# Class Five - Asana 2 **1) Master Swatmarama says that, if we persevere in our practice of the Master’s Pose, then we can achieve the “sheer capsule,” and “the mystic play of going beyond the mind.”  Briefly describe these two goals, including the Sanskrit terms for each, their Sanskrit roots, and related English words** The “sheer capsule” refers to the spontaneous suspension of breath, which occurs when some winds have entered the central channel.  “The mystic play of going beyond the mind” refers to the direct perception of emptiness which occurs when more wind has entered this channel. The Sanskrit term for “sheer capsule” is kevala kumbhaka kevl k…MÉk.  Kevala means one and only, or by itself.  It comes from the two Sanskrit words ka, meaning what (the English who and question are related), along with iva, meaning just that, and found in the adjective ending –ic in English (as in comic).  The Sanskrit root √umbh %NÉ!, to confine, may be a source, and a possible related English word is hamper (in the sense of a basket). “Going beyond the mind” in Sanskrit is unmani %NmnI, which is made of the two pieces ut and man.  Ut means up, and here beyond, and is the source of the word up.  Man comes from the root √man mn! , meaning to think.  Related English words are mental and mind. **2) How does method of taking the Lotus Pose which is described in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika differ from the modern way?  Give also the Sanskrit name for this pose, discussing possibly related English words.** The Lotus Pose in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika includes several additional steps after the legs are tightly bound.  We then wrap our arms around our back and grasp the big toes, setting our chin on our chest, and gazing towards the tip of the nose.  The pose in Sanskrit is called Padmasana, with padma pÒ meaning a lotus.  The English bud or pad (as in a lily pad) may be related. **3) Given the fame of the Lotus Pose, why do you think that Master Swatmarama speaks so highly of the easier sitting pose, the Master’s Pose?** If the Lotus Pose is done with any kind of strain at all, it can very easily cause permanent damage to the knees.  It should not be attempted until the hips are opened organically and naturally with easier hip-opening poses, such as the Auspicious Pose and Master’s Pose. The Master’s Pose is a comfortable and powerful segue into the Lotus, since it is a highly stable pose, does not pressure the knees, and creates acupressure at the muladhara chakra. It’s no mistake that the yogi Swatmarama says that only “those possessed of special wisdom” can master the Lotus Pose.  This is the wisdom of knowing that things come from karma: from how we treat others.  We will be able to get into Lotus properly, and succeed in our meditations in this pose, only if we are kind and take care of others. **4) Describe the “restraint” which gives the Lotus Pose the power to stop all disease.** Master Swatmarama says that “the Lotus Pose stops all disease for all those who can learn to restrain themselves.”  Physically, we are obviously restrained in the Lotus Pose, especially if it is a “Bound Lotus” in which we are holding our toes.  But remember that the Sanskrit word for “restrained” here is yamina, which is a pun upon the word yama, or a moral code of self-restraint.  Master Swatmarama thus is repeating that we can succeed in this highest of poses especially only if we maintain a high degree of kindness towards others. **5) Master Swatmarama says that the Lotus Pose can “give full birth to the female power, making one a person of unthinkable realizations.”    What procedure do we use during this Pose to help trigger this process?** This process is triggered by a yoga or joining of the upper and lower winds of the body: the prana vayu (not to be confused with prana in general, as inner winds) and the apana vayu.  The upper winds are trapped through the process described by yogi Swatmarama of placing the tongue at the base of the upper front teeth, and propping our chin up with the top of our chest.  The lower winds are then raised, either mentally or through the contraction of the diaphragm up with uddiyana bandha.  Of course all this should only be done under the guidance of a qualified Master. **6) Describe how to take the Lion Pose, and its effect on the inner channels.  Give the name for the pose in Sanskrit, and a related English name.** To take the Lion Pose, we place our ankles on either side of our groin; left ankle to the right, and right ankle to the left.  We then place our hands atop our knees, spreading out our fingers.  We open our mouth wide, and gaze towards the tip of our nose, concentrating deeply.  We try to feel the three locks. In versions of the pose at it is practiced in modern times, we make a loud ha sound as we extend our tongue with the mouth wide open. Spreading the knees stretches and opens channels of the legs and groin.  Keeping the fingers spread and stretched opens them in a way that we rarely do during the day, especially if we use computers extensively. Both smiling and stretching our mouth open wide—as we automatically do when we refresh our face muscles with a yawn—act to stretch the ends of the two side channels as they terminate down either side of the nostrils; which themselves exist because of these two channels.  This is like pulling on the top of these channels, stretching them all the way down to the three-way connection near the navel. The name of the pose in Sanskrit is Sinhasana, with sinha is<h meaning lion.  The name of the city Singapore, City of the Lions, is related. **7) Describe the Pose of Excellence in terms of a modern pose; explain the two different ways in which it affects the channels; and then give its Sanskrit name, along with its root, and an English word which may be related.** The Pose of Excellence appears to be the same as the modern pose Baddhakonasana, where we sit with the knees spread out and the soles of the feet pressed into each other.  This first stretches the channels of the inner legs and groin, which promotes the passage of inner wind through these channels.  If we further press our heels into the groin area, we get the effect of acupressure upon the area of the muladhara chakra. The Sanskrit name for this pose is Bhadrasana.  The word bhadra means excellent; it comes from a root √bhand ÉNdœ , meaning to be bright.  The English word bright is possibly related.