Over the course of several decades, computer technology has made an amazing leap in its development! No one is surprised by computers at home anymore. Cell phones are no longer available - Document
Scientists at Altai State University stated that they have developed a drug that allows the body to activate the processes of production of its own stem cells, renew tissues and maintain them in the state of a biologically young organism. It took them about two years of work to achieve this. The substance that the researchers obtained will in the future form the basis of a youth drug.
In general, it has always been common for humanity to dream of immortality. Since ancient times, people have tried in various ways to prolong their youth and life. Thus, the ancient Greeks took milk baths to rejuvenate, and the ancient Romans drank the blood of gladiators fought in battles in the arena. In the Middle Ages, thousands of alchemists, along with the philosopher's stone, were looking for the elixir of immortality, and Chinese adherents of Taoism tried to develop a similar elixir within themselves. The history of such searches is extensive, but, alas, completely inconclusive.
The first scientific researcher in this area is considered to be the Russian and French biologist, Nobel Prize laureate in the field of physiology and medicine (1908) Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov. He is the founder of gerontology - a science that studies the biological, social and psychological aspects of human aging, its causes and ways to combat it. Mechnikov developed a whole theory of aging due to intoxication and recommendations for healing fermented milk drinks for rejuvenation.
During the Soviet years, scientists were also actively involved in research on life extension. For example, at the Research Institute of Medical Primatology in Adler, the former Sukhumi nursery, unique results were obtained on primates. It turned out that the level of the hormone melatonin, especially at night, falls over the years. Based on these data, a group of Ukrainian chronobiologists learned to determine the biological age of people. Soon the understanding came that it was not age that needed to be assessed, but the pace of aging. Scientists were led to this idea by the results of a unique modern study in which several thousand truck drivers participated. It turned out that this is the fastest aging profession.
Now the issue of aging has been taken up at Moscow State University. A major project to combat aging at the cellular level is led by the director of the Institute of Physical and Chemical Biology named after Moscow State University, academician Vladimir Skulachev. And it must be said that scientists have achieved phenomenal results. In addition, it is worth noting that average life expectancy has already increased significantly in the last couple of centuries, thanks to scientific advances such as the discovery of antisepsis, asepsis, vaccination and antibiotics, which have radically changed human survival. Such inventions are rightly considered revolutionary milestones in medicine. As a result, this resulted in an increase in average life expectancy from 35-40 to 75-80 years.
And now the latest breakthrough of Russian scientists is the invention of a substance that slows down aging. It is known that the drug is based on stem cells. According to scientists from Altai State University, aging is a disease that can be treated. According to them, the medicine causes the body to produce new cells. This function will allow the drug to be used not only as a “cure for old age,” but also for healing wounds and ulcers. In the future, with the help of this invention it will be possible to cure cirrhosis of the liver, stomach ulcers and restore the heart muscle after a heart attack.
“We are developing anti-aging drugs for bone marrow regeneration after chemotherapy in cancer patients, a hepatoprotector to support the liver, and drugs for women’s health. They are based on a substance that has hepatoprotective activity, slowing down the aging process and preventing age-related diseases,” said Ivan Smirnov, director of the university’s Research Institute of Biomedicine. According to him, experts have already tested the drug on the liver of laboratory mice, which from the point of view of chemistry and biology is 100% human, and were satisfied with the result.
The scientist also noted that over the past few days the phones at ASU and in laboratories have not stopped ringing; people from all over Russia are trying to sign up to test the substance on themselves, but this is still prohibited.
“Now the substance looks like powder. The future drug may have several forms of use, both internally in the form of tablets and in the form of a cream or gel for the treatment of wounds and abrasions that heal instantly,” said Ivan Smirnov. According to him, scientists have a lot of work to do before the finished product is released. Whether the drug will be a medicine or a cosmetic will be decided in two years.
It has been several decades since Yoga has become international. At the same time, the most widespread and dominant throughout the world are the Yoga schools, continuing the legacy of Krishnamacharya. It is unlikely that today there is at least one Yoga teacher who, during the initial period of entry into this Tradition, did not come into contact to one degree or another with the teachings of Krishnamacharya. And thus, there is hardly a single practitioner of Yoga who has not been at least indirectly initiated by this teaching.
Krishnamacharya had many eminent and authoritative teachers, but he recognized only one of them as his Guru. It was Sri Mohana Brahmachari, under whose guidance Krishnamacharya learned the Yoga Tradition for about seven years, studying with his Guru on the shores of Lake Manosarovar, near the sacred Mount Kailash, in the territory of modern Tibet. In the summer of 1999, I was lucky enough to visit there and “get into the spirit” of these sacred places.
Many of Krishnamacharya's disciples subsequently transformed and modernized certain aspects of this teaching. But among them there were those who gratefully preserved and carried through many years the methodological basis of this teaching in the form of basic training complexes, divided into levels of varying complexity. One of his most famous disciples is Shri K. Pattabhi Jois, who himself became a world famous Guru. His book defines the concept of Yoga as such and contains its key theoretical aspects. In it you will find a detailed description of the technique for performing two types of complexes.
Surya Namaskara and a practical guide to the training sequence of the first level of complexity of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, personally performed by Pattabhi Jois back in the fifties. Key provisions - The asanas of these sequences are illustrated with archival photographs of Pattabhi Jois himself and supplemented by photographs of his grandson - the young Master - Sharad. In addition to the technique of correct execution of Asanas and Vinyasas, it also examines the effect of their influence on the body and psychoenergetic structure of the practitioner. Drawing on the ancient texts of the Yoga Tradition and preserving its Spirit, Pattabhi Jois sets forth the basic principles of the practice of Pranayama, personal discipline and right conduct in life leading to progress and evolution of consciousness. In none of the books published so far will you find this valuable practical information based on the personal experience of one of the wisest Guardians of the Yoga Tradition living today.
A. Lapa
PREFACE.. 4
FROM THE PUBLISHER.. 4
PRANAYAMA.. 11
SURYA NAMASKARA AND YOGIC ASANAS... 16
Surya Namaskara. 16
Yogic Asanas.. 20
1. PADANGUSHTASANA.. 20
2. PADAHASTASANA.. 20
3. UTTHITA TRIKONASANA.. 21
4. UTTHITA PARSVAKONASANA.. 21
5. PRASARITA PADOTTANASANA (A) 22
6. PARSHVOTTANASANA.. 23
7. UTTHITA HASTA PADANGUSHTASANA.. 24
8. ARDHA BADDHA PADMOTTANASANA.. 24
9. UTKATASANA.. 25
10. VIRABHADRASANA.. 25
11. PASCHIMOTTANASANA.. 26
12. PURVOTTANASANA.. 27
13. ARDHA BADDHA PADMA PASCHIMOTTANASANA.. 28
14. TRIANGMUKHAYKAPADA PASCHIMOTTANASANA.. 28
15. JANU SIRSASANA (A) 29
16. MARICHYASANA (A) 30
17. MARICHYASANA (B) 30
18. MARICHYASANA (B) 31
19. MARICHYASANA (D) 31
20. NAVASANA.. 31
21. BHUJAPIDASANA.. 32
22. KURMASANA.. 32
23. GARBHA PINDASANA.. 32
24. KUKKUTASANA.. 33
25. BADDHA KONASANA.. 33
26. UPAVISHTA KONASANA.. 34
27. SUPTA KONASANA.. 35
28. SUPTA PADANGUSHTASANA.. 35
29. UBHAYA PADANGUSHTASANA.. 36
30. URDHVA MUKHA PASCHIMOTTANASANA.. 36
31.SETU BANDHASANA.. 36
32. SARVANGASANA.. 38
33. HALASANA.. 38
34. KARNAPIDASANA.. 38
35. URDHVA PADMASANA.. 39
36. PINDASANA.. 39
37. MATSYASANA.. 41
38. UTTANAPADASANA.. 41
39. SHIRSHASANA.. 42
40. BADDHA PADMASANA.. 44
41. PADMASANA.. 44
42. UTH PLUTHI.. 45
Sri Sringeri Jyagadguru Mahasamsthanam,
Sharada Peetham
with the blessing of His Holiness
Sri Sringeri Mutt
Most people believe that yoga is only accessible to those who are free from passions and attachments. On the one hand, it is true - some aspects of yoga are associated with asceticism and loneliness. But, on the other hand, a significant part of yogic practices can be easily introduced into everyday life. Various poses, breathing exercises, the basics of self-restraint and self-control techniques will give health not only to the body, but also to the mind.
I recommend this little book as an introduction to yoga. Vidwan Pattabhi Jois laid out his philosophy and practice in simple language ashtanga yoga, which originates from ancient Sanskrit texts. Yoga is India's greatest contribution to the treasury of humanity. Yoga is an ethics, a practice and a spiritual path. The purpose of yoga is to cleanse the mind and body.
Nowadays, there is a need to present the wisdom contained in Sanskrit texts in the languages of other peoples, because Sanskrit is not as popular now as it once was. We cannot afford to lose the treasures of our culture. All who have access to ancient primary sources should unite to give their wisdom to other people. I welcome this book - a good step in the right direction. I hope that Vidwan Pattabhi Jois will continue his work and write many more books on different aspects of our culture and philosophy.
Professor N.A. Nikam, Master
Vice President of Mysore University
This text is about the science of yoga, and its appearance is very timely. Thanks to such books, India and other countries are now experiencing a new surge of interest in yoga.
Today, knowledge about this philosophy can be gleaned from Sanskrit texts and several English translations. However, translations of texts from Kannada are very rare. The author of the book “Yoga Mala” has wonderfully filled this gap. K. Pattabhi Jois has deeply delved into the essence of the teachings and has rich practical experience of yoga, which makes his book especially valuable. I am grateful to the author for his work.
I hope that all readers will be able to appreciate and benefit from this book. And people who study Ayurveda simply must read it. There is also no doubt that it will be useful to modern doctors who specialize in the treatment of mental illnesses.
M. Yamunacharya, Master
founder of the Faculty of Philosophy
University of Mysore
PREFACE
How wonderful it is that yogic practices - an integral part of Indian culture - have gained recognition and respect not only in their homeland, but also in Western countries. From various scriptures, puranas, Vedas and legends, we know that yoga has existed in India since time immemorial. It is also well known that over time, yoga gradually began to fall into oblivion. But, despite everything, yoga has been and remains very important and useful for all people.
Nowadays, there are several different points of view on the teachings of yoga. To a certain extent, this situation can even be called alarming. For example, some consider yoga only a set of physical exercises that has a very narrow application. Others argue that yoga can only be beneficial sannyasins or people who have taken a vow of celibacy, so that a married person must renounce either the family or the idea of studying yoga. There are people who are even afraid to do yoga in a group. They all resemble a person who has decided to completely give up eating lobster, without even knowing what it tastes like. So is yoga: to comprehend it ananda(bliss), you need to start practicing it.
And while we mindlessly waste our energy on doubts about whether it is worth it or not to practice yoga, we plunge into the endless cycle of birth and death, experience a lot of suffering and miss a rare chance for spiritual self-improvement.
Let's listen to the ancient texts. In Bhagavad Gita the Lord said:
Tasmat shastram pramanam te karya akarya vyavasthitu.
Thus, the sacred teaching (shastra) will be the measure of what you should do and what you should not do.
Yoga is beneficial for everyone without exception; it will bring happiness both today and into the future. If we begin to study yoga, if we begin to practice yoga without fear and doubt, we will gain physical, mental and spiritual happiness, and our mind will expand to the limits of the Divine Essence. It is to this purpose that I dedicated my book.
With gratitude,
K. Pattabhi Jois
Mysore, September 1997
Actually, it all comes down to a fairly simple question: what is so special about us, what is our ultimate value? It's unlikely to be skills like arithmetic or typing, which machines have already surpassed us in. And it is unlikely to be rational, since machines are devoid of all these biases, prejudices and emotions that we have.
Perhaps we should consider qualities at the other end of the spectrum: radical creativity, irrational originality, even a dose of simple illogical madness, rather than rigid logic. A little Kirk instead of Spock. Until now, these qualities have been very difficult for machines to emulate: wild leaps of faith arbitrary enough to be predicted by a robot, let alone mere chance. Their problem is our opportunity.
I am not suggesting that we abandon reason, logic and critical thinking. In fact, precisely because we value so much the values we associate with rationality and common sense, we should also value the opposite a little.
And I'm not a Luddite, quite the opposite. You see, if we continue to improve information-processing machines and make them adapt and learn from every interaction with the world, from every bit of data fed to them, we will soon have useful rational assistants. They will allow us to overcome some of our human limitations in translating information into rational decisions. And they will get better and better.
We must therefore strive to ensure that the human contribution to this division of labor complements the rationality of machines, rather than competes with them. Because this will always differentiate us from them, and it is this difference that will create our value. 
And if I'm right, we should encourage the development of creative thinking, irrational decisions, unusual ideas. Not because irrationality is bliss, but because a dose of illogical creativity will complement the rationality of the machine. It will save us a place on the evolution shelf.
Unfortunately, our education system is built in a completely opposite way. Like peasants in a pre-industrial mindset, our schools and universities are structured to produce obedient servants of rationality and to develop outdated skills in interacting with outdated machines.
If we take the problem that cars pose seriously, we're going to have to change that, and pretty soon. Of course, we will have to learn fact-based rationality and how better facts lead to better decisions. We need to help our children learn to work with the smartest of machines to improve their decision making. But most of all, we need to consider the long term: even if computers surpass us, we will remain the most creative building in the city, unless we completely suppress this aspect of humanity in ourselves.
Perhaps this is our chance to stay on the narrow path of evolution.
For several decades now, psychologists have been persistently interested in two modes of thinking: the one that triggers the portrait of an angry woman, and the one that triggers the multiplication problem. There are many names for these modes. I'll use terms originally coined by psychologists Kate Stanovich and Richard West to talk about two systems of thinking: System 1 and System 2.
System 1 operates automatically and very quickly, requiring little or no effort and giving no sense of intentional control.
System 2 allocates the attention needed for conscious mental effort, including complex calculations. System 2 activities are often associated with a subjective sense of agency, choice, and concentration.
The concepts of System 1 and System 2 are widely used in psychology, but I take this book further than most: it can be read as a psychological drama with two characters.
When we think of ourselves, we think of System 2—the conscious, intelligent self that has beliefs and makes choices and decisions about what to think and do. Although System 2 considers itself to be the protagonist, in reality the hero of this book is the automatically responding System 1. I believe that it effortlessly generates the impressions and feelings that are the main source of System 2's beliefs and conscious choices. System 1's automatic actions generate amazing complex patterns of thoughts, but only the slower System 2 can arrange them into an orderly sequence of steps. The following will describe the circumstances in which System 2 takes control, limiting the free impulses and associations of System 1. You are encouraged to consider these two systems as two entities, each with its own unique abilities, limitations and functions.
Here's what System 1 can do (examples ranked by increasing difficulty):
Determine which of two objects is closer.
Orient yourself towards the source of the sharp sound.
Finish the phrase “Bread with...”.
Make a grimace of disgust at the sight of a disgusting picture.
Identify hostility in the voice.
Solve example 2 + 2 =?
Read the words on large advertising billboards.
Drive a car on an empty road.
Make a strong chess move (if you are a grandmaster).
Understand a simple sentence.
Determine that the description “quiet, neat person, pays a lot of attention to detail” is similar to a stereotype associated with a certain profession.
All of these actions fall into the same category as reacting to an angry woman: they happen automatically and require little or no effort. System 1 capabilities include our internal skills that we share with other animals. We are born ready to perceive the world around us, recognize objects, direct attention, avoid losses and fear spiders. Other mental activities become quick and automatic after long practice. System 1 remembered the connections between ideas (the capital of France?) and learned to recognize and understand the subtleties of situations that arise during communication. Some skills, like finding good moves in chess, are learned only by experts. Other skills are acquired by many. To determine the similarity of a personality description with a profession stereotype requires broad linguistic and cultural knowledge, which many people have. Knowledge is stored in memory and we access it without conscious intention or effort.
Some actions on this list are completely involuntary. You can't stop yourself from understanding simple sentences in your native language or paying attention to a loud, unexpected sound; you will not forbid yourself to know that 2 + 2 = 4, or to remember Paris if someone mentions the capital of France. Some actions, such as chewing, can be controlled, but they are usually performed on autopilot. Attention is controlled by both systems. Orienting to a loud sound usually occurs involuntarily, using System 1, and then the attention of System 2 is immediately and purposefully mobilized. You may not turn around when you hear a loud offensive remark at a noisy party, but even if your head does not move, at first you pay attention to it anyway, at least for a little while. However, attention can be diverted from an unwanted object, and the best way is to focus on another goal.
The various functions of System 2 have one thing in common: they all require attention and are interrupted when attention is shifted. For example, using System 2 you can do the following:
Prepare for the start signal in the race.
Watch the clowns at the circus.
Hear the voice of the right person in a crowded, noisy room.
Notice the gray-haired woman.
Identify the surprising sound by rummaging through your memory.
Intentionally speed up your pace.
Monitor the appropriateness of behavior in a particular social situation.
Count the number of letters "a" in the text.
Dictate your phone number to your interlocutor.
Park where there is little space (unless you are a professional parking attendant).
Compare two washing machines by price and features.
Fill out a tax return.
Check the consistency of complex logical arguments.
In all these situations you need to be attentive, and if you are not prepared or distracted, you will cope worse or not at all. System 2 can change the functioning of System 1 by reprogramming the normal automatic functions of attention and memory. For example, when waiting for a relative at a crowded train station, you may be in the mood to look for a gray-haired woman or a bearded man, and thus increase your chances of seeing her or him from afar. You can strain your memory to remember the names of capitals beginning with the letter “N”, or the novels of French existentialist writers. When you rent a car at London Heathrow Airport, you'll likely be reminded that “we drive on the left.” In all of these cases, you are asked to do something unusual, and you will find that it requires constant effort.
We often use the phrase “be careful” – and it is quite fair. We have a limited amount of attention that can be divided into various actions, and if we go beyond the limits of what we have, then nothing will happen. The peculiarity of such activities is that they interfere with each other, and that is why it is difficult or even impossible to do several at once. It is impossible to calculate the product 17 24 when turning left in heavy traffic; It's not even worth trying. You can do several things at once, but only if they are easy and do not require too much attention. It's probably okay to talk to the person sitting next to you if you're driving on an empty highway, and many parents find, albeit with some awkwardness, that they can read a story to their child while thinking about something else.
Everyone is more or less aware of the limitations of attention, and our behavior in society takes into account these limitations. For example, if a car driver overtakes a truck on a narrow road, the adult passengers would quite reasonably fall silent. They know not to distract the driver; in addition, they suspect that he is temporarily “deaf” and will not hear their words.
By focusing on something, people essentially go blind, not noticing what usually attracts attention. This was most clearly demonstrated by Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons in their book The Invisible Gorilla. They made a short film about a basketball game where the teams wear white and black jerseys. Spectators are asked to count the number of passes that the players in white jerseys will make, ignoring the players in black. This is a difficult task that requires your full attention. About halfway through the video, a woman in a gorilla suit appears in the frame, crosses the set, taps her chest, and walks away. She is in the frame for 9 seconds. Thousands of people saw the video, but about half of them did not notice anything unusual. Blindness occurs due to the counting task, especially due to instructions not to pay attention to one of the commands. Spectators who have not received this task will not miss the gorilla. Seeing and orienting are automatic functions of System 1, but they are performed only if a certain amount of attention is devoted to the corresponding external stimuli. According to the authors, the most remarkable thing about their study is that people are very surprised by its results. Spectators who do not notice the gorilla are initially sure that it was not there - they are not able to imagine that they missed such an event. The gorilla experiment illustrates two important facts: we can be blind to the obvious and, moreover, we do not notice our own blindness.
Summary
The interaction of two systems is a cross-cutting theme of this book, so it is worth briefly summarizing its contents. So, while we are awake, both systems are working - System 1 and System 2. System 1 works automatically, and System 2 is in a comfortable mode of minimal effort, in other words, only a small part of its capabilities is used. System 1 constantly generates sentences for System 2: impressions, premonitions, intentions and feelings. If System 2 approves of them, then impressions and premonitions turn into beliefs, and impulses into intentional actions. When everything goes smoothly—and it almost always does—System 2 accepts System 1's suggestions with little or no change. Typically, you believe your impressions and act on your desires, and this is usually quite acceptable.
When System 1 encounters difficulties, it turns to System 2 to solve the current problem through more detailed and focused processing. System 2 is mobilized when a question arises that System 1 doesn't have an answer to, as you probably did when you saw the 17 x 24 multiplication example. A conscious rush of attention is also felt when you are caught off guard. System 2 springs into action when an event is detected that disrupts System 1's model of the world. In its world, light bulbs don't bounce, cats don't bark, and gorillas don't walk on basketball courts. The gorilla experiment shows that attention is required to detect unexpected stimuli. Surprise or unexpectedness engages and directs your attention: you look closely and try to find an explanation in your memory for an amazing event. System 2 is responsible for constantly monitoring your behavior - it is thanks to it that you are able to remain polite when angry and attentive when driving at night. System 2 is activated if it detects that you are about to make a mistake. Remember how you almost blurted out something offensive - and how difficult it was for you to pull yourself together. In general, most of what you (your System 2) think and do comes from System 1, but when things get difficult, System 2 takes over and usually has the final say.
The division of labor between System 1 and System 2 is very efficient: it gives the best productivity with a minimum of effort. Most of the time, everything works well because System 1, as a rule, does its job well: it forms accurate situation models and short-term forecasts, and also responds quickly and most often appropriately to emerging problems. However, System 1 also has its own distortions, systematic errors that it is prone to make in certain circumstances. As will be shown, at times she answers easier questions rather than the given ones, and is poorly versed in logic and statistics. Another limitation of System 1 is that it cannot be turned off. If you see a word in a familiar language on the screen, you will read it - unless your attention is completely absorbed by something else.