pt4xix

{Art of Asana}
This powerful seated twist cultivates equanimity and inner illumination—
two qualities that help us unlock our vast potential and reach yoga’s ultimate aim.
Bharadvaja’s Twist II
(Bharadvajasana II)
What should you expect from yoga? Even if you’ve never done it, you are probably familiar
with its benefits: a healthier, more flexible body, reduced muscular and mental tension, improved
vitality, clearer thinking, deep relaxation, and perhaps even a better, more fulfilling sex life.
But before we conclude that’s all there is to yoga,
let’s consider it in a larger context. Throughout the
ages there have been accounts of masters who cultivated
abilities most of us would describe as fantastic:
the capacity to be in more than one place at the same
time; to consume poison with no ill effects; to foresee
the future; to materialize objects out of thin air; and
even the capacity to affect fate. So…which is it? Does
yoga simply offer a better quality of life or does it have
the potential to expand our capacities in ways that
few of us can even imagine? The answer is: both. It all
depends upon what you practice and how.
The ancient teachings consistently remind us that
siddhis (miraculous powers) are at best distractions
from the deeper purpose of life, and are not goals
worth pursuing in and of themselves. Yet they can
serve as beacons, reminders that hidden within each
of us are great mysteries to solve and unfathomable
possibilities to unlock.
We all come into this world with similar faculties.
Both a sage and a salesman have a mortal body,
five senses, access to prana (the vital force), consciousness,
and a soul. So what determines how
much of our vast potential we will unlock or, more to
the point, how far yoga can take us? The scriptures
are very clear: The key to unlocking our infinite
capacities and fulfilling yoga’s ultimate promise is
the mind. More specifically, we must cultivate two of
the mind’s inherent qualities: equanimity and inner
illumination.
The hatha yoga tradition describes specific practices
that awaken dormant capacities. Yet before we
tackle these advanced techniques we must be firmly
rooted in qualities first cultivated through asana.
Some of the most effective for increasing equanimity
and inner illumination are twists, particularly when
they are held for longer periods of time.
Bharadvajasana II is a powerful seated twist that
builds both these qualities. Like all twists, it releases
contraction in musculature as well as con nective
tissue, while improving visceral processes: the liver,
spleen, kidneys, and particularly the digestive and
eliminative functions are strengthened. At a more
subtle level, twists build samana, the “equalizing
force.” Stored in your abdomen, samana is one of
ten types of prana in the body. Its specific role is to
engender mental and physical stillness, as well as
assimilative capacity. Your capacity to slow down,
rest deeply, and process what you take in, is determined
by your supply of samana.