Dipping Your Face in Ice Cold Water

• Wash your face with facial wash and rinse with warm water and towel dry
• Get a big bowl and fill it with a lot of ice cubes and water; enough to fully immerse your face
• Dip your face into the ice cold water for a couple of seconds; about 10 seconds
• Try not to touch your face for a couple of seconds. You might experience a tingly, icy sensation. 

 Use cold water. Fill an empty 1 gallon jug with water and put it in the freezer for 2 hours. Pour the water into a bowl, then dip your face in the water for 25 seconds (5 dips for 5 seconds each). Repeat a few times every day.


 

Benefits of Ice Cold Water Dipping:

• Invigorates the skin and gets the blood pumping and that improves muscle tone and reverses sagging skin.
• Some people believe cold water closes pores.
• It is also known to tighten the pores.

How to Build Your Vocabulary

1. Become actively receptive to new words. Every time you read, there are opportunities to increase your vocabulary. Don't ignore these opportunities. Many of us tend to skip unknown words and gain general understandings of phrases or paragraphs from their overall context. If you're used to doing this, it may require additional effort to remember to note down the unknown words. Train yourself to be invariably aware when reading and listening to others, and remember the words that are not known to you. Look them up later in a dictionary.
   
   
   
   • Consider keeping a small notebook with you and quickly jot down unknown words as you come across them for checking later. If you hear or see a word you don't know, be sure to look it up.
   • Let new words percolate in your mind. Learn the meanings and then add them into everyday speech as regularly as possible. Provided you're using each new word accurately and in context, it will begin to become second nature and you won't worry about forgetting the definitions.
2. 2
   Read more. Once you leave school, you won't get new word drills and reading will become a cornerstone of building your vocabulary repertoire. As well as aiming to read well written magazines, essays, and Online material, read as many books as you have time and inclination for. Seek out the tomes of Dickens, Austen, and Hawthorne. Deliberately find books that are hard to read such as William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury and James Joyce's Ulysses.
   
   
   
   • Try nonfiction and technical books: these will rapidly teach you not only new ways to speak, but also new ways to think.
   • There are many erudite books to ponder at Project Gutenberg^[1], or auditorily at LibriVox^[2].
   • If your reading today is largely restricted only to the quick perusal of daily newspapers, then change your habits. Try the long, difficult stories in national, international and business newspapers and magazines, especially the columnists' blogs. A magazine such as the Economist or Time^[3] is a great option where few newspapers are available because a subscription can be mailed anywhere...economically. Also try to read at least one book and several magazines every week. Not just this week and the next week, but every week for a long time. As well as improving your vocabulary, you'll also keep updated and backdated, your general knowledge will increase, and you'll be a well-rounded person who knows a lot more than many other people do.
3. 3
   Add the new words you meet in your reading to your own vocabulary. When you see an unfamiliar word in a book, magazine, manual, etc., do not skip over it impatiently. Instead, pause for a moment and say it to yourself. Get used to its sound and its appearance. At first, try to puzzle out its possible meaning in the context of the sentence. Whether you come to the right conclusion or not, whether indeed you're even able to come to any intelligent conclusion at all is of no importance. What is important is that, by that process, you're becoming super conscious of the new word. As a result, you will suddenly notice that this very word pops up unexpectedly again and again in all sorts of places. For now your mind has been alerted to notice it. Once you've tried this exercise, look it up in the dictionary and confirm its meaning. After you've seen each newly learned word a few times, you will know fairly accurately not only what it means but the many ways in which it can be used; best of all, it'll now form a part of your natural vocabulary.
   
   
   
4. 4
   Write more. The more you write, the more your vocabulary increases as you're forced into a position of expanding your word usage to convey precisely what it is that you wish to get across to the reader. When writing, aim to replace commonly used words with less used and more descriptive and interesting words; get out the thesaurus and use more challenging words. Doing this can improve your fiction, biographical, and some forms of work writing a great deal.
   
   
   
   • Most material written for public dissemination aims to avoid the use of words that the average reader would not know. Keep this in mind when flexing your new vocabulary; you'll still need to keep your plain English in good usage for everyday writing, especially in most work environments.
   • Try to avoid falling back on buzzwords. You can still say what you mean without resorting to them and people will probably have a far clearer understanding of your point.
5. 5
   Read the dictionary. Expanding your vocabulary will always be improved by regularly diving into the dictionary and reading entries for words you aren't yet familiar with. This requires the ownership of a quality dictionary to make it more interesting, so look for a dictionary that has lengthy explanations on the origins and uses of words, as these will go a long way to helping you remember the word and enjoy using your dictionary.
   
   
   
   • Sign up to be emailed a "Word of the Day" using one of the many online dictionaries. You can also procure for yourself a Word of the Day calendar; be sure to read the word on the page each day and aim to remember each day's word and even use it somewhere in your day.
   • Visit word building sites such as freerice.com and construct an expansive vocabulary while nourishing the hungry or doing something else useful.
   • There are many online sites devoted to compiling alphabetical lists of unusual, weird, old-fashioned, and difficult words. Avail yourself of the search engine to find these sites and to learn from them. This is a great way to while away time waiting for a bus or in the bank queue.
6. 6
   Do word puzzles and play word games. Word puzzles are an excellent source of increasing your word knowledge because the puzzle creators will often need to resort to an array of unusual words to ensure that the words fit into their puzzles and that they are interesting for the puzzle doer. There are many varieties of vocabulary puzzles, including crosswords, find-a-word and hidden word puzzles. As well as strengthening your word knowledge, puzzles are also good for improving your critical thinking skills. For word games, try such games as Scrabble, Boggle, and Cranium to extend your vocabulary.
   
   
   
7. 7
   Learn a little Latin. Although it might seem like a dead and done language, knowing a bit of Latin is an excellent way to learn the roots of many words in the English language and can help you figure out the meaning of a wide range of words that you don't yet know without having to resort to the dictionary. There are online Latin learning resources, as well as plenty of texts (check out your favorite used books bookstore).
   
   
   
8. 8
   Open your mind to new ideas. Every word you see is the translation of new idea. Think for few minutes of the areas of human knowledge that may possibly be unknown to you - psychology, semantics, anthropology, science, art, music, management, etc. Then, attack one of these areas methodically, by reading books on that particular subject. In every field, from the simplest to the most abstruse, there are several books for the average, untrained lay reader, right through to those for experts in the field. Push yourself with the reading as far as you can, to expose yourself to new ways of using the vocabulary and forming ideas; doing this will give you both a good grasp of the subject and, at the same time, add new vocabularies to your existing knowledge.
   
   
   
9. 9
   Set a goal. If you do nothing about your vocabulary, you will learn, at most, twenty-five to fifty new words in the next twelve months. With a conscious effort, you can learn several thousands of new words. Set your self a goal of finding and remembering several new words every day. While this may sound ambitious, you will discover as soon as you start actively looking for new words in your reading, and actively doing reading of a more challenging type, that new words are all around you and that this is an exciting goal to fulfill. And understand this – vocabulary building snowballs. The results of each new day search will be greater and greater. Once you provide the necessary initial push, once you gain momentum, once you become addicted to looking for new words, for finding new words and for taking possession of new words, you'll find you can't stop.
   
   
   
10. 10
    Make looking up 10 words in the dictionary a day a habit. Once that gets real simple start looking up 20,30, 40, etc.
    
    
    
11. 11
    Read the newspapers everyday. If you come across a word whose meaning is unknown to you, underline it and look up the word in the dictionary. Try using the new words you have learned in your daily conversation. Make it a habit. Start with a page a day, and in a while, your vocabulary will be expanded.
    
    
    
12. 12
    Use the new words that you met into a sentences.
    
    
    

Prayer For A Loved One

Prayer For A Loved One


Dear Heavenly Father,

You have abundantly blessed me
With special loved ones...
Who have loved and comforted me
Throughout this life of mine.

Thank you for being so gracious to me;
You take care of my every need.

I come to You in prayer
Asking You to bless...
A very special loved one.

This dear person is in pain;
The kind only You can take away.

As I send up this prayer
Please comfort my loved one;
And in Your own unique way...
Let them feel Your presence.

It will help them so much to know;
That they are never ever really alone.

I have complete trust in You...

I know that You can hear me;
And will answer my prayer.

Soon my loved one will know
Just how much You and I love
And care for them so.

Thank You once again
For all that You do;
Not just for me,
But many others too.

Kriya Yoga

The Kriya Yoga Practices
     By tradition there are a total of 76 kundalini kriyas of kriya yoga. We present the following 20 main practices, which are sufficient for the daily practice of any sincere sadhaka.

     The practices are divided into three groups: those which induce pratyahara, those which induce dharana, and those which induce dhyana. It should be noted that these three states are actually a continuity of evolution, that is, the consciousness flows from one to the next without any apparent dividing point - so these practices should be done in an unbroken sequence. Of course, from the first day, the practice of these kriyas will not necessarily lead to such exalted states of awareness, but if they are practised properly with correct guidance, by an aspirant who is ready for them, then most likely, one day they will. It will be at that stage that the constant, unbroken progression of awareness will become essential. Remember, you should learn one kriya per week.




     PRATYAHARA PRACTICES




     № 1: Vipareeta karani mudra (the attitude of inversion)


     Assume vipareeta karani asana (described in chapter 9).

     The chin should not touch the chest.

     Kriya №1 Vipareeta Karani Mudra

     Practise subtle ujjayi pranayama.

     Be sure that your legs are completely vertical.

     Close your eyes.

     Inhale with ujjayi and simultaneously feel a hot stream of amrit or nectar flowing through the spinal passage from manipura chakra to vishuddhi in the throat.

     The nectar will collect at vishuddhi.

     Retain the breath for a few seconds, and be aware of the nectar remaining at vishuddhi and becoming cool.

     Then exhale with ujjayi, sensing the nectar travelling from vishuddhi through ajna, bindu and to sahasrara.

     The sensation is that of the nectar being injected with the help of the breath.

     After exhalation, immediately return your awareness to manipura and repeat the kriya to bring more nectar down to vishuddhi, and finally to sahasrara.

     Practise 21 respirations or rounds.




     № 2: Chakra anusandhana (the discovery of the chakras)



     Assume siddhasana/siddha yoni asana or padmasana.

     Close the eyes.

     Breathe normally.

     There is no connection between the breath and the consciousness in this practice.

     Bring your awareness to mooladhara chakra.

     Your consciousness will slowly ascend the frontal passage of arohan from mooladhara to the frontal point of swadhisthana at the pubic bone, manipura at the navel, anahata at the sternum, vishuddhi at the throat and across to bindu at the top, back of the head.

     As you travel upward, mentally repeat "mooladhara, swadhisthana, manipura, anahata, vishuddhi, bindu", as you pass through these centers.

     Then let your awareness slip down the spinal awarohan passage from bindu to mooladhara, mentally repeating "ajna, vishuddhi, anahata, manipura, swadhisthana, mooladhara" as you pass through these centers.

     From mooladhara, immediately start ascending in the frontal passage as before, mentally reciting the chakra names as you ascend, starting with swadhisthana.

     

Kriya №2 Chakra anusadhana

     Continue this rotation of awareness through the chakras in a constant flow of rounds.

     Do not make a serious, tensed effort to locate the chakras as you pass through them.

     Merely glance at them as you go by, as you would view the scenery from a fast moving train.

     If you wish, you can visualize your awareness in this kriya as a thin silver serpent travelling in an ellipse within your body.

     Practise 9 rounds.




     № 3: Nada sanchalana (conducting the sound consciousness)

     Sit in siddhasana/siddha yoni asana or padmasana.

     Exhale completely.

     Keep your eyes open.

     Bend your head forward, so that it drops downward in a relaxed manner.

     The chin should not press tightly on the chest.

     Bring your awareness to mooladhara chakra.

     Repeat mentally, "mooladhara, mooladhara, mooladhara".

     Then as you inhale, your consciousness should rise up through the frontal passage of arohan to bindu.

     Have a clear awareness of swadhisthana, manipura, anahata and vishuddhi, as you pass by them on your way to bindu, and mentally repeat their names.

     As your awareness is travelling from vishuddhi to bindu during the last segment of your inhalation, your head will slowly rise and tilt back slightly into a position facing about 20° above the horizontal.

     With the breath stored inside you and the awareness at bindu, mentally repeat, "bindu, bindu, bindu."

     The power of the awareness will build up as you are repeating the word "bindu" and it will explode into the vocal chant of 0m, which will carry you down through the spinal passage of awarohan to mooladhara.

     The "O" sound of Оm will be explosive and sudden.

     The "m" sound will be long and drawn out, culminating almost in a buzz as you approach mooladhara.

     As your awareness descends in the spine, your eyes will gradually close in unmani mudra.

     As you descend through the awarohan passage with the Оm sound, you should also be aware of ajna, vishuddhi, anahata, manipura and swadhisthana chakras; no mental repetition.

     When you have reached mooladhara, drop your head forward and open your eyes.

     Mentally repeat, "mooladhara, mooladhara, mooladhara", with the breath retained outside and start on the ascent as before, with inhalation and repetition of the chakra names as you pass through them.

     Practise 13 full rounds or breaths and end after the last "mooladhara, mooladhara, mooladhara."




     № 4: Pawan sanchalana (conducting the breath consciousness)

     Sit in padmasana, siddhasana or siddha yoni asana, and keep your eyes closed.

     Practise khechari mudra throughout this kriya. Exhale completely and bend your head forward as in nada sanchalana.

     Become aware of mooladhara and repeat mentally, 'mooladhara, mooladhara, mooladhara'. Then mentally say 'arohan' once and begin your ascent through the frontal passage with a subtle ujjayi inhalation.

     As you ascend, be aware of the chakras as you pass through them and repeat their names mentally.

     As your awareness moves from vishuddhi to bindu, your head should slowly rise until it leans slightly backward as in nada sanchalana.

     At bindu mentally repeat, "bindu, bindu, bindu".

     Then say "awarohan" mentally and descend through the spinal passage with ujjayi exhalation, mentally reciting the name of each chakra as you pass through it.

     As you descend, your eyes will close very gradually to form unmani mudra, the attitude of drowsiness.

     At mooladhara they will be closed.

     Then open your eyes and bend your head forward.

     Repeat mentally "mooladhara,mooladhara, mooladhara".

     Again begin your ascent with ujjayi inhalation, as before.

     Practise 49 rounds or complete breaths.

     After the last "mooladhara, mooladhara, mooladhara", open your eyes and end the practice.




     No. 5: Shabda sanchalana (conducting the word consciousness)

     Sit in siddhasana, siddha yoni asana or padmasana. Keep your eyes open and practise khechari mudra throughout the kriya.

     Exhale completely, bend your head forward and become aware of mooladhara chakra for a few seconds.

     Inhale with ujjayi and ascend the frontal passage.

     As you ascend, be aware of the sound of the breath which takes the form of the mantra so.

     Simultaneously, be aware of each kshetram, without mental repetition.

     As you travel from vishuddhi to bindu, the head will move upward as in pawan sanchalana and nada sanchalana.

     Then, with the breath retained inside, be aware of bindu for a few seconds.

     Then descend the spinal passage doing unmani mudra and being simultaneously aware of the natural sound of exhalation and the mantra ham.

     Be aware of each chakra without repetition of its name.

     After reaching mooladhara, open the eyes and lower your head.

     Begin your ujjayi inhalation, rising through the frontal passage with the inhalation mantra of so.

     Continue in this manner for 59 full rounds or breaths.




     No. 6: Maha mudra (the great attitude)

     This kriya can either be practised in perfect siddhasana or siddha yoni asana,or in the asana known as utthan padasana. If maha mudra is to be practisedin siddhasana, then it should be done as follows:

     Sit in siddhasana or siddha yoni asana, with the heel of the lower foot pressing firmly in towards mooladhara chakra.

     Practise khechari mudra, exhale completely and bend your head forward.

     Keep your eyes open.

     Repeat mentally, "mooladhara, mooladhara, mooladhara".

     Ascend through the frontal passage with ujjayi inhalation, being aware of the kshetram as you pass through them.

     Raise your head as you are crossing from vishuddhi to bindu.

     At bindu repeat mentally, "bindu, bindu, bindu".

     Practise moola bandha and shambhavi mudra with the breath still retained inside.

     Say to yourself mentally, "shambhavi - khechari - mool", while at the same time shifting your awareness to the center of these practices.

     When you say "shambhavi", your awareness should be fixed at the eyebrow center.

     When you say "khechari", your awareness should be fixed at the tongue and roof of the mouth.

     When you say "mool", your awareness should be fixed at mooladhara chakra.

     Beginners should repeat this shifting of awareness 3 times. Advanced aspirants can rotate their awareness up to 12 times.

     Then, first release shambhavi mudra, then moola bandha.

     Bring your awareness back to bindu and travel down your spinal passage to mooladhara, with ujjayi exhalation and unmani mudra, and be aware of the chakras as you pass through them.

     On reaching mooladhara, bend your head forward.

     Then repeat "mooladhara, mooladhara, mooladhara" and ascend thefrontal passage with ujjayi inhalation, as before.

     Practise 12 rounds or breaths and end after the last "mooladhara, mooladhara, mooladhara".


     Alternative practice in utthan padasana

     When practising maha mudra in utthan padasana, a slight change must be made in the technique.

     After ascending to bindu, repeat "bindu, bindu, bindu".

     Lean forward and hold the big toe of your extended foot with the fingers of both hands, to form utthan padasana.

     The stretched knee must not bend.

     Now practise moola bandha and shambhavi mudra.

     Repeat, "shambhavi - khechari - mool" from 3 to 12 times, passing your awareness to the seats of these practices as you repeat their names.

     Release shambhavi, then moola bandha, then utthan padasana, and place your hands back on your knee.

     Bring your consciousness back to bindu, and then descend the spinal passage with the ujjayi exhalation and unmani mudra.

     If maha mudra is practised with utthan padasana, then practise 4 rounds with the right leg stretched forward, 4 rounds with the left leg stretched forward, and 4 rounds with both legs stretched forward.

     Choice of method: Both alternatives are equally good, as both apply a firm and constant pressure at rnooladhara.

     If you can easily sit in siddhasana, then the best method is the first one described. If you cannot sit comfortably in siddhasana, then use the alternative. It is easy to become sleepy while doing kriya yoga and this alternative has an added advantage of helping to remove sleepiness.

     Note: You can also mentally repeat the names of the chakras and kshetram as you ascend and descend arohan and awarohan.




     No. 7: Maha bheda mudra (the great piercing attitude)

     This mudra can either be practised in perfect siddhasana, siddha yoni asana, or in utthan padasana, as with maha mudra. If practised in siddhasana or siddha yoni asana, the technique is as follows:

     Practise khechari mudra and keep your eyes open and head down.

     Exhale completely.

     Repeat mentally, "mooladhara, mooladhara, mooladhara".

     Inhale with ujjayi as you ascend the frontal passage to bindu.

     As you ascend from vishuddhi to bindu, raise your head.

     Repeat mentally, "bindu, bindu, bindu", and then descend the spinal passage to mooladhara with ujjayi exhalation and unmani mudra.

     Be sure to notice the chakras as you pass through them.

     Then practise jalandhara bandha with the breath retained outside.

     Practise moola bandha, uddiyana bandha and nasikagra drishti.

     Repeat mentally, "nasikagra-uddiyana-mool", while simultaneously placing your awareness at the seats of these practices in turn.

     Repeat this cycle of awareness 3 times if you are a beginner, or up to 12 times if you are experienced.

     Then release nasikagra drishti, moola bandha, uddiyana bandha and jalandhara bandha, but keep the head down.

     Bring your awareness back to mooladhara. Repeat the mantra "mooladhara, mooladhara, mooladhara", mentally.

     Then with ujjayi inhalation, ascend the frontal passage to bindu for the next round.

     Practise 12 full rounds or breaths.


     Alternative method in utthan padasana

     If maha mudra is practised in utthan padasana, then it must be done as follows:

     Place your hands on your bent knee, exhale completely and bend your head forward, eyes open.

     Repeat mentally, "mooladhara, mooladhara, mooladhara".

     Inhale with ujjayi through the frontal passage from mooladhara to bindu, raising your head while moving from vishuddhi to bindu.

     Repeat "bindu, bindu, bindu", and then exhale with ujjayi through the spinal passage, doing unmani mudra and being aware of the chakras en route.

     Hold the breath outside and bend forward to grasp the big toe of your extended foot to form utthan padasana.

     Press your chin against the chest to form jalandhara bandha.

     Practise moola bandha, uddiyana bandha and nasikagra drishti while still retaining the breath outside.

     Repeat mentally, "nasikagra - uddiyana - mool", while simultaneously placing your awareness at the seats of these practices in turn.

     Repeat this cycle of awareness 3 times if you are a beginner, or up to 12 times if you are experienced.

     Then release nasikagra drishti, moola bandha and uddiyana bandha.

     Bring your hands to your knees and sit up straight. Release jalandhara but keep your head bent down.

     Bring your awareness back to mooladhara.

     Repeat the mantra "mooladhara, mooladhara, mooladhara", and then ascend the frontal passage with ujjayi inhalation.

     Practise in this way for 4 full rounds or breaths with your right leg extended, then practise 4 times with the left leg extended, and finally 4 times with both legs extended.

     After the fourth time in each position, ascend once to bindu with ujjayi inhalation. Repeat the bindu mantra, descend to mooladhara and repeat its mantra, relax and then change legs.

     Note: The rotation of awareness through nasikagra, uddiyana and mool is done with outside retention of the breath at mooladhara. You are advised to practise only 3 rotations at first, slowly increasing one rotation per week until you can complete 12 rotations.

     * Make sure that all the bandhas are performed correctly and in the right sequence. At first you will have to pay special attention to this, but with regular practice the bandhas will lock and tighten automatically, without effort and at the right stages of the kriya.

     * Nosetip gazing helps to tighten the lock of the bandhas. Make sure that nasikagra drishti and the bandhas are practised simultaneously and that you do not omit any of them while rotating awareness through the centers. Do not strain.

     * If you are feeling pain or discomfort in the eyes, stop nasikagra drishti but continue the bandhas and rotation of awareness. Slowly increase the duration of nasikagra as the eye muscles adapt to the practice.

     * You can repeat the "mooladhara" mantra 3 times before applying the bandhas as well as repeating 'mooladhara' з times at the beginning of a new round.

     * Also, the names of the chakras and kshetram can be mentally repeated as you ascend and descend arohan and awarohan.


     No. 8: Manduki kriya (the frog attitude)


     Sit in bhadrasana, the gentleman's pose.

     Your eyes should remain open.

     The area of your body below mooiadhara chakra must touch the ground. If it doesn't, then use a cushion to exert pressure on this point.

     Place your hands on your knees and practise nasikagra drishti.

     Become aware of your natural breath flowing in and out of your nostrils.

     With inhalation the breath flows through both nostrils and merges at the eyebrow center. As you exhale the two flows diverge from the eyebrow center and move out through both nostrils.

     The breath follows a conical or inverted V-shaped pathway. Feel this.

     Simultaneously, be aware of all smells.

     The point of this kriya is to smell the aroma of the astral body which has a scent like that of sandalwood.

     If your eyes become tired, close them for some time and then resume nasikagra drishti.

     Practise this kriya until it becomes intoxicating.

     Do not carry it so far that you become totally absorbed in it and do not wish to end the practice.


     

     No. 9: Tadan kriya (beating the kundalini)



     Sit in padmasana with the eyes open.

     Place your palms on the floor at the sides of your body, next to your hips, with the fingers pointing forward.

     Tilt your head slightly backward and practise shambhavi mudra.

     Inhale through your mouth in audible ujjayi pranayama.

     As you inhale, feel the breath travelling downward through a tube connecting the mouth to mooiadhara chakra.

     The breath will collect at mooladhara chakra.

     Hold the breath, keep your awareness at mooladhara and practise moola bandha.

     Using your hands, lift your body off the ground.

     Then drop your body lightly so that mooladhara is gently beaten.

     Repeat this beating a few times.

     Do not practise this quickly or harshly.

     After the third beating, exhale gently through the nose with ujjayi pranayama.

     The breath will seem to diffuse in all directions from its storehouse at mooladhara.

     Practise this kriya a total of 7 times.

     The number of beatings practised per round can be gradually increased from 3 to a maximum of 11.







     DHARANA PRACTICES


     No. 10: Naumukhi mudra (closing the nine gates)



     Sit in siddhasana, siddha yoni asana or padmasana.

     Your eyes should remain closed throughout.

     If necessary, use a cushion to ensure that mooladhara is compressed.

     Do khechari mudra and bend your head slightly forward (not jaiandhara bandha).

     Repeat mentally, "mooladhara, mooladhara, mooladhara".

     Then inhale with ujjayi up the frontal passage to bindu.

     Raise your head as you pass from vishuddhi to bindu, practise yoni mudra by closing your ears with the thumbs, the eyes with both forefingers, the nostrils with your middle fingers, the upper lip with the ring fingers and your lower lip with the small fingers (do not apply too much pressure).

     Practise moola bandha and vajroli mudra.

     The nine gates of the body are now closed (eyes, cars, nostrils, mouth, anus and sexual organ).

     Become aware of the spinal passage and bindu.

     Now visualize a shining copper trident (trishul), rooted in mooladhara with its stem in the spinal cord and the prongs extending upward from vishuddhi.

     The prongs are very sharp.

     The trishul will slightly rise a number of times of its own accord and it will pierce bindu with its central prong.

     As it pierces bindu, repeat the mantra 'bindu bhedan', which means 'bindu piercing'.

     After some times release vajroli mudra and moola bandha.

     Open the upper gates and bring your hands down to your knees.

     Exhale with ujjayi through the spinal passage from bindu to mooladhara.

    

     Mentally repeat "mooladhara" 3 times.

     Then inhale through the frontal passage up to bindu to repeat the kriya.

     Practise 5 full rounds or breaths, and after the fifth round, end the practice after exhalation.

     Note: It is extremely important that the back be held perfectly straight throughout this kriya. If the spine is not straight, the sensation that follows the piercing of bindu will not be perceived.

     * It is important that vajroli mudra be correctly performed for it also heightens the sensations experienced during this practice. When vajroli mudra is perfected, the contraction of vajra nadi can be achieved without contracting the anal sphincter muscles. The sensation is like an electric current running the full length of vajra nadi to the brain. Try to sensitize your awareness to the point where you actually feel the piercing of bindu like an electric shock.

     * As you ascend and descend arohan and awarohan, you can mentally repeat the names of the chakras and kshetram if you want.




     No. 11: Shakti chalini (conduction of the thought force)

     Sit in siddhasana, siddha yoni asana or padmasana.

     Your eyes should remain closed throughout.

     Practise khechari mudra.

     Exhale completely and bring your awareness to mooladhara.

     Bend your head forward.

     Repeat mentally, "mooladhara, mooladhara, mooladhara", and then ascend the frontal passage to bindu with ujjayi inhalation, raising your head as you approach bindu.

     Retain the breath inside, and then practise yoni mudra, closing your ears, eyes, nostrils and lips with the fingers.

     Allow your consciousness to rotate in a continuous cycle, descending the spinal passage to mooladhara and rising up the frontal passage to bindu in an unbroken loop, while you keep the breath retained inside.

     Visualize a thin green snake moving through the psychic passageways.

     The tail of this serpent is at bindu, and the body extends down through mooladhara and up the frontal passage.

     The head is also at bindu, with the mouth biting the end of the tail.

     If you watch this snake, it will start to move in a circle in the psychic passages, or it may even go off this track and follow a new one of its own.

     Just watch this snake, whatever it does.

     When your retention of breath is becoming exhausted, release yoni mudra, return your hands to the knees and bring your awareness to bindu. Then descend to mooladhara through the spinal passage with ujjayi exhalation. At mooladhara., lower your head, repeat 'mooladhara' 3 times, and ascend the frontal passage.

     Practise this kriya 5 times without a break, or for the duration of 5 breaths.

     Note: Vajroli mudra and moola bandha can also be simultaneously performed with yoni mudra.



     No. 12: Shambhavi (Parvati's lotus)

     Sit in siddhasana, siddha yoni asana or padmasana.

     Close your eyes and practise khechari mudra.

     Visualize a lotus flower with a long thin stem extending downward.

     The roots of the lotus are white or transparent green.

     They spread out from mooladhara chakra.

     The thin green lotus stem is in your spinal passage.

     The lotus flower is at sahasrara, and it is closed like a bud.

     At the bottom of the bud are a few light green immature petals. The main petals of the flower are pink with fine red veins.

     Try to see this lotus clearly. You visualize it in chidakasha, but you feel it in your body.

     Exhale and take your awareness to the root of the lotus at mooladhara.

     Inhale with ujjayi pranayama and allow your awareness to rise slowly through the center of the lotus stem, within the spinal passage.

     At the end of inhalation, you will reach the closed bud at the top of the stem.

     Your ascent will be like that of a caterpillar, climbing up inside the thin stem.

     Hold your awareness at sahasrara with the breath retained inside.

     You are inside the lotus, but you can also see it from outside.

     It will begin to open very slowly.

     As the bud opens out into a beautiful lotus flower, you will see the yellow pollen-tipped stamens in its center.

     Then it will slowly close again, to open again almost immediately.

     After the lotus has ceased to open and close, and it remains sealed, then slowly descend through the stem to mooladhara, drifting down on the wave of your ujjayi exhalation.

     Remain at mooladhara for a few seconds, visualizing the roots spreading out in all directions.

     Then once again, ascend the stem with ujjayi inhalation.

     Ascend and descend 11 times and then end this kriya.



     No. 13: Amrit pan (the quaffing of nectar)

     Sit in siddhasana, siddha yoni asana or padmasana.

     Keep the eyes closed throughout and practise khechari mudra.

     Bring your awareness to manipura chakra, where there is a storehouse of a warm, sweet liquid.

     Exhale fully with ujjayi.

     Inhale with ujjayi, drawing a quantity of this liquid up to vishuddhi chakra through the spinal passage with the suction power of your breath.

     Remain at vishuddhi for some seconds.

     The nectar which you have raised from manipura will become icy cold at vishuddhi.
     Then with ujjayi, exhale up to lalana chakra (at the back of the soft palate), through the nectar passage.

     Blow the cool nectar up to lalana with the breath.

     Your breath will immediately disperse by itself once you have reached lalana. Immediately return your awareness to manipura chakra.

     With another ujjayi inhalation, continue the upward transfer of liquid.

     Practise 9 times in all.


     No. 14 Chakra bhedan (piercing the chakras)

     Assume siddhasana, siddha yoni asana or padmasana.

     Keep your eyes closed throughout.

     Practise khechari mudra and ujjayi pranayama.

     Breathe without any break between inhalation and exhalation.

     Exhale and bring your awareness down to swadhisthana chakra at the base of the spine.

     Inhale and direct your consciousness first to mooladhara and then up the frontal passage.

     At about the level of vishuddhi kshetram, the breath will run out and you will immediately start exhalation.

     Exhale from vishuddhi kshetram to bindu and then down the spine from ajna to swadhisthana chakra to complete one round.

     This kriya should actually be practised for 59 rounds, but if introversion starts to occur before you have completed the rounds, discontinue the practice and go on to the next kriya.

     Note: If desired, mental repetition of chakras and kshetram can also be done.



     No. 15: Sushumna darshan (inner visualization of the chakras)


     For chakra visualization, refer to the diagrams of each chakra.

     Sit in siddhasana, siddha yoni asana or padmasana.

     Close your eyes and practise normal breathing.

     There is no relation between the breath and awareness in this kriya.

     Bring your awareness to mooladhara.

     Imagine a pencil, and with that draw a square at mooladhara.

     Draw the largest possible inverted equilateral triangle within that square.

     Then make a circle touching all the four corners of that square.

     Prepare 4 petals, one for each side of the square.

     Bring your awareness to swadhisthana.

     Prepare a circle there with the same radius as the one at mooladhara.

     Draw 6 petals around the edge of the circle, and a crescent moon inside the bottom of the circle.

     Now come to manipura.

     Draw a circle, and then make the biggest possible inverted triangle to fit this circle.

     In the center draw a ball of fire.

     Make 10 petals around the circle.

     Raise the consciousness to anahata.

     Draw 2 triangles there, one pointing upward and the other inverted. They are interlaced, both crossing each other.

     Surround them with a circle having 12 petals.

     Then come to vishuddhi.

     Draw a circle, and place a smaller circle within the circle, like a drop of nectar.

     Make 16 petals around that circle.

     Rise to ajna.

     Make a circle and inside it write a big Sanskrit Om.

     Prepare 2 large petals, one on the right and one on the left side of the circle.

     At bindu draw a crescent moon with a very tiny circle above it.

     Reach sahasrara.

     Prepare a circle there, and make the largest possible upward pointing triangle within that circle.

     There are 1000 petals all around the circle.

     Try to see at one glance all the chakras in their proper places.

     If it is very difficult to see them all together, then see only 2 chakras on the first day and add one more chakra to your visualization daily until all appear together.




     No. 16: Prana ahuti (infusing the divine prana)

     Sit in siddhasana, siddha yoni asana or padmasana.

     Close your eyes and breathe normally.

     Feel the soft touch of a divine hand lying on your head.

     The hand is infusing subtle prana into your body and mind and the prana is travelling down from sahasrara through the spinal passage.

     You may experience it as a wave of cold, heat, energy, electric current, or as a stream of wind or liquid.

     Its passage will result in vibrations, shocks, jerks or tickling sensations which course through you.

     When the prana has reached mooladhara, then immediately go on to the next kriya without waiting to experience the prana a second time.




     No. 17: Utthan (raising the kundalini)

     Sit in siddhasana, siddha yoni asana or padmasana.

     Keep your eyes closed throughout.

     Again the breathing is normal in this kriya.

     Bring your awareness to mooladhara chakra.

     Try to visualize it clearly and notice all details.

     You will see a black shivalingam made of a smoky gaseous substance.

     The bottom and the top of the lingam are cut off, and circled around it is a red baby snake.

     This red baby snake is trying to uncoil itself so it can move upward through sushurnna.

     As it struggles to release itself and ascends, it makes an angry hissing sound.

     The tail of the snake will remain fixed at the bottom of the shivalingam, but the head and body may move upward and come back down again.

     Sometimes both the shivalingam and the snake may shift their position in the body, so you may even visualize them for a time at ajna or sahasrara.      

     The head of the snake is very wide, having the same breadth as your body, but it is not a cobra.

     After some time you may feel your body contract. This will be followed by a sensation of bliss.

     When this occurs go on to the next kriya.



     No. 18: Swaroopa darshan (the vision of your Self)


     Remain sitting in siddhasana, siddha yoni asana or padmasana and do not open your eyes.

     Become aware of your physical body.

     Your body is completely motionless, and you maintain total awareness of this fact.

     Be sure that you are completely steady, like a rock.

     When you are absolutely sure of your bodily steadiness, you should also become aware of your natural breath. Watch the constant flow of your breath, but be sure your body remains steady.

     Your body will start to become stiff.

     As it becomes stiffer, your awareness will shift completely to your breathing; however, the body will continue to become stiffer and stiffer of its own accord.

     When your body has become as rigid as a stone, and it is beyond your control to move it even if you tried, then go on to the next kriya.



     No.19: Linga sanchalana (astral conduction)

     Remain still in your stiffened asana with the eyes closed.

     Due to the stiffness of your body, your breathing will have automatically become ujjayi breathing, and khechari mudra will have been formed.

     Be totally aware of your breathing.

     You will notice that with each inhalation your body seems to be expanding.

     And with each exhalation your body appears to be contracting.

     It is peculiar though, because your physical body is not moving; it is still and as stiff as a statue.

     It is your astral body that you experience expanding and contracting.

     As you observe this contraction and expansion process, it will gradually become more and more pronounced.

     After some time you will begin to lose awareness of the physical body, and you will only be observing the astral body directly.

     However, the degree of contraction will become more pronounced.

     Eventually you will reach a stage where, on contraction, the astral body reduces to a single point of light.

     When this occurs, discontinue the kriya immediately and go on to the next.



     THE PRACTICE OF DHYANA


     No. 20: Dhyana (meditation)

     You have realized your astral body as a single point of light.

     Now look closer at that point of light and you will see it take the form of a golden egg.

     As you watch this golden egg, it will begin to expand.

     The golden egg is luminous and glowing intensely; however, it does not give off any rays of light.

     As the golden egg becomes larger, it will begin to take on the same shape as that of your astral and physical bodies.

     This form, however, is not a material or even a subtle form.

     This form is glowing light.

     It is your causal self.