Page:Hatha yoga - or the yogi philosophy of physical well-being, with numberous excercises.djvu/188

188 are as heavy as lead. Repeat the words several times, slowly: "Heavy as lead, heavy as lead," at the same time lifting the arms and then withdrawing the prana from them by ceasing to contract the muscles, and allowing them to drop of their own weight to the sides. This is a hard thing for most persons to do at first trial. They are unable to let their arms drop of their own weight, so firmly has the habit of involuntary muscular contraction fastened itself upon them. After you have mastered the arms try the legs, one at a time, then both together. Let them drop of their own weight and remain perfectly relaxed. Rest between trials and do not be strenuous in the exercise, as the idea is to rest yourself, as well as to acquire the control over the muscles. Then lift the head and allow it to drop in the same way. Then lie still and form the mental image of the couch, or floor, bearing the entire weight of the body. You may laugh at this idea, believing that when you lie down you always let the couch bear all of your weight, but you are mistaken. You will find that, in spite of yourself, you are endeavoring to support a part of your weight by tensing some of the muscles—you are trying to hold yourself up. Stop this and let the couch attend to this work for you. You are as foolish as was the old woman who sat on the edge of the car-seat and tried to help the train along. Take the sleeping child for your model. It allows its entire weight to rest on the bed. If you doubt this look at the bed upon which a child has been sleeping and see the "dents" in it—the impress of its little body. If you find it difficult to catch the knack of this complete