Perfect harmony in body, mind and soul.
The energisation exercises of Paramhansa Yogananda are a unique contribution of Yogananda to the science of yoga. They are a system of exercises that teach us to use the power of the will to control the conscious life force (prana) that flows through us at all times.
The energisation exercises were developed by Yogananda in the 1920s as the Yogoda System. The Yogoda system is part of the path of kriya yoga that Yogananda brought to the west from India. Yogoda means that system which imparts harmony and equilibrium to all the forces and faculties working for the perfection of body, mind, and soul.
By consciously directing the life force to parts of our body, we can awaken the body cells and revitalize the systems pertinent to our energy and quality of life. We can begin to awaken each cell in our body and access the natural healing life force all around us, bringing it within.
Achieve Your greatest potential. Drawn from the infinite energy of the universe.
Memorise and repeat throughout your day:
"The greater the will, the greater the flow of energy.
The greater the flow of energy, the greater the magnetism."
To practice these exercises, you will be focusing on each muscle group by tensing and relaxing with the breath. For example, you may focus first at the stomach, then the biceps, then the neck, then the calves, while sending energy and will to the centre of each body part.
To do the breath, double inhale breath through your nose (first breath is short, second breath) and tense all the muscles in your body. Then hold and tense, vibrating with will for a few moments and visualize all the energy going through your body cells as gold healing light. Then double exhale through your mouth: first short, then long– it will make the sound of Ha Haaaa. As you exhale, fully relax all the muscles in your body.
Repeat this exercise 2 to 3 times, and release as much tension as possible with each exhalation. Try after each exhalation to draw the energy upward toward the point between your eyebrows (the frontal lobe area of our brain responsible for higher consciousness).
Now that you have an idea of how to perform the breath, you may practice focusing on different muscle groups at a time.
Another important part of these exercises is to smile, so don’t forget!
If you are wondering what these exercises do to your muscles– you can try an experiment to see the difference in energy and sensation between a side of the body that you have “energized” and the side you have not. For example, tense your left forearm (from low, medium, to high tension) with a double inhale… then relax with a double exhale (from high, medium, to low tension). Repeat 2 to 3 times. Then hold up both forearms out in front of you and feel how the right forearm feels in comparison to the left. Do you notice any difference?
Some people say that one side feels lighter, more invigorated, full of energy! Now imagine doing these exercises throughout your body, or even practising them more than once per day to recharge all the different muscle groups and revitalize your cells with oxygen and positive energy. Think of all the positive affects both mentally and physically that it could have! Learning to train your mind to send energy and revitalize the cells in different parts of your body at will is an extremely valuable skill. The cumulative effects over a lifetime of practising these exercises the recommended two times a day has incredible potential!
Learn the energisation exercises and receive support.
The following benefits of energisation exercises are listed in the book, How to Achieve Glowing Health and Vitality.
resurrects dying tissue cells and worn our mental faculties,
helps form billions of new cells,
proportionately forms the various tissues (bone, muscle, connective, nerve, and adipose),
will be found to be the surest and most effective remedy for bodily diseases and inharmonious conditions of the mind (depression, anxiety, etc.),
healing balm for nervous abnormalities, stomach, and abdominal troubles,
cures constipation and quickens secretions of the liver and pancreas (cleansing and purifying),
circulation, respiration, digestion, and all other involuntary processes of the body are harmonized and invigorated,
cures headaches, gout, and rheumatism by regulating the circulation,
eliminates colds and bronchitis by properly exercising the air cells,
brain power and memory are increased through greater blood supply,
raises general vitality and insures greater longevity,
helps one detach from the scattered attention from the senses and restless habits, and concentrate on one thing at a time,
develops tissue strength and nerve vigor,
and clarifies the mind.
It cultivates the strength of muscle and all the important nerves and tissues of the vital organs, and strengthens the willpower.
These exercises are unique to yoga practice because they can be done anytime, anywhere, by any individual level of health or physical ability. They are easily and naturally brought into one’s daily yoga or exercise routine, just ten minutes daily practice will give results “unequalled to most other forms of exercise.”
'The whole purpose of true exercises is to awaken the inner source of energy which we have ignored throughout our lives.'
–Paramhansa Yogananda
'The whole purpose of true exercises is to awaken the inner source of energy which we have ignored throughout our lives.'
–Paramhansa Yogananda
Practice this technique daily, and you will know why the great yoga master brought this system to all his devotees.
Nayaswami Devi's Touch of Light Blog
Take Back Your Life
We need to take back the reins of our life by constant, small decisions to live well in the present moment. Fortunately, Paramhansa Yogananda gave us a powerful tool in the Energisation Exercises to help in this effort. Even the simple prayer before practising them can be a guide to living each day wisely: “O Infinite Spirit, recharge my body with Thy cosmic energy, my mind with Thy concentration, my soul with Thy ever-new joy. O eternal youth of body and mind, abide in me forever and forever.”
Energy, concentration, and joy: These are all weapons to defeat the beast of waiting, hoping, and fearing that lurks in the shadows of our consciousness. Here are a few suggestions based on Yoganandaji’s teachings to help strengthen these qualities.