Pranayama

1. Surya Anuloma Viloma Pranayama

Sthiti: Vajrasana

PRACTICE

• Adopt Nasika mudra with your right hand.
• Close the left nostril with the little and ring fingers of Nasika mudra.
• Inhale and exhale slowly through the right nostril (Surya Nadi) only.
• Keep the left nostril closed all the time during the practice.
• One cycle of inhalation and exhalation forms one round.
• Practice nine rounds.

2. Chandra Anuloma Viloma Pranayama

Sthiti: Vajrasana

PRACTICE

• Adopt Nasika mudra with your right hand.
• Close the right nostril with the tip of the thumb.
• Inhale and exhale slowly through the left nostril (Candra Nadi) only.
• Keep the right nostril closed all the time during the practice.
• One cycle of inhalation and exhalation forms one round.
• Practice nine rounds.

Benefits

Physical: These Pranayamas help in clearing of the nasal passages. With regular and long practice, flow of breath through each of the nostrils becomes smooth and slow.

Therapeutic: It is very useful for nasal allergy and Deviated Nasal Septum (DNS). Suryanuloma-Viloma helps in reducing the obesity effectively and Chandranuloma-Viloma helps in increasing weight. For specific significant improvement, the recommended schedule is to have twenty-seven rounds of this Pranayama four times a day (before breakfast, lunch, dinner and before going to bed). Systematic practice of right or left nostril Pranayama has benefited large number of obese and underweight persons respectively to achieve normal weight.

3. Nadishuddhi Pranayama

Sthiti: Vajrasana

PRACTICE

► Sit in any meditative posture.

• Adopt Nasika mudra.
• Close the right nostril with the right thumb and exhale completely through the (left) nostril. Then inhale deeply through the same left nostril.
• Close the left nostril with your ring and little finger of the Nasika mudra, release the right nostril. Now exhale slowly and completely through the right nostril.
• Inhale deeply through the same (right) nostril. Then close the right nostril and exhale through the left nostril. This is one round of Nadi shuddhi Pranayama.
• Repeat nine rounds.

Benefits

Physical: It promotes balance between the two nostrils apart from cleansing the nasal tract. It increases the vitality. Metabolic rate decreases as in case of all other Pranayama prctices. It increases the digestive fire.

Therapeutic: It lowers the levels of stress and anxiety by harmonising the Prana. It balances the sympathetic and parasympathetic sections of the ANS.

4. Bhramari Pranayama

PRACTICE

• Sit in any meditative or comfortable posture
• Assume Chinmudra
• Inhale deeply.
• Exhaling, produce a low pitched sound resembling the humming of a female bee.
• Feel the vibrations in the entire head.
• This is one round, Repeat nine rounds.

Benefits: Relieves stress and tension, reduces anger, anxiety, insomnia and blood pressure. Good for all psychosomatic problems as it reduces the stresses and tension.

CLEANSING BREATH (KAPALBHATI KRIYA)

Sthiti: Dandasana

• Sit in any meditative posture.
• Keep spine and neck erect perfectly vertical to the ground.
• Close the eyes and collapse the shoulders.
• Relax the whole body completely.

Practice

• Practice rapid breathing with active and forceful exhalation and passive inhalation.
• During each exhalation, exhale out the air by vigorous flapping movements of the abdomen in quick succession at the rate of 60 strokes per minute.
• Inhale passively by relaxing the abdominal muscles at the end of each exhalation.
• Now observe an automatic suspension of breath. Simultaneously the mind may experience a deep state of silence. Enjoy this state of deep rest and freshness.
• Wait until the breathing comes back to normal.

Benefits

Physical: Stimulates the brain cells, brightens the face with regular practice. It balances and strengthens the nervous system. It removes the drowsiness / tamas from the body.It provides a nice massage to all the abdominal organs. People with digestive problems are highly benefited. It cleanses the lungs and also the entire respiratory tract. It is good for asthmatics and for other respiratory disorders.

Limitations

Practice of Kapalabhati is to be avoided in case of moderate and severe High Blood Pressure Ischemic Heart Disease, Vertigo, Epilepsy, Hernia, Gastric Ulcer, Slip Disc and Spondylosis. Women during menses and advanced stage of pregnancy should avoid.

Dhyana (Meditation)

It helps for coping with stress, reduces anxiety, heart rhythm, Improved flow of air to the lungs, decreased high blood pressure, depression, irritability and moodiness, Improves comprehensive ability and memory, Enhances emotional stability, Brings happiness and leads to vitality and rejuvenation, Promotes an interdependence between mind, body, and spirit, Creates sense of well being and calm, Dhyan dissolves the ego of a person when the union between a person’s own consciousness and the cosmic consciousness happens.