Let us move to the Middle Ages and to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. The author, Svatmarama, about whom almost nothing is known, was a 15th century yogic sage who compiled the book to summarise earlier texts into one comprehensive document. It clarifies and expounds on the Sutras and reduces emphasis on yamas and niyamas, arguing that we start with the body.
This double helix of yoga pulling towards something beyond the material to the universal, yet also expounding the importance of the body, is an idea that was explored in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika as kundalini rising. It is also evident in an idea that also contains the two forces, left and right, ida and pingala, that require balance before they are united to rise as sushumna, the energy that electrifies the central channel of the body.
The first physical practices, then, were about pushing energy up the spine. This powerful practice was taught only to those who had undertaken preparation which allowed them to be physically strong enough, and mentally stable enough, to endure the enormous energy that would be released by the awakening of kundalini. The pushing up the spine is associated with exercising the bandhas, the three main being mulabandha, uddiyanabandha, and jalandarabandha.
Changing the rhythm of your breathing and pushing energy by drawing your diaphragm up, or creating pressure…
