Page:Hatha yoga - or the yogi philosophy of physical well-being, with numberous excercises.djvu/204

204 etc. In swinging the hands backward, it is an improvement if you will rise on your toes during the backward sweep, sinking on your heels as you move the arms forward again. The repeated movements should be rhythmical, backward and forward, like the swinging of a quick pendulum.

(1) Extend the arms straight out from the shoulder, sideways, with opened hands; (2) With the arms so extended, swing the hands around in circles, (not too wide) keeping the arms back as far as possible, and not allowing the hands to pass in front of the line of the breast while making the circles. Continue making the circles until say twelve are made. It improves this exercise to inhale a full breath (according to the Yogi practice) and to retain the air until several circles are made. This exercise develops the chest and shoulders, and back. Put life into it, and take an interest in what you are doing.

(1) Extend the arms straight in front of you, letting the little fingers of each hand touch each other, the palms being upward; (2) Then keeping the little fingers still touching, bring the hands straight up in a curved circular movement, until the tips of the fingers of both hands touch the top of the head back of the forehead, the backs of the fingers touching, the elbows swinging out as the movement is made until (when the fingers touch the head, with thumbs pointing to the rear) they point out straight