Hatha yoga has its own page since that is my personal background.Here is the link for more information onHatha Yoga.
Fountain of Youth Exercises
RITE #1 The first rite is done for the express purpose of speeding up the vortexes. Stand erect with arms outstretched, horizontal to the floor, with palms open and facing down. Now, spin around until you become slightly dizzy. One thing is important: you must spin from left to right. In other words, if you were to put a clock on the floor face-up, you would turn in the same direction as the clock hands. Work up to twelve times.
Interim breathing. Hands on hips, take a full deep breath through your nose and breathe to your diaphragm. Exhale through the mouth with your lips pursed in an "O" and repeat this once.
RITE #2 Lie flat on a padded floor, face up, flat on your back. Fully extend your arms along your sides with the palms of your hands against the floor, keeping the fingers close together. Inhale through the nose as you raise your head off the floor, tucking the chin against the chest. At the same time lift your legs, knees straight, into a vertical position. If possible, let the legs extend back over the body toward the head, but do not let the knees bend. As you exhale through the nose, slowly lower both the head and the legs, knees straight, to the floor. Allow all of the muscles to relax, and then repeat the rite. Between repetitions, while you're allowing the muscles to relax, continue breathing in the same rhythm. The more deeply you breathe, the better. If you are unable to keep the knees perfectly straight, then let them bend as much as necessary. But as you continue to perform the rite, attempt to straighten them as much as you possibly can. (12 x) Take two interim breaths while standing.
RITE # 3 Kneel on a rug placing hands on the back of the thighs just under the buttocks. Kneeling upright, take a deep breath through the nose and bend your chin to your chest then bring your head back as far as it will go as you lean backward as far as possible. As you exhale through the nose, bring the head up along with the body straightening the spine. Lean forward again and start the rite all over. (12 x) Take two interim breaths while standing.
RITE # 4 First sit down on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you and your feet about 12 inches apart. With the trunk of the body of erect, place the palms of your hands on the floor alongside the buttocks, fingers together facing forward. Inhale as you tuck the chin forward against the chest. Now drop the head backward as far as it will go. At the same time, raise your body so that the knees bend while the arms remain straight. The trunk of the body will be in a straight line with the upper legs horizontal to the floor. And both the arms and lower legs will be straight up and down, perpendicular to the floor. Then, tense every muscle in the body. Finally relax your muscles as you return to the original sitting position and rest before repeating the procedure. Again breathing is important to this rite. Breathe in deeply as you raise up the body. Hold in your breath as you tense the muscles. And breathe out completely as you come down. Continue breathing in the same rhythm as long as you rest between repetitions. (12x) Take two interim breaths while standing.
RITE # 5 Face down to the floor., supported by the hands, palms down against the floor and the toes in a flexed position. Throughout this rite the hands and feet should each be spaced about two feet apart, and the arms and legs should be kept straight. Start with your arms perpendicular to the floor and the spine arched so that the body is in a sagging position. Now throw the head back as far as possible. Then bending at the hips, bring the body up into an inverted "V". At the same time, bring the chin forward, tucking it against the chest. That's all there is to it. Return to the original position, and start the rite all over again. By the end of the first week, the average person will find this rite one of the easiest to perform. Once you become proficient at it, let the body drop from the raised position to a point almost, but not quite, touching the floor. Tense the muscles for a moment both at the raised point, and at the low point. Follow the same deep breathing pattern used in the previous rites. Breathe in deeply as you raise the body. Breathe out fully as you lower it. (12x) Take two interim breaths while standing.
After one month of performing these rites daily, you may increase numbers 2 through 5 21 times each. Do not perform the spinning (#1) any more than twelve times no matter how many years you perform the rest of these rites. It does not increase their effectiveness and there is a very slight chance you can disrupt your energy in the inner ear. Disclaimer: Please contact your healthcare provider before beginning any wellness routine. This information in nont intended to replace standard health care.
Subtle energy balancing forms of therapy exist in almost every culture. Two forms are Qi gong of China and oriental breathing exercises of Japan and of the Tao philosophy theory base. These forms facilitate personal vital energy or qi(also prana) balance. Usually the descriptions of the balancing process incorporate the theory base of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)(see my link on energy wellness techniques for more information on TCM). The qi is thought to be stuck, deficient, or in excess along the energy pathways or meridians of the body. The controlled systematic movements performed with concentration or even in real time meditation(see my energy wellness techniques link for a description of meditation) work to align the body energies that travel through the meridians.
The movements were developed by mimicking the animals that people considered to be long-lived and graceful. For example, some of the names of the exercises in qi gong and oriental breathing exercises are: tiger; deer;bear;monkey; crane; turtle.
Basically with these forms of healing you perform gentle movements slowly and deliberately while breathing in a slow, deep, regular fashion. Please do not push yourself. When you feel tired, stop. If you need to, start the exercises in a modified fashion, as you need to. Start with a short period and work your way up to a full session. Since most of us do not breathe deeply from the abdomen, we need to start slowly and work up in short increments. With regular practice you will find that these movements will bring you optimal health in the same way that self-pranic healing does.
Presently many qi gong videos exist. I recommend Qi gong Ken Cohen, as a good beginning and intermediate tape.
In response to reader query about psychic development videotapes, I have found that the video,Develop psychic ability now, is very helpful. This tape can be found at www.dicksutphen.com
References
Chang, S. (1995). The complete system of self-healing internal exercises. San Francisco,CA: Tao Publishing.
Nakamura, T. (1981). Oriental breathing therapy. Tokyo: Japan Publications, Inc.