brain into a witness. This involves keeping the brain passive and the
cells of the body active without gripping the muscles. When there is
only exertion, one keeps a constant load on the muscles, which tire due
to overstretching, and injury occurs. The mind does not balance when
you force.
Relaxation means release of unnecessary muscular tension in your
body, which also allows firmness of the inner body and serenity in the
mind. But how does one experience this peace as one is struggling with
the body? How does one experience this serenity as one is feeling the
aches and pains of learning the asana? We will return to the subject of
pain later and discuss how one can come to see it with equanimity, firm
ness, and serenity. Here we will give some clues to how to relax in an
asana, how to lighten the body, and how to avoid rigidity and hardness.
Begin your asana by releasing the breath till you feel a quiet state
of silence in the cells and self. Inhalation is tension, exhalation is
freedom. All movements should be done with exhalation. Exhalation
purges the stress and tension of the body.
After doing the asana, if you want to stretch deeper, exhale and
�tretch again. Readjusting the asana after exhalation works on the
inner organic body, whereas if done by inhalation it acts on the ex
ll"rnal physical body. Although a final asana can be judged objectively
only from the exterior, it is sustained from within. After reaching the
I ina I pose, one has to learn to let go of the effort and tautness of the
Jlluscles and shift the load onto the ligaments and joints so that they
\ lwiJ the asana steadily without even the breath causing the body to
waver.
�ocus on relaxing as you hold the stretch, not clenching, but re
l.•xin� and opening. This relaxes the brain as well as the body. You
lllust relax the neck and head as well. If you keep the back skin of the
Jlt"l'k passive and the tongue soft, there is no tension in the brain. This
•� silt"nce in action, relaxation in action. As soon as you learn how to
� T t\ Il l I. I I Y Ill 1·. I' II Y.\ ll t\ I. II l l ll\' I :I L·l N A 1