Yoga and its Relevance in the Modern Times

P ranayama Prana refers to the ‘vital force’ and ayama means to restraint. Prana is the vital energy without which the body would not survive. Pranayama is a breathing technique by which breath regulates and controls the prana . It helps to improve the control over autonomic respiratory mechanisms through breathing patterns that generate energy and enhance emotional stability.

Some of the breathing practices are mentioned here. Phases of Pranayama : Puraka, Rechaka and Kumbhaka •• Puraka : In puraka , inhalation is very gentle and deep with full awareness. This helps the chest to expand more in its clavicular (upper) region, coastal (middle and lower) region, from front to back and also sideways. This expansion creates more inner space allowing more inflow of air into lungs.

At the same time, diaphragm contracts more and moves down towards abdominal cavity to the maximum. In this process, muscles of the front wall in abdominal cavity and the perineal region are under pressure to move outwards and downwards respectively. •• Kumbhaka means retention of breath inside or outside. Kumbhaka performed along with bandhas ( Mulabandha, Uddiyanabandha and Jalandharbandha ) helps in the process of metabolism and assists in more efficient exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.

Through regulated breathing, Kumbhaka ensures sufficient supply of oxygen and thus helps the brain to work efficiently. •• Rechaka : Rechaka assists in more efficient releasing of carbon dioxide. The duration of rechaka is supposed to be double of puraka . The process of rechaka starts at the end of kumbhaka , when bandhas are released.

In the process of rechaka , diaphragm is pushed upwards towards the cavity of chest making the chest to contract. Slow and prolonged exhalation prescribed for rechaka helps in completely pushing the carbon dioxide out of lungs. Yogic Deep Breathing There are three types of breathing: •• Abdominal •• Thoracic •• Clavicular Combination of all three types of breathing becomes yogic deep breathing. Technique .

Sit in a comfortable posture. Activity . Students can check their breath holding time and maintain a record book (mentioning the time of hold) to collect one month data with of their physical and mental experiences. .

Inhale: Deep, slow and long intake of oxygen with the combination of three types of breathing. (During inhalation, first the abdomen comes out and diaphragm has tened moves the chest cavity outward and upward and in the last air fills clavicular region (collar bone) and it moves upward. . Exhale: Repeat the whole procedure in reverse manner.

. Repeat the same practice four to five times. Nadishodhana Pranayama Nadishodhana means to purify the nadis . Nadishodhana pranayama is also known as anuloma-viloma .

Viloma means produced in the reverse order. This variety gets its name from the fact that the nostrils are alternatively used during each inhalation and exhalation in this pranayama . •• Sit in any comfortable meditative posture. •• Keep the head and spine erect.

•• Close the eyes. •• Pay attention to the breath. •• Place the hands on their respective knees. •• Adopt nasagran mudra of the right hand and jnana mudra of the left hand.

•• Close the right nostril with the thumb. •• Inhale through the left nostril and exhale through the right nostril, keeping the respiration rate slow, deep and silent. •• Inhale through the right nostril again. •• Exhale through the left nostril, keeping the respiration rate slow, deep and silent.

Fig. . : Nadishodhana pranayama •• Keep the ratio of : between inhalation and exhalation. •• Avoid producing any sound from the nose.

•• Avoid pressing hard on the nostrils. •• Calms and steadies the mind, improves focus and concentration. •• Improves blood supply to the brain. •• Balances the left and right hemispheres and promotes clear thinking.

•• Benefits in following conditions—asthma, allergies, high or low blood pressure, stress-related heart conditions, hyperactivity, insomnia, chronic pain, endocrine imbalances and psychological conditions as anxiety, stress, etc. Ujjayi Pranayama •• Sit in padmasana or siddhasana . •• Close the mouth. Contract the region at the back of the throat, inhale slowly through both the nostrils in smooth and uniform manner till the breath fills the space from the throat to the heart.

•• During inhalation, a peculiar sound is produced owing to the partial closing of glottis. •• This sound should be of mild and uniform pitch. •• It should be continuous also. •• Expand the chest while inhaling.

•• Slowly exhale through the left nostril. Fig. . : Ujjayi pranayama •• Breathing should be deep, slow and long.

•• Do not make harsh sound during inhalation. •• Ujjayi pranayama removes heat from the head and keeps it cool. •• It removes phlegm in the throat and prevents all sorts of pulmonary diseases. •• It prevents diseases caused by deficient inhalation of oxygen and cardiac diseases.

•• Regular practice of this pranayama defends the practitioner from diseases of phlegm, degeneration, dyspepsia, dysentery, enlarged spleen, cough or fever.