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• It is now time to talk about resting. When one feels the need to take a break from āsana practice, one can lie down and slowly allow all the joints to relax. All the joints should be kept loose. Start at the toes, then turn your attention to the ankles, then the calf muscles, and let go. Then move on to the knees, the hamstrings, the huge thigh mus...
• smoother, until your breath is normal and you feel refreshed. Rest for a brief period, then proceed with further yoga practice.
• The procedure is thus to do śīrṣasanam for twenty-four breaths, followed by a two-minute rest in śavāsana. Then one should do sarvāṅgāsana for the equal number of twenty-four breaths, followed by a sitting posture such as padmāsana for a few breaths, until one feels normal and relaxed. This is the method of progression, or vinyāsa. Even then, śīrṣā...
• The breathing pattern in śīrṣāsana requires some attention. As mentioned, there are four distinct steps in breathing in yogāsana practice. One should practice normal inhalation (pūraka), with no deliberate holding after inhalation in the initial stages of practice, and then a long exhalation (recaka). During the changeover from pūraka to recaka, ho...
• kumbhaka, say, for up to five seconds after inhalation and for up to ten seconds after exhalation (bāhyākumbhaka), may be practiced. During bāhyākumbahka, one should slowly start practicing mūla bandha and uddīyāna bandha as well. If one is steady (sthira) and comfortable (sukha) in śīrṣāsana, then the effects of the bandhas are accentuated owing t...