Course XIX - Teaching 14: Ancient Postures (Numbers 1 to 10)

Postures to find in this teaching and in following teachings are described in detail according to the Sanskrit translation, and belong to Yoga. According to Goroskasatakam there are 840,000 postures in the human body, of which only 84 are the best, and of which only 32, that is, those described in this course as “Ancient Postures”, are named useful and healthy for Humanity.
Posture 1. While you concentrate, being entirely immobile, the activity of your senses and with the sight fixed on the brow, sit down on the ground crossing your legs and pressing strongly an end of the foot downward, internally, against the thigh; lean the other foot on the front area of the leg, and put your chin (without violence or tension) on the area of the heart.
In this posture and in the following, there are no instructions about breath because once you achieve the posture the breath approaches the Unity, by flowing deeply and with cosmic serenity through your body. But it is important to bear in mind that while you practice your movements, you have to breathe in to start this posture, and to breathe out at its end.
This posture, Siddhasana (perfect posture), is considered the most important posture. “Put your chin on the area of the heart”, means to contract your jaw in order to achieve a deeper concentration.
Posture 2. Put you right foot on the left thigh, and also pass the left foot beneath the right leg, and put it on the right thigh, in such a way that the soles of your feet look upward. Grasp with both hands the big toes, that is, your right hand grasps the left big toe, and the left hand grasps the right big toe. Put your chin on the area of the heart, and observe the point of your nose.
This posture is named “Figure of Lotus”, and underdeveloped bodies cannot achieve it. We are told this posture has the virtue of impeding the progress of any disease.
Posture 3. Pay close attention and put your crossed ankles in front and beneath the scrotum, hold the big toes with both hands, contract the chin, and look at the point of your nose.
This posture is named “Noble Posture”.
Posture 4. Put your right ankle on the anal area and the left ankle over it, in such a way that the anus rests lightly over the two Meanwhile, body, head and neck must form a straight line. This posture is named “Free Posture”.
Posture 5. Press both legs outward against thighs, and breathe out lightly with short intervals, breathing in with a sigh.
Posture 6. Put both soles of the feet on the knee and thigh of the opposite leg. Toes of both feet must be put in the cavity that is opposite to the knee, and heels leaned on the upper third of the thigh. Stay seated with upright body.
This is a difficult posture. We are told that it grants happiness. It liberates the trunk from the sense of terrestrial gravity.
Posture 7. Bing knelt with thighs in parallel and the weight of the body on knees, cross both feet on the area of the ankles, and lean each foot on the inner area of the opposite thigh.
Put both hands open with your fingers apart in your knees, and keep your mouth open. Look at the point of the nose, contracting your chin with no violence.
This posture is named “Figure of Lion”. It is overly difficult, and should not be repeated many times. It produces inner work by forcing the energy.
Posture 8. Lower elastically with the right body until you are knelt, and stay leaned on the line of the knee and the back of the left foot, while you grasp your right foot and leg inward and forward, putting the leg in such a way on the thigh that your right knee remains on the left knee, your right leg on the left thigh, and your right foot, with the sole looking at your face, on the left groin. Hands should be lightly crossed on the lap.
Do the same contrariwise.
According to its form, it is named “Face of Cow”. This posture is very difficult, but actually does not produce tension. It is refreshing if you are able to keep your breath calm during this posture. Posture 9. It begins as in Posture 8. Later, grasp the right leg and put it on the left thigh, with your knee outward on the air (the opposite of Posture 8). Right foot with toes downward, being parallel to the outer side of the left thigh. The right hand can rest on the right knee, the elbow on the right thigh (this is difficult), and the left hand on the right ankle. Do the same contrariwise.
It is a difficult posture called “Posture of the Hero”. It makes your blood flow to one side and the other in the low area of the trunk.
Posture 10. Seated on the ground, your legs stretched forward. Grasp with both hands your big toes; this should produce only a light tension in your body. If possible, keep your trunk upright. Bend your left leg inward and lead your toes toward the point of the nose, while the right leg remains stretched laterally in tension.
Keep this posture during 12 respiratory cycles.
This posture is named “Figure of Arch” by virtue of its peculiar form. It grants elasticity and harmonious proportions to the body.
Also, practice this posture not touching the ground with feet or arms.