Performing the exercises yielded the desired result: fresh head energy, a strong and flexible body. And it was difficult to understand why something else had to be done, if it was so good. But time passed, new literature appeared and under its influence, ideas about yoga expanded. In 1973, Yu. S. Nikolaev's book, Starving for Health, was published. She greatly changed my attitude to nutrition issues. Then I tried to starve and after three days I got such an effect that the results of my yoga training at that time were incomparable. The most amazing thing is that health disorders disappeared. Asanas went easily, satisfaction from them all grew.
So he discovered the truth: physical exercise should be preceded by a cleansing of the body. Yogis achieve this by observing short-term fasts and a special diet, as well as performing hygiene procedures. The effect of training grew, the attitude to food changed. The viciousness of the practiced nutrition system (pasta, pickles, meat, sweets) was clearly recognized. I urgently searched for literature on various dietary concepts, carefully studied it. The semi-annual experience of a complete raw food diet gave a lot. Lost weight. I felt the true taste of food. Thoroughly "cleaned up." It was during this period that interest in yogotraining grew. It began to turn out something that I could not even think about before. Some effects of supersensory perception have appeared. The world, and especially nature, began to see in a completely different way: predicting events, an intuitive understanding of people was perceived as completely natural. The experiments on non-contact massage turned out to be very successful. If not for a raw food diet, there would hardly be a need for the development of breathing exercises. I tried to execute them before, but irregularly. Yes, and could not understand why they are needed. Pranayama believed with difficulty in allegations of yogis about the exceptional benefits. He believed only by feeling. With the tightening of nutritional requirements, the transition to raw food diet, breathing became less and less superficial. This addiction interested me. I decided to resume attempts to master Pranayama. And somehow, in the second or third training session, I suddenly suddenly experienced a rush of previously unfamiliar lightness not only in the body, but also in thinking. It was a success. I felt the action of Pranayama. Maybe not so pronounced, but still there was at least some kind of feedback.
Without delay, he set about studying other Pranayamas. The exercises were mastered quite easily. At first I studied them from two or three sources, then I made several attempts, changing the manner of execution. I found the best option quickly. If difficulties arose, short meditation helped - a clear image of a ready-made solution arose. The regular practice of Pranayama against the background of a raw food diet led to a further change in the depth and pattern of breathing. At times it seemed to disappear. Long pauses between shallow breaths became natural. Finally, I realized the true meaning of the statement of the yogis that the goal of Pravayama is to stop breathing (Kevali-Kumbhaka), when many minutes pass without any desire to breathe. In subsequent years, he clearly understood the connection between nutrition, exercise, and breathing. I went the traditional way for the West: a lot of exercise and a little hygiene. And only after 10 years he realized that Kriya Yoga could not be done without. A vivid example of beginners (my students) finally convinced of this. From the very first days, they changed their dietary regimen, performed a number of hygienic cleansing procedures, and the assimilation of Hatha Yoga by them was 5-10 times faster than I had once. They needed not years, but just months to develop flexibility, reduce weight, and master complex exercises. So gradually the idea of the need for an integrated approach matured: exercises, diet, at the same time mastering hygiene procedures and only then breathing. It was necessary to come to this yourself. Someone else's experience, information was requested, but in order to take it, it was necessary to rise to the understanding that until the body and mind are cleansed, forcing, as a rule, leads to failure.
But what is considered success and what is failure? I was convinced from my own experience that thanks to yoga, a person completely masters the emotional sphere. No, he does not become insensitive, but knows how to control emotions. By abandoning envy, anger, jealousy, anger, you can find love for others, the desire for selfless use of your forces for the common good, a sense of unity with nature, etc. The personality psychology is changing: self-confidence, endurance, sociability appear. The interlocutor is perceived somehow differently. If before I tried to understand it from my perspective, now I look at the problem with his eyes. Hence, more understanding, better contact. The power of persuasion increases in communication, which is especially noticeable with regular practice of Pranayama.
