1121 From: "david_obsidian1" <david_obsidian1@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon Jun 27, 2005 0:43pm
Subject: gain pranic benefit by 'imagining' doing asanas? david_obsidian1
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Do you think you can gain benefit by imagining doing asanas? I think
you can, but it very much depends on the type of 'imagine'.
There is a type of 'imagine' that is very close to the body, that
*just* stops short of engaging the nerves and muscles; and there are
other forms of 'imagine' that are very mental and don't get close to
the body at all. It's the first kind of 'imagine' that can be used
to gain some benefit from postures without doing them.
A radical idea? I've noticed this myself, but have found other
people mention the same effect. The way one person put it is that
you can get the *pranic* benefit from doing postures in your
imagination.
A corrollary from that is that you can get some benefit from dreaming
that you are doing postures, or doing them in your sleep. Recall
that we don't remember most of our dreams. In fact I think that
doing postures in fragmentary dreams/ subdream states is possibly an
integral part of the integration that goes with doing postures. This
could be going on all the time when we do postures and we don't know
it.
What I do know is that in certain fragmentary dreams (from which I
have woken up) I have found myself doing a yoga posture, and in
fact, it was the 'pranic' jolt from the transition that occured that
woke me up and made me aware of what was happening.
These ideas are not at all crazy btw from an informed scientific
point of view. In fact, there were some studies done recently (and
published in a reputable journal --- I think I saw a reference to it
in one of MIT's magazine publications) that established that people
can build muscle to an extent just by imagining the workout of that
muscle.
'Imagine' might not be a good word for this. 'Simulate' might be
better.
BTW, I am not advocating dispensing with physical postures. But it
is possible that if your somatic imagination is good enough, you
could do a quick simulated asana session in your head before the real
one. One of the great things about the simulated session is that you
can go at any speed you like. Or what about doing a simulated asana
session while you lie in bed just before you get up and do the real
one?
Any comments anyone?
-David
1122 From: "RobGee" <robg33@catskill.net>
Date: Mon Jun 27, 2005 1:19pm
Subject: Re: gain pranic benefit by 'imagining' doing asanas? ginoverdi9
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This technique was used extensively and very successfully by East German
olympic swimmers in the 70's and 80's and their unbeatable teams.
Hari Om
Rob
>
> Do you think you can gain benefit by imagining doing asanas? I think
> you can, but it very much depends on the type of 'imagine'.
1123 From: Ram Narayan Gupta <rngupta31@yahoo.co.in>
Date: Mon Jun 27, 2005 2:45pm
Subject: Re: gain pranic benefit by 'imagining' doing asanas? rngupta31
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Dear David!
Your comments for getting pranic benefit by 'imagining'doing Asanas r good to the extent of pranic benefits and/or such imagining of doing asanas during one's indisposition/llness.
So far as asanas for physical flexibility, wellness/ fitness, I think doing practical asanas r inevitable.
Regards,
Ram
david_obsidian1 <david_obsidian1@yahoo.com> wrote:
Do you think you can gain benefit by imagining doing asanas? I think
you can, but it very much depends on the type of 'imagine'.
There is a type of 'imagine' that is very close to the body, that
*just* stops short of engaging the nerves and muscles; and there are
other forms of 'imagine' that are very mental and don't get close to
the body at all. It's the first kind of 'imagine' that can be used
to gain some benefit from postures without doing them.
A radical idea? I've noticed this myself, but have found other
people mention the same effect. The way one person put it is that
you can get the *pranic* benefit from doing postures in your
imagination.
A corrollary from that is that you can get some benefit from dreaming
that you are doing postures, or doing them in your sleep. Recall
that we don't remember most of our dreams. In fact I think that
doing postures in fragmentary dreams/ subdream states is possibly an
integral part of the integration that goes with doing postures. This
could be going on all the time when we do postures and we don't know
it.
What I do know is that in certain fragmentary dreams (from which I
have woken up) I have found myself doing a yoga posture, and in
fact, it was the 'pranic' jolt from the transition that occured that
woke me up and made me aware of what was happening.
These ideas are not at all crazy btw from an informed scientific
point of view. In fact, there were some studies done recently (and
published in a reputable journal --- I think I saw a reference to it
in one of MIT's magazine publications) that established that people
can build muscle to an extent just by imagining the workout of that
muscle.
'Imagine' might not be a good word for this. 'Simulate' might be
better.
BTW, I am not advocating dispensing with physical postures. But it
is possible that if your somatic imagination is good enough, you
could do a quick simulated asana session in your head before the real
one. One of the great things about the simulated session is that you
can go at any speed you like. Or what about doing a simulated asana
session while you lie in bed just before you get up and do the real
one?
Any comments anyone?
-David
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1124 From: Ute Reeves <nowyoga@earthlink.net>
Date: Mon Jun 27, 2005 4:00pm
Subject: Re: gain pranic benefit by 'imagining' doing asanas? nowyoga2001
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David,
I remember reading about a study where they put (I think) athletes into
three groups. One did not practice a certain skill. The other did practice
daily, and the third group practiced plus visualized doing the skill for
some time every day. The third group had most improvement of the skill.
You are not so far off.
Ute
1125 From: "Melissa" <mm7810@gmail.com>
Date: Mon Jun 27, 2005 4:49pm
Subject: Re: gain pranic benefit by 'imagining' doing asanas? mm78102002
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Hi David -
I think "simulated practice" has much merit. Many years ago [lol],
when I was learning instrument flying, I did the same thing. I
imagined the control panel, the approach, and would spend a few
hours "chair flying". This practice saved me costly extra hours at
the controls. Later, as an instructor, I had a couple of students
do the same thing. Even at the flight school where I taught there
was a flight simulator and I have to admit that the "chair flying"
was just as effective when the student could visualize all the
components. You are correct, it is not a replacement, rather an
enhancement. Good post!
Melissa
--- In AYPforum@yahoogroups.com, "david_obsidian1"
<david_obsidian1@y...> wrote:
>
> Do you think you can gain benefit by imagining doing asanas? I
think
> you can, but it very much depends on the type of 'imagine'.
>
> There is a type of 'imagine' that is very close to the body, that
> *just* stops short of engaging the nerves and muscles; and there
are
> other forms of 'imagine' that are very mental and don't get close
to
> the body at all. It's the first kind of 'imagine' that can be
used
> to gain some benefit from postures without doing them.
>
> A radical idea? I've noticed this myself, but have found other
> people mention the same effect. The way one person put it is that
> you can get the *pranic* benefit from doing postures in your
> imagination.
>
> A corrollary from that is that you can get some benefit from
dreaming
> that you are doing postures, or doing them in your sleep. Recall
> that we don't remember most of our dreams. In fact I think that
> doing postures in fragmentary dreams/ subdream states is possibly
an
> integral part of the integration that goes with doing postures.
This
> could be going on all the time when we do postures and we don't
know
> it.
>
> What I do know is that in certain fragmentary dreams (from which I
> have woken up) I have found myself doing a yoga posture, and in
> fact, it was the 'pranic' jolt from the transition that occured
that
> woke me up and made me aware of what was happening.
>
> These ideas are not at all crazy btw from an informed scientific
> point of view. In fact, there were some studies done recently
(and
> published in a reputable journal --- I think I saw a reference to
it
> in one of MIT's magazine publications) that established that
people
> can build muscle to an extent just by imagining the workout of
that
> muscle.
>
> 'Imagine' might not be a good word for this. 'Simulate' might be
> better.
>
> BTW, I am not advocating dispensing with physical postures. But
it
> is possible that if your somatic imagination is good enough, you
> could do a quick simulated asana session in your head before the
real
> one. One of the great things about the simulated session is that
you
> can go at any speed you like. Or what about doing a simulated
asana
> session while you lie in bed just before you get up and do the
real
> one?
>
> Any comments anyone?
>
> -David
