Famous Maharshi Ramana

The famous Maharshi Ramana, of South India, who died a few years ago, was famous for his calm steadiness of vision, and also for his constant teaching of the steadiness of the I looking at the I.

We come now to the last of the group of six cleansings, called 'clearing the skull (kapalabhati). This is given as of three kinds, described as processes (a) of air and (b and c) of Dater.

In (a) we have simply the drawing in of air through the left nostril and its expulsion through the right, followed by the reverse process. It is specially specified that indrawing (puraka) and out breathing (rechaka) must be done without any forcefulness, and that it is done to promote health, in form of removal of faults of phlegm.

In (b) water is drawn in through the nostrils and slowly sent out through the mouth, while in (c) the process is reversed, water being taken into the mouth and sent out through the nostrils. One has seen the drinking through the nostrils sometimes being done by dipping the nose in a bowl of water and sucking the liquid in, and sometimes by using a glass and from it drinking the water in at one of the nostrils, Just as one drinks by mouth. It is specially mentioned that the last two practices are conducive to ease of moving and the warding-off of old age.

Nearly all the practices we have mentioned above are described in other books also. In this connexion the Hathayoga Pradpika and the Shiva Sanhita may be specially mentioned.

In the foregoing practices described in this chapter, purification is emphasized. We have also to take into account, however, another class of exercises named madras. Some these have already been given in our Chapter 6, as they are combined with breathings or postures. We will now give a brief account of other important exercise; so this kind.

The Abdominal Uplift (Uddzyana bandha). Standing or sitting, draw the whole 'abdominal area inward and ups ward, a number of times. If one does it a hundred times a day the muscles will become strong and also habituated the 'natural corset' position. At the termination of the exercises, whether the movement has been repeated many times or only a few, one should cease with the indrawn and lifted position. No doubt, while attending to other duties the muscles will fall down again, but one must not give a voluntary assent to this position.

While doing breathing exercises, says the yogakundali Upanishad, one should perform the abdominal uplift at the end of a breath-holding (kumbhaka), just at the beginning of the out breathing (rechaka). It is also, however, a good practice to set up the position or hold (barulha) before starting an exercise in deep breathing, and retain it throughout the whole exercise. This prevents deep breathing from being over-done, to the detriment of the abdominal area.

The uddiyana is also one of those exercises which cart 1 done in bed, and is then useful before the relaxation which is conducive to good sleep.

With a little practice combined with thoughtful attention it will be found that one can perform the backward and upward action of the uddiyana towards the right side or towards the left side. This is a useful variant of the abdominal uplift. A further practice is to uplift the right and left sides at the same time; this leaves a ridge in the centre, and is called nauli. By a combination of the movements one after the other it is possible to give the appearance that the while abdominal contents are in rotation.