Overeating, exertion, talkativeness, adhering to rules, being in the company of common people and unsteadiness (wavering mind) are the six (causes) which destroy yoga. Hatha Yoga Pradipika 1:15

I am quoting from Hatha Yoga Pradipika and my Guru, Sri Swamiji. Wednesday is Ganesha’s day. Ganesha is the remover of obstacles. All the habits which are described above are obstacles in our lives. We pray to Ganesha to guide us. However, our habits can be very tenacious and clingy.

Let us examine them one by one.

Overeating is a source of distress for many of us. When we are angry, sad or tense we indulge ourselves, be it icecream, chips or whatever takes our fancy. The result is our body is overloaded with wrong food. We become sluggish and dull. We are also adding to the toxins in our system. It is like a rotating wheel; one action leads to another.

Overexertion or overstraining the mind. Too much Yoga, exercise or gyming can exhaust one and lead to a waste of energy preventing spiritual practice.

Too much talking dissipates vital energy and leads to idle thoughts like envy, jealousy, alienation, sadness and anger.

Befriending persons who indulge in wrongful activities also leads one to hanker for hedonistic pleasures.

Should we recognize and acknowledge these obstacles? Yes, as once we observe these characteristics in ourselves, we can attempt to change ourselves.

The simplest way is by practicing Anuloma Viloma. Anuloma Viloma means up and down, in and out.

Anuloma Viloma Sadhana

Close your eyes. Visualize your breath flowing in and out of the left nostril. Practice 27 times. Now visualize your breath flowing in and out of the right nostril, 27 times. Next visualize your breath flowing in through both nostrils, meeting at the eyebrow center, and then descending through both nostrils. 54 times. What is happening here? When you breathe in and out of the left nostril, you are visualizing the breath with prana flowing through it and you are clearing the Ida Nadi. Then you repeat the process with the right nostril. You are clearing the Pingala nadi. Finally, you breathe in through both nostrils and then the Sushumna nadi flows. Your thoughts are flushed out and your prana can flow unobstructed. You are now in a position to remove the obstacles which are blocking your progress on the spiritual path.

Remember the Kundalini is Shakti and the merging which happens at Sahasra is the merging of Shiva and Shakti, and Ganesha is their son.

Aim Hrim Klim