Anatomy of Energy
The energy system of the body consists of the chakras and in the center of the chakras there is a central channel called the Shushumna. There are 2 sides of this energy system called Pingala and Ida and when they are in balance the energy moves to consciousness. Pingala and Ida are like a battery having a positive pole and a negative pole. When Ida and Pingala come into balance the Shushumna channel can open and energy begins to move up towards consciousness. Just like when a battery is balanced between a positive and negative pole allowing the battery to work well, the same is true of our physical body. The Pingala side, the positive side of our battery, is the active side. It is like our sympathetic nervous system, our doing and our action, that’s the positive side and it corresponds to sun energy, the energy that makes it happen. The other side of our battery is called the Ida side, and this is more associated with the negative pole. It’s our receptive energy, our moon energy, when you let go of all the tension.
How to balance the energy with Hatha Yoga
Another name for sun or corresponding to sun is “ha” and corresponding to moon is “tha”. You might recognize these names as Hatha Yoga which is essentially designed to balance our inner Pingala and Ida nadis. When these two are in balance the body enters an optimal state of energy flow that puts us in the best position to experience optimal health. When these two “ha” and “tha” are in balance the Shushumna opens. All that energy that is feeding the body is now also able to make the journey back to its source nature. This is the basis for physical health and the foundation for the inward journey back to source.
Connecting to the Source Within
The Integrative Amrit Method of Yoga is a way to practice Hatha Yoga through deliberate active and receptive poses. In the first half of the pose when we dynamically do the pose, we practice willfully entering the pose minus the reactive, competitive, struggling mind that would use all our energy. We enter consciously, we enter willfully, we are using the best side of the plus side of our pole. In the second half of the pose, we stop, and we feel the effect of what we did. We practice the “ha” in the first part of the pose and the “tha” in the second part of the pose where you just let go and feel the energetic effect of what you just created. When these two come into balance through the “ha”, the dynamic action, and tha, the deep relaxation, the energy begins to drop us into deeper and deeper states of meditation. We feel the effect of all that energy released after each pose and it drops us towards silence and a little bit more towards silence and a little bit more towards silence and what you’ll find after each Amrit Yoga pose is more and more connected to that silent space within, to the source within. Even though your body is in motion in this balance of “ha” and “tha” and Ida and Pingala, you’ll be more and more connected to the silent space behind. Integrated Amrit Method of Yoga, such a powerful practice for balancing our “ha” “tha”, getting our health and our spirituality in alignment.
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Kamini Desai Ph.D
Author
Kamini Desai is the Executive Director of the Amrit Yoga Institute. She is author of Yoga Nidra: The Art of Transformational Sleep and Life Lessons Love Lessons. You can learn more about Kamini on her website.