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Hatha Yoga: The Yogi Philosophy of Physical Well-Being1910
(6) Relax the leg, withdrawing all prana from it and letting it swing loose
and limp from the knee. Then swing it and shake it. First one leg and then
the other.
(7) Stand on a cushion, stool or large book and let one leg swing loose
and limp from the thigh, after having relaxed it completely. First one leg and
then the other.
(8) Raise the arms straight above the head, and then, withdrawing all
prana from them, let them drop of their own weight to the sides.
(9) Lift the knee up in front as high as you can and then draw all prana
from it and let it drop back of its own weight.
(10) Relax the head, letting it drop forward, and then swing it about by
the motion of the body. Then, sitting back in a chair, relax it and let it drop
backward. It will, of course, drop in any direction the moment you withdraw
the prana from it. To get the right idea, think of a person falling asleep,
who, the moment sleep overpowers him, relaxes and stops contracting the
muscles of the neck, allowing the head to drop forward.
(11) Relax the muscles of the shoulders and chest, allowing the upper part
of the chest to fall forward loose and limp.
(12) Sit in a chair and relax the muscles of the waist, which will allow the
upper part of the body to pitch forward like that of a child who falls asleep
in its chair and gradually falls out.
(13) One who has mastered these exercises so far may, if he sees fit, relax
his whole body, commencing with the neck, until he gets down to the
knees, when he will drop gently to the floor “all in a heap.” This is a valuable
acquirement, as in case of one slipping or falling by accident. The practice
of this entire body relaxation will do much to protect them from injury.
You will notice that a young child will relax in this way when it falls, and
is scarcely affected by severe falls which would seriously bruise adults, or
even break their limbs. The same phenomenon may be noticed in the cases
of intoxicated persons who have lost control of the muscles and are in an