HATHA YOGA/PART 26
CHAPTER 26.
THE YOGI BATH
It should not be necessary to devote a chapter of this
book to the importance of bathing. But even in this, the twentieth century, a
great mass of the people understand practically nothing about this subject. In
the large cities the easy access to the bathtub has, in a measure, educated the
people up to at least a partial use of water on the outer surface of the body,
but in the country, and even in many homes in the cities, bathing is not given
the place it should occupy in the daily life of the people. And so we think it
well to call the attention of our readers to the subject and explain to them
why the Yogis set so much store upon a clean body.
In the state of nature man did not need the frequent use
of the bath, for, his body being uncovered, the rains beat upon him, and the
bushes and trees brushed against his skin, keeping it free from the gathered-up
waste matter which the skin is continuously throwing off. And, then, the
primitive man, like the animals, always had streams handy, and followed his
natural instinct, which impelled him to take a plunge once in a while. But the
use of clothing has changed all this, and man to-day, although his skin is
still at work throwing off waste matter, is unable to get rid of the waste in
the old way, and instead he allows it to pile up on his skin and consequently
suffers physical discomfort and disease. A body may be very dirty indeed and still
look clean to the naked eye. A peep at the garbage piles on its surface through
a strong glass would shock many of you.
Bathing has been
practiced by all races of men making any pretense of culture and civilization.
In fact, it may be said that the use of the bath is a measuring-rod by which
the culture of a nation may be determined. The greater the use of the bath, the
greater the amount of culture, and the fewer the baths, the less culture. The
ancient people carried the use of the bath to a ridiculous extent, departing
from the natural methods and running to such extremes as perfumed baths, etc.
The Greeks and Romans made the use of the bath a requisite of decent living,
and many of the ancient people were far ahead of modern races in this respect. The
Japanese people to-day lead the world in the recognition of the importance of
the bath and in its faithful practice. The poorest Japanese would rather go
without his meal than without his bath. One may go into a crowd in a Japanese
city even on a warm day and fail to notice even the slightest unpleasant odor.
Would that as much could be said of a crowd in America or Europe? With many
races bathing was, and is to-day, a matter of religious duty, the priests
recognizing the importance of bathing, and knowing that it could be best
impressed upon the masses in this way, having incorporated it among their
religious rites. The Yogis, while not regarding it as a religious rite,
nevertheless practice bathing just as if it were.
Let us see just why people should bathe. Very few of us
really understand the matter and think it is merely to get rid of the dust and
visible dirt which has accumulated upon our skin. But there is more than this
to it, important as mere cleanliness is. Let us see just why the skin needs to
be cleansed.
We have explained to you, in another chapter,
the importance of a normal perspiration and how, if the pores of the skin
become clogged or closed, the body is unable to get rid of its waste products.
And how does it get rid of them? By the skin, breath and the kidneys. Many
persons overwork their kidneys by making them do both their own work and that
of the skin as well, for nature will make one organ do double work rather than
to leave its work undone. Each pore is the end of a little canal called a
sweat-tube, which extends way down into the surface of the body. There are
about 3,000 of these little canals to each square inch of our skin. They are
continually exuding a moisture called perspiration, or sweat, which moisture is
really a fluid secreted from the blood and laden with the impurities and
waste-matter of the system. You will remember that the body is constantly
tearing down tissue and replacing it with new matter, and it must get rid of
its waste just as a family must get rid of its waste sweepings and garbage. And
the skin is one of the means by which the waste is removed. This waste, if
allowed to remain in the system, acts as a breeding place and food for
bacteria, germs, etc., and that is why nature is so anxious to get rid of it.
The skin also exudes an oily fluid which is used to keep the skin soft and
flexible.
The skin itself is constantly undergoing
great changes in its structure, just as is any other part of the body. The
outer skin, often called the scarf-skin, is composed
of cells, which are short-lived, and are constantly being sloughed off and
replaced by younger cells forcing their way up from beneath the old ones. These
worn-out and discarded cells form a coating of waste matter on the surface of
the skin, if they are not brushed off or washed off. Of course quite a number
of them are rubbed off by the clothing, but a considerable quantity remain, and
the bath or a wash is needed to get rid of them.
In our chapter on the use of water as an irrigator for
the internal man, we told you of the importance of keeping the pores open, and
how soon a man would die if his pores were sealed, as shown by experiments and
occurrences in the past. And this accumulation of worn-out cells, oil,
perspiration, etc., will at least partially seal up the pores unless the body
is kept clean. And then, again, this filth on the surface of the skin is an
invitation for stray germs and bacteria to take up their abode there and
thrive. Are you extending this invitation to your friends, the germs? We are
not speaking of dirt obtained from the outside world now—we know that you would
not carry that around with you—but have you ever thought of this waste matter
from your own system, which is just as much dirt as the other, and sometimes
occasions worse results?
Everyone should wash off his body at least once a day. We
do not mean that a bath-tub is necessary (although a tub is, of course, a great
convenience), but a good wash-off is requisite. Those who have not a bath tub
can get just as good results by taking a towel and a basin and passing the wet
towel over the entire body, rinsing the towel after the first rub, and then
going over the body the second time.
The most desirable time for a wash-off or a bath is in
the early morning, immediately after arising. The evening bath is also a good
thing. Never bathe immediately before, or immediately after a meal. Give the
body a good rubbing with a rough cloth, which will act to loosen up the dead
skin, and which will also stimulate the circulation. Never take a cold bath
when the body is cold. Exercise yourself a little until you warm up some,
before taking a cold bath. In taking a plunge bath, always wet the head before
getting the body under water—then wet the chest, and then plunge in.
A favorite Yogi practice after taking a cold bath, or a
cool one, is to rub the body vigorously with the hands, instead of using a
towel, and then getting into dry clothes with the body still covered with
moisture. Instead of this making one feel cold, as some might imagine, it
produces just the opposite effect, for a feeling of warmth is experienced
immediately after the clothing is on, which is increased by a gentle exercise,
which the Yogis always take immediately after the bath. This exercise is not
violent, and is discontinued as soon as one feels himself in a gentle glow all
over the body.
The favorite Yogi bath, or wash-off, is in cool (not cold) water. They wash themselves
vigorously all over, with the hands, or a cloth, followed by a hand-rubbing, practicing the Yogi deep breathing during the wash
and the rubbing. They take this immediately after arising, and
follow it with a mild exercise as we have stated. In very cold weather they do
not plunge into the water, but apply it with a cloth, followed by the
hand-rubbing. A wonderful reaction follows the application of cool water,
applied as we have stated, and the body soon manifests a magnetic glow after
the clothing is placed on one after the bath. The result of these Yogi baths if
practiced for awhile is that the person will become vigorous and "hardy,”
their flesh becoming strong, firm and compact, and a "cold” becoming
almost unknown to them. The person practicing it becomes like a strong, hardy
tree, able to face all kinds of weather and seasons.
Right here, let us caution our readers against adopting a
too cold bath at the start. Don't do this, particularly if you are of impaired
vitality. Try water at a pleasant temperature at first, and then work down
toward a little cooler, gradually. You will soon strike a degree of temperature
that is most pleasing to you—stick to that. But do not punish yourselves. This
morning cool wash-down should be a thing of pleasure to you, not a punishment
or a penance. When you have once caught the "knack” of it, you would never
think of giving it up. It makes you feel good all day long. You feel a little
cool as the wet cloth is applied to the body, but this is followed in a moment
or so by a most delightful reaction and a feeling of warmth. In case you take a
cool bath in the tub, instead of a wash-down, do not stay in the tub more than
one minute, and use your hands vigorously the whole time that you are in the
water.
If you take these morning washes, you will not need many
warm baths, although an occasional "soaking” will do you good, and you
will feel better for it. Give yourself a good rubbing down, and put on the
clothing over a dry skin (in the case of a warm
bath).
Persons doing much walking, or standing, will
find that a foot bath at night just before retiring, will prove most restful,
and conducive to a good night's sleep.
Now don't forget this chapter as soon as you
have read it, but try the plan it advocates, and see how much better you will
feel. After trying it for awhile, you will not think of giving it up.
The Yogi Morning Wash-Down.
The following may give you some ideas regarding the way
to get the best results from the morning wash-down. It is very invigorating and
strengthening, and will make one feel the beneficial effect all the day.
It begins with a little exercise which causes the blood to
circulate and the Prana to be distributed all over the body, after the night's
rest, and renders the body in the best condition in which to take the cool
wash-down or bath.
Preliminary
Exercise. (1) Stand
erect in a military attitude, head up, eyes front, shoulders back, hands at
sides. (2) Raise the body slowly on toes, inhaling a deep breath, steadily and
slowly. (3) Retain the breath for a few seconds, maintaining the same position.
(4) Sink slowly to the first position, at the same time exhaling the breath
through the nostrils, slowly. (5) Practice Cleansing Breath. (6) Repeat several
times, varying by using right leg alone, then left leg alone.
Then take the bath or
wash-down, as described on the preceding pages. If you prefer the wash-down,
fill the basin with cool water (not too cool, but just a pleasant stimulating
temperature which will bring on the reaction). Take a rough cloth or towel and
soak it in the water, and then wring about half the water out of it. Beginning
with the chest and shoulders, then the back, then the abdomen, then the thighs
and then the lower legs and feet, rub the body all over vigorously. Wring the
water out of the towel several times in going over the body, in order that the
entire body shall receive fresh cool water upon it. Pause a second or so several times
during the wash-down, and take a couple of long deep breaths. Do not be in too
much of a rush, but go about it calmly. At first few times the cool water may cause
you to shrink a little, but you will soon get used to it, and will learn to
like it. Do not make the mistake of commencing with too cool water, but rather
work down the temperature by degrees. If you prefer the tub to the wash-down,
half fill the tub with water of the proper temperature, and kneel in it while
you do the rubbing, then plunge the whole body under the water for a moment,
and then get out at once.
Following either the wash-down or the tubbing, one should
rub the hands vigorously over the body several times. There is something in the
human hands which cannot be duplicated by a cloth or towel. Try it for
yourself. Leave a little moisture on the surface of the skin, and then get into
your underclothes at once, and you will be surprised at the peculiar glow which
will come over you. Instead of the water making you feel chilly you will
experience a peculiar feeling of warmth on all parts of the body covered by the
clothing, under which a little moisture has been left on the skin. In case of
either wash-down or tubbing, follow the wash or bath with the following
exercise, after the underclothing has been put on:
Concluding Exercise. (1) Stand erect; stretch out arms straight in front of
you, on the level of the shoulders, with fists clenched and touching each
other; swing back the fists until the arms stand out straight, sideways, from
the shoulders (or still a little farther back if they will go there easily
without forcing), this stretches the upper part of the chest; repeat several
times and then rest a moment. (2) Resume the closing position of 1, the arms
straight out, sideways, from the shoulders; the arms still extending from the
sides, on a level with the shoulders, swing the fists around in circles, from
the front to the back—then reverse, and swing from the back to the front—then
vary it by rotating them alternately, like the arms of a windmill; repeat
several times. (3) Stand erect, raise the hands over the head; hands open, and
thumbs touching; then without bending the knees try to touch the floor with the
tips of the fingers—if you are unable to do this, do the best you can; return
to first position.
(4) Raise yourself on the balls of your feet, or your
toe-joints, several times, with sort of a springy motion. (5) Standing, place
your feet about two feet apart, then sink slowly to a squatting position, for a
moment, then resume original position. Repeat several times. (6) Repeat No. 1,
several times. (7) Finish with the Cleansing Breath.
This exercise is not nearly as complicated as it appears
at first reading. It is really a combination of five exercises, all of which
are very simple and easily performed. Study and practice each section of the
exercise, before you take the bath, and master each part thoroughly. Then it
will run like clock-work, and will take but a few moments to perform it. It is
very invigorating, calling into play the entire body, and will make you feel
like a new man, or woman, if you take it just after the bath or wash-down.
The wash-down of the upper part of the body in the
morning, gives a strength and vitality through the day, while a wash-down of
the body from the waist down (including the feet) at night, rests one for the
night's slumber, and is very refreshing.
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