The Angular Classification of the Body: Health and Rejuvenation
Source: KRI Intl. Teacher Training Certification Level 1 (3-ring binder), pp. 200-203
(a) Lie down on the left side of the body. Put the left arm under the head so the neck can relax as if you are going to sleep. The right arm goes in front of the torso for balance. Lift the right leg all the way up and back down in a steady pace as you do Breath of Fire. Make the pace fast and graceful. Continue for 2-3 minutes. (b) Repeat the exercises lying on the right side of the body. Continue for 2-3 minutes.
Lie flat on the belly. Let the arms rest along the sides. Kick the buttocks in a steady powerful rapid pace with alternating heels. Kick quickly. Breathe normally. Continue for 3 minutes. Then inhale, relax.
Sit on both heels in Lion Pose. Place the hands in place on the ground in front of the knees. Stick the tongue out and down. Bow the forehead to the ground as you exhale strongly through the mouth. Rise up as you inhale through the mouth. Concentrate at the brow point. Continue at a steady pace for 3 minutes. Then inhale in the up position. Hold briefly and relax.
Lie on the stomach. Place the hands under the shoulders and rise up into cobra pose. Keep the hands and arms straight. Kick the buttocks with alternate heels. Continue for 3 minutes.
Begin rhythmic push-ups in the Cobra Pose with the heels lifted. You automatically breathe in as you rise up and exhale as you go down. Continue for 3 minutes.
Alternate between Cobra and Front Platform Poses. Keep the arms straight. In Cobra Poise, put the tops of the feet on the ground. Lift your buttocks up until the body forms a straight platform. Alternate steadily for 2 to 3 minutes.
Rise into a Front Platform Pose. (a) Hold the pose as you balance on the tips of the fingers and the tops of the feet and toes. The neck is straight so you can look down at the ground. Breathe long and deeply as you hold the pose for 2 minutes. (b) Keep the pose, but begin to make a growl like a lion. Let it come from the heart and diaphragm region. A rolling, deep release of sound. Keep growling in this pose for 2 minutes.
Sit on the heels. Then carefully lean all the way back over the heels until the head is on the ground. The arms relax down along the sides. Relax all the muscles of the thighs, calves, legs, pelvis, torso and arms. Relax as if you are asleep. Continue for 3 minutes.
Sit straight in Easy Pose with hands in Gian Mudra. Close the eyes and go into a conscious sleep. Listen to a Guru Ram Das change for 3 minutes.
Lie on the back in Corpse Pose. The arms are relaxed along the side with the palms up. Totally relax every muscle. Then consolidate your energy at the navel point. Imagine you rise up out of the body and look back down at it. See it totally relaxed and healing. Bless the body to regenerate and recuperate. Continue for 6 minutes. Return back into the body through the navel point.
Gradually stretch the whole body as you awaken from relaxation. Rotate wrists and ankles. Twist slowly arms and legs. Cat stretch to each side. Bring the knees to the chest. Press the nose between the knees a few times and rock on the spine.
Comments: The body and mind tend to become stiff and brittle with age. The body snaps and can crack under minor stresses. The mind becomes intolerant to new ideas, circumstances and learning. This can happen at a fairly young age.
You can prevent all of this if you stretch the body when you wake up in the morning and if you do good exercises to keep your flexibility and circulation. This kriya provides that stretch. If you practice it regularly it will give you vitality and prevent many of the diseases that your body might otherwise accept.
Exercise #1 is excellent for the magnetic field, elimination and the samana vayu. #2 is for nervous strength and elimination. #3 is for digestion and the heart. #4 is exceptionally potent to regenerate the lungs and everything above the diaphragm that is ruled by prana. #5 stimulates regeneration of old cells and gives the skin beauty. #7 rejuvenates the brain and the spinal fluid. #8 and #9 distribute the healing energy you generated in the earlier exercises. #9 is a very rejuvenating practice. It was Dhyan Nidra. #10-#12 distributes the prana to all the cells of the body. They heal and relax you.