Guidance from Yogiar, (Yogi S. A. A. Ramaiah) when practicing Babaji’s Kriya Hatha Yogam
The sequence of the 17 standard Asanas reflect five considerations:
(1) Always start the session with Kriya, Asana Vanakkam, or Kriya Pose of Salutation which gently begins the stretching process and tones up the body for the techniques that follow; always end the session with Purna Shava Shantrhi Asanam or Complete Peace-Relaxation Pose, which can be the counterpose for any asana because it cools the body down and restores the normal pulse rate.
2). Practice the Asanas in pairs. The first Asana in the pair should involve flexion. (bending parts of the body towards each other as in touching the toes). The second in the pair should involve extension (bending part of the body away from each other, as in arcing the back). In this way, the muscles that are active protagonist muscles in the first posture become the passive antagonist muscles in the second posture. This quickens the process of relaxation and lead to balanced, integrated development of the musculature
(3.) Practice the Asanas in stages. This enables the body to attain the climax of the posture through a series of tolerable steps and then helps the body to recover poise and balance through a reversal of the stages back to the starting point.
(4). Healthy individuals will be able to complete all the Asanas in an hour and will find that every muscle, tendon and ligament in the human body has been mobilized and stretched. That is to say the 17 standard postures and Science of Sun Worship fit together as a system for efficiently relaxing and massaging every muscle of the human body with a minimum time and effort expended.
(5). Apart from beginning and ending the sequence with the Asanas mentioned in #1, the Asanas may be practised in an order different from the standard order (as long as they are in pairs). Furthermore, the complete sequence is not always required or desirable if an individual doesn't have enough time or energy for the whole course, a favorite pose can be chosen and practised with its counter-pose...
The names of the Asanas are given in Tamil, the ancient language of the Tamil Yoga Siddhas, or Supreme Masters of Yoga in India. Tamil classical terms have been transliterated into English to render as much as possible, the sound of the original term. In addition, English translation is provided to bring out the meaning of the classical terms..."
Yogi S.A.A.Ramaiah
excerpts from Babaji’s Science of Kriya Hatha Yoga Therapy
