122 Spiritual Astrology
circulation form a centre of pulsation in the heart and the
lungs, and this pulsation is worked out through the nerve-
grip of the diaphragm. The solar plexus controls the
digestive and the excretory activities with the aid of its
two lower centres. In ordinary people who live in the
lower centres, the downward pull of the solar plexus
causes a gradual loss of the peristaltic action of the
diaphragm through their age of adolescence and causes
old age. When the diaphragm loses its upward thrust,
due to indulgences in the food habits and sex, the
respiratory and the circulatory pulsation is pulled down
by the load of the lower centres. This makes the
consciousness of man lose his grip over Pra-n.a and mind,
not to speak of the other higher activities. This constantly
keeps him imprisoned in the astral and etheric levels that
tie him down to the grossest forms of desire. At this stage,
his response to the objective world causes him to live in
misery. Living ceases to be an experience and becomes
an existence with constant struggle.
By concentrating his mind upon the pulsation that
controls the respiratory and the circulatory activity and
gradually by meditating upon his voice and the source of
his expression of the word, the disciple can aid the activity
of Leo in him to raise him up to higher levels. This is a
very slow and skilful process particularly suited to the
children of Leo. The practice consists of Yama and Niyama,
the first two steps of yoga according to the eight-fold path
of Pathanjali. A
-
sana the third step gives the training. Pra-n.a-
ya-ma the fourth step gives the first initiation. The activity
of Leo comes into full play during these first stages. There
ends the initial role of Leo in yoga. The process of filtering
the love-nature from the gushes of emotion and the
building of the Antahkaran.a through love above feeling,