YOGA: STEP BY STEP

A Course in Yoga Tuition with Step by Step Guidance in the Preliminary Practices of Hatha Yoga Asanas, Kriyas and Mudras and Beginning Pranayamas that Form a Basis of Classical Rishi Culture Yoga

BY YOGAMAHARISHI DR. SWAMI GITANANDA GIRI FOUNDER ANANDA ASHRAM AT ICYER, PONDICHERRY, INDIA
This is a series of fifty two lessons on the philosophy and practice of yoga which includes instructions in Asanas, Kriyas, Mudras, Hatha Yoga, Jnana Yoga relaxation and the science of Pranayama. the first stages of the Antaranga Yoga of Patanjali are dealt with by the author and particularly the early Kriyas of Pratyahara, sense withdrawal and the higher Kriyas and Prakriyas of Jnana Yoga and Raja Yoga including the highly respected technique of the Hang Sah Kriya and the original Rishiculture concept and teachings of Chetna Nidra, now popularly called Yoga Nidra, yoga psychic sleep. These lessons are in sequence and were originally published as a correspondence course in yoga, but then greatly expanded into four volumes entitled:

o VOL. I o VOL.II

-How to Begin a Practice of Yoga -Yoga Intermediate Practices

o VOL.III -Advanced Yoga Practices o VOL.IV -Senior Yoga Practices.

VOL: I - HOW TO BEGIN A PRACTICE OF YOGA: LESSON I. Yoga: The Science of Living o Pranayama: An Introduction o Vajra Asana, the Thunderbolt Posture o Sukha Pranayama, (Samavritti Pranayama), the Pleasant Breath o Yoga Diet o Eka Janu Uttana Kriya, Lifting One Knee Action o Dwi Janu Uttana Kriya, Lifting Both Knees Action o Pada Vajra Kriya, the Foot Thunderbolt Action o Shava Asana, the Corpse Posture o Daily Yoga Practice: Week One II. The Yoga Life o Ekakin Vajra Asana, Sole of the Foot Thunderbolt Posture o Gulpha Vajra Asana, Ankle Thunderbolt Posture o Purna Vajra Asana, Completed Thunderbolt Action o Utthita Vajra Asana, the High Sitting Thunderbolt Posture o Paripurna Vajra Asana, Extended Thunderbolt Posture o Pranayama, Anatomy and Physiology o Sukha Purvaka Pranayama (Yoga Pranayama), the Pleasant Cycle Breath o Loma Pranayama (Visama I), the Converse Breath o Viloma Pranayama (Visama II), the Inverse Breath o Daily Yoga Practice: Week Two II. Yoga As Four Fold Awareness o Requirements of Good Pranayama o Vibhagha Pranayama, Sectional Breathing o Adham Pranayama, Inferior or Diaphragmic Breath o Abdominal Breathing Benefits o The Respiratory Centre o Prana Mudras, Pranic Hand Gestures o Chin Mudra, Abdominal Breath Control o Prana Vayus, Vital Airs o Yoga and Diet o Daily Yoga Practice: Week three IV Awareness as Yoga o Madhyam Pranayama, Middle or Intercostal Breath o Yoga Appreciation Diet o Neuro Mechanics of Mudras o Chinmaya Mudra, Intercostal Breath Control o Respiratory System o Daily Yoga Practice: Week Four V Yoga: A Way To Attain Spiritual Unity o Adhyam Pranayama, Clavicular Breathing o AUM in the Scriptures of the World o Adhi Mudra, Clavicular Breath Control o Yoga and Your Diet o Important Dietary Rules o Nerves and Organs of the Body o Daily Yoga Practice: Week Five

VI o o o o o o o o o o o VII o o o o o o o o VIII o o o o o o o o o IX o o o o o o o o o o o o o o X o o

Kriya Yoga, the Yoga of Right Action Pranava OM, Mantra of Mantras Mahat Yoga Pranayama, the Grand Yoga Breath Apraakasha Mudra, Breathing Centre Control New Dimensions in Diet Brahma Prana Mudra, Complete Breath Control New Dimensions in Diet Brahma Prana Mudra, Complete Breath Control Shunya Mudra, Vacuum Breath Control Apraakasha Bindu Mudra, Breath Lock Mudras Pranayama and Blood Circulation Pranava OM Pranayama Daily Yoga Practice: Week Six Pancha Niyama, the Five Evolutionary Observances Chatus Pada Asana, Four Footed Postures Vyagraha Pranayama, Tiger Breathing OM, the Evolution of All Sounds Nutritious Substitutes for Milk Sharabha Asana, the Griffin Posture Chiri Kriya, the Cricket Action Kaya Kriya, the Body Action Daily Yoga Practice: Week Seven Inner and Outer Yoga Hathaats and Hathenas, Forcing Techniques Ushtra Asana, the Camel Posture Sapurna, Purna and Paravritti Ushtra Asana Nutritional Malt Foods Hatha Yoga Relaxation Tala Kriya, the Palm Tree Action Dridha Kriya, The Firming Action Mans Response to Speeds of Vibration Daily Yoga Practice: Week Eight The Scope of Yoga Hatha Yoga, the Yoga of Health Pranayama Yoga, the Yoga of Breath Control Jnana Yoga, The Yoga of the Wise Karma Yoga, the Yoga of Selfless Action Bhakti Yoga, the Yoga of Devotion Shasha Asana, the Hare Posture Sapurna Shasha Asana, Incompleted Hare Posture Purna Shasha Asana, Completed Hare Posture Paripurna Shasha Asana, the Extended Hare Posture Ashrama Inner and Outer Pancha Prana Vayus, Five Vital Pranas Pancha Kosha, the Five Bodies Sago Cheese Daily Yoga Practice: Week Nine The Scope of Yoga (Cont) Mantra Yoga, the Yoga of Articulate Sound Japa Yoga, the Yoga of Silent Repetition

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Ajapa-Japa Yoga, the Yoga of Silent Repetition of Sound Likhita Yoga, the Yoga of Mantra Writing Dhyana Yoga, the Yoga of Meditation Kundalini Yoga, the Yoga of Energy Arousal Laya Yoga, the Yoga of Re-Absorption Yantra Yoga, (Mudra Yoga), the Yoga of Spiritual Mathematics Tantra Yoga, Yoga of Power Control Personality Yoga, the Building of a Yoga Cult A-Yoga Yoga, Hedonistic Yoga Matsya Asana, the Fish Posture The Cure of Kaphic Disorders Heart Disease and Yoga Nara: Psychic Disassociation Daily Yoga Practice: Week Ten The Gita and Yoga Nikunja Asana, the Flower Bower (Bala Asana, the Baby Posture) Maha Mudra or Pravaaha Pranayama, Tidal Breath Sapurna Maha Mudra Maha Bandha Mudra Purna Maha Mudra The Cure of Kaphic Disorders Unless Ye Become As Little Children Daily Yoga Practice: Week Eleven Yoga in the Gita Inner Concentration Techniques Dharmika Asana, the Devotional Posture Ardha Shashanga Asana, Incomplete Elbows to the Floor Position Purna Shashanga Asana, Complete Elbows to the Floor Position The Cure of Kaphic Disorders Endocrine Glands and Chakras Daily Yoga Practice: Week Twelve Gita Yoga (Cont) Spinal Health Vira Asana, the Heros Posture Shashanga Asana, the Classical Elbows to the Floor Posture Purna Shashanga Asana, the Completed Elbows to the Floor Posture The Cure of Kaphic Disorders The Smoking Habit Shat Chakra Pranayama, the Six Chakras Breath Hatha Yoga and the Chakras Chakra Meditation Daily Yoga Practice: Week Thirteen

VOL.II

YOGA INTERMEDIATE PRACTICES

LESSON XIV. Yoga Drishti The Yoga View o A Healthy Spine Is A Healthy Body: Supta Vajra Asana o Variations on Classical Spinal Postures o Supta Vajra Asana (Paravritti) o Paryanka Asana, The Saddle Posture o Savitri Pranayama, The Rhythmic Breath o Changes Promoted by the Rhythmic Breath o Variations on Vira Asana, The Hero Posture o Namaskara Vira Asana o Anjali Vira Asana; Aagra Mudra Asana o Variations on the Rhythmic Breath o Yoga Drishti The Yoga View o Daily Yoga Practice: Week Fourteen XV. Rhythmic Actions to the Rhythmic Breath o The Body Battery Charger, The Dog Pant o Yoga and Muscular Man o Viloma Asana, the Bridge Posture o Purna Viloma Asana : The Perfected Bridge Posture o Brahma Muhurta Meditation o Vira Asana Variations Dhanwan Vira Asana, Hamsa Vira Asana o Deva-Devi Pranama Mudra Pranama Mudra, Anjali Mudra o The Yoga System of Reverence, Padasparsha Mudra, Aashirwaad Mudra o Daily Yoga Practice : Week Fifteen XVI. Yoga Marga : The Yoga Path o Chakra Asana : The Wheel Posture o The Chakras and Yoga o Brahma Muhurta Meditation o Rectified Timetable for Meditation o Surya Nadi Asana and Pranayama o Chandra Nadi Asana and Pranayama o Anjaneya Tapas Asana o Purna Chakra Asana : The Standing Wheel Posture o Raja Kapota Asana, The Royal Pigeon o Daily Yoga Practice : Week Sixteen XVII. Karma : The Law of Life o The Hazards of Heavy Lifting, General Hints for Lifting o Asanas for the Prevention of Hernias o Dwipada Uttanapada Asana, The Double-Leg Lift Pose o Daily Yoga Practice : Week Seventeen XVIII. The Law of Karma o The Hazards of Heavy Lifting o The Classical Pranayamas o Ardha Shalabha Asana : The Incomplete Locust Posture o Shalabha Asana : The Locust Posture o Shirsha Utta Eka Pada Shalabha Asana (With arms in front) o Sarpa Asana : The Serpent Posture o Daily Yoga Practice : Week Eighteen

XIX. The Source of Karma o Bhastrika Pranayama-The Bellows Breath o The Healing Breath o Variations of Sarpa Asana (Locked hand variation) o Dwi Pada Shalabha Asana, Uttitha Shalabha Asana o Bherunda Asana (Variation), The Lyre Bird Posture o Viparita Shalabha Asana o Sarpa Kriya o Daily Yoga Practice : Week Nineteen XX. Fate or Free Will o Asanas, Kriyas and Mudras o Shava Asana : The Corpse Posture o Uttana Asana : The Yoga Sit up o Nava Asana : The Boat Posture o Nava Kriya : The Boat Action; Navaka Kriya : The Oar-Lock Action o Mukha Bhastrika, The Cleansing Breath o Vajroli Mudra o Glandular Control o Daily Yoga Practice : Week Twenty XXI. Beautiful Living o Glandular Stimulators : Sarvanga Asana o Sarvanga Kriya, The Shoulder Stand Action o Purna Sarvanga Asana o Dhauti Pranayama o Anunasika Pranayama : The Atomic Breath; Ear and Eye Cleansing o Nasal Cleansing Yoga Style; Jala Neti, The Water Douche o Bhujanga Asana : The Incomplete Cobra Posture o Variations on Bhujanga Asana o The Cobra Posture (Variations) o Daily Yoga Practice : Week Twenty-One XXII. Yoga and Diabetes : The Control of Diabetes o Metabolism and Yoga o Viparita Karana, The Topsy-Turvy Action o Diet to Prevent or Cure Diabetes o Smoking and Diabetes o Kokila Asana : The Cuckoo Posture o Unmukha Danda Asana, The Face-Prone Lift o Chaturanga Danda Kriya o Daily Yoga Practice : Week Twenty-Two XXIII. Control and Cure of Digestive Disturbances o Malaise and Yoga; Upset Spleen o Eka Janu Shirsha Asana, One-Knee-to-the-Head Posture o Liver Disturbances; The Pancreas o Dwi Janu Shirsha Asana, Both-Knees-to-the-Head Posture o General Rules in the Use of Foods; Special Rules for Diabetics o Utkata Asana, The Yoga Squat o Chatus Pada Bhumi Sparsha o Meru Asana, The Mountain Posture o Surya Namaskar, The Sun Adoration o Stomach Stretchers

o Breath Sequence For a Simple Surya Namaskar o Daily Yoga Practice : Week Twenty-Three XXIV. Allergies and Intolerance o Hala Asana The Plough Posture o Sapurna Hala Asana : Variation 1 o Hala Asana : Variation 2 o Purna Hala Asana : Variation 3 o Recommended Pranayama For Diabetics o Manomaya : Yoga and Post-Metabolic Activity o Ekapada Hala Asana o Karna Peeda Asana o To Take Off Weight; To Put On Weight o Daily Yoga Practice : Week Twenty-Four XXV. The Bitter and the Sweet o Hatha Peedas and Bandhas o Sethu Bandha Asana, The Bound Bridge Posture o Eka Pada Sethu Bandha Asana o Dwi Pada Sethu Bandha Asana o Uddyana and Nauli Kriya o Hatha Pratipas and Vistris o Dwi-Kurpara Pratipa Asana o Ardha Pratipa-Hala Asana o Pratipa-Hala Asana o Daily Yoga Practice : Week Twenty-Five XXVI. Facing Facts; Excess Sugar o Excess Fats; The Coffin Nail o The Bow Posture o Ardha Dhanurasana, The Semi Bow Posture o Dhanurasana, The Bow Posture o Dhanu Kriya o Tensions and the Practice of Yoga o Dhanurasana Variations o Eka Hasta Dhanurasana o Pada Shirsha Dhanurasana o Urdhva Dhanurasana o Daily Yoga Practice : Week Twenty-Six

VOL.III- ADVANCED YOGA PRACTICES LESSON XXVII Now to Serious Practices! o Slow Down Relax Unwind o Yoga Relaxation o Shirsha Asana, The Head Stand o Stand on Your Head Walk on Your Feet o Kapala Asana o Proper Walk Up to the Head Stand o Makara Asana, The Crocodile Posture o Daily Yoga Practice : Week Twenty Seven XXVIII Real Relaxation o Vriksha Asana, The Tree Posture o Stava Asana o Tala Asana o Prana Jnana Kriya o Sleep and Relaxation o Tension Relaxation Scale o Variations on Vrikshasana o Vatsyayu Asana, The Horse Posture o Baddha Hasta Pada Asana o Daily Yoga Practice: Week Twenty Eight XXIX. Yoga Relaxation o Garuda Asana, The Eagle Posture o Nadi Jnana Kriya o The Dance of Shiva o Rhythmic Movements and Dynamic Stance o Shiva Mudra o Awareness Technique o The Dancing Shiva o Daily Yoga Practice : Week Twenty Nine XXX. Nadi Shoddhana and Nadi Shuddhi o Spinal Twists o Vakra Asana o Ardha Matsyendra Asana o Brahmadanda Asana o Shakti Jnana Kriya The Tingle o Take Your Health In Your Own Hands o Eka pada Vakra Asana o Purna Matsyendra Asana o Advanced Spinal Twists o Daily Yoga Practice: Week Thirty XXXI. The Worlds Most Common Disease o The Teeth o Diet o Oral Hygiene o Kona Asana, the Angular Posture o Agrimassra Asana, The Forward Angular Posture o Akasha Jnana Kriya

o Ardha Chakra Asana o Daily Yoga Practice: Week Thirty One XXXII. Oral Hygiene o Brushing, Scraping and Massaging o Professional Care o New Findings o A Word to the Wise o Trikona Asana The Triangular Posture o Bindu Jnana Kriya o Trikona Asana and Kona Kriya o Padaangusha Asana o Kona Kriya o Eka Hasta Kona Kriya o Dwi Hasta Kona Kriya o Kona Kriya Variations o Daily Yoga Practice: Week Thirty Two XXXIII. The Difficult Art of Being Happy o Master Structure o Parshvakona Asana o Marmanasthanam Kriya o The Cause of Stiffness o Shakti Trikona Asana o Shakti Path Asana o Chatushkona Asana o Daily Yoga Practice: Week Thirty Three XXXIV. The Body and Tension o Shirsha Janu Asana, The Head to the Knee Posture o Manas Chitra Kriya o Natural Relief of Tension o Kraunch Asana, The Curlew or Heron Posture o Sapurna Kraunch Asana o Kraunch Asana : Variation No.1 o Kraunch Asana : Variation No.2 o Daily Yoga Practice: Week Thirty Four XXXV. The Many Names of a Backache o Paschimottana Asana, The Posterior Stretching Posture o Chittamaya Jnana Kriya, Creative Visualization o Arm Strengthening Postures o Purna Baka Asana o Kaka Asana o Baka Asana o Mayur Asana o Mayuri Asana o Daily Yoga Practice: Week Thirty Five XXXVI. Pain and Yoga o Pavana Mukta Asana o Gas Free Posture o Breath Cycle o The Simple Form of Releasing Rectal Gas o Variations of Pavana Mukta Asana

o Eka Pada Pavana Mukta Asana o Antara Jnana Kriya, The Inner Trip o The Gas Relief Postures o Ekakin Vajra Asana, Sole of-the Foot Thunderbolt Posture o Dwi Janu Pavana Mukta Asana o Daily Yoga Practice: Week Thirty Six XXXVII. Surya Namaskar, Sun Adoration o Stava Asana, The Prayer Posture o Pranama Asana, The Greeting Posture o Hasta Uttana Asana, Arms Lifting Posture o Surya Namaskar Kriya o The Health Benefits of Surya Namaskar o Pada Hasta Asana, Hands to Feet Posture o The History of Surya Namaskar o Ashwasanchalana Asana, The Equestrian Posture o Meru Asana, The Mountain Posture o Kokilasana, The Cuckoo Posture o Ashtanga Namaskar, Prostration of Eight Body Parts o Bhujanga Asana, The Cobra Posture XXXVIII. Surya Pranayama Mudra o Simplified Surya Namaskar o Surya Namaskar Part II o Surya Namaskar Part III o Daily Yoga Practice: Week Thirty Seven, Thirty Eight, and Thirty Nine XXXIX. Surya Namaskar Mantras o Veerya Surya Namaskar o Bhoomi Sparsha Utkata Asana o Jnana Surya Kriya o Kokila Asana, The Cuckoo Posture o Meru Asana, The Mountain Posture o Janu Shirsha Asana, The Head To The Knee Posture o Ashwasanchalana Asana, The Equestrian Posture o Veera Bhadra Asana, The Posture of Mighty Shiva o Shirsha Janu Urkata - Asana, The Head to the Knees Sitting Posture o Gulpha Hasta Shirsha Janu Asana o Stava Asana, The Prayer Posture

VOL.IV- SENIOR YOGA PRACTICES. LESSON XXXX. Junk Food Disorders o Cellulite A Glandular Disorder o Eka Pada Dridha Asana o Dridha Asana o Purna Dridha Asana o Paravritta Dridha Asana o Dwi Pada Dridha Asana o Daily Yoga Practice: Week Forty XXXXI. We Are What We Are Plus! o The Gall Bladder and Its Functions o Side Flank Positions o Uttana Eka Pada Dridha Asana o Eka Pada Urdhwa Dridha Asana o Urdhwa Dridha Asana o Uttana Dridha Asana o Ardha Vashistha Asana o Vashistha Asana o Daily Yoga Practice: Week Forty One XXXXII. The Spleen and the Lymphatic System o Lymphatic Disorders o The Spleen o The Appendix o The Lymph o Exercise Diet o Some Additional Information on the Spleen o Simple Lymph Exercises o Variations on Yoga Sitting Postures o Samkatha Asana o Sapurna Samkatha Asana o Samkatha Asana (Feet Drawn to Buttocks) o Purna Samkatha Asana o Vrishabha Asana o Daily Yoga Practice: Week Forty Two XXXXIII. The Story of a Yoga Spine o Vajra Asana o Sukha Asana o Chittrapatanga Asana o Sama Pada Asana o Antaradrishti Kriya o The Kidneys o Baddha Kona Asana and Variations o Purna Baddha Kona Asana o Paripurna Baddha Kona Asana o Daily Yoga Practice: Week Forty Three XXXXIV. Yoga One Pointedness o Siddha Asana, the Adepts Posture o Ardha Padma Asana

o Padma Asana o Good Health and Posture o Some Valuable Isometric like Exercises o Utkatha Asana o Utkatha Vakra Asana o Daily Yoga Practice: Week Forty Four XXXXV. Pratyahara Yoga Sensory Withdrawal o Shabda Kriya o Shabda Pratyahara o Prana Kriya o Higher Pratyahara o Raashi Kriya Shock Therapy o Yoga Foot Postures o Prasiddha Siddha Asana o Siddha Asana o Baddha Padma Asana o Yoga Mudra o Swastika Asana o Yoga Asana o Gupta Asana o Prashad Asana o Shakti Chalana Asana o Daily Yoga Practice : Week Forty Five XXXXVI. Hot Weather Pranayamas o Sitkari Pranayama o Sheetali Pranayama o Kaki Pranayama o Matanga Pranayama o Bhujangi Pranayama o Kavi Pranayama o Cooling Diet o Cool, Cool Water o Rhythmic Breathing o Sama Vritta Pranayama o Asama Vritta Pranayama o Visama Vritta Pranayama o Solar Breath Rhythms o Savitri Pranayama and its effects o Savitre Pranayama o Savitra Pranayama o Savituh Pranayama o Notes on Rhythmic Breathing XXXXVII. Yoga Polarity o Loma Viloma Prakriyas of Pranayama o Loma Viloma Pranayama o Aloma Viloma Pranayama o Pratiloma Pranayama o Prana Mudras o Anu Loma Viloma Polarity Kriyas o Anu Loma Viloma Kriya No. 1 and 2

o Cosmic Polarity o Daily Yoga Practice : Week Forty Seven XXXXVIII. Alu Loma Viloma Prakriya o Pancha Prana Vayus, Five Major Pranas o Upa Prana Vayus, Minor Vital Airs o Para Prana Vayus, the Psycho Mental Pranas o Alu Loma Viloma Prakriya- Part I, II,III,IV,V o Alu Loma Viloma (Sitting Variation Diagram) o Some Extra Advice on the Polarity Prakriyas o Daily Yoga Practice : Week Forty Eight XXXXIX. Hang Sah Kriya o Sabija Karma o Kriya Yoga o Intense Meditation o Hang Sah Kriya o Hang Sah Kriya Part I Pelvis o Hang Sah Kriya Part II Heart o Hang Sah Kriya Part III Head o Extra Instructions on the Hang Sah Kriya L. Yoga Nidraa Sleep, the Sleep of the Yogis o Preparations for Yoga Nidraa o Classical Yoga Nidraa: Psychic Sleep o Yoga Nidraa: No. 1 and Variations o Yoga Nidraa: No. 2 and Variations o How Yoga Nidraa Affects Body, Mind and Psyche o De Hypnosis with Yoga Nidraa o Tension Relaxation Scale LI. Reservations about the Use of Yoga Nidraa o Prana Nadis o Advanced Bhastrikas o Nasarga Bhastrika o Kushala Kriya o Chakras and Prana Nadis (Diagram) o Kapalabhati, the Skull Cleanser o Apanic Visualization o Kaya Kalpa o Pranic Visualization o Pancha Sahita Pranayama, the Five Part Ratio Breath o The Five Body Parts Affected by the Pancha Sahita Pranayama LII. Yoga and Senses o Extra Care of the Eyes o Gomukha Asana o Vrishabha Asana o The Cows Face and Tail o Gopuchha Asana o Pranic Poultice o Eye Drills o A Closing Word o Various Yoga Routines