aisin wrote:I definitely disagree with this -> "when we sleep we form some chemichal that paralyses(sp?) our body" , although i have no way to prove that during sleep no special chemical is produced (which isn't produced when we'r awake). even if such chemical is really produced, i doubt it 'paralyses' our body, otherwise we will have problems moving around after long sleeps. moreover, toxins occur in our body almost throughout the day. this is only logical reasoning on my part
comments are welcome.
There are definitely some "movement-blockers" released when you go to sleep. Those "blockers" block you from moving in your dreams. Otherwise we would move our arms and legs if we dreaming about walking.
Some people, when having a nightmare, response physically to what they are doing in their dreams. I myself used to kick and punch when I was asleep. (you can ask my mother
)
Another way to test it is by going in a trance state. You will feel heaviness, numbness, falling sensations, loss of spatial awareness, etc.
Anyway, here are some excersises for streching. They are quite good actually. Comes from "The Kundalini Book of Living and Dying" subtitled "Gateways to Higher Consciousness", from authors Ravindra Kumar & Jytte Kumar Larsen. A very good book.
"The postures described here take about 45 minutes to preform. Inhale before the beginning of the posture and exhale slowly as you disengage from it. This set of postures will produce calm, serenity, and automatic concentration on the Third eye. It provides an all-round development of the physical body and transforms sexual desire into unconditional love.
1. Stand straight with your feet abour one foor apart. Keep your hands on your waist and bend backward with your eyes toward the sky. Six to ten repetitions.
2. Stand straight with your feet two to three feet apart. Put your hands on your waist. Bend to the left and touch the outside of your knee with your left fingers twice. Do the same on the right side. This is one set. Repeat six to ten sets.
3. Lie face up, and yawn like a cat for a few minutes.
4. Lie face down, legs together. Raise one leg at a time, as high as you comfortably can, keeping it straight. Repeat seven times, alternating legs. Now raise both legs together and hold that position for a few seconds. Then lower them slowly to the resting position. Repeat three times.
5. Lie face down with your hands parallel to your body. Bend your legs up and reach back to grasp your ankels with your hands so that your body takes the position of a bow. Hold the posture from 30 seconds to one minute.
6. Lie face down with your legs together and your hands palms down beside your shoulders, parallel to your body. Pushing with your hands, raise your upper body like a cobra raising its hood. Bring your body into the shape of a cobra, touching the ground with your navel region and turning your eyes toward the sky as much as possible. Hold the position for 20 seconds and repeat two to three times.
7. Sit on the ground with your back straight, legs stretched out. Pull your heels in with both hands, pressing them against your body; keep your eyes closed and focus your attention on the third eye. Hold the position for about a minute.
8. Kneel on the ground with your back straight, knees together, resting on your heels. Slide your seat off your heels to the right so that both legs are now bent to your left. Lift your left leg over your right, placing your left foor on the ground, touching the outside of your right knee. Place your right hand on your left knee and hold your left foot with your right hand. Twists your body to the left as much as possible, and look toward the left. Hold the position for 20 seconds. Interchange the roles of the right and left parts of the body and hold the posture for 20 seconds.
9. Sit on your feet with you heels turnes aside, making room for your hips. Keep your spine straight , with your hands on your knees and your attention focused on your third eye. Hold for 5 minutes. (This is perhapse the only pose that can be practiced for 15 to 20 minutes, soon after eating a meal, to produce quick digestion. This is known as vajradana.) Then breath out completely and push your stomach in and out 20 to 30 times while holding that exhalation. Repeat 4 to 8 times.
10. Lie fact up with your back on the ground. Raise one leg, hold it at a 45-degree angle for a few seconds, and then slowly lower it. Repeat with the other leg. Repeat this movement with both legs seven times. Now raise both legs together, hold them at a 45-degree angle for a few seconds, and lower them slowly. Repeat three times.
11. Lie face up with your legs bent and the soles of your feet touching the ground, arms parallel to your body. Raise your body from the middle as high as your comfootable can, making a bow between your feet and your shoulders. Hold the position for 5 seconds then lower slowly. Repeat 7 to 8 times.
12. Lie face up with your legs bent and the soles of your feet touching the ground, arms parallel to your body. Keeping the center of your body on the ground, raise your hips as high as you can and hold the position for a few seconds, then lower your hips slowly. Now keeping your hips in touch with the ground, raise the center of your body, making an arch for a few seconds and then slowly lower. Repeat 7 to 8 times.
13. Lie face up with your knees bent and your feet together with soles touching the ground. Place your arms out to the sides, slightly apart from your body. Slowly lower your knees to the right until they touch the ground, keeping your face looking up to the sky. hold the position for a few seconds, come back to the original position, and repeat the exercise, lowering your legs to the left. Repeat 7 to 8 times.
14. Lie face up, back on the ground. Bend your legs, hold them behind the knees, and pull them into your body, getting your knees as close to your body as possible. Press your knees agianst your body twice, then repeat. This can be done ten times in two held breaths. Repeat the exercise with one leg then the other, and then with both legs togerher again. After the set is complete, lie face up, back on the ground, arms resting at your sides. Relax your whole body as completely as possible. All thoughts should be as relaxed as well. This restores blood circulation. Hold the position for one to two minutes. This is called shavasana, or death posture.
15. Sit cross-legged with one of your heels pressing the region of the mooladhar chakra, or root center. The heel of the other foot should rest on the top of the first heel and press afainst the second chakra called swadhishthan, or the sacral center. This is siddhasana for men and siddhayoniasana for women. Men should take care that their genitals are not crushed between their heels. Women should also take care as the lower heel has to press against the root chakra through the vaginal opening.
Rest your hands on your knees, palms up, and center your attention between your eyebrows. This is the favorist posture of yogis because it keeps the spinal column straight, which quickens the awakening of kundalini and facilitates its upward movement.
16. Sit in the posture described in step 9 (vajrasana). Bend foward from the waist until your forehead and nose touch the ground and your hands and arms are streched out on the ground in front of you. Breathe in a relaxed way. This is shashankasana; it brings balance in breathing through both nostrils to produce equanimity and readiness for going into mediiation. The posture should be held for 15 minutes.
17. Shirshasana (headstand): This is a very special yogic posture recommended to men for speedy spiritual growth, since it helps by reversing the direction of flow of the seminal fluid. One can do it for any amount of rime, raging from one minute to a half hour. Place your forehead on a cushion on the ground and cup your head between your interlocked palms. Set your elbows firmly on the ground forming a tripod with your head and elbows. Raise your whole body up slowly, with your weight on your forehead and both elbows. Hold your body and legs straight, with the soles of your feet facing the sky. This posture should be held at least one minute or for as long as you can. In case of difficulty, this posture can be held against a wall. With regular practice, one can become urdhvareta, or the one in whom the flow of semen has been reversed.
18 Sarvangasana (shoulderstand): This is another special yogic posture recommended to men for speedy spiritual growth, since it helps by reversing the direction of the seminal fluid. One can do it for any amount of time, ranging from one minute to a half hour. Lie face up with your back on the ground and your hand paraller to your body. Raise the lower portion of your body upward so your weight is placed on the tripod of your elbows and shoulders. Place your hands on your waist to support the weight of your body. Stretch your legs straight up. Your head should be resting on the ground and your breathing relaxed. Hold the posture for at least a minute or for as long as you can. It is an alternative to shirshasana and has similar benefits."
All postures are highly recommendable.
Don't read my signature.
My explanation of it is that when we sleep we form some chemichal that paralyses(sp?) our body. By streching we just break it down and allow our-selves to get up. Streching in general also helps into blood circulation and we feel less tense.
