The origin of these exercise is unclear. They were probably developed in Tibet or India and are said to be part of an ancient and secret system of Yoga for physical rejuvenation. When practiced regularly, they do seem to have a powerful influence. Try them for at least a month and see how they work for you.
When you are in optimum health, your chakras spin at a high frequency of vibration. This frequency tends to lower with age and inactivity. When the spin of the chakras slows down, the result is an increasingly unresponsive endocrine system. The flow of hormones to regulate body functions is affected, and often the signals are ignored or misunderstood by other parts of the body. A domino effect begins to occur because the endocrine glands have a close partnership. If one is not working properly, it will influence the others.
The purpose of these exercises is to energize and restore the spin of the chakras to their youthful rate. This is a desirable outcome, because if the chakra system is perfectly balanced, it is said that the body will not age.
Each of the energizers is meant to be repeated 21 times to make a complete set. You should perform all five sets in the morning and then again in the evening, if you wish.
Once you become proficient, you should be able to complete all five energizers in about 10 minutes. But in the beginning, you may have difficulty in performing
all the energizers perfectly and with this many repetitions.
Do not become impatient with your progress. Do the best you can, and gradually the exercises will become easier. Start by performing each energizer just three times. Increase by adding two or more repetitions with each week of practice. They should be done at a speed comfortable for you, but you should be careful to fully inhale and fully exhale as you do them.
Energizer uses no energy locks. All the rest require that you maintain Moola bandha (root lock) throughout. Let your breathing pattern establish the rhythm.
Energizer-A
Using no locks, stand erect with your arms outstretched at shoulder level. Your right hand is turned palm up, your left hand is turned palm down. Now spin in a clockwise direction (to your right).
Choose something in the room at eye level and count each time you pass it. Spin at a comfortable speed until you feel a little dizzy.
Energizer-B
Lie flat on the floor on your back. Your arms should be along your sides, with your palms on the floor. Maintain Moola bandha. Inhale and raise your head off the floor, bringing your chin firmly against your chest. As you raise your head, also lift your legs as high off the floor as possible.
Don’t let your knees bend. Now, exhale and lower both your head and legs back the floor. Repeat up to 21 times. Remember to breathe in when your head and legs are raised and breathe out as you lower them.
Energizer-C
Kneel with your body upright, with your hands behind you against the backs of your thighs. Maintain Moola bandha. Inhale normally. Exhale and lower your head so your chin is pressed firmly against your chest.
Then inhale as you vigorously bend your head and neck backward, arching your spine. This should create a stretch from your stomach to your chin. Your hands will act as a brace against your thighs to support the arching movement. Repeat many times.
Energizer-D
Sit on the floor with your legs straight in front and your feet about 12 inches apart. Your upper body is held erect. The palms of your hands are resting on the floor beside your hips. Maintain Moola bandha. Inhale normally, then exhale and tuck your chin down firmly to your chest. Inhale and toss your head backward as far as it will comfortably go, at the same time raising your body off the floor. Your knees will be bent and your arms will be straight.
The trunk of your body will be parallel to the floor while your arms and lower legs will be perpendicular to the floor. Tense your muscles while in this position, then relax and exhale as you return to the sitting position you started with. Repeat this exercise many times.
Energizer-E
Lie face down on the floor. Bend your elbows and place your hands flat on the floor by your shoulders. Your feet will be about one foot apart. Maintain Moola bandha. Inhale normally. Exhale, lift your head, and push up with your arms so that you are balanced on your hands and toes. Tense your muscles for a moment. Now, push your hips up away from the floor, inhaling as you do so.
You will be creating an inverted ‘V’ shape with your body, your chin pulled firmly against your chest. Tense your muscles again. Repeat many times. Ideally, no other part of your body should touch the floor except your hands and toes as you flex your body back and forth between the head up position and the inverted ‘V.’
Crane Draws in chi
Standing with slightly bent knees, inhale through your nose as you lift your hands to waist level. Your elbows should be bent and your palms up. Exhale, pushing out to the front with your hands palms facing forward . Inhale and raise your arms up to the cosmos, palms up. Exhale as you bring your hands down. Repeat two more times to complete the circulation of chi.
Energizing In Indian Way
In western lifestyle, many people spend the greater part of their waking lives sitting, often hunched over something in front of us. This causes neck and shoulders to become tense and stiff, and there is no free physical movement or energetic flow . When your muscles are stiff the energy channels become blocked, in turn affecting the organs, glands and nerves into which these channels feed.
The following are isometric exercises from the traditions of East India. They use dynamic tension to energize and relax the body. When you work the muscles against each other isometrically, the tension briefly restricts blood and Chi flow. When the tension is relaxed, the muscles receive a rush of oxygen rich blood and Chi. This alternation of tension and relaxation of deprivation and replenishment of your body’s physical and spiritual life forces, leaves you energized; your muscles will also be much looser than before.
These exercises take so little time and space that they could even be performed on your coffee or lunch break at work. Have your beverage when you pause from working if you wish, but add some isometrics for even more refreshment for your body. These exercises are also an excellent preliminary for any other set of exercises.
Stretching Up (Step-1)
Stand relaxed, with your arms at your sides. Inhale and sweep your arms up from your sides until they are over head, at the same time going up on your toes. When your ]hands reach above your head, press your palms together to create isometric tension in your arms.
Hold your breath while in this position for a moment. Take a small sniff of air to allow an even exhalation, then exhale as you lower your arms and come down from your toes. When your hands have just separated but are still facing overhead, rotate your wrists so your palms point away from each other. Continue to lower your arms until they are down to your sides.
Perform the stretch ten times, then relax. This exercise will help open the front of your lungs.
Stretching Up (Step-2)
Perform the stretch as in Stretching Up I, except for a different hand position. This time, press the backs of your hands together.
Inhale as you go up, press the backs of your hands together, maintain the tension for a few moments, then exhale and come back down. Perform the stretch seven times, then relax.
Side bends
Stand relaxed, with your arms at your sides. Inhale and stretch your arms overhead, crossing your wrists so that your palms are together. Create tension by pressing your palms together tightly. Exhale as you bend slowly to your right. Inhale as you return to the upright position, your arms still overhead.
Repeat until you have done the bend seven times to the right. Recross your hands the other way, and now perform the bend seven times to the left. Maintain the tension at your palms throughout the exercise, then relax with your arms at your sides.
Variation
Use this exercise if your wrists and hands are too stiff for the hand position in Sidebends.
Inhale and stretch your arms overhead, hooking your thumbs around each other, with your remaining fingers free. Pull your thumbs against each other as your exhale and bend slowly to your right. Inhale and return to the upright position. Repeat until you have done seven bends to the right. Rehook your thumbs from the other direction and now bend to the left seven times, Maintain the tension on your thumbs throughout the exercise, then relax with your arms at your sides.
Forward Bends
This exercise provides a good massage of the lymph glands under your arms.
Stand relaxed, with your arms at your sides. Then hook your fingers behind your back, pulling one hand against the other. Stretch your arms out straight. Step forward with your right foot into a wide but comfortable stance. Inhale normally then exhale, bending forward and stretching your arms out straight behind you. As you bend over, lift your arms as high as is comfortable behind you. Maintain the tension between your hands.
You may bend your left knee a bit if that seems necessary. Inhale as you return to the upright position, arching back a bit and looking upwards. Repeat for a total of seven bends, then relax.
Now repeat the technique, this time stepping forward with the left foot. Remember that the tension between your hands must be maintained during all seven bends.
Back Bends
Stand relaxed, with your arms at your sides. Bring your hands up and press your palms together in front of your chest. Slowly raise your arms until they are overhead. Inhale and lean backward as far as is comfortable. Maintain the pressure on your palms and hold your breath for a moment. Exhale as you return to the upright position and then continue until you lean slightly forward.
Repeat seven times, always maintaining the tension in your arms by pressing your palms tightly together. Relax and let your arms rest at your sides. Be aware that holding the back bend too long may cause you to become light-headed as you lean forward, so listen to your body in this respect.
Spinal Twist
You should try to do the entire sequence on one inhalation, but if you run out of air, catch a quick sniff. This exercise should not be rushed.
Lie face down on the ground, with your arms at your sides and close to your body. Inhale and slowly raise your torso as you arch your back and look up. At the same time, bring your hands up and place them flat on the ground, just under your shoulders. Continue to inhale as you slowly extend your arms and push your body for more of an arch in your back, as you look up at the ceiling.
Still retaining your breath, slowly twist to one side and look behind you. Return to the front. Twist to the other side and look behind you. Return to the centre.
Exhale, slowly returning to the face down position and returning your arms to your sides. Perform this exercise for ten times, then relax.
