Treatise “Hatha yoga narrative”

This is an extract based of the rare treatise “Hatha yoga narrative” The treatise is written as a conversation between a student named Adia with his beloved teacher Shakti (she is known as Beloved Beauty). Adia is asking her questions about yoga and she is answering them. The most part of the dialogue belongs to Shakti. In the first part you will get to know the theory and the main principles of hatha yoga. In the second part you will be demonstrated how to practice the main exercises of this yoga. These static exercises are called asanas. As it is stated in the ancient treatises, if the person practices asanas, eventually he/she will burn the entire negative karma and gain positive karma. We would recommend you to learn as many exercises as possible from this text, and then choose a selection of seven poses for your daily practice. It is advisable to change the set of poses not more often than once a week. So, in a few months you will try all pose, demonstrated here. If you just started practicing hatha yoga, the length of your sessions can be from 40 minutes to one hour, depending on your abilities. We wish you success in mastering your hatha yoga skills.

Hatha yoga narrative

Adia asked Shakti:

- How did this science about body and breathing start?

She replied:

- Initially Shiva (the lord of life and death) gave the theory of hatha yoga to people. He has this science at his fingertips and accomplished plenty of achievements in hatha yoga.

Adia said:

- Tell me this science and where do you know it from?

The girlfriend said:

- Shiva himself taught me.

And here is the story about Hatha yoga.

She said:

- There are as many poses in hatha yoga as there are living beings of different kinds in the world. Before people got a human body, they would go through a whole series of lives inside the bodies of animals. During the evolution a person would live millions and millions of lives in the bodies of the animals, before he/she deserves to be born in a human body. While living in the body of an animal, the soul does or does not fulfill the commandments of this animal. And anything which was not fulfilled by the soul in the body of an animal would be transferred to the human body as karma. And if, as a snake, the soul perfected the reptile body and succeeded in it, then it has all positive features in the human body, from those times when the soul had a reptile body. If being in the reptile body the soul had not fulfilled its entire destiny, the faults will be transferred to the human body. And a person may suffer certain illnesses or a lack of flexibility, or lack of some other abilities, which the soul should have generated in the body of an animal. That is why there are some weaknesses and imperfections in a precious human body, from the times of being in the bodies of the animals. Shiva by his merit showed us a way of how to fix deficiencies, which built up for millions of lives in the body of an animal, during one human life. This method is called asanas. By practicing asanas the person neutralizes all impurities, the seeds of disease and other impressions that take a long time to accumulate in bodies. By doing asanas a person first of all neutralizes negative tendencies. As such, while he/she is practicing yoga the diseases become not a priority. But as soon as practicing is stopped, they return. At the next stage the practitioner completely recomposes the body. The body becomes perfect. And even if in future he/she will not practice regularly, the body will not devolve back. Same as rolling a heavy stone up the hill: before the top it can slip back, but after the top it is rolling in the right direction by itself. The so called “top” is siddhi in asana. It means perfection in doing asana. If you reached siddhi in asana, no matter if you continue practicing yoga or not, you will always get a positive effect from the asana. Just as a clay processed in fire no longer gets wet from water, so the body “burnt” in yoga is no longer affected by diseases.

She said:

- There is a law of relations between rough, fine and the finest. Working with a physical body, you get effects on the fine body level. Manipulating with the fine body, you get effect on the physical body. Prana is a connection between the bodies.

Adia asked:

- How should one do hatha yoga?

She replied:

- Shiva gave hatha yoga and those who practice this yoga gain omniscience. He gave it to those who are tired of endless disputes about the Supreme nature of the Universe.

Shiva said:

- You may not know what yoga is and you may not have any knowledge at all. But if you practice it, you will gain omniscience (including knowledge of yoga).

In order to reach success you must practice every day accurately, vigilantly and consistently. Only by this way one can gain success in yoga. Idle discussion is useless. By doing asanas, you will not only clear your body and align it, but you will also understand the law of the equals, which says that for the yogi the whole Universe is person’s body and person’s body is the body of the Universe. By changing your body you will change the Universe. And by making changes in the Universe, you change your body. And there is no difference if it’s inside your body or outside.

Out of all multiple forms of living beings, which the soul went through, Shiva has chosen 64 thousand living beings and 64 thousand asanas. 85 of them are used in modern time. 35 out of the 85 are more important. And out of those 35 the most important are 3. Out of those 3 the most important is one – siddhasana. Start learning yoga from simple to complex. Master one exercise, then the next one, until you have a group of exercises. Make one group, and then make another one, then the third one, etc, until all 85 exercises are included in one or another group.

Practice hatha yoga every day. Preferably at the same place and at the same time. If you cannot do all exercises of the group, do what you can. If you cannot do it for the usual period of time, do as long as you can. If conditions do not allow, at least think of what you had to do. If you forgot even to think about it, do it the following day.

Adia asked:

- What should I beware of, when study?ng hatha yoga, to avoid any mistakes during practice?

The girlfriend replied:

- Be careful of your laziness, avoid downward thoughts. The principles of yoga comprehension are the following. The first principle is the principle of perfection. The second one is the principle of the energy. The principle of perfection is: no matter how you are doing yoga exercise, you are doing it perfectly well, even if it does not look exactly as it was prescribed to do. The fact of doing the exercise makes it perfect by itself, and you will get better each time when you are doing it. It is an intermediate perfection. In time you will reach unchanged final perfection.

That is why the expression «to do exercise incorrectly» is meaningless. The most important thing is to practice regularly and for a long time and be sure that in your own Universe at this moment of time and in these circumstances you do the asana perfectly. The principle of energy says that in the same way as a small ball in the funnel will always roll down the neck, when we do any asana the energy itself transforms the body. There is no need to worry about doing it correctly. The main thing is to reproduce the pose, by doing it honestly, for a long time and regularly. Wake up the energy and the energy will do the yoga.

Adia asked:

- What is success in doing hatha yoga?

The girlfriend replied:

- It’s a habit to practice yoga every day. A habit is inertness in behavior and thoughts. Negative habits are our worst enemies. But Shiva in his kindness gave people those asanas, and if it becomes a habit to practice them, they bring the greater good to your life and then give you freedom. Laziness, gloomy mind, uncertainty, anxiety, intellectual weakness, nervousness, poor digestion, unhealthy complexion, terrible illnesses, dark karma and many other things can be pulled through by a habit to practice yoga. If you feel that you cannot live a day without practicing yoga, it means that you are going in the right direction. It’s a sign on your way.

Adia asked:

- Are there any other signs of success on the way?

She replied:

- Feeling healthy, stable mind, beautiful body, nice complexion, strong digestion, ability to stay still, ability to fix eyes on the object, no idle talk, first signs of superpower, happy feelings, deep magic dreams, hyper sexuality – these are the signs of success in yoga.

Adia asked:

- What obstacles could be in hatha yoga and how to avoid them?

The girl friend replied:

- Unusual sound during practice, such as idle talk, squabbles, when there is someone else in the room where you are practicing; when someone keeps interrupting you with questions, lack of healthy nourishing and fresh food; when the air is contaminated with noxious fumes of the city; endless arguments and intruding your views upon illiterate; attempts to over-persuade fools; letting into your practice curious idle people. One of the barriers is when you don’t practice in one place and at the same time. Too much work or too much idleness, using energy incorrectly for all sorts of things, overloading your body, not taking care of your body, not letting yourself to have a rest and joy, using too much energy for sex, doubting yourself, doubting the practice – these are just a few of the obstacles.

Adia asked:

- What are the consequences of practicing hatha yoga and are there any negative consequences. If yes, how can we neutralise them?

She said:

- No matter what exercise you are doing, your internal feeling and common sense must be your main benchmarks. And if you feel that the pressure should be reduced, then reduce it, and when necessary - increase it. Remember the principle of Energy. The Energy will tell you how to do the exercise. It transforms your body, it gives you the feeling what to do and what should not be done. It will warn you of the negative impact. Listen to it. At the early stage of yoga practice, when your body is going through the cleaning process and the canals are still dirty, there is an effect of “ups and downs”. It looks like a person walking on the hills: first it’s hard to go up and then it’s easy to run down. In the same way yogi is eager to practice yoga at first, and then hardly make oneself to do it. Periods of time between peaks and troughs become longer, and falls become less. After one year or more the practitioner gets to a smooth level without exaltations and deep falls. And if he/she keeps on this level for a year or more, the sensation of rise starts increasing. But it may cause total change of life. If the practitioner keeps going for half a year, he/she starts building up a habit. One should be particularly careful with doing breathing exercises in hatha yoga. In this case you should be more attentive and use more common sense than ever in yoga. You can neutralise negative consequences by reducing tension, replacing one exercise by another, taking more time to rest, creating comfort in your life, eating healthy food, using medicine, doing cleaning manipulations, making sex in line with sexual yoga. Study the yoga treaties, think them through, communicate with yoga practitioners, live among them, find a competent teacher, ask him/her everything, serve him/her in all the ways, and get sanctification from the teacher. Using common sense, listen to your inner feelings, follow the rules and you will avoid all negative tendencies of your karma. On the contrary, unreasonable, neglectful and foolish student can get an injury even by eating soup, without mentioning more complicated things.

Adia asked:

- Tell me about asanas, what types are they, what are they called, how to practice them and what diseases they cure?

Part two

Adia asked:

- Tell me, what does the word Hatha mean and how to understand it?

The girlfriend replied:

«HA – is farther, THA – is mother. HA – is mother, THA – is farther. HATHA – is their union, their baby.

HA – the sun, THA – the moon, HA – the moon, THA – the sun. HATHA means eclipse.

HА means day, ТHА means night, HA – is night, THA – is day. HATHA means dawn and sunset.

HА means inhale, ТHА means exhale, HA – is exhale, THA – is inhale. HATHA means no inhale and no exhale, when inhale takes over exhale and exhale takes over inhale.

HА is vowels, ТHА means consonants. HA – means consonants, THA – means vowels. HATHA means mantra.

HA – is right, THA – is left. HA – is left, THA – is right. HATHA means the middle.

HA – is white, THA – is red. HA – is red, THA – is white. HATHA means sky-blue.

HA means to perceive, THA means to act. HA means to act, THA – to perceive. HATHA means to achieve the highest result.

HA – tension, THA – relaxation. HA –relaxation, THA – tension. HATHA – live journey.

HA – means pushing yourself, THA means letting yourself. HA – means letting yourself, THA means pushing yourself. HATHA – getting the highest achievement in your life.»

Adia asked:

- What do you mean by that?

The girlfriend answered:

- In this yoga you can do exercise by HA method or by THA method. You can practice all exercises by mother’s method (method of wisdom, method of energy, method of feelings) or by father’s method of overcoming yourself (method of consciousness, method of firmness). It says in treaties that in the same way as for a child to be born mother and father are needed, for yoga comprehension the exercises must be done by mother’s method of energy and father’s method of consciousness.

She said:

- That is why the word «HATHA» can be interpreted as a union of thoughts and feelings, as a union of mother and father, union of consciousness and energy, union of left and right, union of vowels and consonants, union of day and night, union of inhalation and exhalation, union of decreasing and increasing, union of active and passive, union of asceticism and pleasure, or as something in between two extremes. Give up extremity and you will bring Hatha Yoga into action. It’s a great way to become free from suffering and ignorance.

Adia asked:

- What does it mean to practice exercises by feminine method of Energy? And what does it mean to practice by the male method of Consciousness?

She replied:

- When you do exercise for a long time and without much effort, when you surrender to sensation, when you let the energy to wake up and bend the body in the right way to the hatha yoga pose – this is called mother’s method of energy, method of wisdom, method of sensation. Do not worry about correctness of the pose. Make the pose approximately and wait when the energy bends your body in the right way. The energy as a caring mother will lead you to perfection. Trust the energy of your body as you would trust your mother. This is a method of energy, wisdom, sensation – female method.

She said:

- Now listen about the masculine method of consciousness, when practicing hatha yoga exercises. Do the exercise for a short period of time. Let it be just the time of one breath. Flex all your body, bend your will, use maximum effort, and see yourself as a perfect yogi. Change from pose to pose as dancing Shiva. This is called a method of consciousness, father’s method, method of pushing and forcing, conquering inertness and powerlessness of the body.

Adya asked:

- How should I learn the new poses and how to practice those which I already know?

A girlfriend replied:

- Wise people say that the best thing is to start learning poses by the method of energy. As caring mother is feeding a new-born child, the method of energy allows the beginner in yoga to become confident of the exercises. Let it be at least one exercise a day. Then, in a same way as a child, breast-fed by the mother starts playing with the father, the beginner in yoga should start learning exercises by father’s method of consciousness.

She said:

- Chose 5-7 exercises for your daily practice and do each of them during 20-30 breaths by the energy method. Or do maximum amount of poses in the same period of time, so they go one after another, by the method of consciousness.

She said:

- If the yogi has already mastered the exercises, he/she can do the group of exercises every day. At first, by the method of energy (for a long time), and then the same exercises by the method of consciousness (for a short time, with effort). This good yogi can also use both methods simultaneously. He/she can start doing by the method of energy, being reflected by sensations, and finish by the method of consciousness, by making an effort. Or he/she can do it vice versa: to start with the method of consciousness, with effort, and finish by the method of energy, by letting him/her to enjoy the feeling during the practice. And later this good yogi will determine for himself/herself what exercises to do by mother’s method of energy and what to do by the father’s method of consciousness, and what exercises to do by both methods. And only by joining these two methods the yogi can get the final result in hatha yoga. Oh, Adia, listen carefully to my words, and you will avoid many obstacles on the way to hatha yoga and reach the highest sensation of happiness.

Adia said:

- You told me about two methods of practicing hatha yoga. Tell me about the negative sides of each of them?

She replied:

- A person, who is practicing this yoga only by the method of energy, tends to become inert and passive. If he/she is practicing only by the method of consciousness he/she is slipping into fanaticism, excessive activity and imposing own views on others. Only in the middle of these two methods there is a narrow path of achieving the highest result in yoga. That is why the wise people say: take away the extremes and you will have success, balance mother’s method with father’s method and you will become immortal perfect hatha yogi. Think about it again and again, Adia. Give up extremes, they give no result. Before you start practicing sit straight, calm your mind and wish happiness to all living beings in the universe. Then think about all yoga teachers and ask them for protection and help in learning yoga. Think about exorbitant Absolute. Then start practicing.

Poses

Pose for the stomach - Paschimottanasana

1. This is a pose for the stomach. Lie down on the ground, inhale and put your arms above your head, then exhale and bend forward, grasp your ankles by hands. Make sure your legs and knees are straight. Remain in this position and let the energy flow inside you. Then touch your knees with your forehead. By doing this pose, you will get rid of any illnesses in your abdominal area; you will feel joy.

Cobra pose - Bhujhangasana

2. «Here is the cobra pose - Bhudjangasana. Oh, dear student! Place your body on the floor on your stomach. Place the palms under the shoulders, lift up your eyes, then slowly raise your head, bend your neck, then your back and help yourself with your hands to bend more. So, remain in this pose, being reflected by the energy. Then do everything in reverse to get out of the pose. This asana brings clear rage to the mind, like a cobra ready to strike. This exercise heals eyes, the upper spine, gives clarity of mind. By doing this asana, you will wake up the forces somniculous in the sacrum».

Pose – the symbol of yogi giving up illusion - Yoga Mudra

3. Sit on your bended knees. Straighten your back, neck and head. Take the wrist of one hand by the opposite hand behind your back. Exhale and bend forward, touching the ground in front of you with your head. This pose is a symbol of yogi, giving up illusion. As for the air exhaled in the process of bending forward, yogi is exhaling all internal worries and mind affections to illusionary items. The strongest strings of Maya will be broken by this exercise. Yogi stops being a dummy in the hands of illusion. And if the strength of Maya is overcome, what other kind of Maya net you must overcome?! The whole set of associations, holding yogi enchained by ignorance, is being broken and the yogi becomes free. You can practice this pose sitting in the lotus pose. If you are worried by strange void desires, practice this pose diligently.

Standing forward bend - Uttanasana

4. In an empty place, free from any unnecessary objects, stand still on both legs. Get a lungful of the life-giving air and raise your hands up. With exhale bend forward and grab your ankles. Keep your knees straight. Stay like this for a long time. You will cure many diseases of the brain, turn away the external and find the way to the inner world. The top part of body will be cured from many diseases.

Bow pose - Dhanurasana

5. Now I will tell you about the bow pose. Lie down on your stomach, bend your knees and grab the ankles by your hands and remain in this position for some time. Wait until the energy of this pose will wake up.

Then, oh dear student, start unbending the knees and bend your back. You will take a pose of the bow. Remain in this pose as long, as your body lets you. This is an insuperable pose of burning the umbilical fire. Weak life fire can be cured by this pose. Shoulders and arm joints are cured by this pose. A lot of negative karma is burnt by it, as in the furnace.

Cat pose - Uttana Shishosana

6. Stand on both knees and both arms, and then bend so that your head, arms and chest were on the floor, like a cat, climbing under the fence or stretching. Remain in this pose for a long time, so that the energy flows from your pelvis through the body to the head. Watch your spine to be gracefully curved down. Stomach upset and lungs disease is eliminated by this pose. You will become resilient and develop intelligence.

Twist pose - Ardha Matsyendrasana

7. Sit down on your knees. Straighten your back, neck and head. Then bring your left foot to the outside of the right knee. Turn your back, head and neck to the left, helping with your arms to turn as much as you can. Hold this pose for a long time. By doing this pose you will cure many spine diseases. By this pose you can change the flow of lunar energy to the solar energy. Twist back to center in the same order and then repeat on the other side. By doing this asana you will understand the duality of the world, and perceive the All behind duality.

Plow pose – Halasana

8. Put your straight body on the back. Inhale and exhale bring your straight legs to the ground behind your head. Touch the ground behind your head. Let your hands lay loose on the floor or place them behind your head. This pose is known as plow pose or halasana. It will cure pain in the lower back, as well as in the neck.

Pose of cow’s head - Gomukhasana

9. Sit on the ground on your bended knees. Bring one leg across the opposite leg and straighten your back. Raise one hand, bended in elbow behind your back. And bring the other hand, also bended in elbow, behind your back. Then let your hands to interlock behind your back. Repeat to the other side. This pose switches channels from lunar to solar and from solar to lunar. It is used for practicing mudras and bandhas.

Inverted poses

Inverted pose – Viparita Karani

10. Now listen to the description of the inverted pose – viparita karani. In a beautiful place lie down on your back, raise your legs upwards and hold the bottom of your body by hands. Remain like this for a long time. By doing this exercise you’ll reverse the flow of time. You’ll get younger, all wrinkles will disappear. By this asana Yogis swap energy and consciousness. Endless blessings are inherited by this pose. Do not overdo it. Slowly increase duration, eat well and avoid bad companies. Yogi practicing this pose holds time in own arms. If you move your legs further away from the head, so they are hold by arms only, you will become a master of the sexual energy. Brahmacharya can be reached only when this energy is under control.

Half royal pose – Ardha Sirsasana

11. Place your head on the floor. Put your arms round it. Stay on the knees. Then straighten your legs in such a way, that you take stand on your feet, and the body is bent in an angle. Remain in this position and you will inherit sharp mind, excellent vision and knowledge of the finest energies. This asana by its effect can be compared with stand on head or the royal pose, that’s why it is called half royal pose – Ardha Sirsasana.

My dear student, if you're going to be empowered, if you lead the life of a Rajah, which requires constant vigilance and that requires your personal radiance, like the radiance of the Sun, in order to make a conspicuous figure for your subjects and trigger fears of your enemies, please practice this Royal pose.

Rajah pose - Sirsasana

12. Here is Rajah pose - Sirsasana. Let rajah in a beautiful place put his body on the head, and rest only on the head and elbows and keep the body straight. If you rule the country and if you are short of time practice at least this pose.

Shoulder stand - Sarvangasana

13. Lie on your back. Raise your legs and body up. Let them be straight forming one vertical line. Let the chin bear against your breast. Rest your arms along your sides, or you can use them to support your body, or leave them resting on the ground relaxed. This pose is similar to sirsasana (head stand). If you master this pose, you will become the lord of upper centers of your body.

Camel pose - Ustrasana

14. Stand on your knees, bend your back backward and touch your heels with your hands. This position enables control over the upper respiratory organs and helps to develop endurance.

Half wheel pose - Ardha chakrasana

15. Put your straight body on the ground. Let your arms lay along the body. Bend your knees and place feet flat on the ground. Grab your ankles by hands and bend the body up. This is a half-wheel pose, it gives same benefits as the wheel pose.

Wheel pose - Chakrasana

16. Lie down on your back. Bend your knees. Place hands behind the head and put palms on the floor. Supporting on your hands and feet, raise your body up and then hands and feet to move towards each other. You will get a wheel pose. This asana eliminates impurity in the spine and increases vitality.

Pose of the resting hero - Supta Vajra Asana

17. Sit down on the ground between your feet. Helping by your arms lay on the back. Put your arms behind your head. Stay like this. This pose can cure joints illnesses as well as pain in the shoulders. It is known as a pose of the resting hero.

Plank pose - Phalkasana

18. Place you straight body on a beautiful mat on the stomach. Place your palms on the floor under the shoulders. Raise your straight body on straight arms as if your body is a plank. By doing this position you mobilize your consciousness. If you feel you could hardly control yourself, by doing this pose you will not let anger to come out. This pose gives clearness to mind and cures all illnesses of the arms.

Downward facing dog pose - Adho Mukha Svanasana

19. Do the same as for the plank pose. Then bend at the waist keeping your legs straight. Your arms, body and head should make one line. By doing this pose you will clear channels in your legs, arms and waist. Blood with prana will wash your arms, body and head. By doing this you will renew the blood in your legs. Endurance is acquired by this pose, it will balance blood and energy level in your body.

Twisted stand on hands - Bakasana

20. Support yourself on hands and toes. Arms should be bent in elbows and the knees rest on top of the elbows. Then very carefully raise the toes off the ground, resting only on the hands. This pose is known as a twisted stand on hands. It strengthens the stomach muscles.

Peacock pose – Мayurasana

21. Standing on your knees, bend forward. Put the hands on the ground, with palms facing the legs. Put both elbows together and press them against the belly-button. Your forehead must be resting on the floor. Straighten your legs; raise your head from the ground, so that you are resting only on the palms and the toes. Wait for the energy to start flowing. Then move forward and raise your body from the ground, so that the head, body and legs are parallel to the ground and the whole body is held by the palms. This pose is called peacock pose – mayurasana. Those who practice this asana have a strong digestion, which kills all toxins. This pose will cure all stomach illnesses.

Triangle pose - Trikonasana

22. Now I will describe the triangle pose. Stand straight; put your legs apart at shoulder width. Body, neck and head should be on one straight line. Inhale and raise your hands, keeping them parallel to the ground, so they make one line. Exhale and bend to the right, touch your right or left foot with the right hand. Let your eyes look towards the left hand. Try to keep your arms on one straight line. Then do the same exercise to another side. This asana will let you cure any pain in the spine. It also changes solar and lunar inffluences.

Locust pose - Salabhasana

23. Lie down on the ground, on your stomach. Put your hands under your thighs or join them together at the groin area. Support yourself on hands and raise your legs as high as possible. This is a locust pose. It gives strength to the hands.

Balancing poses

Tree pose - Vriksasana

24. Stand straight on one leg. Bend the opposite leg in the knee, and rest the foot against the other inner thigh. Raise your hands above your head and put your palms together. This pose gives stability to the mind and insensibility to external influence.

Balancing stick pose - Tulandandasana

25. Stand on one leg, bend forward. Raise the opposite leg and stretch it to make one line with the torso. Spread your arms into sides like a swan spreading wings, when it sits on the lake. Keep the balance. This pose gives the feeling of space and controls the position of your body in it. It’s a balancing stick pose.

Stretching poses

Head-to-knee pose - Janu Sirsasana

26. Sit on the ground keeping your legs straight. Bend one knee and place the foot against the inner thigh of the opposite leg. Bend forward. Grab the straight leg with your palms.

Revolved Head-to-Knee - Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana

27. Sit on the ground keeping your legs straight. Bend one knee, and stretch the opposite leg to the side. Bend your torso to one side so that one body side is stretched and the opposite side is impacted. You can take the foot of your straight leg by your palm. This is the pose of stretched side. It gives flexibility and control over the ribs.

Wide Seated Forward Bend Pose - Upavistha Konasana

28. Sit down on the ground with straight legs. Put the legs aside as wide as possible. Bend forward and take straight legs by your hands.

Power poses

Upward plank pose - Purvottanasana

29. Sit down on the ground with straight legs. Base yourself upon your palms behind your back. Bend the body upward in such a way that you rest on palms and feet. Keep your knees straight. Stay like this for a long time.

Warrior pose - Virabhadasana

30. Stand so that one leg is bended in the knee and the opposite leg is straight behind. Raise your hands above your head and join the palms together.

Balancing poses

Boat pose - Navasana

31. Sit down on the ground, then raise your straight legs and grab them by hands. Keep the balance in this pose and stay like this for a long time. This is a balancing pose.

Chair pose - Utkanasana

32. Stay straight; join your hands above your head. Bend your knees keeping your torso and arms on one straight line.

Same angle pose - Samakonasana

33. Stay straight, bend forward, keeping your knees straight and stretched arms and torso parallel to the ground. Stay in this pose for a long time.

Double triangle pose - Dvikonasana

34. Stand straight; join your palms behind your back. Bend forward, keeping your knees and elbows straight. Raise your elbows as high as possible. This is a double triangle pose.

Lord of the dance pose - Natarajasana

35. Stand straight on one leg. Bend the opposite knee and hold the leg with your hand behind your back. Raise the opposite hand up to the front. Raise the leg as high as possible, helping with your hands. Stay long in this pose. This is a pose of dancing Shiva.

The Celibate's pose - Brahmacharia asana

36. Sit down on the ground with straight legs, keeping your torso, neck and head on one straight line. Base yourself upon your hands on the ground and raise your body, holding only on palms and heels. Those who practice this pose get a lot of benefits in other poses. Practice it with diligence. This is brahmacharia asana.

Now I will describe wonderful poses for meditation and for practicing many types of yoga.

Vadjrasana - Diamond pose

37. Sit down on your knees in the secluded place. Keep your back, neck and head on one straight line. Put your hands on the knees. Fix your eyes at the front. Strength of diamond is gained by doing this pose; for this reason it is called a diamond pose.

Easy pose - Sukhasana

38. Sitting on the ground place your left of right foot on your right or left thigh accordingly. Keep your back, neck and head straight. This is Sukhasana pose.

Lotus pose – Padmasana

39. Sitting on the ground place your left foot on the right thigh and your right foot on the left thigh. Or place your right foot on the left thigh and your left foot on the right thigh so that your legs are interlaced. Straighten your back, neck and head. The pose is called lotus pose – Padmasana. This is an excellent pose, ideal for pranayama and meditation.

The gracious pose - Bhadrasana

40. Sit down on the ground. Join both feet and pull them close to your body. This is Bhadrasana, which gives a lot of perfections and controls the sexual energy.

Fish pose – Matiasana

41. Sit in a lotus pose on the ground. Then lie down on your back, place both hands under your head – this is fish pose – matiasana. Those who mastered this pose feel like fish in water and can remain in this pose for a long time.

Upward abdominal lock - Udianabandha asana

42. Stand straight, make a deep exhalation. Press your palms against half-bended legs. Pull in your stomach muscles as high as possible, while exhaling.

Krishna’s dream pose - Yoga Nidrasana

43. Lie on your back on the ground. Bend the knees, bring them to the floor behind your head and place on both sides of your head. This pose is called Krishna’s dream. Yogi can fall asleep immediately when practicing this pose. Sleeping in this pose is very beneficial.

Happy Baby pose - Ananda Balasana

44. Lie on your back and pull your legs bent in knees to your torso. Slip your hands between the knees and grab your feet by hands. You can pull your feet and hands as far as possible and touch the ground behind your head. This is one of the most important poses for attaining power over sexual energy. Those who mastered this pose have full control over apana. Many siddhis sleep in this pose. If you feel disease inside your body caused by overstrain, practice this pose. All illnesses of the intestines and internal organs are cured by this pose. Those who practice this pose cure all illnesses and acquire clarity of perception. Yogi performing this pose is tuned out of all external influences. This is the pose of the winner.

Crocodile pose - Makarasana

45. Lie down on the stomach, with your straight body. Place your head on your palms and stay long in this pose – pose of crocodile. It gives rest to your body and mind.

Corpse pose - Shavasana

46. You should always finish Hatha Yoga exercises with the precious pose shavasana. Like no any other pose, this pose grants success in Yoga. If you know shavasana, you know all poses; if you don’t know this pose it is hard to become successful in yoga. So, listen, oh, worthy student. Put your body, straight and motionless, as a corps, on the ground, relax your muscles, release your face. And, as a corps, remain in this posture for a long time. Try not to breathe, and then even thoughts will disappear. This pose gives rest to the mind, and to your worn-out nerves, it regenerates the energy, redistributes the feelings. As the main diamond in a crown, shavasana is the main asana among all the poses. Consider you are dead. Then slowly return back to life. Start breathing, then thinking, then make some moves. Never get up quickly, and if you did, do some relaxing exercise. Always practice this pose; it would be unwise to neglect it.