For the Second Body (Negative Mind)

(The Ten Light Bodies of Consciousness, Nirvair Singh Khalsa, pp. 34-37)

Sit with the legs stretched out in front of you. SO SO SO SO HUNG HUNG HUNG HUNG. Pranayam. A 4:4 breathing pattern. Inhale in 4 parts, exhale in 4 parts. Fill your lungs up completely on the inhale, exhale the air out completely on the exhale. The eyes are 1/10 open and 9/10th closed, which means you’re going to look hazily out at your legs as you do this exercise. Hands in Gyan Mudra. Straighten up your back and lean back as far as you can without falling over. Mentally chant SO SO SO SO HUNG HUNG HUNG HUNG. (“SO” is the personal embodiment of “SA,” Infinity; “HUNG” is the Infinite, vibrating and real; literally, “I am that.”) 3 minutes total. To end, inhale, close the eyes, exhale, and relax the arms. Sit in Easy Pose, normal breath, have the hands in the lap. Rest a moment. Eyes focused at the brow point. Don’t do this for more than 3 minutes. Open your eyes.

Moving Wide Leg Stretch. Stretch the legs out wide in front of you. Take it easy with this. Inhale up center, exhale stretch left; inhale up center; exhale stretch center; inhale up center; exhale stretch right. Eyes closed. 2 minutes.

To end, inhale up center, exhale, relax the breath and slowly and carefully bring the legs together. Come standing up.

Triangle Pose. (Bring the feet about shoulder width apart, the feet creating a right angle to the plane of the body. Bend from the waist and place the hands on the floor. Hands are narrower than shoulder width apart. Have the thumb tips touching if possible. Elbows and knees are straight and the head is in line with the upper arms. Tilt the pelvis forward and push down through the shoulders, keeping equal weight on the hands and feet. Create a straight line between your wrists and your hips and from your hips to your heels. The chin is pulled in, elongating the neck. Roll the armpits toward each other. This is for the navel point, the nervous system, the life nerve, sex nerve and lower back. If you find yourself quivering a little bit in this position that’s OK. We want a little stress on the nervous system so it can build its strength.) 3 minutes.

Body Survey Rest. Inhale and exhale, come down on the knees and then lie down flat on your stomach. Have the head to the side, arms by the side, rest a moment. As you’re resting, survey the body. Start with the feet; go to the top of the head. Just check yourself out. Feel where you’re keeping tension in the body — whether it’s in the front part of the body, the back part of the body or your internal body. Where are you collecting tension? 1 minute.

Cobra Pose. Still lying down flat on the stomach, bring the chin on the ground with the palms down underneath and slightly forward of your shoulders. Have the legs together, tops of the feet on the ground. Inhale and raise the head up, chest up and now smoothly push yourself up. Make sure the arms are shoulder width apart, elbows straight, fingers pointing forward, shoulders rolled back and down, chest high and head high. Most people have a problem doing Cobra Pose correctly while keeping their pelvis on the ground. It puts a strain on the lower back. The whole pelvis can be off the ground for beginning students (on the ground for flexible, advanced students). You can also rest on the forearms and bend the elbows if it is more comfortable for you. Cobra Pose opens the diaphragm and chest. It energizes the navel and heart centers and is a great total stretch for the spine. During this exercise keep the breath long, slow and deep. Inhale energy up the spine and exhale energy out the brow point. Feel that happening, or visualize light coming up the center of the spine on the inhale and on the exhale, project that light out the brow point. 3 minutes.

To end, inhale, exhale, hold the breath out and apply Root Lock (squeeze the rectum, sex organs and pull the navel point in). Release Root Lock, inhale, exhale, slowly lower yourself down, belly, chest, chin.

Baby Pose. Once the chin hits the ground, slowly push yourself up into baby pose, up on the knees and sit back on the heels, forehead on the ground. Have the arms by the sides, hand next to the heel with the palms up. Relax in this position with normal breath. (If there is too much pressure on the head and neck then have the forearms on the ground supporting the head.) Baby Pose is a resting posture that aids digestion and soothes the heart and circulation. 1 minute.

Spine Flex with Held Breath. Slowly rise up and stay on the knees and heels, or sit cross-legged if you want to. Inhale and flex the spine forward, holding the breath in, exhale and flex the spine back. Keep the breath in as you flex the spine as long as you can comfortably hold the breath in. Place the tongue on the gum line of the top teeth and press there gently. You’ll probably be able to hold and flex between 15 and 45 seconds. When you need to, straighten up, stop the motion, exhale through the nose, inhale through the nose again initiate the spine flexes again, holding the breath. 3 minutes. (This is a rejuvenating exercise, brings a lot of extra oxygen into the blood. Yogis say that doing this regularly can reverse the aging process. This will make you young and juicy again!)

To end, come upright, exhale, inhale, come off the knees and sit in Easy Pose.