Awareness
The principle of awareness concerns developing asense of presence in the moment. In the context of
Polarity, awareness includes attention, consciousness
and sensitivity.
Attention and consciousness are really soul energies
that produce a sense of bliss when developed.
Thought and sensitivity are mental qualities that
influence what is generally termed happiness. If
thoughts are high and balanced, a higher vision of
life can be enjoyed.
Doctors and mystics have said that it is not what
happens but our reaction to what happens that
determines happiness. Most humans have experienced a
few disasters here and there. We may not be able to
change these karmic experiences, but we can change our
reaction to them.
Seen in this light, happiness appears to be an act of
will. Ideally, however, happiness is not a forced
state of mind. In the highest aspect of mental
awareness, there is a balanced stillness that is
neither positive nor negative.
It is important to understand and acknowledge that
the mental and spiritual qualities brought to any
healing system profoundly influence the power of both
that particular system and the individual's health.
Living to develop the harmony of a balanced state of
mind increases health and wellbeing and lends power to
any particular discipline.
Manipulation
The polarity that swings the planets in their orbits
through the universe also works on a microcosmic scale
in the body. In this body's energy fields are charges
of positive, 'rajasic' energy (activity); negative,
'tamasic' energy (receptivity); and neutral, 'sattvic'
energy (balance).
In general, the head is positive, the feet are
negative and the joints are neutral. The left hand is
negative and receives energy and the right hand is
positive and projects energy. The thumb is neutral
and relates to the ether element. The index finger is
negative and relates to the air element. The middle
finger is positive and relates to the fire element.
The ring finger is negative and relates to the water
element. The little finger is positive and relates to
the earth element. By placing a positive hand or
finger on a negative part of the body, an energy flow
is induced.
The amount of pressure applied also affects the
energy flow. A Polarity session employs three types
of touch: light touch (sattvic touch) tends to tonify
and balance an area where there is a deficiency; heavy
touch (tamasic touch) tends to disperse energy in an
area where there is an excess; a rocking motion
(rajasic touch) tends to stimulate. Gentle rocking can
also be very comforting and relaxing.
As in yoga postures, a Polarity session tends to
break up blocks using the Polarity principle (energy
flows from positive to negative) and the three types
of touch. This balances the life energy much like
electricity automatically moves more freely on a
copper wire when a resistor is removed. This
balancing promotes relaxation and a sense of
wellbeing, and it serves as preventive medicine.
Exercise
Slow moving and gentle stretching methodically
designed and practiced with care and attention is the
best for balancing and releasing blocks. Competitive
sports are enjoyable and not to be condemned, but it
is helpful to understand them in their proper context.
Competition often provokes stress and other
negativity: witness the professionals on television.
Many athletic endeavors overwork one system or muscle
group to the exclusion of others. There is not a
balance between left and right, front and back, or
mind, body and heart.
Many people believe that by playing sports,
gardening, doing housework or making job-related
movements they are getting their exercise. Actually
these endeavors may promote the need for stretching
movements. Every animal in nature makes stretching
movements every day. Many of the slow-moving,
easy-stretching moves common to yoga and tai chi
positively influence the endocrine system to secrete
hormones and enzymes that have a beneficial effect on
physiology, moods and the quality of thought. Yoga
postures are a sophisticated stretching exercise
program that you can take with you into old age and
maybe beyond.
Dr. Stone developed a number of exercises that he
termed Polarity Yoga. They are centered around the
squat posture. He taught that the vital force of
reproductive energy lies dormant in the spinal fluids
behind the sacral area. This has been referred to as
the 'kundalini' force. It is the motor, outward
driving, yang and centrifugal force of the body. If
this energy is properly tapped, it can help regenerate
the body with just a few minutes of daily practice.
The intent in Polarity Yoga is not simply to get into
a posture but to promote the flow of energy from the
subtle mind centers through the brain to the base of
the spine (a process that animates the five elements).
This action balances the above (subtle and causal
mind patterns) with the below (five elements and the
structural frame). This balance occurs
physiologically through the duramater, the connective
tissue that covers the brain and the extension of the
spinal cord. A major role in this process is played
by movement of the cranial bones (the positive pole)
the cerebrospinal fluid and the sacrum (the negative
pole). Prana (life energy) is circulated to the
tissue through movement of the cerebrospinal fluid
that is the conductor.
The Polarity squat, the central posture in Polarity
Yoga, initiates this circulation through a fulcrum
base (the feet) and leverage, thereby affecting the
connective tissue. The gentle stretch of connective
tissue with concentrated attention opens the prana
flow. This flow is most often blocked by emotional or
mental upsets, mental and physical fixation
(attachments) and false impressions (illusions).
Upsets and fixations lay a foundation for pain and
dis-ease by blocking the current. The joints and
connective tissues are opened by suspending the body
on its natural supports. Add the current of
attention, which activates the mind and soul energy,
and results follow naturally.
The Polarity squat is similar to the position of the
fetus in the womb. Practicing the Polarity squat
employs the forces that originally built the body to
repair and rebuild it. Polarity yoga is described in
the Yoga Section of this book.
Polarity promotes the flow of life energy. It avoids
things that are dead or weigh heavily on the mental
and physical being. Therefore, Polarity teachings
advocate a lacto-vegetarian diet consisting of whole
grains, cooked and raw vegetables and fruits, nuts,
beans, herbs and spices, and some dairy products.
Meat, fish and eggs are avoided because the life
principle has been taken from them, and taken in a
manner most unpleasant to the animal. These foods are
undesirable for the karmic effect produced by
proxy when they are prepared for eating.
As to the question about eggs, fertile eggs grow up
to be chickens and infertile eggs have no life energy.
Consuming an egg is chemically the same as consuming
a whole chicken.
Dairy products may be used and have been advocated in
a yogic diet for thousands of years. They contain
many beneficial enzymes, and even though these
products may produce mucus, according to Ayurvedic
teachings, they promote a calm mind. Many people who
are lactose intolerant, or allergic to milk, may be
able to eat fresh yogurt with good results. Dr. Stone
taught that yogurt is better when made at home and
eaten fresh. Many people have trouble digesting milk
because it is taken cold with meals.
Anything cold will produce mucus, especially milk.
Milk combines well with cereals and sweet fruits, but
not so well with many other foods. Cheese is fairly
heavy and digests better if taken in small quantities.
Ghee (clarified butter) has an extremely long shelf
life and can tolerate the high heat of cooking. Heat
destroys many desirable enzymes in oils which can make
is less desirable for sautZing.
Diet can be building to the system, or purifying and
cleansing, or it can be such that it maintains the
system. With this in mind it is helpful to understand
what is appropriate for a particular constitution and
state of health. To try and cleanse the system when
it needs building or to go on a rigid diet when a
maintenance diet is in order may do more harm than
good.
There may be times when too much indulgence calls for
some cleansing. At such times an excellent diet plan
is Dr. Stone's Liver Flush and Purifying Diet (see
page 42). If a person has the right constitution for
it, the liver flush is appropriate for many conditions
to assist in restoring health.
If fasting seems needed, the most controlled way to
do it safely is for one day at a time as often as once
a week. More radically, for a person with the right
constitution, fasting may be done for three days, with
appropriate scheduling for plenty of rest and
relaxation. Fasting for more than three days at a
time is not recommended. The severity of fasting
can be reduced by taking fresh fruit juices in the
morning and fresh vegetable juices in the afternoon
and evening.
A diet consisting of the staples of cooked brown or
basmati rice with steamed vegetables is the most
balanced. Beans combined in a ratio of one part beans
to two to four parts rice supply a complete and
inexpensive protein. Beans may be sprouted by people
who find them hard to digest.
Using more cooked whole grains builds the system.
Add plenty of sprouts, raw salads and fruits, and
especially organic foods that are in season and grown
locally.
Regarding the medical aspect of healing, foods can
act as strong medicine when properly balanced. It is
next to impossible to produce deep-seated healing when
a person is consuming an unwholesome diet.
Patrick D. Holiman