Pranayama : Powerful Breathing & Calming Exercise
For Good Health & Steady
Mind
Prana in
Sanskrit ( ancient Indian language ) is the universal principle of energy. It is all pervading and vital for life.
It is found in all forms of life, in human beings, in animals & also in plant life.
Prana shines in our eyes. It is through prana that our ears hear, the eyes see, the
nose smells & the brain functions. It is prana that does digestion, excretion and secretion.
Prana is spent by thinking, moving, talking, writing etc. A healthy man has
abundance of prana or nerve-energy or vitality. The prana is supplied by food, water, air, solar energy etc. The
supply of prana is taken up by the nervous system. The prana is absorbed by breathing. The excess of prana is
stored in the brain and nerve centres.
Pranayama is a control of Prana and the vital forces of body.
It is a regulation of breath. The aim of Pranayama is the control of breath.
Pranayama though it concerns with the breath, gives good exercise for the various
internal organs and the whole body. Pranayama bestows good health and a steady mind.
How to do
Pranayama?
Sit in a chair with chest, neck and head in one vertical line. Do not bend your body
either forwards or backwards. You can sit in Padmasan or Siddhasan also. You must experience joy & pleasure in
doing the same. You should not feel any undue strain. Always inhale & exhale slowly.
Whenever you feel uneasy, depressed or dejected practice pranayama. It is a sure way
to feel refreshed.
1) Equal Breathing Pranayama:
Stand erect in a relaxed comfortable position, with feet apart. This practice can be
done in a sitting position also. Inhale slowly and continuously in a relaxed manner to a count that is comfortable.
(You can count silently in mind 1001, 1002 & 1003 etc. One can initially begin counting 1001 & 1002. Later,
after practice one can go upto 1003 or more).
As soon as the inhalation is complete start exhalation in the same manner, keeping
the same count as above i.e. equalize inhalation & exhalation.
Concentrate on the gentle uninterrupted long flow of the breath. Do this practice for
10 rounds.
2) Alternate Nostril Pranayama:
Sit in a comfortable position. Exhale fully. Close right nostril with your thumb and
inhale slowly through your left nostril. Close left nostril with index finger and exhale through right nostril.
Inhale through right nostril. Close the right nostril and exhale through the left nostril.
Continue this pattern for 10 rounds. For the next round start with the opposite
nostril. (I.e. inhale through right nostril).
Benefits:
Appetite is improved. Energy level improves. Concentration improves. Mind becomes one
pointed.
It is important to avoid stress in performing pranayama.
Generally, a healthy individual is able to inhale about 500 ml of air per inhalation.
A deep breath can amount to upto 3000 ml of air inhalation which is 6 times the normally inhaled air.
Each individual has different capacity of inhalation which can be substantially
improved with the practice of Pranayama.
By Pradeep
Mahajan
(Disclaimer: Consult your doctor before practising pranayama, if you
are suffering from any heart ailment / high blood pressure or nervous
disorders).
Last updated : Jan 5,
2010
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