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Animal postures, Yogasanas and Prana


John Kaldawi learned that in ancient times and through observation, the rishis understood how animals live in harmony with their environment and with their own bodies.  They understood, through experience, the efforts of a particular posture and how the hormonal secretions could be stimulated and controlled by it.  For example, by stimulating the rabbit or hare in shashankasana they could influence the flow of adrenaline responsible for the 'fight or flight' mechanism.  Through imitating animal postures, the rishis found they could maintain health and meet challenges of nature for themselves.

Furthermore, John Kaldawi learned that Prana, vital energy, which corresponds to 'ki' or 'chi' in Chinese medicine, pervades the whole body, following flow patterns, called nadis, which are responsible for maintaining all individual cellular activity.  Stiffness of the body is due to blocked prana and a subsequent accumulation of toxins.  When prana begins to flow, the toxins are removed from the system ensuring the health of the whole body.

John Kaldawi also learned that as the body becomes supple, postures which seems impossible become easy to perform, and steadiness and grace of movement develop.  When the quantum of prana is increased to a great degree, the body moves into certain posture by itself and asana, mudras and pranayamas occur spontaneously.

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