Yoga: Yogasana and Pranayama for Health

"Yoga as a system of physical exercise has been in existence in India since very ancient times. According to our ancient sages, there are eight stages of Yoga, namely Yama (Social Discipline), Niyama (Individual Discipline), Asana (Postures), Pranayama (Breath Control), Pratyahar (Mental Discipline), Dharana (Concentration), Dhyana (Meditation) and Samadhi (Self-realization). If an aspirant, after observing the disciplines of Yama and Niyama, practises Yogic exercises, his tubular channels are cleansed, he achieves excellent health and his mind becomes alert. This enables him to experience mental ecstacy. This book has been written for the common man. An humble effort has been made here to show through simple language and neat figures the usefulness and importance of Yagasana and Pranayama. In this book, sixty-five important asanas have been explained and illustrated. Nowadays Yoga is also used for the cure of several physical and mental ailments, and keeping this in view effects of Yogasana on more than forty diseases have been discusses. The asanas given in this book have been discussed from the point of view of their therapeutic use. So the reader is not required to refer to any other books on the subject. This book contains along with Yogasanas an explanation of the process of Surya Namaskara. Surya Namaskara is a complete exercise. The twelve stages of Surya Namaskara have been fully explained with fugures with a view to enabling an aspirant to practise Surya Namaskara easily for maintaining his health. Besides this, their benefits have also been mentioned. The practice of Yogasanas is incomplete without Pranayama. Hence a general explanation of Pranayama has been given with reference to health and Yogasanas. I am deeply obliged to Prof. R. M. Shah for this English version of my Gujarati book..." [from preface by author]