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<div>[[File:Purvottanasana, Heinz Grill 1992.jpg|thumb|Purvottanasana (inclined plane).]]<br />
<br />
'''Purvottanasana''' (Sanskrit पूर्वोत्तानासन, [[w:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''pūrvottānāsana''), English '''inclined plane''', is an [[exercise]] in yoga. Depending on the type of yoga, it is also referred to as reverse plank, inverted plank or front body stretch. The Sanskrit name ''pūrvottānāsana'' is formed from the words ''pūrva'' "east"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pUrvA&dir=au ''Search results for "pUrvA".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 20 February 2026.</ref>, ''uttāna'' "stretched out"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=uttana&dir=au ''Search results for "uttAna".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> and ''āsana'' "seat"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=es ''Search results for "Asana".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> or more generally translated as "posture". It can be literally translated as "posture of the intense expansion of the east". According to Indian tradition, the east refers to the front of the body.<br />
<br />
Purvottanasana is part of the first series in [[w:Ashtanga (Vinyasa) Yoga|Ashtanga Yoga]] and of the basic series of Yoga Vidya.<ref>[https://www.ashtangayoga.info/ashtanga-yoga/primary-series-yoga-chikitsa-1/200411-purvottanasana-ronald-richard/ ''Pūrvottānāsana: Pose to stretch the front of the body.''] In: ''ashtangayoga.info.'' Retrieved 12 February 2026. </ref><ref> [https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Yoga_Vidya_Reihe#Purvottasana_-_Schiefe_Ebene_(Gegenstellung_in_der_Yoga_Vidya_Reihe) ''Yoga Vidya Grundreihe - Yoga Vidya Basic Series''] In:''wiki.yoga.vidya.de'' (German).</ref> Although it is not included in the so-called [[A:Rishikesh series|Rishikesh series]] attributed to [[Swami Sivananda]], the inclined plane is often performed in the practice style of his tradition after [[Paschimottanasana]] the seated forward bend.<br />
<br />
In the older writings on Hatha Yoga, namely in the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] (written in the 14th century) and in the [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (probably from the 17th century), this yoga exercise is not mentioned.<br />
<br />
== Physical execution ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Purvottanasana.png|thumb|Purvottanasana with fingers pointing to the feet and head held high.]]<br />
<br />
The starting position is sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out. The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center provides further instructions: "[…] and your palms flat on the floor behind you, fingers pointing away from the body. Lean back slightly on your hands." The hips are now raised up as high as possible and the feet are brought down flat on the floor.Legs are kept straight.<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga''. First Fireside Edition. Simon & Schuster, New York. p. 120 ISBN 0-684-87000-2.</ref><br />
<br />
Erling Petersen, who calls the exercise ''setuāsana'' - ''setu'' is the Sanskrit term for "bridge"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=setu&dir=au ''Search results for "setu".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> - has a different idea for how to perform the exercise. He does not talk about lifting the hips, but says: "Lower your shoulders, lift your chest, and straighten your back."<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 241. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
[[w:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] positions the fingertips towards the feet and gives the following instruction regarding the final position: "The arms will be perpendicular to the floor from the wrists to the shoulders. From the shoulders to the pelvis, the trunk will be parallel to the floor. Stretch the neck an throw the head as far back as possible."<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India, pp. 176. </ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill emphasizes a mental preparation to tense the whole body. After this preparation the body is lifted up in a big movement. The head then should fall back at the neck. He recommends to hold the pose at least half a minute up to one minute. The decision about the duration is to be taken before entering.<ref name=":0">Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga'', pp. 280-282, ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2. </ref><br />
<br />
== Focusing attention during the exercise ==<br />
<br />
Attention can be directed towards the free flow of the breath. Furthermore a calm clarity and serenity should be maintained during the exercise.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
==The picture and the meaning of the exercise==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes the spiritual meaning of Purvottanasana as follows:<br />
<br />
The body is extended into an almost horizontal plane. This horizontal plane is like a contrast to the vertical extension and therefore is of a fundamentally different nature. The horizontal plane is a symbol for the earthly world, while the vertical orientation reflects the celestial dimension of the human being. Here practitioners consciously enter into the tension throughout their body and hold themselves stable in the horizontal, exposed state for a predecided length of time. The movement itself attains its lightness through the fact that practitioners become conscious of the body and experience it in a kind of "tension without being tense", or as the [[W:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gītā]] says, in an "action in inaction". This perfectly free movement seems like a great contraction of the body to its own mid-point in ''mūlādhāra-cakra.'' It is in this aesthetic lightness expressed by the movement that the learning step and the meaning of the exercise lies.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
== Reports on healing effects ==<br />
<br />
B. K. S. Iyengar recounts the experience, that the posture strengthens the wrists and ankles.<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India. p. 177.</ref> Erling Petersen mentions the improving effect on the breathing, as tension of the breathing muscles is eliminated.<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 239. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill indicates the strengthening effect on the muscular system but also emphasizes the strengthening of the nervous system. This strengthening occurs because the practitioner deliberately and consciously rises above the body’s sensations of heaviness. "By rising above the body’s states, the practitioner experiences themselves in the immediacy of potential acts of will."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''Das große Buch der Heilkraft durch Yogaaktivität - The Great Book of Healing Through Yoga Activity.'' 4th fully revised edition. 2025 (German). Stephan Wunderlich Verlag, Sigmaringen. p. 56. ISBN: 978-3-948803-19-3.</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Vasisthasana_B_-_Full_Side_Plank_with_Toe_Grip.jpg|center|thumb|''Vashistasana'' - Side Plank with an ascending leg.]]<br />
<br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=User:Xenja/Pratyahara&diff=160User:Xenja/Pratyahara2026-04-14T19:12:07Z<p>Xenja: /* Shedding the Old and beginning anew in one’s Conciousness */</p>
<hr />
<div>'''Pratyahara''' is the fifth stage of the eight stages of Ashtanga Yoga or [[W:Raja Yoga|Raja Yoga]], which was described by [[W:Patanjali|Patanjali]] in the Yoga Sutra. Pratyahara follows [[W:Pranayama|Pranayama]], the control of the breath, followed by the next stages [[W:Dharana|Dharana]] (concentration) [[W:Dhyana|Dhyana]], the [[Meditation]]. <br />
<br />
Pratyahara is about controlling the senses. The senses instead of running after external objects of desire turn inwards.<br />
<br />
Through this internalisation of [[A:consciousness|consciousness]], sensory impressions become conscious and controllable. The human mind should be trained to perceive subtleties that are normally hidden from the senses.<br />
<br />
At an advanced level it is also taught how to influence the activity of the involuntary muscles. These techniques flow smoothly into pranayama. Another technique of pratyahara is to concentrate on the point between the eyebrows, the ajna chakra ([[w:third eye|third eye]]).<br />
<br />
From a spiritual perspective, the consciously guided sensory process is important for pratyahara. This takes place in the process of "detachment and new beginnings", in which, in all forms of relationships, exercises or conversations, the individual detaches their consciousness from the old familiar forms and, through the existence of a consciously conceived thought, gains an experience that transcends the old form.<br />
<br />
== Etymology and interpretations in ancient yoga literature ==<br />
<br />
The Sanskrit term pratyahara ([[Y:Sanskrit|Sanskrit]] प्रत्याहार, [[W:IAST|IAST]] ''pratyāhāra'') is derived from the verb root ''hr'' "to take" and undergoes a modification to ''hāra''. It is preceded by the two prefixes ''ā'' "towards, to, in the direction of" and ''prati'' "back", whereby ''prati'' becomes ''praty'' due to the following ''ā''. Pratyahara literally means "to take back" or "to withdraw".<br />
<br />
Patanjali writes in Chapter 2, verses 54 and 55 of the Yoga Sutra:<br />
<br />
''svaviṣaya-asaṁprayoge cittasya svarūpānukāra-iv-endriyāṇāṁ pratyāhāraḥ'' ||54||<br />
''tataḥ paramā-vaśyatā indriyāṇām'' ||55||<br />
<br />
"The withdrawal of the senses is as it were, their assumption of the form of mento-emotional energy<br />
when not contacting their own objects of perception.From that accomplishment, comes the highest degree<br />
of control of the senses."<br />
<br />
The ancient texts on yoga contain different interpretations of pratyahara. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali explains that through Pranayama the mind experiences concentration and alignment. The Prashna Upanishad uses the image of bees following the queen bee everywhere to describe this process in the Second Question II, Verse 4. Below is a translation of this verse by Swami Sivananda:<br />
"He from indignation appeared to go out upwards (from the body); thereupon as he was about to go out, all others seemed to go out and he being established, all others were established. Just as bees go out, and settle down when she settles down, so did the speech, mind eye, ears (etc.). Being satisfied they praised the Prana."<br />
<br />
In the [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (17th century), the fourth chapter on pratyahara contains an interpretation according to which one should "withdraw his mind" from good or bad speech, sweet or bad smells, sweet, acid, bitter or astringent tastes, and bring everything within the control of the Self.<br />
<br />
== The development of the sensory organs ==<br />
<br />
The sensory organs are used to perceive and orientate ourselves in the outside world. Through them, humans perceive the physical, sensory world. From a spiritual perspective, humans are not only part of the physical world, but also part of a spiritual and soul world. According to Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925), the founder of anthroposophy, humans need to train their soul-spiritual organs of perception. In contrast to the development of the physical sensory organs, which takes place quite naturally, humans must accomplish the development of finer organs of perception themselves:<br />
<br />
:"It is true that the relation of man to these higher senses is rather different from his relation to the bodily senses. It is good Mother Nature who sees to it, as a rule, that these latter are fully developed in him. They come into existence without his help. For the development of his higher senses, however, he must work himself. If he wishes to perceive the soul and spirit worlds, he must develop soul and spirit, just as nature has developed his body so that the might perceive the corporeal world around him and guide himself in it."<br />
<br />
For this, it is necessary for humans to understand themselves as spiritual beings and to take their bodies as relative. The body reflects all kinds of desires, but ultimately, the body only reveals a hunger for the spirit:<br />
<br />
:"One must lift oneself out of the body with a mental jolt in order to satisfy the desire that the body creates in the spirit."<br />
<br />
Renunciation of worldly things is a prerequisite for spiritual experience. If a person is too strongly attached to worldly things, this stands in the way of their search for the spiritual. In this sense, pratyahara can be seen as an element that causes the physical senses to recede from their dominance and develop a more refined perception.<br />
<br />
== Different aspects of pratyahara ==<br />
<br />
Pratyahara, the guidance of the senses, can be interpreted and practised in different ways. There are also various aspects and elaborations ranging from the development of the individual up to a future understanding of science.<br />
<br />
=== Practical implementation in everyday life ===<br />
<br />
According to Sukadev Bretz, the founder of Yoga Vidya, one meaning of the term pratyahara is withdrawal, for example, a time when one does not come into contact with external objects.<br />
<br />
In concrete terms, however, pratyahara also means the ability to withdraw one's senses from the outside world. Normally, the five senses of human beings are geared towards perceiving something. The eyes want to see something, the ears want to hear something. This is usually followed by a reaction that Sukadev describes as undignified behaviour: reacting immediately to an external stimulus.<br />
<br />
Sukadev describes another meaning of pratyahara as the ability to bring one's mind into a meditative state in which contact between the senses and the environment is no longer important. This state is achieved through high concentration, in which the outside world recedes in its effect and the person hardly perceives heat or cold, for example. During sleep, the senses are also barely in contact with the environment.<br />
<br />
"When you are concentrated or your state of mind is on another plane, your senses do not come into contact with objects. Being able to bring this about consciously is pratyahara.<br />
<br />
Sukadev names two techniques for everyday life to break through the stimulus-response mechanisms to which humans are usually subject. When an external stimulus awakens a desire, a craving or even rejection, one can<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-left:15px"><br />
* focus one's mind on something else, something spiritual, such as a mantra, and thus consciously direct one's attention,<br />
* direct one's sensory perception in such a way that one withdraws one's attention into the sensory organ itself. So if a disturbance arises through seeing, one should concentrate on the eyes. In this way, one draws the energy of the organ of sight back into the eye itself.<br />
</div><br />
<br />
The aim is not to feel frustrated about denying yourself a desire, but to become free from the desire itself.<br />
To generate pratyahara, for example at the beginning of meditation, he mentions the following possible means:<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-left:15px"><br />
* Prayer in the sense of turning to God,<br />
* Visualisations, for example, imagining light flowing into people,<br />
* Positive affirmations, for example, by becoming aware of the benefits of meditation,<br />
* Body scan, in which you consciously move from the bottom to the top of your body,<br />
* Practising deep relaxation.<br />
</div><br />
<br />
=== Releasing and beginning anew in the conciousness ===<br />
<br />
[[A:Heinz Grill|Heinz Grill]] (* 1960), author and spiritual teacher, describes pratyahara not only as a prerequisite for meditation, but also as a way of promoting a synthesis between spirit and world that is neither a withdrawal from the outside world nor an attachment to it. This process is opposed to the natural sensory process and is motivated by a mentally guided perception:<br />
<br />
"Pratyahara is a kind of reversal of the natural direction of flow of the senses and<br />
it occurs through initiation out of the spirit."<br />
<br />
To practise pratyahara, he recommends keeping your eyes open to avoid daydreaming. The next step is for the practitioner to become aware that they convey unconscious emotions, desires and intellectual knowledge through their eyes:<br />
<br />
:"They glace, for example, at a forest landscape and, with their sense processes directed to the trees and forms they see, the need to go for a walk there is immediately carried over. Strictly speaking, people do not experience themselves in the reality of the outer world they are looking at, but due to their many needs of sympathy or antipathy and through their inner lying emotions they experience mostly their inner world. […] The first process of freeing the senses from one’s own emotions and the resulting projections, is to observe an object in the outer world or, for example, a piece of text, objectivity for a long period of time perhaps for two to five minutes. Finally, the gaze can be turned away from the object and an attempt can be made to describe what has been seen with objective criteria. What words were in the text, what is the main thought, what is being said, the sentence structure as it is in reality? The uncertainties that ultimately arise, can always be overcome through a repetition of the sense-observation, so that the reality, as it is, appears completely as reality. Those practising in this way attain the viewpoint of the so-called witness, which, for example, in yoga is called the sakshi."<br />
<br />
Pratyahara here does not mean completely withdrawing the senses or closing the eyes, but refers to a conscious process of perception that restrains the unconscious and automatic inner life. As a result, the individual develops correct ideas corresponding to the object of the senses:<br />
: "Through a careful approach to the various observations and their repetition, the aspirant's consciousness expands and the first correct ideas emerge relatively quickly. The sensory objects observed speak to the human soul through the discipline of repetition."<br />
<br />
For Heinz Grill, the withdrawal of the senses described by pratyahara corresponds to the process of "releasing the old and beginning a new", a characteristic of the 5th centre, the Vishuddha Chakra (Sanskrit विशुद्धचक्र, IAST ''viśuddha-cakra'')."In all conversations, all forms of relationship, in all exercises or activities, the consciousness by nature literally breaks away from the old, familiar forms, and through the existence of the thought or even, to put it another way, through the existence of light, it wants to acquire an experience that goes beyond the old form."<br />
<br />
The sensory nerves, with their afferent (from the Latin affere, 'to carry towards/to bring‚) function gain the upper hand through releasing the old and beginning a new in thought as opposed to the motor nerves with their efferent (from Latin effere, "to carry out, to lead out") function.<br />
<br />
=== Sensory perception and spiritual content lead to insight and connection ===<br />
<br />
The [[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]] distinguishes between mere abstinence, which is not yet capable of removing the urge in the senses, and a deeper insight that has a purifying effect on the senses. Chapter II, verse 59 states:<br />
:''viṣayā vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ rasavarjaṃ raso.apyasya paraṃ dṛṣṭvā nivartate''<br />
:"If one abstains from food, the objects of sense cease to affect, but the affection itself of the sense, the rasa, remains; the rasa also ceases when the Supreme is seen."<br />
<br />
Rudolf Steiner says that sensory perception strips away everything that is not sensory from the objects being observed – he also uses the word "effaced". By adding spiritual content, humans can reconnect with the essence of things:<br />
<br />
"Sensory perception excludes all those aspects of things which are not sensory. It divests things of all that is not sensory in them. If I then proceed to the spiritual, the idea-content, I only re-establish that aspect of things which sensory perception has ''effaced''. Hence sensory perception does not show me the deepest nature of things; rather it separates me from this nature. Spiritual comprehension, comprehension by the idea, again connects me with this nature."<br />
<br />
=== Basis for effective learning ===<br />
<br />
=== Pratyahara and natural science ===<br />
<br />
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832), whose scientific writings have received relatively little attention compared to his poetry, also attached great importance to the nature of the sensory process in his intensive research. It was important to him not to separate humans from the object of observation within the process of perception and insight to knowledge, but rather to view both in an overall context. In this way, nature and spirit would connect with each other and simultaneously stand in contrast to one another.<br />
<br />
However, mainstream research in the 17th century was significantly influenced by the development of the microscope and telescope, and the fascination with making the previously invisible visible led to a mistrust of the human sensory process and thus to objects becoming increasingly isolated from the observer. <br />
<br />
Goethe was not opposed to physical apparatus; on the contrary, he made use of it himself. However, he emphasised that it was the individual who mattered, with their knowledge and ability to interpret what they saw correctly. If, for example, someone devotes themselves to microscopic observations, they need knowledge of the laws of vision, of light and shadow, and of perspective.<br />
<br />
Goethe thus regards humans and their senses as highly significant for natural science and criticises the fact that science seeks to exclude humans from its research:<br />
<br />
"Human beings themselves, insofar as they use their healthy senses, are the greatest and most accurate apparatus that can exist; and that is precisely the greatest misfortune of modern physics, that experiments have been separated from human beings, as it were, and that nature is recognised solely in what artificial instruments show, indeed, that what nature can achieve is thereby limited and proven."<br />
<br />
<br />
Rudolf Steiner also sees human beings as the central element and describes how natural processes raise questions in people, encouraging them to explore these questions in greater depth. For him, this need to explore the essence of something is true science, and is distinguishes from research that serves an external purpose, such as the advancement of technology: "…It is something entirely different to observe the processes of nature in order to place its forces in the service of technology, than to seek, with the help of these processes, to look more deeply into the being of natural science. True science is present only where the human spirit seeks to satisfy ''its'' needs, without any ''external purpose''."<br />
<br />
== Effects on health ==<br />
<br />
=== Deep relaxation and regeneration ===<br />
<br />
Sukadev Bretz describes how pratyahara can induce deep relaxation, which in turn is very important for the regenerative capacity of the human body. Beta waves, which occur when we are awake and produce stress hormones in certain situations, are reduced. Alpha waves, which produce calming neurotransmitters, increase, and in some cases delta or theta waves, which are active during deep meditation or sleep, may even occur. This promotes the body's ability to regenerate and strengthens the immune system.<br />
<br />
According to Heinz Grill, the sensory nerves are strengthened when it is possible to first make the more instinctual, motor nerves retreat.<br />
:"However, if from the very beginning the motoric automated processes predominate in the senses, the whole nervous system generally weakens and the person becomes like a plaything of many stimuli, opinions and suggestions."<br />
<br />
=== Anticarcinogenic effect ===<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill compares the effects of pratyahara, the control of the senses, with those of natural sunlight, which has a generally structuring and formative effect on humans and thus counteracts the formless proliferation and cell degeneration associated with tumour diseases:<br />
<br />
"Natural sunlight, unfiltered and pure, mild and warming, provides the human organism with a natural stimulation of the periphery, that in general transports structuring processes right into the organic interior.[…] This development of a healthy perception- and sense-process, connected with thought content, that does not come from the motoric and emotional sphere of the human desire-world, provides increasing forming forces that open up a healing atmosphere for both inflammation and also with cell degeneration." <br />
<br />
=== Mental stabilisation ===<br />
<br />
In Chapter II, verses 64–65, the Bhagavad Gita describes the development of human reason as another positive effect of pratyahara, for which the formation of objective views is a necessary foundation:<br />
<poem style="margin-left:31px"><br />
''rāga dveṣa vimuktais tu viṣayā nindriyaiś caran ātmavaśyair vidheyātmā prasādam adhigacchati''<br />
''prasāde sarvaduḥkhānāṃ hānirasyopajāyate prasannacetaso hyāśu buddhiḥ paryavatiṣṭhate''<br />
</poem><br />
"It is by ranging over the objects with the senses, but with senses subject to the self, freed from liking and disliking, that one gets into a large and sweet clearness of soul and temperament. By that, large and sweet clearness of soul and temperament, passion and grief find no place; the intelligence (Remark: reason) of such a man is rapidly established in its proper seat."<br />
<br />
Through this "foundation" of reason (quoted as intelligence above), humans experience overall psychological stability and become capable of consciously facing both the pleasant and unpleasant phenomena of the world. The psychology of [[Viktor Emil Frankl|Viktor Frankl]], for example, deals with the question of meaning, a question of existential importance for human beings. In order to recognise which action is meaningful in a situation, it must be seen in its entirety. In the so-called method for taking hold of meaning, a method developed by [[w:Alfried Längle|Alfried Längle]] (* 1951) in 1988 as part of logotherapy, the perception of reality is the first step towards ultimately arriving at an appropriate course of action through further steps, which the individual decides on freely and independently.</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=User:Xenja/Pratyahara&diff=159User:Xenja/Pratyahara2026-04-14T19:09:39Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div>'''Pratyahara''' is the fifth stage of the eight stages of Ashtanga Yoga or [[W:Raja Yoga|Raja Yoga]], which was described by [[W:Patanjali|Patanjali]] in the Yoga Sutra. Pratyahara follows [[W:Pranayama|Pranayama]], the control of the breath, followed by the next stages [[W:Dharana|Dharana]] (concentration) [[W:Dhyana|Dhyana]], the [[Meditation]]. <br />
<br />
Pratyahara is about controlling the senses. The senses instead of running after external objects of desire turn inwards.<br />
<br />
Through this internalisation of [[A:consciousness|consciousness]], sensory impressions become conscious and controllable. The human mind should be trained to perceive subtleties that are normally hidden from the senses.<br />
<br />
At an advanced level it is also taught how to influence the activity of the involuntary muscles. These techniques flow smoothly into pranayama. Another technique of pratyahara is to concentrate on the point between the eyebrows, the ajna chakra ([[w:third eye|third eye]]).<br />
<br />
From a spiritual perspective, the consciously guided sensory process is important for pratyahara. This takes place in the process of "detachment and new beginnings", in which, in all forms of relationships, exercises or conversations, the individual detaches their consciousness from the old familiar forms and, through the existence of a consciously conceived thought, gains an experience that transcends the old form.<br />
<br />
== Etymology and interpretations in ancient yoga literature ==<br />
<br />
The Sanskrit term pratyahara ([[Y:Sanskrit|Sanskrit]] प्रत्याहार, [[W:IAST|IAST]] ''pratyāhāra'') is derived from the verb root ''hr'' "to take" and undergoes a modification to ''hāra''. It is preceded by the two prefixes ''ā'' "towards, to, in the direction of" and ''prati'' "back", whereby ''prati'' becomes ''praty'' due to the following ''ā''. Pratyahara literally means "to take back" or "to withdraw".<br />
<br />
Patanjali writes in Chapter 2, verses 54 and 55 of the Yoga Sutra:<br />
<br />
''svaviṣaya-asaṁprayoge cittasya svarūpānukāra-iv-endriyāṇāṁ pratyāhāraḥ'' ||54||<br />
''tataḥ paramā-vaśyatā indriyāṇām'' ||55||<br />
<br />
"The withdrawal of the senses is as it were, their assumption of the form of mento-emotional energy<br />
when not contacting their own objects of perception.From that accomplishment, comes the highest degree<br />
of control of the senses."<br />
<br />
The ancient texts on yoga contain different interpretations of pratyahara. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali explains that through Pranayama the mind experiences concentration and alignment. The Prashna Upanishad uses the image of bees following the queen bee everywhere to describe this process in the Second Question II, Verse 4. Below is a translation of this verse by Swami Sivananda:<br />
"He from indignation appeared to go out upwards (from the body); thereupon as he was about to go out, all others seemed to go out and he being established, all others were established. Just as bees go out, and settle down when she settles down, so did the speech, mind eye, ears (etc.). Being satisfied they praised the Prana."<br />
<br />
In the [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (17th century), the fourth chapter on pratyahara contains an interpretation according to which one should "withdraw his mind" from good or bad speech, sweet or bad smells, sweet, acid, bitter or astringent tastes, and bring everything within the control of the Self.<br />
<br />
== The development of the sensory organs ==<br />
<br />
The sensory organs are used to perceive and orientate ourselves in the outside world. Through them, humans perceive the physical, sensory world. From a spiritual perspective, humans are not only part of the physical world, but also part of a spiritual and soul world. According to Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925), the founder of anthroposophy, humans need to train their soul-spiritual organs of perception. In contrast to the development of the physical sensory organs, which takes place quite naturally, humans must accomplish the development of finer organs of perception themselves:<br />
<br />
:"It is true that the relation of man to these higher senses is rather different from his relation to the bodily senses. It is good Mother Nature who sees to it, as a rule, that these latter are fully developed in him. They come into existence without his help. For the development of his higher senses, however, he must work himself. If he wishes to perceive the soul and spirit worlds, he must develop soul and spirit, just as nature has developed his body so that the might perceive the corporeal world around him and guide himself in it."<br />
<br />
For this, it is necessary for humans to understand themselves as spiritual beings and to take their bodies as relative. The body reflects all kinds of desires, but ultimately, the body only reveals a hunger for the spirit:<br />
<br />
:"One must lift oneself out of the body with a mental jolt in order to satisfy the desire that the body creates in the spirit."<br />
<br />
Renunciation of worldly things is a prerequisite for spiritual experience. If a person is too strongly attached to worldly things, this stands in the way of their search for the spiritual. In this sense, pratyahara can be seen as an element that causes the physical senses to recede from their dominance and develop a more refined perception.<br />
<br />
== Different aspects of pratyahara ==<br />
<br />
Pratyahara, the guidance of the senses, can be interpreted and practised in different ways. There are also various aspects and elaborations ranging from the development of the individual up to a future understanding of science.<br />
<br />
=== Practical implementation in everyday life ===<br />
<br />
According to Sukadev Bretz, the founder of Yoga Vidya, one meaning of the term pratyahara is withdrawal, for example, a time when one does not come into contact with external objects.<br />
<br />
In concrete terms, however, pratyahara also means the ability to withdraw one's senses from the outside world. Normally, the five senses of human beings are geared towards perceiving something. The eyes want to see something, the ears want to hear something. This is usually followed by a reaction that Sukadev describes as undignified behaviour: reacting immediately to an external stimulus.<br />
<br />
Sukadev describes another meaning of pratyahara as the ability to bring one's mind into a meditative state in which contact between the senses and the environment is no longer important. This state is achieved through high concentration, in which the outside world recedes in its effect and the person hardly perceives heat or cold, for example. During sleep, the senses are also barely in contact with the environment.<br />
<br />
"When you are concentrated or your state of mind is on another plane, your senses do not come into contact with objects. Being able to bring this about consciously is pratyahara.<br />
<br />
Sukadev names two techniques for everyday life to break through the stimulus-response mechanisms to which humans are usually subject. When an external stimulus awakens a desire, a craving or even rejection, one can<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-left:15px"><br />
* focus one's mind on something else, something spiritual, such as a mantra, and thus consciously direct one's attention,<br />
* direct one's sensory perception in such a way that one withdraws one's attention into the sensory organ itself. So if a disturbance arises through seeing, one should concentrate on the eyes. In this way, one draws the energy of the organ of sight back into the eye itself.<br />
</div><br />
<br />
The aim is not to feel frustrated about denying yourself a desire, but to become free from the desire itself.<br />
To generate pratyahara, for example at the beginning of meditation, he mentions the following possible means:<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-left:15px"><br />
* Prayer in the sense of turning to God,<br />
* Visualisations, for example, imagining light flowing into people,<br />
* Positive affirmations, for example, by becoming aware of the benefits of meditation,<br />
* Body scan, in which you consciously move from the bottom to the top of your body,<br />
* Practising deep relaxation.<br />
</div><br />
<br />
=== Shedding the Old and beginning anew in one’s Conciousness ===<br />
<br />
[[A:Heinz Grill|Heinz Grill]] (* 1960), author and spiritual teacher, describes pratyahara not only as a prerequisite for meditation, but also as a way of promoting a synthesis between spirit and world that is neither a withdrawal from the outside world nor an attachment to it. This process is opposed to the natural sensory process and is motivated by a mentally guided perception:<br />
<br />
"Pratyahara is a kind of reversal of the natural direction of flow of the senses and<br />
it occurs through initiation out of the spirit."<br />
<br />
To practise pratyahara, he recommends keeping your eyes open to avoid daydreaming. The next step is for the practitioner to become aware that they convey unconscious emotions, desires and intellectual knowledge through their eyes:<br />
<br />
:"They glace, for example, at a forest landscape and, with their sense processes directed to the trees and forms they see, the need to go for a walk there is immediately carried over. Strictly speaking, people do not experience themselves in the reality of the outer world they are looking at, but due to their many needs of sympathy or antipathy and through their inner lying emotions they experience mostly their inner world. […] The first process of freeing the senses from one’s own emotions and the resulting projections, is to observe an object in the outer world or, for example, a piece of text, objectivity for a long period of time perhaps for two to five minutes. Finally, the gaze can be turned away from the object and an attempt can be made to describe what has been seen with objective criteria. What words were in the text, what is the main thought, what is being said, the sentence structure as it is in reality? The uncertainties that ultimately arise, can always be overcome through a repetition of the sense-observation, so that the reality, as it is, appears completely as reality. Those practising in this way attain the viewpoint of the so-called witness, which, for example, in yoga is called the sakshi."<br />
<br />
Pratyahara here does not mean completely withdrawing the senses or closing the eyes, but refers to a conscious process of perception that restrains the unconscious and automatic inner life. As a result, the individual develops correct ideas corresponding to the object of the senses:<br />
: "Through a careful approach to the various observations and their repetition, the aspirant's consciousness expands and the first correct ideas emerge relatively quickly. The sensory objects observed speak to the human soul through the discipline of repetition."<br />
<br />
For Heinz Grill, the withdrawal of the senses described by pratyahara corresponds to the process of "releasing the old and beginning a new", a characteristic of the 5th centre, the Vishuddha Chakra (Sanskrit विशुद्धचक्र, IAST ''viśuddha-cakra'')."In all conversations, all forms of relationship, in all exercises or activities, the consciousness by nature literally breaks away from the old, familiar forms, and through the existence of the thought or even, to put it another way, through the existence of light, it wants to acquire an experience that goes beyond the old form."<br />
<br />
The sensory nerves, with their afferent (from the Latin affere, 'to carry towards/to bring‚) function gain the upper hand through releasing the old and beginning a new in thought as opposed to the motor nerves with their efferent (from Latin effere, "to carry out, to lead out") function.<br />
<br />
=== Sensory perception and spiritual content lead to insight and connection ===<br />
<br />
The [[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]] distinguishes between mere abstinence, which is not yet capable of removing the urge in the senses, and a deeper insight that has a purifying effect on the senses. Chapter II, verse 59 states:<br />
:''viṣayā vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ rasavarjaṃ raso.apyasya paraṃ dṛṣṭvā nivartate''<br />
:"If one abstains from food, the objects of sense cease to affect, but the affection itself of the sense, the rasa, remains; the rasa also ceases when the Supreme is seen."<br />
<br />
Rudolf Steiner says that sensory perception strips away everything that is not sensory from the objects being observed – he also uses the word "effaced". By adding spiritual content, humans can reconnect with the essence of things:<br />
<br />
"Sensory perception excludes all those aspects of things which are not sensory. It divests things of all that is not sensory in them. If I then proceed to the spiritual, the idea-content, I only re-establish that aspect of things which sensory perception has ''effaced''. Hence sensory perception does not show me the deepest nature of things; rather it separates me from this nature. Spiritual comprehension, comprehension by the idea, again connects me with this nature."<br />
<br />
=== Basis for effective learning ===<br />
<br />
=== Pratyahara and natural science ===<br />
<br />
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832), whose scientific writings have received relatively little attention compared to his poetry, also attached great importance to the nature of the sensory process in his intensive research. It was important to him not to separate humans from the object of observation within the process of perception and insight to knowledge, but rather to view both in an overall context. In this way, nature and spirit would connect with each other and simultaneously stand in contrast to one another.<br />
<br />
However, mainstream research in the 17th century was significantly influenced by the development of the microscope and telescope, and the fascination with making the previously invisible visible led to a mistrust of the human sensory process and thus to objects becoming increasingly isolated from the observer. <br />
<br />
Goethe was not opposed to physical apparatus; on the contrary, he made use of it himself. However, he emphasised that it was the individual who mattered, with their knowledge and ability to interpret what they saw correctly. If, for example, someone devotes themselves to microscopic observations, they need knowledge of the laws of vision, of light and shadow, and of perspective.<br />
<br />
Goethe thus regards humans and their senses as highly significant for natural science and criticises the fact that science seeks to exclude humans from its research:<br />
<br />
"Human beings themselves, insofar as they use their healthy senses, are the greatest and most accurate apparatus that can exist; and that is precisely the greatest misfortune of modern physics, that experiments have been separated from human beings, as it were, and that nature is recognised solely in what artificial instruments show, indeed, that what nature can achieve is thereby limited and proven."<br />
<br />
<br />
Rudolf Steiner also sees human beings as the central element and describes how natural processes raise questions in people, encouraging them to explore these questions in greater depth. For him, this need to explore the essence of something is true science, and is distinguishes from research that serves an external purpose, such as the advancement of technology: "…It is something entirely different to observe the processes of nature in order to place its forces in the service of technology, than to seek, with the help of these processes, to look more deeply into the being of natural science. True science is present only where the human spirit seeks to satisfy ''its'' needs, without any ''external purpose''."<br />
<br />
== Effects on health ==<br />
<br />
=== Deep relaxation and regeneration ===<br />
<br />
Sukadev Bretz describes how pratyahara can induce deep relaxation, which in turn is very important for the regenerative capacity of the human body. Beta waves, which occur when we are awake and produce stress hormones in certain situations, are reduced. Alpha waves, which produce calming neurotransmitters, increase, and in some cases delta or theta waves, which are active during deep meditation or sleep, may even occur. This promotes the body's ability to regenerate and strengthens the immune system.<br />
<br />
According to Heinz Grill, the sensory nerves are strengthened when it is possible to first make the more instinctual, motor nerves retreat.<br />
:"However, if from the very beginning the motoric automated processes predominate in the senses, the whole nervous system generally weakens and the person becomes like a plaything of many stimuli, opinions and suggestions."<br />
<br />
=== Anticarcinogenic effect ===<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill compares the effects of pratyahara, the control of the senses, with those of natural sunlight, which has a generally structuring and formative effect on humans and thus counteracts the formless proliferation and cell degeneration associated with tumour diseases:<br />
<br />
"Natural sunlight, unfiltered and pure, mild and warming, provides the human organism with a natural stimulation of the periphery, that in general transports structuring processes right into the organic interior.[…] This development of a healthy perception- and sense-process, connected with thought content, that does not come from the motoric and emotional sphere of the human desire-world, provides increasing forming forces that open up a healing atmosphere for both inflammation and also with cell degeneration." <br />
<br />
=== Mental stabilisation ===<br />
<br />
In Chapter II, verses 64–65, the Bhagavad Gita describes the development of human reason as another positive effect of pratyahara, for which the formation of objective views is a necessary foundation:<br />
<poem style="margin-left:31px"><br />
''rāga dveṣa vimuktais tu viṣayā nindriyaiś caran ātmavaśyair vidheyātmā prasādam adhigacchati''<br />
''prasāde sarvaduḥkhānāṃ hānirasyopajāyate prasannacetaso hyāśu buddhiḥ paryavatiṣṭhate''<br />
</poem><br />
"It is by ranging over the objects with the senses, but with senses subject to the self, freed from liking and disliking, that one gets into a large and sweet clearness of soul and temperament. By that, large and sweet clearness of soul and temperament, passion and grief find no place; the intelligence (Remark: reason) of such a man is rapidly established in its proper seat."<br />
<br />
Through this "foundation" of reason (quoted as intelligence above), humans experience overall psychological stability and become capable of consciously facing both the pleasant and unpleasant phenomena of the world. The psychology of [[Viktor Emil Frankl|Viktor Frankl]], for example, deals with the question of meaning, a question of existential importance for human beings. In order to recognise which action is meaningful in a situation, it must be seen in its entirety. In the so-called method for taking hold of meaning, a method developed by [[w:Alfried Längle|Alfried Längle]] (* 1951) in 1988 as part of logotherapy, the perception of reality is the first step towards ultimately arriving at an appropriate course of action through further steps, which the individual decides on freely and independently.</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=User:Xenja/Pratyahara&diff=158User:Xenja/Pratyahara2026-04-14T19:08:29Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div>'''Pratyahara''' is the fifth stage of the eight stages of Ashtanga Yoga or [[W:Raja Yoga|Raja Yoga]], which was described by [[W:Patanjali|Patanjali]] in the Yoga Sutra. Pratyahara follows [[W:Pranayama|Pranayama]], the control of the breath, followed by the next stages [[W:Dharana|Dharana]] (concentration) [[W:Dhyana|Dhyana]], the [[Meditation]]. <br />
<br />
Pratyahara is about controlling the senses. The senses instead of running after external objects of desire turn inwards.<br />
<br />
Through this internalisation of [[A:consciousness|consciousness]], sensory impressions become conscious and controllable. The human mind should be trained to perceive subtleties that are normally hidden from the senses.<br />
<br />
At an advanced level it is also taught how to influence the activity of the involuntary muscles. These techniques flow smoothly into pranayama. Another technique of pratyahara is to concentrate on the point between the eyebrows, the ajna chakra ([[w:third eye|third eye]]).<br />
<br />
From a spiritual perspective, the consciously guided sensory process is important for pratyahara. This takes place in the process of "detachment and new beginnings", in which, in all forms of relationships, exercises or conversations, the individual detaches their consciousness from the old familiar forms and, through the existence of a consciously conceived thought, gains an experience that transcends the old form.<br />
<br />
== Etymology and interpretations in ancient yoga literature ==<br />
<br />
The Sanskrit term pratyahara ([[Y:Sanskrit|Sanskrit]] प्रत्याहार, [[W:IAST|IAST]] ''pratyāhāra'') is derived from the verb root ''hr'' "to take" and undergoes a modification to ''hāra''. It is preceded by the two prefixes ''ā'' "towards, to, in the direction of" and ''prati'' "back", whereby ''prati'' becomes ''praty'' due to the following ''ā''. Pratyahara literally means "to take back" or "to withdraw".<br />
<br />
Patanjali writes in Chapter 2, verses 54 and 55 of the Yoga Sutra:<br />
<br />
''svaviṣaya-asaṁprayoge cittasya svarūpānukāra-iv-endriyāṇāṁ pratyāhāraḥ'' ||54||<br />
''tataḥ paramā-vaśyatā indriyāṇām'' ||55||<br />
<br />
"The withdrawal of the senses is as it were, their assumption of the form of mento-emotional energy<br />
when not contacting their own objects of perception.From that accomplishment, comes the highest degree<br />
of control of the senses."<br />
<br />
The ancient texts on yoga contain different interpretations of pratyahara. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali explains that through Pranayama the mind experiences concentration and alignment. The Prashna Upanishad uses the image of bees following the queen bee everywhere to describe this process in the Second Question II, Verse 4. Below is a translation of this verse by Swami Sivananda:<br />
"He from indignation appeared to go out upwards (from the body); thereupon as he was about to go out, all others seemed to go out and he being established, all others were established. Just as bees go out, and settle down when she settles down, so did the speech, mind eye, ears (etc.). Being satisfied they praised the Prana."<br />
<br />
In the [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (17th century), the fourth chapter on pratyahara contains an interpretation according to which one should "withdraw his mind" from good or bad speech, sweet or bad smells, sweet, acid, bitter or astringent tastes, and bring everything within the control of the Self.<br />
<br />
== The development of the sensory organs ==<br />
<br />
The sensory organs are used to perceive and orientate ourselves in the outside world. Through them, humans perceive the physical, sensory world. From a spiritual perspective, humans are not only part of the physical world, but also part of a spiritual and soul world. According to Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925), the founder of anthroposophy, humans need to train their soul-spiritual organs of perception. In contrast to the development of the physical sensory organs, which takes place quite naturally, humans must accomplish the development of finer organs of perception themselves:<br />
<br />
:"It is true that the relation of man to these higher senses is rather different from his relation to the bodily senses. It is good Mother Nature who sees to it, as a rule, that these latter are fully developed in him. They come into existence without his help. For the development of his higher senses, however, he must work himself. If he wishes to perceive the soul and spirit worlds, he must develop soul and spirit, just as nature has developed his body so that the might perceive the corporeal world around him and guide himself in it."<br />
<br />
For this, it is necessary for humans to understand themselves as spiritual beings and to take their bodies as relative. The body reflects all kinds of desires, but ultimately, the body only reveals a hunger for the spirit:<br />
<br />
:"One must lift oneself out of the body with a mental jolt in order to satisfy the desire that the body creates in the spirit."<br />
<br />
Renunciation of worldly things is a prerequisite for spiritual experience. If a person is too strongly attached to worldly things, this stands in the way of their search for the spiritual. In this sense, pratyahara can be seen as an element that causes the physical senses to recede from their dominance and develop a more refined perception.<br />
<br />
== Different aspects of pratyahara ==<br />
<br />
Pratyahara, the guidance of the senses, can be interpreted and practised in different ways. There are also various aspects and elaborations ranging from the development of the individual up to a future understanding of science.<br />
<br />
=== Practical implementation in everyday life ===<br />
<br />
According to Sukadev Bretz, the founder of Yoga Vidya, one meaning of the term pratyahara is withdrawal, for example, a time when one does not come into contact with external objects.<br />
<br />
In concrete terms, however, pratyahara also means the ability to withdraw one's senses from the outside world. Normally, the five senses of human beings are geared towards perceiving something. The eyes want to see something, the ears want to hear something. This is usually followed by a reaction that Sukadev describes as undignified behaviour: reacting immediately to an external stimulus.<br />
<br />
Sukadev describes another meaning of pratyahara as the ability to bring one's mind into a meditative state in which contact between the senses and the environment is no longer important. This state is achieved through high concentration, in which the outside world recedes in its effect and the person hardly perceives heat or cold, for example. During sleep, the senses are also barely in contact with the environment.<br />
<br />
"When you are concentrated or your state of mind is on another plane, your senses do not come into contact with objects. Being able to bring this about consciously is pratyahara.<br />
<br />
Sukadev names two techniques for everyday life to break through the stimulus-response mechanisms to which humans are usually subject. When an external stimulus awakens a desire, a craving or even rejection, one can<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-left:15px"><br />
* focus one's mind on something else, something spiritual, such as a mantra, and thus consciously direct one's attention,<br />
* direct one's sensory perception in such a way that one withdraws one's attention into the sensory organ itself. So if a disturbance arises through seeing, one should concentrate on the eyes. In this way, one draws the energy of the organ of sight back into the eye itself.<br />
</div><br />
<br />
The aim is not to feel frustrated about denying yourself a desire, but to become free from the desire itself.<br />
To generate pratyahara, for example at the beginning of meditation, he mentions the following possible means:<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-left:15px"><br />
* Prayer in the sense of turning to God,<br />
* Visualisations, for example, imagining light flowing into people,<br />
* Positive affirmations, for example, by becoming aware of the benefits of meditation,<br />
* Body scan, in which you consciously move from the bottom to the top of your body,<br />
* Practising deep relaxation.<br />
</div><br />
<br />
=== Shedding the Old and beginning anew in one’s Conciousness ===<br />
<br />
[[A:Heinz Grill|Heinz Grill]] (* 1960), author and spiritual teacher, describes pratyahara not only as a prerequisite for meditation, but also as a way of promoting a synthesis between spirit and world that is neither a withdrawal from the outside world nor an attachment to it. This process is opposed to the natural sensory process and is motivated by a mentally guided perception:<br />
<br />
"Pratyahara is a kind of reversal of the natural direction of flow of the senses and<br />
it occurs through initiation out of the spirit."<br />
<br />
To practise pratyahara, he recommends keeping your eyes open to avoid daydreaming. The next step is for the practitioner to become aware that they convey unconscious emotions, desires and intellectual knowledge through their eyes:<br />
<br />
:"They glace, for example, at a forest landscape and, with their sense processes directed to the trees and forms they see, the need to go for a walk there is immediately carried over. Strictly speaking, people do not experience themselves in the reality of the outer world they are looking at, but due to their many needs of sympathy or antipathy and through their inner lying emotions they experience mostly their inner world. […] The first process of freeing the senses from one’s own emotions and the resulting projections, is to observe an object in the outer world or, for example, a piece of text, objectivity for a long period of time perhaps for two to five minutes. Finally, the gaze can be turned away from the object and an attempt can be made to describe what has been seen with objective criteria. What words were in the text, what is the main thought, what is being said, the sentence structure as it is in reality? The uncertainties that ultimately arise, can always be overcome through a repetition of the sense-observation, so that the reality, as it is, appears completely as reality. Those practising in this way attain the viewpoint of the so-called witness, which, for example, in yoga is called the sakshi."<br />
<br />
Pratyahara here does not mean completely withdrawing the senses or closing the eyes, but refers to a conscious process of perception that restrains the unconscious and automatic inner life. As a result, the individual develops correct ideas corresponding to the object of the senses:<br />
: "Through a careful approach to the various observations and their repetition, the aspirant's consciousness expands and the first correct ideas emerge relatively quickly. The sensory objects observed speak to the human soul through the discipline of repetition."<br />
<br />
For Heinz Grill, the withdrawal of the senses described by pratyahara corresponds to the process of "releasing the old and beginning a new", a characteristic of the 5th centre, the Vishuddha Chakra (Sanskrit विशुद्धचक्र, IAST ''viśuddha-cakra'')."In all conversations, all forms of relationship, in all exercises or activities, the consciousness by nature literally breaks away from the old, familiar forms, and through the existence of the thought or even, to put it another way, through the existence of light, it wants to acquire an experience that goes beyond the old form."<br />
<br />
The sensory nerves, with their afferent (from the Latin affere, 'to carry towards/to bring‚) function gain the upper hand through releasing the old and beginning a new in thought as opposed to the motor nerves with their efferent (from Latin effere, "to carry out, to lead out") function.<br />
<br />
=== Sensory Perception and spiritual Content lead to Insight and Connection ===<br />
<br />
The [[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]] distinguishes between mere abstinence, which is not yet capable of removing the urge in the senses, and a deeper insight that has a purifying effect on the senses. Chapter II, verse 59 states:<br />
:''viṣayā vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ rasavarjaṃ raso.apyasya paraṃ dṛṣṭvā nivartate''<br />
:"If one abstains from food, the objects of sense cease to affect, but the affection itself of the sense, the rasa, remains; the rasa also ceases when the Supreme is seen."<br />
<br />
Rudolf Steiner says that sensory perception strips away everything that is not sensory from the objects being observed – he also uses the word "effaced". By adding spiritual content, humans can reconnect with the essence of things:<br />
<br />
"Sensory perception excludes all those aspects of things which are not sensory. It divests things of all that is not sensory in them. If I then proceed to the spiritual, the idea-content, I only re-establish that aspect of things which sensory perception has ''effaced''. Hence sensory perception does not show me the deepest nature of things; rather it separates me from this nature. Spiritual comprehension, comprehension by the idea, again connects me with this nature."<br />
<br />
=== Basis for effective learning ===<br />
<br />
=== Pratyahara and Natural Science ===<br />
<br />
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832), whose scientific writings have received relatively little attention compared to his poetry, also attached great importance to the nature of the sensory process in his intensive research. It was important to him not to separate humans from the object of observation within the process of perception and insight to knowledge, but rather to view both in an overall context. In this way, nature and spirit would connect with each other and simultaneously stand in contrast to one another.<br />
<br />
However, mainstream research in the 17th century was significantly influenced by the development of the microscope and telescope, and the fascination with making the previously invisible visible led to a mistrust of the human sensory process and thus to objects becoming increasingly isolated from the observer. <br />
<br />
Goethe was not opposed to physical apparatus; on the contrary, he made use of it himself. However, he emphasised that it was the individual who mattered, with their knowledge and ability to interpret what they saw correctly. If, for example, someone devotes themselves to microscopic observations, they need knowledge of the laws of vision, of light and shadow, and of perspective.<br />
<br />
Goethe thus regards humans and their senses as highly significant for natural science and criticises the fact that science seeks to exclude humans from its research:<br />
<br />
"Human beings themselves, insofar as they use their healthy senses, are the greatest and most accurate apparatus that can exist; and that is precisely the greatest misfortune of modern physics, that experiments have been separated from human beings, as it were, and that nature is recognised solely in what artificial instruments show, indeed, that what nature can achieve is thereby limited and proven."<br />
<br />
<br />
Rudolf Steiner also sees human beings as the central element and describes how natural processes raise questions in people, encouraging them to explore these questions in greater depth. For him, this need to explore the essence of something is true science, and is distinguishes from research that serves an external purpose, such as the advancement of technology: "…It is something entirely different to observe the processes of nature in order to place its forces in the service of technology, than to seek, with the help of these processes, to look more deeply into the being of natural science. True science is present only where the human spirit seeks to satisfy ''its'' needs, without any ''external purpose''."<br />
<br />
== Effects on health ==<br />
<br />
=== Deep relaxation and regeneration ===<br />
<br />
Sukadev Bretz describes how pratyahara can induce deep relaxation, which in turn is very important for the regenerative capacity of the human body. Beta waves, which occur when we are awake and produce stress hormones in certain situations, are reduced. Alpha waves, which produce calming neurotransmitters, increase, and in some cases delta or theta waves, which are active during deep meditation or sleep, may even occur. This promotes the body's ability to regenerate and strengthens the immune system.<br />
<br />
According to Heinz Grill, the sensory nerves are strengthened when it is possible to first make the more instinctual, motor nerves retreat.<br />
:"However, if from the very beginning the motoric automated processes predominate in the senses, the whole nervous system generally weakens and the person becomes like a plaything of many stimuli, opinions and suggestions."<br />
<br />
=== Anticarcinogenic effect ===<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill compares the effects of pratyahara, the control of the senses, with those of natural sunlight, which has a generally structuring and formative effect on humans and thus counteracts the formless proliferation and cell degeneration associated with tumour diseases:<br />
<br />
"Natural sunlight, unfiltered and pure, mild and warming, provides the human organism with a natural stimulation of the periphery, that in general transports structuring processes right into the organic interior.[…] This development of a healthy perception- and sense-process, connected with thought content, that does not come from the motoric and emotional sphere of the human desire-world, provides increasing forming forces that open up a healing atmosphere for both inflammation and also with cell degeneration." <br />
<br />
=== Mental stabilisation ===<br />
<br />
In Chapter II, verses 64–65, the Bhagavad Gita describes the development of human reason as another positive effect of pratyahara, for which the formation of objective views is a necessary foundation:<br />
<poem style="margin-left:31px"><br />
''rāga dveṣa vimuktais tu viṣayā nindriyaiś caran ātmavaśyair vidheyātmā prasādam adhigacchati''<br />
''prasāde sarvaduḥkhānāṃ hānirasyopajāyate prasannacetaso hyāśu buddhiḥ paryavatiṣṭhate''<br />
</poem><br />
"It is by ranging over the objects with the senses, but with senses subject to the self, freed from liking and disliking, that one gets into a large and sweet clearness of soul and temperament. By that, large and sweet clearness of soul and temperament, passion and grief find no place; the intelligence (Remark: reason) of such a man is rapidly established in its proper seat."<br />
<br />
Through this "foundation" of reason (quoted as intelligence above), humans experience overall psychological stability and become capable of consciously facing both the pleasant and unpleasant phenomena of the world. The psychology of [[Viktor Emil Frankl|Viktor Frankl]], for example, deals with the question of meaning, a question of existential importance for human beings. In order to recognise which action is meaningful in a situation, it must be seen in its entirety. In the so-called method for taking hold of meaning, a method developed by [[w:Alfried Längle|Alfried Längle]] (* 1951) in 1988 as part of logotherapy, the perception of reality is the first step towards ultimately arriving at an appropriate course of action through further steps, which the individual decides on freely and independently.</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=User:Xenja/Pratyahara&diff=157User:Xenja/Pratyahara2026-04-14T18:36:11Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div>'''Pratyahara''' is the fifth stage of the eight stages of Ashtanga Yoga or [[W:Raja Yoga|Raja Yoga]], which was described by [[W:Patanjali|Patanjali]] in the Yoga Sutra. Pratyahara follows [[W:Pranayama|Pranayama]], the control of the breath, followed by the next stages [[W:Dharana|Dharana]] (concentration) [[W:Dhyana|Dhyana]], the [[Meditation]]. <br />
<br />
Pratyahara is about controlling the senses. The senses instead of running after external objects of desire turn inwards.<br />
<br />
Through this internalisation of [[A:consciousness|consciousness]], sensory impressions become conscious and controllable. The human mind should be trained to perceive subtleties that are normally hidden from the senses.<br />
<br />
At an advanced level it is also taught how to influence the activity of the involuntary muscles. These techniques flow smoothly into pranayama. Another technique of pratyahara is to concentrate on the point between the eyebrows, the ajna chakra ([[w:third eye|third eye]]).<br />
<br />
From a spiritual perspective, the consciously guided sensory process is important for pratyahara. This takes place in the process of "detachment and new beginnings", in which, in all forms of relationships, exercises or conversations, the individual detaches their consciousness from the old familiar forms and, through the existence of a consciously conceived thought, gains an experience that transcends the old form.<br />
<br />
== Etymology and interpretations in ancient yoga literature ==<br />
<br />
The Sanskrit term pratyahara ([[Y:Sanskrit|Sanskrit]] प्रत्याहार, [[W:IAST|IAST]] ''pratyāhāra'') is derived from the verb root ''hr'' "to take" and undergoes a modification to ''hāra''. It is preceded by the two prefixes ''ā'' "towards, to, in the direction of" and ''prati'' "back", whereby ''prati'' becomes ''praty'' due to the following ''ā''. Pratyahara literally means "to take back" or "to withdraw".<br />
<br />
Patanjali writes in Chapter 2, verses 54 and 55 of the Yoga Sutra:<br />
<br />
''svaviṣaya-asaṁprayoge cittasya svarūpānukāra-iv-endriyāṇāṁ pratyāhāraḥ'' ||54||<br />
''tataḥ paramā-vaśyatā indriyāṇām'' ||55||<br />
<br />
"The withdrawal of the senses is as it were, their assumption of the form of mento-emotional energy<br />
when not contacting their own objects of perception.From that accomplishment, comes the highest degree<br />
of control of the senses."<br />
<br />
The ancient texts on yoga contain different interpretations of pratyahara. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali explains that through Pranayama the mind experiences concentration and alignment. The Prashna Upanishad uses the image of bees following the queen bee everywhere to describe this process in the Second Question II, Verse 4. Below is a translation of this verse by Swami Sivananda:<br />
"He from indignation appeared to go out upwards (from the body); thereupon as he was about to go out, all others seemed to go out and he being established, all others were established. Just as bees go out, and settle down when she settles down, so did the speech, mind eye, ears (etc.). Being satisfied they praised the Prana."<br />
<br />
In the [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (17th century), the fourth chapter on pratyahara contains an interpretation according to which one should "withdraw his mind" from good or bad speech, sweet or bad smells, sweet, acid, bitter or astringent tastes, and bring everything within the control of the Self.<br />
<br />
== The development of the sensory organs ==<br />
<br />
The sensory organs are used to perceive and orientate ourselves in the outside world. Through them, humans perceive the physical, sensory world. From a spiritual perspective, humans are not only part of the physical world, but also part of a spiritual and soul world. According to Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925), the founder of anthroposophy, humans need to train their soul-spiritual organs of perception. In contrast to the development of the physical sensory organs, which takes place quite naturally, humans must accomplish the development of finer organs of perception themselves:<br />
<br />
:"It is true that the relation of man to these higher senses is rather different from his relation to the bodily senses. It is good Mother Nature who sees to it, as a rule, that these latter are fully developed in him. They come into existence without his help. For the development of his higher senses, however, he must work himself. If he wishes to perceive the soul and spirit worlds, he must develop soul and spirit, just as nature has developed his body so that the might perceive the corporeal world around him and guide himself in it."<br />
<br />
For this, it is necessary for humans to understand themselves as spiritual beings and to take their bodies as relative. The body reflects all kinds of desires, but ultimately, the body only reveals a hunger for the spirit:<br />
<br />
:"One must lift oneself out of the body with a mental jolt in order to satisfy the desire that the body creates in the spirit."<br />
<br />
Renunciation of worldly things is a prerequisite for spiritual experience. If a person is too strongly attached to worldly things, this stands in the way of their search for the spiritual. In this sense, pratyahara can be seen as an element that causes the physical senses to recede from their dominance and develop a more refined perception.<br />
<br />
== Different aspects of pratyahara ==<br />
<br />
Pratyahara, the guidance of the senses, can be interpreted and practised in different ways. There are also various aspects and elaborations ranging from the development of the individual up to a future understanding of science.<br />
<br />
=== Practical implementation in everyday life ===<br />
<br />
According to Sukadev Bretz, the founder of Yoga Vidya, one meaning of the term pratyahara is withdrawal, for example, a time when one does not come into contact with external objects.<br />
<br />
In concrete terms, however, pratyahara also means the ability to withdraw one's senses from the outside world. Normally, the five senses of human beings are geared towards perceiving something. The eyes want to see something, the ears want to hear something. This is usually followed by a reaction that Sukadev describes as undignified behaviour: reacting immediately to an external stimulus.<br />
<br />
Sukadev describes another meaning of pratyahara as the ability to bring one's mind into a meditative state in which contact between the senses and the environment is no longer important. This state is achieved through high concentration, in which the outside world recedes in its effect and the person hardly perceives heat or cold, for example. During sleep, the senses are also barely in contact with the environment.<br />
<br />
"When you are concentrated or your state of mind is on another plane, your senses do not come into contact with objects. Being able to bring this about consciously is pratyahara.<br />
<br />
Sukadev names two techniques for everyday life to break through the stimulus-response mechanisms to which humans are usually subject. When an external stimulus awakens a desire, a craving or even rejection, one can<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-left:15px"><br />
* focus one's mind on something else, something spiritual, such as a mantra, and thus consciously direct one's attention,<br />
* direct one's sensory perception in such a way that one withdraws one's attention into the sensory organ itself. So if a disturbance arises through seeing, one should concentrate on the eyes. In this way, one draws the energy of the organ of sight back into the eye itself.<br />
</div><br />
<br />
The aim is not to feel frustrated about denying yourself a desire, but to become free from the desire itself.<br />
To generate pratyahara, for example at the beginning of meditation, he mentions the following possible means:<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-left:15px"><br />
* Prayer in the sense of turning to God,<br />
* Visualisations, for example, imagining light flowing into people,<br />
* Positive affirmations, for example, by becoming aware of the benefits of meditation,<br />
* Body scan, in which you consciously move from the bottom to the top of your body,<br />
* Practising deep relaxation.<br />
</div><br />
<br />
=== Shedding the Old and beginning anew in one’s Conciousness ===<br />
<br />
[[A:Heinz Grill|Heinz Grill]] (* 1960), author and spiritual teacher, describes pratyahara not only as a prerequisite for meditation, but also as a way of promoting a synthesis between spirit and world that is neither a withdrawal from the outside world nor an attachment to it. This process is opposed to the natural sensory process and is motivated by a mentally guided perception:<br />
<br />
To practise pratyahara, he recommends keeping your eyes open to avoid daydreaming. The next step is for the practitioner to become aware that they convey unconscious emotions, desires and intellectual knowledge through their eyes:<br />
<br />
:"They glace, for example, at a forest landscape and, with their sense processes directed to the trees and forms they see, the need to go for a walk there is immediately carried over. Strictly speaking, people do not experience themselves in the reality of the outer world they are looking at, but due to their many needs of sympathy or antipathy and through their inner lying emotions they experience mostly their inner world. […] The first process of freeing the senses from one’s own emotions and the resulting projections, is to observe an object in the outer world or, for example, a piece of text, objectivity for a long period of time perhaps for two to five minutes. Finally, the gaze can be turned away from the object and an attempt can be made to describe what has been seen with objective criteria. What words were in the text, what is the main thought, what is being said, the sentence structure as it is in reality? The uncertainties that ultimately arise, can always be overcome through a repetition of the sense-observation, so that the reality, as it is, appears completely as reality. Those practising in this way attain the viewpoint of the so-called witness, which, for example, in yoga is called the sakshi."<br />
<br />
Pratyahara here does not mean completely withdrawing the senses or closing the eyes, but refers to a conscious process of perception that restrains the unconscious and automatic inner life. As a result, the individual develops correct ideas corresponding to the object of the senses:<br />
: "Through a careful approach to the various observations and their repetition, the aspirant's consciousness expands and the first correct ideas emerge relatively quickly. The sensory objects observed speak to the human soul through the discipline of repetition."<br />
<br />
For Heinz Grill, the withdrawal of the senses described by pratyahara corresponds to the process of "shedding the old and beginning a new", a characteristic of the 5th centre, the Vishuddha Chakra (Sanskrit विशुद्धचक्र, IAST ''viśuddha-cakra'')."In all conversations, all forms of relationship, in all exercises or activities, the consciousness by nature literally breaks away from the old, familiar forms, and through the existence of the thought or even, to put it another way, through the existence of light, it wants to acquire an experience that goes beyond the old form."<br />
<br />
The sensory nerves, with their afferent (from the Latin affere, 'to carry towards/over/to bring‚) function gain the upper hand through shedding the old and beginning a new in thought as opposed to the motor nerves with their efferent (from Latin effere, "to carry out, to lead out") function.<br />
<br />
=== Sensory Perception and spiritual Content lead to Insight and Connection ===<br />
<br />
The [[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]] distinguishes between mere abstinence, which is not yet capable of removing the urge in the senses, and a deeper insight that has a purifying effect on the senses. Chapter II, verse 59 states:<br />
:''viṣayā vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ rasavarjaṃ raso.apyasya paraṃ dṛṣṭvā nivartate''<br />
If one abstains from food, the objects of sense cease to affect, but the affection itself of the sense, the rasa, remains; the rasa also ceases when the Supreme is seen.<br />
<br />
Rudolf Steiner says that sensory perception strips away everything that is not sensory from the objects being observed – he also uses the word "effaced". By adding spiritual content, humans can reconnect with the essence of things:<br />
<br />
"Sensory perception excludes all those aspects of things which are not sensory. It divests things of all that is not sensory in them. If I then proceed to the spiritual, the idea-content, I only re-establish that aspect of things which sensory perception has ''effaced''. Hence sensory perception does not show me the deepest nature of things; rather it separates me from this nature. Spiritual comprehension, comprehension by the idea, again connects me with this nature."<br />
<br />
=== Basis for effective learning ===<br />
<br />
=== Pratyahara and Natural Science ===<br />
<br />
<br />
Rudolf Steiner also sees human beings as the central element and describes how natural processes raise questions in people, encouraging them to explore these questions in greater depth. For him, this need to explore the essence of something is true science, whereas he distinguishes it from research that serves an external purpose, such as the advancement of technology: "…It is something entirely different to observe the processes of nature in order to place its forces in the service of technology, than to seek, with the help of these processes, to look more deeply into the being of natural science. True science is present only where the human spirit seeks to satisfy ''its'' needs, without any ''external purpose''."<br />
<br />
== Effects on health ==<br />
<br />
=== Deep relaxation and regeneration ===<br />
<br />
Sukadev Bretz describes how pratyahara can induce deep relaxation, which in turn is very important for the regenerative capacity of the human body. Beta waves, which occur when we are awake and produce stress hormones in certain situations, are reduced. Alpha waves, which produce calming neurotransmitters, increase, and in some cases delta or theta waves, which are active during deep meditation or sleep, may even/even may occur. This promotes the body's ability to regenerate and strengthens the immune system.<br />
<br />
According to Heinz Grill, the sensory nerves are strengthened when the more impulsive motor nerves are first successfully brought to recede/are withdrawn.“ However, if from the very beginning the motoric automated processes predominate in the senses, the whole nervous system generally weakens and the person becomes like a plaything of many stimuli, opinions and suggestions."<br />
=== Anticarcinogenic effect ===<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill compares the effects of pratyahara, the control of the senses, with those of natural sunlight, which has a generally structuring and shaping/forming effect on humans and thus counteracts the formless proliferation and cell degeneration associated with tumour diseases:<br />
<br />
"Natural sunlight, unfiltered and pure, mild and warming, provides the human organism with a natural stimulation of the periphery, that in general transports structuring processes right into the organic interior.[…] This development of a healthy perception- and sense-process, connected with thought content, that does not come from the motoric and emotional sphere of the human desire-world, provides increasing forming forces that open up a healing atmosphere for both inflammation and also with cell degeneration." <br />
<br />
=== Mental stabilisation ===<br />
<br />
In Chapter II, verses 64–65, the Bhagavad Gita describes the development of human reason as another positive effect of pratyahara, for which the formation of objective views is a necessary foundation:<br />
<poem style="margin-left:31px"><br />
''rāga dveṣa vimuktais tu viṣayā nindriyaiś caran ātmavaśyair vidheyātmā prasādam adhigacchati''<br />
''prasāde sarvaduḥkhānāṃ hānirasyopajāyate prasannacetaso hyāśu buddhiḥ paryavatiṣṭhate''<br />
</poem><br />
"It is by ranging over the objects with the senses, but with senses subject to the self, freed from liking and disliking, that one gets into a large and sweet clearness of soul and temperament. By that, large and sweet clearness of soul and temperament, passion and grief find no place; the intelligence of such a man is rapidly established in its proper seat."<br />
<br />
Through this "foundation" of reason//intelligence, humans experience overall psychological stability and become capable of consciously facing both the pleasant and unpleasant phenomena of the world. The psychology of [[Viktor Emil Frankl|Viktor Frankl]], for example, deals with the question of meaning, a question of existential importance for human beings. In order to recognise which action is meaningful in a situation, it must be seen in its entirety. In the so-called [[w:Sinnerfassungsmethode|Sinnerfassungsmethode]], a method developed by [[w:Alfried Längle|Alfried Längle]] (* 1951) in 1988 as part of logotherapy, the perception of reality is the first step towards ultimately arriving at an appropriate course of action through further steps, which the individual decides on freely and independently.</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Padmasana&diff=156Padmasana2026-04-12T20:20:16Z<p>Xenja: /* Other sitting postures */</p>
<hr />
<div>'''Padmasana''' (Sanskrit पद्मासन, IAST padmāsana), known in English as the '''lotus position''' or '''lotus pose''', is a sitting posture. It is also called '''Kamalasana'''. The Sanskrit name ''padmāsana'' is formed from the words ''padma'' "lotus flower"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=padma&dir=se ''Results for "padma"''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved December 13 2025 </ref> and ''āsana'' "seat" or, more generally, "posture".<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=au ''Results for "Asana".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved December 13 2025.</ref> "Kamala" also refers to the lotus flower.<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=kamala&dir=au ''Results for "kamala".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved December 13 2025.</ref> Padmasana is used as a sitting position for [[meditation]]. As a classic sitting position, Padmasana is part of the 84 main exercises of [[w:Hatha Yoga|Hatha Yoga]]. It is practiced in almost all styles of yoga.<br />
<br />
=Symbology of the Lotus Flower=<br />
<br />
[[File:Nelumno nucifera open flower - botanic garden adelaide2.jpg|thumb|210px|Lotus flower - Nelumbo nucifera - which holds deep spiritual significance e.g. in Buddhism and Hinduism]]<br />
<br />
In Hinduism, the lotus flower symbolizes creation and regeneration, which are attributed to a female divine principle. Various deities are depicted as being born from the calyx of the lotus flower.<br />
<br />
In Buddhism, the lotus symbolizes spiritual elevation, the capacity or ability of humans to rise above the problems of the world through spiritual development. Just as the flower rises from the pond and produces a radiant, dirt-repellent bloom, so too can humans, through a path of meditation, wisdom, and inner growth, attain the ability to overcome evil and not be overwhelmed by difficulties. Being like the lotus does not mean not noticing the problems of life, but it means knowing how to confront and overcome problems without being overwhelmed or conditioned by them. The lotus is the flower of meditation and rediscovery of life, light, and inner awareness. Some Buddha statues show Buddha in Padmasana.<br />
<br />
In ancient Egypt, the lotus flower symbolized the sun, rebirth, and the region of Upper Egypt. These meanings appear in three different legends about creation. According to one legend, the sun rose from a lotus flower that emerged from the primordial chaos and was formed from water.<ref name=":0">[https://hydrophyllum.it/blog/simbologia-del-fior-di-loto-n24 ''Simbologia del Fior di Loto.''] In: ''hydrophyllum.it.'' Retrieved January 16 2026 (italian).</ref><br />
<br />
=Padmasana in the ancient scriptures of yoga=<br />
<br />
Padmasana is mentioned in [[w:Yoga Yajnavalkya|Yoga Yajnavalkya]] (Sanskrit योगयाज्ञवल्क्य, IAST ''yoga-yājñavalkya''), the oldest surviving text (13th century) containing descriptions of asanas.<ref>[https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Lotussitz#Yogatexte_und_Padmasana''Padmasana.''] In: ''yoga-vidya.de.'' Retrieved January 16 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:256px-Hatha Yoga Pradipika Bhasya, page 1, Raghunath temple library, Sanskrit, Devanagari.jpg|frame|Hatha Yoga Pradipika Bhasya, page 1, Raghunath temple library, Sanskrit]]<br />
<br />
In the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] (written in the 14th century), Padmasana is described in verse 44:<br />
<br />
:"Now the lotus pose (padmāsana).Place the right foot on the left thigh, and the left on the right thigh, firmly hold the big toes with the hands crossed behind the back, put the chin on the chest and gaze at the tip of the nose. This, which destroys diseases for those who undertake the observances, is called the lotus pose."<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika''] retrieved January 15 2025]</ref><br />
<br />
In Verse 45 another variant of the position without crossing the arms is described: <br />
:"However, in another school [padmāsana is taught as follows]:Carefully put the upturned feet on the thighs and the upturned hands in the middle of the thighs,…"<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika.''] retrieved January 15 2025]</ref><br />
<br />
The [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (probably written in the 17th century) refers to Padmasana in verse 8 as "destroyer of all diseases" (''This posture destroys all diseases''). The physical execution is described as in the Hathapradipika.<ref>[https://www.aghori.it/Gherandasamhita.pdf ''Gherandasamhita''] p. 13 .</ref><br />
<br />
Verses 88–91 in Chapter 3 of the [[w:Shivasamhita|Shivasamhita]] (written around 1700) are dedicated to Padmasana. Verse 88 mentions the protective and healing effects of the sitting position: "I now describe the Padmasana which wards off (or cures) all diseases...." Verse 91 concludes the discussion of Padmasana with the words: "Sitting in the Padmasana posture, and knowing the action of the prana and apana, when the Yogi performs the regulation of the breath, he is emancipated. I tell you the truth. Verily, I tell you the truth."<ref name=":1">[https://archive.org/stream/SivaSamhita/SivaSamhita_djvu.txt ''Shiva Samhita'' ] retrieved January 15 2026 </ref><br />
<br />
=Physical execution=<br />
<br />
[[file:PadmasanaHG.JPG|240px|thumb|Heinz Grill in Padmasana with the hands placed on the knees]]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Since the physical execution is described similarly by various yoga masters, the instructions of [[W:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] are presented below as an example:<br />
<br />
Iyengar begins the asana in a seated position with legs extended. Then the right leg is bent, the right foot is grasped with the hands and placed at the root of the left thigh so that the heel is close to the navel. Now the left leg is bent, the left foot is grasped with the hands and placed over the right leg. The heel should also be close to the navel. The soles of the feet are turned upward.<br />
<br />
:"People not used to sitting on the floor seldom have flexible knees. At the start they will feel excruciating pain around the knees. By perseverance and continued practice the pain will gradually subside and they can then stay in the pose comfortably for a long time."<br />
<br />
The spine should remain straight. The arms can be stretched out and the right hand placed on the right knee and the left hand on the left knee. Alternatively, the hands can be positioned in the middle, where the feet cross. Iyengar furthermore recommends changing the position of the legs so that they develop evenly.<ref name=":2">B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins Publishers</ref><br />
<br />
In '''Ardha Padmasana''', the "half lotus pose", only one foot is placed on the thigh of the other leg, which remains bent and in full contact with the floor. Ardha Padmasana is suitable as preparation for the full lotus pose.<br />
<br />
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center recommends two warm-up exercises for Padmasana:<br />
"Sit with spine erect and soles of the feet together, heels close to the body. For the ''ankle-knee pose''… press your knees forward with a straight back. For the ''butterfly'' … clasp your feet and and move your knees up and down."<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga'' First Fireside Edition, New York, 2000, ISBN 0-684-87000-2,<br />
p. 134. </ref><br />
= The picture and the meaning =<br />
<br />
The picture and the meaning of the posture are described by Heinz Grill with the following words:<br />
:"The calmness and composure, which is particular to this position, gives a perception of being free from earthly conflicts, passions and turbulence. The thought processes, which take their first expression in the etheric sphere, as well as the perceptions, which tend more into the astral sphere, can be perceived freer from the body in this position. It is in this calmness, alertness and uprightness, with concurrent release from the body, that the meaning of this exercise lies."<ref>Heinz Grill: "The Soul Dimension of Yoga." Translated from the original German title by Heinz Grill: Die Seelendimension des Yoga - Praktische Grundlagen zu<br />
einem spirituellen Übungsweg, Copyright 2018. p.129<br />
</ref><br />
=Other sitting postures=<br />
<br />
In addition to Padmasana, Swami Vishnudevananda mentions other meditation postures: ''Siddhasana'', ''Svastikasana'' and ''Sukhasana''. He recommends the ''Vajrasana'' sitting posture for people who are unable to adopt any of the other postures.<br />
<gallery class="center" widths="150px" heights="220px"><br />
<br />
File:Siddhasana.jpeg|200px|thumb|left|''Siddhasana'' - One foot is crossed over the lower leg of the other leg.<br />
<br />
File:Jogapradipika 1 Svastikasana.jpg|200px|thumb|''Svastikasana'' - Crossing the legs, but unlike Padmasana, the feet do not rest on the thighs, but are in contact with the lower legs.<br />
<br />
File:Sukhasana.jpeg|200px|thumb|left|''Sukhasana'' - Both feet are under the thighs.<br />
<br />
File:IMG 8789.JPG|200px|thumb|left|''Vajrasana'' - Heel position.<br />
</gallery><br />
<br />
According to Heinz Grill, it is also possible to assume the meditation posture on a chair. However, it is important "to bring a certain degree of gathering to the base of the body, really straightening up the back well, out of the sacrum, out of the centre and with the entire chest region, so that the head seems as if it is supported."<ref>[https://heinz-grill.de/en/the-ideal-posture-for-meditation/ Heinz Grill: ''The ideal posture for Meditation''] retrieved December 1st 2025 </ref><br />
<br />
=References=<br />
<references/><br />
<br />
[[index.php?title=Category:Asana]]</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Padmasana&diff=155Padmasana2026-04-12T20:17:57Z<p>Xenja: /* Other sitting postures */</p>
<hr />
<div>'''Padmasana''' (Sanskrit पद्मासन, IAST padmāsana), known in English as the '''lotus position''' or '''lotus pose''', is a sitting posture. It is also called '''Kamalasana'''. The Sanskrit name ''padmāsana'' is formed from the words ''padma'' "lotus flower"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=padma&dir=se ''Results for "padma"''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved December 13 2025 </ref> and ''āsana'' "seat" or, more generally, "posture".<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=au ''Results for "Asana".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved December 13 2025.</ref> "Kamala" also refers to the lotus flower.<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=kamala&dir=au ''Results for "kamala".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved December 13 2025.</ref> Padmasana is used as a sitting position for [[meditation]]. As a classic sitting position, Padmasana is part of the 84 main exercises of [[w:Hatha Yoga|Hatha Yoga]]. It is practiced in almost all styles of yoga.<br />
<br />
=Symbology of the Lotus Flower=<br />
<br />
[[File:Nelumno nucifera open flower - botanic garden adelaide2.jpg|thumb|210px|Lotus flower - Nelumbo nucifera - which holds deep spiritual significance e.g. in Buddhism and Hinduism]]<br />
<br />
In Hinduism, the lotus flower symbolizes creation and regeneration, which are attributed to a female divine principle. Various deities are depicted as being born from the calyx of the lotus flower.<br />
<br />
In Buddhism, the lotus symbolizes spiritual elevation, the capacity or ability of humans to rise above the problems of the world through spiritual development. Just as the flower rises from the pond and produces a radiant, dirt-repellent bloom, so too can humans, through a path of meditation, wisdom, and inner growth, attain the ability to overcome evil and not be overwhelmed by difficulties. Being like the lotus does not mean not noticing the problems of life, but it means knowing how to confront and overcome problems without being overwhelmed or conditioned by them. The lotus is the flower of meditation and rediscovery of life, light, and inner awareness. Some Buddha statues show Buddha in Padmasana.<br />
<br />
In ancient Egypt, the lotus flower symbolized the sun, rebirth, and the region of Upper Egypt. These meanings appear in three different legends about creation. According to one legend, the sun rose from a lotus flower that emerged from the primordial chaos and was formed from water.<ref name=":0">[https://hydrophyllum.it/blog/simbologia-del-fior-di-loto-n24 ''Simbologia del Fior di Loto.''] In: ''hydrophyllum.it.'' Retrieved January 16 2026 (italian).</ref><br />
<br />
=Padmasana in the ancient scriptures of yoga=<br />
<br />
Padmasana is mentioned in [[w:Yoga Yajnavalkya|Yoga Yajnavalkya]] (Sanskrit योगयाज्ञवल्क्य, IAST ''yoga-yājñavalkya''), the oldest surviving text (13th century) containing descriptions of asanas.<ref>[https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Lotussitz#Yogatexte_und_Padmasana''Padmasana.''] In: ''yoga-vidya.de.'' Retrieved January 16 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:256px-Hatha Yoga Pradipika Bhasya, page 1, Raghunath temple library, Sanskrit, Devanagari.jpg|frame|Hatha Yoga Pradipika Bhasya, page 1, Raghunath temple library, Sanskrit]]<br />
<br />
In the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] (written in the 14th century), Padmasana is described in verse 44:<br />
<br />
:"Now the lotus pose (padmāsana).Place the right foot on the left thigh, and the left on the right thigh, firmly hold the big toes with the hands crossed behind the back, put the chin on the chest and gaze at the tip of the nose. This, which destroys diseases for those who undertake the observances, is called the lotus pose."<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika''] retrieved January 15 2025]</ref><br />
<br />
In Verse 45 another variant of the position without crossing the arms is described: <br />
:"However, in another school [padmāsana is taught as follows]:Carefully put the upturned feet on the thighs and the upturned hands in the middle of the thighs,…"<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika.''] retrieved January 15 2025]</ref><br />
<br />
The [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (probably written in the 17th century) refers to Padmasana in verse 8 as "destroyer of all diseases" (''This posture destroys all diseases''). The physical execution is described as in the Hathapradipika.<ref>[https://www.aghori.it/Gherandasamhita.pdf ''Gherandasamhita''] p. 13 .</ref><br />
<br />
Verses 88–91 in Chapter 3 of the [[w:Shivasamhita|Shivasamhita]] (written around 1700) are dedicated to Padmasana. Verse 88 mentions the protective and healing effects of the sitting position: "I now describe the Padmasana which wards off (or cures) all diseases...." Verse 91 concludes the discussion of Padmasana with the words: "Sitting in the Padmasana posture, and knowing the action of the prana and apana, when the Yogi performs the regulation of the breath, he is emancipated. I tell you the truth. Verily, I tell you the truth."<ref name=":1">[https://archive.org/stream/SivaSamhita/SivaSamhita_djvu.txt ''Shiva Samhita'' ] retrieved January 15 2026 </ref><br />
<br />
=Physical execution=<br />
<br />
[[file:PadmasanaHG.JPG|240px|thumb|Heinz Grill in Padmasana with the hands placed on the knees]]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Since the physical execution is described similarly by various yoga masters, the instructions of [[W:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] are presented below as an example:<br />
<br />
Iyengar begins the asana in a seated position with legs extended. Then the right leg is bent, the right foot is grasped with the hands and placed at the root of the left thigh so that the heel is close to the navel. Now the left leg is bent, the left foot is grasped with the hands and placed over the right leg. The heel should also be close to the navel. The soles of the feet are turned upward.<br />
<br />
:"People not used to sitting on the floor seldom have flexible knees. At the start they will feel excruciating pain around the knees. By perseverance and continued practice the pain will gradually subside and they can then stay in the pose comfortably for a long time."<br />
<br />
The spine should remain straight. The arms can be stretched out and the right hand placed on the right knee and the left hand on the left knee. Alternatively, the hands can be positioned in the middle, where the feet cross. Iyengar furthermore recommends changing the position of the legs so that they develop evenly.<ref name=":2">B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins Publishers</ref><br />
<br />
In '''Ardha Padmasana''', the "half lotus pose", only one foot is placed on the thigh of the other leg, which remains bent and in full contact with the floor. Ardha Padmasana is suitable as preparation for the full lotus pose.<br />
<br />
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center recommends two warm-up exercises for Padmasana:<br />
"Sit with spine erect and soles of the feet together, heels close to the body. For the ''ankle-knee pose''… press your knees forward with a straight back. For the ''butterfly'' … clasp your feet and and move your knees up and down."<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga'' First Fireside Edition, New York, 2000, ISBN 0-684-87000-2,<br />
p. 134. </ref><br />
= The picture and the meaning =<br />
<br />
The picture and the meaning of the posture are described by Heinz Grill with the following words:<br />
:"The calmness and composure, which is particular to this position, gives a perception of being free from earthly conflicts, passions and turbulence. The thought processes, which take their first expression in the etheric sphere, as well as the perceptions, which tend more into the astral sphere, can be perceived freer from the body in this position. It is in this calmness, alertness and uprightness, with concurrent release from the body, that the meaning of this exercise lies."<ref>Heinz Grill: "The Soul Dimension of Yoga." Translated from the original German title by Heinz Grill: Die Seelendimension des Yoga - Praktische Grundlagen zu<br />
einem spirituellen Übungsweg, Copyright 2018. p.129<br />
</ref><br />
=Other sitting postures=<br />
<br />
In addition to Padmasana, Swami Vishnudevananda mentions other meditation postures: ''Siddhasana'', ''Svastikasana'' and ''Sukhasana''. He recommends the ''Vajrasana'' sitting posture for people who are unable to adopt any of the other postures.<br />
<gallery class="center" widths="150px" heights="220px"><br />
[[File:Siddhasana.jpeg|200px|thumb|left|''Siddhasana'' - One foot is crossed over the lower leg of the other leg.]]<br />
<br />
[[File:Jogapradipika 1 Svastikasana.jpg|200px|thumb|''Svastikasana'' - Crossing the legs, but unlike Padmasana, the feet do not rest on the thighs, but are in contact with the lower legs.<br />
]]<br />
<br />
[[File:Sukhasana.jpeg|200px|thumb|left|''Sukhasana'' - Both feet are under the thighs.]]<br />
<br />
[[File:IMG 8789.JPG|200px|thumb|left|''Vajrasana'' - Heel position.]]<br />
<br />
According to Heinz Grill, it is also possible to assume the meditation posture on a chair. However, it is important "to bring a certain degree of gathering to the base of the body, really straightening up the back well, out of the sacrum, out of the centre and with the entire chest region, so that the head seems as if it is supported."<ref>[https://heinz-grill.de/en/the-ideal-posture-for-meditation/ Heinz Grill: ''The ideal posture for Meditation''] retrieved December 1st 2025 </ref><br />
<br />
=References=<br />
<references/><br />
<br />
[[index.php?title=Category:Asana]]</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Padmasana&diff=154Padmasana2026-04-12T20:16:33Z<p>Xenja: /* Other sitting postures */</p>
<hr />
<div>'''Padmasana''' (Sanskrit पद्मासन, IAST padmāsana), known in English as the '''lotus position''' or '''lotus pose''', is a sitting posture. It is also called '''Kamalasana'''. The Sanskrit name ''padmāsana'' is formed from the words ''padma'' "lotus flower"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=padma&dir=se ''Results for "padma"''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved December 13 2025 </ref> and ''āsana'' "seat" or, more generally, "posture".<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=au ''Results for "Asana".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved December 13 2025.</ref> "Kamala" also refers to the lotus flower.<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=kamala&dir=au ''Results for "kamala".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved December 13 2025.</ref> Padmasana is used as a sitting position for [[meditation]]. As a classic sitting position, Padmasana is part of the 84 main exercises of [[w:Hatha Yoga|Hatha Yoga]]. It is practiced in almost all styles of yoga.<br />
<br />
=Symbology of the Lotus Flower=<br />
<br />
[[File:Nelumno nucifera open flower - botanic garden adelaide2.jpg|thumb|210px|Lotus flower - Nelumbo nucifera - which holds deep spiritual significance e.g. in Buddhism and Hinduism]]<br />
<br />
In Hinduism, the lotus flower symbolizes creation and regeneration, which are attributed to a female divine principle. Various deities are depicted as being born from the calyx of the lotus flower.<br />
<br />
In Buddhism, the lotus symbolizes spiritual elevation, the capacity or ability of humans to rise above the problems of the world through spiritual development. Just as the flower rises from the pond and produces a radiant, dirt-repellent bloom, so too can humans, through a path of meditation, wisdom, and inner growth, attain the ability to overcome evil and not be overwhelmed by difficulties. Being like the lotus does not mean not noticing the problems of life, but it means knowing how to confront and overcome problems without being overwhelmed or conditioned by them. The lotus is the flower of meditation and rediscovery of life, light, and inner awareness. Some Buddha statues show Buddha in Padmasana.<br />
<br />
In ancient Egypt, the lotus flower symbolized the sun, rebirth, and the region of Upper Egypt. These meanings appear in three different legends about creation. According to one legend, the sun rose from a lotus flower that emerged from the primordial chaos and was formed from water.<ref name=":0">[https://hydrophyllum.it/blog/simbologia-del-fior-di-loto-n24 ''Simbologia del Fior di Loto.''] In: ''hydrophyllum.it.'' Retrieved January 16 2026 (italian).</ref><br />
<br />
=Padmasana in the ancient scriptures of yoga=<br />
<br />
Padmasana is mentioned in [[w:Yoga Yajnavalkya|Yoga Yajnavalkya]] (Sanskrit योगयाज्ञवल्क्य, IAST ''yoga-yājñavalkya''), the oldest surviving text (13th century) containing descriptions of asanas.<ref>[https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Lotussitz#Yogatexte_und_Padmasana''Padmasana.''] In: ''yoga-vidya.de.'' Retrieved January 16 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:256px-Hatha Yoga Pradipika Bhasya, page 1, Raghunath temple library, Sanskrit, Devanagari.jpg|frame|Hatha Yoga Pradipika Bhasya, page 1, Raghunath temple library, Sanskrit]]<br />
<br />
In the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] (written in the 14th century), Padmasana is described in verse 44:<br />
<br />
:"Now the lotus pose (padmāsana).Place the right foot on the left thigh, and the left on the right thigh, firmly hold the big toes with the hands crossed behind the back, put the chin on the chest and gaze at the tip of the nose. This, which destroys diseases for those who undertake the observances, is called the lotus pose."<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika''] retrieved January 15 2025]</ref><br />
<br />
In Verse 45 another variant of the position without crossing the arms is described: <br />
:"However, in another school [padmāsana is taught as follows]:Carefully put the upturned feet on the thighs and the upturned hands in the middle of the thighs,…"<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika.''] retrieved January 15 2025]</ref><br />
<br />
The [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (probably written in the 17th century) refers to Padmasana in verse 8 as "destroyer of all diseases" (''This posture destroys all diseases''). The physical execution is described as in the Hathapradipika.<ref>[https://www.aghori.it/Gherandasamhita.pdf ''Gherandasamhita''] p. 13 .</ref><br />
<br />
Verses 88–91 in Chapter 3 of the [[w:Shivasamhita|Shivasamhita]] (written around 1700) are dedicated to Padmasana. Verse 88 mentions the protective and healing effects of the sitting position: "I now describe the Padmasana which wards off (or cures) all diseases...." Verse 91 concludes the discussion of Padmasana with the words: "Sitting in the Padmasana posture, and knowing the action of the prana and apana, when the Yogi performs the regulation of the breath, he is emancipated. I tell you the truth. Verily, I tell you the truth."<ref name=":1">[https://archive.org/stream/SivaSamhita/SivaSamhita_djvu.txt ''Shiva Samhita'' ] retrieved January 15 2026 </ref><br />
<br />
=Physical execution=<br />
<br />
[[file:PadmasanaHG.JPG|240px|thumb|Heinz Grill in Padmasana with the hands placed on the knees]]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Since the physical execution is described similarly by various yoga masters, the instructions of [[W:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] are presented below as an example:<br />
<br />
Iyengar begins the asana in a seated position with legs extended. Then the right leg is bent, the right foot is grasped with the hands and placed at the root of the left thigh so that the heel is close to the navel. Now the left leg is bent, the left foot is grasped with the hands and placed over the right leg. The heel should also be close to the navel. The soles of the feet are turned upward.<br />
<br />
:"People not used to sitting on the floor seldom have flexible knees. At the start they will feel excruciating pain around the knees. By perseverance and continued practice the pain will gradually subside and they can then stay in the pose comfortably for a long time."<br />
<br />
The spine should remain straight. The arms can be stretched out and the right hand placed on the right knee and the left hand on the left knee. Alternatively, the hands can be positioned in the middle, where the feet cross. Iyengar furthermore recommends changing the position of the legs so that they develop evenly.<ref name=":2">B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins Publishers</ref><br />
<br />
In '''Ardha Padmasana''', the "half lotus pose", only one foot is placed on the thigh of the other leg, which remains bent and in full contact with the floor. Ardha Padmasana is suitable as preparation for the full lotus pose.<br />
<br />
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center recommends two warm-up exercises for Padmasana:<br />
"Sit with spine erect and soles of the feet together, heels close to the body. For the ''ankle-knee pose''… press your knees forward with a straight back. For the ''butterfly'' … clasp your feet and and move your knees up and down."<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga'' First Fireside Edition, New York, 2000, ISBN 0-684-87000-2,<br />
p. 134. </ref><br />
= The picture and the meaning =<br />
<br />
The picture and the meaning of the posture are described by Heinz Grill with the following words:<br />
:"The calmness and composure, which is particular to this position, gives a perception of being free from earthly conflicts, passions and turbulence. The thought processes, which take their first expression in the etheric sphere, as well as the perceptions, which tend more into the astral sphere, can be perceived freer from the body in this position. It is in this calmness, alertness and uprightness, with concurrent release from the body, that the meaning of this exercise lies."<ref>Heinz Grill: "The Soul Dimension of Yoga." Translated from the original German title by Heinz Grill: Die Seelendimension des Yoga - Praktische Grundlagen zu<br />
einem spirituellen Übungsweg, Copyright 2018. p.129<br />
</ref><br />
=Other sitting postures=<br />
<br />
In addition to Padmasana, Swami Vishnudevananda mentions other meditation postures: ''Siddhasana'', ''Svastikasana'' and ''Sukhasana''. He recommends the ''Vajrasana'' sitting posture for people who are unable to adopt any of the other postures.<br />
<gallery class="center" widths="150px" heights="220px"><br />
[[File:Siddhasana.jpeg|thumb|left|''Siddhasana'' - One foot is crossed over the lower leg of the other leg.]]<br />
<br />
[[File:Jogapradipika 1 Svastikasana.jpg|thumb|''Svastikasana'' - Crossing the legs, but unlike Padmasana, the feet do not rest on the thighs, but are in contact with the lower legs.<br />
]]<br />
<br />
[[File:Sukhasana.jpeg|thumb|left|''Sukhasana'' - Both feet are under the thighs.]]<br />
<br />
[[File:IMG 8789.JPG|thumb|left|''Vajrasana'' - Heel position.]]<br />
</gallery><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
According to Heinz Grill, it is also possible to assume the meditation posture on a chair. However, it is important "to bring a certain degree of gathering to the base of the body, really straightening up the back well, out of the sacrum, out of the centre and with the entire chest region, so that the head seems as if it is supported."<ref>[https://heinz-grill.de/en/the-ideal-posture-for-meditation/ Heinz Grill: ''The ideal posture for Meditation''] retrieved December 1st 2025 </ref><br />
<br />
=References=<br />
<references/><br />
<br />
[[index.php?title=Category:Asana]]</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=File:IMG_8789.JPG&diff=153File:IMG 8789.JPG2026-04-12T20:05:33Z<p>Xenja: Heel Position</p>
<hr />
<div>== Summary ==<br />
Heel Position</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=File:Sukhasana.jpeg&diff=152File:Sukhasana.jpeg2026-04-12T20:04:03Z<p>Xenja: Both feet are under the thighs.</p>
<hr />
<div>== Summary ==<br />
Both feet are under the thighs.</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=File:Siddhasana.jpeg&diff=151File:Siddhasana.jpeg2026-04-12T20:02:17Z<p>Xenja: Siddhasana - one foot is crossed over the lower leg of the other leg.</p>
<hr />
<div>== Summary ==<br />
Siddhasana - one foot is crossed over the lower leg of the other leg.</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Purvottanasana&diff=150Purvottanasana2026-03-29T11:43:01Z<p>Xenja: /* Reports on healing effects */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:Purvottanasana, Heinz Grill 1992.jpg|thumb|Purvottanasana (inclined plane).]]<br />
<br />
'''Purvottanasana''' (Sanskrit पूर्वोत्तानासन, [[w:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''pūrvottānāsana''), English '''inclined plane''', is an [[exercise]] in yoga. Depending on the type of yoga, it is also referred to as reverse plank, inverted plank or front body stretch. The Sanskrit name ''pūrvottānāsana'' is formed from the words ''pūrva'' "east"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pUrvA&dir=au ''Search results for "pUrvA".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 20 February 2026.</ref>, ''uttāna'' "stretched out"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=uttana&dir=au ''Search results for "uttAna".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> and ''āsana'' "seat"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=es ''Search results for "Asana".''''<nowiki/>''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> or more generally translated as "posture". It can be literally translated as "posture of the intense expansion of the east". According to Indian tradition, the east refers to the front of the body.<br />
<br />
Purvottanasana is part of the first series in [[w:Ashtanga (Vinyasa) Yoga|Ashtanga Yoga]] and of the basic series of Yoga Vidya.<ref>[https://www.ashtangayoga.info/ashtanga-yoga/primary-series-yoga-chikitsa-1/200411-purvottanasana-ronald-richard/ ''Pūrvottānāsana: Pose to stretch the front of the body.''] In: ''ashtangayoga.info.'' Retrieved 12 February 2026. </ref><ref> [https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Yoga_Vidya_Reihe#Purvottasana_-_Schiefe_Ebene_(Gegenstellung_in_der_Yoga_Vidya_Reihe) ''Yoga Vidya Grundreihe - Yoga Vidya Basic Series''] In:''wiki.yoga.vidya.de'' (German).</ref> Although it is not included in the so-called [[A:Rishikesh series|Rishikesh series]] attributed to [[Swami Sivananda]], the inclined plane is often performed in the practice style of his tradition after [[Paschimottanasana]] the seated forward bend.<br />
<br />
In the older writings on Hatha Yoga, namely in the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] (written in the 14th century) and in the [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (probably from the 17th century), this yoga exercise is not mentioned.<br />
<br />
== Physical execution ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Purvottanasana.png|thumb|Purvottanasana with fingers pointing to the feet and head held high.]]<br />
<br />
The starting position is sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out. The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center provides further instructions: "[…] and your palms flat on the floor behind you, fingers pointing away from the body. Lean back slightly on your hands." The hips are now raised up as high as possible and the feet are brought down flat on the floor.Legs are kept straight.<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga''. First Fireside Edition. Simon & Schuster, New York. p. 120 ISBN 0-684-87000-2.</ref><br />
<br />
Erling Petersen, who calls the exercise ''setuāsana'' - ''setu'' is the Sanskrit term for "bridge"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=setu&dir=au ''Search results for "setu".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> - has a different idea for how to perform the exercise. He does not talk about lifting the hips, but says: "Lower your shoulders, lift your chest, and straighten your back."<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 241. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
[[w:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] positions the fingertips towards the feet and gives the following instruction regarding the final position: "The arms will be perpendicular to the floor from the wrists to the shoulders. From the shoulders to the pelvis, the trunk will be parallel to the floor. Stretch the neck an throw the head as far back as possible."<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India, pp. 176. </ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill emphasizes a mental preparation to tense the whole body. After this preparation the body is lifted up in a big movement. The head then should fall back at the neck. He recommends to hold the pose at least half a minute up to one minute. The decision about the duration is to be taken before entering.<ref name=":0">Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga'', pp. 280-282, ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2. </ref><br />
<br />
== Focusing attention during the exercise ==<br />
<br />
Attention can be directed towards the free flow of the breath. Furthermore a calm clarity and serenity should be maintained during the exercise.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
==The picture and the meaning of the exercise==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes the spiritual meaning of Purvottanasana as follows:<br />
<br />
The body is extended into an almost horizontal plane. This horizontal plane is like a contrast to the vertical extension and therefore is of a fundamentally different nature. The horizontal plane is a symbol for the earthly world, while the vertical orientation reflects the celestial dimension of the human being. Here practitioners consciously enter into the tension throughout their body and hold themselves stable in the horizontal, exposed state for a predecided length of time. The movement itself attains its lightness through the fact that practitioners become conscious of the body and experience it in a kind of "tension without being tense", or as the [[W:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gītā]] says, in an "action in inaction". This perfectly free movement seems like a great contraction of the body to its own mid-point in ''mūlādhāra-cakra.'' It is in this aesthetic lightness expressed by the movement that the learning step and the meaning of the exercise lies.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
== Reports on healing effects ==<br />
<br />
B. K. S. Iyengar recounts the experience, that the posture strengthens the wrists and ankles.<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India. p. 177.</ref> Erling Petersen mentions the improving effect on the breathing, as tension of the breathing muscles is eliminated.<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 239. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill indicates the strengthening effect on the muscular system but also emphasizes the strengthening of the nervous system. This strengthening occurs because the practitioner deliberately and consciously rises above the body’s sensations of heaviness. "By rising above the body’s states, the practitioner experiences themselves in the immediacy of potential acts of will."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''Das große Buch der Heilkraft durch Yogaaktivität - The Great Book of Healing Through Yoga Activity.'' 4th fully revised edition. 2025 (German). Stephan Wunderlich Verlag, Sigmaringen. p. 56. ISBN: 978-3-948803-19-3.</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Vasisthasana_B_-_Full_Side_Plank_with_Toe_Grip.jpg|center|thumb|''Vashistasana'' - Side Plank with an ascending leg.]]<br />
<br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Purvottanasana&diff=149Purvottanasana2026-03-29T11:42:24Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:Purvottanasana, Heinz Grill 1992.jpg|thumb|Purvottanasana (inclined plane).]]<br />
<br />
'''Purvottanasana''' (Sanskrit पूर्वोत्तानासन, [[w:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''pūrvottānāsana''), English '''inclined plane''', is an [[exercise]] in yoga. Depending on the type of yoga, it is also referred to as reverse plank, inverted plank or front body stretch. The Sanskrit name ''pūrvottānāsana'' is formed from the words ''pūrva'' "east"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pUrvA&dir=au ''Search results for "pUrvA".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 20 February 2026.</ref>, ''uttāna'' "stretched out"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=uttana&dir=au ''Search results for "uttAna".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> and ''āsana'' "seat"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=es ''Search results for "Asana".''''<nowiki/>''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> or more generally translated as "posture". It can be literally translated as "posture of the intense expansion of the east". According to Indian tradition, the east refers to the front of the body.<br />
<br />
Purvottanasana is part of the first series in [[w:Ashtanga (Vinyasa) Yoga|Ashtanga Yoga]] and of the basic series of Yoga Vidya.<ref>[https://www.ashtangayoga.info/ashtanga-yoga/primary-series-yoga-chikitsa-1/200411-purvottanasana-ronald-richard/ ''Pūrvottānāsana: Pose to stretch the front of the body.''] In: ''ashtangayoga.info.'' Retrieved 12 February 2026. </ref><ref> [https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Yoga_Vidya_Reihe#Purvottasana_-_Schiefe_Ebene_(Gegenstellung_in_der_Yoga_Vidya_Reihe) ''Yoga Vidya Grundreihe - Yoga Vidya Basic Series''] In:''wiki.yoga.vidya.de'' (German).</ref> Although it is not included in the so-called [[A:Rishikesh series|Rishikesh series]] attributed to [[Swami Sivananda]], the inclined plane is often performed in the practice style of his tradition after [[Paschimottanasana]] the seated forward bend.<br />
<br />
In the older writings on Hatha Yoga, namely in the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] (written in the 14th century) and in the [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (probably from the 17th century), this yoga exercise is not mentioned.<br />
<br />
== Physical execution ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Purvottanasana.png|thumb|Purvottanasana with fingers pointing to the feet and head held high.]]<br />
<br />
The starting position is sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out. The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center provides further instructions: "[…] and your palms flat on the floor behind you, fingers pointing away from the body. Lean back slightly on your hands." The hips are now raised up as high as possible and the feet are brought down flat on the floor.Legs are kept straight.<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga''. First Fireside Edition. Simon & Schuster, New York. p. 120 ISBN 0-684-87000-2.</ref><br />
<br />
Erling Petersen, who calls the exercise ''setuāsana'' - ''setu'' is the Sanskrit term for "bridge"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=setu&dir=au ''Search results for "setu".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> - has a different idea for how to perform the exercise. He does not talk about lifting the hips, but says: "Lower your shoulders, lift your chest, and straighten your back."<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 241. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
[[w:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] positions the fingertips towards the feet and gives the following instruction regarding the final position: "The arms will be perpendicular to the floor from the wrists to the shoulders. From the shoulders to the pelvis, the trunk will be parallel to the floor. Stretch the neck an throw the head as far back as possible."<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India, pp. 176. </ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill emphasizes a mental preparation to tense the whole body. After this preparation the body is lifted up in a big movement. The head then should fall back at the neck. He recommends to hold the pose at least half a minute up to one minute. The decision about the duration is to be taken before entering.<ref name=":0">Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga'', pp. 280-282, ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2. </ref><br />
<br />
== Focusing attention during the exercise ==<br />
<br />
Attention can be directed towards the free flow of the breath. Furthermore a calm clarity and serenity should be maintained during the exercise.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
==The picture and the meaning of the exercise==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes the spiritual meaning of Purvottanasana as follows:<br />
<br />
The body is extended into an almost horizontal plane. This horizontal plane is like a contrast to the vertical extension and therefore is of a fundamentally different nature. The horizontal plane is a symbol for the earthly world, while the vertical orientation reflects the celestial dimension of the human being. Here practitioners consciously enter into the tension throughout their body and hold themselves stable in the horizontal, exposed state for a predecided length of time. The movement itself attains its lightness through the fact that practitioners become conscious of the body and experience it in a kind of "tension without being tense", or as the [[W:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gītā]] says, in an "action in inaction". This perfectly free movement seems like a great contraction of the body to its own mid-point in ''mūlādhāra-cakra.'' It is in this aesthetic lightness expressed by the movement that the learning step and the meaning of the exercise lies.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
== Reports on healing effects ==<br />
<br />
B. K. S. Iyengar recounts the experience, that the posture strengthens the wrists and ankles.<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India. p. 177.</ref> Erling Petersen mentions the improving effect on the breathing, as tension of the breathing muscles is eliminated.<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 239. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill indicates the strengthening effect on the muscular system but also emphasizes the strengthening of the nervous system. This strengthening occurs because the practitioner deliberately and consciously rises above the body’s sensations of heaviness. "By rising above the body’s states, the practitioner experiences themselves in the immediacy of potential acts of will."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''Das große Buch der Heilkraft durch Yogaaktivität - The Great Book of Healing Through Yoga Activity.'' 4th fully revised edition. 2025 (German). Stephan Wunderlich Verlag, Sigmaringen. p. 56. ISBN: 978-3-948803-19-3.</ref><br />
[[index.php?title=File:Vasisthasana_B_-_Full_Side_Plank_with_Toe_Grip.jpg|center|thumb|''Vashistasana'' - Side Plank with an ascending leg.]]<br />
<br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Purvottanasana&diff=148Purvottanasana2026-03-29T11:36:29Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div><br />
<br />
'''Purvottanasana''' (Sanskrit पूर्वोत्तानासन, [[w:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''pūrvottānāsana''), English '''inclined plane''', is an [[exercise]] in yoga. Depending on the type of yoga, it is also referred to as reverse plank, inverted plank or front body stretch. The Sanskrit name ''pūrvottānāsana'' is formed from the words ''pūrva'' "east"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pUrvA&dir=au ''Search results for "pUrvA".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 20 February 2026.</ref>, ''uttāna'' "stretched out"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=uttana&dir=au ''Search results for "uttAna".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> and ''āsana'' "seat"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=es ''Search results for "Asana".''''<nowiki/>''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> or more generally translated as "posture". It can be literally translated as "posture of the intense expansion of the east". According to Indian tradition, the east refers to the front of the body.<br />
<br />
Purvottanasana is part of the first series in [[w:Ashtanga (Vinyasa) Yoga|Ashtanga Yoga]] and of the basic series of Yoga Vidya.<ref>[https://www.ashtangayoga.info/ashtanga-yoga/primary-series-yoga-chikitsa-1/200411-purvottanasana-ronald-richard/ ''Pūrvottānāsana: Pose to stretch the front of the body.''] In: ''ashtangayoga.info.'' Retrieved 12 February 2026. </ref><ref> [https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Yoga_Vidya_Reihe#Purvottasana_-_Schiefe_Ebene_(Gegenstellung_in_der_Yoga_Vidya_Reihe) ''Yoga Vidya Grundreihe - Yoga Vidya Basic Series''] In:''wiki.yoga.vidya.de'' (German).</ref> Although it is not included in the so-called [[A:Rishikesh series|Rishikesh series]] attributed to [[Swami Sivananda]], the inclined plane is often performed in the practice style of his tradition after [[Paschimottanasana]] the seated forward bend.<br />
<br />
In the older writings on Hatha Yoga, namely in the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] (written in the 14th century) and in the [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (probably from the 17th century), this yoga exercise is not mentioned.<br />
<br />
== Physical execution ==<br />
<br />
<br />
The starting position is sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out. The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center provides further instructions: "[…] and your palms flat on the floor behind you, fingers pointing away from the body. Lean back slightly on your hands." The hips are now raised up as high as possible and the feet are brought down flat on the floor.Legs are kept straight.<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga''. First Fireside Edition. Simon & Schuster, New York. p. 120 ISBN 0-684-87000-2.</ref><br />
<br />
Erling Petersen, who calls the exercise ''setuāsana'' - ''setu'' is the Sanskrit term for "bridge"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=setu&dir=au ''Search results for "setu".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> - has a different idea for how to perform the exercise. He does not talk about lifting the hips, but says: "Lower your shoulders, lift your chest, and straighten your back."<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 241. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
[[w:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] positions the fingertips towards the feet and gives the following instruction regarding the final position: "The arms will be perpendicular to the floor from the wrists to the shoulders. From the shoulders to the pelvis, the trunk will be parallel to the floor. Stretch the neck an throw the head as far back as possible."<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India, pp. 176. </ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill emphasizes a mental preparation to tense the whole body. After this preparation the body is lifted up in a big movement. The head then should fall back at the neck. He recommends to hold the pose at least half a minute up to one minute. The decision about the duration is to be taken before entering.<ref name=":0">Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga'', pp. 280-282, ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2. </ref><br />
<br />
== Focusing attention during the exercise ==<br />
<br />
Attention can be directed towards the free flow of the breath. Furthermore a calm clarity and serenity should be maintained during the exercise.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
==The picture and the meaning of the exercise==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes the spiritual meaning of Purvottanasana as follows:<br />
<br />
The body is extended into an almost horizontal plane. This horizontal plane is like a contrast to the vertical extension and therefore is of a fundamentally different nature. The horizontal plane is a symbol for the earthly world, while the vertical orientation reflects the celestial dimension of the human being. Here practitioners consciously enter into the tension throughout their body and hold themselves stable in the horizontal, exposed state for a predecided length of time. The movement itself attains its lightness through the fact that practitioners become conscious of the body and experience it in a kind of "tension without being tense", or as the [[W:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gītā]] says, in an "action in inaction". This perfectly free movement seems like a great contraction of the body to its own mid-point in ''mūlādhāra-cakra.'' It is in this aesthetic lightness expressed by the movement that the learning step and the meaning of the exercise lies.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
== Reports on healing effects ==<br />
<br />
B. K. S. Iyengar recounts the experience, that the posture strengthens the wrists and ankles.<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India. p. 177.</ref> Erling Petersen mentions the improving effect on the breathing, as tension of the breathing muscles is eliminated.<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 239. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill indicates the strengthening effect on the muscular system but also emphasizes the strengthening of the nervous system. This strengthening occurs because the practitioner deliberately and consciously rises above the body’s sensations of heaviness. "By rising above the body’s states, the practitioner experiences themselves in the immediacy of potential acts of will."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''Das große Buch der Heilkraft durch Yogaaktivität - The Great Book of Healing Through Yoga Activity.'' 4th fully revised edition. 2025 (German). Stephan Wunderlich Verlag, Sigmaringen. p. 56. ISBN: 978-3-948803-19-3.</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Purvottanasana&diff=147Purvottanasana2026-03-29T11:33:48Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:Purvottanasana, Heinz Grill 1992.jpg|thumb|Purvottanasana (inclined plane).]]<br />
<br />
'''Purvottanasana''' (Sanskrit पूर्वोत्तानासन, [[w:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''pūrvottānāsana''), English '''inclined plane''', is an [[exercise]] in yoga. Depending on the type of yoga, it is also referred to as reverse plank, inverted plank or front body stretch. The Sanskrit name ''pūrvottānāsana'' is formed from the words ''pūrva'' "east"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pUrvA&dir=au ''Search results for "pUrvA".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 20 February 2026.</ref>, ''uttāna'' "stretched out"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=uttana&dir=au ''Search results for "uttAna".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> and ''āsana'' "seat"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=es ''Search results for "Asana".''''<nowiki/>''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> or more generally translated as "posture". It can be literally translated as "posture of the intense expansion of the east". According to Indian tradition, the east refers to the front of the body.<br />
<br />
Purvottanasana is part of the first series in [[w:Ashtanga (Vinyasa) Yoga|Ashtanga Yoga]] and of the basic series of Yoga Vidya.<ref>[https://www.ashtangayoga.info/ashtanga-yoga/primary-series-yoga-chikitsa-1/200411-purvottanasana-ronald-richard/ ''Pūrvottānāsana: Pose to stretch the front of the body.''] In: ''ashtangayoga.info.'' Retrieved 12 February 2026. </ref><ref> [https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Yoga_Vidya_Reihe#Purvottasana_-_Schiefe_Ebene_(Gegenstellung_in_der_Yoga_Vidya_Reihe) ''Yoga Vidya Grundreihe - Yoga Vidya Basic Series''] In:''wiki.yoga.vidya.de'' (German).</ref> Although it is not included in the so-called [[A:Rishikesh series|Rishikesh series]] attributed to [[Swami Sivananda]], the inclined plane is often performed in the practice style of his tradition after [[Paschimottanasana]] the seated forward bend.<br />
<br />
In the older writings on Hatha Yoga, namely in the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] (written in the 14th century) and in the [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (probably from the 17th century), this yoga exercise is not mentioned.<br />
<br />
== Physical execution ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Purvottanasana.png|thumb|Purvottanasana with fingers pointing to the feet and head held high.]]<br />
<br />
The starting position is sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out. The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center provides further instructions: "[…] and your palms flat on the floor behind you, fingers pointing away from the body. Lean back slightly on your hands." The hips are now raised up as high as possible and the feet are brought down flat on the floor.Legs are kept straight.<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga''. First Fireside Edition. Simon & Schuster, New York. p. 120 ISBN 0-684-87000-2.</ref><br />
<br />
Erling Petersen, who calls the exercise ''setuāsana'' - ''setu'' is the Sanskrit term for "bridge"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=setu&dir=au ''Search results for "setu".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> - has a different idea for how to perform the exercise. He does not talk about lifting the hips, but says: "Lower your shoulders, lift your chest, and straighten your back."<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 241. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
[[w:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] positions the fingertips towards the feet and gives the following instruction regarding the final position: "The arms will be perpendicular to the floor from the wrists to the shoulders. From the shoulders to the pelvis, the trunk will be parallel to the floor. Stretch the neck an throw the head as far back as possible."<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India, pp. 176. </ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill emphasizes a mental preparation to tense the whole body. After this preparation the body is lifted up in a big movement. The head then should fall back at the neck. He recommends to hold the pose at least half a minute up to one minute. The decision about the duration is to be taken before entering.<ref name=":0">Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga'', pp. 280-282, ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2. </ref><br />
<br />
== Focusing attention during the exercise ==<br />
<br />
Attention can be directed towards the free flow of the breath. Furthermore a calm clarity and serenity should be maintained during the exercise.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
==The picture and the meaning of the exercise==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes the spiritual meaning of Purvottanasana as follows:<br />
<br />
The body is extended into an almost horizontal plane. This horizontal plane is like a contrast to the vertical extension and therefore is of a fundamentally different nature. The horizontal plane is a symbol for the earthly world, while the vertical orientation reflects the celestial dimension of the human being. Here practitioners consciously enter into the tension throughout their body and hold themselves stable in the horizontal, exposed state for a predecided length of time. The movement itself attains its lightness through the fact that practitioners become conscious of the body and experience it in a kind of "tension without being tense", or as the [[W:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gītā]] says, in an "action in inaction". This perfectly free movement seems like a great contraction of the body to its own mid-point in ''mūlādhāra-cakra.'' It is in this aesthetic lightness expressed by the movement that the learning step and the meaning of the exercise lies.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
== Reports on healing effects ==<br />
<br />
B. K. S. Iyengar recounts the experience, that the posture strengthens the wrists and ankles.<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India. p. 177.</ref> Erling Petersen mentions the improving effect on the breathing, as tension of the breathing muscles is eliminated.<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 239. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill indicates the strengthening effect on the muscular system but also emphasizes the strengthening of the nervous system. This strengthening occurs because the practitioner deliberately and consciously rises above the body’s sensations of heaviness. "By rising above the body’s states, the practitioner experiences themselves in the immediacy of potential acts of will."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''Das große Buch der Heilkraft durch Yogaaktivität - The Great Book of Healing Through Yoga Activity.'' 4th fully revised edition. 2025 (German). Stephan Wunderlich Verlag, Sigmaringen. p. 56. ISBN: 978-3-948803-19-3.</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Vasisthasana B - Full Side Plank with Toe Grip.jpg|thumb|200px|center|Variation - ''Vashistasana'' - Side Plank with an ascending leg.]]<br />
<br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Purvottanasana&diff=146Purvottanasana2026-03-29T11:33:25Z<p>Xenja: Xenja moved page User:Xenja/Purvottanasana to Purvottanasana without leaving a redirect</p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:Purvottanasana, Heinz Grill 1992.jpg|thumb|Purvottanasana (inclined plane)]]<br />
<br />
'''Purvottanasana''' (Sanskrit पूर्वोत्तानासन, [[w:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''pūrvottānāsana''), English '''inclined plane''', is an [[exercise]] in yoga. Depending on the type of yoga, it is also referred to as reverse plank, inverted plank or front body stretch. The Sanskrit name ''pūrvottānāsana'' is formed from the words ''pūrva'' "east"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pUrvA&dir=au ''Search results for "pUrvA".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 20 February 2026.</ref>, ''uttāna'' "stretched out"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=uttana&dir=au ''Search results for "uttAna".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> and ''āsana'' "seat"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=es ''Search results for "Asana".''''<nowiki/>''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> or more generally translated as "posture". It can be literally translated as "posture of the intense expansion of the east". According to Indian tradition, the east refers to the front of the body.<br />
<br />
Purvottanasana is part of the first series in [[w:Ashtanga (Vinyasa) Yoga|Ashtanga Yoga]] and of the basic series of Yoga Vidya.<ref>[https://www.ashtangayoga.info/ashtanga-yoga/primary-series-yoga-chikitsa-1/200411-purvottanasana-ronald-richard/ ''Pūrvottānāsana: Pose to stretch the front of the body.''] In: ''ashtangayoga.info.'' Retrieved 12 February 2026. </ref><ref> [https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Yoga_Vidya_Reihe#Purvottasana_-_Schiefe_Ebene_(Gegenstellung_in_der_Yoga_Vidya_Reihe) ''Yoga Vidya Grundreihe - Yoga Vidya Basic Series''] In:''wiki.yoga.vidya.de'' (German).</ref> Although it is not included in the so-called [[A:Rishikesh series|Rishikesh series]] attributed to [[Swami Sivananda]], the inclined plane is often performed in the practice style of his tradition after [[Paschimottanasana]] the seated forward bend.<br />
<br />
In the older writings on Hatha Yoga, namely in the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] (written in the 14th century) and in the [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (probably from the 17th century), this yoga exercise is not mentioned.<br />
<br />
== Physical execution ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Purvottanasana.png|thumb|Purvottanasana with fingers pointing to the feet and head held high.]]<br />
<br />
The starting position is sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out. The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center provides further instructions: "[…] and your palms flat on the floor behind you, fingers pointing away from the body. Lean back slightly on your hands." The hips are now raised up as high as possible and the feet are brought down flat on the floor.Legs are kept straight.<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga''. First Fireside Edition. Simon & Schuster, New York. p. 120 ISBN 0-684-87000-2.</ref><br />
<br />
Erling Petersen, who calls the exercise ''setuāsana'' - ''setu'' is the Sanskrit term for "bridge"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=setu&dir=au ''Search results for "setu".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> - has a different idea for how to perform the exercise. He does not talk about lifting the hips, but says: "Lower your shoulders, lift your chest, and straighten your back."<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 241. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
[[w:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] positions the fingertips towards the feet and gives the following instruction regarding the final position: "The arms will be perpendicular to the floor from the wrists to the shoulders. From the shoulders to the pelvis, the trunk will be parallel to the floor. Stretch the neck an throw the head as far back as possible."<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India, pp. 176. </ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill emphasizes a mental preparation to tense the whole body. After this preparation the body is lifted up in a big movement. The head then should fall back at the neck. He recommends to hold the pose at least half a minute up to one minute. The decision about the duration is to be taken before entering.<ref name=":0">Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga'', pp. 280-282, ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2. </ref><br />
<br />
== Focusing attention during the exercise ==<br />
<br />
Attention can be directed towards the free flow of the breath. Furthermore a calm clarity and serenity should be maintained during the exercise.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
==The picture and the meaning of the exercise==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes the spiritual meaning of Purvottanasana as follows:<br />
<br />
The body is extended into an almost horizontal plane. This horizontal plane is like a contrast to the vertical extension and therefore is of a fundamentally different nature. The horizontal plane is a symbol for the earthly world, while the vertical orientation reflects the celestial dimension of the human being. Here practitioners consciously enter into the tension throughout their body and hold themselves stable in the horizontal, exposed state for a predecided length of time. The movement itself attains its lightness through the fact that practitioners become conscious of the body and experience it in a kind of "tension without being tense", or as the [[W:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gītā]] says, in an "action in inaction". This perfectly free movement seems like a great contraction of the body to its own mid-point in ''mūlādhāra-cakra.'' It is in this aesthetic lightness expressed by the movement that the learning step and the meaning of the exercise lies.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
== Reports on healing effects ==<br />
<br />
B. K. S. Iyengar recounts the experience, that the posture strengthens the wrists and ankles.<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India. p. 177.</ref> Erling Petersen mentions the improving effect on the breathing, as tension of the breathing muscles is eliminated.<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 239. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill indicates the strengthening effect on the muscular system but also emphasizes the strengthening of the nervous system. This strengthening occurs because the practitioner deliberately and consciously rises above the body’s sensations of heaviness. "By rising above the body’s states, the practitioner experiences themselves in the immediacy of potential acts of will."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''Das große Buch der Heilkraft durch Yogaaktivität - The Great Book of Healing Through Yoga Activity.'' 4th fully revised edition. 2025 (German). Stephan Wunderlich Verlag, Sigmaringen. p. 56. ISBN: 978-3-948803-19-3.</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Vasisthasana B - Full Side Plank with Toe Grip.jpg|thumb|200px|center|Variation - ''Vashistasana'' - Side Plank with an ascending leg.]]<br />
<br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Purvottanasana&diff=145Purvottanasana2026-03-29T11:32:05Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:Purvottanasana, Heinz Grill 1992.jpg|thumb|Purvottanasana (inclined plane)]]<br />
<br />
'''Purvottanasana''' (Sanskrit पूर्वोत्तानासन, [[w:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''pūrvottānāsana''), English '''inclined plane''', is an [[exercise]] in yoga. Depending on the type of yoga, it is also referred to as reverse plank, inverted plank or front body stretch. The Sanskrit name ''pūrvottānāsana'' is formed from the words ''pūrva'' "east"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pUrvA&dir=au ''Search results for "pUrvA".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 20 February 2026.</ref>, ''uttāna'' "stretched out"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=uttana&dir=au ''Search results for "uttAna".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> and ''āsana'' "seat"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=es ''Search results for "Asana".''''<nowiki/>''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> or more generally translated as "posture". It can be literally translated as "posture of the intense expansion of the east". According to Indian tradition, the east refers to the front of the body.<br />
<br />
Purvottanasana is part of the first series in [[w:Ashtanga (Vinyasa) Yoga|Ashtanga Yoga]] and of the basic series of Yoga Vidya.<ref>[https://www.ashtangayoga.info/ashtanga-yoga/primary-series-yoga-chikitsa-1/200411-purvottanasana-ronald-richard/ ''Pūrvottānāsana: Pose to stretch the front of the body.''] In: ''ashtangayoga.info.'' Retrieved 12 February 2026. </ref><ref> [https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Yoga_Vidya_Reihe#Purvottasana_-_Schiefe_Ebene_(Gegenstellung_in_der_Yoga_Vidya_Reihe) ''Yoga Vidya Grundreihe - Yoga Vidya Basic Series''] In:''wiki.yoga.vidya.de'' (German).</ref> Although it is not included in the so-called [[A:Rishikesh series|Rishikesh series]] attributed to [[Swami Sivananda]], the inclined plane is often performed in the practice style of his tradition after [[Paschimottanasana]] the seated forward bend.<br />
<br />
In the older writings on Hatha Yoga, namely in the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] (written in the 14th century) and in the [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (probably from the 17th century), this yoga exercise is not mentioned.<br />
<br />
== Physical execution ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Purvottanasana.png|thumb|Purvottanasana with fingers pointing to the feet and head held high.]]<br />
<br />
The starting position is sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out. The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center provides further instructions: "[…] and your palms flat on the floor behind you, fingers pointing away from the body. Lean back slightly on your hands." The hips are now raised up as high as possible and the feet are brought down flat on the floor.Legs are kept straight.<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga''. First Fireside Edition. Simon & Schuster, New York. p. 120 ISBN 0-684-87000-2.</ref><br />
<br />
Erling Petersen, who calls the exercise ''setuāsana'' - ''setu'' is the Sanskrit term for "bridge"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=setu&dir=au ''Search results for "setu".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> - has a different idea for how to perform the exercise. He does not talk about lifting the hips, but says: "Lower your shoulders, lift your chest, and straighten your back."<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 241. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
[[w:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] positions the fingertips towards the feet and gives the following instruction regarding the final position: "The arms will be perpendicular to the floor from the wrists to the shoulders. From the shoulders to the pelvis, the trunk will be parallel to the floor. Stretch the neck an throw the head as far back as possible."<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India, pp. 176. </ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill emphasizes a mental preparation to tense the whole body. After this preparation the body is lifted up in a big movement. The head then should fall back at the neck. He recommends to hold the pose at least half a minute up to one minute. The decision about the duration is to be taken before entering.<ref name=":0">Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga'', pp. 280-282, ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2. </ref><br />
<br />
== Focusing attention during the exercise ==<br />
<br />
Attention can be directed towards the free flow of the breath. Furthermore a calm clarity and serenity should be maintained during the exercise.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
==The picture and the meaning of the exercise==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes the spiritual meaning of Purvottanasana as follows:<br />
<br />
The body is extended into an almost horizontal plane. This horizontal plane is like a contrast to the vertical extension and therefore is of a fundamentally different nature. The horizontal plane is a symbol for the earthly world, while the vertical orientation reflects the celestial dimension of the human being. Here practitioners consciously enter into the tension throughout their body and hold themselves stable in the horizontal, exposed state for a predecided length of time. The movement itself attains its lightness through the fact that practitioners become conscious of the body and experience it in a kind of "tension without being tense", or as the [[W:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gītā]] says, in an "action in inaction". This perfectly free movement seems like a great contraction of the body to its own mid-point in ''mūlādhāra-cakra.'' It is in this aesthetic lightness expressed by the movement that the learning step and the meaning of the exercise lies.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
== Reports on healing effects ==<br />
<br />
B. K. S. Iyengar recounts the experience, that the posture strengthens the wrists and ankles.<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India. p. 177.</ref> Erling Petersen mentions the improving effect on the breathing, as tension of the breathing muscles is eliminated.<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 239. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill indicates the strengthening effect on the muscular system but also emphasizes the strengthening of the nervous system. This strengthening occurs because the practitioner deliberately and consciously rises above the body’s sensations of heaviness. "By rising above the body’s states, the practitioner experiences themselves in the immediacy of potential acts of will."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''Das große Buch der Heilkraft durch Yogaaktivität - The Great Book of Healing Through Yoga Activity.'' 4th fully revised edition. 2025 (German). Stephan Wunderlich Verlag, Sigmaringen. p. 56. ISBN: 978-3-948803-19-3.</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Vasisthasana B - Full Side Plank with Toe Grip.jpg|thumb|200px|center|Variation - ''Vashistasana'' - Side Plank with an ascending leg.]]<br />
<br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Purvottanasana&diff=144Purvottanasana2026-03-29T11:29:30Z<p>Xenja: /* Reports on healing effects */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:Purvottanasana, Heinz Grill 1992.jpg|thumb|Purvottanasana (inclined plane)]]<br />
<br />
'''Purvottanasana''' (Sanskrit पूर्वोत्तानासन, [[w:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''pūrvottānāsana''), English '''inclined plane''', is an [[exercise]] in yoga. Depending on the type of yoga, it is also referred to as reverse plank, inverted plank or front body stretch. The Sanskrit name ''pūrvottānāsana'' is formed from the words ''pūrva'' "east"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pUrvA&dir=au ''Search results for "pUrvA".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 20 February 2026.</ref>, ''uttāna'' "stretched out"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=uttana&dir=au ''Search results for "uttAna".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> and ''āsana'' "seat"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=es ''Search results for "Asana".''''<nowiki/>''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> or more generally translated as "posture". It can be literally translated as "posture of the intense expansion of the east". According to Indian tradition, the east refers to the front of the body.<br />
<br />
Purvottanasana is part of the first series in [[w:Ashtanga (Vinyasa) Yoga|Ashtanga Yoga]] and of the basic series of Yoga Vidya.<ref>[https://www.ashtangayoga.info/ashtanga-yoga/primary-series-yoga-chikitsa-1/200411-purvottanasana-ronald-richard/ ''Pūrvottānāsana: Pose to stretch the front of the body.''] In: ''ashtangayoga.info.'' Retrieved 12 February 2026. </ref><ref> [https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Yoga_Vidya_Reihe#Purvottasana_-_Schiefe_Ebene_(Gegenstellung_in_der_Yoga_Vidya_Reihe) ''Yoga Vidya Grundreihe - Yoga Vidya Basic Series''] In:''wiki.yoga.vidya.de'' (German).</ref> Although it is not included in the so-called [[A:Rishikesh series|Rishikesh series]] attributed to [[Swami Sivananda]], the inclined plane is often performed in the practice style of his tradition after [[Paschimottanasana]] the seated forward bend.<br />
<br />
In the older writings on Hatha Yoga, namely in the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] (written in the 14th century) and in the [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (probably from the 17th century), this yoga exercise is not mentioned.<br />
<br />
== Physical execution ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Purvottanasana.png|thumb|Purvottanasana with fingers pointing to the feet and head held high.]]<br />
<br />
The starting position is sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out. The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center provides further instructions: "[…] and your palms flat on the floor behind you, fingers pointing away from the body. Lean back slightly on your hands." The hips are now raised up as high as possible and the feet are brought down flat on the floor.Legs are kept straight.<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga''. First Fireside Edition. Simon & Schuster, New York. p. 120 ISBN 0-684-87000-2.</ref><br />
<br />
Erling Petersen, who calls the exercise ''setuāsana'' - ''setu'' is the Sanskrit term for "bridge"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=setu&dir=au ''Search results for "setu".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> - has a different idea for how to perform the exercise. He does not talk about lifting the hips, but says: "Lower your shoulders, lift your chest, and straighten your back."<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 241. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
[[w:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] positions the fingertips towards the feet and gives the following instruction regarding the final position: "The arms will be perpendicular to the floor from the wrists to the shoulders. From the shoulders to the pelvis, the trunk will be parallel to the floor. Stretch the neck an throw the head as far back as possible."<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India, pp. 176. </ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill emphasizes a mental preparation to tense the whole body. After this preparation the body is lifted up in a big movement. The head then should fall back at the neck. He recommends to hold the pose at least half a minute up to one minute. The decision about the duration is to be taken before entering.<ref name=":0">Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga'', pp. 280-282, ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2. </ref><br />
<br />
== Focusing attention during the exercise ==<br />
<br />
Attention can be directed towards the free flow of the breath. Furthermore a calm clarity and serenity should be maintained during the exercise.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
==The picture and the meaning of the exercise==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes the spiritual meaning of Purvottanasana as follows:<br />
<br />
The body is extended into an almost horizontal plane. This horizontal plane is like a contrast to the vertical extension and therefore is of a fundamentally different nature. The horizontal plane is a symbol for the earthly world, while the vertical orientation reflects the celestial dimension of the human being. Here practitioners consciously enter into the tension throughout their body and hold themselves stable in the horizontal, exposed state for a predecided length of time. The movement itself attains its lightness through the fact that practitioners become conscious of the body and experience it in a kind of "tension without being tense", or as the [[W:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gītā]] says, in an "action in inaction". This perfectly free movement seems like a great contraction of the body to its own mid-point in ''mūlādhāra-cakra.'' It is in this aesthetic lightness expressed by the movement that the learning step and the meaning of the exercise lies.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
== Reports on healing effects ==<br />
<br />
B. K. S. Iyengar recounts the experience, that the posture strengthens the wrists and ankles.<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India. p. 177.</ref> Erling Petersen mentions the improving effect on the breathing, as tension of the breathing muscles is eliminated.<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 239. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill indicates the strengthening effect on the muscular system but also emphasizes the strengthening of the nervous system. This strengthening occurs because the practitioner deliberately and consciously rises above the body’s sensations of heaviness. "By rising above the body’s states, the practitioner experiences themselves in the immediacy of potential acts of will."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''Das große Buch der Heilkraft durch Yogaaktivität - The Great Book of Healing Through Yoga.'' 4th fully revised edition. 2025 (German). Stephan Wunderlich Verlag, Sigmaringen. p. 56. ISBN: 978-3-948803-19-3.</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Vasisthasana B - Full Side Plank with Toe Grip.jpg|thumb|200px|center|Variation - ''Vashistasana'' - Side Plank with an ascending leg.]]<br />
<br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Purvottanasana&diff=143Purvottanasana2026-03-29T11:28:44Z<p>Xenja: /* Reports on healing effects */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:Purvottanasana, Heinz Grill 1992.jpg|thumb|Purvottanasana (inclined plane)]]<br />
<br />
'''Purvottanasana''' (Sanskrit पूर्वोत्तानासन, [[w:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''pūrvottānāsana''), English '''inclined plane''', is an [[exercise]] in yoga. Depending on the type of yoga, it is also referred to as reverse plank, inverted plank or front body stretch. The Sanskrit name ''pūrvottānāsana'' is formed from the words ''pūrva'' "east"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pUrvA&dir=au ''Search results for "pUrvA".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 20 February 2026.</ref>, ''uttāna'' "stretched out"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=uttana&dir=au ''Search results for "uttAna".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> and ''āsana'' "seat"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=es ''Search results for "Asana".''''<nowiki/>''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> or more generally translated as "posture". It can be literally translated as "posture of the intense expansion of the east". According to Indian tradition, the east refers to the front of the body.<br />
<br />
Purvottanasana is part of the first series in [[w:Ashtanga (Vinyasa) Yoga|Ashtanga Yoga]] and of the basic series of Yoga Vidya.<ref>[https://www.ashtangayoga.info/ashtanga-yoga/primary-series-yoga-chikitsa-1/200411-purvottanasana-ronald-richard/ ''Pūrvottānāsana: Pose to stretch the front of the body.''] In: ''ashtangayoga.info.'' Retrieved 12 February 2026. </ref><ref> [https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Yoga_Vidya_Reihe#Purvottasana_-_Schiefe_Ebene_(Gegenstellung_in_der_Yoga_Vidya_Reihe) ''Yoga Vidya Grundreihe - Yoga Vidya Basic Series''] In:''wiki.yoga.vidya.de'' (German).</ref> Although it is not included in the so-called [[A:Rishikesh series|Rishikesh series]] attributed to [[Swami Sivananda]], the inclined plane is often performed in the practice style of his tradition after [[Paschimottanasana]] the seated forward bend.<br />
<br />
In the older writings on Hatha Yoga, namely in the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] (written in the 14th century) and in the [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (probably from the 17th century), this yoga exercise is not mentioned.<br />
<br />
== Physical execution ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Purvottanasana.png|thumb|Purvottanasana with fingers pointing to the feet and head held high.]]<br />
<br />
The starting position is sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out. The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center provides further instructions: "[…] and your palms flat on the floor behind you, fingers pointing away from the body. Lean back slightly on your hands." The hips are now raised up as high as possible and the feet are brought down flat on the floor.Legs are kept straight.<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga''. First Fireside Edition. Simon & Schuster, New York. p. 120 ISBN 0-684-87000-2.</ref><br />
<br />
Erling Petersen, who calls the exercise ''setuāsana'' - ''setu'' is the Sanskrit term for "bridge"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=setu&dir=au ''Search results for "setu".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> - has a different idea for how to perform the exercise. He does not talk about lifting the hips, but says: "Lower your shoulders, lift your chest, and straighten your back."<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 241. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
[[w:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] positions the fingertips towards the feet and gives the following instruction regarding the final position: "The arms will be perpendicular to the floor from the wrists to the shoulders. From the shoulders to the pelvis, the trunk will be parallel to the floor. Stretch the neck an throw the head as far back as possible."<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India, pp. 176. </ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill emphasizes a mental preparation to tense the whole body. After this preparation the body is lifted up in a big movement. The head then should fall back at the neck. He recommends to hold the pose at least half a minute up to one minute. The decision about the duration is to be taken before entering.<ref name=":0">Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga'', pp. 280-282, ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2. </ref><br />
<br />
== Focusing attention during the exercise ==<br />
<br />
Attention can be directed towards the free flow of the breath. Furthermore a calm clarity and serenity should be maintained during the exercise.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
==The picture and the meaning of the exercise==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes the spiritual meaning of Purvottanasana as follows:<br />
<br />
The body is extended into an almost horizontal plane. This horizontal plane is like a contrast to the vertical extension and therefore is of a fundamentally different nature. The horizontal plane is a symbol for the earthly world, while the vertical orientation reflects the celestial dimension of the human being. Here practitioners consciously enter into the tension throughout their body and hold themselves stable in the horizontal, exposed state for a predecided length of time. The movement itself attains its lightness through the fact that practitioners become conscious of the body and experience it in a kind of "tension without being tense", or as the [[W:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gītā]] says, in an "action in inaction". This perfectly free movement seems like a great contraction of the body to its own mid-point in ''mūlādhāra-cakra.'' It is in this aesthetic lightness expressed by the movement that the learning step and the meaning of the exercise lies.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
== Reports on healing effects ==<br />
<br />
B. K. S. Iyengar recounts the experience, that the posture strengthens the wrists and ankles.<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India. p. 177.</ref> Erling Petersen mentions the improving effect on the breathing, as tension of the breathing muscles is eliminated.<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 239. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill indicates the strengthening effect on the muscular system but also emphasizes the strengthening of the nervous system. This strengthening occurs because the practitioner deliberately and consciously rises above the body’s sensations of heaviness. "By rising above the body’s states, the practitioner experiences themselves in the immediacy of potential acts of will."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''Das große Buch der Heilkraft durch Yogaaktivität - The Great Book of Healing Through Yoga.'' 4th fully revised edition. 2025 (German). Stephan Wunderlich Verlag, Sigmaringen. p. 56. ISBN: 978-3-948803-19-3.</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Vasisthasana B - Full Side Plank with Toe Grip.jpg|thumb|200px|center|Variation - ''Vashistasana'' - Side Plank with an ascending leg]]<br />
<br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Purvottanasana&diff=142Purvottanasana2026-03-29T11:27:29Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:Purvottanasana, Heinz Grill 1992.jpg|thumb|Purvottanasana (inclined plane)]]<br />
<br />
'''Purvottanasana''' (Sanskrit पूर्वोत्तानासन, [[w:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''pūrvottānāsana''), English '''inclined plane''', is an [[exercise]] in yoga. Depending on the type of yoga, it is also referred to as reverse plank, inverted plank or front body stretch. The Sanskrit name ''pūrvottānāsana'' is formed from the words ''pūrva'' "east"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pUrvA&dir=au ''Search results for "pUrvA".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 20 February 2026.</ref>, ''uttāna'' "stretched out"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=uttana&dir=au ''Search results for "uttAna".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> and ''āsana'' "seat"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=es ''Search results for "Asana".''''<nowiki/>''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> or more generally translated as "posture". It can be literally translated as "posture of the intense expansion of the east". According to Indian tradition, the east refers to the front of the body.<br />
<br />
Purvottanasana is part of the first series in [[w:Ashtanga (Vinyasa) Yoga|Ashtanga Yoga]] and of the basic series of Yoga Vidya.<ref>[https://www.ashtangayoga.info/ashtanga-yoga/primary-series-yoga-chikitsa-1/200411-purvottanasana-ronald-richard/ ''Pūrvottānāsana: Pose to stretch the front of the body.''] In: ''ashtangayoga.info.'' Retrieved 12 February 2026. </ref><ref> [https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Yoga_Vidya_Reihe#Purvottasana_-_Schiefe_Ebene_(Gegenstellung_in_der_Yoga_Vidya_Reihe) ''Yoga Vidya Grundreihe - Yoga Vidya Basic Series''] In:''wiki.yoga.vidya.de'' (German).</ref> Although it is not included in the so-called [[A:Rishikesh series|Rishikesh series]] attributed to [[Swami Sivananda]], the inclined plane is often performed in the practice style of his tradition after [[Paschimottanasana]] the seated forward bend.<br />
<br />
In the older writings on Hatha Yoga, namely in the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] (written in the 14th century) and in the [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (probably from the 17th century), this yoga exercise is not mentioned.<br />
<br />
== Physical execution ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Purvottanasana.png|thumb|Purvottanasana with fingers pointing to the feet and head held high.]]<br />
<br />
The starting position is sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out. The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center provides further instructions: "[…] and your palms flat on the floor behind you, fingers pointing away from the body. Lean back slightly on your hands." The hips are now raised up as high as possible and the feet are brought down flat on the floor.Legs are kept straight.<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga''. First Fireside Edition. Simon & Schuster, New York. p. 120 ISBN 0-684-87000-2.</ref><br />
<br />
Erling Petersen, who calls the exercise ''setuāsana'' - ''setu'' is the Sanskrit term for "bridge"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=setu&dir=au ''Search results for "setu".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> - has a different idea for how to perform the exercise. He does not talk about lifting the hips, but says: "Lower your shoulders, lift your chest, and straighten your back."<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 241. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
[[w:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] positions the fingertips towards the feet and gives the following instruction regarding the final position: "The arms will be perpendicular to the floor from the wrists to the shoulders. From the shoulders to the pelvis, the trunk will be parallel to the floor. Stretch the neck an throw the head as far back as possible."<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India, pp. 176. </ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill emphasizes a mental preparation to tense the whole body. After this preparation the body is lifted up in a big movement. The head then should fall back at the neck. He recommends to hold the pose at least half a minute up to one minute. The decision about the duration is to be taken before entering.<ref name=":0">Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga'', pp. 280-282, ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2. </ref><br />
<br />
== Focusing attention during the exercise ==<br />
<br />
Attention can be directed towards the free flow of the breath. Furthermore a calm clarity and serenity should be maintained during the exercise.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
==The picture and the meaning of the exercise==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes the spiritual meaning of Purvottanasana as follows:<br />
<br />
The body is extended into an almost horizontal plane. This horizontal plane is like a contrast to the vertical extension and therefore is of a fundamentally different nature. The horizontal plane is a symbol for the earthly world, while the vertical orientation reflects the celestial dimension of the human being. Here practitioners consciously enter into the tension throughout their body and hold themselves stable in the horizontal, exposed state for a predecided length of time. The movement itself attains its lightness through the fact that practitioners become conscious of the body and experience it in a kind of "tension without being tense", or as the [[W:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gītā]] says, in an "action in inaction". This perfectly free movement seems like a great contraction of the body to its own mid-point in ''mūlādhāra-cakra.'' It is in this aesthetic lightness expressed by the movement that the learning step and the meaning of the exercise lies.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
== Reports on healing effects ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Vasisthasana B - Full Side Plank with Toe Grip.jpg|thumb|200px|Variation - ''Vashistasana'' - Side Plank with an ascending leg]]<br />
<br />
B. K. S. Iyengar recounts the experience, that the posture strengthens the wrists and ankles.<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India. p. 177.</ref> Erling Petersen mentions the improving effect on the breathing, as tension of the breathing muscles is eliminated.<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 239. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill indicates the strengthening effect on the muscular system but also emphasizes the strengthening of the nervous system. This strengthening occurs because the practitioner deliberately and consciously rises above the body’s sensations of heaviness. "By rising above the body’s states, the practitioner experiences themselves in the immediacy of potential acts of will."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''Das große Buch der Heilkraft durch Yogaaktivität - The Great Book of Healing Through Yoga.'' 4th fully revised edition. 2025 (German). Stephan Wunderlich Verlag, Sigmaringen. p. 56. ISBN: 978-3-948803-19-3.</ref><br />
<br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Purvottanasana&diff=141Purvottanasana2026-03-29T11:26:10Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:Purvottanasana, Heinz Grill 1992.jpg|thumb|Purvottanasana (inclined plane)]]<br />
<br />
'''Purvottanasana''' (Sanskrit पूर्वोत्तानासन, [[w:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''pūrvottānāsana''), English '''inclined plane''', is an [[exercise]] in yoga. Depending on the type of yoga, it is also referred to as reverse plank, inverted plank or front body stretch. The Sanskrit name ''pūrvottānāsana'' is formed from the words ''pūrva'' "east"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pUrvA&dir=au ''Search results for "pUrvA".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 20 February 2026.</ref>, ''uttāna'' "stretched out"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=uttana&dir=au ''Search results for "uttAna".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> and ''āsana'' "seat"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=es ''Search results for "Asana".''''<nowiki/>''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> or more generally translated as "posture". It can be literally translated as "posture of the intense expansion of the east". According to Indian tradition, the east refers to the front of the body.<br />
<br />
Purvottanasana is part of the first series in [[w:Ashtanga (Vinyasa) Yoga|Ashtanga Yoga]] and of the basic series of Yoga Vidya.<ref>[https://www.ashtangayoga.info/ashtanga-yoga/primary-series-yoga-chikitsa-1/200411-purvottanasana-ronald-richard/ ''Pūrvottānāsana: Pose to stretch the front of the body.''] In: ''ashtangayoga.info.'' Retrieved 12 February 2026. </ref><ref> [https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Yoga_Vidya_Reihe#Purvottasana_-_Schiefe_Ebene_(Gegenstellung_in_der_Yoga_Vidya_Reihe) ''Yoga Vidya Grundreihe - Yoga Vidya Basic Series''] In:''wiki.yoga.vidya.de'' (German).</ref> Although it is not included in the so-called [[A:Rishikesh series|Rishikesh series]] attributed to [[Swami Sivananda]], the inclined plane is often performed in the practice style of his tradition after [[Paschimottanasana]] the seated forward bend.<br />
<br />
In the older writings on Hatha Yoga, namely in the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] (written in the 14th century) and in the [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (probably from the 17th century), this yoga exercise is not mentioned.<br />
<br />
== Physical execution ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Purvottanasana.png|thumb|Purvottanasana with fingers pointing to the feet and head held high.]]<br />
<br />
The starting position is sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out. The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center provides further instructions: "[…] and your palms flat on the floor behind you, fingers pointing away from the body. Lean back slightly on your hands." The hips are now raised up as high as possible and the feet are brought down flat on the floor.Legs are kept straight.<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga''. First Fireside Edition. Simon & Schuster, New York. p. 120 ISBN 0-684-87000-2.</ref><br />
<br />
Erling Petersen, who calls the exercise ''setuāsana'' - ''setu'' is the Sanskrit term for "bridge"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=setu&dir=au ''Search results for "setu".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> - has a different idea for how to perform the exercise. He does not talk about lifting the hips, but says: "Lower your shoulders, lift your chest, and straighten your back."<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 241. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
[[w:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] positions the fingertips towards the feet and gives the following instruction regarding the final position: "The arms will be perpendicular to the floor from the wrists to the shoulders. From the shoulders to the pelvis, the trunk will be parallel to the floor. Stretch the neck an throw the head as far back as possible."<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India, pp. 176. </ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill emphasizes a mental preparation to tense the whole body. After this preparation the body is lifted up in a big movement. The head then should fall back at the neck. He recommends to hold the pose at least half a minute up to one minute. The decision about the duration is to be taken before entering.<ref name=":0">Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga'', pp. 280-282, ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2. </ref><br />
<br />
== Focusing attention during the exercise ==<br />
<br />
Attention can be directed towards the free flow of the breath. Furthermore a calm clarity and serenity should be maintained during the exercise.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
==The picture and the meaning of the exercise==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes the spiritual meaning of Purvottanasana as follows:<br />
<br />
The body is extended into an almost horizontal plane. This horizontal plane is like a contrast to the vertical extension and therefore is of a fundamentally different nature. The horizontal plane is a symbol for the earthly world, while the vertical orientation reflects the celestial dimension of the human being. Here practitioners consciously enter into the tension throughout their body and hold themselves stable in the horizontal, exposed state for a predecided length of time. The movement itself attains its lightness through the fact that practitioners become conscious of the body and experience it in a kind of "tension without being tense", or as the [[W:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gītā]] says, in an "action in inaction". This perfectly free movement seems like a great contraction of the body to its own mid-point in ''mūlādhāra-cakra.'' It is in this aesthetic lightness expressed by the movement that the learning step and the meaning of the exercise lies.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
== Reports on healing effects ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Vasisthasana B - Full Side Plank with Toe Grip.jpg|thumb|Variation - ''Vashistasana'' - Side Plank with an ascending leg]]<br />
<br />
B. K. S. Iyengar recounts the experience, that the posture strengthens the wrists and ankles.<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India. p. 177.</ref> Erling Petersen mentions the improving effect on the breathing, as tension of the breathing muscles is eliminated.<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 239. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill indicates the strengthening effect on the muscular system but also emphasizes the strengthening of the nervous system. This strengthening occurs because the practitioner deliberately and consciously rises above the body’s sensations of heaviness. "By rising above the body’s states, the practitioner experiences themselves in the immediacy of potential acts of will."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''Das große Buch der Heilkraft durch Yogaaktivität - The Great Book of Healing Through Yoga.'' 4th fully revised edition. 2025 (German). Stephan Wunderlich Verlag, Sigmaringen. p. 56. ISBN: 978-3-948803-19-3.</ref><br />
<br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Purvottanasana&diff=140Purvottanasana2026-03-29T11:09:47Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div>'''Purvottanasana''' (Sanskrit पूर्वोत्तानासन, [[w:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''pūrvottānāsana''), English '''inclined plane''', is an [[exercise]] in yoga. Depending on the type of yoga, it is also referred to as reverse plank, inverted plank or front body stretch. The Sanskrit name ''pūrvottānāsana'' is formed from the words ''pūrva'' "east"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pUrvA&dir=au ''Search results for "pUrvA".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 20 February 2026.</ref>, ''uttāna'' "stretched out"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=uttana&dir=au ''Search results for "uttAna".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> and ''āsana'' "seat"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=es ''Search results for "Asana".''''<nowiki/>''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> or more generally translated as "posture". It can be literally translated as "posture of the intense expansion of the east". According to Indian tradition, the east refers to the front of the body.<br />
<br />
Purvottanasana is part of the first series in [[w:Ashtanga (Vinyasa) Yoga|Ashtanga Yoga]] and of the basic series of Yoga Vidya.<ref>[https://www.ashtangayoga.info/ashtanga-yoga/primary-series-yoga-chikitsa-1/200411-purvottanasana-ronald-richard/ ''Pūrvottānāsana: Pose to stretch the front of the body.''] In: ''ashtangayoga.info.'' Retrieved 12 February 2026. </ref><ref> [https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Yoga_Vidya_Reihe#Purvottasana_-_Schiefe_Ebene_(Gegenstellung_in_der_Yoga_Vidya_Reihe) ''Yoga Vidya Grundreihe - Yoga Vidya Basic Series''] In:''wiki.yoga.vidya.de'' (German).</ref> Although it is not included in the so-called [[A:Rishikesh series|Rishikesh series]] attributed to [[Swami Sivananda]], the inclined plane is often performed in the practice style of his tradition after [[Paschimottanasana]] the seated forward bend.<br />
<br />
In the older writings on Hatha Yoga, namely in the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] (written in the 14th century) and in the [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (probably from the 17th century), this yoga exercise is not mentioned.<br />
<br />
== Physical execution ==<br />
<br />
The starting position is sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out. The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center provides further instructions: "[…] and your palms flat on the floor behind you, fingers pointing away from the body. Lean back slightly on your hands." The hips are now raised up as high as possible and the feet are brought down flat on the floor.Legs are kept straight.<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga''. First Fireside Edition. Simon & Schuster, New York. p. 120 ISBN 0-684-87000-2.</ref><br />
<br />
Erling Petersen, who calls the exercise ''setuāsana'' - ''setu'' is the Sanskrit term for "bridge"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=setu&dir=au ''Search results for "setu".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> - has a different idea for how to perform the exercise. He does not talk about lifting the hips, but says: "Lower your shoulders, lift your chest, and straighten your back."<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 241. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
[[w:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] positions the fingertips towards the feet and gives the following instruction regarding the final position: "The arms will be perpendicular to the floor from the wrists to the shoulders. From the shoulders to the pelvis, the trunk will be parallel to the floor. Stretch the neck an throw the head as far back as possible."<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India, pp. 176. </ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill emphasizes a mental preparation to tense the whole body. After this preparation the body is lifted up in a big movement. The head then should fall back at the neck. He recommends to hold the pose at least half a minute up to one minute. The decision about the duration is to be taken before entering.<ref name=":0">Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga'', pp. 280-282, ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2. </ref><br />
<br />
== Focusing attention during the exercise ==<br />
<br />
Attention can be directed towards the free flow of the breath. Furthermore a calm clarity and serenity should be maintained during the exercise.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
==The picture and the meaning of the exercise==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes the spiritual meaning of Purvottanasana as follows:<br />
<br />
The body is extended into an almost horizontal plane. This horizontal plane is like a contrast to the vertical extension and therefore is of a fundamentally different nature. The horizontal plane is a symbol for the earthly world, while the vertical orientation reflects the celestial dimension of the human being. Here practitioners consciously enter into the tension throughout their body and hold themselves stable in the horizontal, exposed state for a predecided length of time. The movement itself attains its lightness through the fact that practitioners become conscious of the body and experience it in a kind of "tension without being tense", or as the [[W:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gītā]] says, in an "action in inaction". This perfectly free movement seems like a great contraction of the body to its own mid-point in ''mūlādhāra-cakra.'' It is in this aesthetic lightness expressed by the movement that the learning step and the meaning of the exercise lies.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
== Reports on healing effects ==<br />
B. K. S. Iyengar recounts the experience, that the posture strengthens the wrists and ankles.<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India. p. 177.</ref> Erling Petersen mentions the improving effect on the breathing, as tension of the breathing muscles is eliminated.<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 239. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill indicates the strengthening effect on the muscular system but also emphasizes the strengthening of the nervous system. This strengthening occurs because the practitioner deliberately and consciously rises above the body’s sensations of heaviness. "By rising above the body’s states, the practitioner experiences themselves in the immediacy of potential acts of will."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''Das große Buch der Heilkraft durch Yogaaktivität - The Great Book of Healing Through Yoga.'' 4th fully revised edition. 2025 (German). Stephan Wunderlich Verlag, Sigmaringen. p. 56. ISBN: 978-3-948803-19-3.</ref><br />
<br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Purvottanasana&diff=139Purvottanasana2026-03-29T11:01:22Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div>'''Purvottanasana''' (Sanskrit पूर्वोत्तानासन, [[w:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''pūrvottānāsana''), English '''inclined plane''', is an [[exercise]] in yoga. Depending on the type of yoga, it is also referred to as reverse plank, inverted plank or front body stretch. The Sanskrit name ''pūrvottānāsana'' is formed from the words ''pūrva'' "east"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pUrvA&dir=au ''Search results for "pUrvA".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 20 February 2026.</ref>, ''uttāna'' "stretched out"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=uttana&dir=au ''Search results for "uttAna".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> and ''āsana'' "seat"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=es ‘'Search results for ''Asana''.''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> or more generally translated as "posture". It can be literally translated as "posture of the intense expansion of the east". According to Indian tradition, the east refers to the front of the body.<br />
<br />
Purvottanasana is part of the first series in [[w:Ashtanga (Vinyasa) Yoga|Ashtanga Yoga]] and of the basic series of Yoga Vidya.<ref>[https://www.ashtangayoga.info/ashtanga-yoga/primary-series-yoga-chikitsa-1/200411-purvottanasana-ronald-richard/ ''Pūrvottānāsana: Pose to stretch the front of the body.''] In: ''ashtangayoga.info.'' Retrieved 12 February 2026. </ref> <ref> [https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Yoga_Vidya_Reihe#Purvottasana_-_Schiefe_Ebene_(Gegenstellung_in_der_Yoga_Vidya_Reihe) ''Yoga Vidya Grundreihe - Yoga Vidya Basic Series''] In:''wiki.yoga.vidya.de'' (German)</ref> Although it is not included in the so-called [[a:Rishikesh series|Rishikesh series]] attributed to [[Swami Sivananda]], the inclined plane is often performed in the practice style of his tradition after [[Paschimottanasana]] the seated forward bend.<br />
<br />
In the older writings on Hatha Yoga, namely in the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] (written in the 14th century) and in the [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (probably from the 17th century), this yoga exercise is not mentioned.<br />
<br />
== Physical execution ==<br />
<br />
The starting position is sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out. The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center provides further instructions: "[…] and your palms flat on the floor behind you, fingers pointing away from the body. Lean back slightly on your hands." The hips are now raised up as high as possible and the feet are brought down flat on the floor.Legs are kept straight. <ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga''. First Fireside Edition. Simon & Schuster, New York. p. 120 ISBN 0-684-87000-2.</ref><br />
<br />
Erling Petersen, who calls the exercise ''setuāsana'' - ''setu'' is the Sanskrit term for "bridge",<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=setu&dir=au ''Search results for "setu".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 29 March 2026.</ref> - has a different idea for how to perform the exercise. He does not talk about lifting the hips, but says: "Lower your shoulders, lift your chest, and straighten your back."<ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 241. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
[[w:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] positions the fingertips towards the feet and gives the following instruction regarding the final position: "The arms will be perpendicular to the floor from the wrists to the shoulders. From the shoulders to the pelvis, the trunk will be parallel to the floor. Stretch the neck an throw the head as far back as possible."<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India, pp. 176. </ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill emphasizes a mental preparation to tense the whole body. After this preparation the body is lifted up in a big movement. The head then should fall back at the neck. He recommends to hold the pose at least half a minute up to one minute. The decision about the duration is to be taken before entering. <ref name=":0">Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga'', pp. 280-282, ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2. </ref><br />
<br />
== Focusing attention during the exercise ==<br />
<br />
Attention can be directed towards the free flow of the breath. Furthermore a calm clarity and serenity should be maintained during the exercise. <ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
==The picture and the meaning of the exercise==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes the spiritual meaning of Purvottanasana as follows:<br />
<br />
The body is extended into an almost horizontal plane. This horizontal plane is like a contrast to the vertical extension and therefore is of a fundamentally different nature. The horizontal plane is a symbol for the earthly world, while the vertical orientation reflects the celestial dimension of the human being. Here practitioners consciously enter into the tension throughout their body and hold themselves stable in the horizontal, exposed state for a predecided length of time.<br />
The movement itself attains its lightness through the fact that practitioners become conscious of the body and experience it in a kind of "tension without being tense", or as the [[W:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gītā]] says, in an "action in inaction". This perfectly free movement seems like a great contraction of the body to its own mid-point in ''mūlādhāra-cakra.'' It is in this aesthetic lightness expressed by the movement that the learning step and the meaning of the exercise lies.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
== Reports on healing effects ==<br />
B. K. S. Iyengar recounts the experience, that the posture strengthens the wrists and ankles.<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India. p. 177.</ref><br />
<br />
Erling Petersen mentions the improving effect on the breathing, as tension of the breathing muscles is eliminated. <ref>Erling Petersen: ''Yoga. Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene. - Yoga. The comprehensive exercise book for beginners and advanced practitioners.'' 3rd edition. 2001 (German). Wilhelm Heyne Verlag, München. p. 239. ISBN 3-453-17963-3.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill is talking about the strengthening effect on muscular system but also emphasizes the strengthening of the nervous system. This strengthening occurs because the practitioner deliberately and consciously rises above the body’s sensations of heaviness. "By rising above the body’s states, the practitioner experiences themselves in the immediacy of potential acts of will."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''Das große Buch der Heilkraft durch Yogaaktivität - The Great Book of Healing Through Yoga'' 4th fully revised edition. 2025 Stephan Wunderlich Verlag, Sigmaringen. p. 56. ISBN: 978-3-948803-19-3</ref><br />
<br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Paschimottanasana&diff=138Paschimottanasana2026-03-28T23:17:44Z<p>Xenja: /* Physical execution */ changed Sivananda Yoga Vedanta</p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:IMG 7809SeatedForwardBendasIyengardid.JPG|thumb|In this execution the back is quite flat and the hands are bent around the feet which is similar to the pose usually shown by B. K. S. Iyengar]]<br />
<br />
'''Pashchimottanasana''', often also written as Paschimottanasana ([[W:Sanskrit|Sanskrit]] पश्चिमोत्तानासन, [[W:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''paścimottānāsana''), English''' seated forward bend''', is a classic [[exercise]] in yoga. The Sanskrit name is composed of the words ''paścima'' "west", which refers to the back of the body,<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pazcima&dir=au ''Search results for "pazcima".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref> ''uttāna'' "intense stretching"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=uttAna&dir=se ''Search results for "uttAna".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref> as well as ''āsana'' "seat" or, more generally translated, "posture".<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=au ''Search results for "Asana".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
==Physical execution==<br />
<br />
Verse 28 of the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] states:<br />
:"[The yogi] should stretch out the legs on the ground [as straight] as a stick, hold the toes of both feet with the hands, and practise with the forehead placed on the knees. They call this the back-stretch (paścimatānam)."<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika Verse 28'']] In: ''hathapradipika.online.''</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Jogapradipika 7 Pascimatanasana.jpg|thumb|150px|This illustration of the asana in an 1830 edition of the Hatha&shy;pradipika clearly shows the intense forward extension of the upper body.]]<br />
<br />
[[W:André Van Lysebeth|André Van Lysebeth]] explains that in the final position the body is folded in two like a penknife. The chest rests against the legs and the forehead touches the knees and, if possible, moving as close as possible to the feet. He mentions that it is essential "to uncurl the whole length of the spine".<ref> André van Lysebeth: ''Yoga: Self-Taught'' Harper & Row Publishers, New York p. 135.</ref><br />
<br />
Swami Sivananda instructs: "Lie flat on the back (spine) over the blanket. Keep the legs and thighs fixed on the ground. Stiffen your body. Slowly raise the head and chest and assume the sitting pose. Now exhale and bend the trunk forward till you are able to catch hold of your toes […]. Bend slowIy by gradual degrees. You can even bury your face between the knees."<ref> Swami Sivananda: ''Hatha Yoga''. 5th ed. The Divine Life Society, Uttarakhand, Himalayas, lndia. p. 36 ISBN 81-7052-192-0. </ref><br />
<br />
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center explains that the head should not be brought to the knees, as this will curve the spine. Instead the torso should be brought as far forward as possible, while keeping the knees and spine straight.<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga''. First Fireside Edition. Simon & Schuster, New York. p. 48 ISBN 0-684-87000-2.</ref><br />
<br />
Swami Vishnudevananda also recommends stiffening the body and then lifting the head and chest until a sitting position is achieved, from which one can continue working toward the final position.<ref>Swami Vishnu-devananda: ''The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga.'' Three Rivers Press, New York. ISBN 978-0-307-78620-3.</ref> <br />
<br />
[[W:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] recommends starting the pose in a seated position and learning "to bend right from the pelvic region and also extend the arms from the shoulders." During the dynamic phase the elbows should be bent and widened and used as levers. The trunk is pulled forward and in the final position the forehead touches the knees.<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India. p. 166.</ref><br />
<br />
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga teaches that in the sitting position, the pelvis should be tilted forward as far as possible and the underside of the legs tensed so that the heels lift slightly off the floor. Furthermore, variations in hand position and thus in the pulling possibilities can increase the lengthening of the spine.<br />
<br />
In [[W:Bikram Yoga|Bikram Yoga]], this asana is also called "Sit Up".<ref>[https://yogasol.com/mastering-the-paschimottanasana-pose-a-power-packed-sit-up/ ''Mastering the paschimottanasana pose''] In:''yogasol.com'' Retrieved 28 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill begins the asana in a seated position with legs stretched out. The upper body is now actively carried forward from the spine, extending well beyond the legs. "With increasing activity coordinate your lower and middle back with the upper parts of the back, the shoulders and arms, which should be subject more and more to a relaxation […] Aim for a conscious stillness with simultaneous overseeing. […] Out of a great impulse originating from the solar plexus or ''manipura chakra'', the movement flows into the lengthways stretch and after sufficient time seeks itself a still, closed form."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga'', p. 156-158, ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2. </ref><br />
=== Physical execution in Ashtanga Yoga ===<br />
<br />
In Ashtanga Yoga, the seated forward bend pose is embedded in a flowing sequence of exercises typical of this style of yoga:<br><br />
<br />
<youtube>uzkMkAMffFQ|500x280|center|''Paschimottanasana – Prashantha Yoga''</youtube><br />
<br />
==The picture and the meaning of the exercise==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes the spiritual meaning of paschimottanasana as the result of his spiritual research as follows:<blockquote>"This very important basic pose of ''hatha-yoga'' depicts the transcending of limits, the extension of personal possibilities in the sense of wilfully performing an activity, and furthermore it indicates the inner sense of patient work and persistently "entering into relationship" with earthly matter. On the one hand expanded and stretched out, but on the other hand with depth and adeptness, practitioners devote themselves to the closed form in the movement. It is the soul picture of "going into matter", of the soul's becoming deeply touched through the form of what is earthly. [...] The experience of penetrating deeply into the earth, into life, into the realities with one’s own creativity is the symbol of this exercise."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga''. p. 156. ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2.</ref></blockquote><br />
<br />
== Variations ==<br />
<gallery class="center" widths="200px" heights="200px"><br />
Head-to-Knee Forward Bend pose.JPG|Preparation for <br>''Janu Shirshasana''|link=File:Head-to-Knee_Forward_Bend_pose.JPG<br />
Janusirsasana Yoga-Asana Nina-Mel.jpg|''Janu Shirshasana''<br>Seated Forward Bend Pose with bent leg|link=File:Janusirsasana_Yoga-Asana_Nina-Mel.jpg<br />
JimTarran2.jpg|''Parivritta Janu Shirshasana''<br>Revolved Seated Forward Bend Pose|link=File:JimTarran2.jpg<br />
</gallery><br />
<br />
== Health aspects ==<br />
<br />
The healing effects on the body are so numerous in all traditions of yoga that they can be outlined only partially here.<blockquote>"Foremost among āsanas, the back-stretch thus makes the breath flow to the rear (i.e.~in the central channel), increases the digestive fire, makes the belly thin and prevents diseases in men."<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika Verse 29'']] In: ''hathapradipika.online.'' </ref></blockquote>André van Lysebeth mentions positive effects on the spine, neck muscles, nervous system, abdominal organs, lymph circulation, as well as hygienic and aesthetic healing effects.<ref> André van Lysebeth: ''Yoga: Self-Taught'' Harper & Row Publishers, New York pp. 138-140</ref> Swami Sivananda writes: "The spine becomes elastic and thereby perennial youth is established."<ref> Swami Sivananda: ''Hatha Yoga''. 5th ed. The Divine Life Society, Uttarakhand, Himalayas, lndia. p. 38 ISBN 81-7052-192-0. </ref> <br />
<br />
Yoga-Vidya breaks down the effect of the asana on individual muscles and internal organs.<ref>[[https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Paschimottanasana ''Paschimottanasana'']] In: ''wiki.yoga-vidya.de'' (German). Retrieved 28 March, 2026.</ref> Heinz Grill devotes an entire article to the healing effects of the exercise. <ref>[https://heinz-grill.de/en/the-head-knee-position-paschimottanasanaand-its-potential-healing-effects/ ''The head-knee position, paschimottanasana, and its potential healing effects.''] In: ''Contributions to a New Yoga Will.'' Retrieved 9 February 2026.</ref><br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Paschimottanasana&diff=137Paschimottanasana2026-03-28T23:14:40Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:IMG 7809SeatedForwardBendasIyengardid.JPG|thumb|In this execution the back is quite flat and the hands are bent around the feet which is similar to the pose usually shown by B. K. S. Iyengar]]<br />
<br />
'''Pashchimottanasana''', often also written as Paschimottanasana ([[W:Sanskrit|Sanskrit]] पश्चिमोत्तानासन, [[W:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''paścimottānāsana''), English''' seated forward bend''', is a classic [[exercise]] in yoga. The Sanskrit name is composed of the words ''paścima'' "west", which refers to the back of the body,<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pazcima&dir=au ''Search results for "pazcima".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref> ''uttāna'' "intense stretching"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=uttAna&dir=se ''Search results for "uttAna".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref> as well as ''āsana'' "seat" or, more generally translated, "posture".<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=au ''Search results for "Asana".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
==Physical execution==<br />
<br />
Verse 28 of the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] states:<br />
:"[The yogi] should stretch out the legs on the ground [as straight] as a stick, hold the toes of both feet with the hands, and practise with the forehead placed on the knees. They call this the back-stretch (paścimatānam)."<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika Verse 28'']] In: ''hathapradipika.online.''</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Jogapradipika 7 Pascimatanasana.jpg|thumb|150px|This illustration of the asana in an 1830 edition of the Hatha&shy;pradipika clearly shows the intense forward extension of the upper body.]]<br />
<br />
[[W:André Van Lysebeth|André Van Lysebeth]] explains that in the final position the body is folded in two like a penknife. The chest rests against the legs and the forehead touches the knees and, if possible, moving as close as possible to the feet. He mentions that it is essential "to uncurl the whole length of the spine".<ref> André van Lysebeth: ''Yoga: Self-Taught'' Harper & Row Publishers, New York p. 135.</ref><br />
<br />
Swami Sivananda instructs: "Lie flat on the back (spine) over the blanket. Keep the legs and thighs fixed on the ground. Stiffen your body. Slowly raise the head and chest and assume the sitting pose. Now exhale and bend the trunk forward till you are able to catch hold of your toes […]. Bend slowIy by gradual degrees. You can even bury your face between the knees."<ref> Swami Sivananda: ''Hatha Yoga''. 5th ed. The Divine Life Society, Uttarakhand, Himalayas, lndia. p. 36 ISBN 81-7052-192-0. </ref><br />
<br />
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center adds that the key lies in learning how to extend forward right from the base of the spine.<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga''. First Fireside Edition. Simon & Schuster, New York. p. 48 ISBN 0-684-87000-2.</ref><br />
<br />
Swami Vishnudevananda also recommends stiffening the body and then lifting the head and chest until a sitting position is achieved, from which one can continue working toward the final position.<ref>Swami Vishnu-devananda: ''The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga.'' Three Rivers Press, New York. ISBN 978-0-307-78620-3.</ref> <br />
<br />
[[W:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] recommends starting the pose in a seated position and learning "to bend right from the pelvic region and also extend the arms from the shoulders." During the dynamic phase the elbows should be bent and widened and used as levers. The trunk is pulled forward and in the final position the forehead touches the knees.<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India. p. 166.</ref><br />
<br />
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga teaches that in the sitting position, the pelvis should be tilted forward as far as possible and the underside of the legs tensed so that the heels lift slightly off the floor. Furthermore, variations in hand position and thus in the pulling possibilities can increase the lengthening of the spine.<br />
<br />
In [[W:Bikram Yoga|Bikram Yoga]], this asana is also called "Sit Up".<ref>[https://yogasol.com/mastering-the-paschimottanasana-pose-a-power-packed-sit-up/ ''Mastering the paschimottanasana pose''] In:''yogasol.com'' Retrieved 28 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill begins the asana in a seated position with legs stretched out. The upper body is now actively carried forward from the spine, extending well beyond the legs. "With increasing activity coordinate your lower and middle back with the upper parts of the back, the shoulders and arms, which should be subject more and more to a relaxation […] Aim for a conscious stillness with simultaneous overseeing. […] Out of a great impulse originating from the solar plexus or ''manipura chakra'', the movement flows into the lengthways stretch and after sufficient time seeks itself a still, closed form."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga'', p. 156-158, ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2. </ref><br />
=== Physical execution in Ashtanga Yoga ===<br />
<br />
In Ashtanga Yoga, the seated forward bend pose is embedded in a flowing sequence of exercises typical of this style of yoga:<br><br />
<br />
<youtube>uzkMkAMffFQ|500x280|center|''Paschimottanasana – Prashantha Yoga''</youtube><br />
<br />
==The picture and the meaning of the exercise==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes the spiritual meaning of paschimottanasana as the result of his spiritual research as follows:<blockquote>"This very important basic pose of ''hatha-yoga'' depicts the transcending of limits, the extension of personal possibilities in the sense of wilfully performing an activity, and furthermore it indicates the inner sense of patient work and persistently "entering into relationship" with earthly matter. On the one hand expanded and stretched out, but on the other hand with depth and adeptness, practitioners devote themselves to the closed form in the movement. It is the soul picture of "going into matter", of the soul's becoming deeply touched through the form of what is earthly. [...] The experience of penetrating deeply into the earth, into life, into the realities with one’s own creativity is the symbol of this exercise."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga''. p. 156. ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2.</ref></blockquote><br />
<br />
== Variations ==<br />
<gallery class="center" widths="200px" heights="200px"><br />
Head-to-Knee Forward Bend pose.JPG|Preparation for <br>''Janu Shirshasana''|link=File:Head-to-Knee_Forward_Bend_pose.JPG<br />
Janusirsasana Yoga-Asana Nina-Mel.jpg|''Janu Shirshasana''<br>Seated Forward Bend Pose with bent leg|link=File:Janusirsasana_Yoga-Asana_Nina-Mel.jpg<br />
JimTarran2.jpg|''Parivritta Janu Shirshasana''<br>Revolved Seated Forward Bend Pose|link=File:JimTarran2.jpg<br />
</gallery><br />
<br />
== Health aspects ==<br />
<br />
The healing effects on the body are so numerous in all traditions of yoga that they can be outlined only partially here.<blockquote>"Foremost among āsanas, the back-stretch thus makes the breath flow to the rear (i.e.~in the central channel), increases the digestive fire, makes the belly thin and prevents diseases in men."<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika Verse 29'']] In: ''hathapradipika.online.'' </ref></blockquote>André van Lysebeth mentions positive effects on the spine, neck muscles, nervous system, abdominal organs, lymph circulation, as well as hygienic and aesthetic healing effects.<ref> André van Lysebeth: ''Yoga: Self-Taught'' Harper & Row Publishers, New York pp. 138-140</ref> Swami Sivananda writes: "The spine becomes elastic and thereby perennial youth is established."<ref> Swami Sivananda: ''Hatha Yoga''. 5th ed. The Divine Life Society, Uttarakhand, Himalayas, lndia. p. 38 ISBN 81-7052-192-0. </ref> <br />
<br />
Yoga-Vidya breaks down the effect of the asana on individual muscles and internal organs.<ref>[[https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Paschimottanasana ''Paschimottanasana'']] In: ''wiki.yoga-vidya.de'' (German). Retrieved 28 March, 2026.</ref> Heinz Grill devotes an entire article to the healing effects of the exercise. <ref>[https://heinz-grill.de/en/the-head-knee-position-paschimottanasanaand-its-potential-healing-effects/ ''The head-knee position, paschimottanasana, and its potential healing effects.''] In: ''Contributions to a New Yoga Will.'' Retrieved 9 February 2026.</ref><br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Paschimottanasana&diff=136Paschimottanasana2026-03-28T23:06:05Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:IMG 7809SeatedForwardBendasIyengardid.JPG|thumb|In this execution the back is quite flat and the hands are bent around the feet which is similar to the pose usually shown by B. K. S. Iyengar]]<br />
<br />
'''Pashchimottanasana''', often also written as Paschimottanasana ([[W:Sanskrit|Sanskrit]] पश्चिमोत्तानासन, [[W:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''paścimottānāsana''), English''' seated forward bend''', is a classic [[exercise]] in yoga. The Sanskrit name is composed of the words ''paścima'' "west", which refers to the back of the body,<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pazcima&dir=au ''Search results for "pazcima".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref> ''uttāna'' "intense stretching"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=uttAna&dir=se ''Search results for "uttAna".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref> as well as ''āsana'' "seat" or, more generally translated, "posture".<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=au ''Search results for "Asana".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
==Physical execution==<br />
<br />
Verse 28 of the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] states:<br />
:"[The yogi] should stretch out the legs on the ground [as straight] as a stick, hold the toes of both feet with the hands, and practise with the forehead placed on the knees. They call this the back-stretch (paścimatānam)."<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika Verse 28'']] In: ''hathapradipika.online.''</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Jogapradipika 7 Pascimatanasana.jpg|thumb|150px|This illustration of the asana in an 1830 edition of the Hatha&shy;pradipika clearly shows the intense forward extension of the upper body.]]<br />
<br />
[[W:André Van Lysebeth|André Van Lysebeth]] explains that in the final position the body is folded in two like a penknife. The chest rests against the legs and the forehead touches the knees and, if possible, moving as close as possible to the feet. He mentions that it is essential "to uncurl the whole length of the spine".<ref> André van Lysebeth: ''Yoga: Self-Taught'' Harper & Row Publishers, New York p. 135.</ref><br />
<br />
Swami Sivananda instructs: "Lie flat on the back (spine) over the blanket. Keep the legs and thighs fixed on the ground. Stiffen your body. Slowly raise the head and chest and assume the sitting pose. Now exhale and bend the trunk forward till you are able to catch hold of your toes […]. Bend slowIy by gradual degrees. You can even bury your face between the knees."<ref> Swami Sivananda: ''Hatha Yoga''. 5th ed. The Divine Life Society, Uttarakhand, Himalayas, lndia. p. 36 ISBN 81-7052-192-0. </ref><br />
<br />
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center adds that the key lies in learning how to extend forward right from the base of the spine.<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga''. First Fireside Edition. Simon & Schuster, New York. p. 48 ISBN 0-684-87000-2.</ref><br />
<br />
Swami Vishnudevananda also recommends stiffening the body and then lifting the head and chest until a sitting position is achieved, from which one can continue working toward the final position.<ref>Swami Vishnu-devananda: ''The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga.'' Three Rivers Press, New York. ISBN 978-0-307-78620-3.</ref> <br />
<br />
[[W:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] recommends starting the pose in a seated position and learning "to bend right from the pelvic region and also extend the arms from the shoulders." During the dynamic phase the elbows should be bent and widened and used as levers. The trunk is pulled forward and in the final position the forehead touches the knees.<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India. p. 166.</ref><br />
<br />
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga teaches that in the sitting position, the pelvis should be tilted forward as far as possible and the underside of the legs tensed so that the heels lift slightly off the floor. Furthermore, variations in hand position and thus in the pulling possibilities can increase the lengthening of the spine.<br />
<br />
In [[W:Bikram Yoga|Bikram Yoga]], this asana is also called "Sit Up".<ref>[https://yogasol.com/mastering-the-paschimottanasana-pose-a-power-packed-sit-up/ ''Mastering the paschimottanasana pose''] In:''yogasol.com'' Retrieved 28 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill begins the asana in a seated position with legs stretched out. The upper body is now actively carried forward from the spine, extending well beyond the legs. "With increasing activity coordinate your lower and middle back with the upper parts of the back, the shoulders and arms, which should be subject more and more to a relaxation […] Aim for a conscious stillness with simultaneous overseeing. […] Out of a great impulse originating from the solar plexus or ''manipura chakra'', the movement flows into the lengthways stretch and after sufficient time seeks itself a still, closed form."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga'', p. 156-158, ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2. </ref><br />
=== Physical execution in Ashtanga Yoga ===<br />
<br />
In Ashtanga Yoga, the seated forward bend pose is embedded in a flowing sequence of exercises typical of this style of yoga:<br><br />
<br />
<youtube>uzkMkAMffFQ|500x280|center|''Paschimottanasana – Prashantha Yoga''</youtube><br />
<br />
==The picture and the meaning of the exercise==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes the spiritual meaning of paschimottanasana as the result of his spiritual research as follows:<br />
<br />
"This very important basic pose of ''hatha-yoga'' depicts the transcending of limits, the extension of personal possibilities in the sense of wilfully performing an activity, and furthermore it indicates the inner sense of patient work and persistently "entering into relationship" with earthly matter. On the one hand expanded and stretched out, but on the other hand with depth and adeptness, practitioners devote themselves to the closed form in the movement. It is the soul picture of "going into matter", of the soul's becoming deeply touched through the form of what is earthly."<br />
<br />
"The experience of penetrating deeply into the earth, into life, into the realities with one’s own creativity is the symbol of this exercise."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga''. p. 156. ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2.</ref><br />
<br />
== Variations ==<br />
<gallery class="center" widths="200px" heights="200px"><br />
Head-to-Knee Forward Bend pose.JPG|Preparation for <br>''Janu Shirshasana''|link=File:Head-to-Knee_Forward_Bend_pose.JPG<br />
Janusirsasana Yoga-Asana Nina-Mel.jpg|''Janu Shirshasana''<br>Seated Forward Bend Pose with bent leg|link=File:Janusirsasana_Yoga-Asana_Nina-Mel.jpg<br />
JimTarran2.jpg|''Parivritta Janu Shirshasana''<br>Revolved Seated Forward Bend Pose|link=File:JimTarran2.jpg<br />
</gallery><br />
<br />
== Health aspects ==<br />
<br />
The healing effects on the body are so numerous in all traditions of yoga that they can be outlined only partially here.<blockquote>"Foremost among āsanas, the back-stretch thus makes the breath flow to the rear (i.e.~in the central channel), increases the digestive fire, makes the belly thin and prevents diseases in men."<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika Verse 29'']] In: ''hathapradipika.online.'' </ref></blockquote>André van Lysebeth mentions positive effects on the spine, neck muscles, nervous system, abdominal organs, lymph circulation, as well as hygienic and aesthetic healing effects.<ref> André van Lysebeth: ''Yoga: Self-Taught'' Harper & Row Publishers, New York pp. 138-140</ref> Swami Sivananda writes: "The spine becomes elastic and thereby perennial youth is established."<ref> Swami Sivananda: ''Hatha Yoga''. 5th ed. The Divine Life Society, Uttarakhand, Himalayas, lndia. p. 38 ISBN 81-7052-192-0. </ref> <br />
<br />
Yoga-Vidya breaks down the effect of the asana on individual muscles and internal organs.<ref>[[https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Paschimottanasana ''Paschimottanasana'']] In: ''wiki.yoga-vidya.de'' (German). Retrieved 28 March, 2026.</ref> Heinz Grill devotes an entire article to the healing effects of the exercise. <ref>[https://heinz-grill.de/en/the-head-knee-position-paschimottanasanaand-its-potential-healing-effects/ ''The head-knee position, paschimottanasana, and its potential healing effects.''] In: ''Contributions to a New Yoga Will.'' Retrieved 9 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Paschimottanasana&diff=135Paschimottanasana2026-03-28T23:04:30Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div>'''Pashchimottanasana''', often also written as Paschimottanasana ([[W:Sanskrit|Sanskrit]] पश्चिमोत्तानासन, [[W:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''paścimottānāsana''), English''' seated forward bend''', is a classic [[exercise]] in yoga. The Sanskrit name is composed of the words ''paścima'' "west", which refers to the back of the body,<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pazcima&dir=au ''Search results for "pazcima".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref> ''uttāna'' "intense stretching"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=uttAna&dir=se ''Search results for "uttAna".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref> as well as ''āsana'' "seat" or, more generally translated, "posture".<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=au ''Search results for "Asana".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
==Physical execution==<br />
<br />
[[File:IMG 7809SeatedForwardBendasIyengardid.JPG|thumb|In this execution the back is quite flat and the hands are bent around the feet which is similar to the pose usually shown by B. K. S. Iyengar]]<br />
<br />
Verse 28 of the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] states:<br />
:"[The yogi] should stretch out the legs on the ground [as straight] as a stick, hold the toes of both feet with the hands, and practise with the forehead placed on the knees. They call this the back-stretch (paścimatānam)."<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika Verse 28'']] In: ''hathapradipika.online.''</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Jogapradipika 7 Pascimatanasana.jpg|thumb|210px|This illustration of the asana in an 1830 edition of the Hatha&shy;pradipika clearly shows the intense forward extension of the upper body.]]<br />
<br />
[[W:André Van Lysebeth|André Van Lysebeth]] explains that in the final position the body is folded in two like a penknife. The chest rests against the legs and the forehead touches the knees and, if possible, moving as close as possible to the feet. He mentions that it is essential "to uncurl the whole length of the spine".<ref> André van Lysebeth: ''Yoga: Self-Taught'' Harper & Row Publishers, New York p. 135.</ref><br />
<br />
Swami Sivananda instructs: "Lie flat on the back (spine) over the blanket. Keep the legs and thighs fixed on the ground. Stiffen your body. Slowly raise the head and chest and assume the sitting pose. Now exhale and bend the trunk forward till you are able to catch hold of your toes […]. Bend slowIy by gradual degrees. You can even bury your face between the knees."<ref> Swami Sivananda: ''Hatha Yoga''. 5th ed. The Divine Life Society, Uttarakhand, Himalayas, lndia. p. 36 ISBN 81-7052-192-0. </ref><br />
<br />
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center adds that the key lies in learning how to extend forward right from the base of the spine.<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga''. First Fireside Edition. Simon & Schuster, New York. p. 48 ISBN 0-684-87000-2.</ref><br />
<br />
Swami Vishnudevananda also recommends stiffening the body and then lifting the head and chest until a sitting position is achieved, from which one can continue working toward the final position.<ref>Swami Vishnu-devananda: ''The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga.'' Three Rivers Press, New York. ISBN 978-0-307-78620-3.</ref> <br />
<br />
[[W:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] recommends starting the pose in a seated position and learning "to bend right from the pelvic region and also extend the arms from the shoulders." During the dynamic phase the elbows should be bent and widened and used as levers. The trunk is pulled forward and in the final position the forehead touches the knees.<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India. p. 166.</ref><br />
<br />
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga teaches that in the sitting position, the pelvis should be tilted forward as far as possible and the underside of the legs tensed so that the heels lift slightly off the floor. Furthermore, variations in hand position and thus in the pulling possibilities can increase the lengthening of the spine.<br />
<br />
In [[W:Bikram Yoga|Bikram Yoga]], this asana is also called "Sit Up".<ref>[https://yogasol.com/mastering-the-paschimottanasana-pose-a-power-packed-sit-up/ ''Mastering the paschimottanasana pose''] In:''yogasol.com'' Retrieved 28 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill begins the asana in a seated position with legs stretched out. The upper body is now actively carried forward from the spine, extending well beyond the legs. "With increasing activity coordinate your lower and middle back with the upper parts of the back, the shoulders and arms, which should be subject more and more to a relaxation […] Aim for a conscious stillness with simultaneous overseeing. […] Out of a great impulse originating from the solar plexus or ''manipura chakra'', the movement flows into the lengthways stretch and after sufficient time seeks itself a still, closed form."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga'', p. 156-158, ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2. </ref><br />
=== Physical execution in Ashtanga Yoga ===<br />
<br />
In Ashtanga Yoga, the seated forward bend pose is embedded in a flowing sequence of exercises typical of this style of yoga:<br><br />
<br />
<youtube>uzkMkAMffFQ|500x280|center|''Paschimottanasana – Prashantha Yoga''</youtube><br />
<br />
==The picture and the meaning of the exercise==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes the spiritual meaning of paschimottanasana as the result of his spiritual research as follows:<br />
<br />
"This very important basic pose of ''hatha-yoga'' depicts the transcending of limits, the extension of personal possibilities in the sense of wilfully performing an activity, and furthermore it indicates the inner sense of patient work and persistently "entering into relationship" with earthly matter. On the one hand expanded and stretched out, but on the other hand with depth and adeptness, practitioners devote themselves to the closed form in the movement. It is the soul picture of "going into matter", of the soul's becoming deeply touched through the form of what is earthly."<br />
<br />
"The experience of penetrating deeply into the earth, into life, into the realities with one’s own creativity is the symbol of this exercise."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga''. p. 156. ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2.</ref><br />
<br />
== Variations ==<br />
<gallery class="center" widths="200px" heights="200px"><br />
Head-to-Knee Forward Bend pose.JPG|Preparation for <br>''Janu Shirshasana''|link=File:Head-to-Knee_Forward_Bend_pose.JPG<br />
Janusirsasana Yoga-Asana Nina-Mel.jpg|''Janu Shirshasana''<br>Seated Forward Bend Pose with bent leg|link=File:Janusirsasana_Yoga-Asana_Nina-Mel.jpg<br />
JimTarran2.jpg|''Parivritta Janu Shirshasana''<br>Revolved Seated Forward Bend Pose|link=File:JimTarran2.jpg<br />
</gallery><br />
<br />
== Health aspects ==<br />
<br />
The healing effects on the body are so numerous in all traditions of yoga that they can be outlined only partially here.<blockquote>"Foremost among āsanas, the back-stretch thus makes the breath flow to the rear (i.e.~in the central channel), increases the digestive fire, makes the belly thin and prevents diseases in men."<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika Verse 29'']] In: ''hathapradipika.online.'' </ref></blockquote>André van Lysebeth mentions positive effects on the spine, neck muscles, nervous system, abdominal organs, lymph circulation, as well as hygienic and aesthetic healing effects.<ref> André van Lysebeth: ''Yoga: Self-Taught'' Harper & Row Publishers, New York pp. 138-140</ref> Swami Sivananda writes: "The spine becomes elastic and thereby perennial youth is established."<ref> Swami Sivananda: ''Hatha Yoga''. 5th ed. The Divine Life Society, Uttarakhand, Himalayas, lndia. p. 38 ISBN 81-7052-192-0. </ref> <br />
<br />
Yoga-Vidya breaks down the effect of the asana on individual muscles and internal organs.<ref>[[https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Paschimottanasana ''Paschimottanasana'']] In: ''wiki.yoga-vidya.de'' (German). Retrieved 28 March, 2026.</ref> Heinz Grill devotes an entire article to the healing effects of the exercise. <ref>[https://heinz-grill.de/en/the-head-knee-position-paschimottanasanaand-its-potential-healing-effects/ ''The head-knee position, paschimottanasana, and its potential healing effects.''] In: ''Contributions to a New Yoga Will.'' Retrieved 9 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=User:Xenja/Paschimottanasana&diff=134User:Xenja/Paschimottanasana2026-03-28T23:03:26Z<p>Xenja: Xenja moved page User:Xenja/Paschimottanasana to Paschimottanasana</p>
<hr />
<div>#REDIRECT [[Paschimottanasana]]</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Paschimottanasana&diff=133Paschimottanasana2026-03-28T23:03:22Z<p>Xenja: Xenja moved page User:Xenja/Paschimottanasana to Paschimottanasana</p>
<hr />
<div>'''Pashchimottanasana''', often also written as Paschimottanasana ([[W:Sanskrit|Sanskrit]] पश्चिमोत्तानासन, [[W:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''paścimottānāsana''), English''' seated forward bend''', is a classic [[exercise]] in yoga. The Sanskrit name is composed of the words ''paścima'' "west", which refers to the back of the body,<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pazcima&dir=au ''Search results for "pazcima".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref> ''uttāna'' "intense stretching"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=uttAna&dir=se ''Search results for "uttAna".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref> as well as ''āsana'' "seat" or, more generally translated, "posture".<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=au ''Search results for "Asana".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
==Physical execution==<br />
<br />
Verse 28 of the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] states:<br />
:"[The yogi] should stretch out the legs on the ground [as straight] as a stick, hold the toes of both feet with the hands, and practise with the forehead placed on the knees. They call this the back-stretch (paścimatānam)."<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika Verse 28'']] In: ''hathapradipika.online.''</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Jogapradipika 7 Pascimatanasana.jpg|thumb|210px|This illustration of the asana in an 1830 edition of the Hatha&shy;pradipika clearly shows the intense forward extension of the upper body.]]<br />
<br />
[[File:IMG 7809SeatedForwardBendasIyengardid.JPG|thumb|In this execution the back is quite flat and the hands are bent around the feet which is similar to the pose usually shown by B. K. S. Iyengar]]<br />
<br />
[[W:André Van Lysebeth|André Van Lysebeth]] explains that in the final position the body is folded in two like a penknife. The chest rests against the legs and the forehead touches the knees and, if possible, moving as close as possible to the feet. He mentions that it is essential "to uncurl the whole length of the spine".<ref> André van Lysebeth: ''Yoga: Self-Taught'' Harper & Row Publishers, New York p. 135.</ref><br />
<br />
Swami Sivananda instructs: "Lie flat on the back (spine) over the blanket. Keep the legs and thighs fixed on the ground. Stiffen your body. Slowly raise the head and chest and assume the sitting pose. Now exhale and bend the trunk forward till you are able to catch hold of your toes […]. Bend slowIy by gradual degrees. You can even bury your face between the knees."<ref> Swami Sivananda: ''Hatha Yoga''. 5th ed. The Divine Life Society, Uttarakhand, Himalayas, lndia. p. 36 ISBN 81-7052-192-0. </ref><br />
<br />
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center adds that the key lies in learning how to extend forward right from the base of the spine.<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga''. First Fireside Edition. Simon & Schuster, New York. p. 48 ISBN 0-684-87000-2.</ref><br />
<br />
Swami Vishnudevananda also recommends stiffening the body and then lifting the head and chest until a sitting position is achieved, from which one can continue working toward the final position.<ref>Swami Vishnu-devananda: ''The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga.'' Three Rivers Press, New York. ISBN 978-0-307-78620-3.</ref> <br />
<br />
[[W:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] recommends starting the pose in a seated position and learning "to bend right from the pelvic region and also extend the arms from the shoulders." During the dynamic phase the elbows should be bent and widened and used as levers. The trunk is pulled forward and in the final position the forehead touches the knees.<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India. p. 166.</ref><br />
<br />
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga teaches that in the sitting position, the pelvis should be tilted forward as far as possible and the underside of the legs tensed so that the heels lift slightly off the floor. Furthermore, variations in hand position and thus in the pulling possibilities can increase the lengthening of the spine.<br />
<br />
In [[W:Bikram Yoga|Bikram Yoga]], this asana is also called "Sit Up".<ref>[https://yogasol.com/mastering-the-paschimottanasana-pose-a-power-packed-sit-up/ ''Mastering the paschimottanasana pose''] In:''yogasol.com'' Retrieved 28 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill begins the asana in a seated position with legs stretched out. The upper body is now actively carried forward from the spine, extending well beyond the legs. "With increasing activity coordinate your lower and middle back with the upper parts of the back, the shoulders and arms, which should be subject more and more to a relaxation […] Aim for a conscious stillness with simultaneous overseeing. […] Out of a great impulse originating from the solar plexus or ''manipura chakra'', the movement flows into the lengthways stretch and after sufficient time seeks itself a still, closed form."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga'', p. 156-158, ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2. </ref><br />
=== Physical execution in Ashtanga Yoga ===<br />
<br />
In Ashtanga Yoga, the seated forward bend pose is embedded in a flowing sequence of exercises typical of this style of yoga:<br><br />
<br />
<youtube>uzkMkAMffFQ|500x280|center|''Paschimottanasana – Prashantha Yoga''</youtube><br />
<br />
==The picture and the meaning of the exercise==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes the spiritual meaning of paschimottanasana as the result of his spiritual research as follows:<br />
<br />
"This very important basic pose of ''hatha-yoga'' depicts the transcending of limits, the extension of personal possibilities in the sense of wilfully performing an activity, and furthermore it indicates the inner sense of patient work and persistently "entering into relationship" with earthly matter. On the one hand expanded and stretched out, but on the other hand with depth and adeptness, practitioners devote themselves to the closed form in the movement. It is the soul picture of "going into matter", of the soul's becoming deeply touched through the form of what is earthly."<br />
<br />
"The experience of penetrating deeply into the earth, into life, into the realities with one’s own creativity is the symbol of this exercise."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga''. p. 156. ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2.</ref><br />
<br />
== Variations ==<br />
<gallery class="center" widths="200px" heights="200px"><br />
Head-to-Knee Forward Bend pose.JPG|Preparation for <br>''Janu Shirshasana''|link=File:Head-to-Knee_Forward_Bend_pose.JPG<br />
Janusirsasana Yoga-Asana Nina-Mel.jpg|''Janu Shirshasana''<br>Seated Forward Bend Pose with bent leg|link=File:Janusirsasana_Yoga-Asana_Nina-Mel.jpg<br />
JimTarran2.jpg|''Parivritta Janu Shirshasana''<br>Revolved Seated Forward Bend Pose|link=File:JimTarran2.jpg<br />
</gallery><br />
<br />
== Health aspects ==<br />
<br />
The healing effects on the body are so numerous in all traditions of yoga that they can be outlined only partially here.<blockquote>"Foremost among āsanas, the back-stretch thus makes the breath flow to the rear (i.e.~in the central channel), increases the digestive fire, makes the belly thin and prevents diseases in men."<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika Verse 29'']] In: ''hathapradipika.online.'' </ref></blockquote>André van Lysebeth mentions positive effects on the spine, neck muscles, nervous system, abdominal organs, lymph circulation, as well as hygienic and aesthetic healing effects.<ref> André van Lysebeth: ''Yoga: Self-Taught'' Harper & Row Publishers, New York pp. 138-140</ref> Swami Sivananda writes: "The spine becomes elastic and thereby perennial youth is established."<ref> Swami Sivananda: ''Hatha Yoga''. 5th ed. The Divine Life Society, Uttarakhand, Himalayas, lndia. p. 38 ISBN 81-7052-192-0. </ref> <br />
<br />
Yoga-Vidya breaks down the effect of the asana on individual muscles and internal organs.<ref>[[https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Paschimottanasana ''Paschimottanasana'']] In: ''wiki.yoga-vidya.de'' (German). Retrieved 28 March, 2026.</ref> Heinz Grill devotes an entire article to the healing effects of the exercise. <ref>[https://heinz-grill.de/en/the-head-knee-position-paschimottanasanaand-its-potential-healing-effects/ ''The head-knee position, paschimottanasana, and its potential healing effects.''] In: ''Contributions to a New Yoga Will.'' Retrieved 9 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Paschimottanasana&diff=132Paschimottanasana2026-03-28T22:53:29Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div>'''Pashchimottanasana''', often also written as Paschimottanasana ([[W:Sanskrit|Sanskrit]] पश्चिमोत्तानासन, [[W:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''paścimottānāsana''), English''' seated forward bend''', is a classic [[exercise]] in yoga. The Sanskrit name is composed of the words ''paścima'' "west", which refers to the back of the body,<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pazcima&dir=au ''Search results for "pazcima".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref> ''uttāna'' "intense stretching"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=uttAna&dir=se ''Search results for "uttAna".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref> as well as ''āsana'' "seat" or, more generally translated, "posture".<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=au ''Search results for "Asana".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
==Physical execution==<br />
<br />
Verse 28 of the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] states:<br />
:"[The yogi] should stretch out the legs on the ground [as straight] as a stick, hold the toes of both feet with the hands, and practise with the forehead placed on the knees. They call this the back-stretch (paścimatānam)."<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika Verse 28'']] In: ''hathapradipika.online.''</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Jogapradipika 7 Pascimatanasana.jpg|thumb|210px|This illustration of the asana in an 1830 edition of the Hatha&shy;pradipika clearly shows the intense forward extension of the upper body.]]<br />
<br />
[[File:IMG 7809SeatedForwardBendasIyengardid.JPG|thumb|In this execution the back is quite flat and the hands are bent around the feet which is similar to the pose usually shown by B. K. S. Iyengar]]<br />
<br />
[[W:André Van Lysebeth|André Van Lysebeth]] explains that in the final position the body is folded in two like a penknife. The chest rests against the legs and the forehead touches the knees and, if possible, moving as close as possible to the feet. He mentions that it is essential "to uncurl the whole length of the spine".<ref> André van Lysebeth: ''Yoga: Self-Taught'' Harper & Row Publishers, New York p. 135.</ref><br />
<br />
Swami Sivananda instructs: "Lie flat on the back (spine) over the blanket. Keep the legs and thighs fixed on the ground. Stiffen your body. Slowly raise the head and chest and assume the sitting pose. Now exhale and bend the trunk forward till you are able to catch hold of your toes […]. Bend slowIy by gradual degrees. You can even bury your face between the knees."<ref> Swami Sivananda: ''Hatha Yoga''. 5th ed. The Divine Life Society, Uttarakhand, Himalayas, lndia. p. 36 ISBN 81-7052-192-0. </ref><br />
<br />
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center adds that the key lies in learning how to extend forward right from the base of the spine.<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga''. First Fireside Edition. Simon & Schuster, New York. p. 48 ISBN 0-684-87000-2.</ref><br />
<br />
Swami Vishnudevananda also recommends stiffening the body and then lifting the head and chest until a sitting position is achieved, from which one can continue working toward the final position.<ref>Swami Vishnu-devananda: ''The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga.'' Three Rivers Press, New York. ISBN 978-0-307-78620-3.</ref> <br />
<br />
[[W:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] recommends starting the pose in a seated position and learning "to bend right from the pelvic region and also extend the arms from the shoulders." During the dynamic phase the elbows should be bent and widened and used as levers. The trunk is pulled forward and in the final position the forehead touches the knees.<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India. p. 166.</ref><br />
<br />
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga teaches that in the sitting position, the pelvis should be tilted forward as far as possible and the underside of the legs tensed so that the heels lift slightly off the floor. Furthermore, variations in hand position and thus in the pulling possibilities can increase the lengthening of the spine.<br />
<br />
In [[W:Bikram Yoga|Bikram Yoga]], this asana is also called "Sit Up".<ref>[https://yogasol.com/mastering-the-paschimottanasana-pose-a-power-packed-sit-up/ ''Mastering the paschimottanasana pose''] In:''yogasol.com'' Retrieved 28 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill begins the asana in a seated position with legs stretched out. The upper body is now actively carried forward from the spine, extending well beyond the legs. "With increasing activity coordinate your lower and middle back with the upper parts of the back, the shoulders and arms, which should be subject more and more to a relaxation […] Aim for a conscious stillness with simultaneous overseeing. […] Out of a great impulse originating from the solar plexus or ''manipura chakra'', the movement flows into the lengthways stretch and after sufficient time seeks itself a still, closed form."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga'', p. 156-158, ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2. </ref><br />
=== Physical execution in Ashtanga Yoga ===<br />
<br />
In Ashtanga Yoga, the seated forward bend pose is embedded in a flowing sequence of exercises typical of this style of yoga:<br><br />
<br />
<youtube>uzkMkAMffFQ|500x280|center|''Paschimottanasana – Prashantha Yoga''</youtube><br />
<br />
==The picture and the meaning of the exercise==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes the spiritual meaning of paschimottanasana as the result of his spiritual research as follows:<br />
<br />
"This very important basic pose of ''hatha-yoga'' depicts the transcending of limits, the extension of personal possibilities in the sense of wilfully performing an activity, and furthermore it indicates the inner sense of patient work and persistently "entering into relationship" with earthly matter. On the one hand expanded and stretched out, but on the other hand with depth and adeptness, practitioners devote themselves to the closed form in the movement. It is the soul picture of "going into matter", of the soul's becoming deeply touched through the form of what is earthly."<br />
<br />
"The experience of penetrating deeply into the earth, into life, into the realities with one’s own creativity is the symbol of this exercise."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga''. p. 156. ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2.</ref><br />
<br />
== Variations ==<br />
<gallery class="center" widths="200px" heights="200px"><br />
Head-to-Knee Forward Bend pose.JPG|Preparation for <br>''Janu Shirshasana''|link=File:Head-to-Knee_Forward_Bend_pose.JPG<br />
Janusirsasana Yoga-Asana Nina-Mel.jpg|''Janu Shirshasana''<br>Seated Forward Bend Pose with bent leg|link=File:Janusirsasana_Yoga-Asana_Nina-Mel.jpg<br />
JimTarran2.jpg|''Parivritta Janu Shirshasana''<br>Revolved Seated Forward Bend Pose|link=File:JimTarran2.jpg<br />
</gallery><br />
<br />
== Health aspects ==<br />
<br />
The healing effects on the body are so numerous in all traditions of yoga that they can be outlined only partially here.<blockquote>"Foremost among āsanas, the back-stretch thus makes the breath flow to the rear (i.e.~in the central channel), increases the digestive fire, makes the belly thin and prevents diseases in men."<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika Verse 29'']] In: ''hathapradipika.online.'' </ref></blockquote>André van Lysebeth mentions positive effects on the spine, neck muscles, nervous system, abdominal organs, lymph circulation, as well as hygienic and aesthetic healing effects.<ref> André van Lysebeth: ''Yoga: Self-Taught'' Harper & Row Publishers, New York pp. 138-140</ref> Swami Sivananda writes: "The spine becomes elastic and thereby perennial youth is established."<ref> Swami Sivananda: ''Hatha Yoga''. 5th ed. The Divine Life Society, Uttarakhand, Himalayas, lndia. p. 38 ISBN 81-7052-192-0. </ref> <br />
<br />
Yoga-Vidya breaks down the effect of the asana on individual muscles and internal organs.<ref>[[https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Paschimottanasana ''Paschimottanasana'']] In: ''wiki.yoga-vidya.de'' (German). Retrieved 28 March, 2026.</ref> Heinz Grill devotes an entire article to the healing effects of the exercise. <ref>[https://heinz-grill.de/en/the-head-knee-position-paschimottanasanaand-its-potential-healing-effects/ ''The head-knee position, paschimottanasana, and its potential healing effects.''] In: ''Contributions to a New Yoga Will.'' Retrieved 9 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=File:IMG_7809SeatedForwardBendasIyengardid.JPG&diff=131File:IMG 7809SeatedForwardBendasIyengardid.JPG2026-03-28T22:46:05Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div></div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Paschimottanasana&diff=130Paschimottanasana2026-03-28T22:38:53Z<p>Xenja: adding health aspects, and references</p>
<hr />
<div>'''Pashchimottanasana''', often also written as Paschimottanasana ([[W:Sanskrit|Sanskrit]] पश्चिमोत्तानासन, [[W:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''paścimottānāsana''), English''' seated forward bend''', is a classic [[exercise]] in yoga. The Sanskrit name is composed of the words ''paścima'' "west", which refers to the back of the body,<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pazcima&dir=au ''Search results for "pazcima".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref> ''uttāna'' "intense stretching"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=uttAna&dir=se ''Search results for "uttAna".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref> as well as ''āsana'' "seat" or, more generally translated, "posture".<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=au ''Search results for "Asana".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
==Physical execution==<br />
<br />
Verse 28 of the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] states:<br />
:"[The yogi] should stretch out the legs on the ground [as straight] as a stick, hold the toes of both feet with the hands, and practise with the forehead placed on the knees. They call this the back-stretch (paścimatānam)."<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika Verse 28'']] In: ''hathapradipika.online.''</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Jogapradipika 7 Pascimatanasana.jpg|thumb|210px|This illustration of the asana in an 1830 edition of the Hatha&shy;pradipika clearly shows the intense forward extension of the upper body.]]<br />
<br />
[[W:André Van Lysebeth|André Van Lysebeth]] explains that in the final position the body is folded in two like a penknife. The chest rests against the legs and the forehead touches the knees and, if possible, moving as close as possible to the feet. He mentions that it is essential "to uncurl the whole length of the spine".<ref> André van Lysebeth: ''Yoga: Self-Taught'' Harper & Row Publishers, New York p. 135.</ref><br />
<br />
Swami Sivananda instructs: "Lie flat on the back (spine) over the blanket. Keep the legs and thighs fixed on the ground. Stiffen your body. Slowly raise the head and chest and assume the sitting pose. Now exhale and bend the trunk forward till you are able to catch hold of your toes […]. Bend slowIy by gradual degrees. You can even bury your face between the knees."<ref> Swami Sivananda: ''Hatha Yoga''. 5th ed. The Divine Life Society, Uttarakhand, Himalayas, lndia. p. 36 ISBN 81-7052-192-0. </ref><br />
<br />
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center adds that the key lies in learning how to extend forward right from the base of the spine.<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga''. First Fireside Edition. Simon & Schuster, New York. p. 48 ISBN 0-684-87000-2.</ref><br />
<br />
Swami Vishnudevananda also recommends stiffening the body and then lifting the head and chest until a sitting position is achieved, from which one can continue working toward the final position.<ref>Swami Vishnu-devananda: ''The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga.'' Three Rivers Press, New York. ISBN 978-0-307-78620-3.</ref> <br />
<br />
[[W:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] recommends starting the pose in a seated position and learning "to bend right from the pelvic region and also extend the arms from the shoulders." During the dynamic phase the elbows should be bent and widened and used as levers. The trunk is pulled forward and in the final position the forehead touches the knees.<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India. p. 166.</ref><br />
<br />
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga teaches that in the sitting position, the pelvis should be tilted forward as far as possible and the underside of the legs tensed so that the heels lift slightly off the floor. Furthermore, variations in hand position and thus in the pulling possibilities can increase the lengthening of the spine.<br />
<br />
In [[W:Bikram Yoga|Bikram Yoga]], this asana is also called "Sit Up".<ref>[https://yogasol.com/mastering-the-paschimottanasana-pose-a-power-packed-sit-up/ ''Mastering the paschimottanasana pose''] In:''yogasol.com'' Retrieved 28 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill begins the asana in a seated position with legs stretched out. The upper body is now actively carried forward from the spine, extending well beyond the legs. "With increasing activity coordinate your lower and middle back with the upper parts of the back, the shoulders and arms, which should be subject more and more to a relaxation […] Aim for a conscious stillness with simultaneous overseeing. […] Out of a great impulse originating from the solar plexus or ''manipura chakra'', the movement flows into the lengthways stretch and after sufficient time seeks itself a still, closed form."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga'', p. 156-158, ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2. </ref><br />
=== Physical execution in Ashtanga Yoga ===<br />
<br />
In Ashtanga Yoga, the seated forward bend pose is embedded in a flowing sequence of exercises typical of this style of yoga:<br><br />
<br />
<youtube>uzkMkAMffFQ|500x280|center|''Paschimottanasana – Prashantha Yoga''</youtube><br />
<br />
==The picture and the meaning of the exercise==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes the spiritual meaning of paschimottanasana as the result of his spiritual research as follows:<br />
<br />
"This very important basic pose of ''hatha-yoga'' depicts the transcending of limits, the extension of personal possibilities in the sense of wilfully performing an activity, and furthermore it indicates the inner sense of patient work and persistently "entering into relationship" with earthly matter. On the one hand expanded and stretched out, but on the other hand with depth and adeptness, practitioners devote themselves to the closed form in the movement. It is the soul picture of "going into matter", of the soul's becoming deeply touched through the form of what is earthly."<br />
<br />
"The experience of penetrating deeply into the earth, into life, into the realities with one’s own creativity is the symbol of this exercise."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga''. p. 156. ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2.</ref><br />
<br />
== Variations ==<br />
<gallery class="center" widths="200px" heights="200px"><br />
Head-to-Knee Forward Bend pose.JPG|Preparation for <br>''Janu Shirshasana''|link=File:Head-to-Knee_Forward_Bend_pose.JPG<br />
Janusirsasana Yoga-Asana Nina-Mel.jpg|''Janu Shirshasana''<br>Seated Forward Bend Pose with bent leg|link=File:Janusirsasana_Yoga-Asana_Nina-Mel.jpg<br />
JimTarran2.jpg|''Parivritta Janu Shirshasana''<br>Revolved Seated Forward Bend Pose|link=File:JimTarran2.jpg<br />
</gallery><br />
<br />
== Health aspects ==<br />
<br />
The healing effects on the body are so numerous in all traditions of yoga that they can be outlined only partially here.<blockquote>"Foremost among āsanas, the back-stretch thus makes the breath flow to the rear (i.e.~in the central channel), increases the digestive fire, makes the belly thin and prevents diseases in men."<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika Verse 29'']] In: ''hathapradipika.online.'' </ref></blockquote>André van Lysebeth mentions positive effects on the spine, neck muscles, nervous system, abdominal organs, lymph circulation, as well as hygienic and aesthetic healing effects.<ref> André van Lysebeth: ''Yoga: Self-Taught'' Harper & Row Publishers, New York pp. 138-140</ref> Swami Sivananda writes: "The spine becomes elastic and thereby perennial youth is established."<ref> Swami Sivananda: ''Hatha Yoga''. 5th ed. The Divine Life Society, Uttarakhand, Himalayas, lndia. p. 38 ISBN 81-7052-192-0. </ref> <br />
<br />
Yoga-Vidya breaks down the effect of the asana on individual muscles and internal organs.<ref>[[https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Paschimottanasana ''Paschimottanasana'']] In: ''wiki.yoga-vidya.de'' (German). Retrieved 28 March, 2026.</ref> Heinz Grill devotes an entire article to the healing effects of the exercise. <ref>[https://heinz-grill.de/en/the-head-knee-position-paschimottanasanaand-its-potential-healing-effects/ ''The head-knee position, paschimottanasana, and its potential healing effects.''] In: ''Contributions to a New Yoga Will.'' Retrieved 9 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Paschimottanasana&diff=129Paschimottanasana2026-03-28T22:32:30Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div>'''Pashchimottanasana''', often also written as Paschimottanasana ([[W:Sanskrit|Sanskrit]] पश्चिमोत्तानासन, [[W:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''paścimottānāsana''), English''' seated forward bend''', is a classic [[exercise]] in yoga. The Sanskrit name is composed of the words ''paścima'' "west", which refers to the back of the body,<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pazcima&dir=au ''Search results for "pazcima".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref> ''uttāna'' "intense stretching"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=uttAna&dir=se ''Search results for "uttAna".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref> as well as ''āsana'' "seat" or, more generally translated, "posture".<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=au ''Search results for "Asana".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
==Physical execution==<br />
<br />
Verse 28 of the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] states:<br />
:"[The yogi] should stretch out the legs on the ground [as straight] as a stick, hold the toes of both feet with the hands, and practise with the forehead placed on the knees. They call this the back-stretch (paścimatānam)."<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika Verse 28'']] In:''hathapradipika.online''</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Jogapradipika 7 Pascimatanasana.jpg|thumb|210px|This illustration of the asana in an 1830 edition of the Hatha&shy;pradipika clearly shows the intense forward extension of the upper body.]]<br />
<br />
[[W:André Van Lysebeth|André Van Lysebeth]] explains that in the final position the body is folded in two like a penknife. The chest rests against the legs and the forehead touches the knees and, if possible, moving as close as possible to the feet. He mentions that it is essential "to uncurl the whole length of the spine".<ref> André van Lysebeth: ''Yoga: Self-Taught'' Harper & Row Publishers, New York pp. 135</ref><br />
<br />
Swami Sivananda instructs: "Lie flat on the back (spine) over the blanket. Keep the legs and thighs fixed on the ground. Stiffen your body. Slowly raise the head and chest and assume the sitting pose. Now exhale and bend the trunk forward till you are able to catch hold of your toes […]. Bend slowIy by gradual degrees. You can even bury your face between the knees."<ref> Swami Sivananda: ''Hatha Yoga''. 5th ed. The Divine Life Society, Uttarakhand, Himalayas, lndia. p. 36 ISBN 81-7052-192-0 </ref><br />
<br />
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center adds that the key lies in learning how to extend forward right from the base of the spine.<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga''. First Fireside Edition. Simon & Schuster, New York. p. 48 ISBN 0-684-87000-2.</ref><br />
<br />
Swami Vishnudevananda also recommends stiffening the body and then lifting the head and chest until a sitting position is achieved, from which one can continue working toward the final position.<ref>Swami Vishnu-devananda: ''The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga.'' Three Rivers Press, New York. ISBN 978-0-307-78620-3.</ref> <br />
<br />
[[W:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] recommends starting the pose in a seated position and learning "to bend right from the pelvic region and also extend the arms from the shoulders." During the dynamic phase the elbows should be bent and widened and used as levers. The trunk is pulled forward and in the final position the forehead touches the knees.<ref> B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins ''Publishers'' India. p. 166</ref><br />
<br />
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga teaches that in the sitting position, the pelvis should be tilted forward as far as possible and the underside of the legs tensed so that the heels lift slightly off the floor. Furthermore, variations in hand position and thus in the pulling possibilities can increase the lengthening of the spine.<br />
<br />
In [[W:Bikram Yoga|Bikram Yoga]], this asana is also called "Sit Up".<ref>[https://yogasol.com/mastering-the-paschimottanasana-pose-a-power-packed-sit-up/ ''Mastering the paschimottanasana pose''] In:''yogasol.com'' Retrieved 28 March 2026</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill begins the asana in a seated position with legs stretched out. The upper body is now actively carried forward from the spine, extending well beyond the legs. "With increasing activity coordinate your lower and middle back with the upper parts of the back, the shoulders and arms, which should be subject more and more to a relaxation […] Aim for a conscious stillness with simultaneous overseeing. […] Out of a great impulse originating from the solar plexus or ''manipura chakra'', the movement flows into the lengthways stretch and after sufficient time seeks itself a still, closed form."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga'', p. 156-158, ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2. </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
=== Physical execution in Ashtanga Yoga ===<br />
<br />
In Ashtanga Yoga, the seated forward bend pose is embedded in a flowing sequence of exercises typical of this style of yoga:<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
<youtube>uzkMkAMffFQ|500x280|center|''Paschimottanasana – Prashantha Yoga''</youtube><br />
<br />
==The picture and the meaning of the exercise==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes the spiritual meaning of paschimottanasana as the result of his spiritual research as follows:<br />
<br />
"This very important basic pose of ''hatha-yoga'' depicts the transcending of limits, the extension of personal possibilities in the sense of wilfully performing an activity, and furthermore it indicates the inner sense of patient work and persistently "entering into relationship" with earthly matter. On the one hand expanded and stretched out, but on the other hand with depth and adeptness, practitioners devote themselves to the closed form in the movement. It is the soul picture of "going into matter", of the soul's becoming deeply touched through the form of what is earthly."<br />
<br />
"The experience of penetrating deeply into the earth, into life, into the realities with one’s own creativity is the symbol of this exercise."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''The Soul Dimension of Yoga''. p. 156. ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2.</ref><br />
<br />
== Variations ==<br />
<gallery class="center" widths="200px" heights="200px"><br />
Head-to-Knee Forward Bend pose.JPG|Preparation for <br>''Janu Shirshasana''|link=File:Head-to-Knee_Forward_Bend_pose.JPG<br />
Janusirsasana Yoga-Asana Nina-Mel.jpg|''Janu Shirshasana''<br>Seated Forward Bend Pose with bent leg|link=File:Janusirsasana_Yoga-Asana_Nina-Mel.jpg<br />
JimTarran2.jpg|''Parivritta Janu Shirshasana''<br>Revolved Seated Forward Bend Pose|link=File:JimTarran2.jpg<br />
</gallery><br />
<br />
== Health aspects ==<br />
<br />
The healing effects on the body are so numerous in all traditions of yoga that they can be outlined only partially here.<br />
<br />
"Foremost among āsanas, the back-stretch thus makes the breath flow to the rear (i.e.~in the central channel), increases the digestive fire, makes the belly thin and prevents diseases in men."<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika Verse 29'']] </ref><br />
<br />
André van Lysebeth mentions positive effects on the spine, neck muscles, nervous system, abdominal organs, lymph circulation, as well as hygienic and aesthetic healing effects. <ref> André van Lysebeth: ''Yoga: Self-Taught'' Harper & Row Publishers, New York pp. 138-140</ref> <br />
<br />
Swami Sivananda writes: "The spine becomes elastic and thereby perennial youth is established."<ref> Swami Sivananda: ''Hatha Yoga''. 5th ed. The Divine Life Society, Uttarakhand, Himalayas, lndia. p. 38 ISBN 81-7052-192-0 </ref><br />
<br />
Yoga-Vidya breaks down the effect of the asana on individual muscles and internal organs.<ref>[[https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Paschimottanasana ''Paschimottanasana'']] In: ''wiki.yoga-vidya.de'' (German). Retrieved 28 March, 2026.</ref> <br />
<br />
Heinz Grill devotes an entire article to the healing effects of the exercise. <ref>[https://heinz-grill.de/en/the-head-knee-position-paschimottanasanaand-its-potential-healing-effects/ ''The head-knee position, paschimottanasana, and its potential healing effects.''] In: ''Contributions to a New Yoga Will.'' Retrieved 9 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Sirsasana&diff=128Sirsasana2026-03-28T22:10:11Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:Śīrṣāsana, Julija Zora Mazover 2022.jpg|240px|thumb|Śīrṣāsana, Julija Zora Mazover 2022]]<br />
<br />
'''Shirshasana''' ([[w:Sanskrit|Sanskrit]] शीर्षासन, [[w:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''śīrṣāsana''), English '''headstand''', is one of the main exercises of [[w:Hatha Yoga|Hatha Yoga]] and belongs to the group of inverted yoga poses. The Sanskrit name ''śīrṣāsana'' is composed of the words ''śīrṣa'' "head"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=zIrSa&dir=au ''Search results for "zIrSa".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 18 January, 2026</ref> and ''āsana'' "seat"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=au ''Search results for "Asana".''] In:''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 18 January, 2026</ref> or, more generally, "posture".<br />
<br />
Shirshasana is part of the [[A:Rishikesh series|Rishikesh series]]<ref name=":1"> André Van Lysebeth: ''Yoga Self-Taught 1971 Harper & Row Publishers New York , ISBN 06-465073-1 p. 79, p. 191''</ref> and part of the finishing sequence of Ashtanga Yoga.<ref>[https://www.liveandbreatheyoga.com.au/finishing-sequence-of-ashtanga-yoga/ ''Finishing sequence of Ashtanga Yoga.''] Retrieved 18 January 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
==Preliminary remark== <br />
<br />
At first glance, it appears that the headstand is not mentioned in the ancient Hatha Yoga scriptures, as the Sanskrit name Shirshasana does not explicitly appear. However, in the 3rd chapter of the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] the Viparita Karani posture is mentioned – ''viparīta'' "reversed",<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=viparIta&dir=au ''Search results for "viparIta".'' ] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 18 January 2026</ref> ''karaṇa'' "activity"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=karana&dir=au ''Search results for "karana".'' ] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 18 January 2026</ref> – and could thus refer to the headstand: "On the first day [the yogi] should keep his head down and his feet up for a short while, and he should [then] practise for a little longer every day"<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''hathapradipika.online''] retrieved 18 January 2026</ref> This is clarified more clearly in verse III, 35 in the [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]]: "Place the head on the ground with hands spread, raise the legs up, and thus remain steady. This is called Viparitakarani."<ref>[https://www.aghori.it/Gherandasamhita.pdf ''Gherandasamhita''] p. 25 .</ref><br />
<br />
== Physical execution ==<br />
<br />
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center points out that the key to balance in the headstand lies in the tripod which is formed by elbows and hands. The tripod is formed from a kneeled position, putting the forearms on the ground, wrapping the hands around the ellbows. Then release the hands and place them in the front without moving the ellbows. It is important that the elbows don’t shift out of the formed tripod.<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga'' First Fireside Edition, New York, 2000, ISBN 0-684-87000-2, p. 38.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill suggests that the next step is to very consciously place the head with the crown on the ground, … "so consciously that you perceive the closeness of your head to the ground, and stably clasp the back of your head with your interlaced fingers."<ref name=":4">Heinz Grill: The Soul Dimension of Yoga. ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2</ref><br />
<br />
Erling Petersen, a student of [[Wen:Swami Narayanananda|Swami Narayanananda]], now stretches his legs and walks toward the body, lifting the hips high enough to keep the back straight.<ref>Erling Petersen: Yoga - Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene'' (Yoga - The big exercise Book for Beginners and advanced practitioners). 3rd edition. Heyne ISBN 3-453-17963-3, german p. 115 ''</ref><br />
<br />
This position is a preliminary preparatory pose for the headstand. It is called Ardha Shirshasana, or "half headstand," and can be practised on its own.<br />
<br />
Now bend your legs. Lift your feet off the floor and move your heels towards your buttocks. [[w:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S.&nbsp;Iyengar]] recommends practising lifting the feet off the floor until you feel confident, and only then moving the legs further into the vertical position by first bringing the thighs into alignment. Finally, the legs are stretched completely until the body is completely vertical.<ref name="„:2“">B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins Publishers India</ref><br />
<br />
When leaving the position, it is important to lower the legs very slowly and to avoid jerks, says [[Swami Vishnudevananda]], and then you should stand erect for a minute or two to harmonize the blood circulation.<ref>Swami Vishnu-Devananda: ''The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga'' Edition Three Rivers Press, New York, , ISBN 978-0-307-78620-3, p. 99.</ref><br />
<br />
[[Swami Sivananda]], who describes Shirshasana as the king of all asanas, suggests that this asana is easy to learn with the help of a wall: "Keep the finger-lock and head near the wall and throw away your legs on the wall. Try to remove the legs from the wall. By this method also you can learn to balance the body."<ref name=":3"> Sri Swami Sivananda: ''Hatha Yoga.'' 5th edition, The Divine Life Trust Society, Sivananda Nagar, p. 29 </ref><br />
<br />
In his instructions, [[w:André Van Lysebeth|André Van Lysebeth]] distinguishes between Shirshasana and Kapalasana (IAST: '' kapālāsana''), whereby ''kapāla'' means "head, skull".<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=kapAla&dir=au ''Search results for "kapAala".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 18 January 2026</ref> Kapalasana therefore also refers to the headstand. In contrast to Shirshasana, the forearms do not rest on the floor, but rather the head and the two supported palms form the tripod.<ref name=":1"/><br />
<br />
Iyengar calls this pose Salamba Shirshasana, which translates as "supported headstand". The Sanskrit word "sālamba" means "as support".<ref name=„:2“/><ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=sAlamba&dir=se ''Search results for "sAlamba".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 18 January 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
== Focusing attention ==<br />
Swami Sivananda points out that "If you observe the breath you will notice that it becomes finer and finer." Furthermore you should breath only through the nose and not breathe through the mouth.<ref name=":3" /><br />
<br />
== The picture and the meaning of the exercise ==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill writes about the picture and meaning of the headstand exercise:<br />
<br />
"Practitioners experience the vertical line particularly intensively in the inverted form, as this form inevitably exists in the headstand and at the same time moves into consciousness through the inversion. The vertical line reveals the nature of the thought, which in itself is concrete and clear and represents a celestial power, a spiritual substance itself. In this symbol, which can be vividly experienced, lies the meaning of this graceful asana."<ref name=":4"/><br />
<br />
== Health aspects ==<br />
<br />
B. K. S. Iyengar states that the practice of Shirshasana allows healthy and pure blood to flow through the brain cells. "This rejuvenates them so that thinking power increases and thoughts become clearer."<ref name=„:2“ /> André van Lysebeth reports that the inverted posture relieves the organs of the abdominal cavity from gravity, allowing them to rest on the diaphragm and receive a gentle massage through the breathing movement.<ref name=":1" /><br />
=References=</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Paschimottanasana&diff=127Paschimottanasana2026-03-28T20:56:27Z<p>Xenja: </p>
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<div>'''Pashchimottanasana''', often also written as Paschimottanasana ([[W:Sanskrit|Sanskrit]] पश्चिमोत्तानासन, [[W:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''paścimottānāsana''), English''' seated forward bend''', is a classic [[exercise]] in yoga. The Sanskrit name is composed of the words ''paścima'' "west", which refers to the back of the body,<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=pazcima&dir=au ''Search results for "pazcima".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref> ''uttāna'' "intense stretching"<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=uttAna&dir=se ''Search results for "uttAna".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref> as well as ''āsana'' "seat" or, more generally translated, "posture".<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=au ''Search results for "Asana".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved 7 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
==Physical execution==<br />
<br />
Verse 28 of the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] states:<br />
:"[The yogi] should stretch out the legs on the ground [as straight] as a stick, hold the toes of both feet with the hands, and practise with the forehead placed on the knees. They call this the back-stretch (paścimatānam)."<br />
<br />
[[File:Jogapradipika 7 Pascimatanasana.jpg|thumb|210px|This illustration of the asana in an 1830 edition of the Hatha&shy;pradipika clearly shows the intense forward extension of the upper body.]]<br />
<br />
[[W:André Van Lysebeth|André Van Lysebeth]] explains that in the final position the body is folded in two like a penknife. The chest rests against the legs and the forehead touches the knees and, if possible, moving as close as possible to the feet. He mentions that it is essential "to uncurl the whole length of the spine".<br />
<br />
Swami Sivananda instructs: "Lie flat on the back (spine) over the blanket. Keep the legs and thighs fixed on the ground. Stiffen your body. Slowly raise the head and chest and assume the sitting pose. Now exhale and bend the trunk forward till you are able to catch hold of your toes […]. Bend slowIy by gradual degrees. You can even bury your face between the knees."<br />
<br />
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center adds that the key lies in learning how to extend forward right from the base of the spine.<br />
<br />
Swami Vishnudevananda also recommends stiffening the body and then lifting the head and chest until a sitting position is achieved, from which one can continue working toward the final position. <br />
<br />
<br />
[[W:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] recommends starting the pose in a seated position and learning "to bend right from the pelvic region and also extend the arms from the shoulders." During the dynamic phase the elbows should be bent and widened and used as levers. The trunk is pulled forward and in the final position the forehead touches the knees.<br />
<br />
<br />
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga teaches that in the sitting position, the pelvis should be tilted forward as far as possible and the underside of the legs tensed so that the heels lift slightly off the floor. Furthermore, variations in hand position and thus in the pulling possibilities can increase the lengthening of the spine.<br />
<br />
In [[W:Bikram Yoga|Bikram Yoga]], this asana is also called "Sit Up".<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill begins the asana in a seated position with legs stretched out. The upper body is now actively carried forward from the spine, extending well beyond the legs. "With increasing activity coordinate your lower and middle back with the upper parts of the back, the shoulders and arms, which should be subject more and more to a relaxation […] Aim for a conscious stillness with simultaneous overseeing. […] Out of a great impulse originating from the solar plexus or ''manipura chakra'', the movement flows into the lengthways stretch and after sufficient time seeks itself a still, closed form."<br />
<br />
=== Physical execution in Ashtanga Yoga ===<br />
<br />
In Ashtanga Yoga, the seated forward bend pose is embedded in a flowing sequence of exercises typical of this style of yoga:<br><br />
<br><br />
<br />
<youtube>uzkMkAMffFQ|500x280|center|''Paschimottanasana – Prashantha Yoga''</youtube><br />
<br />
==The picture and the meaning of the exercise==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes the spiritual meaning of paschimottanasana as the result of his spiritual research as follows:<br />
<br />
"This very important basic pose of ''hatha-yoga'' depicts the transcending of limits, the extension of personal possibilities in the sense of wilfully performing an activity, and furthermore it indicates the inner sense of patient work and persistently "entering into relationship" with earthly matter. On the one hand expanded and stretched out, but on the other hand with depth and adeptness, practitioners devote themselves to the closed form in the movement. It is the soul picture of "going into matter", of the soul's becoming deeply touched through the form of what is earthly."<br />
<br />
"The experience of penetrating deeply into the earth, into life, into the realities with one’s own creativity is the symbol of this exercise."<br />
<br />
== Variations ==<br />
<gallery class="center" widths="200px" heights="200px"><br />
Head-to-Knee Forward Bend pose.JPG|Preparation for <br>''Janu Shirshasana''|link=File:Head-to-Knee_Forward_Bend_pose.JPG<br />
Janusirsasana Yoga-Asana Nina-Mel.jpg|''Janu Shirshasana''<br>Seated Forward Bend Pose with bent leg|link=File:Janusirsasana_Yoga-Asana_Nina-Mel.jpg<br />
JimTarran2.jpg|''Parivritta Janu Shirshasana''<br>Revolved Seated Forward Bend Pose|link=File:JimTarran2.jpg<br />
</gallery><br />
<br />
<br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=User:Xenja/Pratyahara&diff=126User:Xenja/Pratyahara2026-03-27T22:26:52Z<p>Xenja: </p>
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<div>'''Pratyahara''' is the fifth stage of the eight stages of Ashtanga Yoga or [[W:Raja Yoga|Raja Yoga]], which was described by [[W:Patanjali|Patanjali]] in the Yoga Sutra. Pratyahara follows [[W:Pranayama|Pranayama]], the control of the breath, followed by the next stages [[W:Dharana|Dharana]] (concentration) [[W:Dhyana|Dhyana]], the [[Basics of meditation|meditation]]. <br />
<br />
Pratyahara is about controlling the senses. The senses instead of running after external objects of desire turn inwards.<br />
<br />
Through this internalisation of [[A:consciousness|consciousness]], sensory impressions become conscious and controllable. The human mind should be trained to perceive subtleties that are normally hidden from the senses.<br />
<br />
At an advanced level, one is also taught/it is also taught how to influence the activity of the involuntary muscles. These techniques flow smoothly into pranayama. Another technique of pratyahara is to concentrate on the point between the eyebrows, the ajna chakra ([[W:third eye|third eye]]).<br />
<br />
From a spiritual perspective, the consciously guided sensory process is important for pratyahara. This takes place in the process of "detachment and new beginnings", in which, in all forms of relationships, exercises or conversations, the individual detaches their consciousness from the old familiar forms and, through the existence of a consciously conceived thought, gains an experience that transcends the old form.<br />
<br />
== Etymology and interpretations in ancient yoga literature ==<br />
<br />
The Sanskrit term pratyahara ([[Y:Sanskrit|Sanskrit]] प्रत्याहार, [[W:IAST|IAST]] ''pratyāhāra'') is derived from the verb root ''hr'' "to take" and undergoes a modification to ''hāra''. It is preceded by the two prefixes ''ā'' "towards, to, in the direction of" and ''prati'' "back", whereby ''prati'' becomes ''praty'' due to the following ''ā''. Pratyahara literally means "to take back" or "to withdraw".<br />
<br />
Patanjali writes in Chapter 2, verses 54 and 55 of the Yoga Sutra:<br />
<br />
''svaviṣaya-asaṁprayoge cittasya svarūpānukāra-iv-endriyāṇāṁ pratyāhāraḥ'' ||54||<br />
''tataḥ paramā-vaśyatā indriyāṇām'' ||55||<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
"The withdrawal of the senses is as it were,their assumption of the form of mento-emotional energy<br />
when not contacting their own objects of perception.From that accomplishment, comes the highest degree<br />
of control of the senses."<br />
<br />
The ancient writings on yoga contain different interpretations of pratyahara. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali explains that pranayama brings about concentration and focus of the mind. The Prashna Upanishad uses the image of bees following the queen bee everywhere to describe this process in the Second Question II, Verse 4. Below is a translation of this verse by Swami Sivananda:<br />
"He from indignation appeared to go out upwards (from the body); thereupon as he was about to go out, all others seemed to go out and he being established, all others were established. Just as bees go out, and settle down when she settles down, so did the speech, mind eye, ears (etc.). Being satisfied they praised the Prana."<br />
<br />
In the [[W:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (17th century), the fourth chapter on pratyahara contains an interpretation according to which one should withdraw (his mind) from good or bad speech, sweet or bad smells, sweet, acid, bitter or astringent tastes, and bring everything within the control of his Self.<br />
<br />
== The development of the sensory organs ==<br />
<br />
The sensory organs serve to perceive and orientate ourselves in the outside world. Through them, humans perceive the physical, sensory world. From a spiritual perspective, humans are not only part of the physical world, but also part of a spiritual and soul world. According to Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925), the founder of anthroposophy, humans need to train their soul-spiritual organs of perception. In contrast to the development of the physical sensory organs, which takes place quite naturally, humans must accomplish the development of finer organs of perception themselves:<br />
<br />
"It is true that the relation of man to these higher senses is rather different from his relation to the bodily senses. It is good Mother Nature who sees to it, as a rule, that these latter are fully developed in him. They come into existence without his help. For the development of his higher senses, however, he must work himself. If he wishes to perceive the soul and spirit worlds, he must develop soul and spirit, just as nature has developed his body so that the might perceive the corporeal world around him and guide himself in it."<br />
<br />
For this, it is necessary for humans to understand themselves as spiritual beings and to view their bodies as relative. The body reflects all kinds of desires, but ultimately, the body only reveals a hunger for the spirit:<br />
<br />
One must lift oneself out of the body with a mental jolt in order to satisfy the desire that the body creates in the spirit.<br />
<br />
Renunciation of worldly things is a prerequisite/premise/precondition for spiritual experience. If a person is too strongly attached to worldly things, it stands in the way of their search for the spiritual. In this sense, pratyahara can be seen as an element that causes the physical senses to recede from their dominance and develop a more refined perception.<br />
<br />
== Different/various aspects of pratyahara ==<br />
<br />
Pratyahara, the control/guidance of the senses, can be interpreted and practised in different ways. There are also various aspects and elaborations ranging from the development of the individual up to a future understanding of science.<br />
<br />
=== Practical implementation in everyday life ===<br />
<br />
According to Sukadev Bretz, the founder of Yoga Vidya, one meaning of the term pratyahara is withdrawal/retreat, for example, a time when one does not come into contact with external objects.<br />
<br />
In concrete terms, however, pratyahara also means the ability to withdraw one's senses from the outside world. Normally, the five senses of human beings are geared towards perceiving something. The eyes want to see something, the ears want to hear something. This is usually followed by a reaction that Sukadev describes as undignified behaviour: reacting immediately to an external stimulus.<br />
<br />
Sukadev describes another meaning of pratyahara as the ability to put one's mind into a meditative state in which contact between the senses and the environment is no longer important. This state is achieved through high concentration, in which the outside world recedes in its effect and the person hardly perceives heat or cold, for example. Even during sleep, the senses are hardly in contact with the environment.<br />
"When you are concentrated or your state of mind is on another level, your senses do not come into contact with objects. Being able to bring this about consciously is pratyahara.<br />
<br />
Sukadev names two techniques for everyday life to break through the stimulus-response mechanisms to which humans are usually subject. When an external stimulus awakens a desire, a craving or even rejection, one can<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-left:15px"><br />
* focus one's mind on something else, something spiritual, such as a mantra, and thus consciously direct one's attention,<br />
* direct one's sensory perception in such a way that one withdraws one's attention into the sensory organ itself. So if a disturbance arises through seeing, one should concentrate on the eyes. In this way, one draws the energy of the organ of sight back into the eye itself.<br />
</div><br />
<br />
The aim is not to feel frustrated about denying yourself a desire, but to become free from the desire itself.<br />
To generate pratyahara, for example at the beginning of meditation, he mentions the following possible means:<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-left:15px"><br />
* Prayer in the sense of turning to God,<br />
* Visualisations, for example, imagining light flowing into people,<br />
* Positive affirmations, for example, by becoming aware of the benefits of meditation,<br />
* Body scan, in which you consciously move from the bottom to the top of your body,<br />
* Practising deep relaxation.<br />
</div><br />
<br />
=== Shedding the Old and beginning anew in one’s Conciousness ===<br />
<br />
[[A:Heinz Grill|Heinz Grill]] (* 1960), author and spiritual teacher, describes pratyahara not only as a prerequisite for meditation, but also as a way of promoting a synthesis between spirit and world that is neither a withdrawal from the outside world nor an attachment to it. This process is opposed to the natural sensory process and is motivated by a mentally guided perception:<br />
<br />
To practise pratyahara, he recommends keeping your eyes open to avoid daydreaming. The next step is for the practitioner to become aware that they convey unconscious emotions, desires and intellectual knowledge through their eyes:<br />
<br />
:"They glace, for example, at a forest landscape and, with their sense processes directed to the trees and forms they see, the need to go for a walk there is immediately carried over. Strictly speaking, people do not experience themselves in the reality of the outer world they are looking at, but due to their many needs of sympathy or antipathy and through their inner lying emotions they experience mostly their inner world. […] The first process of freeing the senses from one’s own emotions and the resulting projections, is to observe an object in the outer world or, for example, a piece of text, objectivity for a long period of time perhaps for two to five minutes. Finally, the gaze can be turned away from the object and an attempt can be made to describe what has been seen with objective criteria. What words were in the text, what is the main thought, what is being said, the sentence structure as it is in reality? The uncertainties that ultimately arise, can always be overcome through a repetition of the sense-observation, so that the reality, as it is, appears completely as reality. Those practising in this way attain the viewpoint of the so-called witness, which, for example, in yoga is called the sakshi."<br />
<br />
Pratyahara here does not mean completely withdrawing the senses or closing the eyes, but refers to a conscious process of perception that restrains the unconscious and automatic inner life. As a result, the individual develops correct ideas corresponding to the object of the senses:<br />
: "Through a careful approach to the various observations and their repetition, the aspirant's consciousness expands and the first correct ideas emerge relatively quickly. The sensory objects observed speak to the human soul through the discipline of repetition."<br />
<br />
For Heinz Grill, the withdrawal of the senses described by pratyahara corresponds to the process of "shedding the old and beginning a new", a characteristic of the 5th centre, the Vishuddha Chakra (Sanskrit विशुद्धचक्र, IAST ''viśuddha-cakra'')."In all conversations, all forms of relationship, in all exercises or activities, the consciousness by nature literally breaks away from the old, familiar forms, and through the existence of the thought or even, to put it another way, through the existence of light, it wants to acquire an experience that goes beyond the old form."<br />
<br />
The sensory nerves, with their afferent (from the Latin affere, 'to carry towards/over/to bring‚) function gain the upper hand through shedding the old and beginning a new in thought as opposed to the motor nerves with their efferent (from Latin effere, "to carry out, to lead out") function.<br />
<br />
=== Sensory Perception and spiritual Content lead to Insight and Connection ===<br />
<br />
The [[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]] distinguishes between mere abstinence, which is not yet capable of removing the urge in the senses, and a deeper insight that has a purifying effect on the senses. Chapter II, verse 59 states:<br />
:''viṣayā vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ rasavarjaṃ raso.apyasya paraṃ dṛṣṭvā nivartate''<br />
If one abstains from food, the objects of sense cease to affect, but the affection itself of the sense, the rasa, remains; the rasa also ceases when the Supreme is seen.<br />
<br />
Rudolf Steiner says that sensory perception strips away everything that is not sensory from the objects being observed – he also uses the word "effaced". By adding spiritual content, humans can reconnect with the essence of things:<br />
<br />
"Sensory perception excludes all those aspects of things which are not sensory. It divests things of all that is not sensory in them. If I then proceed to the spiritual, the idea-content, I only re-establish that aspect of things which sensory perception has ''effaced''. Hence sensory perception does not show me the deepest nature of things; rather it separates me from this nature. Spiritual comprehension, comprehension by the idea, again connects me with this nature."<br />
<br />
=== Basis for effective learning ===<br />
<br />
=== Pratyahara and Natural Science ===<br />
<br />
<br />
Rudolf Steiner also sees human beings as the central element and describes how natural processes raise questions in people, encouraging them to explore these questions in greater depth. For him, this need to explore the essence of something is true science, whereas he distinguishes it from research that serves an external purpose, such as the advancement of technology: "…It is something entirely different to observe the processes of nature in order to place its forces in the service of technology, than to seek, with the help of these processes, to look more deeply into the being of natural science. True science is present only where the human spirit seeks to satisfy ''its'' needs, without any ''external purpose''."<br />
<br />
== Effects on health ==<br />
<br />
=== Deep relaxation and regeneration ===<br />
<br />
Sukadev Bretz describes how pratyahara can induce deep relaxation, which in turn is very important for the regenerative capacity of the human body. Beta waves, which occur when we are awake and produce stress hormones in certain situations, are reduced. Alpha waves, which produce calming neurotransmitters, increase, and in some cases delta or theta waves, which are active during deep meditation or sleep, may even/even may occur. This promotes the body's ability to regenerate and strengthens the immune system.<br />
<br />
According to Heinz Grill, the sensory nerves are strengthened when the more impulsive motor nerves are first successfully brought to recede/are withdrawn.“ However, if from the very beginning the motoric automated processes predominate in the senses, the whole nervous system generally weakens and the person becomes like a plaything of many stimuli, opinions and suggestions."<br />
=== Anticarcinogenic effect ===<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill compares the effects of pratyahara, the control of the senses, with those of natural sunlight, which has a generally structuring and shaping/forming effect on humans and thus counteracts the formless proliferation and cell degeneration associated with tumour diseases:<br />
<br />
"Natural sunlight, unfiltered and pure, mild and warming, provides the human organism with a natural stimulation of the periphery, that in general transports structuring processes right into the organic interior.[…] This development of a healthy perception- and sense-process, connected with thought content, that does not come from the motoric and emotional sphere of the human desire-world, provides increasing forming forces that open up a healing atmosphere for both inflammation and also with cell degeneration." <br />
<br />
=== Mental stabilisation ===<br />
<br />
In Chapter II, verses 64–65, the Bhagavad Gita describes the development of human reason as another positive effect of pratyahara, for which the formation of objective views is a necessary foundation:<br />
<poem style="margin-left:31px"><br />
''rāga dveṣa vimuktais tu viṣayā nindriyaiś caran ātmavaśyair vidheyātmā prasādam adhigacchati''<br />
''prasāde sarvaduḥkhānāṃ hānirasyopajāyate prasannacetaso hyāśu buddhiḥ paryavatiṣṭhate''<br />
</poem><br />
"It is by ranging over the objects with the senses, but with senses subject to the self, freed from liking and disliking, that one gets into a large and sweet clearness of soul and temperament. By that, large and sweet clearness of soul and temperament, passion and grief find no place; the intelligence of such a man is rapidly established in its proper seat."<br />
<br />
Through this "foundation" of reason//intelligence, humans experience overall psychological stability and become capable of consciously facing both the pleasant and unpleasant phenomena of the world. The psychology of [[Viktor Emil Frankl|Viktor Frankl]], for example, deals with the question of meaning, a question of existential importance for human beings. In order to recognise which action is meaningful in a situation, it must be seen in its entirety. In the so-called [[w:Sinnerfassungsmethode|Sinnerfassungsmethode]], a method developed by [[w:Alfried Längle|Alfried Längle]] (* 1951) in 1988 as part of logotherapy, the perception of reality is the first step towards ultimately arriving at an appropriate course of action through further steps, which the individual decides on freely and independently.</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Padmasana&diff=125Padmasana2026-03-25T22:36:27Z<p>Xenja: </p>
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<div>'''Padmasana''' (Sanskrit पद्मासन, IAST padmāsana), known in English as the '''lotus position''' or '''lotus pose''', is a sitting posture. It is also called '''Kamalasana'''. The Sanskrit name ''padmāsana'' is formed from the words ''padma'' "lotus flower"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=padma&dir=se ''Results for "padma"''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved December 13 2025 </ref> and ''āsana'' "seat" or, more generally, "posture".<ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=au ''Results for "Asana".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved December 13 2025.</ref> "Kamala" also refers to the lotus flower.<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=kamala&dir=au ''Results for "kamala".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved December 13 2025.</ref> Padmasana is used as a sitting position for [[meditation]]. As a classic sitting position, Padmasana is part of the 84 main exercises of [[w:Hatha Yoga|Hatha Yoga]]. It is practiced in almost all styles of yoga.<br />
<br />
=Symbology of the Lotus Flower=<br />
<br />
[[File:Nelumno nucifera open flower - botanic garden adelaide2.jpg|thumb|210px|Lotus flower - Nelumbo nucifera - which holds deep spiritual significance e.g. in Buddhism and Hinduism]]<br />
<br />
In Hinduism, the lotus flower symbolizes creation and regeneration, which are attributed to a female divine principle. Various deities are depicted as being born from the calyx of the lotus flower.<br />
<br />
In Buddhism, the lotus symbolizes spiritual elevation, the capacity or ability of humans to rise above the problems of the world through spiritual development. Just as the flower rises from the pond and produces a radiant, dirt-repellent bloom, so too can humans, through a path of meditation, wisdom, and inner growth, attain the ability to overcome evil and not be overwhelmed by difficulties. Being like the lotus does not mean not noticing the problems of life, but it means knowing how to confront and overcome problems without being overwhelmed or conditioned by them. The lotus is the flower of meditation and rediscovery of life, light, and inner awareness. Some Buddha statues show Buddha in Padmasana.<br />
<br />
In ancient Egypt, the lotus flower symbolized the sun, rebirth, and the region of Upper Egypt. These meanings appear in three different legends about creation. According to one legend, the sun rose from a lotus flower that emerged from the primordial chaos and was formed from water.<ref name=":0">[https://hydrophyllum.it/blog/simbologia-del-fior-di-loto-n24 ''Simbologia del Fior di Loto.''] In: ''hydrophyllum.it.'' Retrieved January 16 2026 (italian).</ref><br />
<br />
=Padmasana in the ancient scriptures of yoga=<br />
<br />
Padmasana is mentioned in [[w:Yoga Yajnavalkya|Yoga Yajnavalkya]] (Sanskrit योगयाज्ञवल्क्य, IAST ''yoga-yājñavalkya''), the oldest surviving text (13th century) containing descriptions of asanas.<ref>[https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Lotussitz#Yogatexte_und_Padmasana''Padmasana.''] In: ''yoga-vidya.de.'' Retrieved January 16 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:256px-Hatha Yoga Pradipika Bhasya, page 1, Raghunath temple library, Sanskrit, Devanagari.jpg|frame|Hatha Yoga Pradipika Bhasya, page 1, Raghunath temple library, Sanskrit]]<br />
<br />
In the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] (written in the 14th century), Padmasana is described in verse 44:<br />
<br />
:"Now the lotus pose (padmāsana).Place the right foot on the left thigh, and the left on the right thigh, firmly hold the big toes with the hands crossed behind the back, put the chin on the chest and gaze at the tip of the nose. This, which destroys diseases for those who undertake the observances, is called the lotus pose."<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika''] retrieved January 15 2025]</ref><br />
<br />
In Verse 45 another variant of the position without crossing the arms is described: <br />
:"However, in another school [padmāsana is taught as follows]:Carefully put the upturned feet on the thighs and the upturned hands in the middle of the thighs,…"<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''Hathapradipika.''] retrieved January 15 2025]</ref><br />
<br />
The [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (probably written in the 17th century) refers to Padmasana in verse 8 as "destroyer of all diseases" (''This posture destroys all diseases''). The physical execution is described as in the Hathapradipika.<ref>[https://www.aghori.it/Gherandasamhita.pdf ''Gherandasamhita''] p. 13 .</ref><br />
<br />
Verses 88–91 in Chapter 3 of the [[w:Shivasamhita|Shivasamhita]] (written around 1700) are dedicated to Padmasana. Verse 88 mentions the protective and healing effects of the sitting position: "I now describe the Padmasana which wards off (or cures) all diseases...." Verse 91 concludes the discussion of Padmasana with the words: "Sitting in the Padmasana posture, and knowing the action of the prana and apana, when the Yogi performs the regulation of the breath, he is emancipated. I tell you the truth. Verily, I tell you the truth."<ref name=":1">[https://archive.org/stream/SivaSamhita/SivaSamhita_djvu.txt ''Shiva Samhita'' ] retrieved January 15 2026 </ref><br />
<br />
=Physical execution=<br />
<br />
[[file:PadmasanaHG.JPG|240px|thumb|Heinz Grill in Padmasana with the hands placed on the knees]]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Since the physical execution is described similarly by various yoga masters, the instructions of [[W:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S. Iyengar]] are presented below as an example:<br />
<br />
Iyengar begins the asana in a seated position with legs extended. Then the right leg is bent, the right foot is grasped with the hands and placed at the root of the left thigh so that the heel is close to the navel. Now the left leg is bent, the left foot is grasped with the hands and placed over the right leg. The heel should also be close to the navel. The soles of the feet are turned upward.<br />
<br />
:"People not used to sitting on the floor seldom have flexible knees. At the start they will feel excruciating pain around the knees. By perseverance and continued practice the pain will gradually subside and they can then stay in the pose comfortably for a long time."<br />
<br />
The spine should remain straight. The arms can be stretched out and the right hand placed on the right knee and the left hand on the left knee. Alternatively, the hands can be positioned in the middle, where the feet cross. Iyengar furthermore recommends changing the position of the legs so that they develop evenly.<ref name=":2">B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins Publishers</ref><br />
<br />
In '''Ardha Padmasana''', the "half lotus pose", only one foot is placed on the thigh of the other leg, which remains bent and in full contact with the floor. Ardha Padmasana is suitable as preparation for the full lotus pose.<br />
<br />
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center recommends two warm-up exercises for Padmasana:<br />
"Sit with spine erect and soles of the feet together, heels close to the body. For the ''ankle-knee pose''… press your knees forward with a straight back. For the ''butterfly'' … clasp your feet and and move your knees up and down."<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga'' First Fireside Edition, New York, 2000, ISBN 0-684-87000-2,<br />
p. 134. </ref><br />
= The picture and the meaning =<br />
<br />
The picture and the meaning of the posture are described by Heinz Grill with the following words:<br />
:"The calmness and composure, which is particular to this position, gives a perception of being free from earthly conflicts, passions and turbulence. The thought processes, which take their first expression in the etheric sphere, as well as the perceptions, which tend more into the astral sphere, can be perceived freer from the body in this position. It is in this calmness, alertness and uprightness, with concurrent release from the body, that the meaning of this exercise lies."<ref>Heinz Grill: "The Soul Dimension of Yoga." Translated from the original German title by Heinz Grill: Die Seelendimension des Yoga - Praktische Grundlagen zu<br />
einem spirituellen Übungsweg, Copyright 2018. p.129<br />
</ref><br />
=Other sitting postures =<br />
<br />
According to Heinz Grill, it is also possible to assume the meditation posture on a chair. However, it is important "to bring a certain degree of gathering to the base of the body, really straightening up the back well, out of the sacrum, out of the centre and with the entire chest region, so that the head seems as if it is supported."<ref>[https://heinz-grill.de/en/the-ideal-posture-for-meditation/ Heinz Grill: ''The ideal posture for Meditation''] retrieved December 1st 2025 </ref><br />
=References=<br />
<references/><br />
<br />
[[index.php?title=Category:Asana]]</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Sirsasana&diff=124Sirsasana2026-03-25T22:25:55Z<p>Xenja: Punctioation</p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:Śīrṣāsana, Julija Zora Mazover 2022.jpg|240px|thumb|Śīrṣāsana, Julija Zora Mazover 2022]]<br />
<br />
'''Shirshasana''' ([[w:Sanskrit|Sanskrit]] शीर्षासन, [[w:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''śīrṣāsana''), English '''headstand''', is one of the main exercises of [[w:Hatha Yoga|Hatha Yoga]] and belongs to the group of inverted yoga poses. The Sanskrit name ''śīrṣāsana'' is composed of the words ''śīrṣa'' "head"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=zIrSa&dir=au ''Search results for "zIrSa".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 18 January, 2026</ref> and ''āsana'' "seat"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Asana&dir=au ''Search results for "Asana".''] In:''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 18 January, 2026</ref> or, more generally, "posture".<br />
<br />
Shirshasana is part of the [[A:Rishikesh series|Rishikesh series]]<ref name=":1"> André Van Lysebeth: ''Yoga Self-Taught 1971 Harper & Row Publishers New York , ISBN 06-465073-1 p. 79, p. 191''</ref> and part of the finishing sequence of Ashtanga Yoga.<ref>[https://www.liveandbreatheyoga.com.au/finishing-sequence-of-ashtanga-yoga/ ''Finishing sequence of Ashtanga Yoga.''] Retrieved 18 January 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
==Preliminary Remark== <br />
<br />
At first glance, it appears that the headstand is not mentioned in the ancient Hatha Yoga scriptures, as the Sanskrit name Shirshasana does not explicitly appear. However, in the 3rd chapter of the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] the Viparita Karani posture is mentioned – ''viparīta'' "reversed",<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=viparIta&dir=au ''Search results for "viparIta".'' ] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 18 January 2026</ref> ''karaṇa'' "activity"<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=karana&dir=au ''Search results for "karana".'' ] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 18 January 2026</ref> – and could thus refer to the headstand: "On the first day [the yogi] should keep his head down and his feet up for a short while, and he should [then] practise for a little longer every day"<ref>[https://hathapradipika.online/ ''hathapradipika.online''] retrieved 18 January 2026</ref> This is clarified more clearly in verse III, 35 in the [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]]: "Place the head on the ground with hands spread, raise the legs up, and thus remain steady. This is called Viparitakarani."<ref>[https://www.aghori.it/Gherandasamhita.pdf ''Gherandasamhita''] p. 25 .</ref><br />
<br />
== Physical execution ==<br />
<br />
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center points out that the key to balance in the headstand lies in the tripod which is formed by elbows and hands. The tripod is formed from a kneeled position, putting the forearms on the ground, wrapping the hands around the ellbows. Then release the hands and place them in the front without moving the ellbows. It is important that the elbows don’t shift out of the formed tripod.<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga'' First Fireside Edition, New York, 2000, ISBN 0-684-87000-2, p. 38.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill suggests that the next step is to very consciously place the head with the crown on the ground, … "so consciously that you perceive the closeness of your head to the ground, and stably clasp the back of your head with your interlaced fingers."<ref name=":4">Heinz Grill: The Soul Dimension of Yoga. ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2</ref><br />
<br />
Erling Petersen, a student of [[Wen:Swami Narayanananda|Swami Narayanananda]], now stretches his legs and walks toward the body, lifting the hips high enough to keep the back straight.<ref>Erling Petersen: Yoga - Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene'' (Yoga - The big exercise Book for Beginners and advanced practitioners). 3rd edition. Heyne ISBN 3-453-17963-3, german p. 115 ''</ref><br />
<br />
This position is a preliminary preparatory pose for the headstand. It is called Ardha Shirshasana, or "half headstand," and can be practised on its own.<br />
<br />
Now bend your legs. Lift your feet off the floor and move your heels towards your buttocks. [[w:B. K. S. Iyengar|B. K. S.&nbsp;Iyengar]] recommends practising lifting the feet off the floor until you feel confident, and only then moving the legs further into the vertical position by first bringing the thighs into alignment. Finally, the legs are stretched completely until the body is completely vertical.<ref name="„:2“">B.K.S. Iyengar: ''Light On Yoga'', HarperCollins Publishers India</ref><br />
<br />
When leaving the position, it is important to lower the legs very slowly and to avoid jerks, says [[Swami Vishnudevananda]], and then you should stand erect for a minute or two to harmonize the blood circulation.<ref>Swami Vishnu-Devananda: ''The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga'' Edition Three Rivers Press, New York, , ISBN 978-0-307-78620-3, p. 99.</ref><br />
<br />
[[Swami Sivananda]], who describes Shirshasana as the king of all asanas, suggests that this asana is easy to learn with the help of a wall: "Keep the finger-lock and head near the wall and throw away your legs on the wall. Try to remove the legs from the wall. By this method also you can learn to balance the body."<ref name=":3"> Sri Swami Sivananda: ''Hatha Yoga.'' 5th edition, The Divine Life Trust Society, Sivananda Nagar, p. 29 </ref><br />
<br />
In his instructions, [[w:André Van Lysebeth|André Van Lysebeth]] distinguishes between Shirshasana and Kapalasana (IAST: '' kapālāsana''), whereby ''kapāla'' means "head, skull".<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=kapAla&dir=au ''Search results for "kapAala".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 18 January 2026</ref> Kapalasana therefore also refers to the headstand. In contrast to Shirshasana, the forearms do not rest on the floor, but rather the head and the two supported palms form the tripod.<ref name=":1"/><br />
<br />
Iyengar calls this pose Salamba Shirshasana, which translates as "supported headstand". The Sanskrit word "sālamba" means "as support".<ref name=„:2“/><ref>[https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=sAlamba&dir=se ''Search results for "sAlamba".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 18 January 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
== Focusing attention ==<br />
Swami Sivananda points out that "If you observe the breath you will notice that it becomes finer and finer." Furthermore you should breath only through the nose and not breathe through the mouth.<ref name=":3" /><br />
<br />
== The picture and the meaning of the exercise ==<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill writes about the picture and meaning of the headstand exercise:<br />
<br />
"Practitioners experience the vertical line particularly intensively in the inverted form, as this form inevitably exists in the headstand and at the same time moves into consciousness through the inversion. The vertical line reveals the nature of the thought, which in itself is concrete and clear and represents a celestial power, a spiritual substance itself. In this symbol, which can be vividly experienced, lies the meaning of this graceful asana."<ref name=":4"/><br />
<br />
== Health aspects ==<br />
<br />
B. K. S. Iyengar states that the practice of Shirshasana allows healthy and pure blood to flow through the brain cells. "This rejuvenates them so that thinking power increases and thoughts become clearer."<ref name=„:2“ /> André van Lysebeth reports that the inverted posture relieves the organs of the abdominal cavity from gravity, allowing them to rest on the diaphragm and receive a gentle massage through the breathing movement.<ref name=":1" /><br />
=References=</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Sarvangasana&diff=123Sarvangasana2026-03-25T22:15:39Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div><br />
[[File:SarvangasanaXK.png|250px|thumb|Sarvangasana - Shoulder Stand]]<br />
<br />
'''Sarvangasana''' (Sanskrit सर्वाङ्गासन, [[w:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''sarvāṅgāsana''), known in English as the '''shoulder stand''' or colloquially as the "candle", is one of the main exercises of [[w:Hatha Yoga|Hatha Yoga]] and belongs to the category of inverted poses. The Sanskrit name "Sarvanga" is composed of the words "Sarva" - "all, whole, entire, complete" and "anga" — "limb or body"<ref name=":1">B. K. S. Iyengar: ''Light on Yoga.'' 7th edition. Nikol Verlag, 2017, ISBN 978-3-86820-175-8, p. 205; p. 2o5; p. 208; p. 213.</ref><br />
<br />
In the Rishikesh series as described by [[w:André Van Lysebeth|André Van Lysebeth]], the shoulder stand is the first position.<ref name=":2">André Van Lysebeth: ''Yoga Self-Taught’' 1971 Harper & Row Publishers New York , ISBN 06-465073-1 p. 79; p.93,p. 95, p. 101.</ref> In [[w:Ashtanga (Vinyasa) Yoga|Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga]], it is practised at the beginning of the closing sequence.<ref>[https://www.liveandbreatheyoga.com.au/finishing-sequence-of-ashtanga-yoga/ ''Finishing Sequence''] In: ''https://www.liveandbreatheyoga.com.au/'', Retrieved 18 January 2026 </ref><br />
<br />
== Preliminary remarks ==<br />
Sarvangasana is not yet mentioned in the main texts of Hatha Yoga such as in the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] (written in the 14th century) and the [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (probably written in the 17th century ). Today, however, this asana is an important position in almost all yoga traditions.<br />
<br />
In some yoga traditions, Sarvangasana is also called ''Salamba Sarvangasana''. The word ''sālamba'' means "with support" and refers to the supportive use of the hands.<ref name=":1"/><br />
<br />
== Physical execution ==<br />
<br />
The starting position for the shoulder stand is lying on your back with your legs stretched out and closed. Your hands are at the sides of your legs, palms facing down.<br />
<br />
Iyengar teaches that beginners can now bend the knees and move the legs towards the stomach till the thighs press it. The trunk is to raise up perpendicularly supported by the hands. Then the legs need to be stretched straight with the toes pointing up. Advances practitioners keep the legs stretched out from the beginning to the end and support the dynamic, pressing the palms gently against the floor<ref name=":1" /> <br />
<br />
According to Erling Petersen, a student of [[Wen:Swami Narayanananda|Swami Narayanananda]], attention must be paid to the position of the elbows. These should be pushed "as far together as possible". He also considers the position of the hands to be crucial for the final posture. They should not support the back "somewhere in the lower back area", but "as close as possible to the shoulder blades".<ref>Erling Petersen: ‚'Yoga - Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene'' (Yoga - The big exercise Book for Beginners and advanced practitioners). 3rd edition. Heyne ISBN 3-453-17963-3, german p. 124 ff.</ref><br />
<br />
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center specifies the position of the fingers: "The thumbs around the front of the body, fingers around the back."<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga'' First Fireside Edition, New York, 2000, ISBN 0-684-87000-2, p. 40.</ref><br />
<br />
Swami Sivananda says: "Do the Asana very gracefully" He describes that the back of the neck,<br />
posterior part of the head and the shoulders should touch the ground. The body must not move back and forth. When leaving the exercise, "bring the legs down slowly with elegance. Avoid jerks."<ref>Sri Swami Sivananda: ''Hatha Yoga.'' 5th edition, The Divine Life Trust Society, Sivananda Nagar, p. 33 </ref><br />
<br />
With regard to breathing, André van Lysebeth teaches that when raising the body into the inverted shoulder stand position, the breath should flow "calmly and evenly;" It should not be held.<ref name=":2"/> <br />
<br />
Heinz Grill points out the possibility of a dynamic movement from the thoracic spine. With increasing practice, this movement leads the body into a vertical line as if weightless: "Raise yourself up with a gentle dynamic out of the thoracic spine, leaving, however, the legs, the abdomen and the shoulders relaxed. A subtle upright dynamic in the trunk is combined with a relaxation of the rest of the body."<ref>Heinz Grill: ''Harmony in Breathing'', p. 88.</ref><br />
== Focusing attention during the exercise ==<br />
<br />
In the so-called static, i.e. stationary final position of the posture, André van Lysebeth directs attention to the complete immobility of the body or to the steady flow of breath.<ref name=":2" /><br />
<br />
Attention can also be focused on a thought about the meaning of the shoulder stand:<br />
<br />
== The picture and the meaning of the exercise ==<br />
<br />
To the picture and the meaning of the exercise Heinz Grill formulates the following imagination:<ref>"The word imagination does not mean illusion and also has very little to do with fantasy." Rudolf Steiner coined the term for a form of thinking that is pictorial and has a lively spiritual connection. This pictorial thinking is not only typically intellectual, but also relational and includes spiritual and mental truths in its consideration. Imagination therefore provides spiritually real, content-related representations."<br />
"<br />Heinz Grill: "Übungen für die Seele" (Exercises for the Soul) in German - 3rd, expanded edition. Synergia Verlag, 2022, ISBN 978-3-906873-33-6, p. 182. </ref><br />
:"In this pose, less emphasis is on the strict, specified linear form, but more on the natural growing in energetic lightness out of the central heart. This growth is an aesthetic gesture of the feminine element of the personality. Not the forces of will-power, the extraneous, powerful impulses, but the invigorating ether forces with their unobtrusive, pure and joyful power of levitation give this exercise its expression."<ref>Heinz Grill (2024): "The Soul Dimension of Yoga." ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2 </ref><br />
<br />
== Health aspects ==<br />
<br />
[[Swami Vishnudevananda]] explains that in the shoulder stand, the chin lock by the chin on the chest exerts an extra pressure on the thyroid through which its secretions are kept at par. Furthermore the exercise gives the thyroid a rich supply of blood.<ref>Swami Vishnu-Devananda: ''The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga'' Edition Three Rivers Press, New York, , ISBN 978-0-307-78620-3, p. 70.</ref> He explains that the asana is a good substitute for modern thyroid treatment.<br />
<br />
André van Lybeth mentions that there are favourable reactions on the veins of the legs. Furthermore it helps to remedy ptosis or prolapsus, and drains the abdomen…..eliminating at least temporarily, congestion in the lower abdomen.<ref name=":2" /><br />
<br />
Based on many years of experience, B. K. S. Iyengar states: "It is no over-statement to say that if a person regularly practices Sarvangasana he will feel new vigour and strength, and will be happy<br />
and confident. New life will flow into him, his mind will be at peace and he will feel the joy of life. After a long illness, the practice of thisasana regularly twice a day brings back lost vitality."<ref name=":1" /><br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Sarvangasana&diff=122Sarvangasana2026-03-23T20:10:20Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div><br />
[[File:SarvangasanaXK.png|250px|thumb|Sarvangasana - Shoulder Stand]]<br />
<br />
'''Sarvangasana''' (Sanskrit सर्वाङ्गासन, [[w:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''sarvāṅgāsana''), known in English as the '''shoulder stand''' or colloquially as the "candle", is one of the main exercises of [[w:Hatha Yoga|Hatha Yoga]] and belongs to the category of inverted poses. The Sanskrit name "Sarvanga" is composed of the words "Sarva" - "all, whole, entire, complete" and "anga" — "limb or body" <ref name=":1">B. K. S. Iyengar: ''Light on Yoga.'' 7th edition. Nikol Verlag, 2017, ISBN 978-3-86820-175-8, p. 205; p. 2o5; p. 208; p. 213.</ref><br />
<br />
In the Rishikesh series as described by [[w:André Van Lysebeth|André Van Lysebeth]], the shoulder stand is the first position. <ref name=":2">André Van Lysebeth: ''Yoga Self-Taught’' 1971 Harper & Row Publishers New York , ISBN 06-465073-1 p. 79; p.93,p. 95, p. 101.</ref> In [[w:Ashtanga (Vinyasa) Yoga|Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga]], it is practised at the beginning of the closing sequence. <ref>[https://www.liveandbreatheyoga.com.au/finishing-sequence-of-ashtanga-yoga/ ''Finishing Sequence''] In: ''https://www.liveandbreatheyoga.com.au/'', Retrieved 18 January 2026 </ref><br />
<br />
== Preliminary remarks ==<br />
Sarvangasana is not yet mentioned in the main texts of Hatha Yoga such as in the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] (written in the 14th century) and the [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (probably written in the 17th century ). Today, however, this asana is an important position in almost all yoga traditions.<br />
<br />
In some yoga traditions, Sarvangasana is also called ''Salamba Sarvangasana''. The word ''sālamba'' means "with support" and refers to the supportive use of the hands.<ref name=":1"/><br />
<br />
== Physical execution ==<br />
<br />
The starting position for the shoulder stand is lying on your back with your legs stretched out and closed. Your hands are at the sides of your legs, palms facing down.<br />
<br />
Iyengar teaches that beginners can now bend the knees and move the legs towards the stomach till the thighs press it. The trunk is to raise up perpendicularly supported by the hands. Then the legs need to be stretched straight with the toes pointing up. Advances practitioners keep the legs stretched out from the beginning to the end and support the dynamic, pressing the palms gently against the floor<ref name=":1" /> <br />
<br />
According to Erling Petersen, a student of [[Wen:Swami Narayanananda|Swami Narayanananda]], attention must be paid to the position of the elbows. These should be pushed "as far together as possible". He also considers the position of the hands to be crucial for the final posture. They should not support the back "somewhere in the lower back area", but "as close as possible to the shoulder blades".<ref>Erling Petersen: ‚'Yoga - Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene'' (Yoga - The big exercise Book for Beginners and advanced practitioners). 3rd edition. Heyne ISBN 3-453-17963-3, german p. 124 ff.</ref><br />
<br />
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center specifies the position of the fingers: "The thumbs around the front of the body, fingers around the back."<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga'' First Fireside Edition, New York, 2000, ISBN 0-684-87000-2, p. 40.</ref><br />
<br />
Swami Sivananda says: "Do the Asana very gracefully" He describes that the back of the neck,<br />
posterior part of the head and the shoulders should touch the ground. The body must not move back and forth. When leaving the exercise, "bring the legs down slowly with elegance. Avoid jerks."<ref>Sri Swami Sivananda: ''Hatha Yoga.'' 5th edition, The Divine Life Trust Society, Sivananda Nagar, p. 33 </ref><br />
<br />
With regard to breathing, André van Lysebeth teaches that when raising the body into the inverted shoulder stand position, the breath should flow "calmly and evenly;" It should not be held.<ref name=":2"/> <br />
<br />
Heinz Grill points out the possibility of a dynamic movement from the thoracic spine. With increasing practice, this movement leads the body into a vertical line as if weightless: "Raise yourself up with a gentle dynamic out of the thoracic spine, leaving, however, the legs, the abdomen and the shoulders relaxed. A subtle upright dynamic in the trunk is combined with a relaxation of the rest of the body."<ref>Heinz Grill: ''Harmony in Breathing'', p. 88.</ref><br />
== Focusing attention during the exercise ==<br />
<br />
In the so-called static, i.e. stationary final position of the posture, André van Lysebeth directs attention to the complete immobility of the body or to the steady flow of breath.<ref name=":2" /><br />
<br />
Attention can also be focused on a thought about the meaning of the shoulder stand:<br />
<br />
== The picture and the meaning of the exercise ==<br />
<br />
To the picture and the meaning of the exercise Heinz Grill formulates the following imagination <ref>"The word imagination does not mean illusion and also has very little to do with fantasy." Rudolf Steiner coined the term for a form of thinking that is pictorial and has a lively spiritual connection. This pictorial thinking is not only typically intellectual, but also relational and includes spiritual and mental truths in its consideration. Imagination therefore provides spiritually real, content-related representations."<br />
"<br />Heinz Grill: "Übungen für die Seele" (Exercises for the Soul) in German - 3rd, expanded edition. Synergia Verlag, 2022, ISBN 978-3-906873-33-6, p. 182. </ref>:<br />
:"In this pose, less emphasis is on the strict, specified linear form, but more on the natural growing in energetic lightness out of the central heart. This growth is an aesthetic gesture of the feminine element of the personality. Not the forces of will-power, the extraneous, powerful impulses, but the invigorating ether forces with their unobtrusive, pure and joyful power of levitation give this exercise its expression."<ref>Heinz Grill (2024): "The Soul Dimension of Yoga." ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2 </ref><br />
<br />
== Health aspects ==<br />
<br />
[[Swami Vishnudevananda]] explains that in the shoulder stand, the chin lock by the chin on the chest exerts an extra pressure on the thyroid through which its secretions are kept at par. Furthermore the exercise gives the thyroid a rich supply of blood.<ref>Swami Vishnu-Devananda: ''The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga'' Edition Three Rivers Press, New York, , ISBN 978-0-307-78620-3, p. 70.</ref> He explains that the asana is a good substitute for modern thyroid treatment.<br />
<br />
André van Lybeth mentions that there are favourable reactions on the veins of the legs. Furthermore it helps to remedy ptosis or prolapsus, and drains the abdomen…..eliminating at least temporarily, congestion in the lower abdomen.<ref name=":2" /><br />
<br />
Based on many years of experience, B. K. S. Iyengar states: "It is no over-statement to say that if a person regularly practices Sarvangasana he will feel new vigour and strength, and will be happy<br />
and confident. New life will flow into him, his mind will be at peace and he will feel the joy of life. After a long illness, the practice of thisasana regularly twice a day brings back lost vitality."<ref name=":1" /><br />
==References==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Sarvangasana&diff=121Sarvangasana2026-03-23T20:08:22Z<p>Xenja: /* Physical execution */</p>
<hr />
<div><br />
[[File:SarvangasanaXK.png|250px|thumb|Sarvangasana - Shoulder Stand]]<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Sarvangasana''' (Sanskrit सर्वाङ्गासन, [[w:International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]] ''sarvāṅgāsana''), known in English as the '''shoulder stand''' or colloquially as the "candle", is one of the main exercises of [[w:Hatha Yoga|Hatha Yoga]] and belongs to the category of inverted poses. The Sanskrit name "Sarvanga" is composed of the words "Sarva" - "all, whole, entire, complete" and "anga" — "limb or body" <ref name=":1">B. K. S. Iyengar: ''Light on Yoga.'' 7th edition. Nikol Verlag, 2017, ISBN 978-3-86820-175-8, p. 205; p. 2o5; p. 208; p. 213.</ref><br />
<br />
In the Rishikesh series as described by [[w:André Van Lysebeth|André Van Lysebeth]], the shoulder stand is the first position. <ref name=":2">André Van Lysebeth: ''Yoga Self-Taught’' 1971 Harper & Row Publishers New York , ISBN 06-465073-1 p. 79; p.93,p. 95, p. 101.</ref> In [[w:Ashtanga (Vinyasa) Yoga|Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga]], it is practised at the beginning of the closing sequence. <ref>[https://www.liveandbreatheyoga.com.au/finishing-sequence-of-ashtanga-yoga/ ''Finishing Sequence''] In: ''https://www.liveandbreatheyoga.com.au/'', Retrieved 18 January 2026 </ref><br />
<br />
== Preliminary remarks ==<br />
Sarvangasana is not yet mentioned in the main texts of Hatha Yoga such as in the [[w:Hathapradipika|Hathapradipika]] (written in the 14th century) and the [[w:Gherandasamhita|Gherandasamhita]] (probably written in the 17th century ). Today, however, this asana is an important position in almost all yoga traditions.<br />
<br />
In some yoga traditions, Sarvangasana is also called ''Salamba Sarvangasana''. The word ''sālamba'' means "with support" and refers to the supportive use of the hands.<ref name=":1"/><br />
<br />
== Physical execution ==<br />
<br />
The starting position for the shoulder stand is lying on your back with your legs stretched out and closed. Your hands are at the sides of your legs, palms facing down.<br />
<br />
Iyengar teaches that beginners can now bend the knees and move the legs towards the stomach till the thighs press it. The trunk is to raise up perpendicularly supported by the hands. Then the legs need to be stretched straight with the toes pointing up. Advances practitioners keep the legs stretched out from the beginning to the end and support the dynamic, pressing the palms gently against the floor<ref name=":1" /> <br />
<br />
According to Erling Petersen, a student of [[Wen:Swami Narayanananda|Swami Narayanananda]], attention must be paid to the position of the elbows. These should be pushed "as far together as possible". He also considers the position of the hands to be crucial for the final posture. They should not support the back "somewhere in the lower back area", but "as close as possible to the shoulder blades".<ref>Erling Petersen: ‚'Yoga - Das große Übungsbuch für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene'' (Yoga - The big exercise Book for Beginners and advanced practitioners). 3rd edition. Heyne ISBN 3-453-17963-3, german p. 124 ff.</ref><br />
<br />
The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center specifies the position of the fingers: "The thumbs around the front of the body, fingers around the back."<ref>The Sivananda Yoga Center: ''The Sivananda companion to yoga'' First Fireside Edition, New York, 2000, ISBN 0-684-87000-2, p. 40.</ref><br />
<br />
Swami Sivananda says: "Do the Asana very gracefully" He describes that the back of the neck,<br />
posterior part of the head and the shoulders should touch the ground. The body must not move back and forth. When leaving the exercise, "bring the legs down slowly with elegance. Avoid jerks."<ref>Sri Swami Sivananda: ''Hatha Yoga.'' 5th edition, The Divine Life Trust Society, Sivananda Nagar, p. 33 </ref><br />
<br />
With regard to breathing, André van Lysebeth teaches that when raising the body into the inverted shoulder stand position, the breath should flow "calmly and evenly;" It should not be held.<ref name=":2"/> <br />
<br />
Heinz Grill points out the possibility of a dynamic movement from the thoracic spine. With increasing practice, this movement leads the body into a vertical line as if weightless: "Raise yourself up with a gentle dynamic out of the thoracic spine, leaving, however, the legs, the abdomen and the shoulders relaxed. A subtle upright dynamic in the trunk is combined with a relaxation of the rest of the body."<ref>Heinz Grill: ''Harmony in Breathing'', p. 88.</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
== Focusing attention during the exercise ==<br />
<br />
In the so-called static, i.e. stationary final position of the posture, André van Lysebeth directs attention to the complete immobility of the body or to the steady flow of breath.<ref name=":2" /><br />
<br />
Attention can also be focused on a thought about the meaning of the shoulder stand:<br />
<br />
== The picture and the meaning of the exercise ==<br />
<br />
To the picture and the meaning of the exercise Heinz Grill formulates the following imagination <ref>"The word imagination does not mean illusion and also has very little to do with fantasy." Rudolf Steiner coined the term for a form of thinking that is pictorial and has a lively spiritual connection. This pictorial thinking is not only typically intellectual, but also relational and includes spiritual and mental truths in its consideration. Imagination therefore provides spiritually real, content-related representations."<br />
"<br />Heinz Grill: "Übungen für die Seele" (Exercises for the Soul) in German - 3rd, expanded edition. Synergia Verlag, 2022, ISBN 978-3-906873-33-6, p. 182. </ref>:<br />
:"In this pose, less emphasis is on the strict, specified linear form, but more on the natural growing in energetic lightness out of the central heart. This growth is an aesthetic gesture of the feminine element of the personality. Not the forces of will-power, the extraneous, powerful impulses, but the invigorating ether forces with their unobtrusive, pure and joyful power of levitation give this exercise its expression."<ref>Heinz Grill (2024): "The Soul Dimension of Yoga." ISBN: 978-1-916732-32-2 </ref><br />
<br />
== Health aspects ==<br />
<br />
[[Swami Vishnudevananda]] explains that in the shoulder stand, the chin lock by the chin on the chest exerts an extra pressure on the thyroid through which its secretions are kept at par. Furthermore the exercise gives the thyroid a rich supply of blood.<ref>Swami Vishnu-Devananda: ''The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga'' Edition Three Rivers Press, New York, , ISBN 978-0-307-78620-3, p. 70.</ref> He explains that the asana is a good substitute for modern thyroid treatment.<br />
<br />
André van Lybeth mentions that there are favourable reactions on the veins of the legs. Furthermore it helps to remedy ptosis or prolapsus, and drains the abdomen…..eliminating at least temporarily, congestion in the lower abdomen.<ref name=":2" /><br />
<br />
Based on many years of experience, B. K. S. Iyengar states: "It is no over-statement to say that if a person regularly practices Sarvangasana he will feel new vigour and strength, and will be happy<br />
and confident. New life will flow into him, his mind will be at peace and he will feel the joy of life. After a long illness, the practice of thisasana regularly twice a day brings back lost vitality."<ref name=":1" /> <br />
<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
<br />
[[index.php?title=Category:Asana]]</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Guardian_of_the_Threshold&diff=120Guardian of the Threshold2026-03-11T21:01:52Z<p>Xenja: Xenja moved page encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com:Guardian of the Threshold to Guardian of the Threshold without leaving a redirect: To be published</p>
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<div>[[File:Machelldweller.jpg|thumb|The Dweller on the Threshold. Painting by Reginald W. Machell (ca. 1895)]] <br />
[[File:Steve Bate Rope Solo Zodiac El Capitan II.jpg|thumb|Climbing often requires overcoming a fear threshold before taking the next step]]<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold is a technical esoteric term and is related to the spiritual development of the individual and of humanity as a whole. The guardian of the threshold guards the threshold to the spiritual world.<br />
<br />
Human development can be progressive, oriented towards spiritual values or ideals, or it can be regressive, directed by desires, passions and dependencies. Human beings repeatedly find themselves caught between these two forces. As long as they do not recognise and overcome the latter, they follow their lower self and cannot cross the boundary into the spiritual world. They must develop insight and discernment in order to cross the boundary.<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold, a rather little-known concept, also encompasses events that every human being is familiar with in one form or another, whether it be overcoming the fear of taking the next step when climbing a difficult section of a mountain, or being confronted with something inevitable due to an external event such as a separation, a conflict, an illness or a death.<br />
<br />
Many such threshold experiences are also conveyed in sacred writings, legends and myths. <br />
<br />
== Meaning and concept ==<br />
In various spiritual movements such as [[A:Theosophy|Theosophy]], the [[A:Rosicrucians|Rosicrucians]], [[W:Archeosophy|Archeosophy]], [[A:Anthroposophy|Anthroposophy]], but also in the [[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]], it is assumed that there is not just one life, but that humans go through several lives or incarnations. The guardian of the threshold is therefore associated with the concept of karma (Sanskrit कर्म, [[W:IAST|IAST]] ''karma'', English "action, activity, work").<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=karma&dir=se ''Search results for "karma".''] ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 18 January 2026</ref> Karma, in the sense of a universal law, encompasses the good and bad deeds and thoughts of a past life, which are stored in the human being and initially determine their life to a certain extent.<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold is unredeemed karma. The realisation that humans must come to is that they themselves are the cause of their own destiny. On the one hand, the guardian of the threshold is a ghostly, terrifying, but also wise figure. On the other hand, it protects humans from gaining insight into the higher worlds prematurely and unprepared, as this can lead to their downfall.<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 185 ff. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
== The threshold as a symbol ==<br />
In sacred buildings such as churches, a threshold or door symbolically and architecturally separates the profane or everyday space from the sacred or transcendent sacred space. By crossing the threshold, people are supposed to visualise the transition into a sacred world.<ref>[https://aleteia.org/2024/08/26/the-symbolism-behind-the-threshold-of-a-catholic-church/ ''The symbolism behind the threshold of a catholic church'']''aleteia.org''. Retrieved 9 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
== Culture and art ==<br />
<br />
=== The novel Zanoni ===<br />
The term "guardian of the threshold" also became known through the novel ''[[Wen:Zanoni|Zanoni]]'' by [[W:Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton|Edward Bulwer-Lytton]] (1803–1873), which is mentioned in theosophy and anthroposophy:<blockquote>"Know, at least, that all of us – the highest and the wisest – who have, in sober truth, passed beyond the threshold, have had, as our first fearful task, to master and subdue its grisly and appalling guardian."<ref>Edward Bulwer-Lytton: [https://books.google.com/books?id=i_gYAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA103 Online ''Zanoni.''] J. B. Lippincott & Co. Philadelphia 1974. p. 103.</ref></blockquote>In ''Zanoni'', the guardian appears as a sensually visible figure. According to [[Rudolf Steiner]], the guardian of the threshold can be made visible through low-level magic using incense. He points out the danger of going astray if one encounters one's unredeemed karma in this form without sufficient preparation:<blockquote>"However, if we have sufficiently prepared ourselves for higher perception, we no longer need such sense-perceptible props. On the other hand, if we confront our unredeemed karma without adequate preparation, we risk going badly astray."<ref>Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 189. ISBN 0-88010-372-8.</ref></blockquote><br />
<br />
=== The mystery play "The Guardian of the Threshold" ===<br />
Rudolf Steiner's four [[A:Rudolf Steiner's Mystery Dramas|mystery plays]] artistically explore the spiritual development of individual human beings. Various effects of fate are explicitly linked to past lives and the concepts of karma and reincarnation.<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold, who is associated with the idea of karma, is portrayed in the third mystery drama of the same name. This mystery drama is entitled ''The Guardian of the Threshold''.<br />
<br />
The Guardian speaks in the 7th scene:<ref>Rudolf Steiner, [https://archive.org/details/fourmysteryplays00stei/page/90/mode/2up ''Four Mystery Plays''] ''archive.org''. Retrieved 14 February 2026.</ref><ref>[https://mysteriendramen.at/Der_H%C3%BCter_der_Schwelle#Siebentes_Bild ''Hüter der Schwelle. Siebentes Bild.''] ''mysteriendramen.at''. Retrieved 9 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
<poem style="margin-left:31px"> "Thou must first part with many of those powers <br />
Which thou hast won when in thine earthly frame. <br />
Out of them all thou canst alone retain<br />
That which by efforts, pure and spiritual,<br />
Thou didst achieve, and which thou hast kept pure."<br />
("Du mußt dich trennen erst von vielen Kräften,<br />
Die du im Erdenleibe dir erworben.<br />
Behalten kannst du doch von ihnen nur,<br />
Was sich in geistig reinem Streben dir<br />
Erschlossen und auch rein verblieben ist.")<br />
</poem><br />
<br />
These statements make it clear that insights into the soul-spiritual worlds depend on overcoming impure forces.<br />
<br />
== Astrology – Saturn as guardian of the threshold ==<br />
[[File:Saturn - High Resolution, 2004, alt crop.jpg|thumb|The planet Saturn as guardian of the threshold in astrology]] <br />
<br />
In astrology, the planet Saturn is associated with the guardian of the threshold. As Liz Greene describes it "Saturn symbolizes a psychic process as well as a quality or kind of experience." He represents pain, restriction and discipline and he symbolizes "the psychic process, natural to all human beings, by which an individual may utilise the experiences of pain, restriction, and discipline as a means for greater consciousness and fulfilment." She furthermore mentions that freedom through self-understanding may be achieved through him (Remark: Saturn/Guardian) alone.<ref>Liz Greene: ''Saturn''. Weisser Classics. pp.2-4. ISBN 978-1-57863-735-5.</ref> <br />
<br />
[[W:Fritz Riemann (psychoanalyst)|Fritz Riemann]] (1902–1979), psychoanalyst and astrologer, understands Saturn in the sense that it gives people reason to deal with necessities, by accepting the inevitable, especially death, and the fears associated with it, and thereby to gain maturity. According to him, the real meaning of Saturn lies in this:<br />
<br />
: "[...] it leads us to barriers of fear, which we can overcome precisely by accepting our fears; then the ''guardian of the threshold'' becomes our surest guide, turning necessity into a turning point."<ref>Fritz Riemann: ''Lebenshilfe Astrologie'' (Astrology as Life Guidance - german). 5th edition. Verlag J. Pfeiffer Munich 1980. p. 192. ISBN 3-7904-0186-2.</ref><br />
<br />
== Yoga Vidya's perspective ==<br />
The guardian of the threshold in Yoga Vidya is also interpreted with reference to Saturn. Saturn is considered the last planet in our solar system. It often appears in times of severe trials and confronts us with negative karma that still needs to be worked through.<br />
<br />
To honour Saturn, Shani<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=shani&dir=au ''Search results for "Shani".''] ''learnsanskrit.cc. Retrieved on 10 March 2026.</ref> (Sanskrit शनि, IAST ''śani'', English "Saturn"), the recitation of mantras is common. Psychologically speaking, invoking the blessings of the Saturn deity (Shani Deva) through the hymn [[Y:Shani Stotra|Shani Stotra]] is said to help "discipline the mind, practise renunciation and see the lessons of the divine even in suffering. The Shani Stotra also helps to transform the lower nature."<ref>[https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Saturn#Anrufung_des_Shani ''Saturn. Invocation of Shani (German).''] ''yoga-vidya.de.'' Retrieved 10 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
== Bhagavad Gita - the battlefield ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Arjuna_and_karna_in_war,_krishna_as_arjuna_charioter.jpg|thumb|430px|Arjuna and his charioteer Krishna (both on the left) face the enemy army]][[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]] (Sanskrit भगवद्गीता, IAST ''bhagavad gītā'') translates as "Song of God". It is considered one of the most important sacred texts of the East. At the beginning of the story, two closely related clans, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, face each other on the battlefield of Kurukshetra (Sanskrit कुरुक्षेत्र, IAST ''kurukṣetra''). Krishna offers to be the charioteer of the hero Arjuna and is given the task of driving between the two opposing camps. When Arjuna discovers his own relatives in the enemy camp, he sees no good in having to fight and kill them. He refuses to fight and, overcome with grief, throws away his weapons. Krishna, who represents the divine self, now begins to enlighten Arjuna about the meaning of life and death.<br />
<br />
Krishna instructs Arjuna that he must fight from the standpoint of a higher view than the one he has been taught:<br />
<br />
:"But if thou dost not this battle for the right, then hast thou abandoned thy duty and virtue and thy glory, and sin shall be thy portion."<ref>[https://bhagavadgita.org.in/Chapters/2/33 Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 33. ] ''bhagavadgita.org.in''. Retrieved 10 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
This conflict that arises for Arjuna, between conventional ideas about virtues and truly divine virtues, is called by Heinz Grill "one of the most beautiful episodes about the struggle between an astral guardian of the threshold and an ego."<ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. p. 26. ISBN 978-3935925693.</ref><br />
<br />
== Theosophy ==<br />
[[File:Le_Grand_Saint_Michel,_by_Raffaello_Sanzio,_from_C2RMF_retouched.jpg|thumb|Archangel Michael subduing the devil<br>Painting by [[w:Raffael|Raffael]] (1483–1520)]]<br />
<br />
According to theosophical belief, there is also a guardian of the threshold. This guardian is known to humans in many different forms. The following examples are described<div style="margin-left:15px"><br />
* [[A:Kerberos (mythology)|Cerberus]], the hellhound who guards Hades, the entrance to the underworld,<br />
<br />
* the [[A:Archangel Michael|Archangel Michael]], who kills the dragon with his spiritual willpower,<br />
<br />
* the [[A:Snakes#The snake as a symbol of the opposing forces|snake]] that tempts Eve.<br />
</div>All these legends are interpreted as parables that represent a real reality, the knowledge of which is of utmost importance to the seeker of truth. The guardian of the threshold is "...nothing else but our own lower semi-animal, animal or perhaps brutish self, that combination of material and semi-material principles which form the lower ''ego'', which the great majority of men blindly and lovingly hug and caress, because they love themselves. … but when …his self-consciousness begins to become centred in his higher self, the Dweller of the Threshold becomes objective to him and he may be terrified at its (his own) ugliness and deformity."<ref>H.S. Olcott (1889): [./Https://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.236504/page/n175/mode/2up_''The_Theosophist._Vol._XI. <nowiki>https://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.236504/page/n175/mode/2up</nowiki> <nowiki>''</nowiki>The Theosophist. Vol. XI. ] Chapter: ''The Dweller of the Threshold. Vol. XI. No. 123. p.131. Retrieved 10 March 2026''</ref><br />
<br />
== Rosicrucians ==<br />
In Rosicrucian philosophy and their path of training, the encounter with the guardian of the threshold is a requirement that must be overcome before entering higher worlds. A very precise differentiation is made between other forces and the real guardian of the threshold, who is a figure created from one's own past bad deeds and thoughts, which must be transformed by the individual.<br />
<br />
Max Heindel (1865–1919), founder of the Rosicrucian Fellowship, explains: <br />
<br />
"The real "Dweller on the Threshold" is the composite elemental entity created on the invisible planes by all our untransmuted evil thoughts and acts during all the past period of our evolution. This "dweller" stands guard at the entrance to the invisible worlds and challenges our right to enter therein. This entity must be redeemed or transmuted eventually. We must generate poise and will power sufficient to face and command it before we can consciously enter the super-physical worlds."<ref>Max Heindel: [https://www.rosicrucian.com/pdf_plaza/The%20Web%20of%20Destiny.pdf ''The Web of Destiny. How made and Unmade.''] The Rosicrucian Fellowship. Oceanside 2011. pp. 30–31 ISBN 978-0-911274-17-2.</ref><br />
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== Archeosophy ==<br />
According to the teachings of [[W:Archeosophy|Archeosophy]], ascension to the higher worlds is accompanied by an encounter with the guardian of the threshold (Italian: "Guardiano della soglia"). This encounter with the guardian is described as the most threatening and important experience for those who, in accordance with the esoteric teachings of Greek mythology, strive to perform "initiation tasks" known as the Labours of Hercules. The Labours of Hercules are understood to be twelve extremely difficult tasks that were imposed as penance.<ref>[https://pecunia.zaw.uni-heidelberg.de/NumiScience/die-12-taten-des-herakles ''The 12 Labours of Heracles.''] ''NumiScience.'' Retrieved 14 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
According to the founder of archeosophy, [[W:Tommasso Palamidessi|Tommaso Palamidessi]] (1915–1983), there is not only a small and a large guardian of the threshold: "In fact, although there are these two fundamental guardians, there are as many guardians as there are cosmic planes, that is, as many transitions from one world to another."<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2is7EnKuaE&t=387s ''I guardiani delle soglie e il cammino evolutivo - Quaderno di Archeosofia n.10.''] Min. 6:27–6:41. In: ''Libreria Rotondi'' (YouTube channel). Retrieved 23 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
== Gospels ==<br />
[[File:Gospel_of_Luke_Chapter_4-6_(Bible_Illustrations_by_Sweet_Media).jpg|link=File:Gospel_of_Luke_Chapter_4-6_(Bible_Illustrations_by_Sweet_Media).jpg|thumb|Illustration of the temptation of Christ - Matthew Chapter 4, Luke Chapter 4-6]]<br />
The guardian of the threshold is not explicitly named in the Gospels. From a spiritual point of view, the image of Jesus on the mountain and his temptation by the devil, as described in the Synoptic Gospels, is equated with the encounter with the guardian of the threshold:<br />
<br />
: …the promise of all external realities, the desire to cling to these outer realities, the temptation to remain attached to matter: in short, the temptation to remain with the guardian of the threshold and not to pass beyond him appears to us in the great Imaginative picture of Christ Jesus standing on the mountain, with the Tempter beside Him…[...]<ref> Rudolf Steiner: [https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA131/English/RSP1973/19111006p01.html ''From Jesus to Christ. Lecture II.''] Retrieved 23 February 2026. </ref><br />
<br />
Although not explicitly mentioned by Rudolf Steiner, this is likely to refer to verses 8–11 in chapter 4 of the Gospel of Matthew:<br />
<br />
"Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." 10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him."<ref>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%204&version=NIV ''Matthew 4''] ''bible gateway.com''. Retrieved 23 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
The temptation by the adversary is also mentioned in the Gospel according to Mark (Mark 1:12–15) and in the Gospel according to Luke (Luke 4:5–8).<br />
<br />
== Spiritual view of Rudolf Steiner and Heinz Grill ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Great Sphinx of Giza May 2015.JPG|thumb|"In the higher region of the astral plane, the [image of the] sphinx needs to be cast into the abyss before you are able to move ahead."<ref>Rudolf Steiner: [https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA089/English/CMP2001/19041022p01.html ''Awareness-Life-Form Planetary Evolution III.''] rsarchive.org. Retrieved 11 March 2026. </ref>]]<br />
<br />
In spiritual research, a distinction is made between two guardians of the threshold – the "Little Guardian of the Threshold" and the "Great Guardian of the Threshold". Human beings encounter these two figures, which cannot be perceived with the physical senses, within their development on a spiritual path of training.<br />
<br />
A spiritual path of training involves working on the so-called soul forces: thinking, feeling, and will. These three soul forces are normally intertwined or exist in a very specific relationship.<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. pp. 176-177. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref> Through targeted exercises, these forces are to be structured and isolated, so that pure thinking develops from thought, sensation rests in pure feeling, and will responds in pure action.<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes this process with an image:<br />
<br />
"Just as a painter can recognise both red and blue in a shade of violet, so the practitioner soon recognises the various mixed shades in his consciousness and learns to separate thinking from feeling and feeling in turn from will."<ref>Heinz Grill (2022): ''Exercises for the Soul.'' 3rd, expanded edition (German). Synergia Verlag. p. 101. ISBN 978-3-906873-33-6.</ref><br />
<br />
=== The lesser guardian of the threshold ===<br />
At a certain point in the structuring or separation of the three soul forces, an encounter with the lesser guardian of the threshold takes place. According to Rudolf Steiner, this occurs "when the connecting threads between willing, thinking and feeling within the finer (…) bodies begin to loosen."<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 184. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
The figure of the lesser guardian is not an external person or entity, but rather is inherent in every human being, only initially hidden within each individual, submerged in the body. With progressive development, it detaches itself more from the body and takes on a body-free, metaphysically visible form. This is called the awakening or the encounter with the guardian of the threshold.<br />
<br />
The threshold, which the guardian watches over, is the one between the visible world and the invisible or supernatural world. According to Heinz Grill, the lesser guardian forms the "gateway to the realm of souls, to the realm of the dead or to the realm of the astral heavens." However, humans cannot simply pass through this threshold. <br />
<br />
They need a certain spiritual maturity and moral character for these gates to be opened to them. The threshold is not arbitrary, but a "natural safety precaution", since access to the spiritual worlds without proper preparation leads to hopeless fear and "the consequence would be a fall into the abysmal depths of evil."<ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. pp. 12-13. ISBN 978-3935925693. </ref><br />
<br />
The lesser guardian is described as an astral reality consisting of soul substances and being-like, elemental forces. These include a wide variety of feelings, sympathies and antipathies of the mind, tendencies of the senses, drives and subconscious thought patterns. This astral substance acts like a strategic field and determines the individual nature of a destiny. The lesser guardian is also synonymous with karma: "The guardian, however, is not the true nature of the human being, but rather their dual nature or their karmic figure, that form which must be overcome and transformed in life."<ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. p. 15. ISBN 978-3935925693. </ref><br />
<br />
This karmic figure is characterised as a ghostly form that reveals itself to the spiritual disciple. This terrifying figure has been formed from the good and bad deeds of past lives and, according to Rudolf Steiner, expresses itself as follows:<br />
<br />
"I myself, if I am not to fall into corruption, must become a perfect and glorious being. For, were I to fall, I would drag you down with me into a dark, corrupted world."<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 186. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
=== The great guardian of the threshold ===<br />
After encountering the "Lesser Guardian of the Threshold," from a spiritual perspective, one encounters the "Great Guardian of the Threshold," who is described as having completely different characteristics. In contrast to the ghostly appearance of the lesser guardian, the great guardian appears as a sublime figure of light. It generally marks the transition from the soul world after death to the spiritual world.<br />
<br />
According to Rudolf Steiner, through the encounter with the second guardian of the threshold, the soul „freed in this way from all sensory bonds" acquires the "right of citizenship in the supersensible world," from where the soul may now work.<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 202. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill interprets the great guardian as "the living spirit of God, as Christ himself, as the creative ego, as the highest guardian figure who watches over preservation and dissolution, over progress and regression, over a path upwards and a path downwards."<ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. p. 19. ISBN 978-3935925693. </ref><br />
<br />
== The relationship between the lesser and the great guardians of the threshold ==<br />
<br />
From a spiritual perspective, these two guardians – the lower self of the human being and their divine, emerging self – face each other in a mutual exchange and struggle.<br />
<br />
The encounter with the guardian is experienced by the individual as very challenging, as described in the Bhagavad Gita:<br />
<br />
"The awakening of the threshold always leads people to despondency and despair, which they must overcome through wisdom and purposeful action."<ref>Heinz Grill (2024): ''Fundamental insights into the Bhagavad Gita.'' 1st Edition (German). Stephan Wunderlich Verlag, Sigmaringen. p.99. ISBN 978-3-948803-18-6. </ref><br />
<br />
But if the spirit-striving person approaches the threshold very well prepared, "our experiences at the threshold are then accompanied by a premonition of that bliss which will be the keynote of our newly awakened life."<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 194. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
== The significance of the guardian of the threshold for humanity ==<br />
<br />
On the one hand, an encounter with the guardian of the threshold takes place when the individual consciously strives for spiritual development and trains their soul forces in the sense of a structuring into thinking, feeling and willing. On the other hand, spiritual research relating to the current, so-called fifth post-Atlantean cultural epoch reports that the whole of humanity in its development must go through a certain process of separation of the soul forces – "that a trinity must arise from the chaotic unity," as Rudolf Steiner puts it — and must develop an understanding of this.<br />
<br />
: "In inner experience, though not in outer consciousness, humanity is passing through the region that can also be called a region of the guardian of the threshold."<ref name=":1">Rudolf Steiner: [https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA202/English/MP1983/19201225p01.html ''The Search for the New Isis, Divine Sophia III. The Magi and the Shepherds: The New Isis''] rsarchive.org. Retrieved 11 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
Also according to current spiritual research, the vast majority of people are on the threshold:<br />
<br />
In any case, individual human beings today are moving ever closer to a threshold to the spiritual world. This threshold, however, does not let them pass as easily as one might think.<ref name=":0">Heinz Grill: [https://heinz-grill.de/en/2023-human-creative-power/''Outlook for 2023 – Part 3.''] ''Contributions to a new Yoga Will'' Retrieved 11 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
According to Heinz Grill, this threshold that humanity is approaching is reflected in the fact that today, from a spiritual perspective, people want to enter into creative activity, research wisdom themselves and to implement ideals, that means they want to cross the threshold.<br />
<br />
However, crossing the line is opposed by the guardian, as humans must first dissolve their attachments and karmic entanglements.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, they must develop the ability to distinguish between what are truly lasting spiritual values and what, in contrast, are still immature ideas, such as a false concept of God or love, or attachments.<br />
<br />
By distinguishing between attachment and karma on the one hand, and lasting values or ideals on the other, so between the forces of the lesser guardian and the greater guardian, people can align themselves towards union with the greater guardian.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
This formulation by Heinz Grill says that this is the highest work: It [Remark:The threshold] demands the utmost all of the forces of thinking, feeling and willing, and therefore, for the coming year, a daily, persevering and indispensable effort for truth, differentiation and goal realisation is required. A day without this effort throws the human being back into isolation and lack of relationship.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
== Forward-looking hypothesis ==<br />
<br />
In summary, it can be said that a person who schools themselves spiritually will encounter the lesser guardian of the threshold at a precisely calculated moment of wisdom. Crossing the threshold and gaining insight into the world of the soul are associated with the high demand of taking full responsibility for one's own actions and thoughts and completely transforming the karmic figure with discipline and perseverance. The lesser guardian of the threshold represents the karma that must be overcome, while the great guardian of the threshold, as a figure of light, points more to the future and represents the divine-spiritual aspect of the human being as a potential to be developed.<br />
<br />
From a spiritual point of view, the whole of humanity today stands at the threshold between the earthly and the spiritual world. In order to overcome this and gain orientation, an exact distinction must be developed between that which is transient and insignificant on one hand and that which is of higher value with a lasting character on the other.<br />
<br />
== References ==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Guardian_of_the_Threshold&diff=119Guardian of the Threshold2026-03-11T21:01:04Z<p>Xenja: Xenja moved page User:Xenja/Guardian of the Threshold to encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com:Guardian of the Threshold without leaving a redirect: Now to be published</p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:Machelldweller.jpg|thumb|The Dweller on the Threshold. Painting by Reginald W. Machell (ca. 1895)]] <br />
[[File:Steve Bate Rope Solo Zodiac El Capitan II.jpg|thumb|Climbing often requires overcoming a fear threshold before taking the next step]]<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold is a technical esoteric term and is related to the spiritual development of the individual and of humanity as a whole. The guardian of the threshold guards the threshold to the spiritual world.<br />
<br />
Human development can be progressive, oriented towards spiritual values or ideals, or it can be regressive, directed by desires, passions and dependencies. Human beings repeatedly find themselves caught between these two forces. As long as they do not recognise and overcome the latter, they follow their lower self and cannot cross the boundary into the spiritual world. They must develop insight and discernment in order to cross the boundary.<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold, a rather little-known concept, also encompasses events that every human being is familiar with in one form or another, whether it be overcoming the fear of taking the next step when climbing a difficult section of a mountain, or being confronted with something inevitable due to an external event such as a separation, a conflict, an illness or a death.<br />
<br />
Many such threshold experiences are also conveyed in sacred writings, legends and myths. <br />
<br />
== Meaning and concept ==<br />
In various spiritual movements such as [[A:Theosophy|Theosophy]], the [[A:Rosicrucians|Rosicrucians]], [[W:Archeosophy|Archeosophy]], [[A:Anthroposophy|Anthroposophy]], but also in the [[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]], it is assumed that there is not just one life, but that humans go through several lives or incarnations. The guardian of the threshold is therefore associated with the concept of karma (Sanskrit कर्म, [[W:IAST|IAST]] ''karma'', English "action, activity, work").<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=karma&dir=se ''Search results for "karma".''] ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 18 January 2026</ref> Karma, in the sense of a universal law, encompasses the good and bad deeds and thoughts of a past life, which are stored in the human being and initially determine their life to a certain extent.<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold is unredeemed karma. The realisation that humans must come to is that they themselves are the cause of their own destiny. On the one hand, the guardian of the threshold is a ghostly, terrifying, but also wise figure. On the other hand, it protects humans from gaining insight into the higher worlds prematurely and unprepared, as this can lead to their downfall.<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 185 ff. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
== The threshold as a symbol ==<br />
In sacred buildings such as churches, a threshold or door symbolically and architecturally separates the profane or everyday space from the sacred or transcendent sacred space. By crossing the threshold, people are supposed to visualise the transition into a sacred world.<ref>[https://aleteia.org/2024/08/26/the-symbolism-behind-the-threshold-of-a-catholic-church/ ''The symbolism behind the threshold of a catholic church'']''aleteia.org''. Retrieved 9 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
== Culture and art ==<br />
<br />
=== The novel Zanoni ===<br />
The term "guardian of the threshold" also became known through the novel ''[[Wen:Zanoni|Zanoni]]'' by [[W:Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton|Edward Bulwer-Lytton]] (1803–1873), which is mentioned in theosophy and anthroposophy:<blockquote>"Know, at least, that all of us – the highest and the wisest – who have, in sober truth, passed beyond the threshold, have had, as our first fearful task, to master and subdue its grisly and appalling guardian."<ref>Edward Bulwer-Lytton: [https://books.google.com/books?id=i_gYAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA103 Online ''Zanoni.''] J. B. Lippincott & Co. Philadelphia 1974. p. 103.</ref></blockquote>In ''Zanoni'', the guardian appears as a sensually visible figure. According to [[Rudolf Steiner]], the guardian of the threshold can be made visible through low-level magic using incense. He points out the danger of going astray if one encounters one's unredeemed karma in this form without sufficient preparation:<blockquote>"However, if we have sufficiently prepared ourselves for higher perception, we no longer need such sense-perceptible props. On the other hand, if we confront our unredeemed karma without adequate preparation, we risk going badly astray."<ref>Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 189. ISBN 0-88010-372-8.</ref></blockquote><br />
<br />
=== The mystery play "The Guardian of the Threshold" ===<br />
Rudolf Steiner's four [[A:Rudolf Steiner's Mystery Dramas|mystery plays]] artistically explore the spiritual development of individual human beings. Various effects of fate are explicitly linked to past lives and the concepts of karma and reincarnation.<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold, who is associated with the idea of karma, is portrayed in the third mystery drama of the same name. This mystery drama is entitled ''The Guardian of the Threshold''.<br />
<br />
The Guardian speaks in the 7th scene:<ref>Rudolf Steiner, [https://archive.org/details/fourmysteryplays00stei/page/90/mode/2up ''Four Mystery Plays''] ''archive.org''. Retrieved 14 February 2026.</ref><ref>[https://mysteriendramen.at/Der_H%C3%BCter_der_Schwelle#Siebentes_Bild ''Hüter der Schwelle. Siebentes Bild.''] ''mysteriendramen.at''. Retrieved 9 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
<poem style="margin-left:31px"> "Thou must first part with many of those powers <br />
Which thou hast won when in thine earthly frame. <br />
Out of them all thou canst alone retain<br />
That which by efforts, pure and spiritual,<br />
Thou didst achieve, and which thou hast kept pure."<br />
("Du mußt dich trennen erst von vielen Kräften,<br />
Die du im Erdenleibe dir erworben.<br />
Behalten kannst du doch von ihnen nur,<br />
Was sich in geistig reinem Streben dir<br />
Erschlossen und auch rein verblieben ist.")<br />
</poem><br />
<br />
These statements make it clear that insights into the soul-spiritual worlds depend on overcoming impure forces.<br />
<br />
== Astrology – Saturn as guardian of the threshold ==<br />
[[File:Saturn - High Resolution, 2004, alt crop.jpg|thumb|The planet Saturn as guardian of the threshold in astrology]] <br />
<br />
In astrology, the planet Saturn is associated with the guardian of the threshold. As Liz Greene describes it "Saturn symbolizes a psychic process as well as a quality or kind of experience." He represents pain, restriction and discipline and he symbolizes "the psychic process, natural to all human beings, by which an individual may utilise the experiences of pain, restriction, and discipline as a means for greater consciousness and fulfilment." She furthermore mentions that freedom through self-understanding may be achieved through him (Remark: Saturn/Guardian) alone.<ref>Liz Greene: ''Saturn''. Weisser Classics. pp.2-4. ISBN 978-1-57863-735-5.</ref> <br />
<br />
[[W:Fritz Riemann (psychoanalyst)|Fritz Riemann]] (1902–1979), psychoanalyst and astrologer, understands Saturn in the sense that it gives people reason to deal with necessities, by accepting the inevitable, especially death, and the fears associated with it, and thereby to gain maturity. According to him, the real meaning of Saturn lies in this:<br />
<br />
: "[...] it leads us to barriers of fear, which we can overcome precisely by accepting our fears; then the ''guardian of the threshold'' becomes our surest guide, turning necessity into a turning point."<ref>Fritz Riemann: ''Lebenshilfe Astrologie'' (Astrology as Life Guidance - german). 5th edition. Verlag J. Pfeiffer Munich 1980. p. 192. ISBN 3-7904-0186-2.</ref><br />
<br />
== Yoga Vidya's perspective ==<br />
The guardian of the threshold in Yoga Vidya is also interpreted with reference to Saturn. Saturn is considered the last planet in our solar system. It often appears in times of severe trials and confronts us with negative karma that still needs to be worked through.<br />
<br />
To honour Saturn, Shani<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=shani&dir=au ''Search results for "Shani".''] ''learnsanskrit.cc. Retrieved on 10 March 2026.</ref> (Sanskrit शनि, IAST ''śani'', English "Saturn"), the recitation of mantras is common. Psychologically speaking, invoking the blessings of the Saturn deity (Shani Deva) through the hymn [[Y:Shani Stotra|Shani Stotra]] is said to help "discipline the mind, practise renunciation and see the lessons of the divine even in suffering. The Shani Stotra also helps to transform the lower nature."<ref>[https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Saturn#Anrufung_des_Shani ''Saturn. Invocation of Shani (German).''] ''yoga-vidya.de.'' Retrieved 10 March 2026.</ref><br />
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== Bhagavad Gita - the battlefield ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Arjuna_and_karna_in_war,_krishna_as_arjuna_charioter.jpg|thumb|430px|Arjuna and his charioteer Krishna (both on the left) face the enemy army]][[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]] (Sanskrit भगवद्गीता, IAST ''bhagavad gītā'') translates as "Song of God". It is considered one of the most important sacred texts of the East. At the beginning of the story, two closely related clans, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, face each other on the battlefield of Kurukshetra (Sanskrit कुरुक्षेत्र, IAST ''kurukṣetra''). Krishna offers to be the charioteer of the hero Arjuna and is given the task of driving between the two opposing camps. When Arjuna discovers his own relatives in the enemy camp, he sees no good in having to fight and kill them. He refuses to fight and, overcome with grief, throws away his weapons. Krishna, who represents the divine self, now begins to enlighten Arjuna about the meaning of life and death.<br />
<br />
Krishna instructs Arjuna that he must fight from the standpoint of a higher view than the one he has been taught:<br />
<br />
:"But if thou dost not this battle for the right, then hast thou abandoned thy duty and virtue and thy glory, and sin shall be thy portion."<ref>[https://bhagavadgita.org.in/Chapters/2/33 Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 33. ] ''bhagavadgita.org.in''. Retrieved 10 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
This conflict that arises for Arjuna, between conventional ideas about virtues and truly divine virtues, is called by Heinz Grill "one of the most beautiful episodes about the struggle between an astral guardian of the threshold and an ego."<ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. p. 26. ISBN 978-3935925693.</ref><br />
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== Theosophy ==<br />
[[File:Le_Grand_Saint_Michel,_by_Raffaello_Sanzio,_from_C2RMF_retouched.jpg|thumb|Archangel Michael subduing the devil<br>Painting by [[w:Raffael|Raffael]] (1483–1520)]]<br />
<br />
According to theosophical belief, there is also a guardian of the threshold. This guardian is known to humans in many different forms. The following examples are described<div style="margin-left:15px"><br />
* [[A:Kerberos (mythology)|Cerberus]], the hellhound who guards Hades, the entrance to the underworld,<br />
<br />
* the [[A:Archangel Michael|Archangel Michael]], who kills the dragon with his spiritual willpower,<br />
<br />
* the [[A:Snakes#The snake as a symbol of the opposing forces|snake]] that tempts Eve.<br />
</div>All these legends are interpreted as parables that represent a real reality, the knowledge of which is of utmost importance to the seeker of truth. The guardian of the threshold is "...nothing else but our own lower semi-animal, animal or perhaps brutish self, that combination of material and semi-material principles which form the lower ''ego'', which the great majority of men blindly and lovingly hug and caress, because they love themselves. … but when …his self-consciousness begins to become centred in his higher self, the Dweller of the Threshold becomes objective to him and he may be terrified at its (his own) ugliness and deformity."<ref>H.S. Olcott (1889): [./Https://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.236504/page/n175/mode/2up_''The_Theosophist._Vol._XI. <nowiki>https://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.236504/page/n175/mode/2up</nowiki> <nowiki>''</nowiki>The Theosophist. Vol. XI. ] Chapter: ''The Dweller of the Threshold. Vol. XI. No. 123. p.131. Retrieved 10 March 2026''</ref><br />
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== Rosicrucians ==<br />
In Rosicrucian philosophy and their path of training, the encounter with the guardian of the threshold is a requirement that must be overcome before entering higher worlds. A very precise differentiation is made between other forces and the real guardian of the threshold, who is a figure created from one's own past bad deeds and thoughts, which must be transformed by the individual.<br />
<br />
Max Heindel (1865–1919), founder of the Rosicrucian Fellowship, explains: <br />
<br />
"The real "Dweller on the Threshold" is the composite elemental entity created on the invisible planes by all our untransmuted evil thoughts and acts during all the past period of our evolution. This "dweller" stands guard at the entrance to the invisible worlds and challenges our right to enter therein. This entity must be redeemed or transmuted eventually. We must generate poise and will power sufficient to face and command it before we can consciously enter the super-physical worlds."<ref>Max Heindel: [https://www.rosicrucian.com/pdf_plaza/The%20Web%20of%20Destiny.pdf ''The Web of Destiny. How made and Unmade.''] The Rosicrucian Fellowship. Oceanside 2011. pp. 30–31 ISBN 978-0-911274-17-2.</ref><br />
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== Archeosophy ==<br />
According to the teachings of [[W:Archeosophy|Archeosophy]], ascension to the higher worlds is accompanied by an encounter with the guardian of the threshold (Italian: "Guardiano della soglia"). This encounter with the guardian is described as the most threatening and important experience for those who, in accordance with the esoteric teachings of Greek mythology, strive to perform "initiation tasks" known as the Labours of Hercules. The Labours of Hercules are understood to be twelve extremely difficult tasks that were imposed as penance.<ref>[https://pecunia.zaw.uni-heidelberg.de/NumiScience/die-12-taten-des-herakles ''The 12 Labours of Heracles.''] ''NumiScience.'' Retrieved 14 February 2026.</ref><br />
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According to the founder of archeosophy, [[W:Tommasso Palamidessi|Tommaso Palamidessi]] (1915–1983), there is not only a small and a large guardian of the threshold: "In fact, although there are these two fundamental guardians, there are as many guardians as there are cosmic planes, that is, as many transitions from one world to another."<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2is7EnKuaE&t=387s ''I guardiani delle soglie e il cammino evolutivo - Quaderno di Archeosofia n.10.''] Min. 6:27–6:41. In: ''Libreria Rotondi'' (YouTube channel). Retrieved 23 February 2026.</ref><br />
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== Gospels ==<br />
[[File:Gospel_of_Luke_Chapter_4-6_(Bible_Illustrations_by_Sweet_Media).jpg|link=File:Gospel_of_Luke_Chapter_4-6_(Bible_Illustrations_by_Sweet_Media).jpg|thumb|Illustration of the temptation of Christ - Matthew Chapter 4, Luke Chapter 4-6]]<br />
The guardian of the threshold is not explicitly named in the Gospels. From a spiritual point of view, the image of Jesus on the mountain and his temptation by the devil, as described in the Synoptic Gospels, is equated with the encounter with the guardian of the threshold:<br />
<br />
: …the promise of all external realities, the desire to cling to these outer realities, the temptation to remain attached to matter: in short, the temptation to remain with the guardian of the threshold and not to pass beyond him appears to us in the great Imaginative picture of Christ Jesus standing on the mountain, with the Tempter beside Him…[...]<ref> Rudolf Steiner: [https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA131/English/RSP1973/19111006p01.html ''From Jesus to Christ. Lecture II.''] Retrieved 23 February 2026. </ref><br />
<br />
Although not explicitly mentioned by Rudolf Steiner, this is likely to refer to verses 8–11 in chapter 4 of the Gospel of Matthew:<br />
<br />
"Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." 10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him."<ref>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%204&version=NIV ''Matthew 4''] ''bible gateway.com''. Retrieved 23 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
The temptation by the adversary is also mentioned in the Gospel according to Mark (Mark 1:12–15) and in the Gospel according to Luke (Luke 4:5–8).<br />
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== Spiritual view of Rudolf Steiner and Heinz Grill ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Great Sphinx of Giza May 2015.JPG|thumb|"In the higher region of the astral plane, the [image of the] sphinx needs to be cast into the abyss before you are able to move ahead."<ref>Rudolf Steiner: [https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA089/English/CMP2001/19041022p01.html ''Awareness-Life-Form Planetary Evolution III.''] rsarchive.org. Retrieved 11 March 2026. </ref>]]<br />
<br />
In spiritual research, a distinction is made between two guardians of the threshold – the "Little Guardian of the Threshold" and the "Great Guardian of the Threshold". Human beings encounter these two figures, which cannot be perceived with the physical senses, within their development on a spiritual path of training.<br />
<br />
A spiritual path of training involves working on the so-called soul forces: thinking, feeling, and will. These three soul forces are normally intertwined or exist in a very specific relationship.<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. pp. 176-177. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref> Through targeted exercises, these forces are to be structured and isolated, so that pure thinking develops from thought, sensation rests in pure feeling, and will responds in pure action.<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes this process with an image:<br />
<br />
"Just as a painter can recognise both red and blue in a shade of violet, so the practitioner soon recognises the various mixed shades in his consciousness and learns to separate thinking from feeling and feeling in turn from will."<ref>Heinz Grill (2022): ''Exercises for the Soul.'' 3rd, expanded edition (German). Synergia Verlag. p. 101. ISBN 978-3-906873-33-6.</ref><br />
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=== The lesser guardian of the threshold ===<br />
At a certain point in the structuring or separation of the three soul forces, an encounter with the lesser guardian of the threshold takes place. According to Rudolf Steiner, this occurs "when the connecting threads between willing, thinking and feeling within the finer (…) bodies begin to loosen."<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 184. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
The figure of the lesser guardian is not an external person or entity, but rather is inherent in every human being, only initially hidden within each individual, submerged in the body. With progressive development, it detaches itself more from the body and takes on a body-free, metaphysically visible form. This is called the awakening or the encounter with the guardian of the threshold.<br />
<br />
The threshold, which the guardian watches over, is the one between the visible world and the invisible or supernatural world. According to Heinz Grill, the lesser guardian forms the "gateway to the realm of souls, to the realm of the dead or to the realm of the astral heavens." However, humans cannot simply pass through this threshold. <br />
<br />
They need a certain spiritual maturity and moral character for these gates to be opened to them. The threshold is not arbitrary, but a "natural safety precaution", since access to the spiritual worlds without proper preparation leads to hopeless fear and "the consequence would be a fall into the abysmal depths of evil."<ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. pp. 12-13. ISBN 978-3935925693. </ref><br />
<br />
The lesser guardian is described as an astral reality consisting of soul substances and being-like, elemental forces. These include a wide variety of feelings, sympathies and antipathies of the mind, tendencies of the senses, drives and subconscious thought patterns. This astral substance acts like a strategic field and determines the individual nature of a destiny. The lesser guardian is also synonymous with karma: "The guardian, however, is not the true nature of the human being, but rather their dual nature or their karmic figure, that form which must be overcome and transformed in life."<ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. p. 15. ISBN 978-3935925693. </ref><br />
<br />
This karmic figure is characterised as a ghostly form that reveals itself to the spiritual disciple. This terrifying figure has been formed from the good and bad deeds of past lives and, according to Rudolf Steiner, expresses itself as follows:<br />
<br />
"I myself, if I am not to fall into corruption, must become a perfect and glorious being. For, were I to fall, I would drag you down with me into a dark, corrupted world."<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 186. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
=== The great guardian of the threshold ===<br />
After encountering the "Lesser Guardian of the Threshold," from a spiritual perspective, one encounters the "Great Guardian of the Threshold," who is described as having completely different characteristics. In contrast to the ghostly appearance of the lesser guardian, the great guardian appears as a sublime figure of light. It generally marks the transition from the soul world after death to the spiritual world.<br />
<br />
According to Rudolf Steiner, through the encounter with the second guardian of the threshold, the soul „freed in this way from all sensory bonds" acquires the "right of citizenship in the supersensible world," from where the soul may now work.<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 202. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill interprets the great guardian as "the living spirit of God, as Christ himself, as the creative ego, as the highest guardian figure who watches over preservation and dissolution, over progress and regression, over a path upwards and a path downwards."<ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. p. 19. ISBN 978-3935925693. </ref><br />
<br />
== The relationship between the lesser and the great guardians of the threshold ==<br />
<br />
From a spiritual perspective, these two guardians – the lower self of the human being and their divine, emerging self – face each other in a mutual exchange and struggle.<br />
<br />
The encounter with the guardian is experienced by the individual as very challenging, as described in the Bhagavad Gita:<br />
<br />
"The awakening of the threshold always leads people to despondency and despair, which they must overcome through wisdom and purposeful action."<ref>Heinz Grill (2024): ''Fundamental insights into the Bhagavad Gita.'' 1st Edition (German). Stephan Wunderlich Verlag, Sigmaringen. p.99. ISBN 978-3-948803-18-6. </ref><br />
<br />
But if the spirit-striving person approaches the threshold very well prepared, "our experiences at the threshold are then accompanied by a premonition of that bliss which will be the keynote of our newly awakened life."<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 194. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
== The significance of the guardian of the threshold for humanity ==<br />
<br />
On the one hand, an encounter with the guardian of the threshold takes place when the individual consciously strives for spiritual development and trains their soul forces in the sense of a structuring into thinking, feeling and willing. On the other hand, spiritual research relating to the current, so-called fifth post-Atlantean cultural epoch reports that the whole of humanity in its development must go through a certain process of separation of the soul forces – "that a trinity must arise from the chaotic unity," as Rudolf Steiner puts it — and must develop an understanding of this.<br />
<br />
: "In inner experience, though not in outer consciousness, humanity is passing through the region that can also be called a region of the guardian of the threshold."<ref name=":1">Rudolf Steiner: [https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA202/English/MP1983/19201225p01.html ''The Search for the New Isis, Divine Sophia III. The Magi and the Shepherds: The New Isis''] rsarchive.org. Retrieved 11 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
Also according to current spiritual research, the vast majority of people are on the threshold:<br />
<br />
In any case, individual human beings today are moving ever closer to a threshold to the spiritual world. This threshold, however, does not let them pass as easily as one might think.<ref name=":0">Heinz Grill: [https://heinz-grill.de/en/2023-human-creative-power/''Outlook for 2023 – Part 3.''] ''Contributions to a new Yoga Will'' Retrieved 11 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
According to Heinz Grill, this threshold that humanity is approaching is reflected in the fact that today, from a spiritual perspective, people want to enter into creative activity, research wisdom themselves and to implement ideals, that means they want to cross the threshold.<br />
<br />
However, crossing the line is opposed by the guardian, as humans must first dissolve their attachments and karmic entanglements.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, they must develop the ability to distinguish between what are truly lasting spiritual values and what, in contrast, are still immature ideas, such as a false concept of God or love, or attachments.<br />
<br />
By distinguishing between attachment and karma on the one hand, and lasting values or ideals on the other, so between the forces of the lesser guardian and the greater guardian, people can align themselves towards union with the greater guardian.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
This formulation by Heinz Grill says that this is the highest work: It [Remark:The threshold] demands the utmost all of the forces of thinking, feeling and willing, and therefore, for the coming year, a daily, persevering and indispensable effort for truth, differentiation and goal realisation is required. A day without this effort throws the human being back into isolation and lack of relationship.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
== Forward-looking hypothesis ==<br />
<br />
In summary, it can be said that a person who schools themselves spiritually will encounter the lesser guardian of the threshold at a precisely calculated moment of wisdom. Crossing the threshold and gaining insight into the world of the soul are associated with the high demand of taking full responsibility for one's own actions and thoughts and completely transforming the karmic figure with discipline and perseverance. The lesser guardian of the threshold represents the karma that must be overcome, while the great guardian of the threshold, as a figure of light, points more to the future and represents the divine-spiritual aspect of the human being as a potential to be developed.<br />
<br />
From a spiritual point of view, the whole of humanity today stands at the threshold between the earthly and the spiritual world. In order to overcome this and gain orientation, an exact distinction must be developed between that which is transient and insignificant on one hand and that which is of higher value with a lasting character on the other.<br />
<br />
== References ==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Guardian_of_the_Threshold&diff=118Guardian of the Threshold2026-03-11T15:26:37Z<p>Xenja: Little Corrections in Article and References</p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:Machelldweller.jpg|thumb|The Dweller on the Threshold. Painting by Reginald W. Machell (ca. 1895)]] <br />
[[File:Steve Bate Rope Solo Zodiac El Capitan II.jpg|thumb|Climbing often requires overcoming a fear threshold before taking the next step]]<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold is a technical esoteric term and is related to the spiritual development of the individual and of humanity as a whole. The guardian of the threshold guards the threshold to the spiritual world.<br />
<br />
Human development can be progressive, oriented towards spiritual values or ideals, or it can be regressive, directed by desires, passions and dependencies. Human beings repeatedly find themselves caught between these two forces. As long as they do not recognise and overcome the latter, they follow their lower self and cannot cross the boundary into the spiritual world. They must develop insight and discernment in order to cross the boundary.<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold, a rather little-known concept, also encompasses events that every human being is familiar with in one form or another, whether it be overcoming the fear of taking the next step when climbing a difficult section of a mountain, or being confronted with something inevitable due to an external event such as a separation, a conflict, an illness or a death.<br />
<br />
Many such threshold experiences are also conveyed in sacred writings, legends and myths. <br />
<br />
== Meaning and concept ==<br />
In various spiritual movements such as [[A:Theosophy|Theosophy]], the [[A:Rosicrucians|Rosicrucians]], [[W:Archeosophy|Archeosophy]], [[A:Anthroposophy|Anthroposophy]], but also in the [[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]], it is assumed that there is not just one life, but that humans go through several lives or incarnations. The guardian of the threshold is therefore associated with the concept of karma (Sanskrit कर्म, [[W:IAST|IAST]] ''karma'', English "action, activity, work").<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=karma&dir=se ''Search results for "karma".''] ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 18 January 2026</ref> Karma, in the sense of a universal law, encompasses the good and bad deeds and thoughts of a past life, which are stored in the human being and initially determine their life to a certain extent.<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold is unredeemed karma. The realisation that humans must come to is that they themselves are the cause of their own destiny. On the one hand, the guardian of the threshold is a ghostly, terrifying, but also wise figure. On the other hand, it protects humans from gaining insight into the higher worlds prematurely and unprepared, as this can lead to their downfall.<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 185 ff. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
== The threshold as a symbol ==<br />
In sacred buildings such as churches, a threshold or door symbolically and architecturally separates the profane or everyday space from the sacred or transcendent sacred space. By crossing the threshold, people are supposed to visualise the transition into a sacred world.<ref>[https://aleteia.org/2024/08/26/the-symbolism-behind-the-threshold-of-a-catholic-church/ ''The symbolism behind the threshold of a catholic church'']''aleteia.org''. Retrieved 9 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
== Culture and art ==<br />
<br />
=== The novel Zanoni ===<br />
The term "guardian of the threshold" also became known through the novel ''[[Wen:Zanoni|Zanoni]]'' by [[W:Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton|Edward Bulwer-Lytton]] (1803–1873), which is mentioned in theosophy and anthroposophy:<blockquote>"Know, at least, that all of us – the highest and the wisest – who have, in sober truth, passed beyond the threshold, have had, as our first fearful task, to master and subdue its grisly and appalling guardian."<ref>Edward Bulwer-Lytton: [https://books.google.com/books?id=i_gYAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA103 Online ''Zanoni.''] J. B. Lippincott & Co. Philadelphia 1974. p. 103.</ref></blockquote>In ''Zanoni'', the guardian appears as a sensually visible figure. According to [[Rudolf Steiner]], the guardian of the threshold can be made visible through low-level magic using incense. He points out the danger of going astray if one encounters one's unredeemed karma in this form without sufficient preparation:<blockquote>"However, if we have sufficiently prepared ourselves for higher perception, we no longer need such sense-perceptible props. On the other hand, if we confront our unredeemed karma without adequate preparation, we risk going badly astray."<ref>Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 189. ISBN 0-88010-372-8.</ref></blockquote><br />
<br />
=== The mystery play "The Guardian of the Threshold" ===<br />
Rudolf Steiner's four [[A:Rudolf Steiner's Mystery Dramas|mystery plays]] artistically explore the spiritual development of individual human beings. Various effects of fate are explicitly linked to past lives and the concepts of karma and reincarnation.<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold, who is associated with the idea of karma, is portrayed in the third mystery drama of the same name. This mystery drama is entitled ''The Guardian of the Threshold''.<br />
<br />
The Guardian speaks in the 7th scene:<ref>Rudolf Steiner, [https://archive.org/details/fourmysteryplays00stei/page/90/mode/2up ''Four Mystery Plays''] ''archive.org''. Retrieved 14 February 2026.</ref><ref>[https://mysteriendramen.at/Der_H%C3%BCter_der_Schwelle#Siebentes_Bild ''Hüter der Schwelle. Siebentes Bild.''] ''mysteriendramen.at''. Retrieved 9 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
<poem style="margin-left:31px"> "Thou must first part with many of those powers <br />
Which thou hast won when in thine earthly frame. <br />
Out of them all thou canst alone retain<br />
That which by efforts, pure and spiritual,<br />
Thou didst achieve, and which thou hast kept pure."<br />
("Du mußt dich trennen erst von vielen Kräften,<br />
Die du im Erdenleibe dir erworben.<br />
Behalten kannst du doch von ihnen nur,<br />
Was sich in geistig reinem Streben dir<br />
Erschlossen und auch rein verblieben ist.")<br />
</poem><br />
<br />
These statements make it clear that insights into the soul-spiritual worlds depend on overcoming impure forces.<br />
<br />
== Astrology – Saturn as guardian of the threshold ==<br />
[[File:Saturn - High Resolution, 2004, alt crop.jpg|thumb|The planet Saturn as guardian of the threshold in astrology]] <br />
<br />
In astrology, the planet Saturn is associated with the guardian of the threshold. As Liz Greene describes it "Saturn symbolizes a psychic process as well as a quality or kind of experience." He represents pain, restriction and discipline and he symbolizes "the psychic process, natural to all human beings, by which an individual may utilise the experiences of pain, restriction, and discipline as a means for greater consciousness and fulfilment." She furthermore mentions that freedom through self-understanding may be achieved through him (Remark: Saturn/Guardian) alone.<ref>Liz Greene: ''Saturn''. Weisser Classics. pp.2-4. ISBN 978-1-57863-735-5.</ref> <br />
<br />
[[W:Fritz Riemann (psychoanalyst)|Fritz Riemann]] (1902–1979), psychoanalyst and astrologer, understands Saturn in the sense that it gives people reason to deal with necessities, by accepting the inevitable, especially death, and the fears associated with it, and thereby to gain maturity. According to him, the real meaning of Saturn lies in this:<br />
<br />
: "[...] it leads us to barriers of fear, which we can overcome precisely by accepting our fears; then the ''guardian of the threshold'' becomes our surest guide, turning necessity into a turning point."<ref>Fritz Riemann: ''Lebenshilfe Astrologie'' (Astrology as Life Guidance - german). 5th edition. Verlag J. Pfeiffer Munich 1980. p. 192. ISBN 3-7904-0186-2.</ref><br />
<br />
== Yoga Vidya's perspective ==<br />
The guardian of the threshold in Yoga Vidya is also interpreted with reference to Saturn. Saturn is considered the last planet in our solar system. It often appears in times of severe trials and confronts us with negative karma that still needs to be worked through.<br />
<br />
To honour Saturn, Shani<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=shani&dir=au ''Search results for "Shani".''] ''learnsanskrit.cc. Retrieved on 10 March 2026.</ref> (Sanskrit शनि, IAST ''śani'', English "Saturn"), the recitation of mantras is common. Psychologically speaking, invoking the blessings of the Saturn deity (Shani Deva) through the hymn [[Y:Shani Stotra|Shani Stotra]] is said to help "discipline the mind, practise renunciation and see the lessons of the divine even in suffering. The Shani Stotra also helps to transform the lower nature."<ref>[https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Saturn#Anrufung_des_Shani ''Saturn. Invocation of Shani (German).''] ''yoga-vidya.de.'' Retrieved 10 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
== Bhagavad Gita - the battlefield ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Arjuna_and_karna_in_war,_krishna_as_arjuna_charioter.jpg|thumb|430px|Arjuna and his charioteer Krishna (both on the left) face the enemy army]][[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]] (Sanskrit भगवद्गीता, IAST ''bhagavad gītā'') translates as "Song of God". It is considered one of the most important sacred texts of the East. At the beginning of the story, two closely related clans, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, face each other on the battlefield of Kurukshetra (Sanskrit कुरुक्षेत्र, IAST ''kurukṣetra''). Krishna offers to be the charioteer of the hero Arjuna and is given the task of driving between the two opposing camps. When Arjuna discovers his own relatives in the enemy camp, he sees no good in having to fight and kill them. He refuses to fight and, overcome with grief, throws away his weapons. Krishna, who represents the divine self, now begins to enlighten Arjuna about the meaning of life and death.<br />
<br />
Krishna instructs Arjuna that he must fight from the standpoint of a higher view than the one he has been taught:<br />
<br />
:"But if thou dost not this battle for the right, then hast thou abandoned thy duty and virtue and thy glory, and sin shall be thy portion."<ref>[https://bhagavadgita.org.in/Chapters/2/33 Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 33. ] ''bhagavadgita.org.in''. Retrieved 10 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
This conflict that arises for Arjuna, between conventional ideas about virtues and truly divine virtues, is called by Heinz Grill "one of the most beautiful episodes about the struggle between an astral guardian of the threshold and an ego."<ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. p. 26. ISBN 978-3935925693.</ref><br />
<br />
== Theosophy ==<br />
[[File:Le_Grand_Saint_Michel,_by_Raffaello_Sanzio,_from_C2RMF_retouched.jpg|thumb|Archangel Michael subduing the devil<br>Painting by [[w:Raffael|Raffael]] (1483–1520)]]<br />
<br />
According to theosophical belief, there is also a guardian of the threshold. This guardian is known to humans in many different forms. The following examples are described<div style="margin-left:15px"><br />
* [[A:Kerberos (mythology)|Cerberus]], the hellhound who guards Hades, the entrance to the underworld,<br />
<br />
* the [[A:Archangel Michael|Archangel Michael]], who kills the dragon with his spiritual willpower,<br />
<br />
* the [[A:Snakes#The snake as a symbol of the opposing forces|snake]] that tempts Eve.<br />
</div>All these legends are interpreted as parables that represent a real reality, the knowledge of which is of utmost importance to the seeker of truth. The guardian of the threshold is "...nothing else but our own lower semi-animal, animal or perhaps brutish self, that combination of material and semi-material principles which form the lower ''ego'', which the great majority of men blindly and lovingly hug and caress, because they love themselves. … but when …his self-consciousness begins to become centred in his higher self, the Dweller of the Threshold becomes objective to him and he may be terrified at its (his own) ugliness and deformity."<ref>H.S. Olcott (1889): [./Https://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.236504/page/n175/mode/2up_''The_Theosophist._Vol._XI. <nowiki>https://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.236504/page/n175/mode/2up</nowiki> <nowiki>''</nowiki>The Theosophist. Vol. XI. ] Chapter: ''The Dweller of the Threshold. Vol. XI. No. 123. p.131. Retrieved 10 March 2026''</ref><br />
<br />
== Rosicrucians ==<br />
In Rosicrucian philosophy and their path of training, the encounter with the guardian of the threshold is a requirement that must be overcome before entering higher worlds. A very precise differentiation is made between other forces and the real guardian of the threshold, who is a figure created from one's own past bad deeds and thoughts, which must be transformed by the individual.<br />
<br />
Max Heindel (1865–1919), founder of the Rosicrucian Fellowship, explains: <br />
<br />
"The real "Dweller on the Threshold" is the composite elemental entity created on the invisible planes by all our untransmuted evil thoughts and acts during all the past period of our evolution. This "dweller" stands guard at the entrance to the invisible worlds and challenges our right to enter therein. This entity must be redeemed or transmuted eventually. We must generate poise and will power sufficient to face and command it before we can consciously enter the super-physical worlds."<ref>Max Heindel: [https://www.rosicrucian.com/pdf_plaza/The%20Web%20of%20Destiny.pdf ''The Web of Destiny. How made and Unmade.''] The Rosicrucian Fellowship. Oceanside 2011. pp. 30–31 ISBN 978-0-911274-17-2.</ref><br />
<br />
== Archeosophy ==<br />
According to the teachings of [[W:Archeosophy|Archeosophy]], ascension to the higher worlds is accompanied by an encounter with the guardian of the threshold (Italian: "Guardiano della soglia"). This encounter with the guardian is described as the most threatening and important experience for those who, in accordance with the esoteric teachings of Greek mythology, strive to perform "initiation tasks" known as the Labours of Hercules. The Labours of Hercules are understood to be twelve extremely difficult tasks that were imposed as penance.<ref>[https://pecunia.zaw.uni-heidelberg.de/NumiScience/die-12-taten-des-herakles ''The 12 Labours of Heracles.''] ''NumiScience.'' Retrieved 14 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
According to the founder of archeosophy, [[W:Tommasso Palamidessi|Tommaso Palamidessi]] (1915–1983), there is not only a small and a large guardian of the threshold: "In fact, although there are these two fundamental guardians, there are as many guardians as there are cosmic planes, that is, as many transitions from one world to another."<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2is7EnKuaE&t=387s ''I guardiani delle soglie e il cammino evolutivo - Quaderno di Archeosofia n.10.''] Min. 6:27–6:41. In: ''Libreria Rotondi'' (YouTube channel). Retrieved 23 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
== Gospels ==<br />
[[File:Gospel_of_Luke_Chapter_4-6_(Bible_Illustrations_by_Sweet_Media).jpg|link=File:Gospel_of_Luke_Chapter_4-6_(Bible_Illustrations_by_Sweet_Media).jpg|thumb|Illustration of the temptation of Christ - Matthew Chapter 4, Luke Chapter 4-6]]<br />
The guardian of the threshold is not explicitly named in the Gospels. From a spiritual point of view, the image of Jesus on the mountain and his temptation by the devil, as described in the Synoptic Gospels, is equated with the encounter with the guardian of the threshold:<br />
<br />
: …the promise of all external realities, the desire to cling to these outer realities, the temptation to remain attached to matter: in short, the temptation to remain with the guardian of the threshold and not to pass beyond him appears to us in the great Imaginative picture of Christ Jesus standing on the mountain, with the Tempter beside Him…[...]<ref> Rudolf Steiner: [https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA131/English/RSP1973/19111006p01.html ''From Jesus to Christ. Lecture II.''] Retrieved 23 February 2026. </ref><br />
<br />
Although not explicitly mentioned by Rudolf Steiner, this is likely to refer to verses 8–11 in chapter 4 of the Gospel of Matthew:<br />
<br />
"Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." 10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him."<ref>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%204&version=NIV ''Matthew 4''] ''bible gateway.com''. Retrieved 23 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
The temptation by the adversary is also mentioned in the Gospel according to Mark (Mark 1:12–15) and in the Gospel according to Luke (Luke 4:5–8).<br />
<br />
== Spiritual view of Rudolf Steiner and Heinz Grill ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Great Sphinx of Giza May 2015.JPG|thumb|"In the higher region of the astral plane, the [image of the] sphinx needs to be cast into the abyss before you are able to move ahead."<ref>Rudolf Steiner: [https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA089/English/CMP2001/19041022p01.html ''Awareness-Life-Form Planetary Evolution III.''] rsarchive.org. Retrieved 11 March 2026. </ref>]]<br />
<br />
In spiritual research, a distinction is made between two guardians of the threshold – the "Little Guardian of the Threshold" and the "Great Guardian of the Threshold". Human beings encounter these two figures, which cannot be perceived with the physical senses, within their development on a spiritual path of training.<br />
<br />
A spiritual path of training involves working on the so-called soul forces: thinking, feeling, and will. These three soul forces are normally intertwined or exist in a very specific relationship.<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. pp. 176-177. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref> Through targeted exercises, these forces are to be structured and isolated, so that pure thinking develops from thought, sensation rests in pure feeling, and will responds in pure action.<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes this process with an image:<br />
<br />
"Just as a painter can recognise both red and blue in a shade of violet, so the practitioner soon recognises the various mixed shades in his consciousness and learns to separate thinking from feeling and feeling in turn from will."<ref>Heinz Grill (2022): ''Exercises for the Soul.'' 3rd, expanded edition (German). Synergia Verlag. p. 101. ISBN 978-3-906873-33-6.</ref><br />
<br />
=== The lesser guardian of the threshold ===<br />
At a certain point in the structuring or separation of the three soul forces, an encounter with the lesser guardian of the threshold takes place. According to Rudolf Steiner, this occurs "when the connecting threads between willing, thinking and feeling within the finer (…) bodies begin to loosen."<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 184. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
The figure of the lesser guardian is not an external person or entity, but rather is inherent in every human being, only initially hidden within each individual, submerged in the body. With progressive development, it detaches itself more from the body and takes on a body-free, metaphysically visible form. This is called the awakening or the encounter with the guardian of the threshold.<br />
<br />
The threshold, which the guardian watches over, is the one between the visible world and the invisible or supernatural world. According to Heinz Grill, the lesser guardian forms the "gateway to the realm of souls, to the realm of the dead or to the realm of the astral heavens." However, humans cannot simply pass through this threshold. <br />
<br />
They need a certain spiritual maturity and moral character for these gates to be opened to them. The threshold is not arbitrary, but a "natural safety precaution", since access to the spiritual worlds without proper preparation leads to hopeless fear and "the consequence would be a fall into the abysmal depths of evil."<ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. pp. 12-13. ISBN 978-3935925693. </ref><br />
<br />
The lesser guardian is described as an astral reality consisting of soul substances and being-like, elemental forces. These include a wide variety of feelings, sympathies and antipathies of the mind, tendencies of the senses, drives and subconscious thought patterns. This astral substance acts like a strategic field and determines the individual nature of a destiny. The lesser guardian is also synonymous with karma: "The guardian, however, is not the true nature of the human being, but rather their dual nature or their karmic figure, that form which must be overcome and transformed in life."<ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. p. 15. ISBN 978-3935925693. </ref><br />
<br />
This karmic figure is characterised as a ghostly form that reveals itself to the spiritual disciple. This terrifying figure has been formed from the good and bad deeds of past lives and, according to Rudolf Steiner, expresses itself as follows:<br />
<br />
"I myself, if I am not to fall into corruption, must become a perfect and glorious being. For, were I to fall, I would drag you down with me into a dark, corrupted world."<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 186. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
=== The great guardian of the threshold ===<br />
After encountering the "Lesser Guardian of the Threshold," from a spiritual perspective, one encounters the "Great Guardian of the Threshold," who is described as having completely different characteristics. In contrast to the ghostly appearance of the lesser guardian, the great guardian appears as a sublime figure of light. It generally marks the transition from the soul world after death to the spiritual world.<br />
<br />
According to Rudolf Steiner, through the encounter with the second guardian of the threshold, the soul „freed in this way from all sensory bonds" acquires the "right of citizenship in the supersensible world," from where the soul may now work.<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 202. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill interprets the great guardian as "the living spirit of God, as Christ himself, as the creative ego, as the highest guardian figure who watches over preservation and dissolution, over progress and regression, over a path upwards and a path downwards."<ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. p. 19. ISBN 978-3935925693. </ref><br />
<br />
== The relationship between the lesser and the great guardians of the threshold ==<br />
<br />
From a spiritual perspective, these two guardians – the lower self of the human being and their divine, emerging self – face each other in a mutual exchange and struggle.<br />
<br />
The encounter with the guardian is experienced by the individual as very challenging, as described in the Bhagavad Gita:<br />
<br />
"The awakening of the threshold always leads people to despondency and despair, which they must overcome through wisdom and purposeful action."<ref>Heinz Grill (2024): ''Fundamental insights into the Bhagavad Gita.'' 1st Edition (German). Stephan Wunderlich Verlag, Sigmaringen. p.99. ISBN 978-3-948803-18-6. </ref><br />
<br />
But if the spirit-striving person approaches the threshold very well prepared, "our experiences at the threshold are then accompanied by a premonition of that bliss which will be the keynote of our newly awakened life."<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 194. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
== The significance of the guardian of the threshold for humanity ==<br />
<br />
On the one hand, an encounter with the guardian of the threshold takes place when the individual consciously strives for spiritual development and trains their soul forces in the sense of a structuring into thinking, feeling and willing. On the other hand, spiritual research relating to the current, so-called fifth post-Atlantean cultural epoch reports that the whole of humanity in its development must go through a certain process of separation of the soul forces – "that a trinity must arise from the chaotic unity," as Rudolf Steiner puts it — and must develop an understanding of this.<br />
<br />
: "In inner experience, though not in outer consciousness, humanity is passing through the region that can also be called a region of the guardian of the threshold."<ref name=":1">Rudolf Steiner: [https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA202/English/MP1983/19201225p01.html ''The Search for the New Isis, Divine Sophia III. The Magi and the Shepherds: The New Isis''] rsarchive.org. Retrieved 11 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
Also according to current spiritual research, the vast majority of people are on the threshold:<br />
<br />
In any case, individual human beings today are moving ever closer to a threshold to the spiritual world. This threshold, however, does not let them pass as easily as one might think.<ref name=":0">Heinz Grill: [https://heinz-grill.de/en/2023-human-creative-power/''Outlook for 2023 – Part 3.''] ''Contributions to a new Yoga Will'' Retrieved 11 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
According to Heinz Grill, this threshold that humanity is approaching is reflected in the fact that today, from a spiritual perspective, people want to enter into creative activity, research wisdom themselves and to implement ideals, that means they want to cross the threshold.<br />
<br />
However, crossing the line is opposed by the guardian, as humans must first dissolve their attachments and karmic entanglements.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, they must develop the ability to distinguish between what are truly lasting spiritual values and what, in contrast, are still immature ideas, such as a false concept of God or love, or attachments.<br />
<br />
By distinguishing between attachment and karma on the one hand, and lasting values or ideals on the other, so between the forces of the lesser guardian and the greater guardian, people can align themselves towards union with the greater guardian.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
This formulation by Heinz Grill says that this is the highest work: It [Remark:The threshold] demands the utmost all of the forces of thinking, feeling and willing, and therefore, for the coming year, a daily, persevering and indispensable effort for truth, differentiation and goal realisation is required. A day without this effort throws the human being back into isolation and lack of relationship.<ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
== Forward-looking hypothesis ==<br />
<br />
In summary, it can be said that a person who schools themselves spiritually will encounter the lesser guardian of the threshold at a precisely calculated moment of wisdom. Crossing the threshold and gaining insight into the world of the soul are associated with the high demand of taking full responsibility for one's own actions and thoughts and completely transforming the karmic figure with discipline and perseverance. The lesser guardian of the threshold represents the karma that must be overcome, while the great guardian of the threshold, as a figure of light, points more to the future and represents the divine-spiritual aspect of the human being as a potential to be developed.<br />
<br />
From a spiritual point of view, the whole of humanity today stands at the threshold between the earthly and the spiritual world. In order to overcome this and gain orientation, an exact distinction must be developed between that which is transient and insignificant on one hand and that which is of higher value with a lasting character on the other.<br />
<br />
== References ==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Guardian_of_the_Threshold&diff=117Guardian of the Threshold2026-03-11T15:19:54Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:Machelldweller.jpg|thumb|The Dweller on the Threshold. Painting by Reginald W. Machell (ca. 1895)]] <br />
[[File:Steve Bate Rope Solo Zodiac El Capitan II.jpg|thumb|Climbing often requires overcoming a fear threshold before taking the next step]]<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold is a technical esoteric term and is related to the spiritual development of the individual and of humanity as a whole. The guardian of the threshold guards the threshold to the spiritual world.<br />
<br />
Human development can be progressive, oriented towards spiritual values or ideals, or it can be regressive, directed by desires, passions and dependencies. Human beings repeatedly find themselves caught between these two forces. As long as they do not recognise and overcome the latter, they follow their lower self and cannot cross the boundary into the spiritual world. They must develop insight and discernment in order to cross the boundary.<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold, a rather little-known concept, also encompasses events that every human being is familiar with in one form or another, whether it be overcoming the fear of taking the next step when climbing a difficult section of a mountain, or being confronted with something inevitable due to an external event such as a separation, a conflict, an illness or a death.<br />
<br />
Many such threshold experiences are also conveyed in sacred writings, legends and myths. <br />
<br />
== Meaning and concept ==<br />
In various spiritual movements such as [[A:Theosophy|Theosophy]], the [[A:Rosicrucians|Rosicrucians]], [[W:Archeosophy|Archeosophy]], [[A:Anthroposophy|Anthroposophy]], but also in the [[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]], it is assumed that there is not just one life, but that humans go through several lives or incarnations. The guardian of the threshold is therefore associated with the concept of karma (Sanskrit कर्म, [[W:IAST|IAST]] ''karma'', English "action, activity, work").<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=karma&dir=se ''Search results for "karma".''] ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 18 January 2026</ref> Karma, in the sense of a universal law, encompasses the good and bad deeds and thoughts of a past life, which are stored in the human being and initially determine their life to a certain extent.<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold is unredeemed karma. The realisation that humans must come to is that they themselves are the cause of their own destiny. On the one hand, the guardian of the threshold is a ghostly, terrifying, but also wise figure. On the other hand, it protects humans from gaining insight into the higher worlds prematurely and unprepared, as this can lead to their downfall.<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 185 ff. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
== The threshold as a symbol ==<br />
In sacred buildings such as churches, a threshold or door symbolically and architecturally separates the profane or everyday space from the sacred or transcendent sacred space. By crossing the threshold, people are supposed to visualise the transition into a sacred world.<ref>[https://aleteia.org/2024/08/26/the-symbolism-behind-the-threshold-of-a-catholic-church/ ''The symbolism behind the threshold of a catholic church'']''aleteia.org''. Retrieved 9 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
== Culture and art ==<br />
<br />
=== The novel Zanoni ===<br />
The term "guardian of the threshold" also became known through the novel ''[[Wen:Zanoni|Zanoni]]'' by [[W:Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton|Edward Bulwer-Lytton]] (1803–1873), which is mentioned in theosophy and anthroposophy:<blockquote>"Know, at least, that all of us – the highest and the wisest – who have, in sober truth, passed beyond the threshold, have had, as our first fearful task, to master and subdue its grisly and appalling guardian."<ref>Edward Bulwer-Lytton: [https://books.google.com/books?id=i_gYAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA103 Online ''Zanoni.''] J. B. Lippincott & Co. Philadelphia 1974. p. 103.</ref></blockquote>In ''Zanoni'', the guardian appears as a sensually visible figure. According to [[Rudolf Steiner]], the guardian of the threshold can be made visible through low-level magic using incense. He points out the danger of going astray if one encounters one's unredeemed karma in this form without sufficient preparation:<blockquote>"However, if we have sufficiently prepared ourselves for higher perception, we no longer need such sense-perceptible props. On the other hand, if we confront our unredeemed karma without adequate preparation, we risk going badly astray."<ref>Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 189. ISBN 0-88010-372-8.</ref></blockquote><br />
<br />
=== The mystery play "The Guardian of the Threshold" ===<br />
Rudolf Steiner's four [[A:Rudolf Steiner's Mystery Dramas|mystery plays]] artistically explore the spiritual development of individual human beings. Various effects of fate are explicitly linked to past lives and the concepts of karma and reincarnation.<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold, who is associated with the idea of karma, is portrayed in the third mystery drama of the same name. This mystery drama is entitled ''The Guardian of the Threshold''.<br />
<br />
The Guardian speaks in the 7th scene:<ref>Rudolf Steiner, [https://archive.org/details/fourmysteryplays00stei/page/90/mode/2up ''Four Mystery Plays''] ''archive.org''. Retrieved 14 February 2026.</ref><ref>[https://mysteriendramen.at/Der_H%C3%BCter_der_Schwelle#Siebentes_Bild ''Hüter der Schwelle. Siebentes Bild.''] ''mysteriendramen.at''. Retrieved 9 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
<poem style="margin-left:31px"> "Thou must first part with many of those powers <br />
Which thou hast won when in thine earthly frame. <br />
Out of them all thou canst alone retain<br />
That which by efforts, pure and spiritual,<br />
Thou didst achieve, and which thou hast kept pure."<br />
("Du mußt dich trennen erst von vielen Kräften,<br />
Die du im Erdenleibe dir erworben.<br />
Behalten kannst du doch von ihnen nur,<br />
Was sich in geistig reinem Streben dir<br />
Erschlossen und auch rein verblieben ist.")<br />
</poem><br />
<br />
These statements make it clear that insights into the soul-spiritual worlds depend on overcoming impure forces.<br />
<br />
== Astrology – Saturn as guardian of the threshold ==<br />
[[File:Saturn - High Resolution, 2004, alt crop.jpg|thumb|The planet Saturn as guardian of the threshold in astrology]] <br />
<br />
In astrology, the planet Saturn is associated with the guardian of the threshold. As Liz Greene describes it "Saturn symbolizes a psychic process as well as a quality or kind of experience." He represents pain, restriction and discipline and he symbolizes "the psychic process, natural to all human beings, by which an individual may utilise the experiences of pain, restriction, and discipline as a means for greater consciousness and fulfilment." She furthermore mentions that freedom through self-understanding may be achieved through him (Remark: Saturn/Guardian) alone.<ref>Liz Greene: ''Saturn''. Weisser Classics. pp.2-4. ISBN 978-1-57863-735-5.</ref> <br />
<br />
[[W:Fritz Riemann (psychoanalyst)|Fritz Riemann]] (1902–1979), psychoanalyst and astrologer, understands Saturn in the sense that it gives people reason to deal with necessities, by accepting the inevitable, especially death, and the fears associated with it, and thereby to gain maturity. According to him, the real meaning of Saturn lies in this:<br />
<br />
: "[...] it leads us to barriers of fear, which we can overcome precisely by accepting our fears; then the ''guardian of the threshold'' becomes our surest guide, turning necessity into a turning point."<ref>Fritz Riemann: ''Lebenshilfe Astrologie'' (Astrology as Life Guidance - german). 5th edition. Verlag J. Pfeiffer Munich 1980. p. 192. ISBN 3-7904-0186-2.</ref><br />
<br />
== Yoga Vidya's perspective ==<br />
The guardian of the threshold in Yoga Vidya is also interpreted with reference to Saturn. Saturn is considered the last planet in our solar system. It often appears in times of severe trials and confronts us with negative karma that still needs to be worked through.<br />
<br />
In honour of/to honour Saturn, Shani<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=shani&dir=au ''Search results for "Shani".''] ''learnsanskrit.cc. Retrieved on 10 March 2026.</ref> (Sanskrit शनि, IAST ''śani'', English "Saturn"), the recitation of mantras is customary/common. Psychologically speaking, invoking the blessings of the Saturn deity (Shani Deva) through the hymn [[Y:Shani Stotra|Shani Stotra]] is said to help "discipline the mind, practise renunciation and see the lessons of the divine even in suffering. The Shani Stotra also helps to transform the lower nature."<ref>[https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Saturn#Anrufung_des_Shani ''Saturn. Invocation of Shani (German).''] ''yoga-vidya.de.'' Retrieved 10 March 2026.</ref><br />
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== Bhagavad Gita - the battlefield ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Arjuna_and_karna_in_war,_krishna_as_arjuna_charioter.jpg|thumb|430px|Arjuna and his charioteer Krishna (both on the left) face the enemy army]][[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]] (Sanskrit भगवद्गीता, IAST ''bhagavad gītā'') translates as "Song of God". It is considered one of the most important sacred texts of the East. At the beginning of the story, two closely related clans, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, face each other on the battlefield of Kurukshetra (Sanskrit कुरुक्षेत्र, IAST ''kurukṣetra''). Krishna offers to be the charioteer of the hero Arjuna and is given the task of driving between the two opposing camps. When Arjuna discovers his own relatives in the enemy camp, he sees no good in having to fight and kill them. He refuses to fight and, overcome with grief, throws away his weapons. Krishna, who represents the divine self, now begins to enlighten Arjuna about the meaning of life and death.<br />
<br />
Krishna instructs Arjuna that he must fight from the standpoint of a higher view than the one he has been taught:<br />
<br />
:"But if thou dost not this battle for the right, then hast thou abandoned thy duty and virtue and thy glory, and sin shall be thy portion."<ref>[https://bhagavadgita.org.in/Chapters/2/33 Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 33. ] ''bhagavadgita.org.in''. Retrieved 10 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
This conflict that arises for Arjuna, between conventional ideas about virtues and truly divine virtues, is called by Heinz Grill "one of the most beautiful episodes about the struggle between an astral guardian of the threshold and an ego."<ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. p. 26. ISBN 978-3935925693.</ref><br />
<br />
== Theosophy ==<br />
[[File:Le_Grand_Saint_Michel,_by_Raffaello_Sanzio,_from_C2RMF_retouched.jpg|thumb|Archangel Michael subduing the devil<br>Painting by [[w:Raffael|Raffael]] (1483–1520)]]<br />
<br />
According to theosophical belief, there is also a guardian of the threshold. This guardian is known to humans in many different forms. The following examples are described<div style="margin-left:15px"><br />
* [[A:Kerberos (mythology)|Cerberus]], the hellhound who guards Hades, the entrance to the underworld,<br />
<br />
* the [[A:Archangel Michael|Archangel Michael]], who kills the dragon with his spiritual willpower,<br />
<br />
* the [[A:Snakes#The snake as a symbol of the opposing forces|snake]] that tempts Eve.<br />
</div>All these legends are interpreted as parables that represent a real reality, the knowledge of which is of utmost importance to the seeker of truth. The guardian of the threshold is "...nothing else but our own lower semi-animal, animal or perhaps brutish self, that combination of material and semi-material principles which form the lower ''ego'', which the great majority of men blindly and lovingly hug and caress, because they love themselves. … but when …his self-consciousness begins to become centred in his higher self, the Dweller of the Threshold becomes objective to him and he may be terrified at its (his own) ugliness and deformity."<ref>H.S. Olcott (1889): [./Https://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.236504/page/n175/mode/2up_''The_Theosophist._Vol._XI. <nowiki>https://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.236504/page/n175/mode/2up</nowiki> <nowiki>''</nowiki>The Theosophist. Vol. XI. ] Chapter: ''The Dweller of the Threshold. Vol. XI. No. 123. p.131. Retrieved 10 March 2026''</ref><br />
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== Rosicrucians ==<br />
In Rosicrucian philosophy and their path of training, the encounter with the guardian of the threshold is a requirement that must be overcome before entering higher worlds. A very precise differentiation is made between other forces and the real guardian of the threshold, who is a figure created from one's own past bad deeds and thoughts, which must be transformed by the individual.<br />
<br />
Max Heindel (1865–1919), founder of the Rosicrucian Fellowship, explains: <br />
<br />
"The real "Dweller on the Threshold" is the composite elemental entity created on the invisible planes by all our untransmuted evil thoughts and acts during all the past period of our evolution. This "dweller" stands guard at the entrance to the invisible worlds and challenges our right to enter therein. This entity must be redeemed or transmuted eventually. We must generate poise and will power sufficient to face and command it before we can consciously enter the super-physical worlds."<ref>Max Heindel: [https://www.rosicrucian.com/pdf_plaza/The%20Web%20of%20Destiny.pdf ''The Web of Destiny. How made and Unmade.''] The Rosicrucian Fellowship. Oceanside 2011. pp. 30–31 ISBN 978-0-911274-17-2.</ref><br />
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== Archeosophy ==<br />
According to the teachings of [[W:Archeosophy|Archeosophy]], ascension to the higher worlds is accompanied by an encounter with the guardian of the threshold (Italian: "Guardiano della soglia"). This encounter with the guardian is described as the most threatening and important experience for those who, in accordance with the esoteric teachings of Greek mythology, strive to perform "initiation tasks" known as the Labours of Hercules. The Labours of Hercules are understood to be twelve extremely difficult tasks that were imposed as penance. <ref>[https://pecunia.zaw.uni-heidelberg.de/NumiScience/die-12-taten-des-herakles ''The 12 Labours of Heracles.''] ''NumiScience.'' Retrieved 14 February 2026.</ref><br />
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According to the founder of archeosophy, [[W:Tommasso Palamidessi|Tommaso Palamidessi]] (1915–1983), there is not only a small and a large guardian of the threshold: "In fact, although there are these two fundamental guardians, there are as many guardians as there are cosmic planes, that is, as many transitions from one world to another."<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2is7EnKuaE&t=387s ''I guardiani delle soglie e il cammino evolutivo - Quaderno di Archeosofia n.10.''] Min. 6:27–6:41. In: ''Libreria Rotondi'' (YouTube channel). Retrieved 23 February 2026.</ref><br />
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== Gospels ==<br />
[[File:Gospel_of_Luke_Chapter_4-6_(Bible_Illustrations_by_Sweet_Media).jpg|link=File:Gospel_of_Luke_Chapter_4-6_(Bible_Illustrations_by_Sweet_Media).jpg|thumb|Illustration of the temptation of Christ - Matthew Chapter 4, Luke Chapter 4-6]]<br />
The guardian of the threshold is not explicitly named in the Gospels. From a spiritual point of view, the image of Jesus on the mountain and his temptation by the devil, as described in the Synoptic Gospels, is equated with the encounter with the guardian of the threshold:<br />
<br />
: …the promise of all external realities, the desire to cling to these outer realities, the temptation to remain attached to matter: in short, the temptation to remain with the guardian of the threshold and not to pass beyond him appears to us in the great Imaginative picture of Christ Jesus standing on the mountain, with the Tempter beside Him…[...]<ref> Rudolf Steiner: [https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA131/English/RSP1973/19111006p01.html ''From Jesus to Christ. Lecture II.''] Retrieved 23 February 2026. </ref><br />
<br />
Although not explicitly mentioned by Rudolf Steiner, this is likely to refer to verses 8–11 in chapter 4 of the Gospel of Matthew:<br />
<br />
"Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." 10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him." <ref>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%204&version=NIV ''Matthew 4''] ''bible gateway.com''. Retrieved 23 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
The temptation by the adversary is also mentioned in the Gospel according to Mark (Mark 1:12–15) and in the Gospel according to Luke (Luke 4:5–8).<br />
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== Spiritual view of Rudolf Steiner and Heinz Grill ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Great Sphinx of Giza May 2015.JPG|thumb|"In the higher region of the astral plane, the [image of the] sphinx needs to be cast into the abyss before you are able to move ahead."<ref>Rudolf Steiner:[https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA089/English/CMP2001/19041022p01.html ''Awareness-Life-Form Planetary Evolution III.''] rsarchive.org. Retrieved 11 March 2026 </ref>]]<br />
<br />
In spiritual research, a distinction is made between two guardians of the threshold – the "Little Guardian of the Threshold" and the "Great Guardian of the Threshold". Human beings encounter these two figures, which cannot be perceived with the physical senses, within their development on a spiritual path of training.<br />
<br />
A spiritual path of training involves working on the so-called soul forces: thinking, feeling, and will. These three soul forces are normally intertwined or exist in a very specific relationship.<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. pp. 176-177. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref> Through targeted exercises, these forces are to be structured and isolated, so that pure thinking develops from thought, sensation rests in pure feeling, and will responds in pure action.<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes this process with an image:<br />
<br />
"Just as a painter can recognise both red and blue in a shade of violet, so the practitioner soon recognises the various mixed shades in his consciousness and learns to separate thinking from feeling and feeling in turn from will."<ref>Heinz Grill (2022): ''Exercises for the Soul.'' 3rd, expanded edition (German). Synergia Verlag. p. 101. ISBN 978-3-906873-33-6.</ref><br />
<br />
=== The lesser guardian of the threshold ===<br />
At a certain point in the structuring or separation of the three soul forces, an encounter with the lesser guardian of the threshold takes place. According to Rudolf Steiner, this occurs "when the connecting threads between willing, thinking and feeling within the finer (…) bodies begin to loosen."<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 184. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
The figure of the lesser guardian is not an external person or entity, but rather is inherent in every human being, only initially hidden within each individual, submerged in the body. With progressive development, it detaches itself more from the body and takes on a body-free, metaphysically visible form. This is called the awakening or the encounter with the guardian of the threshold.<br />
<br />
The threshold, which the guardian watches over, is the one between the visible world and the invisible or supernatural world. According to Heinz Grill, the lesser guardian forms the "gateway to the realm of souls, to the realm of the dead or to the realm of the astral heavens." However, humans cannot simply pass through this threshold. <br />
<br />
They need a certain spiritual maturity and moral character for these gates to be opened to them. The threshold is not arbitrary, but a "natural safety precaution", since access to the spiritual worlds without proper preparation leads to hopeless fear and "the consequence would be a fall into the abysmal depths of evil."<ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. pp. 12-13. ISBN 978-3935925693. </ref><br />
<br />
The lesser guardian is described as an astral reality consisting of soul substances and being-like, elemental forces. These include a wide variety of feelings, sympathies and antipathies of the mind, tendencies of the senses, drives and subconscious thought patterns. This astral substance acts like a strategic field and determines the individual nature of a destiny. The lesser guardian is also synonymous with karma: "The guardian, however, is not the true nature of the human being, but rather their dual nature or their karmic figure, that form which must be overcome and transformed in life."<ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. p. 15. ISBN 978-3935925693. </ref><br />
<br />
This karmic figure is characterised as a ghostly form that reveals itself to the spiritual disciple. This terrifying figure has been formed from the good and bad deeds of past lives and, according to Rudolf Steiner, expresses itself as follows:<br />
<br />
"I myself, if I am not to fall into corruption, must become a perfect and glorious being. For, were I to fall, I would drag you down with me into a dark, corrupted world." <ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 186. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
=== The great guardian of the threshold ===<br />
After encountering the "Lesser Guardian of the Threshold," from a spiritual perspective, one encounters the "Great Guardian of the Threshold," who is described as having completely different characteristics. In contrast to the ghostly appearance of the lesser guardian, the great guardian appears as a sublime figure of light. It generally marks the transition from the soul world after death to the spiritual world.<br />
<br />
According to Rudolf Steiner, through the encounter with the second guardian of the threshold, the soul „freed in this way from all sensory bonds" acquires the "right of citizenship in the supersensible world," from where the soul may now work.<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 202. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill interprets the great guardian as "the living spirit of God, as Christ himself, as the creative ego, as the highest guardian figure who watches over preservation and dissolution, over progress and regression, over a path upwards and a path downwards." <ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. p. 19. ISBN 978-3935925693. </ref><br />
<br />
== The relationship between the lesser and the great guardians of the threshold ==<br />
<br />
From a spiritual perspective, these two guardians – the lower self of the human being and their divine, emerging self – face each other in a mutual exchange and struggle.<br />
<br />
The encounter with the guardian is experienced by the individual as very challenging, as described in the Bhagavad Gita:<br />
<br />
"The awakening of the threshold always leads people to despondency and despair, which they must overcome through wisdom and purposeful action."<ref>Heinz Grill (2024): ''Fundamental insights into the Bhagavad Gita.'' 1st Edition (German). Stephan Wunderlich Verlag, Sigmaringen. p.99. ISBN 978-3-948803-18-6. </ref><br />
<br />
But if the spirit-striving person approaches the threshold very well prepared, "our experiences at the threshold are then accompanied by a premonition of that bliss which will be the keynote of our newly awakened life."<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 194. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
== The significance of the guardian of the threshold for humanity ==<br />
<br />
On the one hand, an encounter with the guardian of the threshold takes place when the individual consciously strives for spiritual development and trains their soul forces in the sense of a structuring into thinking, feeling and willing. On the other hand, spiritual research relating to the current, so-called fifth post-Atlantean cultural epoch reports that the whole of humanity in its development must go through a certain process of separation of the soul forces – "that a trinity must arise from the chaotic unity," as Rudolf Steiner puts it — and must develop an understanding of this.<br />
<br />
: "In inner experience, though not in outer consciousness, humanity is passing through the region that can also be called a region of the guardian of the threshold."<ref name=":1">[https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA202/English/MP1983/19201225p01.html ''The Search for the New Isis, Divine Sophia III. The Magi and the Shepherds: The New Isis''] rsarchive.org. Retrieved 11 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
Also according to current spiritual research, the vast majority of people are on the threshold:<br />
<br />
In any case, individual human beings today are moving ever closer to a threshold to the spiritual world. This threshold, however, does not let them pass as easily as one might think. <ref name=":0">Heinz Grill: [https://heinz-grill.de/en/2023-human-creative-power/''Outlook for 2023 – Part 3.''] ''Contributions to a new Yoga Will'' Retrieved 11 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
According to Heinz Grill, this threshold that humanity is approaching is reflected in the fact that today, from a spiritual perspective, people want to enter into creative activity, research wisdom themselves and to implement ideals, that means they want to cross the threshold.<br />
<br />
However, crossing the line is opposed by the guardian, as humans must first dissolve their attachments and karmic entanglements.<br />
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Furthermore, they must develop the ability to distinguish between what are truly lasting spiritual values and what, in contrast, are still immature ideas, such as a false concept of God or love, or attachments.<br />
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By distinguishing between attachment and karma on the one hand, and lasting values or ideals on the other, so between the forces of the lesser guardian and the greater guardian, people can align themselves towards union with the greater guardian. <ref name=":0" /><br />
<br />
This formulation by Heinz Grill says that this is the highest work: It [Remark:The threshold] demands the utmost all of the forces of thinking, feeling and willing, and therefore, for the coming year, a daily, persevering and indispensable effort for truth, differentiation and goal realisation is required. A day without this effort throws the human being back into isolation and lack of relationship.<ref name=":0" /><br />
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== Forward-looking hypothesis ==<br />
<br />
In summary, it can be said that a person who schools themselves spiritually will encounter the lesser guardian of the threshold at a precisely calculated moment of wisdom. Crossing the threshold and gaining insight into the world of the soul are associated with the high demand of taking full responsibility for one's own actions and thoughts and completely transforming the karmic figure with discipline and perseverance. The lesser guardian of the threshold represents the karma that must be overcome, while the great guardian of the threshold, as a figure of light, points more to the future and represents the divine-spiritual aspect of the human being as a potential to be developed.<br />
<br />
From a spiritual point of view, the whole of humanity today stands at the threshold between the earthly and the spiritual world. In order to overcome this and gain orientation, an exact distinction must be developed between that which is transient and insignificant on one hand and that which is of higher value with a lasting character on the other.<br />
<br />
== References ==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Guardian_of_the_Threshold&diff=116Guardian of the Threshold2026-03-10T23:05:18Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:Machelldweller.jpg|thumb|The Dweller on the Threshold. Painting by Reginald W. Machell (ca. 1895)]] <br />
[[File:Steve Bate Rope Solo Zodiac El Capitan II.jpg|thumb|Climbing often requires overcoming a fear threshold before taking the next step]]<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold is a technical esoteric term and is related to the spiritual development of the individual and of humanity as a whole. The guardian of the threshold guards the threshold to the spiritual world.<br />
<br />
Human development can be progressive, oriented towards spiritual values or ideals, or it can be regressive, directed by desires, passions and dependencies. Human beings repeatedly find themselves caught between these two forces. As long as they do not recognise and overcome the latter, they follow their lower self and cannot cross the boundary into the spiritual world. They must develop insight and discernment in order to cross the boundary.<br />
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The guardian of the threshold, a rather little-known concept, also encompasses events that every human being is familiar with in one form or another, whether it be overcoming the fear of taking the next step when climbing a difficult section of a mountain, or being confronted with something inevitable due to an external event such as a separation, a conflict, an illness or a death.<br />
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Many such threshold experiences are also conveyed in sacred writings, legends and myths. <br />
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== Meaning and concept ==<br />
In various spiritual movements such as [[A:Theosophy|Theosophy]], the [[A:Rosicrucians|Rosicrucians]], [[W:Archeosophy|Archeosophy]], [[A:Anthroposophy|Anthroposophy]], but also in the [[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]], it is assumed that there is not just one life, but that humans go through several lives or incarnations. The guardian of the threshold is therefore associated with the concept of karma (Sanskrit कर्म, [[W:IAST|IAST]] ''karma'', English "action, activity, work").<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=karma&dir=se ''Search results for "karma".''] ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 18 January 2026</ref> Karma, in the sense of a universal law, encompasses the good and bad deeds and thoughts of a past life, which are stored in the human being and initially determine their life to a certain extent.<br />
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The guardian of the threshold is unredeemed karma. The realisation that humans must come to is that they themselves are the cause of their own destiny. On the one hand, the guardian of the threshold is a ghostly, terrifying, but also wise figure. On the other hand, it protects humans from gaining insight into the higher worlds prematurely and unprepared, as this can lead to their downfall.<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 185 ff. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
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== The threshold as a symbol ==<br />
In sacred buildings such as churches, a threshold or door symbolically and architecturally separates the profane or everyday space from the sacred or transcendent sacred space. By crossing the threshold, people are supposed to visualise the transition into a sacred world.<ref>[https://aleteia.org/2024/08/26/the-symbolism-behind-the-threshold-of-a-catholic-church/ ''The symbolism behind the threshold of a catholic church'']''aleteia.org''. Retrieved 9 March 2026.</ref><br />
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== Culture and art ==<br />
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=== The novel Zanoni ===<br />
The term "guardian of the threshold" also became known through the novel ''[[Wen:Zanoni|Zanoni]]'' by [[W:Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton|Edward Bulwer-Lytton]] (1803–1873), which is mentioned in theosophy and anthroposophy:<blockquote>"Know, at least, that all of us – the highest and the wisest – who have, in sober truth, passed beyond the threshold, have had, as our first fearful task, to master and subdue its grisly and appalling guardian."<ref>Edward Bulwer-Lytton: [https://books.google.com/books?id=i_gYAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA103 Online ''Zanoni.''] J. B. Lippincott & Co. Philadelphia 1974. p. 103.</ref></blockquote>In ''Zanoni'', the guardian appears as a sensually visible figure. According to [[Rudolf Steiner]], the guardian of the threshold can be made visible through low-level magic using incense. He points out the danger of going astray if one encounters one's unredeemed karma in this form without sufficient preparation:<blockquote>"However, if we have sufficiently prepared ourselves for higher perception, we no longer need such sense-perceptible props. On the other hand, if we confront our unredeemed karma without adequate preparation, we risk going badly astray."<ref>Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 189. ISBN 0-88010-372-8.</ref></blockquote><br />
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=== The mystery play "The Guardian of the Threshold" ===<br />
Rudolf Steiner's four [[A:Rudolf Steiner's Mystery Dramas|mystery plays]] artistically explore the spiritual development of individual human beings. Various effects of fate are explicitly linked to past lives and the concepts of karma and reincarnation.<br />
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The guardian of the threshold, who is associated with the idea of karma, is portrayed in the third mystery drama of the same name. This mystery drama is entitled ''The Guardian of the Threshold''.<br />
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The Guardian speaks in the 7th scene:<ref>Rudolf Steiner, [https://archive.org/details/fourmysteryplays00stei/page/90/mode/2up ''Four Mystery Plays''] ''archive.org''. Retrieved 14 February 2026.</ref><ref>[https://mysteriendramen.at/Der_H%C3%BCter_der_Schwelle#Siebentes_Bild ''Hüter der Schwelle. Siebentes Bild.''] ''mysteriendramen.at''. Retrieved 9 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
<poem style="margin-left:31px"> "Thou must first part with many of those powers <br />
Which thou hast won when in thine earthly frame. <br />
Out of them all thou canst alone retain<br />
That which by efforts, pure and spiritual,<br />
Thou didst achieve, and which thou hast kept pure."<br />
("Du mußt dich trennen erst von vielen Kräften,<br />
Die du im Erdenleibe dir erworben.<br />
Behalten kannst du doch von ihnen nur,<br />
Was sich in geistig reinem Streben dir<br />
Erschlossen und auch rein verblieben ist.")<br />
</poem><br />
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These statements make it clear that insights into the soul-spiritual worlds depend on overcoming impure forces.<br />
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== Astrology – Saturn as guardian of the threshold ==<br />
[[File:Saturn - High Resolution, 2004, alt crop.jpg|thumb|The planet Saturn as guardian of the threshold in astrology]] <br />
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In astrology, the planet Saturn is associated with the guardian of the threshold. As Liz Greene describes it "Saturn symbolizes a psychic process as well as a quality or kind of experience." He represents pain, restriction and discipline and he symbolizes "the psychic process, natural to all human beings, by which an individual may utilise the experiences of pain, restriction, and discipline as a means for greater consciousness and fulfilment." She furthermore mentions that freedom through self-understanding may be achieved through him (Remark: Saturn/Guardian) alone.<ref>Liz Greene: ''Saturn''. Weisser Classics. pp.2-4. ISBN 978-1-57863-735-5.</ref> <br />
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[[W:Fritz Riemann (psychoanalyst)|Fritz Riemann]] (1902–1979), psychoanalyst and astrologer, understands Saturn in the sense that it gives people reason to deal with necessities, by accepting the inevitable, especially death, and the fears associated with it, and thereby to gain maturity. According to him, the real meaning of Saturn lies in this:<br />
<br />
: "[...] it leads us to barriers of fear, which we can overcome precisely by accepting our fears; then the ''guardian of the threshold'' becomes our surest guide, turning necessity into a turning point."<ref>Fritz Riemann: ''Lebenshilfe Astrologie'' (Astrology as Life Guidance - german). 5th edition. Verlag J. Pfeiffer Munich 1980. p. 192. ISBN 3-7904-0186-2.</ref><br />
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== Yoga Vidya's perspective ==<br />
The guardian of the threshold in Yoga Vidya is also interpreted with reference to Saturn. Saturn is considered the last planet in our solar system. It often appears in times of severe trials and confronts us with negative karma that still needs to be worked through.<br />
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In honour of/to honour Saturn, Shani<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=shani&dir=au ''Search results for "Shani".''] ''learnsanskrit.cc. Retrieved on 10 March 2026.</ref> (Sanskrit शनि, IAST ''śani'', English "Saturn"), the recitation of mantras is customary/common. Psychologically speaking, invoking the blessings of the Saturn deity (Shani Deva) through the hymn [[Y:Shani Stotra|Shani Stotra]] is said to help "discipline the mind, practise renunciation and see the lessons of the divine even in suffering. The Shani Stotra also helps to transform the lower nature."<ref>[https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Saturn#Anrufung_des_Shani ''Saturn. Invocation of Shani (German).''] ''yoga-vidya.de.'' Retrieved 10 March 2026.</ref><br />
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== Bhagavad Gita - the battlefield ==<br />
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[[File:Arjuna_and_karna_in_war,_krishna_as_arjuna_charioter.jpg|thumb|430px|Arjuna and his charioteer Krishna (both on the left) face the enemy army]][[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]] (Sanskrit भगवद्गीता, IAST ''bhagavad gītā'') translates as "Song of God". It is considered one of the most important sacred texts of the East. At the beginning of the story, two closely related clans, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, face each other on the battlefield of Kurukshetra (Sanskrit कुरुक्षेत्र, IAST ''kurukṣetra''). Krishna offers to be the charioteer of the hero Arjuna and is given the task of driving between the two opposing camps. When Arjuna discovers his own relatives in the enemy camp, he sees no good in having to fight and kill them. He refuses to fight and, overcome with grief, throws away his weapons. Krishna, who represents the divine self, now begins to enlighten Arjuna about the meaning of life and death.<br />
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Krishna instructs Arjuna that he must fight from the standpoint of a higher view than the one he has been taught:<br />
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:"But if thou dost not this battle for the right, then hast thou abandoned thy duty and virtue and thy glory, and sin shall be thy portion."<ref>[https://bhagavadgita.org.in/Chapters/2/33 Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 33. ] ''bhagavadgita.org.in''. Retrieved 10 March 2026.</ref><br />
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This conflict that arises for Arjuna, between conventional ideas about virtues and truly divine virtues, is called by Heinz Grill "one of the most beautiful episodes about the struggle between an astral guardian of the threshold and an ego."<ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. p. 26. ISBN 978-3935925693.</ref><br />
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== Theosophy ==<br />
[[File:Le_Grand_Saint_Michel,_by_Raffaello_Sanzio,_from_C2RMF_retouched.jpg|thumb|Archangel Michael subduing the devil<br>Painting by [[w:Raffael|Raffael]] (1483–1520)]]<br />
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According to theosophical belief, there is also a guardian of the threshold. This guardian is known to humans in many different forms. The following examples are described<div style="margin-left:15px"><br />
* [[A:Kerberos (mythology)|Cerberus]], the hellhound who guards Hades, the entrance to the underworld,<br />
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* the [[A:Archangel Michael|Archangel Michael]], who kills the dragon with his spiritual willpower,<br />
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* the [[A:Snakes#The snake as a symbol of the opposing forces|snake]] that tempts Eve.<br />
</div>All these legends are interpreted as parables that represent a real reality, the knowledge of which is of utmost importance to the seeker of truth. The guardian of the threshold is "...nothing else but our own lower semi-animal, animal or perhaps brutish self, that combination of material and semi-material principles which form the lower ''ego'', which the great majority of men blindly and lovingly hug and caress, because they love themselves. … but when …his self-consciousness begins to become centred in his higher self, the Dweller of the Threshold becomes objective to him and he may be terrified at its (his own) ugliness and deformity."<ref>H.S. Olcott (1889): [./Https://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.236504/page/n175/mode/2up_''The_Theosophist._Vol._XI. <nowiki>https://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.236504/page/n175/mode/2up</nowiki> <nowiki>''</nowiki>The Theosophist. Vol. XI. ] Chapter: ''The Dweller of the Threshold. Vol. XI. No. 123. p.131. Retrieved 10 March 2026''</ref><br />
== Rosicrucians ==<br />
In Rosicrucian philosophy and their path of training, the encounter with the guardian of the threshold is a requirement that must be overcome before entering higher worlds. A very precise differentiation is made between other forces and the real guardian of the threshold, who is a figure created from one's own past bad deeds and thoughts, which must be transformed by the individual.<br />
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Max Heindel (1865–1919), founder of the Rosicrucian Fellowship, explains: <br />
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"The real "Dweller on the Threshold" is the composite elemental entity created on the invisible planes by all our untransmuted evil thoughts and acts during all the past period of our evolution. This "dweller" stands guard at the entrance to the invisible worlds and challenges our right to enter therein. This entity must be redeemed or transmuted eventually. We must generate poise and will power sufficient to face and command it before we can consciously enter the super-physical worlds."<ref>Max Heindel: [https://www.rosicrucian.com/pdf_plaza/The%20Web%20of%20Destiny.pdf ''The Web of Destiny. How made and Unmade.''] The Rosicrucian Fellowship. Oceanside 2011. pp. 30–31 ISBN 978-0-911274-17-2.</ref><br />
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== Archeosophy ==<br />
According to the teachings of [[W:Archeosophy|Archeosophy]], ascension to the higher worlds is accompanied by an encounter with the guardian of the threshold (Italian: "Guardiano della soglia"). This encounter with the guardian is described as the most threatening and important experience for those who, in accordance with the esoteric teachings of Greek mythology, strive to perform "initiation tasks" known as the Labours of Hercules. The Labours of Hercules are understood to be twelve extremely difficult tasks that were imposed as penance. <ref>[https://pecunia.zaw.uni-heidelberg.de/NumiScience/die-12-taten-des-herakles ''The 12 Labours of Heracles.''] ''NumiScience.'' Retrieved 14 February 2026.</ref><br />
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According to the founder of archeosophy, [[W:Tommasso Palamidessi|Tommaso Palamidessi]] (1915–1983), there is not only a small and a large guardian of the threshold: "In fact, although there are these two fundamental guardians, there are as many guardians as there are cosmic planes, that is, as many transitions from one world to another."<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2is7EnKuaE&t=387s ''I guardiani delle soglie e il cammino evolutivo - Quaderno di Archeosofia n.10.''] Min. 6:27–6:41. In: ''Libreria Rotondi'' (YouTube channel). Retrieved 23 February 2026.</ref><br />
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== Gospels ==<br />
[[File:Gospel_of_Luke_Chapter_4-6_(Bible_Illustrations_by_Sweet_Media).jpg|link=File:Gospel_of_Luke_Chapter_4-6_(Bible_Illustrations_by_Sweet_Media).jpg|thumb|Illustration of the temptation of Christ - Matthew Chapter 4, Luke Chapter 4-6]]<br />
The guardian of the threshold is not explicitly named in the Gospels. From a spiritual point of view, the image of Jesus on the mountain and his temptation by the devil, as described in the Synoptic Gospels, is equated with the encounter with the guardian of the threshold:<br />
<br />
: …the promise of all external realities, the desire to cling to these outer realities, the temptation to remain attached to matter: in short, the temptation to remain with the guardian of the threshold and not to pass beyond him appears to us in the great Imaginative picture of Christ Jesus standing on the mountain, with the Tempter beside Him…[...]<ref> Rudolf Steiner: [https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA131/English/RSP1973/19111006p01.html ''From Jesus to Christ. Lecture II.’'''] Retrieved 23 February 2026. </ref><br />
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Although not explicitly mentioned by Rudolf Steiner, this is likely to refer to verses 8–11 in chapter 4 of the Gospel of Matthew:<br />
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"Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." 10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him." <ref>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%204&version=NIV ''Matthew 4''] ''bible gateway.com''. Retrieved 23 February 2026.</ref><br />
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The temptation by the adversary is also mentioned in the Gospel according to Mark (Mark 1:12–15) and in the Gospel according to Luke (Luke 4:5–8).<br />
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== Spiritual view of Rudolf Steiner and Heinz Grill ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Great Sphinx of Giza May 2015.JPG|thumb|"In the higher region of the astral plane, the [image of the] sphinx needs to be cast into the abyss before you are able to move ahead."<ref>https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA089/English/CMP2001/19041022p01.html</ref>]]<br />
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In spiritual research, a distinction is made between two guardians of the threshold – the "Little Guardian of the Threshold" and the "Great Guardian of the Threshold". Human beings encounter these two figures, which cannot be perceived with the physical senses, within their development on a spiritual path of training.<br />
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A spiritual path of training involves working on the so-called soul forces: thinking, feeling, and will. These three soul forces are normally intertwined or exist in a very specific relationship.<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. pp. 176-177. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref> Through targeted exercises, these forces are to be structured and isolated, so that pure thinking develops from thought, sensation rests in pure feeling, and will responds in pure action.<br />
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Heinz Grill describes this process with an image:<br />
<br />
"Just as a painter can recognise both red and blue in a shade of violet, so the practitioner soon recognises the various mixed shades in his consciousness and learns to separate thinking from feeling and feeling in turn from will."<ref>Heinz Grill (2022): ''Exercises for the Soul.'' 3rd, expanded edition (German). Synergia Verlag. p. 101. ISBN 978-3-906873-33-6.</ref><br />
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=== The lesser guardian of the threshold ===<br />
At a certain point in the structuring or separation of the three soul forces, an encounter with the lesser guardian of the threshold takes place. According to Rudolf Steiner, this occurs "when the connecting threads between willing, thinking and feeling within the finer (…) bodies begin to loosen."<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 184. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
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The figure of the lesser guardian is not an external person or entity, but rather is inherent in every human being, only initially hidden within each individual, submerged in the body. With progressive development, it detaches itself more from the body and takes on a body-free, metaphysically visible form. This is called the awakening or the encounter with the guardian of the threshold.<br />
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The threshold, which the guardian watches over, is the one between the visible world and the invisible or supernatural world. According to Heinz Grill, the lesser guardian forms the "gateway to the realm of souls, to the realm of the dead or to the realm of the astral heavens." However, humans cannot simply pass through this threshold. <br />
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They need a certain spiritual maturity and moral character for these gates to be opened to them. The threshold is not arbitrary, but a "natural safety precaution", since access to the spiritual worlds without proper preparation leads to hopeless fear and "the consequence would be a fall into the abysmal depths of evil."<ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. pp. 12-13. ISBN 978-3935925693. </ref><br />
<br />
The lesser guardian is described as an astral reality consisting of soul substances and being-like, elemental forces. These include a wide variety of feelings, sympathies and antipathies of the mind, tendencies of the senses, drives and subconscious thought patterns. This astral substance acts like a strategic field and determines the individual nature of a destiny. The lesser guardian is also synonymous with karma: "The guardian, however, is not the true nature of the human being, but rather their dual nature or their karmic figure, that form which must be overcome and transformed in life."<ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. p. 15. ISBN 978-3935925693. </ref><br />
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This karmic figure is characterised as a ghostly form that reveals itself to the spiritual disciple. This terrifying figure has been formed from the good and bad deeds of past lives and, according to Rudolf Steiner, expresses itself as follows:<br />
<br />
"I myself, if I am not to fall into corruption, must become a perfect and glorious being. For, were I to fall, I would drag you down with me into a dark, corrupted world." <ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 186. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
=== The great guardian of the threshold ===<br />
After encountering the "Lesser Guardian of the Threshold," from a spiritual perspective, one encounters the "Great Guardian of the Threshold," who is described as having completely different characteristics. In contrast to the ghostly appearance of the lesser guardian, the great guardian appears as a sublime figure of light. It generally marks the transition from the soul world after death to the spiritual world.<br />
<br />
According to Rudolf Steiner, through the encounter with the second guardian of the threshold, the soul „freed in this way from all sensory bonds" acquires the "right of citizenship in the supersensible world," from where the soul may now work.<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 202. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill interprets the great guardian as "the living spirit of God, as Christ himself, as the creative ego, as the highest guardian figure who watches over preservation and dissolution, over progress and regression, over a path upwards and a path downwards." <ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. p. 19. ISBN 978-3935925693. </ref><br />
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== The relationship between the lesser and the great guardians of the threshold ==<br />
<br />
From a spiritual perspective, these two guardians – the lower self of the human being and their divine, emerging self – face each other in a mutual exchange and struggle.<br />
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The encounter with the guardian is experienced by the individual as very challenging, as described in the Bhagavad Gita:<br />
<br />
"The awakening of the threshold always leads people to despondency and despair, which they must overcome through wisdom and purposeful action."<ref>Heinz Grill (2024): ''Fundamental insights into the Bhagavad Gita.'' 1st Edition (German). Stephan Wunderlich Verlag, Sigmaringen. p.99. ISBN 978-3-948803-18-6. </ref><br />
<br />
But if the spirit-striving person approaches the threshold very well prepared, "our experiences at the threshold are then accompanied by a premonition of that bliss which will be the keynote of our newly awakened life." <ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 194. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
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== The significance of the guardian of the threshold for humanity ==<br />
[[File:615px-Arild_Rosenkrantz_-_The_Guardian_-_ca_1930.jpg|310x310px|''The Guardian''<br>Painting by [[A:Arild Rosenkrantz|Arild Rosenkrantz]] (ca. 1930)]]<br />
<br />
On the one hand, an encounter with the guardian of the threshold takes place when the individual consciously strives for spiritual development and trains their soul forces in the sense of a structuring into thinking, feeling and willing. On the other hand, spiritual research relating to the current, so-called fifth post-Atlantean cultural epoch reports that the whole of humanity in its development must go through a certain process of separation of the soul forces – "that a trinity must arise from the chaotic unity," as Rudolf Steiner puts it — and must develop an understanding of this.<br />
<br />
: "In inner experience, though not in outer consciousness, humanity is passing through the region that can also be called a region of the guardian of the threshold."<ref name=":1">https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA202/English/MP1983/19201225p01.html</ref><br />
<br />
Also according to current spiritual research, the vast majority of people are on the threshold:<br />
<br />
In any case, individual human beings today are moving ever closer to a threshold to the spiritual world. This threshold, however, does not let them pass as easily as one might think. <ref name=":0">Heinz Grill: [https://heinz-grill.de/2023-menschliche-schoepferkraft/ ''Jahresausblick auf 2023 – Teil 3.''] In:&nbsp;''Beiträge zu einem Neuen Yogawillen.'' Abgerufen am 29.&nbsp;November 2025.</ref><br />
<br />
According to Heinz Grill, this threshold that humanity is approaching is reflected in the fact that today, from a spiritual perspective, people want to enter into creative activity, research wisdom themselves and to implement ideals, that means they want to cross the threshold.<br />
<br />
However, crossing the line is opposed by the guardian, as humans must first dissolve their attachments and karmic entanglements.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, they must develop the ability to distinguish between what are truly lasting spiritual values and what, in contrast, are still immature ideas, such as a false concept of God or love, or attachments.<br />
<br />
By distinguishing between attachment and karma on the one hand, and lasting values or ideals on the other, so between the forces of the lesser guardian and the greater guardian, people can align themselves towards union with the greater guardian. <ref name=":02" /><br />
<br />
This formulation by Heinz Grill says that this is the highest work: It [Remark:The threshold] demands the utmost all of the forces of thinking, feeling and willing, and therefore, for the coming year, a daily, persevering and indispensable effort for truth, differentiation and goal realisation is required. A day without this effort throws the human being back into isolation and lack of relationship.REF<br />
<br />
== Forward-looking hypothesis ==<br />
In summary, it can be said that a person who schools themselves spiritually will encounter the lesser guardian of the threshold at a precisely calculated moment of wisdom. Crossing the threshold and gaining insight into the world of the soul are associated with the high demand of taking full responsibility for one's own actions and thoughts and completely transforming the karmic figure with discipline and perseverance. The lesser guardian of the threshold represents the karma that must be overcome, while the great guardian of the threshold, as a figure of light, points more to the future and represents the divine-spiritual aspect of the human being as a potential to be developed.<br />
<br />
From a spiritual point of view, the whole of humanity today stands at the threshold between the earthly and the spiritual world. In order to overcome this and gain orientation, an exact distinction must be developed between that which is transient and insignificant on one hand and that which is of higher value with a lasting character on the other.<br />
<br />
== References ==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Guardian_of_the_Threshold&diff=115Guardian of the Threshold2026-03-10T22:49:18Z<p>Xenja: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:Machelldweller.jpg|thumb|The Dweller on the Threshold. Painting by Reginald W. Machell (ca. 1895)]] <br />
[[File:Steve Bate Rope Solo Zodiac El Capitan II.jpg|thumb|Climbing often requires overcoming a fear threshold before taking the next step]]<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold is a technical esoteric term and is related to the spiritual development of the individual and of humanity as a whole. The guardian of the threshold guards the threshold to the spiritual world.<br />
<br />
Human development can be progressive, oriented towards spiritual values or ideals, or it can be regressive, directed by desires, passions and dependencies. Human beings repeatedly find themselves caught between these two forces. As long as they do not recognise and overcome the latter, they follow their lower self and cannot cross the boundary into the spiritual world. They must develop insight and discernment in order to cross the boundary.<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold, a rather little-known concept, also encompasses events that every human being is familiar with in one form or another, whether it be overcoming the fear of taking the next step when climbing a difficult section of a mountain, or being confronted with something inevitable due to an external event such as a separation, a conflict, an illness or a death.<br />
<br />
Many such threshold experiences are also conveyed in sacred writings, legends and myths. <br />
<br />
== Meaning and concept ==<br />
In various spiritual movements such as [[A:Theosophy|Theosophy]], the [[A:Rosicrucians|Rosicrucians]], [[W:Archeosophy|Archeosophy]], [[A:Anthroposophy|Anthroposophy]], but also in the [[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]], it is assumed that there is not just one life, but that humans go through several lives or incarnations. The guardian of the threshold is therefore associated with the concept of karma (Sanskrit कर्म, [[W:IAST|IAST]] ''karma'', English "action, activity, work").<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=karma&dir=se ''Search results for "karma".''] ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 18 January 2026</ref> Karma, in the sense of a universal law, encompasses the good and bad deeds and thoughts of a past life, which are stored in the human being and initially determine their life to a certain extent.<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold is unredeemed karma. The realisation that humans must come to is that they themselves are the cause of their own destiny. On the one hand, the guardian of the threshold is a ghostly, terrifying, but also wise figure. On the other hand, it protects humans from gaining insight into the higher worlds prematurely and unprepared, as this can lead to their downfall.<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 185 ff. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
== The threshold as a symbol ==<br />
In sacred buildings such as churches, a threshold or door symbolically and architecturally separates the profane or everyday space from the sacred or transcendent sacred space. By crossing the threshold, people are supposed to visualise the transition into a sacred world.<ref>[[https://aleteia.org/2024/08/26/the-symbolism-behind-the-threshold-of-a-catholic-church/ ''The symbolism behind the threshold of a catholic church'']] ''aleteia.org''. Retrieved 9 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
== Culture and art ==<br />
<br />
=== The novel Zanoni ===<br />
The term "guardian of the threshold" also became known through the novel ''[[Wen:Zanoni|Zanoni]]'' by [[W:Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton|Edward Bulwer-Lytton]] (1803–1873), which is mentioned in theosophy and anthroposophy:<blockquote>"Know, at least, that all of us – the highest and the wisest – who have, in sober truth, passed beyond the threshold, have had, as our first fearful task, to master and subdue its grisly and appalling guardian."<ref>Edward Bulwer-Lytton: [[https://books.google.com/books?id=i_gYAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA103 Online ''Zanoni.'']] J. B. Lippincott & Co. Philadelphia 1974. p. 103.</ref></blockquote>In ''Zanoni'', the guardian appears as a sensually visible figure. According to [[Rudolf Steiner]], the guardian of the threshold can be made visible through low-level magic using incense. He points out the danger of going astray if one encounters one's unredeemed karma in this form without sufficient preparation:<blockquote>"However, if we have sufficiently prepared ourselves for higher perception, we no longer need such sense-perceptible props. On the other hand, if we confront our unredeemed karma without adequate preparation, we risk going badly astray."<ref>Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 189. ISBN 0-88010-372-8.</ref></blockquote><br />
<br />
=== The mystery play "The Guardian of the Threshold" ===<br />
Rudolf Steiner's four [[A:Rudolf Steiner's Mystery Dramas|mystery plays]] artistically explore the spiritual development of individual human beings. Various effects of fate are explicitly linked to past lives and the concepts of karma and reincarnation.<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold, who is associated with the idea of karma, is portrayed in the third mystery drama of the same name. This mystery drama is entitled ''The Guardian of the Threshold''.<br />
<br />
The Guardian speaks in the 7th scene:<ref>Rudolf Steiner, [[https://archive.org/details/fourmysteryplays00stei/page/90/mode/2up ''Four Mystery Plays'']] ''archive.org''. Retrieved 14 February 2026.</ref><ref>[https://mysteriendramen.at/Der_H%C3%BCter_der_Schwelle#Siebentes_Bild ''Hüter der Schwelle. Siebentes Bild.''] ''mysteriendramen.at''. Retrieved 9 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
<poem style="margin-left:31px"> "Thou must first part with many of those powers <br />
Which thou hast won when in thine earthly frame. <br />
Out of them all thou canst alone retain<br />
That which by efforts, pure and spiritual,<br />
Thou didst achieve, and which thou hast kept pure."<br />
("Du mußt dich trennen erst von vielen Kräften,<br />
Die du im Erdenleibe dir erworben.<br />
Behalten kannst du doch von ihnen nur,<br />
Was sich in geistig reinem Streben dir<br />
Erschlossen und auch rein verblieben ist.")<br />
</poem><br />
<br />
These statements make it clear that insights into the soul-spiritual worlds depend on overcoming impure forces.<br />
<br />
== Astrology – Saturn as guardian of the threshold ==<br />
[[File:Saturn - High Resolution, 2004, alt crop.jpg|thumb|The planet Saturn as guardian of the threshold in astrology]] <br />
<br />
In astrology, the planet Saturn is associated with the guardian of the threshold. As Liz Greene describes it "Saturn symbolizes a psychic process as well as a quality or kind of experience." He represents pain, restriction and discipline and he symbolizes "the psychic process, natural to all human beings, by which an individual may utilise the experiences of pain, restriction, and discipline as a means for greater consciousness and fulfilment." She furthermore mentions that freedom through self-understanding may be achieved through him (Remark: Saturn/Guardian) alone.<ref>Liz Greene: ''Saturn''. Weisser Classics. pp.2-4. ISBN 978-1-57863-735-5.</ref> <br />
<br />
[[W:Fritz Riemann (psychoanalyst)|Fritz Riemann]] (1902–1979), psychoanalyst and astrologer, understands Saturn in the sense that it gives people reason to deal with necessities, by accepting the inevitable, especially death, and the fears associated with it, and thereby to gain maturity. According to him, the real meaning of Saturn lies in this:<br />
<br />
: "[...] it leads us to barriers of fear, which we can overcome precisely by accepting our fears; then the ''guardian of the threshold'' becomes our surest guide, turning necessity into a turning point."<ref>Fritz Riemann: ''Lebenshilfe Astrologie'' (Astrology as Life Guidance - german). 5th edition. Verlag J. Pfeiffer Munich 1980. p. 192. ISBN 3-7904-0186-2.</ref><br />
<br />
== Yoga Vidya's perspective ==<br />
The guardian of the threshold in Yoga Vidya is also interpreted with reference to Saturn. Saturn is considered the last planet in our solar system. It often appears in times of severe trials and confronts us with negative karma that still needs to be worked through.<br />
<br />
In honour of/to honour Saturn, Shani<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=shani&dir=au ''Search results for "Shani".''] ''learnsanskrit.cc. Retrieved on 10 March 2026.</ref> (Sanskrit शनि, IAST ''śani'', English "Saturn"), the recitation of mantras is customary/common. Psychologically speaking, invoking the blessings of the Saturn deity (Shani Deva) through the hymn [[Y:Shani Stotra|Shani Stotra]] is said to help "discipline the mind, practise renunciation and see the lessons of the divine even in suffering. The Shani Stotra also helps to transform the lower nature."<ref>[https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Saturn#Anrufung_des_Shani ''Saturn. Invocation of Shani (German).''] ''yoga-vidya.de.'' Retrieved 10 March 2026.</ref><br />
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== Bhagavad Gita - the battlefield ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Arjuna_and_karna_in_war,_krishna_as_arjuna_charioter.jpg|thumb|430px|Arjuna and his charioteer Krishna (both on the left) face the enemy army]][[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]] (Sanskrit भगवद्गीता, IAST ''bhagavad gītā'') translates as "Song of God". It is considered one of the most important sacred texts of the East. At the beginning of the story, two closely related clans, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, face each other on the battlefield of Kurukshetra (Sanskrit कुरुक्षेत्र, IAST ''kurukṣetra''). Krishna offers to be the charioteer of the hero Arjuna and is given the task of driving between the two opposing camps. When Arjuna discovers his own relatives in the enemy camp, he sees no good in having to fight and kill them. He refuses to fight and, overcome with grief, throws away his weapons. Krishna, who represents the divine self, now begins to enlighten Arjuna about the meaning of life and death.<br />
<br />
Krishna instructs Arjuna that he must fight from the standpoint of a higher view than the one he has been taught:<br />
<br />
:"But if thou dost not this battle for the right, then hast thou abandoned thy duty and virtue and thy glory, and sin shall be thy portion."<ref>[[https://bhagavadgita.org.in/Chapters/2/33 Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 33 ]] ''bhagavadgita.org.in''. Retrieved 10 March 2026</ref><br />
<br />
This conflict that arises for Arjuna, between conventional ideas about virtues and truly divine virtues, is called by Heinz Grill "one of the most beautiful episodes about the struggle between an astral guardian of the threshold and an ego."<ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. p. 26. ISBN 978-3935925693.</ref><br />
<br />
== Theosophy ==<br />
[[File:Le_Grand_Saint_Michel,_by_Raffaello_Sanzio,_from_C2RMF_retouched.jpg|thumb|Archangel Michael subduing the devil<br>Painting by [[w:Raffael|Raffael]] (1483–1520)]]<br />
<br />
According to theosophical belief, there is also a guardian of the threshold. This guardian is known to humans in many different forms. The following examples are described<div style="margin-left:15px"><br />
* [[A:Kerberos (mythology)|Cerberus]], the hellhound who guards Hades, the entrance to the underworld,<br />
<br />
* the [[A:Archangel Michael|Archangel Michael]], who kills the dragon with his spiritual willpower,<br />
<br />
* the [[A:Snakes#The snake as a symbol of the opposing forces|snake]] that tempts Eve.<br />
</div>All these legends are interpreted as parables that represent a real reality, the knowledge of which is of utmost importance to the seeker of truth. The guardian of the threshold is "...nothing else but our own lower semi-animal, animal or perhaps brutish self, that combination of material and semi-material principles which form the lower ''ego'', which the great majority of men blindly and lovingly hug and caress, because they love themselves. … but when …his self-consciousness begins to become centred in his higher self, the Dweller of the Threshold becomes objective to him and he may be terrified at its (his own) ugliness and deformity."<ref>H.S. Olcott (1889): [[ https://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.236504/page/n175/mode/2up ''The Theosophist. Vol. XI. ]] Chapter: ''The Dweller of the Threshold. Vol. XI. No. 123. p.131. Retrieved 10 March 2026</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
== Rosicrucians ==<br />
In Rosicrucian philosophy and their path of training, the encounter with the guardian of the threshold is a requirement that must be overcome before entering higher worlds. A very precise differentiation is made between other forces and the real guardian of the threshold, who is a figure created from one's own past bad deeds and thoughts, which must be transformed by the individual.<br />
<br />
Max Heindel (1865–1919), founder of the Rosicrucian Fellowship, explains: <br />
<br />
"The real "Dweller on the Threshold" is the composite elemental entity created on the invisible planes by all our untransmuted evil thoughts and acts during all the past period of our evolution. This "dweller" stands guard at the entrance to the invisible worlds and challenges our right to enter therein. This entity must be redeemed or transmuted eventually. We must generate poise and will power sufficient to face and command it before we can consciously enter the super-physical worlds."<ref>Max Heindel: [[https://www.rosicrucian.com/pdf_plaza/The%20Web%20of%20Destiny.pdf ''The Web of Destiny. How made and Unmade.'']] The Rosicrucian Fellowship. Oceanside 2011. pp. 30–31 ISBN 978-0-911274-17-2.</ref><br />
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== Archeosophy ==<br />
According to the teachings of [[W:Archeosophy|Archeosophy]], ascension to the higher worlds is accompanied by an encounter with the guardian of the threshold (Italian: "Guardiano della soglia"). This encounter with the guardian is described as the most threatening and important experience for those who, in accordance with the esoteric teachings of Greek mythology, strive to perform "initiation tasks" known as the Labours of Hercules. The Labours of Hercules are understood to be twelve extremely difficult tasks that were imposed as penance. <ref>[https://pecunia.zaw.uni-heidelberg.de/NumiScience/die-12-taten-des-herakles ''The 12 Labours of Heracles.''] ''NumiScience.'' Retrieved 14 February 2026.</ref><br />
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According to the founder of archeosophy, [[W:Tommasso Palamidessi|Tommaso Palamidessi]] (1915–1983), there is not only a small and a large guardian of the threshold: "In fact, although there are these two fundamental guardians, there are as many guardians as there are cosmic planes, that is, as many transitions from one world to another."<ref>[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2is7EnKuaE&t=387s ''I guardiani delle soglie e il cammino evolutivo - Quaderno di Archeosofia n.10.'']] Min. 6:27–6:41. In: ''Libreria Rotondi'' (YouTube channel). Retrieved 23 February 2026.</ref><br />
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== Gospels ==<br />
[[File:Gospel_of_Luke_Chapter_4-6_(Bible_Illustrations_by_Sweet_Media).jpg|link=File:Gospel_of_Luke_Chapter_4-6_(Bible_Illustrations_by_Sweet_Media).jpg|thumb|Illustration of the temptation of Christ - Matthew Chapter 4, Luke Chapter 4-6]]<br />
The guardian of the threshold is not explicitly named in the Gospels. From a spiritual point of view, the image of Jesus on the mountain and his temptation by the devil, as described in the Synoptic Gospels, is equated with the encounter with the guardian of the threshold:<br />
<br />
: …the promise of all external realities, the desire to cling to these outer realities, the temptation to remain attached to matter: in short, the temptation to remain with the guardian of the threshold and not to pass beyond him appears to us in the great Imaginative picture of Christ Jesus standing on the mountain, with the Tempter beside Him…[...]<ref> Rudolf Steiner: [[https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA131/English/RSP1973/19111006p01.html ''From Jesus to Christ. Lecture II.’']] Retrieved 23 February 2026. </ref><br />
<br />
Although not explicitly mentioned by Rudolf Steiner, this is likely to refer to verses 8–11 in chapter 4 of the Gospel of Matthew:<br />
<br />
"Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." 10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him." <ref>[[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%204&version=NIV ''Matthew 4'']] ''bible gateway.com''. Retrieved 23 February 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
The temptation by the adversary is also mentioned in the Gospel according to Mark (Mark 1:12–15) and in the Gospel according to Luke (Luke 4:5–8).<br />
<br />
== Spiritual view of Rudolf Steiner and Heinz Grill ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Great Sphinx of Giza May 2015.JPG|thumb|"In the higher region of the astral plane, the [image of the] sphinx needs to be cast into the abyss before you are able to move ahead."<ref>https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA089/English/CMP2001/19041022p01.html</ref>]]<br />
<br />
In spiritual research, a distinction is made between two guardians of the threshold – the "Little Guardian of the Threshold" and the "Great Guardian of the Threshold". Human beings encounter these two figures, which cannot be perceived with the physical senses, within their development on a spiritual path of training.<br />
<br />
A spiritual path of training involves working on the so-called soul forces: thinking, feeling, and will. These three soul forces are normally intertwined or exist in a very specific relationship.<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. pp. 176-177. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref> Through targeted exercises, these forces are to be structured and isolated, so that pure thinking develops from thought, sensation rests in pure feeling, and will responds in pure action.<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes this process with an image:<br />
<br />
"Just as a painter can recognise both red and blue in a shade of violet, so the practitioner soon recognises the various mixed shades in his consciousness and learns to separate thinking from feeling and feeling in turn from will."<ref>Heinz Grill (2022): ''Exercises for the Soul.'' 3rd, expanded edition (German). Synergia Verlag. p. 101. ISBN 978-3-906873-33-6.</ref><br />
<br />
=== The lesser guardian of the threshold ===<br />
At a certain point in the structuring or separation of the three soul forces, an encounter with the lesser guardian of the threshold takes place. According to Rudolf Steiner, this occurs "when the connecting threads between willing, thinking and feeling within the finer (…) bodies begin to loosen."<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 184. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
The figure of the lesser guardian is not an external person or entity, but rather is inherent in every human being, only initially hidden within each individual, submerged in the body. With progressive development, it detaches itself more from the body and takes on a body-free, metaphysically visible form. This is called the awakening or the encounter with the guardian of the threshold.<br />
<br />
The threshold, which the guardian watches over, is the one between the visible world and the invisible or supernatural world. According to Heinz Grill, the lesser guardian forms the "gateway to the realm of souls, to the realm of the dead or to the realm of the astral heavens." However, humans cannot simply pass through this threshold. <br />
<br />
They need a certain spiritual maturity and moral character for these gates to be opened to them. The threshold is not arbitrary, but a "natural safety precaution", since access to the spiritual worlds without proper preparation leads to hopeless fear and "the consequence would be a fall into the abysmal depths of evil."<ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. pp. 12-13. ISBN 978-3935925693. </ref><br />
<br />
The lesser guardian is described as an astral reality consisting of soul substances and being-like, elemental forces. These include a wide variety of feelings, sympathies and antipathies of the mind, tendencies of the senses, drives and subconscious thought patterns. This astral substance acts like a strategic field and determines the individual nature of a destiny. The lesser guardian is also synonymous with karma: "The guardian, however, is not the true nature of the human being, but rather their dual nature or their karmic figure, that form which must be overcome and transformed in life."<ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. p. 15. ISBN 978-3935925693. </ref><br />
<br />
This karmic figure is characterised as a ghostly form that reveals itself to the spiritual disciple. This terrifying figure has been formed from the good and bad deeds of past lives and, according to Rudolf Steiner, expresses itself as follows:<br />
<br />
"I myself, if I am not to fall into corruption, must become a perfect and glorious being. For, were I to fall, I would drag you down with me into a dark, corrupted world." <ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 186. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
=== The great guardian of the threshold ===<br />
After encountering the "Lesser Guardian of the Threshold," from a spiritual perspective, one encounters the "Great Guardian of the Threshold," who is described as having completely different characteristics. In contrast to the ghostly appearance of the lesser guardian, the great guardian appears as a sublime figure of light. It generally marks the transition from the soul world after death to the spiritual world.<br />
<br />
According to Rudolf Steiner, through the encounter with the second guardian of the threshold, the soul „freed in this way from all sensory bonds" acquires the "right of citizenship in the supersensible world," from where the soul may now work.<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson, N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 202. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill interprets the great guardian as "the living spirit of God, as Christ himself, as the creative ego, as the highest guardian figure who watches over preservation and dissolution, over progress and regression, over a path upwards and a path downwards." <ref>Heinz Grill (2009): ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' 2nd edition (German). Lammers-Koll-Verlag. Niefern-Öschelbronn. p. 19. ISBN 978-3935925693. </ref><br />
<br />
== The relationship between the lesser and the great guardians of the threshold ==<br />
<br />
From a spiritual perspective, these two guardians – the lower self of the human being and their divine, emerging self – face each other in a mutual exchange and struggle.<br />
<br />
The encounter with the guardian is experienced by the individual as very challenging, as described in the Bhagavad Gita:<br />
<br />
"The awakening of the threshold always leads people to despondency and despair, which they must overcome through wisdom and purposeful action."<ref>Heinz Grill: ''Erkenntnisgrundlagen zur Bhagavad Gita.'' 1. Auflage. Stephan Wunderlich Verlag, Sigmaringen 2024, ISBN 978-3-948803-18-6, S.&nbsp;99.</ref><br />
<br />
But if the spirit-striving person approaches the threshold very well prepared, "our experiences at the threshold are then accompanied by a premonition of that bliss which will be the keynote of our newly awakened life." <ref>Rudolf Steiner: ''Wie erlangt man Erkenntnisse der höheren Welten?'' S.&nbsp;203. ([https://odysseetheater.org/GA/Buecher/GA_010.pdf#page=203&view=Fit Online])</ref><br />
<br />
== The significance of the guardian of the threshold for humanity ==<br />
[[File:615px-Arild_Rosenkrantz_-_The_Guardian_-_ca_1930.jpg|310x310px|''The Guardian''<br>Painting by [[A:Arild Rosenkrantz|Arild Rosenkrantz]] (ca. 1930)]]<br />
<br />
On the one hand, an encounter with the guardian of the threshold takes place when the individual consciously strives for spiritual development and trains their soul forces in the sense of a structuring into thinking, feeling and willing. On the other hand, spiritual research relating to the current, so-called fifth post-Atlantean cultural epoch reports that the whole of humanity in its development must go through a certain process of separation of the soul forces – "that a trinity must arise from the chaotic unity," as Rudolf Steiner puts it — and must develop an understanding of this.<br />
<br />
: "In inner experience, though not in outer consciousness, humanity is passing through the region that can also be called a region of the guardian of the threshold."<ref name=":1">https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA202/English/MP1983/19201225p01.html</ref><br />
<br />
Also according to current spiritual research, the vast majority of people are on the threshold:<br />
<br />
In any case, individual human beings today are moving ever closer to a threshold to the spiritual world. This threshold, however, does not let them pass as easily as one might think. <ref name=":0">Heinz Grill: [https://heinz-grill.de/2023-menschliche-schoepferkraft/ ''Jahresausblick auf 2023 – Teil 3.''] In:&nbsp;''Beiträge zu einem Neuen Yogawillen.'' Abgerufen am 29.&nbsp;November 2025.</ref><br />
<br />
According to Heinz Grill, this threshold that humanity is approaching is reflected in the fact that today, from a spiritual perspective, people want to enter into creative activity, research wisdom themselves and to implement ideals, that means they want to cross the threshold.<br />
<br />
However, crossing the line is opposed by the guardian, as humans must first dissolve their attachments and karmic entanglements.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, they must develop the ability to distinguish between what are truly lasting spiritual values and what, in contrast, are still immature ideas, such as a false concept of God or love, or attachments.<br />
<br />
By distinguishing between attachment and karma on the one hand, and lasting values or ideals on the other, so between the forces of the lesser guardian and the greater guardian, people can align themselves towards union with the greater guardian. <ref name=":02" /><br />
<br />
This formulation by Heinz Grill says that this is the highest work: It [Remark:The threshold] demands the utmost all of the forces of thinking, feeling and willing, and therefore, for the coming year, a daily, persevering and indispensable effort for truth, differentiation and goal realisation is required. A day without this effort throws the human being back into isolation and lack of relationship.REF<br />
<br />
== Forward-looking hypothesis ==<br />
In summary, it can be said that a person who schools themselves spiritually will encounter the lesser guardian of the threshold at a precisely calculated moment of wisdom. Crossing the threshold and gaining insight into the world of the soul are associated with the high demand of taking full responsibility for one's own actions and thoughts and completely transforming the karmic figure with discipline and perseverance. The lesser guardian of the threshold represents the karma that must be overcome, while the great guardian of the threshold, as a figure of light, points more to the future and represents the divine-spiritual aspect of the human being as a potential to be developed.<br />
<br />
From a spiritual point of view, the whole of humanity today stands at the threshold between the earthly and the spiritual world. In order to overcome this and gain orientation, an exact distinction must be developed between that which is transient and insignificant on one hand and that which is of higher value with a lasting character on the other.<br />
<br />
== References ==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Guardian_of_the_Threshold&diff=114Guardian of the Threshold2026-03-09T22:55:37Z<p>Xenja: /* References */ corrected</p>
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<div>[[File:Machelldweller.jpg|thumb|The Dweller on the Threshold. Painting by Reginald W. Machell (ca. 1895)]] <br />
[[File:Steve Bate Rope Solo Zodiac El Capitan II.jpg|thumb|Climbing often requires overcoming a fear threshold before taking the next step]]<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold is a technical esoteric term and is related to the spiritual development of the individual and of humanity as a whole. The guardian of the threshold guards the threshold to the spiritual world.<br />
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Human development can be progressive, oriented towards spiritual values or ideals, or it can be regressive, directed by desires, passions and dependencies. Human beings repeatedly find themselves caught between these two forces. As long as they do not recognise and overcome the latter, they follow their lower self and cannot cross the boundary into the spiritual world. They must develop insight and discernment in order to cross the boundary.<br />
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The guardian of the threshold, a rather little-known concept, also encompasses events that every human being is familiar with in one form or another, whether it be overcoming the fear of taking the next step when climbing a difficult section of a mountain, or being confronted with something inevitable due to an external event such as a separation, a conflict, an illness or a death.<br />
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Many such threshold experiences are also conveyed in sacred writings, legends and myths. <br />
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== Meaning and concept ==<br />
In various spiritual movements such as [[A:Theosophy|Theosophy]], the [[A:Rosicrucians|Rosicrucians]], [[W:Archeosophy|Archeosophy]], [[A:Anthroposophy|Anthroposophy]], but also in the [[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]], it is assumed that there is not just one life, but that humans go through several lives or incarnations. The guardian of the threshold is therefore associated with the concept of karma (Sanskrit कर्म, [[W:IAST|IAST]] ''karma'', English "action, activity, work").<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=karma&dir=se ''Search results for "karma".''] ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 18 January 2026</ref> Karma, in the sense of a universal law, encompasses the good and bad deeds and thoughts of a past life, which are stored in the human being and initially determine their life to a certain extent.<br />
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The guardian of the threshold is unredeemed karma. The realisation that humans must come to is that they themselves are the cause of their own destiny. On the one hand, the guardian of the threshold is a ghostly, terrifying, but also wise figure. On the other hand, it protects humans from gaining insight into the higher worlds prematurely and unprepared, as this can lead to their downfall.<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 185 ff. ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
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== The threshold as a symbol ==<br />
In sacred buildings such as churches, a threshold or door symbolically and architecturally separates the profane or everyday space from the sacred or transcendent sacred space. By crossing the threshold, people are supposed to visualise the transition into a sacred world.<ref>[[https://aleteia.org/2024/08/26/the-symbolism-behind-the-threshold-of-a-catholic-church/ ''The symbolism behind the threshold of a catholic church'']] ''aleteia.org''. Retrieved 9 March 2026.</ref><br />
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== Culture and art ==<br />
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=== The novel Zanoni ===<br />
The term "guardian of the threshold" also became known through the novel ''[[Wen:Zanoni|Zanoni]]'' by [[W:Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton|Edward Bulwer-Lytton]] (1803–1873), which is mentioned in theosophy and anthroposophy:<blockquote>"Know, at least, that all of us – the highest and the wisest – who have, in sober truth, passed beyond the threshold, have had, as our first fearful task, to master and subdue its grisly and appalling guardian."<ref>Edward Bulwer-Lytton: [[https://books.google.com/books?id=i_gYAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA103 Online ''Zanoni.'']] J. B. Lippincott & Co. Philadelphia 1974. p. 103.</ref></blockquote>In ''Zanoni'', the guardian appears as a sensually visible figure. According to [[Rudolf Steiner]], the guardian of the threshold can be made visible through low-level magic using incense. He points out the danger of going astray if one encounters one's unredeemed karma in this form without sufficient preparation:<blockquote>"However, if we have sufficiently prepared ourselves for higher perception, we no longer need such sense-perceptible props. On the other hand, if we confront our unredeemed karma without adequate preparation, we risk going badly astray."<ref>Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds''. Hudson N.Y.. Antroposophic Press. p. 189. ISBN 0-88010-372-8.</ref></blockquote><br />
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=== The mystery play "The Guardian of the Threshold" ===<br />
Rudolf Steiner's four [[A:Rudolf Steiner's Mystery Dramas|mystery plays]] artistically explore the spiritual development of individual human beings. Various effects of fate are explicitly linked to past lives and the concepts of karma and reincarnation.<br />
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The guardian of the threshold, who is associated with the idea of karma, is portrayed in the third mystery drama of the same name. This mystery drama is entitled ''The Guardian of the Threshold''.<br />
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The Guardian speaks in the 7th scene:<ref>Rudolf Steiner, [[https://archive.org/details/fourmysteryplays00stei/page/90/mode/2up ''Four Mystery Plays'']] ''archive.org''. Retrieved 14 February 2026.</ref><ref>[https://mysteriendramen.at/Der_H%C3%BCter_der_Schwelle#Siebentes_Bild ''Hüter der Schwelle. Siebentes Bild.''] ''mysteriendramen.at''. Retrieved 9 March 2026.</ref><br />
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<poem style="margin-left:31px"> "Thou must first part with many of those powers <br />
Which thou hast won when in thine earthly frame. <br />
Out of them all thou canst alone retain<br />
That which by efforts, pure and spiritual,<br />
Thou didst achieve, and which thou hast kept pure."<br />
("Du mußt dich trennen erst von vielen Kräften,<br />
Die du im Erdenleibe dir erworben.<br />
Behalten kannst du doch von ihnen nur,<br />
Was sich in geistig reinem Streben dir<br />
Erschlossen und auch rein verblieben ist.")<br />
</poem><br />
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These statements make it clear that insights into the soul-spiritual worlds depend on overcoming impure forces.<br />
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== Astrology – Saturn as guardian of the threshold ==<br />
[[File:Saturn - High Resolution, 2004, alt crop.jpg|thumb|The planet Saturn as guardian of the threshold in astrology]] <br />
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In astrology, the planet Saturn is associated with the guardian of the threshold. As Liz Greene describes it "Saturn symbolizes a psychic process as well as a quality or kind of experience." He represents pain, restriction and discipline and he symbolizes "the psychic process, natural to all human beings, by which an individual may utilise the experiences of pain, restriction, and discipline as a means for greater consciousness and fulfilment." She furthermore mentions that freedom through self-understanding may be achieved through him (Remark: Saturn/Guardian) alone.<ref>Liz Greene: ''Saturn''. Weisser Classics. pp.2-4. ISBN 978-1-57863-735-5.</ref> <br />
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[[W:Fritz Riemann (psychoanalyst)|Fritz Riemann]] (1902–1979), psychoanalyst and astrologer, understands Saturn in the sense that it gives people reason to deal with necessities, by accepting the inevitable, especially death, and the fears associated with it, and thereby to gain maturity. According to him, the real meaning of Saturn lies in this:<br />
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: "[...] it leads us to barriers of fear, which we can overcome precisely by accepting our fears; then the ''guardian of the threshold'' becomes our surest guide, turning necessity into a turning point."<ref>Fritz Riemann: ''Lebenshilfe Astrologie'' (Astrology as Life Guidance - german). 5th edition. Verlag J. Pfeiffer Munich 1980. p. 192. ISBN 3-7904-0186-2.</ref><br />
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== Yoga Vidya's perspective ==<br />
The guardian of the threshold in Yoga Vidya is also interpreted with reference to Saturn. Saturn is considered the last planet in our solar system. It often appears in times of severe trials and confronts us with negative karma that still needs to be worked through.<br />
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In honour of/to honour Saturn, Shani<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Saturn&dir=es ''Search results for "Saturn".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved on 26 December 2025 (English).</ref> (Sanskrit शनि, IAST ''shanaishchara'', English "walking or moving slowly"), the recitation of mantras is customary/common. Psychologically speaking, invoking the blessings of the Saturn deity (Shani Deva) through the hymn [[Y:Shani Stotra|Shani Stotra]] is said to help "discipline the mind, practise renunciation and see the lessons of the divine even in suffering. The Shani Stotra also helps to transform the lower nature."<ref>[https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Saturn#Anrufung_des_Shani ''Saturn. Invocation of Shani.''] In: ''yoga-vidya.de.'' Retrieved on 29 November 2025.</ref><br />
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== Bhagavad Gita - the battlefield ==<br />
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[[File:Arjuna_and_karna_in_war,_krishna_as_arjuna_charioter.jpg|thumb|430px|Arjuna and his charioteer Krishna (both on the left) face the enemy army]][[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]] (Sanskrit भगवद्गीता, IAST ''bhagavad gītā'') translates as "Song of God". It is considered one of the most important sacred texts of the East. At the beginning of the story, two closely related clans, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, face each other on the battlefield of Kurukshetra (Sanskrit कुरुक्षेत्र, IAST ''kurukṣetra''). Krishna offers to be the charioteer of the hero Arjuna and is given the task of driving between the two opposing camps. When Arjuna discovers his own relatives in the enemy camp, he sees no good in having to fight and kill them. He refuses to fight and, overcome with grief, throws away his weapons. Krishna, who represents the divine self, now begins to enlighten Arjuna about the meaning of life and death.<br />
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Krishna instructs Arjuna that he must fight from the standpoint of a higher view than the one he has been taught:<br />
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But if thou dost not this battle for the right, then hast thou abandoned thy duty and virtue and thy glory, and sin shall be thy portion. <nowiki>https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.274269/page/n38/mode/1up</nowiki> Chapter II Verse 33<br />
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This conflict that arises for Arjuna, between conventional ideas about virtues and truly divine virtues, is called by Heinz Grill "one of the most beautiful episodes about the struggle between an astral guardian of the threshold and an ego."<br />
== Theosophy ==<br />
[[File:Le_Grand_Saint_Michel,_by_Raffaello_Sanzio,_from_C2RMF_retouched.jpg|thumb|Archangel Michael subduing the devil<br>Painting by [[w:Raffael|Raffael]] (1483–1520)]]<br />
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According to theosophical belief, there is also a guardian of the threshold. This guardian is known to humans in many different forms. The following examples are described<div style="margin-left:15px"><br />
* [[A:Kerberos (mythology)|Cerberus]], the hellhound who guards Hades, the entrance to the underworld,<br />
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* the [[A:Archangel Michael|Archangel Michael]], who kills the dragon with his spiritual willpower,<br />
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* the [[A:Snakes#The snake as a symbol of the opposing forces|snake]] that tempts Eve.<br />
</div>All these legends are interpreted as parables that represent a real reality, the knowledge of which is of utmost importance to the seeker of truth. The guardian of the threshold is "...nothing else but our own lower semi-animal, animal or perhaps brutish self, that combination of material and semi-material principles which form the lower ''ego'', which the great majority of men blindly and lovingly hug and caress, because they love themselves. … but when …his self-consciousness begins to become centred in his higher self, the Dweller of the Threshold becomes objective to him and he may be terrified at its (his own) ugliness and deformity." <br />
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== Rosicrucians ==<br />
In Rosicrucian philosophy and their path of training, the encounter with the guardian of the threshold is a requirement that must be overcome before entering higher worlds. A very precise differentiation is made between other forces and the real guardian of the threshold, who is a figure created from one's own past bad deeds and thoughts, which must be transformed by the individual.<br />
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Max Heindel (1865–1919), founder of the Rosicrucian Fellowship, explains: <br />
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"The real "Dweller on the Threshold" is the composite elemental entity created on the invisible planes by all our untransmuted evil thoughts and acts during all the past period of our evolution. This "dweller" stands guard at the entrance to the invisible worlds and challenges our right to enter therein. This entity must be redeemed or transmuted eventually. We must generate poise and will power sufficient to face and command it before we can consciously enter the super-physical worlds."<br />
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== Archeosophy ==<br />
According to the teachings of [[W:Archeosophy|Archeosophy]], ascension to the higher worlds is accompanied by an encounter with the guardian of the threshold (Italian: "Guardiano della soglia"). This encounter with the guardian is described as the most threatening and important experience for those who, in accordance with the esoteric teachings of Greek mythology, strive to perform "initiation tasks" known as the Labours of Hercules. The Labours of Hercules are understood to be twelve extremely difficult tasks that were imposed as penance. <ref>[https://pecunia.zaw.uni-heidelberg.de/NumiScience/die-12-taten-des-herakles ''The 12 Labours of Heracles.''] In: ''NumiScience.'' Retrieved on 7 December 2025.</ref><br />
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According to the founder of archeosophy, [[W:Tommasso Palamidessi|Tommaso Palamidessi]] (1915–1983), there is not only a small and a large guardian of the threshold: "In fact, although there are these two fundamental guardians, there are as many guardians as there are cosmic planes, that is, as many transitions from one world to another." <nowiki><ref></nowiki>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2is7EnKuaE&t=387s ''I guardiani delle soglie e il cammino evolutivo - Quaderno di Archeosofia n.10.''] Min. 6:27–6:41. In: ''Libreria Rotondi'' (YouTube channel). Retrieved on 23 February 2026.<nowiki></ref></nowiki><br />
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== Gospels ==<br />
[[File:Gospel_of_Luke_Chapter_4-6_(Bible_Illustrations_by_Sweet_Media).jpg|link=File:Gospel_of_Luke_Chapter_4-6_(Bible_Illustrations_by_Sweet_Media).jpg|thumb|Illustration of the temptation of Christ - Matthew Chapter 4, Luke Chapter 4-6]]<br />
The guardian of the threshold is not explicitly named in the Gospels. From a spiritual point of view, the image of Jesus on the mountain and his temptation by the devil, as described in the Synoptic Gospels, is equated with the encounter with the guardian of the threshold:<br />
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: …the promise of all external realities, the desire to cling to these outer realities, the temptation to remain attached to matter: in short, the temptation to remain with the guardian of the threshold and not to pass beyond him appears to us in the great Imaginative picture of Christ Jesus standing on the mountain, with the Tempter beside Him…[...] https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA131/English/RSP1973/19111006p01.html retrieved 23 February 2026<br />
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Although not explicitly mentioned by Rudolf Steiner, this is likely to refer to verses 8–11 in chapter 4 of the Gospel of Matthew:<br />
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"Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." 10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him." <ref>https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%204&version=NIV</ref><br />
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The temptation by the adversary is also mentioned in the Gospel according to Mark (Mark 1:12–15) and in the Gospel according to Luke (Luke 4:5–8).<br />
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== Spiritual view of Rudolf Steiner and Heinz Grill ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Great Sphinx of Giza May 2015.JPG|thumb|"In the higher region of the astral plane, the [image of the] sphinx needs to be cast into the abyss before you are able to move ahead."<ref>https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA089/English/CMP2001/19041022p01.html</ref>]]<br />
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In spiritual research, a distinction is made between two guardians of the threshold – the "Little Guardian of the Threshold" and the "Great Guardian of the Threshold". Human beings encounter these two figures, which cannot be perceived with the physical senses, within their development on a spiritual path of training.<br />
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A spiritual path of training involves working on the so-called soul forces: thinking, feeling, and will. These three soul forces are normally intertwined or exist in a very specific relationship.<ref>Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds'' p. 176/177</ref> Through targeted exercises, these forces are to be structured and isolated, so that pure thinking develops from thought, sensation rests in pure feeling, and will responds in pure action.<br />
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Heinz Grill describes this process with an image:<br />
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"Just as a painter can recognise both red and blue in a shade of violet, so the practitioner soon recognises the various mixed shades in his consciousness and learns to separate thinking from feeling and feeling in turn from will."<br />
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=== The lesser guardian of the threshold ===<br />
At a certain point in the structuring or separation of the three soul forces, an encounter with the lesser guardian of the threshold takes place. According to Rudolf Steiner, this occurs "when the connecting threads between willing, thinking and feeling within the finer (…) bodies begin to loosen."<ref>Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Attain Knowledge of Higher Worlds'' p. 184.</ref><br />
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The figure of the lesser guardian is not an external person or entity, but rather is inherent in every human being, only initially hidden within each individual, submerged in the body. With progressive development, it detaches itself more from the body and takes on a body-free, metaphysically visible form. This is called the awakening or the encounter with the guardian of the threshold.<br />
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The threshold, which the guardian watches over, is the one between the visible world and the invisible or supernatural world. According to Heinz Grill, the lesser guardian forms the "gateway to the realm of souls, to the realm of the dead or to the realm of the astral heavens." However, humans cannot simply pass through this threshold. <br />
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They need a certain spiritual maturity and moral character for these gates to be opened to them. The threshold is not arbitrary, but a "natural safety precaution", since access to the spiritual worlds without proper preparation leads to hopeless fear and "the consequence would be a fall into the abysmal depths of evil."<ref>Heinz Grill: ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.''<br />
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pp. 12–13.</ref><br />
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The lesser guardian is described as an astral reality consisting of soul substances and being-like, elemental forces. These include a wide variety of feelings, sympathies and antipathies of the mind, tendencies of the senses, drives and subconscious thought patterns. This astral substance acts like a strategic field and determines the individual nature of a destiny. The lesser guardian is also synonymous with karma: "The guardian, however, is not the true nature of the human being, but rather their dual nature or their karmic figure, that form which must be overcome and transformed in life."<ref>Heinz Grill: ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' p. 15.</ref><br />
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This karmic figure is characterised as a ghostly form that reveals itself to the spiritual disciple. This terrifying figure has been formed from the good and bad deeds of past lives and, according to Rudolf Steiner, expresses itself as follows:<br />
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"I myself, if I am not to fall into corruption, must become a perfect and glorious being. For, were I to fall, I would drag you down with me into a dark, corrupted world." <ref>Rudolf Steiner: ‚'How to know….page=186</ref><br />
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=== The great guardian of the threshold ===<br />
After encountering the "Lesser Guardian of the Threshold," from a spiritual perspective, one encounters the "Great Guardian of the Threshold," who is described as having completely different characteristics. In contrast to the ghostly appearance of the lesser guardian, the great guardian appears as a sublime figure of light. It generally marks the transition from the soul world after death to the spiritual world.<br />
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According to Rudolf Steiner, through the encounter with the second guardian of the threshold, the soul „freed in this way from all sensory bonds" acquires the "right of citizenship in the supersensible world," from where the soul may now work. <ref>Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Attain Knowledge of Higher Worlds?'' p 202 Heinz Grill interprets the great guardian as "the living spirit of God, as Christ himself, as the creative ego, as the highest guardian figure who watches over preservation and dissolution, over progress and regression, over a path upwards and a path downwards." <nowiki><ref>Heinz Grill: </nowiki>''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Mission of Life.'' p. 19.</ref><br />
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Heinz Grill interprets the great guardian as "the living spirit of God, as Christ himself, as the creative ego, as the highest guardian figure who watches over preservation and dissolution, over progress and regression, over a path upwards and a path downwards." <ref>Heinz Grill: ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Mission of Life.'' p. 19.</ref><br />
== The relationship between the lesser and the great guardians of the threshold ==<br />
From a spiritual perspective, these two guardians – the lower self of the human being and their divine, emerging self – face each other in a mutual exchange and struggle.<br />
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The encounter with the guardian is experienced by the individual as very challenging, as described in the Bhagavad Gita:<br />
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"The awakening of the threshold always leads people to despondency and despair, which they must overcome through wisdom and purposeful action."<ref>Heinz Grill: ''Erkenntnisgrundlagen zur Bhagavad Gita.'' 1. Auflage. Stephan Wunderlich Verlag, Sigmaringen 2024, ISBN 978-3-948803-18-6, S.&nbsp;99.</ref><br />
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But if the spirit-striving person approaches the threshold very well prepared, "our experiences at the threshold are then accompanied by a premonition of that bliss which will be the keynote of our newly awakened life." <ref>Rudolf Steiner: ''Wie erlangt man Erkenntnisse der höheren Welten?'' S.&nbsp;203. ([https://odysseetheater.org/GA/Buecher/GA_010.pdf#page=203&view=Fit Online])</ref><br />
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== The significance of the guardian of the threshold for humanity ==<br />
[[File:615px-Arild_Rosenkrantz_-_The_Guardian_-_ca_1930.jpg|310x310px|''The Guardian''<br>Painting by [[A:Arild Rosenkrantz|Arild Rosenkrantz]] (ca. 1930)]]<br />
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On the one hand, an encounter with the guardian of the threshold takes place when the individual consciously strives for spiritual development and trains their soul forces in the sense of a structuring into thinking, feeling and willing. On the other hand, spiritual research relating to the current, so-called fifth post-Atlantean cultural epoch reports that the whole of humanity in its development must go through a certain process of separation of the soul forces – "that a trinity must arise from the chaotic unity," as Rudolf Steiner puts it — and must develop an understanding of this.<br />
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: "In inner experience, though not in outer consciousness, humanity is passing through the region that can also be called a region of the guardian of the threshold."<ref name=":1">https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA202/English/MP1983/19201225p01.html</ref><br />
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Also according to current spiritual research, the vast majority of people are on the threshold:<br />
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In any case, individual human beings today are moving ever closer to a threshold to the spiritual world. This threshold, however, does not let them pass as easily as one might think. <ref name=":0">Heinz Grill: [https://heinz-grill.de/2023-menschliche-schoepferkraft/ ''Jahresausblick auf 2023 – Teil 3.''] In:&nbsp;''Beiträge zu einem Neuen Yogawillen.'' Abgerufen am 29.&nbsp;November 2025.</ref><br />
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According to Heinz Grill, this threshold that humanity is approaching is reflected in the fact that today, from a spiritual perspective, people want to enter into creative activity, research wisdom themselves and to implement ideals, that means they want to cross the threshold.<br />
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However, crossing the line is opposed by the guardian, as humans must first dissolve their attachments and karmic entanglements.<br />
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Furthermore, they must develop the ability to distinguish between what are truly lasting spiritual values and what, in contrast, are still immature ideas, such as a false concept of God or love, or attachments.<br />
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By distinguishing between attachment and karma on the one hand, and lasting values or ideals on the other, so between the forces of the lesser guardian and the greater guardian, people can align themselves towards union with the greater guardian. <ref name=":02" /><br />
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This formulation by Heinz Grill says that this is the highest work: It [Remark:The threshold] demands the utmost all of the forces of thinking, feeling and willing, and therefore, for the coming year, a daily, persevering and indispensable effort for truth, differentiation and goal realisation is required. A day without this effort throws the human being back into isolation and lack of relationship.REF<br />
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== Forward-looking hypothesis ==<br />
In summary, it can be said that a person who schools themselves spiritually will encounter the lesser guardian of the threshold at a precisely calculated moment of wisdom. Crossing the threshold and gaining insight into the world of the soul are associated with the high demand of taking full responsibility for one's own actions and thoughts and completely transforming the karmic figure with discipline and perseverance. The lesser guardian of the threshold represents the karma that must be overcome, while the great guardian of the threshold, as a figure of light, points more to the future and represents the divine-spiritual aspect of the human being as a potential to be developed.<br />
<br />
From a spiritual point of view, the whole of humanity today stands at the threshold between the earthly and the spiritual world. In order to overcome this and gain orientation, an exact distinction must be developed between that which is transient and insignificant on one hand and that which is of higher value with a lasting character on the other.<br />
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== References ==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Guardian_of_the_Threshold&diff=113Guardian of the Threshold2026-03-09T22:46:21Z<p>Xenja: Correcting, adding References</p>
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<div>[[File:Machelldweller.jpg|thumb|The Dweller on the Threshold. Painting by Reginald W. Machell (ca. 1895)]] <br />
[[File:Steve Bate Rope Solo Zodiac El Capitan II.jpg|thumb|Climbing often requires overcoming a fear threshold before taking the next step]]<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold is a technical esoteric term and is related to the spiritual development of the individual and of humanity as a whole. The guardian of the threshold guards the threshold to the spiritual world.<br />
<br />
Human development can be progressive, oriented towards spiritual values or ideals, or it can be regressive, directed by desires, passions and dependencies. Human beings repeatedly find themselves caught between these two forces. As long as they do not recognise and overcome the latter, they follow their lower self and cannot cross the boundary into the spiritual world. They must develop insight and discernment in order to cross the boundary.<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold, a rather little-known concept, also encompasses events that every human being is familiar with in one form or another, whether it be overcoming the fear of taking the next step when climbing a difficult section of a mountain, or being confronted with something inevitable due to an external event such as a separation, a conflict, an illness or a death.<br />
<br />
Many such threshold experiences are also conveyed in sacred writings, legends and myths. <br />
<br />
== Meaning and concept ==<br />
In various spiritual movements such as [[A:Theosophy|Theosophy]], the [[A:Rosicrucians|Rosicrucians]], [[W:Archeosophy|Archeosophy]], [[A:Anthroposophy|Anthroposophy]], but also in the [[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]], it is assumed that there is not just one life, but that humans go through several lives or incarnations. The guardian of the threshold is therefore associated with the concept of karma (Sanskrit कर्म, [[W:IAST|IAST]] ''karma'', English "action, activity, work").<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=karma&dir=se ''Search results for "karma".''] ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 18 January 2026</ref> Karma, in the sense of a universal law, encompasses the good and bad deeds and thoughts of a past life, which are stored in the human being and initially determine their life to a certain extent.<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold is unredeemed karma. The realisation that humans must come to is that they themselves are the cause of their own destiny. On the one hand, the guardian of the threshold is a ghostly, terrifying, but also wise figure. On the other hand, it protects humans from gaining insight into the higher worlds prematurely and unprepared, as this can lead to their downfall.<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds'', Hudson, N.Y.: Antroposophic Press, p. 185 ff, ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
== The threshold as a symbol ==<br />
In sacred buildings such as churches, a threshold or door symbolically and architecturally separates the profane or everyday space from the sacred or transcendent sacred space. By crossing the threshold, people are supposed to visualise the transition into a sacred world.<ref>[[https://aleteia.org/2024/08/26/the-symbolism-behind-the-threshold-of-a-catholic-church/ ''The symbolism behind the threshold of a catholic church'']] ''aleteia.org''. Retrieved 9 March 2026.</ref><br />
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== Culture and art ==<br />
<br />
=== The novel Zanoni ===<br />
The term "guardian of the threshold" also became known through the novel ''[[Wen:Zanoni|Zanoni]]'' by [[W:Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton|Edward Bulwer-Lytton]] (1803–1873), which is mentioned in theosophy and anthroposophy:<blockquote>"Know, at least, that all of us – the highest and the wisest – who have, in sober truth, passed beyond the threshold, have had, as our first fearful task, to master and subdue its grisly and appalling guardian."<ref>Edward Bulwer-Lytton: [[https://books.google.com/books?id=i_gYAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA103 Online ''Zanoni.'']] J. B. Lippincott & Co, Philadelphia 1974, p. 103.</ref></blockquote>In ''Zanoni'', the guardian appears as a sensually visible figure. According to [[Rudolf Steiner]], the guardian of the threshold can be made visible through low-level magic using incense. He points out the danger of going astray if one encounters one's unredeemed karma in this form without sufficient preparation:<blockquote>"However, if we have sufficiently prepared ourselves for higher perception, we no longer need such sense-perceptible props. On the other hand, if we confront our unredeemed karma without adequate preparation, we risk going badly astray."<ref>Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds'', Hudson, N.Y.: Antroposophic Press, p. 189, ISBN 0-88010-372-8.</ref></blockquote><br />
<br />
=== The mystery play "The Guardian of the Threshold" ===<br />
Rudolf Steiner's four [[A:Rudolf Steiner's Mystery Dramas|mystery plays]] artistically explore the spiritual development of individual human beings. Various effects of fate are explicitly linked to past lives and the concepts of karma and reincarnation.<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold, who is associated with the idea of karma, is portrayed in the third mystery drama of the same name. This mystery drama is entitled ''The Guardian of the Threshold''.<br />
<br />
The Guardian speaks in the 7th scene:<ref>Rudolf Steiner, [[https://archive.org/details/fourmysteryplays00stei/page/90/mode/2up ''Four Mystery Plays'']] ''archive.org''. Retrieved 14 February 2026.</ref><ref>[https://mysteriendramen.at/Der_H%C3%BCter_der_Schwelle#Siebentes_Bild ''Hüter der Schwelle. Siebentes Bild.''] ''mysteriendramen.at''. Retrieved 9 March 2026.</ref><br />
<br />
<poem style="margin-left:31px"> "Thou must first part with many of those powers <br />
Which thou hast won when in thine earthly frame. <br />
Out of them all thou canst alone retain<br />
That which by efforts, pure and spiritual,<br />
Thou didst achieve, and which thou hast kept pure."<br />
("Du mußt dich trennen erst von vielen Kräften,<br />
Die du im Erdenleibe dir erworben.<br />
Behalten kannst du doch von ihnen nur,<br />
Was sich in geistig reinem Streben dir<br />
Erschlossen und auch rein verblieben ist.")<br />
</poem><br />
<br />
These statements make it clear that insights into the soul-spiritual worlds depend on overcoming impure forces.<br />
<br />
== Astrology – Saturn as guardian of the threshold ==<br />
[[File:Saturn - High Resolution, 2004, alt crop.jpg|thumb|The planet Saturn as guardian of the threshold in astrology]] <br />
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In astrology, the planet Saturn is associated with the guardian of the threshold. As Liz Greene describes it "Saturn symbolizes a psychic process as well as a quality or kind of experience." He represents pain, restriction and discipline and he symbolizes "the psychic process, natural to all human beings, by which an individual may utilise the experiences of pain, restriction, and discipline as a means for greater consciousness and fulfilment." She furthermore mentions that freedom through self-understanding may be achieved through him (Remark: Saturn/Guardian) alone.<ref>Liz Greene:''Saturn''. Weisser Classics. pp.2-4. ISBN: 978-1-57863-735-5.</ref> <br />
<br />
[[W:Fritz Riemann (psychoanalyst)|Fritz Riemann]] (1902–1979), psychoanalyst and astrologer, understands Saturn in the sense that it gives people reason to deal with necessities, by accepting the inevitable, especially death, and the fears associated with it, and thereby to gain maturity. According to him, the real meaning of Saturn lies in this:<br />
<br />
: "[...] it leads us to barriers of fear, which we can overcome precisely by accepting our fears; then the ''guardian of the threshold'' becomes our surest guide, turning necessity into a turning point."<ref>Fritz Riemann: ''Lebenshilfe Astrologie'' (Astrology as Life Guidance - german). 5th edition. Verlag J. Pfeiffer, Munich 1980, p. 192. ISBN 3-7904-0186-2.</ref><br />
<br />
== Yoga Vidya's perspective ==<br />
The guardian of the threshold in Yoga Vidya is also interpreted with reference to Saturn. Saturn is considered the last planet in our solar system. It often appears in times of severe trials and confronts us with negative karma that still needs to be worked through.<br />
<br />
In honour of/to honour Saturn, Shani<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Saturn&dir=es ''Search results for "Saturn".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved on 26 December 2025 (English).</ref> (Sanskrit शनि, IAST ''shanaishchara'', English "walking or moving slowly"), the recitation of mantras is customary/common. Psychologically speaking, invoking the blessings of the Saturn deity (Shani Deva) through the hymn [[Y:Shani Stotra|Shani Stotra]] is said to help "discipline the mind, practise renunciation and see the lessons of the divine even in suffering. The Shani Stotra also helps to transform the lower nature."<ref>[https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Saturn#Anrufung_des_Shani ''Saturn. Invocation of Shani.''] In: ''yoga-vidya.de.'' Retrieved on 29 November 2025.</ref><br />
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== Bhagavad Gita - the battlefield ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Arjuna_and_karna_in_war,_krishna_as_arjuna_charioter.jpg|thumb|430px|Arjuna and his charioteer Krishna (both on the left) face the enemy army]][[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]] (Sanskrit भगवद्गीता, IAST ''bhagavad gītā'') translates as "Song of God". It is considered one of the most important sacred texts of the East. At the beginning of the story, two closely related clans, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, face each other on the battlefield of Kurukshetra (Sanskrit कुरुक्षेत्र, IAST ''kurukṣetra''). Krishna offers to be the charioteer of the hero Arjuna and is given the task of driving between the two opposing camps. When Arjuna discovers his own relatives in the enemy camp, he sees no good in having to fight and kill them. He refuses to fight and, overcome with grief, throws away his weapons. Krishna, who represents the divine self, now begins to enlighten Arjuna about the meaning of life and death.<br />
<br />
Krishna instructs Arjuna that he must fight from the standpoint of a higher view than the one he has been taught:<br />
<br />
But if thou dost not this battle for the right, then hast thou abandoned thy duty and virtue and thy glory, and sin shall be thy portion. <nowiki>https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.274269/page/n38/mode/1up</nowiki> Chapter II Verse 33<br />
<br />
This conflict that arises for Arjuna, between conventional ideas about virtues and truly divine virtues, is called by Heinz Grill "one of the most beautiful episodes about the struggle between an astral guardian of the threshold and an ego."<br />
== Theosophy ==<br />
[[File:Le_Grand_Saint_Michel,_by_Raffaello_Sanzio,_from_C2RMF_retouched.jpg|thumb|Archangel Michael subduing the devil<br>Painting by [[w:Raffael|Raffael]] (1483–1520)]]<br />
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According to theosophical belief, there is also a guardian of the threshold. This guardian is known to humans in many different forms. The following examples are described<div style="margin-left:15px"><br />
* [[A:Kerberos (mythology)|Cerberus]], the hellhound who guards Hades, the entrance to the underworld,<br />
<br />
* the [[A:Archangel Michael|Archangel Michael]], who kills the dragon with his spiritual willpower,<br />
<br />
* the [[A:Snakes#The snake as a symbol of the opposing forces|snake]] that tempts Eve.<br />
</div>All these legends are interpreted as parables that represent a real reality, the knowledge of which is of utmost importance to the seeker of truth. The guardian of the threshold is "...nothing else but our own lower semi-animal, animal or perhaps brutish self, that combination of material and semi-material principles which form the lower ''ego'', which the great majority of men blindly and lovingly hug and caress, because they love themselves. … but when …his self-consciousness begins to become centred in his higher self, the Dweller of the Threshold becomes objective to him and he may be terrified at its (his own) ugliness and deformity." <br />
<br />
== Rosicrucians ==<br />
In Rosicrucian philosophy and their path of training, the encounter with the guardian of the threshold is a requirement that must be overcome before entering higher worlds. A very precise differentiation is made between other forces and the real guardian of the threshold, who is a figure created from one's own past bad deeds and thoughts, which must be transformed by the individual.<br />
<br />
Max Heindel (1865–1919), founder of the Rosicrucian Fellowship, explains: <br />
<br />
"The real "Dweller on the Threshold" is the composite elemental entity created on the invisible planes by all our untransmuted evil thoughts and acts during all the past period of our evolution. This "dweller" stands guard at the entrance to the invisible worlds and challenges our right to enter therein. This entity must be redeemed or transmuted eventually. We must generate poise and will power sufficient to face and command it before we can consciously enter the super-physical worlds."<br />
<br />
== Archeosophy ==<br />
According to the teachings of [[W:Archeosophy|Archeosophy]], ascension to the higher worlds is accompanied by an encounter with the guardian of the threshold (Italian: "Guardiano della soglia"). This encounter with the guardian is described as the most threatening and important experience for those who, in accordance with the esoteric teachings of Greek mythology, strive to perform "initiation tasks" known as the Labours of Hercules. The Labours of Hercules are understood to be twelve extremely difficult tasks that were imposed as penance. <ref>[https://pecunia.zaw.uni-heidelberg.de/NumiScience/die-12-taten-des-herakles ''The 12 Labours of Heracles.''] In: ''NumiScience.'' Retrieved on 7 December 2025.</ref><br />
<br />
According to the founder of archeosophy, [[W:Tommasso Palamidessi|Tommaso Palamidessi]] (1915–1983), there is not only a small and a large guardian of the threshold: "In fact, although there are these two fundamental guardians, there are as many guardians as there are cosmic planes, that is, as many transitions from one world to another." <nowiki><ref></nowiki>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2is7EnKuaE&t=387s ''I guardiani delle soglie e il cammino evolutivo - Quaderno di Archeosofia n.10.''] Min. 6:27–6:41. In: ''Libreria Rotondi'' (YouTube channel). Retrieved on 23 February 2026.<nowiki></ref></nowiki><br />
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== Gospels ==<br />
[[File:Gospel_of_Luke_Chapter_4-6_(Bible_Illustrations_by_Sweet_Media).jpg|link=File:Gospel_of_Luke_Chapter_4-6_(Bible_Illustrations_by_Sweet_Media).jpg|thumb|Illustration of the temptation of Christ - Matthew Chapter 4, Luke Chapter 4-6]]<br />
The guardian of the threshold is not explicitly named in the Gospels. From a spiritual point of view, the image of Jesus on the mountain and his temptation by the devil, as described in the Synoptic Gospels, is equated with the encounter with the guardian of the threshold:<br />
<br />
: …the promise of all external realities, the desire to cling to these outer realities, the temptation to remain attached to matter: in short, the temptation to remain with the guardian of the threshold and not to pass beyond him appears to us in the great Imaginative picture of Christ Jesus standing on the mountain, with the Tempter beside Him…[...] https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA131/English/RSP1973/19111006p01.html retrieved 23 February 2026<br />
<br />
Although not explicitly mentioned by Rudolf Steiner, this is likely to refer to verses 8–11 in chapter 4 of the Gospel of Matthew:<br />
<br />
"Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." 10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him." <ref>https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%204&version=NIV</ref><br />
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The temptation by the adversary is also mentioned in the Gospel according to Mark (Mark 1:12–15) and in the Gospel according to Luke (Luke 4:5–8).<br />
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== Spiritual view of Rudolf Steiner and Heinz Grill ==<br />
<br />
[[File:Great Sphinx of Giza May 2015.JPG|thumb|"In the higher region of the astral plane, the [image of the] sphinx needs to be cast into the abyss before you are able to move ahead."<ref>https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA089/English/CMP2001/19041022p01.html</ref>]]<br />
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In spiritual research, a distinction is made between two guardians of the threshold – the "Little Guardian of the Threshold" and the "Great Guardian of the Threshold". Human beings encounter these two figures, which cannot be perceived with the physical senses, within their development on a spiritual path of training.<br />
<br />
A spiritual path of training involves working on the so-called soul forces: thinking, feeling, and will. These three soul forces are normally intertwined or exist in a very specific relationship.<ref>Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds'' p. 176/177</ref> Through targeted exercises, these forces are to be structured and isolated, so that pure thinking develops from thought, sensation rests in pure feeling, and will responds in pure action.<br />
<br />
Heinz Grill describes this process with an image:<br />
<br />
"Just as a painter can recognise both red and blue in a shade of violet, so the practitioner soon recognises the various mixed shades in his consciousness and learns to separate thinking from feeling and feeling in turn from will."<br />
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=== The lesser guardian of the threshold ===<br />
At a certain point in the structuring or separation of the three soul forces, an encounter with the lesser guardian of the threshold takes place. According to Rudolf Steiner, this occurs "when the connecting threads between willing, thinking and feeling within the finer (…) bodies begin to loosen."<ref>Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Attain Knowledge of Higher Worlds'' p. 184.</ref><br />
<br />
The figure of the lesser guardian is not an external person or entity, but rather is inherent in every human being, only initially hidden within each individual, submerged in the body. With progressive development, it detaches itself more from the body and takes on a body-free, metaphysically visible form. This is called the awakening or the encounter with the guardian of the threshold.<br />
<br />
The threshold, which the guardian watches over, is the one between the visible world and the invisible or supernatural world. According to Heinz Grill, the lesser guardian forms the "gateway to the realm of souls, to the realm of the dead or to the realm of the astral heavens." However, humans cannot simply pass through this threshold. <br />
<br />
They need a certain spiritual maturity and moral character for these gates to be opened to them. The threshold is not arbitrary, but a "natural safety precaution", since access to the spiritual worlds without proper preparation leads to hopeless fear and "the consequence would be a fall into the abysmal depths of evil."<ref>Heinz Grill: ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.''<br />
<br />
pp. 12–13.</ref><br />
<br />
The lesser guardian is described as an astral reality consisting of soul substances and being-like, elemental forces. These include a wide variety of feelings, sympathies and antipathies of the mind, tendencies of the senses, drives and subconscious thought patterns. This astral substance acts like a strategic field and determines the individual nature of a destiny. The lesser guardian is also synonymous with karma: "The guardian, however, is not the true nature of the human being, but rather their dual nature or their karmic figure, that form which must be overcome and transformed in life."<ref>Heinz Grill: ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' p. 15.</ref><br />
<br />
This karmic figure is characterised as a ghostly form that reveals itself to the spiritual disciple. This terrifying figure has been formed from the good and bad deeds of past lives and, according to Rudolf Steiner, expresses itself as follows:<br />
<br />
"I myself, if I am not to fall into corruption, must become a perfect and glorious being. For, were I to fall, I would drag you down with me into a dark, corrupted world." <ref>Rudolf Steiner: ‚'How to know….page=186</ref><br />
<br />
=== The great guardian of the threshold ===<br />
After encountering the "Lesser Guardian of the Threshold," from a spiritual perspective, one encounters the "Great Guardian of the Threshold," who is described as having completely different characteristics. In contrast to the ghostly appearance of the lesser guardian, the great guardian appears as a sublime figure of light. It generally marks the transition from the soul world after death to the spiritual world.<br />
<br />
According to Rudolf Steiner, through the encounter with the second guardian of the threshold, the soul „freed in this way from all sensory bonds" acquires the "right of citizenship in the supersensible world," from where the soul may now work. <ref>Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Attain Knowledge of Higher Worlds?'' p 202 Heinz Grill interprets the great guardian as "the living spirit of God, as Christ himself, as the creative ego, as the highest guardian figure who watches over preservation and dissolution, over progress and regression, over a path upwards and a path downwards." <nowiki><ref>Heinz Grill: </nowiki>''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Mission of Life.'' p. 19.</ref><br />
<br />
Heinz Grill interprets the great guardian as "the living spirit of God, as Christ himself, as the creative ego, as the highest guardian figure who watches over preservation and dissolution, over progress and regression, over a path upwards and a path downwards." <ref>Heinz Grill: ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Mission of Life.'' p. 19.</ref><br />
== The relationship between the lesser and the great guardians of the threshold ==<br />
From a spiritual perspective, these two guardians – the lower self of the human being and their divine, emerging self – face each other in a mutual exchange and struggle.<br />
<br />
The encounter with the guardian is experienced by the individual as very challenging, as described in the Bhagavad Gita:<br />
<br />
"The awakening of the threshold always leads people to despondency and despair, which they must overcome through wisdom and purposeful action."<ref>Heinz Grill: ''Erkenntnisgrundlagen zur Bhagavad Gita.'' 1. Auflage. Stephan Wunderlich Verlag, Sigmaringen 2024, ISBN 978-3-948803-18-6, S.&nbsp;99.</ref><br />
<br />
But if the spirit-striving person approaches the threshold very well prepared, "our experiences at the threshold are then accompanied by a premonition of that bliss which will be the keynote of our newly awakened life." <ref>Rudolf Steiner: ''Wie erlangt man Erkenntnisse der höheren Welten?'' S.&nbsp;203. ([https://odysseetheater.org/GA/Buecher/GA_010.pdf#page=203&view=Fit Online])</ref><br />
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== The significance of the guardian of the threshold for humanity ==<br />
[[File:615px-Arild_Rosenkrantz_-_The_Guardian_-_ca_1930.jpg|310x310px|''The Guardian''<br>Painting by [[A:Arild Rosenkrantz|Arild Rosenkrantz]] (ca. 1930)]]<br />
<br />
On the one hand, an encounter with the guardian of the threshold takes place when the individual consciously strives for spiritual development and trains their soul forces in the sense of a structuring into thinking, feeling and willing. On the other hand, spiritual research relating to the current, so-called fifth post-Atlantean cultural epoch reports that the whole of humanity in its development must go through a certain process of separation of the soul forces – "that a trinity must arise from the chaotic unity," as Rudolf Steiner puts it — and must develop an understanding of this.<br />
<br />
: "In inner experience, though not in outer consciousness, humanity is passing through the region that can also be called a region of the guardian of the threshold."<ref name=":1">https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA202/English/MP1983/19201225p01.html</ref><br />
<br />
Also according to current spiritual research, the vast majority of people are on the threshold:<br />
<br />
In any case, individual human beings today are moving ever closer to a threshold to the spiritual world. This threshold, however, does not let them pass as easily as one might think. <ref name=":0">Heinz Grill: [https://heinz-grill.de/2023-menschliche-schoepferkraft/ ''Jahresausblick auf 2023 – Teil 3.''] In:&nbsp;''Beiträge zu einem Neuen Yogawillen.'' Abgerufen am 29.&nbsp;November 2025.</ref><br />
<br />
According to Heinz Grill, this threshold that humanity is approaching is reflected in the fact that today, from a spiritual perspective, people want to enter into creative activity, research wisdom themselves and to implement ideals, that means they want to cross the threshold.<br />
<br />
However, crossing the line is opposed by the guardian, as humans must first dissolve their attachments and karmic entanglements.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, they must develop the ability to distinguish between what are truly lasting spiritual values and what, in contrast, are still immature ideas, such as a false concept of God or love, or attachments.<br />
<br />
By distinguishing between attachment and karma on the one hand, and lasting values or ideals on the other, so between the forces of the lesser guardian and the greater guardian, people can align themselves towards union with the greater guardian. <ref name=":02" /><br />
<br />
This formulation by Heinz Grill says that this is the highest work: It [Remark:The threshold] demands the utmost all of the forces of thinking, feeling and willing, and therefore, for the coming year, a daily, persevering and indispensable effort for truth, differentiation and goal realisation is required. A day without this effort throws the human being back into isolation and lack of relationship.REF<br />
<br />
== Forward-looking hypothesis ==<br />
In summary, it can be said that a person who schools themselves spiritually will encounter the lesser guardian of the threshold at a precisely calculated moment of wisdom. Crossing the threshold and gaining insight into the world of the soul are associated with the high demand of taking full responsibility for one's own actions and thoughts and completely transforming the karmic figure with discipline and perseverance. The lesser guardian of the threshold represents the karma that must be overcome, while the great guardian of the threshold, as a figure of light, points more to the future and represents the divine-spiritual aspect of the human being as a potential to be developed.<br />
<br />
From a spiritual point of view, the whole of humanity today stands at the threshold between the earthly and the spiritual world. In order to overcome this and gain orientation, an exact distinction must be developed between that which is transient and insignificant on one hand and that which is of higher value with a lasting character on the other.<br />
<br />
== References ==</div>Xenjahttps://encyclopaedia-spiritualis.com/index.php?title=Guardian_of_the_Threshold&diff=112Guardian of the Threshold2026-03-09T22:09:28Z<p>Xenja: /* Meaning and concept */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:Machelldweller.jpg|thumb|The Dweller on the Threshold. Painting by Reginald W. Machell (ca. 1895)]] <br />
[[File:Steve Bate Rope Solo Zodiac El Capitan II.jpg|thumb|Climbing often requires overcoming a fear threshold before taking the next step]]<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold is a technical esoteric term and is related to the spiritual development of the individual and of humanity as a whole. The guardian of the threshold guards the threshold to the spiritual world.<br />
<br />
Human development can be progressive, oriented towards spiritual values or ideals, or it can be regressive, directed by desires, passions and dependencies. Human beings repeatedly find themselves caught between these two forces. As long as they do not recognise and overcome the latter, they follow their lower self and cannot cross the boundary into the spiritual world. They must develop insight and discernment in order to cross the boundary.<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold, a rather little-known concept, also encompasses events that every human being is familiar with in one form or another, whether it be overcoming the fear of taking the next step when climbing a difficult section of a mountain, or being confronted with something inevitable due to an external event such as a separation, a conflict, an illness or a death.<br />
<br />
Many such threshold experiences are also conveyed in sacred writings, legends and myths. <br />
<br />
== Meaning and concept ==<br />
In various spiritual movements such as [[A:Theosophy|Theosophy]], the [[A:Rosicrucians|Rosicrucians]], [[W:Archeosophy|Archeosophy]], [[A:Anthroposophy|Anthroposophy]], but also in the [[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]], it is assumed that there is not just one life, but that humans go through several lives or incarnations. The guardian of the threshold is therefore associated with the concept of karma (Sanskrit कर्म, [[W:IAST|IAST]] ''karma'', English "action, activity, work").<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=karma&dir=se ''Search results for "karma".''] ''learnsanskrit.cc''. Retrieved 18 January 2026</ref> Karma, in the sense of a universal law, encompasses the good and bad deeds and thoughts of a past life, which are stored in the human being and initially determine their life to a certain extent.<br />
<br />
The guardian of the threshold is unredeemed karma. The realisation that humans must come to is that they themselves are the cause of their own destiny. On the one hand, the guardian of the threshold is a ghostly, terrifying, but also wise figure. On the other hand, it protects humans from gaining insight into the higher worlds prematurely and unprepared, as this can lead to their downfall.<ref> Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds'', Hudson, N.Y.: Antroposophic Press, p. 185 ff, ISBN 0-88010-372-8. </ref><br />
<br />
== The threshold as a symbol ==<br />
In sacred buildings such as churches, a threshold or door symbolically and architecturally separates the profane or everyday space from the sacred or transcendent sacred space. By crossing the threshold, people are supposed to visualise the transition into a sacred world.<br />
<br />
== Culture and art ==<br />
<br />
=== The novel Zanoni ===<br />
The term "guardian of the threshold" also became known through the novel ''[[Wen:Zanoni|Zanoni]]'' by [[W:Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton|Edward Bulwer-Lytton]] (1803–1873), which is mentioned in theosophy and anthroposophy:<br />
<br />
"Know, at least, that all of us – the highest and the wisest – who have, in sober truth, passed beyond the threshold, have had, as our first fearful task, to master and subdue its grisly and appalling guardian."<br />
<br />
In ''Zanoni'', the guardian appears as a sensually visible figure. According to [[Rudolf Steiner]], the guardian of the threshold can be made visible through low-level magic using incense. He points out the danger of going astray if one encounters one's unredeemed karma in this form without sufficient preparation:<br />
<br />
"However, if we have sufficiently prepared ourselves for higher perception, we no longer need such sense-perceptible props. On the other hand, if we confront our unredeemed karma without adequate preparation, we risk going badly astray."<br />
<br />
=== The mystery play "The Guardian of the Threshold" ===<br />
Rudolf Steiner's four [[A:Rudolf Steiner's Mystery Dramas|mystery plays]] artistically explore the spiritual development of individual human beings. Various effects of fate are explicitly linked to past lives and the concepts of karma and reincarnation.<br />
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The guardian of the threshold, who is associated with the idea of karma, is portrayed in the third mystery drama of the same name. This mystery drama is entitled ''The Guardian of the Threshold''.<br />
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The Guardian speaks in the 7th scene:<br />
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<poem style="margin-left:31px"> "Thou must first part with many of those powers <br />
Which thou hast won when in thine earthly frame. <br />
Out of them all thou canst alone retain<br />
That which by efforts, pure and spiritual,<br />
Thou didst achieve, and which thou hast kept pure."<br />
("Du mußt dich trennen erst von vielen Kräften,<br />
Die du im Erdenleibe dir erworben.<br />
Behalten kannst du doch von ihnen nur,<br />
Was sich in geistig reinem Streben dir<br />
Erschlossen und auch rein verblieben ist.")<br />
</poem><br />
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These statements make it clear that insights into the soul-spiritual worlds depend on overcoming impure forces.<br />
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== Astrology – Saturn as guardian of the threshold ==<br />
[[File:Saturn - High Resolution, 2004, alt crop.jpg|thumb|The planet Saturn as guardian of the threshold in astrology]] <br />
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In astrology, the planet Saturn is associated with the guardian of the threshold. As Liz Greene describes it "Saturn symbolizes a psychic process as well as a quality or kind of experience." He represents pain, restriction and discipline and he symbolizes "the psychic process, natural to all human beings, by which an individual may utilise the experiences of pain, restriction, and discipline as a means for greater consciousness and fulfilment." She furthermore mentions that freedom through self-understanding may be achieved through him (Remark: Saturn/Guardian) alone. <br />
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[[W:Fritz Riemann (psychoanalyst)|Fritz Riemann]] (1902–1979), psychoanalyst and astrologer, understands Saturn in the sense that it gives people reason to deal with necessities, by accepting the inevitable, especially death, and the fears associated with it, and thereby to gain maturity. According to him, the real meaning of Saturn lies in this:<br />
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: "[...] it leads us to barriers of fear, which we can overcome precisely by accepting our fears; then the ''guardian of the threshold'' becomes our surest guide, turning necessity into a turning point."<br />
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== Yoga Vidya's perspective ==<br />
The guardian of the threshold in Yoga Vidya is also interpreted with reference to Saturn. Saturn is considered the last planet in our solar system. It often appears in times of severe trials and confronts us with negative karma that still needs to be worked through.<br />
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In honour of/to honour Saturn, Shani<ref>[https://learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=Saturn&dir=es ''Search results for "Saturn".''] In: ''learnsanskrit.cc.'' Retrieved on 26 December 2025 (English).</ref> (Sanskrit शनि, IAST ''shanaishchara'', English "walking or moving slowly"), the recitation of mantras is customary/common. Psychologically speaking, invoking the blessings of the Saturn deity (Shani Deva) through the hymn [[Y:Shani Stotra|Shani Stotra]] is said to help "discipline the mind, practise renunciation and see the lessons of the divine even in suffering. The Shani Stotra also helps to transform the lower nature."<ref>[https://wiki.yoga-vidya.de/Saturn#Anrufung_des_Shani ''Saturn. Invocation of Shani.''] In: ''yoga-vidya.de.'' Retrieved on 29 November 2025.</ref><br />
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== Bhagavad Gita - the battlefield ==<br />
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[[File:Arjuna_and_karna_in_war,_krishna_as_arjuna_charioter.jpg|thumb|430px|Arjuna and his charioteer Krishna (both on the left) face the enemy army]][[A:Bhagavad Gita|Bhagavad Gita]] (Sanskrit भगवद्गीता, IAST ''bhagavad gītā'') translates as "Song of God". It is considered one of the most important sacred texts of the East. At the beginning of the story, two closely related clans, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, face each other on the battlefield of Kurukshetra (Sanskrit कुरुक्षेत्र, IAST ''kurukṣetra''). Krishna offers to be the charioteer of the hero Arjuna and is given the task of driving between the two opposing camps. When Arjuna discovers his own relatives in the enemy camp, he sees no good in having to fight and kill them. He refuses to fight and, overcome with grief, throws away his weapons. Krishna, who represents the divine self, now begins to enlighten Arjuna about the meaning of life and death.<br />
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Krishna instructs Arjuna that he must fight from the standpoint of a higher view than the one he has been taught:<br />
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But if thou dost not this battle for the right, then hast thou abandoned thy duty and virtue and thy glory, and sin shall be thy portion. <nowiki>https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.274269/page/n38/mode/1up</nowiki> Chapter II Verse 33<br />
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This conflict that arises for Arjuna, between conventional ideas about virtues and truly divine virtues, is called by Heinz Grill "one of the most beautiful episodes about the struggle between an astral guardian of the threshold and an ego."<br />
== Theosophy ==<br />
[[File:Le_Grand_Saint_Michel,_by_Raffaello_Sanzio,_from_C2RMF_retouched.jpg|thumb|Archangel Michael subduing the devil<br>Painting by [[w:Raffael|Raffael]] (1483–1520)]]<br />
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According to theosophical belief, there is also a guardian of the threshold. This guardian is known to humans in many different forms. The following examples are described<div style="margin-left:15px"><br />
* [[A:Kerberos (mythology)|Cerberus]], the hellhound who guards Hades, the entrance to the underworld,<br />
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* the [[A:Archangel Michael|Archangel Michael]], who kills the dragon with his spiritual willpower,<br />
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* the [[A:Snakes#The snake as a symbol of the opposing forces|snake]] that tempts Eve.<br />
</div>All these legends are interpreted as parables that represent a real reality, the knowledge of which is of utmost importance to the seeker of truth. The guardian of the threshold is "...nothing else but our own lower semi-animal, animal or perhaps brutish self, that combination of material and semi-material principles which form the lower ''ego'', which the great majority of men blindly and lovingly hug and caress, because they love themselves. … but when …his self-consciousness begins to become centred in his higher self, the Dweller of the Threshold becomes objective to him and he may be terrified at its (his own) ugliness and deformity." <br />
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== Rosicrucians ==<br />
In Rosicrucian philosophy and their path of training, the encounter with the guardian of the threshold is a requirement that must be overcome before entering higher worlds. A very precise differentiation is made between other forces and the real guardian of the threshold, who is a figure created from one's own past bad deeds and thoughts, which must be transformed by the individual.<br />
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Max Heindel (1865–1919), founder of the Rosicrucian Fellowship, explains: <br />
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"The real "Dweller on the Threshold" is the composite elemental entity created on the invisible planes by all our untransmuted evil thoughts and acts during all the past period of our evolution. This "dweller" stands guard at the entrance to the invisible worlds and challenges our right to enter therein. This entity must be redeemed or transmuted eventually. We must generate poise and will power sufficient to face and command it before we can consciously enter the super-physical worlds."<br />
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== Archeosophy ==<br />
According to the teachings of [[W:Archeosophy|Archeosophy]], ascension to the higher worlds is accompanied by an encounter with the guardian of the threshold (Italian: "Guardiano della soglia"). This encounter with the guardian is described as the most threatening and important experience for those who, in accordance with the esoteric teachings of Greek mythology, strive to perform "initiation tasks" known as the Labours of Hercules. The Labours of Hercules are understood to be twelve extremely difficult tasks that were imposed as penance. <ref>[https://pecunia.zaw.uni-heidelberg.de/NumiScience/die-12-taten-des-herakles ''The 12 Labours of Heracles.''] In: ''NumiScience.'' Retrieved on 7 December 2025.</ref><br />
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According to the founder of archeosophy, [[W:Tommasso Palamidessi|Tommaso Palamidessi]] (1915–1983), there is not only a small and a large guardian of the threshold: "In fact, although there are these two fundamental guardians, there are as many guardians as there are cosmic planes, that is, as many transitions from one world to another." <nowiki><ref></nowiki>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2is7EnKuaE&t=387s ''I guardiani delle soglie e il cammino evolutivo - Quaderno di Archeosofia n.10.''] Min. 6:27–6:41. In: ''Libreria Rotondi'' (YouTube channel). Retrieved on 23 February 2026.<nowiki></ref></nowiki><br />
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== Gospels ==<br />
[[File:Gospel_of_Luke_Chapter_4-6_(Bible_Illustrations_by_Sweet_Media).jpg|link=File:Gospel_of_Luke_Chapter_4-6_(Bible_Illustrations_by_Sweet_Media).jpg|thumb|Illustration of the temptation of Christ - Matthew Chapter 4, Luke Chapter 4-6]]<br />
The guardian of the threshold is not explicitly named in the Gospels. From a spiritual point of view, the image of Jesus on the mountain and his temptation by the devil, as described in the Synoptic Gospels, is equated with the encounter with the guardian of the threshold:<br />
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: …the promise of all external realities, the desire to cling to these outer realities, the temptation to remain attached to matter: in short, the temptation to remain with the guardian of the threshold and not to pass beyond him appears to us in the great Imaginative picture of Christ Jesus standing on the mountain, with the Tempter beside Him…[...] https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA131/English/RSP1973/19111006p01.html retrieved 23 February 2026<br />
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Although not explicitly mentioned by Rudolf Steiner, this is likely to refer to verses 8–11 in chapter 4 of the Gospel of Matthew:<br />
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"Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." 10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him." <ref>https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%204&version=NIV</ref><br />
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The temptation by the adversary is also mentioned in the Gospel according to Mark (Mark 1:12–15) and in the Gospel according to Luke (Luke 4:5–8).<br />
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== Spiritual view of Rudolf Steiner and Heinz Grill ==<br />
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[[File:Great Sphinx of Giza May 2015.JPG|thumb|"In the higher region of the astral plane, the [image of the] sphinx needs to be cast into the abyss before you are able to move ahead."<ref>https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA089/English/CMP2001/19041022p01.html</ref>]]<br />
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In spiritual research, a distinction is made between two guardians of the threshold – the "Little Guardian of the Threshold" and the "Great Guardian of the Threshold". Human beings encounter these two figures, which cannot be perceived with the physical senses, within their development on a spiritual path of training.<br />
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A spiritual path of training involves working on the so-called soul forces: thinking, feeling, and will. These three soul forces are normally intertwined or exist in a very specific relationship.<ref>Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Know Higher Worlds'' p. 176/177</ref> Through targeted exercises, these forces are to be structured and isolated, so that pure thinking develops from thought, sensation rests in pure feeling, and will responds in pure action.<br />
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Heinz Grill describes this process with an image:<br />
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"Just as a painter can recognise both red and blue in a shade of violet, so the practitioner soon recognises the various mixed shades in his consciousness and learns to separate thinking from feeling and feeling in turn from will."<br />
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=== The lesser guardian of the threshold ===<br />
At a certain point in the structuring or separation of the three soul forces, an encounter with the lesser guardian of the threshold takes place. According to Rudolf Steiner, this occurs "when the connecting threads between willing, thinking and feeling within the finer (…) bodies begin to loosen."<ref>Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Attain Knowledge of Higher Worlds'' p. 184.</ref><br />
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The figure of the lesser guardian is not an external person or entity, but rather is inherent in every human being, only initially hidden within each individual, submerged in the body. With progressive development, it detaches itself more from the body and takes on a body-free, metaphysically visible form. This is called the awakening or the encounter with the guardian of the threshold.<br />
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The threshold, which the guardian watches over, is the one between the visible world and the invisible or supernatural world. According to Heinz Grill, the lesser guardian forms the "gateway to the realm of souls, to the realm of the dead or to the realm of the astral heavens." However, humans cannot simply pass through this threshold. <br />
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They need a certain spiritual maturity and moral character for these gates to be opened to them. The threshold is not arbitrary, but a "natural safety precaution", since access to the spiritual worlds without proper preparation leads to hopeless fear and "the consequence would be a fall into the abysmal depths of evil."<ref>Heinz Grill: ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.''<br />
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pp. 12–13.</ref><br />
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The lesser guardian is described as an astral reality consisting of soul substances and being-like, elemental forces. These include a wide variety of feelings, sympathies and antipathies of the mind, tendencies of the senses, drives and subconscious thought patterns. This astral substance acts like a strategic field and determines the individual nature of a destiny. The lesser guardian is also synonymous with karma: "The guardian, however, is not the true nature of the human being, but rather their dual nature or their karmic figure, that form which must be overcome and transformed in life."<ref>Heinz Grill: ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Life Task.'' p. 15.</ref><br />
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This karmic figure is characterised as a ghostly form that reveals itself to the spiritual disciple. This terrifying figure has been formed from the good and bad deeds of past lives and, according to Rudolf Steiner, expresses itself as follows:<br />
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"I myself, if I am not to fall into corruption, must become a perfect and glorious being. For, were I to fall, I would drag you down with me into a dark, corrupted world." <ref>Rudolf Steiner: ‚'How to know….page=186</ref><br />
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=== The great guardian of the threshold ===<br />
After encountering the "Lesser Guardian of the Threshold," from a spiritual perspective, one encounters the "Great Guardian of the Threshold," who is described as having completely different characteristics. In contrast to the ghostly appearance of the lesser guardian, the great guardian appears as a sublime figure of light. It generally marks the transition from the soul world after death to the spiritual world.<br />
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According to Rudolf Steiner, through the encounter with the second guardian of the threshold, the soul „freed in this way from all sensory bonds" acquires the "right of citizenship in the supersensible world," from where the soul may now work. <ref>Rudolf Steiner: ''How to Attain Knowledge of Higher Worlds?'' p 202 Heinz Grill interprets the great guardian as "the living spirit of God, as Christ himself, as the creative ego, as the highest guardian figure who watches over preservation and dissolution, over progress and regression, over a path upwards and a path downwards." <nowiki><ref>Heinz Grill: </nowiki>''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Mission of Life.'' p. 19.</ref><br />
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Heinz Grill interprets the great guardian as "the living spirit of God, as Christ himself, as the creative ego, as the highest guardian figure who watches over preservation and dissolution, over progress and regression, over a path upwards and a path downwards." <ref>Heinz Grill: ''The Guardian of the Threshold and the Mission of Life.'' p. 19.</ref><br />
== The relationship between the lesser and the great guardians of the threshold ==<br />
From a spiritual perspective, these two guardians – the lower self of the human being and their divine, emerging self – face each other in a mutual exchange and struggle.<br />
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The encounter with the guardian is experienced by the individual as very challenging, as described in the Bhagavad Gita:<br />
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"The awakening of the threshold always leads people to despondency and despair, which they must overcome through wisdom and purposeful action."<ref>Heinz Grill: ''Erkenntnisgrundlagen zur Bhagavad Gita.'' 1. Auflage. Stephan Wunderlich Verlag, Sigmaringen 2024, ISBN 978-3-948803-18-6, S.&nbsp;99.</ref><br />
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But if the spirit-striving person approaches the threshold very well prepared, "our experiences at the threshold are then accompanied by a premonition of that bliss which will be the keynote of our newly awakened life." <ref>Rudolf Steiner: ''Wie erlangt man Erkenntnisse der höheren Welten?'' S.&nbsp;203. ([https://odysseetheater.org/GA/Buecher/GA_010.pdf#page=203&view=Fit Online])</ref><br />
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== The significance of the guardian of the threshold for humanity ==<br />
[[File:615px-Arild_Rosenkrantz_-_The_Guardian_-_ca_1930.jpg|310x310px|''The Guardian''<br>Painting by [[A:Arild Rosenkrantz|Arild Rosenkrantz]] (ca. 1930)]]<br />
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On the one hand, an encounter with the guardian of the threshold takes place when the individual consciously strives for spiritual development and trains their soul forces in the sense of a structuring into thinking, feeling and willing. On the other hand, spiritual research relating to the current, so-called fifth post-Atlantean cultural epoch reports that the whole of humanity in its development must go through a certain process of separation of the soul forces – "that a trinity must arise from the chaotic unity," as Rudolf Steiner puts it — and must develop an understanding of this.<br />
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: "In inner experience, though not in outer consciousness, humanity is passing through the region that can also be called a region of the guardian of the threshold."<ref name=":1">https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA202/English/MP1983/19201225p01.html</ref><br />
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Also according to current spiritual research, the vast majority of people are on the threshold:<br />
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In any case, individual human beings today are moving ever closer to a threshold to the spiritual world. This threshold, however, does not let them pass as easily as one might think. <ref name=":0">Heinz Grill: [https://heinz-grill.de/2023-menschliche-schoepferkraft/ ''Jahresausblick auf 2023 – Teil 3.''] In:&nbsp;''Beiträge zu einem Neuen Yogawillen.'' Abgerufen am 29.&nbsp;November 2025.</ref><br />
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According to Heinz Grill, this threshold that humanity is approaching is reflected in the fact that today, from a spiritual perspective, people want to enter into creative activity, research wisdom themselves and to implement ideals, that means they want to cross the threshold.<br />
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However, crossing the line is opposed by the guardian, as humans must first dissolve their attachments and karmic entanglements.<br />
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Furthermore, they must develop the ability to distinguish between what are truly lasting spiritual values and what, in contrast, are still immature ideas, such as a false concept of God or love, or attachments.<br />
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By distinguishing between attachment and karma on the one hand, and lasting values or ideals on the other, so between the forces of the lesser guardian and the greater guardian, people can align themselves towards union with the greater guardian. <ref name=":02" /><br />
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This formulation by Heinz Grill says that this is the highest work: It [Remark:The threshold] demands the utmost all of the forces of thinking, feeling and willing, and therefore, for the coming year, a daily, persevering and indispensable effort for truth, differentiation and goal realisation is required. A day without this effort throws the human being back into isolation and lack of relationship.REF<br />
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== Forward-looking hypothesis ==<br />
In summary, it can be said that a person who schools themselves spiritually will encounter the lesser guardian of the threshold at a precisely calculated moment of wisdom. Crossing the threshold and gaining insight into the world of the soul are associated with the high demand of taking full responsibility for one's own actions and thoughts and completely transforming the karmic figure with discipline and perseverance. The lesser guardian of the threshold represents the karma that must be overcome, while the great guardian of the threshold, as a figure of light, points more to the future and represents the divine-spiritual aspect of the human being as a potential to be developed.<br />
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From a spiritual point of view, the whole of humanity today stands at the threshold between the earthly and the spiritual world. In order to overcome this and gain orientation, an exact distinction must be developed between that which is transient and insignificant on one hand and that which is of higher value with a lasting character on the other.<br />
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== References ==</div>Xenja