Questioner: Namaskram Sadhguru. Why are certain Yogic practices done in squatting posture? What is the significance of squatting in Yoga?
Sadhguru: Ultimately, whatever, whatever you wish to do in your life, how much clarity do you have is all there is, isn’t it? About anything. Yes or no? If you don’t have clarity, you will try to make it up with confidence. Confidence is a very poor substitute for clarity.
Confidence is a very poor substitute for clarity
It’s like – there’s a busy highway, vehicles are moving at a fast pace. Your vision is not clear. You bring confidence. You can refer to your horrorscope [referring to horoscope]. You know you have a horrorscope? You can refer to your horrorscope and say – my horrorscope says I live for 90 years. Nothing is going to happen to me – and just cross. You may make it! Or use one of your slogans which will bring you confidence. You can say Jai Shri Ram, you can say Allah Hu Akhbar, Hail Mary – whatever you want, whatever works for you. Loudly shout the slogan, and run across. It may work. Just by sure chance, or because of the compassion of some driver. But every day if you try it, we know where to pick you up. One day you can make it with confidence.
So confidence is not a substitute for clarity. If you want to do anything successfully, you must have clarity, isn’t it?
If you want to do anything successfully, you must have clarity
If clarity has to come, the most important thing is, your spine should be in a certain condition because your perception is largely handled there. The spine is not just a physical substance, it is a communication network. A serious communication network. If you lose it, or if it becomes insensitive, you don’t know what you’re losing. You’re just losing something phenomenal. So it’s not just a physical substance. It is the basis of communication that’s happening in the system, isn’t it? The spinal cord is, I mean the spine is not just one single piece, it’s many complex assembly. Every day, needs to stretch. If it telescopes into one into another, then the communication capability in the spine is hugely lost.
Yoga Namaskar – it activates the lumbar region of the spine in a tremendous way
So, this Yoga Namaskar – it activates the lumbar region of the spine in a tremendous way. Strengthens the muscles along the spine – giving it a re-enforcement, so that as one ages, the collapsing of the spine, which causes pinching of the nerves does not happen. And, if already the damage is setting in, the best way to regenerate your spine would be by doing Yoga Namaskar. It has all round benefits for the entire body. Yoga Namaskar is a very simple and complete process by itself.
A natural upsurge of energy will happen if you just keep your feet together and sit down, in a squat. So the squat is best, if you can put your feet together and squat – which most of you cannot do. Right now very few people can do. We don’t want too much energy to happen, so the next best chance is to keep your feet in line with your shoulders, just the same width as your shoulders. You can do up to 21. 21 is a good number to do. If you cannot do that, start with seven. Slowly, every two days, one extra if you do, in about 40 days you will be at 21, which is a good number to do. You will see it will make a phenomenal difference in the way you function.
If there is some way to gauge your intelligence, the sharpness of your intellect, you will see you can see a difference happening just because you’re doing a simple few things to relax and activate the spine.
