Yoga Health Secrets

Yoga for backache, back pain, aching legs, and bad posture

In this book on health I must always be on guard against anything which can disrupt the dawning calmness of the mind which my readers must experience if they have been faithfully putting into practice all I have written about so far. In practising relaxation you will have discovered a new peace with yourself. In practising the breathing exercises you will feel a new glow of vitality. And if you have practised the asanas your health will have begun to improve beyond your wildest hopes, and with it you will have discovered a new lease of life within yourself, a zest for living, a new inner power. So we cannot let tired, swollen and aching feet hold up the new feeling of health and freedom opening out before you. We cannot let them undo all your good work. So start by putting them up higher than your head whenever possible. It isn’t done in the so-called best of circles to put your feet on the mantelpiece. Never mind about that. Yoga dosen’t know any class barriers. Go on, put them up, it will do them good. And before going out in the evening nothing could be more restful than lying on the floor in your bedroom and putting your feet up on the bed. Remain like that for a few moments with your eyes closed and you are a new man-or woman. The change is remarkable. You are refreshed and alive and your legs and feet no longer feel like lead.

The following breathing exercise added to your daily asanas will help to strengthen weak ankles, improve flabby calves, and soothe painful or fallen arches.

The Arched Foot Breathing Exercise

1. Stand erect, with your hands on your hips. While inhaling slowly and deeply hook your left foot round the back of your right foot with the toes pressing against the ankle of your right foot.

2. At the same time rise up on the toes of your right foot and remain balanced in this position while you complete your inhalation, and hold your breath for as long as you can.

3. When the impulse to exhale appears do so and at the same time slowly lower your right heel to the floor and unhook your left foot. Both heels should reach the floor at the same time.

4. Repeat this exercise with the legs reversed.

The Arched Foot Breathing Exercise taxes your sense of balance but as in all such exercises it can be used as a valuable exercise in concentration. You will wobble about at first but gradually you will be able to remain balanced on the toes of one foot with your hands on your hips, and remain so for as long as your breath allows you. The practice of this exercise will not only improve your balance but fine down calves and ankles that may be a little too heavy for your liking.

Any exercise which tones and stretches the leg muscles and the sciatic nerve will bring relief from aching legs and so do not omit from your daily practice schedule the exercises described in the following chapter on lumbago and sciatica. And if you suffer from that most distressing and common complaint, varicose veins, nothing could be more helpful than the habitual practice of the Shoulderstand which I described in chapter four. Also do not omit the simple, leg stretching exercise described in chapter two. Remember the basic principle regarding the relief of aching legs and feet. Put them up higher than your head for in this position your legs are not subject to the downward pull of gravity and are therefore being rested. As you lie there with your feet higher than your head try to calm your mind and still your thoughts so that this period of rest becomes a powerful exercise in mind control and mental stillness.

As a general rule people who study and practise Yoga do not worry overmuch about their looks, in fact they have a natural beauty of face and figure which comes from pure living and mental serenity. But if you suffer from bad feet and aching legs, as your condition gives way under Yoga’s gentle persuasion, you will find that your looks will improve in a surprising way. Those wrinkles of pain, tiredness and discomfort are soon ironed away from your brow and around your eyes and your general well-being cannot but be affected by the improvement of your means of getting about from place to place. It is a constant source of concern to me that so many people neglect their legs and feet yet spend dollars and valuable time on their hair and their clothes. If you want all to be well with your world get to work now on those bad feet of yours and remember the old and wise saying,.”A man’s temper is only as good as his feet’!