JOIN USPranayama can improve the working of internal organs, discard harmful toxins and infuse vitality in our stressful lives, writes Hema Anand
The yoga legend BKS Iyengar once said, “Breath is the king of the mind.” And he was 100 per cent right. Just as the practice of asanas in yoga helps to maintain the good health of the body, pranayama (techniques of breathing) keeps the mind stable and body free from toxins and thrives on the principle of making the mind and the body one. Pranayama is a part of yoga and is the fourth step in the ashtang yoga system of Patanjali. Derived from two Sanskrit words, ‘prana’ which means vital or life energy and ‘ayama’ which means to extend or control, pranayama is the control or regulation of the ‘prana’ or life energy through breathing.
The benefits of pranayama are aplenty. First and foremost, it helps you focus on one of the most important processes of life: breathing. Practising these exercises will allow you to breathe more slowly and deeply. This lowers the blood pressure, calms down frazzled nerves and improves the blood circulation to a huge extent. Further, it improves the working of heart, kidneys, lungs and intestine and strengthens the immune system. It also shows on your skin by giving it a beautiful glow and adds years to your life.
Pranayama should be learnt under the guidance of a qualified and able teacher, so that the techniques are done properly in specific order. Though the best time to practice pranayama is in the morning, it can be done at any convenient time on an empty stomach (two hour gap after a meal) and should be practised in a clean environment with comfortable clothing.
The following techniques of pranayama must be done in the order mentioned and must be practiced while sitting with an erect back, eyes closed. Remember to breathe only through the nostrils.
Being free
First and foremost, clean your nasal tracts. Follow a method called ‘nasika dhouti’. Take a tissue, close the right nostril and take a deep breath through the left nostril. Then breathe out in short spells with force and pressure. The same should be repeated by closing the left nostril. Repeat the process with both your nostrils open. After this, begin with the stimulating pranayamas explained below:
Simple kapalabhati: Breathe out without much force and pressure and breathe in passively (happens automatically), for 30-40 strokes, for three rounds with sufficient gap to relax in between rounds.
Simple bhastrika pranayama: Breathe in and out without exerting force in a rhythmic mode, for 30-40 strokes, for three rounds with sufficient gap to relax in between rounds.
Kapalabhati pranayama: Breathe out with force and pressure, drawing back the abdomen with every breath going out. Pause momentarily and repeat
for 15-20 strokes, for three rounds, relaxing in between.
Bhastrika pranayama: Breathe in and out with force and pressure and squeeze the facial muscles too. Do it for 25-30 strokes for three rounds with enough relaxation in between.
Bhastrika second stage: Fist your hands here, with the thumb enclosed by the forefingers and the knuckles side touching the chest, just below the shoulder level. As you breathe in (with force and pressure), throw the hands upwards, stretching the fingers open and stiff. Immediately breathe out with force and pressure bringing the hands back down in the above mentioned fisted position. This should be done in rapid succession for 15-20 strokes, repeating for three rounds with sufficient relaxation in between rounds. Care should always be taken to use effort and force according to one’s own comfort. If you have any cardiac issues, go easy on the pressure. The above pranayamas aid oxygen saturation by reducing carbon dioxide retention, induce efficient functioning of the respiratory system, expel toxins and induce the pituitary gland to release healthy chemicals in the body, help in weight loss, reducing lethargic nature.
After doing the above mentioned pranayamas, the following relaxing pranayamas should be done everyday:
Savitri pranayama: This pranayama should be done in a sitting position with a straight back, with or without support. At first, observe the breathing function without consciously breathing with effort. Next, breathe in deeply and slowly, trying to voluminously breathe to the maximum and also reducing the speed of the movement of the breath to the minimum. Hold the breath for a considerable period and then, using the mind to control the speed to the minimum, breathe out completely. Hold the breath again for a considerable period of time, taking care not to strain yourself. This four-part breathing exercise helps to maintain a proper balance in the mind and body, control over emotional reactions and helps to regulate body weight, heat and cold, and also marks the beginning of our inward journey. During menstrual cycles, don’t hold your breath, just focus on the in and out breathing.
Naadi-shudhi pranayama: Keep the left hand in ‘gnana mudra’, use the right hand thumb to close the right nostril and middle finger to close the left nostril.
Using the mind to control speed, deeply breathe in through the left nostril, hold the breath in closing both nostrils, gently and slowly breathe out through the right nostril, hold the breath out without closing both nostrils, then deeply breathe in through the right, hold the breath in closing both nostrils, gently and slowly, using the mind to control the speed, breathe out through the left. This completes one round. Repeat for 10-15 rounds, consciously using the mind to control the breathing.
All the above mentioned pranayamas will take about half an hour of your time but the benefits are enormous. So, get started and usher in a new beginning in your life with these life-altering exercises.