4/14/2019 - THE 108 MARMAS: VITAL JUNCTION POINTS - — .:. Ed Kishtur .:.

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- THE 108 MARMAS: VITAL

JUNCTION POINTS -
April 10, 2016 / ed kishtur

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This and the following charts picture the location of the Marmas as
devised and developed by the great South Indian sage Agastya and highly
recommended by two ancient texts: the Yogayajnavalkya Samhita and
the Vasishta Samhita.

(En Français)

This article presents compiled and generic material:

as such, I have borrowed some content and
illustrations from Shandor Remete, a source I enjoy
and respect and whose writings I
recommend. Knowledge of the human body and its
vital regions was an important aspect of military
science in ancient Vedic times. The knowledge was
applied simultaneously on the battlefield, as well as
in medicine and surgery. We find 108 vital junctions
over the surface of the body. They appear at the
intersections of different muscular patterns, joints,
tendons, ligaments, bones, arteries, veins, nerves
and subtle energy currents. They are vulnerable
areas as well as key points to different energetic
centers of organic activity.

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The word Marma is derived from the root mrt, which

means death. The vulnerability linked to the Marmas
HOME
has been utilized in Kalaripayyat, the Indian martial
YOGA
art dealing with the science of striking and reviving,
YOGI
and in Ayurvedic massage. The Marmas respond to
+ ALENTEJO
different patterns of muscular use, movement and
+ WRITINGS
breathing. Each Marma relates to a specific Vayu or
Y E S T E R D AY
wind, Dosha or constitutional type, Dhatus (nature
NEWSLETTER of the tissue involved) and Shrotas (vehiculing
PRIVATE channel).
AREA

CONTACT

The Marmas of the Indian system should not be

confused with Chinese acupuncture points. Yet
many parallels can be found within the two systems.
In a similar vein to the Nadis, the subtle energy
channels to be found within the body, of the 108
marmas, 12 are said to be of vital importance, while
the remaining 96 have a supporting function in
relation to the 12. The twelve vital centers are
situated between the center of the perineal floor

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(Yonisthana) and the crown of the head (Adhipati),

and they include the seven Chakras.
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YOGA
We suggested that the 96 medial life centers are
YOGI peripheral to the core. Thirty-two govern the nerves
+ ALENTEJO and soft tissues, while sixty-four affect the blood
+ WRITINGS and the many blood vessels. The ninety-six
Y E S T E R D AY peripheral centers are linked to the eight Nadis
NEWSLETTER (channels) which move the Prana (life force)
PRIVATE through the peripheral areas before feeding back
AREA into the central channel. The eight Nadis are:
CONTACT
2 channels from the eyes to the corresponding
big toes.
2 from the ears to the corresponding big toes.
1 from the throat to the head of the genitals.
1 channel from the neck to the anus.
2 belt channels encircling the abdomen, one
from left to right, the other from right to left.

When good peripheral activity is achieved, the 8

channels are clear and unobstructed and the energy
flows through them unhinged. This energy then
feeds back into the central channels.

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YOGI A correct activation of the Marmas will enhance all

+ ALENTEJO the functions performed by the Nadis above, while
+ WRITINGS an incorrect activation may harm them. As an
Y E S T E R D AY example, the Marmas in the wrists, ankles, and neck
NEWSLETTER govern the tendons and connective tissue
PRIVATE
throughout the whole body, and are therefore
AREA responsible for overall flexibility. A failure to
CONTACT correctly activate these Marmas can easily result in
injuries in other joints and tissues. The information
in the Marmasthana suggests that the appropriate
use of the arms and the legs increase the circulation,
space and support for the joints. If neglected, the
decrease in joint mobility can lead to injuries, both
to the joints concerned and the organs associated to
those joints.

When we start reading the natural patterns of bodily

activity through the lens of the system of the
Marmas, the energy pathways are easily rediscovered
and the energy flow mastered without injury. When
the map of the 108 Marmas is memorized and put to
work in the practice of asanas, the practitioner will
derive direct benefits to the execution of kriyas,
bandhas, pranayamas and mudras. The Marmas do not
solely affect the physiological functions, but exert
great influence over the pranic forces in the thirteen
Nadis. In return, the pranic force eventually pierces
through the 7 chakras (subtle inner energy centers),
neutralizing their active vortexes.

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Once the Chakras are made passive, the prana is no

longer dissipated and the change in regime of the
Pranic energy that ensues is termed the Shakti. As
the practice of the Yogi gradually progresses closer
to meditation, the Marmas all over the body are
brought under voluntary control. When this level of
control is reached, the Marmas can be closed at will,
turning the whole surface of the body into a
protective armor. This furthers conserves Energy
and increases Shakti, the inner latent power.

& "#
13 Comments / 12 Likes

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s.sankar 2 weeks ago · 0
AREA
Likes
CONTACT
Nice and useful to increase interest in this
field

Ashish 3 months ago · 0

Likes
Can you recommend any book that I could
educate my self in this field?

Sachin 6 months ago · 0

Likes
I think you need a Guru to initiate you into
this practice. You must be trained from a
lineage of masters.

Andy Matinog A year ago

· 0 Likes
Hi Ed, I recently came across your website
and am interested why you chose Shandor's
illustrations of the marma points. I see Jonas'
comments below but there is no public
answer. Since you share Shandor's work
openly I wish to see your answers in the open
as well. Best, andy

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ed kishtur
HOME
A year ago · 1 Like
YOGA Dear Andy,
YOGI

+ ALENTEJO Thank you for your comment, and

+ WRITINGS
leaving enough details about your
identity that I can actually imagine
Y E S T E R D AY
who I am writing to and why: I am
NEWSLETTER
going to assume that you are Andy
PRIVATE
AREA
Matinog and not an internet Troll who
is temporarily borrowing Mr Matinog's
CONTACT
identity out of idleness and boredom.

I took daily meditation classes for a

year with Rose Baudin in the early
2000s. Rose used to be a student of
Shandor Remete in 90s, and he left
quite am impression on her: enough so
that she would 'recruit' him in her
teachings quite often. It got me
interested in him, and I investigated
his approach. However, I have never
studied under him. I do appreciate
practitioners who insist on
systematically placing Yoga back into
the greater context that gave it birth,
anchorage, meaning etc...

On this website, I make available what

I consider to be valuable information,
of course graciously: Yoga is also
therapy, and it is meant to help people
as well. Any knowledge that might help
somebody get better, feel better, that
gives tools of personal empowerment,
responsibility and care is to be shared
freely.

If you look at the articles in here, there

are two flavours: generic, compiled
information (typically 'prana and the
prana vayus', 'technique of chi
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diffucion...', 'marmas'), and original

articles where I labour to come up with
HOME
original and interesting ideas and views
YOGA
('mother', 'what i talk about when i talk
YOGI
about yoga'...). For me, whether me or
+ ALENTEJO
anybody else for that matter, any
+ WRITINGS
repackaging of more than ancient
Y E S T E R D AY
knowledge serves only to re-hash the
NEWSLETTER content with an author's own words
PRIVATE and style.
AREA

CONTACT In this respect, I find the ' Chana Yoga'

book fantastic because it introduces
Yoga as part of a huge constellation of
know-hows, practices and ideas. It is a
great bird's eye view of all the things
linked to yoga that need to be at least
considered if not studied. So yes, I
have used the illustrations of the
Shandor book, because they are by far
the stylistically most beautiful I have
seen, hopefully giving proper credit
and references in the intro of the
article, so that the interested reader
can pursue with buying the book if
they want to (I certainly don't make
anything on the link to amazon).

If this is problematic to people

belonging to the shadow yoga school, I
am happy to discuss further, or
redirect readers towards the original
sources, or anything else that would be
fair.

Kind regards

EK

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dominic A year ago · 0

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YOGA
Hello Ed,
YOGI Appreciating the wonderful marma
+ ALENTEJO illustrations that are shown.
+ WRITINGS CAn you tell me the source of these? Are
Y E S T E R D AY they taken from Shador Remete's Shadow
NEWSLETTER Yoga book?
PRIVATE thank you!
AREA

CONTACT
ed kishtur
A year ago · 0 Likes
Dear Dominic,
I am detailing an answer in the
comment above yours.

SDD 2 years ago · 0 Likes

Nice one i loved it

WALTER LEE
CAMPBELL 2 years ago ·
1 Like
As one researcher put it [ in the study of the
marmas there is so much contradiction and
confusion ,you will become a renunciate or a
nut case] the information here and in other
places donot match each other and in some
cases are totally diferent .Iam shocked that
even in the book Marma Points of ayurveda
by vasant ladd there is incomplete
information on the marmas despite the size
and scope of the book.

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EdKishtur
HOME
2 years ago · 0 Likes
YOGA Dear Walter, thank you for your
YOGI comment. There is a reference which is
+ ALENTEJO only focused on the marmas that you
+ WRITINGS might find valuable: "Secrets of
Y E S T E R D AY Marma, the lost secrets of ayurveda"
NEWSLETTER by Dr. Avinash Lele, Dr. Subahash
PRIVATE
Ranade and Dr. David Frawley.
AREA

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Akshay Tandle
3 years ago · 1 Like
Can you send more pics of marma if you have
Nice illustrations
Thanks in advance 😊

Jonas 3 years ago · 0 Likes

This is copied almost word by word from

Shandor Remete's book, also the figures are
from the book, why do you present it as your
own writing?

ed kishtur
3 years ago · 0 Likes
Dear Jonas, I'll be happy to answer
your comment if you provided me with
your contact details

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