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Here on the Adriatic coast, in the beautiful Croatian town of Umag, during the International Seminar of the Yoga in Daily Life system, its author, the Indian yogī Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara Paramahaṁsa Śrī Svāmī Maheśvarānandajī, personally led the exercises. For the seminar participants, practicing under open skies and with the Master’s guidance was an extraordinary experience. We all know that in this modern civilization, 90% of people suffer from pain in their legs. We suffer from many diseases, which are caused by three things: wrong diet or incorrect nutrition, lack of proper movement, and a wrong posture in sitting or standing. Our Yoga in Daily Life system has designed a special program against backache. Before you do exercises against backache, you should consult with your physician. Be sure that every exercise is not good for everyone. We have to have individual attention and individual exercises for our own body. What we will do today, though it is good and without any harm, you must still consult your physician. What we are going to practice today is definitely good, but you should consult with your physiotherapist, orthopaedic doctor, or orthopaedist. The physiotherapist will also inform you in accordance with the instructions of your doctor. What you should pay special attention to is the case of the slipped disc. In the case of a slipped disc, there are many postures you should not do. Many books recommend doing, for example, Bhujaṅgāsana or Dhanurāsana for the slipped disc, but that’s not the case. These positions should be practiced very carefully and individually. Yoga is not acrobatic. In yoga, there is no competition and no challenges. Yoga is a very natural way, and it is very individual. It should be done with great attention and with great care. Yoga is practiced as a prevention. Prevention is far better than treatment. Of course, in certain cases, you can cure the disease through yoga, but still, there is a limitation. Also, in modern allopathic medicine, it has its limitations; it cannot cure all diseases. Therefore, if you practice Yoga in Daily Life every day, be sure that 90% of diseases will not attack you. Many of you who practice every day know how healthy you are. And many of you who practice only sometimes know what your physical condition is. Therefore, the Yoga in Daily Life system is very carefully designed. We are going to practice Kaṭhūpraṇām. Do not mix Kaṭhūpraṇām with Sūrya Namaskār. Between Kaṭhūpraṇām and Sūrya Namaskār, there is a difference between day and night. Kaṭhūpraṇām will improve the immune system of your body. Kaṭhūpraṇām will awaken the energy centers in your body and the Kuṇḍalinī. And Kaṭhūpraṇām will help you to get a very flexible body, and your joints will be flexible for a long time. Before doing any exercises, we must relax. Lie down on your back and relax. Relax the whole body, hands beside the body. Now slowly move your body. Sada polako pomaknite tijelo. Move your hands and legs. Stretch your body. Place your palms on your face and rub your facial muscles. Remove your hands and sit up. Sit in Vajrāsana. A very beautiful, dynamic, slow movement—that is, I would say, hard work—is Kaṭhūpraṇām. Only in numbers 9 and 11 you should be careful. It means, do not force your body to lean forward too much. You have here the demonstrator, Avatārpuri. If you don’t know the exercise, then you should watch him. Sit in Vajrāsana. Relax your body, sit straight. Very slowly, while inhaling, raise your hands up, very slowly. And hands down on the knees. Moment. On the knees. You did wrong. Some are doing like this, some are doing like that. The correct way is that from the knees, the hands go like this up, and then you fold the palms. You are supporting your side muscles to stretch more. And then again, open the palms, but not like this, like that. Take care that your upper arm is touching your ears, and your palms are facing forward in front. Then you bend slowly to the Śaśāṅkāsana. So, again, Vajrāsana: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Those who have back problems should not force the body to bend forward. You should do only that much, as much as you can. You may bend only so far that you can touch your hands to your knees. Only in the case of a slipped disc. U slučaju uiski zvuča diska 9, 9, 10. You can take care of your back if you have pain, then carefully 11. This Kaṭhūpraṇām will also stimulate your energy center. 13, 15, 14, 15, 15, 16, 16, 17, 17, 15, 18, 19, 19, 20. We will do now with the breath and concentration on the cakras. Knees touching each other, body straight. Neck straight. Concentrate on the whole body. Imagine and think of Kaṭhū Āśram, where Mahāprabhujī is residing. Feel the energy in the whole body. By receiving the energy, think of the peace mantra. Peace in your heart, peace in your family, peace in the world. Concentrate on the Anāhata Cakra and feel the peace in your heart. Kaṭhūpraṇām posture one. Now imagine your Anāhata Cakra and take peace into you. One, hold the palm. You have shaped your body in the form of a triangle. You are receiving cosmic light. Your body is like a pyramid. Kaṭhūpraṇām number two, exhale. And concentrate on all the eight cakras from Mūlādhāra till Sahasrāra. Relax the whole body. You are in position number three from Kaṭhūpraṇām. Relax, and feel how your back muscles are stretched in this posture. Feel your Maṇipūra Cakra. The Jāṭharāgni digestifier. And feel a very slight massage on your back muscles. And Kaṭhūpraṇām number four. While inhaling, have a normal breath. Normally, now breathe. Concentrate on Svādhiṣṭhāna and Mūlādhāra Cakra. Keep your body relaxed, keep your elbows towards your body. Concentration on the Svādhiṣṭhāna Cakra, Mūlādhāra Cakra, and Ājñā Cakra. Your both nostrils are open, in the flowing of Iḍā and Piṅgalā at the same time. It means awakening of the Suṣumnā Nāḍī. Number five: Concentrate on the Sahasrāra Cakra and the flow of the energy through all the cakras from Svādhiṣṭhāna till Sahasrāra Cakra. Keep your body relaxed. Make sure that your heels are touching the ground. Feel the cosmic energy, the light and energy towards the head. Kaṭhūpraṇām is a very scientific exercise or program. Keep your heels touching the ground. And feel the flow of the energy through the whole body. Also, the back muscles are stretched from the foot soles to your head. All the back muscles are stretched. Six, left leg in the front. Concentrate on Anāhata Cakra. Peace, peace, peace. Keep your body relaxed. Raise your shoulders up, back down, Anāhata Cakra. Feel the Prāṇa in the heart. Seven, raise your hands up. Again, take the cosmic light, Prāṇa Śakti. Prāṇa through the whole body. Again, you have formed your body like a pyramid. Normal breath. Take the light from the cosmos into your heart. If you can’t keep balance of your body, you can have eyes open. Head down, feel the Anāhata and Svādhiṣṭhāna Cakras at the same time. Nine, take care of your back. If you have back pain, feel the flow of the energy towards your head. Your eyes, your ears, your nose, your face are getting very fresh energy, and gently your back muscles are stretched. Kaṭhūpraṇām is wonderful. And slowly come to number 10 while inhaling. Again, feel your Anāhata Cakra, and get from the cosmos the energy. Cosmic energy flows to your Maṇipūra Cakra. Energy flows to your arms. Your fingers are functioning like antennas. It is a beautiful feeling. Stretch your body up and slightly look up. The heavenly peace should come on the earth. Feel the Prāṇa Śakti towards your head. Left leg back. Again, feel the energy in Anāhata and Svādhiṣṭhāna. Stretch your chest up. Look up. Hands near your right foot. Be relaxed. Fourteen, again hands up, beautiful pyramid, a very beautiful energy flowing through the body. You must not close your eyes in order to have balance, to keep balance. Concentrate on the energy, concentrate on the energy which you receive from the cosmos, and normal breath. Number 14, get the rest from the book again. Look up. Coming to the expert yoga teachers, you know how they are doing. Now I come to the yoga instructor to see how they work. Number 15. Concentration on the Sahasrāra Cakra. The flow of the energy towards the head, the light and energy. Feel the stretching of the back muscles. Be relaxed. Make sure that your heels are touching the ground. You can bring your hands towards your body. A little bit nearer, it will make it easier. Sixteen, again concentration on Svādhiṣṭhāna Cakra, Mūlādhāra, and Ājñā Cakra. This Kaṭhūpraṇām posture, which is very similar to the Bhujaṅgāsana—Bhujaṅga means cobra. Generally, the cobra doesn’t raise his head up, only when he is angry, and that calms him down: anger, hate, jealousy, greediness, and cruelty. It is dormant in the Svādhiṣṭhāna Cakra, and this posture, while concentrating on this cakra, these qualities will be purified. Concentrate on the Maṇipūra Cakra and Anāhata Cakra. Relax your stomach muscles. This posture is a beautiful one. It helps in case of nervousness and anxiety, and it even helps those who have depression to come out of it. Feel energy throughout the whole body. Feel the cosmic energy. You have formed your body like a pyramid. Touch your upper arms to your ears. Kaṭhūpraṇām number 20. Feel the energy in the whole body. Now you will feel that all cakras are active. Energy is flowing through the whole body. If you have a problem with your knee joints, of course, you should not sit in Vajrāsana. Kaṭhūpraṇām is a beautiful combination of particular postures. It is a counter posture, dynamic movements, stretching as well as beautiful postures, good for the body, to harmonize the body, to improve the immune system. It means all glands begin to work properly. Good for digestion, good for concentration, and to bring your biorhythm again into balance so that your entire body will function properly. To receive the cosmic energy, Prāṇa Śakti, more. Purifying and awakening of the cakras, as well as the awakening of the Kuṇḍalinī. Kuṇḍalinī awakening means happiness, love, light, freedom, good health, concentration, and calmness in the heart. Not that your body begins to shake like this—that’s not Kuṇḍalinī, that is some physical problem or psychic problem. Therefore, Kaṭhūpraṇām is good for your back muscles and many problems you don’t know, and those will be solved. There are automatically movements in certain muscles and joints. Consciously, you wouldn’t be able to move, or you wouldn’t dare to do it. Koje svjesno ne bi mogle micanje ili se ne bi usudile micanje. Therefore, the Kaṭhūpraṇām is a beautiful, beautiful series of the āsanas. Once more. Get ready. Straight hands on the knees. Relax your body, close your eyes, and relax the whole body. Feel the whole body, and feel your breath. You know that you are inhaling. You know you are excited... Peace, peace... Mir, mir... Just relax, and listen to the Peace Mantra. Open your eyes, move your hands, turn to the left side, slowly get up, and sit up. In case of back pain, we have to be very careful. You must take care personally about yourself. You can cure your back problem if you will follow systematically the Yoga in Daily Life system. Your book, Yoga in Daily Life, is a book for physiotherapists, a book for rehabilitation centers, a book for the orthopaedic doctor, a book for a yoga teacher, and a book for every individual. Remember, I always say, no competition and no challenges. And now, we are going to do another very beautiful exercise, which is mostly for our back pain, also for the muscles and the heart, and also to improve our lung capacity, the respiratory movement. These exercises you have in your Yoga in Daily Life book, in the first and second part from the first chapter. Some are there, and some are in other parts of the book. Now, if someone has back pain here, hands up, please. I would like to know afterwards the feedback. Well, stand up. Keep your eyes open. Now, five times deep inhale and exhale through the stomach. First, inhale into the stomach. It means expand your stomach. Let your diaphragm fall down. Expand the chest and exhale. Try to stay comfortable so that you don’t feel dizzy. Inhale. Exhale into the stomach. Not in the shoulder, like this. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. These are the therapeutic movements against backache from your Yoga in Daily Life. Inhale, raise your left hand up, right hand up. Up, and exhale down. Left hand, inhale. Right hand from front, raise up, inhale, above the head, and sideward down, exhale. Left hand, inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. It looks simple, but it has a very great effect on the body. Inhale left, coordinate movements with the breath. Inhale. Exhale. Once more. Inhale. Exhale. While inhaling, raise your hands up from the front. Exhale from the side. Maximum inhale. Inhale slowly. Inhale, exhale, wonderful. Rotate your shoulders. Inhale and up, exhale down. Other side. Now place your fingers on the shoulder, legs slightly apart so that you have better balance, and move, rotate the shoulders. Exhale while going up, exhale while coming down with the elbows. Other directions. Leave your hands in the same position and move differently, like swimming. Now, you will move as if you are swimming. Normal breath. If you can, while inhaling, raise one of the elbows up; exhaling, come down, and inhale. Other direction. In the other direction. Hands on the shoulders. While exhaling, bend to the left side and try to look up. Inhale, come to the middle. Exhale, to the right. Inhale, come up. Exhale to the left. Inhale, left side. Go ahead. Continue. Inhale. Stretch your right hand in front. Left hand touching your left thigh. While exhaling, twist your body, looking toward the fingers as far as you can easily. And while inhaling, come to the middle. Inhale, look at the fingers of your right hand. Exhale, inhale, exhale. This is also very good for those who have tennis elbow. Go ahead, don’t stop. I’m coming, you are doing it. Very good. Left hand. Inhale. Very good. Legs apart. Hands on the hip joints, around the waist. Inhale and bend the left knee, and bend a little bit to the left side. Right leg straight, back straight. Inhale in the middle. Legs apart. If you have a slipped disc problem, then don’t do this posture. Legs apart, hands sidewards. Deep inhale, exhale, and twist your body. Inhale, come to the middle. Exhale to the right side. Inhale to the middle. Exhale to the left side. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Hands down. Two Konāsana: Legs together. Inhale and raise your hands up, hold one of the wrists or interlock the fingers as you like. Exhale and bend forward as far as you can. Inhale, come up. Exhale, hands sidewards. Lie on your back and relax. Relax the whole body. This is Ānandāsana. If you lie down on your back, it is also Ānandāsana. If you lie down on your stomach and relax, it is also Ānandāsana. If you lie on your back and relax, it is the same Ānandāsana. Feel your whole body from the toes to the top of the head. From the top of the head, tilt. Feel your whole body from the toes to the top of the head. Relax the whole body. Relax your shoulders, relax your elbows, relax your back muscles, relax the hip joints, exert the leg muscles, and feel your natural, normal breath process. At the time of the inhalation, you are receiving the cosmic energy; your body is recharging the Prāṇa Śakti. At the time of the exhalation, your body is exhaling all the toxins. And during the exhalation, your body releases all toxins and poisons from the body. Relax the whole body. Just relax. According to the principles of yoga, and according to the principles of Yoga in Daily Life, it is very important to relax after each exercise. Relax the whole body. Slowly move your body. Deep inhale and exhale. Turn over your back, bend your knees, hold both your knees. Place your knees towards the body, and roll your body to the left side. Remain left side. Go to the right. Left, right, right... Right. Three times OM chanting before that mantra, "Naham Karata." And rub your eyelids and face muscles, then open your eyes. Hari Om. Hari Om. The morning session is finished. So, those who had back pain, do you have more pain or less pain? Be serious. Be serious. So, who had a pain? Get up, stand up, and tell. Come and do it. So, whoever had pain, get up and tell him, comment to him. No more pain, less pain, very good. No more pain, no more pain, very good. Yes, now you don’t have it, very good. I’m happy for you. So, I’m happy that you have learned something very nice, very valuable. For you, as well as for your family members, for your colleagues and friends. Yoga in Daily Life is designed for physical, mental, social, and spiritual health. Awakening of the Kuṇḍalinī: Spiritual Development, Self-Realization, and Realization of God.