Dietrich Ebert physiological aspects of yoga. Physiological Aspects of Yoga

complex exercise physiology yoga

According to the teachings of yogis, our body lives at the expense of “positive” and “negative” currents, and when they are in full balance, then we can talk about excellent health (we are talking, apparently, about the balance of the processes of assimilation and dissimilation in metabolism). In the language of ancient symbolism, the “positive” current was denoted by the word “ha” (Sun), and the “negative” current was denoted by the word “tha” (Moon). By merging these two words, the word “hatha” was obtained, the meaning of which symbolizes the unity of opposites. According to V. Evtimov (1986), with the help of long-term and targeted yoga exercises, they achieve the ability to regulate vegetative functions. Each exercise of hatha yoga is characterized by a certain positive effect on various organs and systems of a person. The high vitality and dexterity of the body achieved at the same time, with regular exercises according to the yoga system, can be maintained until the end of life.

The largest specialist in the field of physiology of sports, Doctor of Biological Sciences V. S. Farfel states: “... my acquaintance with gymnastic exercises allows us to assert that asanas - static exercises of yogis - are a good means for developing joint flexibility and a sense of balance with a small expenditure of physical energy. In hatha yoga, as in any system of physical culture, it is emphasized that the development and improvement of the main thing begins with caring for the body - the spirit (“a trained body contributes to the training of the mind”).

It is well known that many functions of our body are regulated by consciousness. We walk, run, stop, sit down, take a spoon, chew solid food, swallow liquid food, open and close our eyes, etc. - we can start and stop all these actions at will. But can we speed up or slow down the beating of the heart with a single effort of will? Are they able to affect the work of the stomach and intestinal motility? Can we control the functioning of the endocrine glands? According to MS Tartakovsky (1986), these questions should be answered positively. A little special training - and you can speed up or slow down the heart rate. Let's remember the sour taste of a lemon, the surface of the cut moist from the juice - and saliva runs in the mouth. It is not very difficult to cause an involuntary reaction in another person, for example, to make him blush, that is, to provoke a sharp expansion of the smallest blood vessels. With unreasonable or inadequate fears or insomnia, when the right, “emotional” hemisphere of the brain is excited, sometimes it is enough to analyze your emotions judiciously, that is, “connect” the left “logical” hemisphere to calm down. An irritable person can be advised at the moment of an emotional outburst to hold his breath a little, and on exhalation. An excess of carbon dioxide focuses the work of the brain on the respiratory center and the flash of anger goes out.

Minor expenditure of energy sharply distinguishes hatha yoga from European athletics. Relaxation is given more attention than muscle tension. It is no coincidence that some studies half-jokingly note that “yoga is gymnastics for lazy people.” However, the yogis themselves take credit for this. “...Muscular development is by no means identical to health... All movements are performed slowly and smoothly... The main goal is to increase blood circulation and oxygen supply. This is achieved through movements of the spine and various joints, with deep breathing, but without intense muscle work” (Kosambi D., 1968). Another opinion was expressed by E. A. Krapivina (1991), who believes that the European Physical Culture, rooted in classical Hellas, much more natural and closer to nature than yoga. Exercises for body flexibility and strength individual muscles(and these are the main asanas) are widely practiced in European athletics in the selection of beginners in sports sections.

It has long been noticed that some rather uncomfortable positions of the body stimulate the internal forces of the body, cause response resistance. The fact is that with such postures, “clamps” occur in the body, breathing is spiraling, the largest blood vessels are partly blocked, and in some cases, the lymph flow. These “vital juices” have to overcome significant obstacles in their path, and the vessels are, as it were, exercising. The miniature muscles that regulate them, while doing additional active work, require more oxygen and nutrients. A kind of exercise without movement, something like that isometric gymnastics. Separate parts of the body work at the same time in extreme conditions. Blood pressure in certain places rises due to “constrictions”. It tends to spread through adjacent small vessels, capillaries. Not only the main lymphatic channels are more actively involved in the work, but also interstitial, intercellular spaces. Hence the feeling of warmth in these areas.

Cramped conditions are also conducive to training respiratory system. To maintain life, our body continuously consumes energy, which it receives from the breakdown of complex high-molecular organic compounds into compounds with a simpler structure and lower molecular weight. Various organic compounds that enter into chemical interaction with atmospheric oxygen burn down to simpler products and release the energy necessary to maintain the vital functions of the body. The end products of this combustion, the largest proportion of which is carbon dioxide, are continuously released into the environment. Thus, throughout life, the body, constantly in contact with the environment, constantly absorbs oxygen and releases carbon dioxide. The respiratory process consists of three stages: external (pulmonary) respiration, transportation of oxygen from the lungs to the tissues through oxygen and internal (tissue) respiration. With external respiration, gases are exchanged between the blood in the pulmonary capillaries and atmospheric air (in the alveoli). Gas transport - the transfer through the blood of oxygen from the lungs to tissues and carbon dioxide from tissues to the lungs and internal respiration, which includes all oxidative processes. During normal breathing, the diaphragm shifts by approximately 1 cm. When breathing according to the yogi system, this shift reaches 7-13 cm. Comparison of normal breathing with yogi breathing exercises shows that:

1. If ordinary breathing is carried out automatically and is regulated by the respiratory center in the medulla oblongata, then the breathing of yogis is controlled by consciousness.
2. During normal breathing of yogis, there is certain duration inhalation and exhalation and their strict rhythmic sequence.
3. Full breath yoga is a combination of three types of breathing: diaphragmatic, thoracic and clavicular.
4. During the breathing exercises, the consciousness is concentrated exclusively on the breath itself.

For correct breathing according to the yoga system, good patency of the nasal cavity and the absence of pathological changes in its mucosa are essential. The goal of yogis is to exert an indirect effect on tissue respiration with the help of rhythmic breathing in order to maximize the bioenergetic efficiency of metabolism. A direct consequence of this is a slowing of breathing as a result of more economical and selective oxygen consumption.

In general, in the physiological aspect, hatha yoga gives the following results:

- develops muscles and increases mobility;
- massages the internal organs, which ensures their good work;
- eliminates physical tension and mental stress, which automatically leads to muscle relaxation and stress relief and thus provides the first step to relieve mental tension, since physical relaxation cannot be achieved if a person is in a state of mental stress.

Year of issue: 1986

Genre: ethnoscience

Format: DOC

Quality: OCR

Description: The widespread and popularity of yoga testifies to the urgent need in society for what is commonly called "anti-stress", "relaxation", "self-control" or "the ability to concentrate". Hence the need for a scientific assessment of this phenomenon also arises. Such attempts have already been made in many countries, more or less confirmed by relevant data (see, for example, Vigh (1970) in Hungary, Mukerji and Spiegelhoff (1971) in Germany, Funderburk (1977) in the USA). Book " Physiological aspects yoga" is addressed to doctors, biologists, psychologists, psychotherapists, it summarizes the data available to the author mainly from a physiological point of view. Elementary information from the practice of yoga is assumed to be known, so that this book is in no way an introduction to the practice of yoga, much less a guide to the exercises.
Although the publications available today are often little connected with each other, and many measured values are not accompanied by any physiological commentary, and some studies were even carried out carelessly (which is indicated on occasion in the appropriate places), nevertheless, in this book the author tried to give a closed description and physiological assessment of the issues involved.
Each chapter of The Physiological Aspects of Yoga opens with a brief introduction to the corresponding physiological problem for those who are familiar with human physiology in principle but are not experts in the field. For those wishing to delve deeper into the physiological foundations, references to additional literature are provided in the appropriate places. A more detailed exposition of physiological questions would be beyond the scope of this book.
It should be specially emphasized that here we are talking only about selected “aspects”, outside of which there are points of view that are not discussed here, but which are quite deserving of attention within the framework of this topic. This is especially true for other areas of medicine. It would be highly desirable over time to gain a deeper understanding of yoga, for example, in terms of clinical medicine or psychotherapy. The choice of aspects proposed here should therefore serve as a stimulus for further accumulation of data and, accordingly, for new research, in order to thereby contribute to the scientific development of this great heritage of world culture.
For numerous fruitful discussions, criticisms and corrections, I heartily thank my friends and colleagues Dr. P. Lessig, Dr. W. Fritzsche and Dr. Z. Waurik. I also wholeheartedly thank the ethnologist Mr. G. Kucharsky for the numerous references on Indological issues, which occupy a significant place in the text, often without any references. My special gratitude for mutual understanding and support in the work goes to my wife, Dagmar Ebert.

The physiology of yoga studies the influence of hatha yoga techniques on the physiological components of a person.

Every day there is an increasing interest in the study of hatha yoga in the world. The Hatha Yoga system is based on a variety of techniques for working with the body - asana (body position, shape, position) and pranayama (breathing practices and breath holding), the main purpose of which is a specific effect on the human body. One of the goals of the hatha yoga system is perfect health and an increase in the life expectancy of a person, through a complex effect on the organs and systems of the body.

The physiology of yoga explore questions of a similar type:

The effect of yoga techniques on the ANS
The influence of yoga techniques on CCC
Physiology of Meditation Practices
Traditional methods of psychophysical self-improvement and others

More detailed information and some studies on the physiology of yoga you can see in the corresponding section.

It is most correct to consider the influence of hatha yoga methods on 3 planes. As an example, one of the greatest teachers of our time, Swami Satyanda Saraswati, said: “Yoga asana acts on 3 human planes: physical, psychological and spiritual”

Effect on physiology:

Muscles and joints, nervous and endocrine, respiratory and excretory systems, and the circulatory system are coordinated in such a way as to support and facilitate the functioning of each other. Asanas increase the adaptive functions of the body, make the body strong and flexible. They support the body in optimal condition, contribute to the recovery of diseased organs and rejuvenation of the body as a whole.

For the psyche:

Asanas make the mind strong, able to overcome pain and misfortune. They develop determination, focus and confidence. With regular practice of asanas, balance becomes a normal state of mind. You can meet all the problems of the world, all the anxieties and sorrows with absolute calmness. The mind calms down, the colors of life become brighter, and difficulties turn into a means to achieve perfection. mental health. The practice of asanas awakens dormant energies that cause others to feel trust and longing for the person who radiates them. There is an expansion of consciousness, a person is able to see himself and the world around him.

Yoga - asana and spirituality:

Asanas are the third stage of the eight-step path of Raja Yoga, and in this aspect, asanas prepare the body and mind for higher yoga practices, namely: pratyahara - distraction of the senses from objects, dharana - concentration, dhyana - meditation and samadhi - achieving cosmic consciousness. Classic texts on hatha yoga: "Hatha Yoga Pradipika" and "Gheranda Samhita". And although asanas alone cannot give spiritual enlightenment, they are nevertheless an important part of the spiritual path. Some people believe that asanas are just physical exercises that have nothing to do with spiritual development. This is a completely wrong point of view. For those who seek to awaken and develop their psychic abilities, asanas are an almost inevitable necessity!

That is, in the physiological aspect, we are talking about the consideration of yoga methods on the human body and the development of conscious control and regulation of motor, sensory, vegetative and other physiological activities, that is, a conscious impact on somatic and mental functions.

Each such segment has receptors through which the central nervous system receives relevant information about the strength and nature of irritation (excitation). The immediate localization of this irritation is the cerebral cortex.

Thus, stimulating certain muscle groups, using static and dynamic modes of operation, as well as stretching and relaxing muscles, using motor actions and postures, an indirect effect on the central nervous system becomes possible.

Stimulation of certain areas of the cerebral cortex (cortico-visceral interaction) affects the thought process and the feelings and emotions associated with it. Mental activity, in turn, affects both skeletal and smooth muscle muscles. internal organs.

In addition, certain body positions affect the endocrine system, which also manifests itself in the corresponding reactions of the body. The use of various means and methods of working with the musculoskeletal system makes it possible to achieve the necessary functional reactions and states of the human body to perform or solve their respective tasks.

In the language of physiology, there is an impact on the functional state of the central nervous system, that is, on the mental and physiological functions of the body. Using this knowledge and capabilities, a person can correct various dysfunctions of his body.

Such a process of self-knowledge makes it possible to bring a human being to a new stage of evolutionarily significant changes and, as a result, a higher level of personality realization. However, the practical achievement of these changes, such as the correction of the spine or getting rid of chronic stress, requires special knowledge and should be implemented gradually. At first, it is necessary to practice under the supervision of a qualified specialist who will be able to monitor the correct implementation and adapt personal practice complexes to a change in the state of the body.

It is traditionally believed that hatha yoga asanas can be practiced at any age, up to old age. The followers of the system were able purely empirically, by summarizing centuries of experience, to discover the main general biological pattern: a properly selected and dosed functional load, with regular systematic repetition in the form of exercises, forms and improves the body, its tissues, organs and systems.

Hatha yoga classes contribute to the acquisition of skill deep relaxation, which also has a beneficial effect on the emotional sphere, eventually forming stress resistance. Psychoemotional stability training gives a person the opportunity to even consciously reduce pain.

Dietrich Ebert. PHYSIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF YOGA.. 1

PREFACE TO THE GERMAN EDITION ... 1

1. INTRODUCTION. 2

1.2. Building classical yoga. 5

1.3. The traditional view of the human body. 8

1.4. Yoga and physiology. 9

2. YAMA and NIYAMA.. 10

3. ASANA (POSE). 16

3.2. Mechanically conditioned effects of asanas on internal organs.. 20

3.3. Effects on blood circulation. 24

3.4. Functional and energy aspects of asanas. 31

3.5. Biomechanical aspects of asanas. 38

3.6. Somatosensory effects of asanas. 40

3.7. Sensorimotor aspects of asanas. 42

4. Pranayama.. 48

4.1 Prana theories.. 48

4.2 Pranayama techniques.. 50

4.3. Breathing forms and pranayama parameters.. 52

4.4. Energy exchange in pranayama. 59

4.6. The role of respiration in the human body. 61

5. MEDITATION. 71

5.2. Meditation Techniques.. 72

5.3. Physiological Effects of Meditation.. 75

5.4 Psychophysiological significance of meditation.. 91

7. CONCLUSION 103

8. GLOSSARY.. 104

9. BIBLIOGRAPHY. 108

PREFACE TO THE GERMAN EDITION

Dietrich Ebert HD

The widespread and popularity of yoga testifies to the urgent need in society for what is commonly called "anti-stress", "relaxation", "self-control" or "the ability to concentrate". Hence the need for a scientific assessment of this phenomenon also arises. Such attempts have already been made in many countries, more or less confirmed by relevant data (see, for example, Vigh (1970) in Hungary, Mukerji and Spiegelhoff (1971) in Germany, Funderburk (1977) in the USA). This book is addressed to doctors, biologists, psychologists, psychotherapists, it summarizes the data available to the author mainly from a physiological point of view. Elementary information from the practice of yoga is supposed to be known, so this book is by no means an introduction to the practice of yoga, much less a guide to the exercises.
Although the publications available today are often little connected with each other, and many measured values are not accompanied by any physiological commentary, and some studies were even carried out carelessly (which is indicated on occasion in the appropriate places), nevertheless, in this book the author tried to give a closed description and physiological assessment of the issues involved.
Each chapter opens with a brief introduction to the relevant physiological problem for those who are familiar with human physiology in principle but are not experts in the field. For those wishing to delve deeper into the physiological foundations, references to additional literature are provided in the appropriate places. A more detailed exposition of physiological questions would be beyond the scope of this book.
It should be specially emphasized that here we are talking only about selected “aspects”, outside of which there are points of view that are not discussed here, but which are quite deserving of attention within the framework of this topic. This is especially true for other areas of medicine. It would be highly desirable over time to gain a deeper understanding of yoga, for example, in terms of clinical medicine or psychotherapy. The choice of aspects proposed here should therefore serve as a stimulus for further accumulation of data and, accordingly, for new research, in order to thereby contribute to the scientific development of this great heritage of world culture.
For numerous fruitful discussions, criticisms and corrections, I sincerely thank my friends and colleagues Dr. P. Lessig, Dr. W. Fritzsche and Dr. Z. Waurik. I also sincerely thank the ethnologist Mr. G. Kuharski for the numerous references on Indological issues, which occupy a significant place in the text, often without any references. My special gratitude for mutual understanding and support in the work goes to my wife, Dagmar Ebert.

Dietrich Ebert

INTRODUCTION

D. Ebert. Physiologische Aspekte des Yoga / Translated from German by Minvaleev R.S.

Definition of Yoga

The history of yoga in Indian culture goes back thousands of years. Already in pre-Aryan India (approximately 2500 - 1800 BC), the first images of yogis are found. After the Aryan invasion of North India around 1000 B.C. In the valley of the Ganges, the Indo-Aryan culture was formed. Even before the period of its first heyday, around 500-100 BC, the Vedas (Hymns of "knowledge") were written down. These are the oldest written monuments of the Indo-European languages that have come down to our time (Rig Veda, about 1000 BC). The Upanishads, philosophical commentaries on the Vedas, date somewhat later. From the wealth of thought imprinted in them, over time, six great brahminical darshans (philosophical systems) were formed: Mimamsa, Vedanta, Sankhya, Yoga, Vaisheshika and Nyaya.

Thus, yoga as one of the philosophical schools has come down to us from the last third of the 1st millennium BC, being closely connected with the philosophy of Samkhya, one of the oldest philosophical systems in India. It must be said that the concept of philosophy in ancient india in addition to the theoretical understanding of the world, it also included a peculiar way of life (Mylius 1983). Moreover, if the Sankhya philosophy had as its subject just a rational-theoretical interpretation of world problems, then yoga was more likely a practical system of self-knowledge. Ultimately, however, yoga was to lead to the same results as the rationalistic Samkhya philosophy.

Both systems are based on the same cosmology and proceed from the typically brahminical moral-causal world order, according to which every deed, every action (karma), in addition to its natural meaning, has one more meaning, which, regardless of space and time, but only based on the relationship of circumstances, can naturally evoke and influence new circumstances. These influences can be realized only in the next life, after a new birth. Thus, this cosmology includes the doctrine of the “transmigration of souls”, the “wheel of rebirths”. Each act of a person has as its consequence a certain confluence of circumstances arising from the principle of moral responsibility, and in such a way as to obtain the least sad rebirth, as well as to reduce or completely eliminate suffering already in real life, you need a correct understanding of cause-and-effect relationships and the right way of life - which gives an appeal to yoga.

The world order in the dualistic and atheistic Samkhya philosophy is explained by reducing everything that exists in the world to two principles:

The pra-matter (Prakriti), unmanifested, formless, disordered, active, is in constant motion, devoid of spirituality and self-awareness.
The spiritual entity, the "soul" (Purusha), is inactive, spiritualized and self-aware.

This spiritual essence is separated from the material world of events by a deep and insurmountable abyss, which also applies to a person in whom the core of his own being opposes the objective processes taking place in him as an alienated and indifferent essence. The reason for this is that thinking (chitta) in a person (from a linguistic point of view it is not clear how adequate the translation of “chitta” by the word “thinking”) is a product of prakriti and, accordingly, is associated with objects of perception, that is, it perceives the form of these objects, changing thereby its own Gestalt (eigene Gestalt). Thus arises a false identification of the soul with objects. To break this vicious circle, a means must be found to consciously stop the false identification of the soul with objects (Chattopadhyaya 1978). And that remedy is yoga.

Through yoga, our ignorance (avidya) regarding the essence of purusha and prakriti is eliminated, and thus deliverance from suffering is achieved. In this case, getting rid of suffering means a certain state (enlightenment) obtained through cognition, which annuls the action of Karma leading to suffering and frees the soul from the circle of rebirths. The difference from European ideas about the ways of deliverance is probably that this way is realized primarily through self-knowledge, and at the same time, any ritual actions with a personified deity are not necessary (“atheistic religion”?).

In the strictly atheistic system of Sankhya, liberation is brought about by rational knowledge and a virtuous way of life, while in yoga liberation is realized through meditation and self-knowledge, and for yoga, in contrast to Sankhya, some theistic component is characteristic, which, apparently, psychologically facilitates the realization of liberation ( see chapter 2). However, this theistic component seems artificial to Indologists (Frauwallner 1953, Glasenapp 1949). Theism does not correspond to the Samkhya worldview and, in relation to yoga, can be considered as an alien element. From the point of view of the philosophical content in yoga there is nothing fundamentally new in comparison with the philosophy of Samkhya. Yoga only brings an in-depth understanding of the psychology and mechanism of the liberation process. So it is hardly legitimate to consider yoga as an independent philosophical system, but it would be more accurate to consider it a practice of Samkhya theory (Frauwallner 1953, Chattopadhyaya 1978). The psychological mechanism of liberating enlightenment is considered on the basis of "mystical physiology" (see 1.3).

This yoga, oriented towards the path of practical self-knowledge, found its classical formulations in the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali (circa 200 BC). The sutras are sayings that are in the nature of axiomatic statements, which to a certain extent form the quintessence of the teaching. Each of the six brahminical darshans has its own fundamental, axiom-formulated sutras. As for the Yoga Sutra, it consists of four books:

Concentration
Practice Concentration
Psychic powers
Liberation

The first book explains the so-called yoga of submission (see Ch. 5), in the second and third books - the classic eightfold path. Finally, the fourth book deals with the philosophical and esoteric aspects of yoga. Without a commentary to the uninitiated, the meaning of these sayings is unclear, since in ancient India all types of philosophy were considered "secret teachings", for a more complete understanding of which a lot of additional information transmitted exclusively orally is required (Mylius 1983). Something is also formulated that can only be understood through one's own experience. Finally, for a correct understanding, a preliminary acquaintance with Samkhya cosmology is necessary. The first and most important commentary on the Yoga Sutra is the Yoga Bhashya written by Vyasa.

Like all brahminical systems, the school of yoga in later times was also provided with very detailed comments and additions. Further, already in the early Middle Ages, some significant changes were found in relation to the methodology, and a great many subspecies and variants of yoga arose. Numerous schools of yoga differ in the peculiarities of the technique of performing exercises, in approaches to the problem of spiritual and physical self-improvement, and, accordingly, in the objects of concentration.

Table 1. Some of the famous forms of yoga

Yoga Forms	The original object of spiritual self-cultivation, respectively, the subject of concentration exercises (Evans-Wentz 1937)
Hatha yoga	Body functions, breathing
Mantra yoga	The sound of syllables or words
Yantra Yoga	Geometric figures
Karma yoga	Deeds and selfless activities
kriya yoga	Physical and spiritual cleansing
Tantra yoga	Psychic experiments
jnana yoga	knowledge, cognition
Laya yoga	Strength of will
bhakti yoga	Divine love, self-giving
Kundalini yoga	Esoteric representations

In Europe, hatha yoga, which literally means "yoga of the Sun and Moon" (more precisely, "Combination of solar and lunar breaths" - Evans-Wentz 1937), has gained popularity and is often translated as "yoga of possession of the body", although, of course, this also includes spiritual practices. The most important classical texts on hatha yoga are Hathayogapradipika, Shivasamhita and Gherandasamhita, which appeared in the 11th-17th centuries AD. (Kucharski 1977). Hatha yoga was founded by Gorakshanath and Matsyendranath.

Yoga has been transferred to other countries, especially in East Asia, where, in particular, their own schools of yoga have been formed. (Evans-Wentz 1937), moreover, new forms of culture have emerged, such as Zen in Japan (see 5.1). For centuries in Asia, and especially in India, yoga has remained a living practice and can still be found today in its traditional forms (Brunton 1937, Vivekananda 1937, Ananda 1980).

In the current century, this modern and relevant for us yoga has become widespread in Europe and America, which has led to the emergence of a number of its Europeanized forms under mottos such as: "Yoga and Christianity", "Yoga and Sports", "Yoga and Medicine". The abundance of forms, the intervention of European cults and philosophical ideas gave rise to the diversity of exotic sects, in which it is already difficult to recognize "yoga in itself."

1.2. The construction of classical yoga

When analyzing all the variety of subspecies of yoga that we have to deal with everywhere in the world today, it turns out, as well as when considering other traditional Indian schools, that the core and methodological basis yoga will always be the famous eight-fold path. The first five steps (anga) are called kriya yoga (practical yoga), and steps six through eight are called raja yoga (regal yoga). The specific expansion of any one of the first five steps, or, equally, only parts of them gave rise to many subspecies of yoga.

Intensive improvement, especially of the third and fourth steps, led to hatha yoga, which, due to the large number and difficulty of various postures, is also called "yoga of the body" or "strong yoga." For all types of yoga, the following main components are common:
Available code of conduct(set out in the first and second stages), which formally defines the relationship of a person to society and to himself.
Yogic praxis is always associated with conscious performance physical and mental exercises that are done regularly.
The execution of all elements of the exercise must be accompanied by a conscious mental focus.
Setting the mind to some passivity(e.g., in self-observation of breathing according to the formula "I breathe", etc.) is a psychological technique that is different from "active concentration" (e.g., when calculating in the mind), and creates a psychological ground for mental concentration.

The classical eightfold path is described in principle in the second and third books of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. Since we are giving the most concise summary, only the sutras on this subject will be quoted here:

Eight step yoga

II/29 Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi - the eight limbs of yoga.

I am a step

II/30 Non-killing, truthfulness, non-stealing, abstinence and non-greed are called Yama.(The literal translation of "Yama" means: discipline, commandment). II/31 These commandments, not limited by time, place, circumstances and caste laws, are a great vow.

I am a step

II/32 Internal and external purification, contentment, mortification of the flesh, study and service to God - this is Niyama.(Niyama literally means: self-discipline; instead of mortification, the concept of “austerity” is often used).

I am a step

II/46 A still and comfortable posture is an asana.(Originally, only sitting postures could be called asanas, since in the time of Patanjali many other postures were still unknown).

I am a step

II/49 Then follows the mastery of the movements of inhalation and exhalation (Pranayama). II/53 The mind becomes capable of Dharana. (Pranayama literally means: “bridling prana” or “energy control”. Prana means vital energy, - see Chapter 4. - which comes through breathing and is regulated by it. Based on this, pranayama is freely translated by the term “regulation of breathing”) .

I am a step

II/54 Detachment of the senses (Pratyahara) is achieved by cutting them off from their own objects and at the same time accepting the nature of the mind (chitta). II/55 The result is a complete mastery of the senses.(Psychologically accurate translation of the term "pratyahara": "Lack of connection of the senses with the objects of their sphere of perception").

I am a step

III/1 Dharana is the retention of thought on a particular subject.(Dharana is often simply referred to as "concentration" or "fixation of thought").

I am a step

III/2 If this (Dharana) forms an uninterrupted stream of knowledge, then it is Dhyana.(Dhyana means precisely: reflection, representation, analysis, and is often translated by the term "meditation." For the meaning of this translation, see Chapter 5.)

I am a step

III/3 If this (Dhyana), leaving any forms, reflects only the meaning, then this is Samadhi.(The correct translation of Samadhi is so controversial that even conflicting definitions are used for this, see Chapter 5).

I steps

III/4 These three, when applied to one single object, are samiyama. III/5 When this is achieved, the light of knowledge is kindled. III/12 The focus of the chitta on any object is achieved when the past and present impressions are the same.

The remaining sutras not quoted here explain and supplement what has already been said and are of a more philosophical and didactic nature.

Even today, the classical eight-step yoga is practiced in India in this full form, but at the same time they also teach one or another option. Moreover, both the number and prevalence of the aforementioned varieties of yoga have increased significantly. Further, it became customary to select individual elements or groups of exercises from the system and apply them as therapeutic agents in medical practice. Many state-funded yoga clinics and institutes have yoga therapy methods various groups diseases that are partly based on clinical experience (see Chapter 6). In addition, for preventive and hygienic purposes, yoga is included in the curriculum of schools and sports institutions.

Modern European literature on yoga, consisting mainly of practical advice and attempts at interpretation, also contains more or less developed elements of the classical yoga system. Unfortunately, under the influence of sectarian currents and the interests of commerce, the primordial content of yoga, still preserved, albeit in an incomplete form, is often forced out into the dubious area of superficial speculation. In medical practice, yoga as a system is not used, although there are many applications, primarily in the field of psychotherapy and physiotherapy.

Fig.1. ancient indian scheme subtle body with seven chakras and three main nadis: Ida (blue), Pingala (red) and Sushumna (straight). The symbolic content of the chakras is conveyed by the number of lotus petals.

Yoga and physiology

If we ignore all those cultural-historical forms and interpretations in which yoga has been modified or included, then from the natural scientific positions, as a result, there remains some empirical knowledge that exists independently of any interpretation, in which yoga appears as a method of self-discipline. In the physiological sense, we are talking about a certain system of teaching methods of conscious control and regulation of motor, sensory, vegetative and mental activity. At the same time, there is a conscious impact on somatic and mental functions, coinciding with the conscious “self-recognition”, “experiencing” of the function.

The goal of yogic practice can be seen both in the "...intensive and precise exploration of the inner world of a person..." (Scheidt 1976) and in the implementation of practices and lifestyles that lead the body to "...a situational and constitutional optimum.. .” (Schultz 1954). From mental and bodily self-discipline one can expect both physiologically measurable effects, and equally, health-improving effects in terms of prevention and therapy. In this sense, it is legitimate to define yoga as an individually practiced and subjectively experienced “physiology”. To what extent this "experienced physiology" is comparable to our European objective physiology and will be the subject of subsequent discussions.

YAMA and NIYAMA

D. Ebert. Physiologische Aspekte des Yoga / Translated from German by Minvaleev R.S.

The first two steps of classical yoga are represented by the rules of conduct, which are found unchanged in all schools of yoga. Moreover, they have also become accepted moral precepts for all those who, although not practicing yoga, live in the Indian cultural traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism or Jainism, and, apparently, only the precepts for purification are not followed as strictly as in yoga. . At first glance, it seems that Yama and Niyama are not directly related to physiology. However, in the sense of a holistic consideration of the eco-socio-psycho-somatic organization of life, some of these prescriptions have points of contact with physiology. For purely medical fields of activity in which psychotherapeutic, psychohygienic, socio-medical or physio-dietological aspects are important, tempting prospects may be hidden here. Therefore, we will consider these prescriptions in somewhat more detail, and we will dwell on the relationship with the physiology of the diet and cleansing procedures.

Yama and Niyama Precepts

Yama (discipline, right way of life) regulates ethical relations with the outside world. The foundations of the yama are partially given already in the Yoga Sutra, which we present in fragments (source see 1.2.):

II / 33 In order to drive out thoughts that hinder yoga, you need to call the opposite of them.

II/34 Obstacles to yoga are murder, untruthfulness, etc., whether they are already perfect, whether they have a cause or occasion, are due to greed, anger or ignorance, and whether they are light, medium or excessive, have as their effect an infinite ignorance and need. This is the method of how to think the opposite.

The awakening of thoughts is attributed here with a decisive significance as a mechanism for controlling behavior. This principle of “priority of spirituality” for human behavior, which must be developed in order to control and use biological instincts, correlates with the Marxist theory of the social determination of human behavior, since the content of thinking in this case also depends, among other things, on social determinants.

II/35 If he (the yogi) stands firm in ahimsa, then in his presence all enmity ceases.

This principle of non-killing (ahimsa) is broadly understood as the principle of non-violence. It includes the fundamental non-violence towards all the creations of the creator, as well as compassion for all those who suffer. In its extreme form, this precept is practiced by Jains, who sweep the road in front of them and wear a handkerchief over their faces so as not to inadvertently kill any insect.

II / 36 If the yogi is completely established in truthfulness, then he gets the opportunity for himself and for others to reap the fruits of labor without effort.

Truthfulness (sathyam) is understood here in the same comprehensive way as described above (II/34). This has the following relation to physiology. When untruth is spoken, then in order to maintain social plausibility, another parallel model containing a lie must be added to the intra-subject model of behavior. With this parallel model, which has no correspondence in reality, one has to compare and coordinate each real situation in order to be able to exist in society as an integral person. This requires an overstrain of mental activity and an overexpenditure of mental energy, which prevents spontaneous behavior and direct regulation of relationships with the outside world.

II/37 If the yogin is strengthened in non-theft, then all treasures flow to him.

Non-theft (asteyam) also includes the renunciation of any claim to another's property. This should give rise to an unshakable self-awareness.

II/38 Strength is gained by being established in abstinence.

This laconic statement is reminiscent of the psychoanalytic theory of sublimation, according to which the sexual desire can act as a spiritual force if it is directed to non-sexual ends. In other words, the power to satisfy sexual needs is used for non-sexual activities, "sublimated" in non-sexual behavior. The commonality with Sutra II/38 is that the sexual desire (Libido) is understood here as a force or as a psychic energy.

II/39 If he is strengthened in non-greed, then he will receive the memory of a past existence.

Aparigraha is often translated as the absence of greed.

Niyama (self-discipline, limitation) regulates the attitude towards oneself:

II/41 Also arise the purity of sattva (joy, knowledge),
cheerful disposition, concentration, subordination of the senses and the ability of self-realization.

The most important and voluminous component of Niyama are the purification practices (Kriya, see Chapter 2.2.), which, however, are not explained in the Yoga Sutra, but appear in later texts, sometimes they can also be found in connection with pranayama or in wisdom.

II/42 From contentment grows the highest happiness.

Satisfaction (santosha) with everything that happens or exactly how an event occurs can be trained by taking into account only the positive aspects that are contained in everything, and ignoring the negative aspects. At the same time, it is initially accepted that every event carries both aspects, and then the negative aspects are known in interaction with one's own personality.

II/43 As a result of austerity, hidden powers are imparted to the sense organs and the body through the removal of impurity.

Ascesis, often defined as rigor (tapas) - one of the prescriptions of self-discipline - covers all subsequent steps of yoga or prepares for them. It is about training willpower through the practice of overcoming your own needs. Asceticism includes, for example, periods of fasting during which there is resistance to nutritional needs, sexual abstinence, as well as periods of social isolation (loneliness) in order to resist the needs of communication and social contacts. The transfer of physical pain is also common.
Niyama includes the study of texts, devotion to a god, or reverence for a guru. Of course, the study of texts restores the relationship with the cultural tradition.
Loving self-surrender became the main goal in bhakti yoga (cf. Bhagavad Gita, about 400 BC). At the same time, it is not the object of veneration that is essential, but the actual fact of veneration, i.e. practice of self-surrender towards anyone.

Yoga Diet

All yoga schools give special recommendations on the quantity and quality of nutrition, which Patanjali does not mention, and they also cannot be attributed to one or another step of the eightfold path. These recommendations of Kuvalayananda and Vinekar (1963) summarize as follows:

1. Avoiding overeating, setting an individually required amount of calories.

2. Compliance with a dairy-vegetarian diet (without eating meat, but without a ban on all "animals")

3. Eating food poor in proteins (without eggs) and salt.

It is assumed that yogic practices stimulate the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system, and as a result, first of all, in beginners, compensatory hyperactivation of the sympathetic-adrenal system occurs, to neutralize the undesirable consequences of which there is a need for a low-protein diet with salt restriction.

4. Avoidance of all stimulants, such as, for example, strong spices and drugs.

A number of dietary recommendations are based mainly on the traditions of Ayurveda. Ayurveda (approximately 200 AD) is a system of ancient Indian medicine, which also contains information on biologically active substances (pharmacy) and diet. Here you can see a lot of similarities with ancient Chinese ideas about health and diet, when the goal is achieved by a well-balanced diet. Following these dietary recommendations in individual cases could be a worthy task for clinical biochemistry.

The dietary recommendation for no meat, according to Kuvalayananda and Vinekar (1963), derives from the well-known notion that meat contains less vital energy because the animal has already used it up. As a result, even less energy remains in the meat of carnivores than in the meat of herbivores. Most of the vital energy, therefore, can be obtained from plants (according to the ancient Hindus, the primitive society was a society of vegetarians). It is assumed that this recommendation is due to tradition. For example, the Eskimos, who do not have the opportunity to consume plants, have adapted to a meat diet. In the new (especially European) schools of yoga, vegetarian cuisine is justified by the fact that with its help only good manners and virtue develop. Eating meat gives rise to aggressiveness and, as a result, destructive stereotypes of behavior. From the point of view of the physiology of nutrition, nothing definite can be said about this, since the relationship between the manner of behavior or such elements of the psyche as moods, affects, mental activity, etc. has not yet been studied. with the composition of food products. The next argument in favor of refusing to eat meat is that it is immoral to eat meat, since in this case the ethical commandment of ahimsa (non-killing) is violated in order to obtain food. To this, from a general biological point of view, one could object that plants are also living beings. Further, with the mass keeping of livestock by people, an ethically complex problem arises: all those animals that are intended for processing for meat must first be raised by humans, that is, they would not exist at all if they were not used for food. The explanation that meat food in the tropics spoils very quickly also sounds convincing; in this case, this hygienic reason will be the basis for the prohibition on eating meat.

We do not know what psychological consequences a one-sided vegetarian diet may have, because nothing is known about the relationship between the structure of the intermediate metabolism and mental functions. Here are some of the effects of a vegetarian diet on intermediate metabolism.

Pure plant foods are poor in protein and fat, so that without olives and nuts, the calorie requirement can only be met by a large amount of bulk food (Rapoport 1969). In addition, vegetarians do not get enough of some essential amino acids. They also show a decrease in serum globulin levels (Kanig 1973). However, the counterexample in this respect is the strict vegetarians who have lived to a ripe old age. Vegetarian food enriched with dairy products can already be considered complete.

Plant-based diets are low in salt, which leads to osmotic dehydration. With this, as well as with a high content of vitamins, the anti-inflammatory effect of plant products is associated (Seidel, Bosseckert 1971). The pH value of the liquid medium of the body is shifted towards alkaline values. Finally, it is necessary to take into account the increased gas formation in the intestine due to the breakdown of cellulose, which in turn leads to the absorption of methane and an increase in its content in the blood.

In yoga, it is recommended to limit food. Eating should be finished when hunger is satisfied - an attitude aimed at avoiding satiety and overeating. Temporary fasting is recommended, the effect of which is seen in an increase in psychic energy. During fasting, one's own energy needs are covered by the breakdown of the body's reserves, while the level of protein in the blood remains unchanged, the content of all lipids falls, and the breakdown of muscle tissue is prevented. regular workouts(e.g. asana practice) (for details see Krauss 1979, Seidel and Bosseckert 1971). After overcoming the so-called hunger crisis, such psychophysically beneficial results as, for example, improved vision and a lowering of the hearing threshold are described (Krauss 1977). A similar increase in psychophysical indicators is emphasized by all yogas, and their descriptions range from "improvement of well-being" through "increased tone" to "ability for expanded perception." The systematic study and substantiation of these relationships is of considerable interest.

In the clinical picture of the psychiatric disease Anorexia nervosa (neurotic lack of appetite), accompanied by chronic malnutrition, an increase in mental performance is also reported. For example, adolescents with this condition are often among the top achievers in their age groups.

It should be noted here that any therapeutic fasting, in addition to complying with the relevant rules, requires medical supervision. This includes, for example, control over the excretion of water and electrolytes, blood circulation, the functions of certain hormones, etc.

ASANA (POSE)

D. Ebert. Physiologische Aspekte des Yoga / Translated from German by Minvaleev R.S.

Sitting postures

Padmasana * Lotus position
Vajrasana * "Strong Pose", Pose on the heels
Sukhasana* "easy pose", Tailor's Pose

Inverted poses

Viparitakarani *"inverted pose", Half-stand on the shoulder blades
Sarvangasana * shoulder stand, candle pose
Sirshasana *headstand

Torso rotation

Matsyendrasana * "Matsyendranath Pose", Twisted Pose
Ardhamatsyendrasana * semi-twisted pose
Vakrasana * back rotation

Torso forward bends

Paschimottanasana * Cross Reclining Pose, Back Pose
Halasana * plow pose (also an inverted pose)
Yoga mudra * yoga symbol
Yoganidrasana* sleeping pose

Torso back

Matsyasana *fish pose
Bhujangasana *cobra pose
Shalabhasana * grasshopper pose
Dhanurasana *bow pose
Chakrasana * wheel pose

Balance exercises

Parvatasana *mountain pose
Kukutasana * cock pose
Wokasana *tree pose
Bakasana *crow pose
Vrischikasana * scorpion pose
Mayurasana * peacock pose

Table 3 List of muscles that contract during the most important bandhas (according to Gopal, Lakshman 1972)

Warm-up is the preparatory part of any training process, which includes performing special exercises immediately before the main part training complex. The main goal of the warm-up is to achieve an optimal level of CNS excitability, mobilization physiological functions body before the upcoming load.

Sometimes the need for a dynamic warm-up in the structure of a yoga complex is questioned. In our opinion, a warm-up is not only necessary, but also has its own characteristics.

Many asanas involve quite complex joint rotations necessary for assuming a pose, and therefore a warm-up is a must. should include articular gymnastics.

First, with active joint movements, normalization of the amount of synovial fluid, performing the joint cavity: with an initial insufficient amount, its formation and release into the joint cavity by the synovial membrane are stimulated, with an excess (which can occur during inflammatory processes), absorption back into the blood or lymphatic channel. In addition, its viscosity and electrolyte composition change. This greatly facilitates further work in asanas, prevents possible pain and, consequently, the impossibility of performing many postures.

Secondly, the articular apparatus, in addition to its own ligaments, also includes muscle tendons that pass through the joint or attach to its capsule. Thus, the joint "coordinates" the action of a group of muscles, the tendons of which are involved in the formation of the joint. The group is called functional and combines muscles that perform a specific motor act (the group includes the main muscle, synergists, antagonists and auxiliary muscles).

When involved in the warm-up all major joints going on coordination of relationships and movements of various functional groups of muscles and parts of the body. This is one of the tasks that asanas "perform". And therefore, articular gymnastics can be considered an integral part of the main complex, which precedes a deeper study of intermuscular relationships in asanas.

Third, articular surfaces and articular ligaments are an extensive receptor field, which includes more than 4 types of receptors, which are located in the joint capsule, in the thickness of the joint ligaments, as well as in the tendons of the muscles passing through the joint or attached to its capsule.

Consider the main types of articular receptors. One of the types is end of the Golgi sensitive to changes in the magnitude of the articular angle; another - ruffini bodies,- the rate of change. At the same time, the Ruffini endings are also sensitive to the activity of muscles that change the tension of the joint capsule. Endings Vater-Pacchini sensitive to changes in the tension of the joint capsule from its tension and movements. The difference between the Vater-Pacchini endings and the Golgi and Ruffini receptors is that the former give a quick response, which lasts until the tension of the joint capsule changes and stops no later than after 1 second. The latter are "slow" receptors, the adaptation period of which lasts for 0.5 -1 minute.

This implies the need to warm up one joint for at least 1-2 minutes.

Thirdly, when performing articular gymnastics, blood and lymph circulation increases, local temperature rises, metabolism proceeds more intensively, which helps to increase the elasticity of ligaments, tendons and fascia of the muscles attached to the joint. This makes it possible to “stretch” the tendons (in this regard, it is understandable recommendation to perform articular gymnastics with tension, with a certain effort) and as a consequence, “open” the muscle for further work in the asana. It is the density and elasticity of the connective tissue elements of muscle tissue, which serve as a kind of frame, that often does not allow stretching and intensively working out the necessary muscle.

Warming up involves preparing muscle tissue. It is known that at rest the muscles receive about 15% of the minute volume of blood (MBC). With dynamic muscular work, these indicators increase and can reach 88% of the IOC, primarily due to the opening of the "reserve" capillaries of the muscle tissue. Volumetric velocity blood flow increases from 4 ml / min per 100 g of muscle tissue to 100-150 ml / min, that is, 20-25 times (O. Wade, I.M. Bishop, 1962; J. Schemer, 1973, Dubrovsky V.I. , 1982 and others). The blood flow increases at the beginning of the exercise, and reaches a stable level by 3 minutes, depending on the intensity of the exercise and the initial state of health.

Increased blood flow leads to an increase in the temperature of muscle tissue from 34.8 C to 38.5 C. An increase in temperature, in turn, reduces the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen, promotes its (oxygen) release from chemical bonds. And despite the fact that the blood flow rate will increase 20 times, aerobic metabolism in the muscles can increase 100 times by increasing oxygen utilization from 20-25% to 80%.

Some stages of glycolysis and glycogenolysis, oxidative processes that provide the working muscle with energy, are sensitive to an increase in temperature. Consequently, with an increase in temperature, the rate of oxidative processes and the supply of energy to the muscle will increase.

Thus, preliminary dynamic load contributes to the most efficient blood supply to the muscles, which contributes to deep study muscle tissue in asanas, without switching to anaerobic energy supply. This prevents the formation of lactic acid and the occurrence of "krepatura".

The impact of dynamic warm-up on cardiorespiratory system is to improve performance external respiration, heart rate, stroke volume of the heart, minute volume of blood, blood pressure and stabilization of these indicators at a new level.

For the most harmonious and complete development of the body in the lesson, it is desirable involvement in the work of more than 2/3 of the entire muscles of the body. Therefore, the warm-up should include general exercises to evenly work out the main muscle groups. If you wish to prepare any zone more carefully, it can be added special exercises .

From here, one can roughly calculate the duration of a competent warm-up- to work out large joints and major muscle groups, increase and stabilize cardiorespiratory parameters, you will need at least 15-20 minutes. The duration of the dynamic load in this case will depend on the fitness of the body: the more trained a person is, the less time is required to get into the main mode.

All of the above processes affect the state of the nervous system, contributing to the achievement of optimal excitability.

The criterion for the correctness and sufficiency of the performed warm-up for a healthy person - a feeling of warmth, heat in the whole body, the appearance of sweat. This indicates a shift in metabolism to new level; sweating contributes to the establishment of the required level of thermoregulation and better provision of excretory functions. These effects correlate with the signs of etheric body stimulation described in yoga treatises.

To maintain the state achieved during the warm-up, the rest interval before the next main complex should not exceed 10-15 minutes.

So, the basic rules of the warm-up:

1. The warm-up should involve at least 2/3 of the total muscle mass and last at least 15-20 minutes

2. The warm-up should have a general and a special part (if necessary, work out a specific area)

3. An obligatory part of the warm-up is articular gymnastics, with the study of all large joints

4. The study of the joints should take place with additional tension

5. The duration of the study of one joint should be at least 1 minute

6. The criterion for the correct execution of a warm-up is a feeling of warmth, heat in the body, the appearance of sweating

7. The transition time from the warm-up to the main complex should not exceed 10-15 minutes.

The desire to improve their health is the main reason why people turn to yoga.

Let's consider from a scientific (physiological) point of view the key aspects and mechanisms of the influence of yoga on human health:

Cleansing procedures(shatkarmas), are used without fail in the practice of yoga at all stages of improvement. When working with the physical body, a thorough cleaning of the entire body from toxins and toxins is carried out, the intestines, sinuses, tongue are cleaned, special exercises are done for the eyes and the respiratory system. When working with consciousness, all negative thoughts and emotions are eliminated, the sphere of the subconscious is cleansed of the negativity accumulated over the years, and a mood for impeccability in deeds and actions is created. This practice of internal and external cleansing very quickly begins to provide powerful support to the immune system and facilitates further steps to improve the body and mind.

Asana practice in static and dynamic modes, it affects the human body in accordance with fundamental physiological laws, activating absolutely all functional systems. The functional state of the body and health are closely interrelated processes. An indicator of the state of health of the body is not only the absence of pathological disorders, but also the level of development of adaptive changes that occur due to systematic adaptation to increased demands and, for their part, are a factor of protection from extreme stresses. The beneficial effects of physical activity in yoga are realized through the activation of metabolism in the process of adaptation to the practice of asanas. In the process of adaptation, changes occur in all organs and systems, one way or another involved in the management and supply of energy to working muscles:

- optimally trains the musculoskeletal system,

- strengthens the heart and blood vessels,

- the reserves of the cardiorespiratory system are revealed,

- improved autonomic nervous regulation,

- hormonal and nervous systems begin to work more harmoniously and harmoniously.

As a result, those who practice even the initial stages of hatha yoga have a new quality of psychosomatic balance, when diseases begin to disappear that were the result of a negative psycho-emotional state and slagging of the body. In parallel, the tasks of strengthening muscles, increasing their elasticity and endurance, and improving the flexibility of the spine are being solved. And this is the basis of good health, high performance and, ultimately, excellent mood and optimistic attitude, which create a feeling of health.

Our body is a complete system. High performance, good health, absence of diseases - is possible only if there are no areas in any cell of the body, organ or system where the genetic code is damaged, innervation or supply of oxygen, hormones, amino acids, etc. is disturbed, and they themselves cells in general have a high reserve capacity in case of "unforeseen circumstances". However, certain injuries and deviations from normal operation in different parts of the body occur constantly. This is primarily due to the body's response to stressful situations. Everyday life, study and work. In response to a stressful situation, the body reacts by activating the sympathoadrenal system, which leads to the release of stress hormones into the blood, which should stimulate the body to active actions (fight for survival or flight). If neither one nor the other happens and a person does not react to a stress factor with any physical activity, then in his body these same stress hormones destroy the membranes of those organs that have been weakened due to genetic characteristics, poor ecology, injuries or lifestyle. As a result, we usually get diseases of the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract, autonomic nervous disorders or diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

07.06.2011

It is science, in modern conditions, that is an important factor causing progressive transformations in any sphere of human activity, including yoga, as one of the most methodologically developed systems of human self-improvement.

Under the scientific approach we will mean considering yoga in the aspect of sciences that study the work of the human body and psyche in most detail, such as: physiology (studies the structure and patterns of functioning of the physical body), biomechanics (studies the possibilities of optimizing the work of the musculoskeletal system), psychology (studies the structure and patterns mental functioning). However, it is worth noting that the capabilities of a person have not been thoroughly studied not only by these sciences, but by all the others combined. Indeed, until now, scientists are unanimous in the opinion that they have discovered only a negligible part of the true knowledge about a human being.

Physiological aspects of yoga contribute to a deeper understanding of the essence of the impact of hatha yoga exercises, first of all, as a therapeutic system and are prerequisites for building a scientific foundation for health effects on a person. Consider, from the point of view of physiology, the main mechanisms of functioning human body as a result of applying the classical eight-step yoga (yama-niyama-asana-pranayama-pratyahara-dharana-dhyana-samadhi).

From a natural-science point of view, yoga appears as a method of self-discipline. In the physiological sense, we are talking about a certain system of teaching methods of conscious control and regulation of motor, sensory, vegetative and mental activity. At the same time, a conscious impact on somatic and mental functions is carried out, coinciding with the conscious "self-recognition", "experiencing" of the function. The goal of yogic practice can be seen both in the intensive and accurate study of the inner world of a person, and in the implementation of practices and lifestyles that lead the body to a situational and constitutional optimum. In this sense, it is legitimate to define yoga as an individually practiced and subjectively experienced "therapeutic physiology".

The human body has about 200 segments of striated muscles, each of which is surrounded by a fascia that passes into a tendon and attaches to the bone. In addition, in the places where the bones are articulated - the joints, there are ligaments that form articular bags. Each such segment has receptors through which the central nervous system receives relevant information about the strength and nature of irritation (excitation). The immediate localization of this irritation is the cerebral cortex.

Thus, by stimulating certain muscle groups, using the static and dynamic mode of training work, as well as stretching and relaxing muscles, with the help of motor actions and asanas, an indirect effect on the central nervous system becomes possible. Stimulation of certain areas of the cerebral cortex affects the thought process and the feelings and emotions associated with it. Mental activity, in turn, affects both the skeletal and smooth muscle muscles of the internal organs. In addition, certain body positions affect the endocrine system, which also manifests itself in the corresponding reactions of the body. The use of various means and methods of working with the musculoskeletal system makes it possible to achieve the necessary functional reactions and states of the human body to perform or solve their respective tasks.

In the language of physiology, there is an impact on the functional state of the central nervous system, therefore, the regulation of the mental and physiological functions of the body is carried out. Due to this, a subjective diagnosis by a person of his psychological and physical states, as well as the introduction of appropriate programs for their correction. Such a process of self-knowledge makes it possible to bring a human being to a new stage of evolutionally significant changes and, as a result, to a higher level of personality realization.

The first two steps of classical yoga(Yama and Niyama) are represented by the rules of conduct, which are found unchanged in all schools of yoga. Moreover, they have also become accepted moral precepts for all those who, although not practicing yoga, live in the Indian cultural traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism or Jainism, and, apparently, only the precepts for purification are not followed as strictly as in yoga. . At first glance, it seems that Yama and Niyama are not directly related to physiology. However, in the sense of a holistic consideration of the eco-socio-psycho-somatic organization of life, some of these prescriptions have points of contact with physiology. For purely medical fields of activity in which psychotherapeutic, psychohygienic, socio-medical or physio-dietological aspects are important, tempting prospects may be hidden here.

The prescriptions of Yama and Niyama from a physiological point of view have an energy-saving effect on the psychosomatics of a person and help in any circumstances to maintain the regime of optimal energy-informational relationships with the World and with oneself. Markedly reduced levels of stress hormones as a result of persistent practice of the first two steps of yoga. In addition, Yama covers all subsequent stages of yoga or prepares for them, and Niyama, through the practice of cleansing the physical body, promotes active mechanical stimulation of the mucous membranes, thereby causing the revival of visceral functions, reduces susceptibility to pathogenic factors and reduces the reactivity of the mucous membranes, contributing to hardening.

From a physiological point of view, the practice of internal and external cleansing very quickly begins to provide powerful support to the immune system and facilitates further steps towards healing and improving the body and mind.

Asana is the third stage of classical yoga, represented by poses. This stage is perhaps the most popular due to its detailed development in hatha yoga.

Many asanas deform the body cavities, in particular the chest and abdomen, which leads to a change in pressure and, accordingly, volume. At the same time, in those lobes of the lungs that are in the expandable area chest, the alveoli expand more, i.e. there is an increase in the area of gas and blood exchange.

Done by others under the influence of asanas will be the consequences of deformation of the abdominal cavity. Retractions and protrusions of the abdomen, wave-like contractions of the abdominal muscles in the horizontal and vertical planes lead to the activation of the abdominal region of the nerve plexuses located deep inside the abdominal cavity, which activates the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system, as a result of which the manifestations of psycho-emotional stress disappear and the person becomes calm and balanced.

Many yoga asanas stimulate the motility of the gastrointestinal tract and affect blood circulation. Regarding the gastrointestinal tract as a whole, the following conclusion can be drawn: pressure changes accompanying the stretching (twisting) of the trunk, first of all, lead to stretching of the muscles of the intestinal wall. Due to asanas, as well as bandhas, mechanical effects on the digestive tract can, first of all, stimulate intestinal motility and normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Along with a change in cardiac activity and blood pressure, within the framework of the general energy adaptation of blood circulation, asanas affect blood circulation by changing three mechanical quantities: pressure inside the body cavities, hydrostatic pressure, and possible local pressure fluctuations due to the biomechanical position of the limbs. These influences can affect, on the one hand, hemodynamics in the systemic or regional circulation, and, on the other hand, fluid exchange in the microcirculation.

As a result, there is an increase in the number of blood cells and an increase in lymphatic outflow, which has a beneficial effect on the state of muscles, internal organs and the hormonal system. As a result, immunity increases, the level of endurance of the body and resistance to adverse environmental influences increase.

Biomechanical patterns of asana practice and kriya can be traced in the following aspects of the influence of hatha yoga on the functional state and physical activity of a person:

Firstly, in man, during his adaptation to the environment, all the endless variety of brain activity is finally reduced to a single phenomenon - muscle movement. To realize this phenomenon, the body has a powerful muscular system, which is part of the musculoskeletal system, which uses various forms of activity - dynamic, static and tonic. All levels of the central nervous system and hormonal apparatus are involved in the process of unification and regulation of all forms of motor activity: the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, limbic system, cerebellum, brain stem and spinal cord. The involvement of all levels of the central nervous system in the implementation of motor adaptation is an indicator of the multifaceted significance of yoga exercises for the life of the body.

Secondly, motor activity, manifested in the practice of asanas and hatha yoga kriyas, is a genetically determined biological need. Satisfying the need for movement is as vital as any other, for example, in food, water, etc. The purpose of any need is to induce the body to satisfy it. Consequently, the need for motor activity, performing an incentive function, ensures the interaction of the organism with the environment and contributes to the improvement of the forms of adaptation (adaptation) to changing environmental conditions.

Third, the systematic physical activity of hatha yoga is an effective universal training factor that causes favorable functional, biochemical and structural changes in the body. Global Coaching Influence physical activity due to the fact that the body reacts to it according to the principle of consistency, involving adaptation mechanisms in the process: neurohumoral regulation, executive organs and vegetative support.

Fourth, deep systemic and local transformations in the body during the practice of physical exercises of hatha yoga are associated with the decisive role of the functions of the genetic apparatus of the cells responsible for the implementation of the movement. The result of systematic training of the body and consciousness is an increase in mitochondria (energy ultrastructures of the cell), nerve and muscle cells and energy potential skeletal muscle. The same positive morphofunctional shifts occur in the mechanisms of nervous and humoral regulation, as well as in the circulatory, respiratory, and excretory systems. The end result of these transformations is an increase in the vitality of the organism and the strengthening of health.

And fifthly, positive effect yoga exercises has two aspects: specific, manifested in the body's endurance to physical exertion, and non-specific, expressed in increased resistance to other environmental factors and diseases. This determines the protective (preventive) function of systematic motor activity. The preventive non-specific effect of physical activity in yoga is expressed in increasing resistance to pain and negative emotions, in improving the ability to learn and, which is especially important for modern man, in increasing the body's resistance to factors that cause damage to the heart and circulatory system, the appearance of which is largely facilitated by stress. Hatha yoga exercises, by transferring energy exchange to an optimal and economical level, provide a high stress resistance of the body to various adverse factors of the biological, and especially social, environment.

Physiological prerequisites for the beneficial effects of pranayama on the human body and psyche are primarily due to the reflex effect of air passing through the nasal sinuses on many systems and organs of the human body. In addition, the excursion of the diaphragm (with deep "abdominal" breathing) is an additional massage of the abdominal organs.

Rare complete and deep breathing increases the amplitude of changes in the partial tension of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood, which helps to relax the smooth muscles of the vessels and improves the nutrition of the tissues of the nervous system, internal organs and muscles.

Pranayama- special breathing exercises that affect the physiological component of a person by changing the concentration of oxygen and carbon dioxide, as well as the emotional component, affecting it through a system of psychosomatic correspondences using specific types of breathing. The mechanisms of action of breathing exercises include:

1. change in the ratio of oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations in the body;

2. inclusion in the work in the process of breathing of various groups of respiratory muscles;

3. reflex effect on the brain through the effect on olfactory and other receptors;

4. massage of internal organs;

5. reflex effect on the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.

The practice of pranayamas, especially long breath holdings, and energy pumping, expands the adaptive functions of the body, the consciousness becomes resistant to experiencing various altered states. In the traditional sense, breathing exercises serve to control the receipt and distribution of prana in the body, which, on the one hand, should give harmony to the body and spirit, and on the other hand, prepare or directly lead to spiritual meditative practices.

The concept of "meditation" the steps of yoga from the fifth to the eighth (raja yoga) are usually combined. Due to the well-known similarity with Japanese Zen and similar schools, many different Eastern psychotechnics are summed up under the same term. Through meditation, a person clears his mind and harmonizes psychosomatics. Modern medicine confirms that meditation can improve the concentration of the mind, effectively eliminate tension, and even alleviate chronic diseases.

Meditation strengthens the immune system against a number of diseases, including influenza, hypertension, asthma, spastic colitis, psoriasis and even cancer. This is the result of decades of research by leading American neurosurgeons at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the temple of the world's most advanced science, located in Cambridge, a suburb of Boston.

Meditation reduces the activity of a certain part of the brain, namely the right prefrontal cortex, which is associated with negative emotions - anxiety, anger, fear - and the state of depression. People who meditate regularly have more antibodies to fight off infections like the flu and the common cold because the left prefrontal cortex, which is associated with positive emotions, they are more active.

Many researchers note a decrease in the frequency of breathing and heartbeat in a meditative state, which indicates the transition of the body to a trophotropic state. The latter is characterized by the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, and therefore helps to relieve stress. Deep meditation has a therapeutic effect due to the fact that it: a) is, from a physiological point of view, the complete opposite of the sympathetic stress response; b) contributes to the normalization of the psychophysiological functioning of the body.

A Scientific Approach to Understanding Yoga serves as a guarantor of a competent attitude to one's own practice and a guarantee high level training of specialists teaching yoga, tk. relies solely on the objective fundamental laws of the existence and activity of a human being.