Hindu yogi system of practical water cure E-Book

Yogi Ramacharaka

• Herausgeber: Books on Demand
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 101

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

Among the Yogis of India, the system of Physical Well-Being known as "Hatha Yoga," in its many phases and forms, is followed, practiced and taught. Thousands of natives of India know no other form of physical culture, or methods of hygiene, and maintain health and physical vigor by an adherence to its precepts. In connection with Mental Healing, this system forms the great Natural Healing school of the Hindus. In our work on "Hatha Yoga," we have explained that system in general, and in many of its details. There is one form or phase of "Hatha Yoga," however, which constitutes an important part of this great system of Natural Healing, which should be understood and practiced by those who would maintain a healthy condition of physical being, and which is worthy of being explained in detail in a supplementary volume-the Hindu-Yogi system of Practical Water-Cure. In response to many demands from those who were interested in our presentation of the general subject of "Hatha Yoga," we have incorporated in this supplementary book the details of the said system. We trust that we will bring to the attention of many persons of the Western world the benefits to be derived from this most meritorious system.

Leseprobe

Hindu yogi system of practical water cure

Hindu yogi system of practical water cureChapter 1. The Hindu-Yogi Water-CureChapter 2. Nature's Great RemedyChapter 3. Water-DrinkingChapter 4. The Stomach And IntestinesChapter 5. The Obstructed SewerChapter 6. The Internal BathChapter 7. The SkinChapter 8. Scientific BathingChapter 9. Pack TreatmentsChapter 10. Other Valuable MethodsIn ConclusionCopyright

Hindu yogi system of practical water cure

Yogi Ramacharaka

Chapter 1. The Hindu-Yogi Water-Cure

An important branch of Hatha Yoga. Prana in the water. How water loses prana. How water may be pranaized.

Among the Yogis of India, the system of Physical Well-Being known as "Hatha Yoga,” in its many phases and forms, is followed, practiced and taught. Thousands of natives of India know no other form of physical culture, or methods of hygiene, and maintain health and physical vigor by an adherence to its precepts. In connection with Mental Healing, this system forms the great Natural Healing school of the Hindus. In our work on "Hatha Yoga,” we have explained that system in general, and in many of its details.

There is one form or phase of "Hatha Yoga,” however, which constitutes an important part of this great system of Natural Healing, which should be understood and practiced by those who would maintain a healthy condition of physical being, and which is worthy of being explained in detail in a supplementary volume—the Hindu-Yogi system of Practical Water-Cure. In response to many demands from those who were interested in our presentation of the general subject of "Hatha Yoga,” we have incorporated in this supplementary book the details of the said system. We trust that we will bring to the attention of many persons of the Western world the benefits to be derived from this most meritorious system.

Water-Cure is not a new thing to the Western world. Many Western teachers have expounded its merits in a most forcible manner, and thousands of people have applied the method with excellent results. It must be confessed that both the Eastern and Western systems of Water-Cure have much in common so far as the actual methods are concerned, although the Hindus explain many of the therapeutic results by the theory of "Prana,” which is unknown to the ordinary Westerner. An understanding of the principle of Prana in its phase of a therapeutic agent in connection with the Water-Cure, will throw much new light upon the entire system of the application of water to the cure of physical disorders.

"Prana,” as our students know, is the great universal principle of energy which permeates all things, and which has one of its manifestations in what is known as "Vital Force” in all living things. Prana is to be found in food, water, and air, in which three forms it may be used by living creatures and transmuted into Vital Energy, or Prana in its form of living force. In our work on "Hatha Yoga” we have shown how Prana may be obtained from food and thus transmuted and converted into vital energy and living force. In our work on "The Science of Breath” we have shown how the Prana in the air may be transmuted and converted into vital energy and living force. And in the present little work, we shall show you how Prana, which is contained in the water, may be transmuted and converted into other forms of energy, which will tend to invigorate and strengthen the human body, relieve physical disorders, and promote health and strength.

Of course, it is not necessary for one to believe in the existence of Prana in order to obtain benefits from the Water-Cure, for the virtue in the water is open and free to all, believer and unbeliever alike. But it is a known fact that when the mind recognizes the presence of Prana in the air; the food; and in the water; then there seems to be manifested a peculiar receptivity to its influence which is lacking to those who are not familiar with its presence. There is a good reason for this, but we shall not attempt to explain it here, for to do so would carry us into the realm of mental cause and effect, which is foreign to the purpose and scope of this little work. We shall, therefore, content ourselves with calling your attention to the presence of Prana, and the effects it produces when properly applied, and then leave the subject for the actual test and practical test of the student.

Prana permeates every drop of water, although in varying degrees. Fresh running water contains a much greater proportion of Prana than stagnant, still water. Likewise water that has been contained in cisterns, tanks, or vessels is found to have parted with much of its original store of Prana. And water that has been boiled has lost much of its Prana. This lost Prana may be restored by passing the water through the air, by pouring it from one vessel to another in order to "aereate” it. Distilled water usually loses much of its Prana, which may, however, be restored to it by pouring it from one vessel to another, through the air, as aforesaid. An understanding of this fact will explain the reason why the ordinary distilled water seems to lose a certain amount of its "life,” which is noticed by those who drink distilled water as a measure of health preservation. Boiled water always seems "flat” unless it be poured through the air and reabsorbs Prana. Western science does not explain these well known facts, but the Hindus understand its cause to be the losing or gaining of Prana.

In using water for drinking, it is always well to pour it from one glass or vessel to another, backward and forward, several times. Those who will practice this plan will discover a new pleasure in drinking water, and will notice a decided improvement in the resulting effects. Water thus "Pranaized” will be found to have a slightly invigorating and stimulating effect absent from ordinary water. Persons who wish to rid themselves of the desire for alcoholic stimulants will find it much easier to do so if they will pranaize their drinking water. The water in the pipes of the ordinary city water-supply is deficient in Prana—this may be overcome by pouring and repouring, as above stated. A little experimenting will convince the most skeptical of the virtues of this plan.

In the same manner, when one wishes to take a hot bath, or to drink hot water; or to apply hot-fomentations, etc.; it will be found advantageous to Pranaize the water in this way before using. In the case of a hot bath, dip up the water from the tub, with a saucepan or similar utensil, a number of times, until you have invigorated it with fresh Prana.

In this work we shall endeavor to use the ordinary Western terms and explanations, so far as is consistent with the fundamental ideas of the Hindu Water-Cure. We have no desire to surround this valuable, practical and simple system with strange verbiage and unusual terms. We shall quote Western authorities to support our position, so far as is possible. The Hindus entertain many ideas and theories which seem strange and fanciful to the Western mind, and we purposely omit all reference to the same. We wish to hold the attention of the student to the practical methods of the system, in connection with its fundamental idea, and shall run no risk of leading him up the by-paths of theory and speculation. This is particularly desirable in a work of this kind, which will fall into the hands of many who are unfamiliar with the Hindu theories and who have no taste for strange and unfamiliar ideas, but who want, and need, the practical, actual methods and instruction on the subject. Those who wish to understand the "why” of the Hindu ideas and teachings, are referred to our other works on the general subject.

To the Hindu-Yogi, water is Nature's great Remedy—its great Restorative Force. He believes in its liberal application, internally and externally. He regards it as the milk from the breasts of Mother Nature, which she would furnish to her offspring. The lower animals recognize this through their instinctive faculties, but” civilized” Man in his arrogance of reason has seen fit to depart from Nature's simple ways, and seeks in less simple things the virtues which reside alone in Nature's original fluids. In the following pages, we invite you to listen to the simple teachings of the Hindu Yogis on this subject. Do not let the simplicity of the system prevent you from appreciating its advantages. There is virtue in simplicity—danger in complexity. Nature's best things are always simple, and "common.” To re-discover this fact, Man has traveled many a weary mile of thought and experiment. The advanced thinker always finds his road leading "Back to Nature.”

Chapter 2. Nature's Great Remedy

Water the basis of life. The important part played by water in the psychological mechanism of the system. What water does, and why.

It is no wonder that man in his natural state instinctively recognized in Water a Natural Friend and Helper. The instinct regarding water runs back much further than Man—back through the lower animals—back through the lower forms— back through the plant life—back through the elementary forms of life such as the amaeba, monera, and other tiny forms in the slime of the ocean bed—back to the very beginnings of organic life itself. Science tells us that organic life originated in water, and has always shown signs of its place of birth. About eight tenths of our physical body is made up of water, and the very cells composing the body are virtually and actually marine organisms—tiny aquatic animals in fact—capable of existence only when surrounded by a saline solution of water. Is it any wonder then that the instinct for Water lies at the very foundations of our subconscious life, and manifests in our conscious wants.

And the important part played by water in our physiological mechanism is none the less remarkable. Physiology teaches us that over one and one half pints of water passes from the body in the shape of perspiration every twenty-four hours; and that during the same time nearly three pints of water are passed off in the shape of urine—two quarts and over in all. The important juices of the body are composed of fluids, of which water is the basis. Not only is the blood, which is the very essence of physical life, composed largely of water, but also the bile, the gastric juices, the pancreatic fluid, and the several other juices of the digestive organs, as well as the saliva, are fluids of which water is the basis. Man can go without food for a number of days, but deprive him of water, and he perishes quickly. Water is one of the most urgently demanded of Nature's supplies, and next to air is the one upon which the continuance of life is based.

And yet how many people—or rather, how few of them— have given to this subject the consideration justly due it. And how few have made an intelligent use of Water a matter of habit in their daily lives. We give to the study of irrigation of the soil much care, time and thought, for we recognize that that is a subject upon which depends the welfare of our crops, and consequently our material welfare. But to the irrigation of the body, we give little or no thought, and are apt to dismiss the subject as of little importance. And, more than this, we take the greatest care to see that our domestic animals are kept supplied with sufficient water to drink, and in which they may bathe—we recognize the natural wants of these animals, and yet we do not think of bestowing one fraction of the same thought upon the wants and requirements of our own bodies, which should be of at least as great importance to us as those of the domestic animals.