Kayotsarg is an experiment to calm down the turmoil in our body. It brings about relaxation and revives alertness. The entire body becomes restful and we feel light. This feeling is a reflection of the realization of 'self'. Once a person has this realization of 'self', he starts understanding the difference between the body and the 'self'. Realization of this difference frees him from the bondage of infatuation. As a result, he feels that he has been delivered from all physical, mental and emotional tensions.
Kayotsarg means relinquishing the natural inclinations of the body. It is, therefore, an experimentation in motionlessness. When you are about to perform Kayotsarg, do not imagine that you are going to do something but feel that you are going to be inactive. Get rid of your activities and become passive.
PROCEDURE
PREPARATION:
Select a clean place sufficient enough for you to lie down. On a plain level spread a mat or a blanket. Soft bedding must be avoided. Wear loose clothes.
STAGES OF KAYOTSARG
- "I hereby express my determination (Sankalpa) to do Kayotsarg exercise so as to free myself from physical, mental and emotional tension." (The Teacher should make the students stand and repeat the above sentence. The Teacher should also specify the time-span for Kayotsarg.)
- While standing, inhale deeply. Bring the body-weight forward on the toes of feet. Lift the heels and move both arms upwards, straining the entire body upwards. Now exhale and slowly bring back and arms parallel to the body and simultaneously loosen down the whole body. Repeat the straining and loosening action three times.
- Now lie down on your back on the mat. Separate out your feet about 10 inches. Keep the arms alongside the body. Open the palms and let them face the sky. Place the head on ground carefully. There should not be any strain on the neck. In case you find it difficult to do so, you can place a towel or some other similar soft object under the head. The head should not be higher than the level of the body. Never use a pillow.
- Continue to lie down and repeat the action specified in the 2nd stage.
- Regulate your breathing to a slow cycle. Breathing should not be fast but at the natural pace. Allow the stomach region muscles to expand while inhaling. Contract them while exhaling. The body must remain inert and there should not be any voluntary movement.
- Now practice the Kayotsarg in a sequential manner. Loosen down each and every organ and muscle of the body. Now activate your conscious willpower and guide it very amiably to advice every organ to become relaxed. Start from the big toe of the right foot. Gradually move forward concentrating on every organ in short gaps. After the big toe, pass the suggestion of becoming relaxed to small toes, foot, sole, heel and ankle. From ankle, proceed to calf, knee, thigh and waist. Likewise repeat this process with the left leg also. Now rise up to the pelvic region, the entire stomach region as well as all internal organs, i.e. kidneys, intestines, gall bladder, spleen, liver, pancreas, diaphragm and then proceed to internal organs of the chest. i.e. heart, lungs, ribs, entire back region, shoulders, arms and neck. At the end comes the turn of other organs to become relaxed i.e. throat, chin, lips, teeth, gums, tongue, palate (inside the mouth), cheeks, nose, ears, temples, eyes, forehead and finally the head.
- The above exercise may be repeated two or three times. But remember that after the auto-suggestion, laxity must occur in every organ from feet to head. High strength of this signal of suggestion would loosen down the body and it will lie on the ground in an entirely relaxed state. It is neither a form of auto-suggestion nor a hypnotic effect. It is nothing else but an actual feeling or reality. In this state one remains fully conscious in all respects.
- After completion of Kayotsarg, instructions should be given to all organs, muscles, pulses, arteries and veins to resume their respective activities. To achieve this end, mind is to be concentrated on each organ or component and then deep inhalation is to be done in a regulated manner to reactivate the whole body. Announcement at of the end of the Kayotsarg may be made and communicated to all participants, by the instructor.
In case any participant does not return to the reactivated state, no other person should touch him/her. He or she is not to be awakened. The teacher should approach and gently instruct him to draw deep breaths 2 or 3 times and open his/her eye and sit up because Kayotsarg has been completed. If the person does not get up even now, the big toe of his right foot is to be pressed. The time-span of the above mentioned activity is 45 minutes.
There is an abbreviated version of Kayotsarg which can be completed in 5 minutes. Its procedure is as follows:
Lie down straight. Move both hands up as per the procedure laid down for the Taadasana and stretch your body. Draw the upper part of the body upwards and the lower part of the body downward. Then render the whole body to relax. Do so three times. Keeping arms alongside the body, palms facing skywards. Legs should be 6 inches apart. Close your eyes gently. Concentrate your mind on respiration. Along with each breath, think of equity and peace, as if you were drawing in equity and peace through the nose and equity and peace are permeating to each pore of your body.
By this time, every atom of body would become totally free of tension and feeling of restfulness would strongly emerge.
This activity can be undertaken at bedtime also. Kayotsarg enables a person to bring changes in himself. It gives a happy disposition to a person by accomplishing mental peace. It sharpens the develops an immaculate mind.
EXERCISE
- What is KAYOTSARG? What are its advantages in the context of physiology?
- Why does laxity occurs due to auto-suggestion while exercising KAYOTSARG?
- Describe the importance of the abbreviated version of KAYOTSARG?
