¹ They also bring different portions of the body into such a position as to establish a direct contact of Prāna-vāyu between them. They are also said to assist in Prānāyāma, and to help to effect its object, including the rousing of Kundalinī. The author of the work last cited says² that as among the Niyamas the most important is Ahingsā, and among Yamas Mitāhāra, or a moderate diet (a significant choice), so is Siddhāsana (in which the Mūlā- dhāra is firmly pressed by the heel and the Svādhishthāna region by the other foot) among the Āsanas. (See Plates XI, XII). Mastery of this helps to secure the Unmanī Avasthā, and the three Bandhas (v. post) are achieved without difficulty.
Sthiratā, or fortitude, is acquired by the practice of the Mudrās.³ The Mudrā dealt with in works of Hathayoga are positions of the body.⁴ They are gymnastic, health-giving, and destructive of disease and of death,
1 See Ch. II of Gheranda Sanghitā, and Hathayogapradīpikā, I, vv. 19—35; Shāndilya Upanishad, Ch. I.
2 Ch. I, v. 39.
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