Yoga and Longer Life: Practise Yoga To Prolong Life

By Sri Swami Sivananda

Practise Yoga To Prolong Life

The practice of Yoga lessens and prevents the decay of tissues, by increasing the life-force, and fills the system with abundant energy.

By the practice of Yoga the blood is charged with abundant oxygen. The brain and spinal centres are rejuvenated.

By the practice of Yoga, the accumulation of venous blood is stopped. The body is filled with abundant energy. The brain-centres and the spinal cord are strengthened and renovated. Memory is improved. Intellect is sharpened. Intuition is developed.

How can one who does not know his own body hope to achieve success in Yoga? First have a strong, firm and healthy body through the practice of Hatha Yoga and then take to Raja Yoga.

Breathing plays an important role in prolonging human life. Therefore, practise Pranayama regularly.

A rabbit that breathes very rapidly does not live very long. Practise rhythmic breathing and deep breathing.

There are detailed practices in Yoga for cleansing of the food-tube (Dhauti) and the stomach, as simple and effective as cleansing of the teeth.

There are methods in Yoga (Trataka) for strengthening the eyesight and cleansing the nose.

People who suffer from overweight, constipation or dyspepsia will specially find this Yoga-practice very useful.

Through the practice of Yoga, the evolution of man is quickened. What he can gain in hundreds of births, he can gain in one birth through the practice of Yoga, and attain final emancipation. He can attain longevity and attain perfect health. He can compress in one life the experiences of several hundreds of births.

He who practises Basti or Yoga-enema never suffers from constipation and other abdominal disorders.

From "Kundalini Yoga" by Sri Swami Sivananda. See all articles here: Sivananda Kundalini Yoga