The Path of Personal Discipline
Personal disciplines are about what to do in life. Purity, the first discipline, is
achieved through the practice of the five abstinences. The abstinences clear away
negative ways of being, leading one straight to purity. Purity also relates to cleanli-
ness and respect for all life. Contentment, the second discipline, means finding hap-
piness with whom you are and with what you have. The third discipline,
self-discipline, involves making a commitment and sticking to it. The fourth disci-
pline, self-study, means self-examination through introspection. Centering on the
divine, the fifth discipline, involves devotion. These disciplines work with any reli-
gion because individuals are encouraged to focus on how the divine is in them, part
of them, and all around them.The Path of Body Control
Body control, an important part of Hatha Yoga, is attained through a number of
poses or asanas. These body positions are what most Westerners think of when they
hear the word yoga. These poses help people learn to control their bodies, making
them stronger, more flexible, better functioning, and more resistant to disease and
other problems. Poses are also meant to facilitate meditation. The poses are fre-
quently classified into the following groups: standing poses, inverted poses, twists,
backward bending poses, forward bends, and poses for restoration. Another way of
classifying poses is balance, strength, flexibility, and relaxation. The belief in nonvi-
olence also applies to the poses, which means that physical exercise is never prac-
ticed to the point of pain, because pain is indicative of doing violence to the body.The Path of Breath Control
Breath control teaches people to direct energy or pranafor optimal physical and
mental benefit. When air is inhaled, so is vital energy that flows into the body to
nourish and enliven it. The purpose of balancing the breath is to make respiratory
rhythm more regular, which in turn has a soothing effect on the entire nervous sys-
tem. It also helps with meditation, because it focuses attention inward and reduces
scattered thinking.The Path of Detachment
The practice of detachment is the conscious withdrawal of the senses from every-
thing that stimulates them. The goal of detachment is to gain mastery over external
influences. This detachment can happen during breathing exercises, during medita-
tion, or while doing the poses. The process of detachment can also be an effective
technique for pain control.192 ABSOLUTE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TOALTERNATIVE MEDICINE