KUNDALINI YOGA

This system of yoga is concerned with awakening of the psychic centers or chakras, which exists in every individual. (Please refer to the figure)There are six main chakras in the human beings.

The mind is made up of different subtle layers. Each of these layers progressively are associated with the higher levels of consciousness. Each of these levels are related to the different chakra or psychic center located throughout the psychic body. There are no of other chakras apart from the six main, which are associated with planes below the human level. In all we have chakras that connect us to animal levels of mind, to the instinctive realms of being or to the sublime heights of consciousness.

In Kundalini Yoga, higher-level chakras are awakened and also the activities associated with these higher psychic centers.

The basic method of awakening involves deep concentration on these chakras and forcing their arousal. Asanas, pranayama, mudra and bandha and other forms of Yoga such as Mantra Yoga are also used to stimulate the awakenin

ARYA YOGA SERIES 1

आर्य योग आपको नमस्कार करता है

asana series -1

ध्यान आसन
सीद्धासन
पद्मासन
भद्रासन
मुक्तासन
वज्रासन
स्वस्तिकासन 

Basic yoga asanas for intestinal problems

There are several digestive disorders that can be caused by intestinal problems. There are several yoga asanas that can help cleanse different parts of the digestive system, including the intestines, such as:

• Uttana Padasana (The Extended Love Pose)
• Parsarita Padotanasana (The Standing Straddled Forward Bend Pose)
• Tadasana (The Mountain Pose)

Before practicing any of the yoga postures mentioned above, it is important for a person to learn about the strengths and limitations of his or her body and then practice accordingly. If the body is pushed beyond a point, it could have several harmful effects on the body. Therefore, even the easiest or basic exercises, like basic yoga asanas for stomach reduction should be practiced under the guidance of a qualified teacher. It is always advisable to undergo a detailed physical exam before taking up any form of yoga.

The most dangerous fat, in the human body is contained in the region of abdomen, in the organs and deep within the belly. Abdominal fat works differently from fat elsewhere in the body. For one thing, it has a greater blood supply. Besides, it also has more receptors for cortisol, a stress hormone. Throughout the day, Cortisol levels are rising and falling within the body as a natural course of action. However under constant stress, the amount of Cortisol produced remains high.

As a result of wrong lifestyle wrong eating habits and high stress - and, consequently, high cortisol levels - more and more fat settles down in the abdominal area. This is because there are more Cortisol receptors here. TheseYoga poses and exercises will definitely help you get rid of that intra-abdominal fat. In the process they will also help you bring down your risk for some chronic illnesses.

• Pavanamuktasana - Wind Relieving Pose
• Bhujangasana - Cobra Pose
• Dhanurasana - Bow Pose
• Paschimottanasana - Seated hands to feet pose
• Uddiyana Bandha - Stomach Lift, Abdominal Lift
• Dandayamana-Dhanurasana- Standing Bow Pulling Pose

Also try and practice Surya Namaskar as often as possible. It is best done in the early mornings, since the morning and evenings the sun tends to radiate more ultraviolet rays. Even in the Western world, medical practitioners are making use of suns rays as a powerful therapeutic agent. This is more so in the treatment of diseases. is a flowing process of Yoga poses and breathing techniques. It helps burn abdominal fat, lends elasticity to the spine and limbs while enhancing breathing capacity.

Essentially, Surya Namaskar consists of twelve spinal positions. Each one stretches a variety of ligaments and gives different movements to your spinal column. This is because it is bent, alternatively, forward and backward with deep breathing.

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Basic Yoga Asanas For Reducing Stomach Fat

Getting rid of the fat in the abdominal area is generally more difficult than losing weight on some of the other parts of the body. Stomach fat can also increase, because of high levels of stress. Many people struggle with the battle of the bulge, with the help of diets and exercises, but unfortunately, most are unsuccessful. There are certain basic yoga asanas for stomach fat reduction, which can help pre-menopausal and post menopausal women get rid of that fat that has been deposited in the abdomen. These poses can also help reduce the risks of several other medical problems. Some of the most common basic yoga asanas for stomach fat loss are:

• Surya Namaskaar (Sun Salutation)
• Bhujangasana (The Cobra Pose)
• Sarvangasana (The Shoulder Standing Pose)
• Pawan Mukhtasana (The Wind Relieving Pose)
• Uttanasana (The Forward Bending Pose)
• Dhanurasana (The Bow Pose)

The yoga poses mentioned above can be quite effective in getting leaner and flat abs. Therefore, they can also be regarded as basic yoga asanas for the abs. Practicing the Pranayama, which includes a series of breathing techniques, is also very useful in burning abdominal fat. Basic yoga pranayama for the stomach is therefore an important addition to the practice of yoga asanas for stomach fat.

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मेघना

आये हो पहाड़ो से
सूखे हुए शहर को
ठंडक पहुँचाने ।
जज्बातों की लू चल रही है
सड़को और विरानो में ।
लुका छिपी का खेल ना खेलना
बादलो के झरोखे से ।
प्यासा पथिक भटक रहा है
पोंछते माथे के पसीने को ।
आस भरे नयनो से देखता जब वो
गरज -गरज जाते हो जोर से ।
पर बूंद भी ना गिरता जब स्नेह का
लौट कर आ के अपने दरबे पे
वो सोचता है ......................!
अब की बार जब भी आना
स्नेह कण की पावस लाकर
जरूर बरसाना मेघना ।

The Forward Posture, Forward Bend Posture, Hands-and-Feet Posture (Padahastasana)

We will describe this posture in a modified manner incorporating visualization and relaxation. Executing yoga postures are like meditation. If you execute it with full awareness, relaxation and visualization, you can get the maximum benefit out of it.


Technique


Breathe normally as you stand with feet solidly on the ground. Allow all muscles to relax. Close your eyes. Be aware of your body. Feel the sensations associated with the contact of your feet with the floor.
Visualize the posture you are going to practice. This is a form of mental tuning.
Inhale, then exhale while you slowly bend forward. Lean forward until you can touch your knees, calves, ankles, or feet. Do the movement slowly and in a relaxed manner. From the start to the final position, the movement should be slow, fluid, continuous, and mindful. Do not force the stretch. Remain bent over for approximately five seconds, or as long as feels comfortable, while holding onto that part of your body as you gently breathe into your back.
Do not bounce up and down. Allow yourself to bend over farther after your breath has helped your back muscles to stretch out. You may feel some trembling in your body. Allow that trembling to happen. Practice with full awareness and concentration, moment to moment.
Be aware of the sensations and the feelings the posture develops in different parts of your body, especially in the areas of your back and legs. Feel the movement of your belly.
Concentrate on a focal point of this posture. This can be your hamstring muscle, muscles of your back, the first chakra, relaxation aspect of your muscle, or a spiritual aspect such as visualizing humility. Just relax into the posture. Be aware of your feelings and sensations.
Inhale. Return to an upright position by bending your knees slightly and stacking your vertebrae up one at a time. Let your head be the last part of your body to come back into position. Be aware of and feel the changes in your position and in your spine as you slowly straighten to an erect position. Be aware of the sensations in your body and muscles. Relax.
Repeat two to four times.
Benefits


The forward posture stimulates organs and glands in the abdominal region, such as the kidneys, liver and pancreas.
It tones the abdominal muscles and stretches the hamstring muscles of the thighs.
It is very beneficial for cases of constipation, low back pain and sciatica In fact, this posture is a specific for constipation.

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The Plough Posture (Halasana)

This is one of the basic yoga postures.

Technique

While in the reverse posture, bring both legs over your head until the toes touch the floor behind your head. Try to keep your knees straight. Stretch the hands out towards your feet.
Breathe slowly and deeply from the abdomen and concentrate on the spine, especially where you feet the stretch taking place. Stay in this posture for about one minute.
To come out of the posture, just slowly uncurl the spine. Don't worry if you can't straighten your knees. In fact if you're a beginner, it will be virtually impossible for you to do this unless you do it later in the day. As the weeks go by, your spine will become more flexible and you will eventually be able to straighten your knees.
Benefits

This is the best posture for making the spine flexible. It stretches the spine as no other exercise can, opening up the spinal discs and stretching most of the spinal muscles and ligaments. This makes this posture very beneficial if you suffer from back or neck stiffness or arthritis in these areas. It also prevents these conditions. Since this posture rejuvenates the spine, and because the spinal nerves go to all parts of the body, it helps to rejuvenate the whole body.
It benefits the thyroid gland, liver and spleen, stretches and pulls the vertebrae.
Good for people suffering from stiffness, obesity, muscular rheumatism, enlarged liver and spleen, constipation, indigestion, and arthritis.
Time:

Retain the posture for five seconds at first. Gradually increase to four minutes by adding five seconds per week. Repeat from two to four times, adding one time every fourteen days.

Caution:

If you have not flexed up with other exercises before, do not attempt right away the final stages of this posture unless you have a naturally very flexible spine. Otherwise, do not try to touch the floor with the toes for a few days. Do not force the toes any lower than the spine will allow comfortably. Otherwise, you will injure the right muscle and the pain may last a few weeks! Please be very careful.

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The Reverse Posture (Viparitakarani Mudra)

The yoga asanas or postures are supposed to give strength, while mudras or gestures are supposed to give balance and steadiness.

According to yoga, within the human body, "The sun dwells at the root of the naval (the solar plexus) and the moon at the root of the palate," In the reverse posture the position is reversed and the sun is raised above the moon.

Technique


Lie on your back. Raise your legs and back, supporting your body by placing your hands under your hips. Make sure your legs are vertical and your toes pointed.
Close your eyes. Breathe slowly and deeply from the abdomen and concentrate on the gonads (sex glands). In the male, these are in the testis, and in the female in the ovaries. Stay in this position for about two minutes.
Benefits


This posture is known as the restorer of youth and vitality. It is supposed to keep the glands, organs, and skin in a youthful condition, to banish premature wrinkles, and prevent untimely ageing.
The reverse posture produces optimum functioning of the sex glands.
It has a beneficial effect on the thyroid gland.
It produces vitality and rejuvenation due to stimulation of the sex glands and the thyroid gland.
This posture is especially recommended for women who suffer from female disorders, irregular or painful periods and physical or mental discomforts during menopause. It restores the manly vigor.
According to the yogis, this posture prevents premature ageing and removes facial wrinkles. The headstand and shoulder stand also have this effect.
Time

At first, keep this posture for a few seconds at a time, gradually increasing its duration to about ten minutes.

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The Shoulder Stand (Sarvangasana)

Next to the headstand, this posture is considered one of the best asanas. It is often seen being practiced in many gymnasiums, beauty salons, and health clubs. But without the deep breathing with this exercise, it does not have much therapeutic value and will not be considered a yoga posture.

This asana is sometimes called a "candle" because the body is kept straight as a candle in this posture.



This asana is equally important for both men and women. It can be tried by persons of all age levels.

Technique


Lie flat on your back. Inhale deeply while raising your legs and spine until the toes point to the ceiling.
The body rests on the shoulders and the back of the neck. The body is supported by the hands, which are placed on the center of the spine between the waist and the shoulder blades. Keep your spine and legs straight.
Breathe slowly and deeply with the abdomen and concentrate on the thyroid gland. On a male, the thyroid gland is located behind the adams apple. For women, it is located in the same area which is a few inches above the sternal notch (hollow of the neck where the neck joins the rest of the body.) or approximately half way up the neck from the sternal notch. Stay in this position for about two minutes.
To come out of this posture, just bend your knees, curve your back and slowly return to lying on the floor while exhaling. First bend your knees, put the palms on the floor, then curving the spine, gradually unfold it the way one unrolls a carpet. When your entire back touches the floor, straighten the knees, take a deep breath and slowly lower your legs to the ground while breathing out.
If you wish, you may go straight into the next posture (the 'reverse posture') instead of lying down.
Benefits


The main benefit of the shoulder stand is to get the thyroid gland working at peak efficiency. It's the thyroid gland which is mainly responsible for your correct weight and youthful appearance.
The shoulder stand also regulates the sex glands.
It vitalizes the nerves, purifies the blood and promote good circulation, strengthens the lower organs and helps them to stay in place.
It gives a healthy stretch to the neck muscles.
It is beneficial for people suffering from poor circulation, constipation, indigestion, asthma and reduced virility.
This pose is especially recommended for women after childbirth and for those suffering from painful menstruation, other female disorders, and seminal weakness.
The Sanskrit name for this posture sarvangasana means 'all the body'.

Time:

Retain this position for fifteen seconds to six minutes, adding fifteen seconds per week.

Caution:

Do not try this exercise if you are suffering from organic disorders of the thyroid gland. Be very cautious if you are suffering from chronic nasal catarrh.

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The Headstand (Shirshasana)

This posture may look like imposing to those who haven’t attempted it. Nevertheless, it is an extremely powerful asana. It is called the "king of asanas" because of its overall effect on the whole body. For beginners, it is better to start this in a corner so that you can practice it without the fear of falling down. Ask a friend to help you with this in the beginning.



Technique

You must use extra padding for the headstand, so use a folded blanket or some extra foam on top of your yoga mat. Don't use a pillow, since it's too soft.

If you don't feet very confident about going straight into the headstand, try stage 1 first. Once you are confident with stage 1, you can go on to stage 2, which is the standard headstand.

If you wish to try it on your own, place a pillow lengthwise behind your head, in case you fall over backwards.

Stage 1 (For Beginners)


Put your yoga mat into a comer, kneel down in front of it and place your interlocked fingers in the comer close to the walls.
Put your head into the hollow of the palms, rise off the knees and take a step or two towards the comer.
Lift one leg and place it in the comer against the wall. If you are a little unsure, ask a friend to hold the leg and put it in the corner. Now, just kick the other leg up. Stay there for about 15 seconds, trying to remain relaxed.
To come out of the headstand, just lower one leg at a time. Again, if you feel unsure, ask your friend to hold one of your legs while you lower the other.
Start off in the headstand for about 15 seconds. Increase the time by 15 seconds every week until you are doing three minutes.

Stage 2 (The Standard Headstand)


Kneel down on your yoga mat. Interlock the fingers of your hands and place them and your forearms on the extra padding on the yoga mat. Keep the elbows fairly close together.
Place the back of your head into the hollow of the palms (not on the palms or fingers). Rise up off your knees and take a step or two towards your head.
Inhale, and slowly raise the legs until they are vertical. Keep your back straight and try to relax. Breathe slowly and deeply from the abdomen.
Concentrate on the brain or the pineal gland between the eyebrows.
To come down, bend your knees and lower one leg and then the other. As for the beginners' stage, start off in the headstand for about 15 seconds and increase the time by 15 seconds every week, until you are doing three minutes.
Benefits


The headstand increases circulation to the brain, which causes improved brain function (intelligence and memory) and increased vitality and confidence.
It improves many ailments, such as nervousness, tension, fatigue, sleeplessness, dullness, fear, poor blood circulation, bad memory, asthma, headaches, constipation, congested throat, liver or spleen, for female disorders, the initial stages of eye and nose troubles, and general lack of energy, vitality or self confidence.
It stimulates four of the most important endocrine glands - the pituitary, the pineal, the thyroid, and the parathyroid glands that are responsible for our very existence, for they keep the body mechanism in good working order. Pituitary gland is called the master gland of the body. As a consequence, the practice of the headstand helps us to get relief from many of our troubles, physical as well as mental, or to prevent them. It has a very beneficial effect on the whole body.
It promotes hair growth by increasing circulation to the scalp.
It helps to put the spine into correct alignment.
It restores the position of vital organs by reversing gravity.
The quality of sleep is improved. Poor sleep is often due to an excess of nerve impulses from the reticular formation to the cerebral cortex in the brain. The headstand causes an increase in circulation to the neck, which stimulates the baroreceptors in the neck. This calms the reticular formation down, causing reduced nerve impulses to the cerebral cortex. This results in a peaceful, deep steep.
Because of the many benefits of the headstand, the yogis often refer to it as the 'king of the asanas'.

Time:

Do the headstand for fifteen seconds at first, adding fifteen more per week. The maximum time for it should not be more than twelve minutes, if it is done in conjunction with other exercises.

Caution


Don't do the headstand if you have high or low blood pressure. First get your blood pressure normal by natural means such as good nutrition, aerobic exercise and the other asanas. Even just giving up salt and taking garlic daily (tablets or in cooking) will cause a substantial reduction in your blood pressure.
Atherosclerosis (blocked blood vessels) and any history of strokes are also contraindications to doing the headstand. You must improve your circulatory system first, before attempting it.
If you have any serious eye diseases, ask your eye specialist's advice about doing the headstand.
Avoid this exercise if you are suffering from constipation, when the stool is excessively dry, if you have pus in your ears, if you are suffering from chronic nasal catarrh, or from very weak eye capillaries. Avoid this exercise if you have an organically defective pituitary, pineal or thyroid gland.
If you suffer from a neck injury or advanced arthritis in your neck, again you must improve your neck condition first. See your chiropractor, follow the nutritional principles in this book and do the other asanas to improve your neck. If you have a serious neck condition and you wish to get the benefits of the headstand, you can purchase an inversion apparatus, which gives you all the benefits without compression of the neck. In fact, this equipment produces traction of your neck, so your neck condition will actually improve.
Don't let any minor neck pain stop you from doing the headstand, since most of the weight of the body is actually supported by the forearms. There is very little pressure on the head and therefore very minimal compression of the neck.

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The Stomach Lift, Abdominal Lift (Uddyiana Bandha)

This is considered one of the very essential yoga exercises and is practiced not only for its physical values but also for the way it influences our psychic development.

Technique

The stomach lift really consists of two separate exercises.

First exercise. While standing with your feet about a foot apart and your knees slightly bent, lean forwards a little from the waist and place your hands just above your knees.

Inhale deeply by pushing your abdomen forwards, and then exhale by pushing your stomach in. Don't take another breath; instead, push in your stomach even more, so that it becomes hollow, and hold your breath for about ten seconds.

Second exercise. Do the same as above but, instead of holding your Stomach in after exhaling, rapidly push your stomach in and out ten times without taking another breath.

Stand up straight and resume normal breathing.

Benefits


This asana massages and tones up the internal organs in the abdominal area.
It also massages the heart, making it a stronger, more effective pump. Your circulation will improve and you will have less chance of having a heart attack.
It relieves constipation, gas, indigestion and liver trouble.
It tones up the nerves in the solar plexus region.
It reduces abdominal fat and strengthens the abdominal muscles.
It helps the correct functioning of the adrenal glands and sex glands.
It develops spiritual force.
Abdominal Lift for Internal Cleansing:

Take several glasses of water, at room temperature, with about a quarter of a teaspoon of salt per glass, and then do the contracting and relaxing movements several times in standing, sitting, and lying position.

Caution

Don't do this exercise if you have a hernia or serious heart or abdominal problems.

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The Spinal Roll or Rocking Exercise

This is an excellent exercise to overcome the drowsiness and stiffness that one feels on waking in the morning. As you do this exercise, you will feel an invigorating sensation from your vertebrae getting a good massage. It will limber up your spine and keep it in a flexible and youthful condition. It is invaluable for those who are using yoga to dodge old age. It will also help you to sleep soundly. Thus, it is a good prescription for insomnia.

You may feel a little clumsy and awkward the first day when you do this exercise. Some people feel like losing their balance and falling down. In a few days you will feel accustomed to the rocking action and will start enjoying it. At that time you can combine rocking with deep breathing. Inhale while rocking backwards and exhale while returning forward.



Technique


Sit down at the end of the exercise pad to make sure that your back will not hit the hard floor. Draw up your knees, and bend your head down. Put your hands under your knees. You can join your hands or not depending on what is easy on you.
Keeping your spine rounded, gently swing back and forth, imitating the swinging motion of a rocking chair. Don’t straighten your spine as you will roll backward or you will find yourself lying flat on your back, unable to swing forward again. Don't roll back too far on your neck. Don’t try doing the rocking exercise too slowly either. Imagine you are a rocking chair in motion. Feel for the massaging action on your spine. Enjoy the fun.
Hint:

Straighten your knees just as you swing backward and then immediately bend them again as you swing forward. Don’t pause after you have swung back but simply continue the to-and-fro movement. Otherwise you may get ‘stuck.’

Time:

Do this exercise four or six times, then lie down to relax until your breath returns to normal again. Take a few deep breaths while still lying on the floor.

Benefits


Makes the spine more flexible and youthful.
Massages all the vertebrae in the neck and spine.
If done in the morning it helps to overcome the drowsiness and stiffness that people often feel on waking up.
It's also very beneficial just before sleep.
The massaging action on the spine tends to relax the whole nervous system and establishes a better connection between the central nervous system and the rest of the body.

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Don't Do Asanas When..

There are certain medical conditions which make it inadvisable to do the inverted postures (headstand, shoulder stand and reverse posture). These are high blood pressure, dizziness, and serious eye problems. If you have any doubt, see your doctor before you start the asanas.

The First Two Weeks

In some cases you may feel worse for up to two weeks after starting the asanas. This is because the yoga exercises cause the body to eliminate toxins, which spend some time in the blood before being eliminated. After this initial period of body cleaning, you will start to feel much better. The more toxins you have, worse you will feel in the beginning.

Some of the symptoms you may experience are a slight increase in your usual aches and pains, and a little stiffness. Your body may become slightly bloated and you may feel a bit drowsy during the day. You may feel sore in the back, neck and shoulder muscles for a couple of weeks. To minimize any soreness, start gently and don't overdo it. Above all, never give up. Any discomfort will only be temporary and you will start to feel much better in a relatively short time.

When To Do The Asanas

It's best to do the asanas in the early morning or the early evening before the evening meal. Never exercise on a full stomach. Before exercising, wait at least three hours after eating a main meal, about one hour after eating a light snack such as a piece of fruit and about half an hour after drinking juices. After finishing the asanas, wait about a quarter of an hour before eating.

The best time to do the yoga postures is about one hour after getting up or in the early evening. Wait about 15 minutes before eating. Don't exercise immediately after getting out of bed, since you'll be too stiff. Wait at least one hour. It's not advisable to do the asanas before bed, since their stimulating effect may prevent you from getting to sleep easily.

Don't take a hot shower or bath immediately after yoga, since this draws blood away from the internal organs and glands to go to the skin. A shower which is just warm is all right, since this is neutral and will not affect the yoga exercises.

Where To Do The Asanas And What To Wear

Make sure you have good ventilation in the room where you exercise. Use a thick rug or about an inch thick firm foam. Don't do them on the bed since it's too soft, or on the floor without some padding, since that would be too hard.

Wear loose clothing, since tight clothes will restrict the circulation to some areas of the body. This would defeat one of the purposes of the asanas, that of increasing the circulation to various parts of the body.

Basic technique:
Slowly, with no strain
Breathe slowly and deeply with the abdomen only. When inhaling, push out; when exhaling, let it return
Concentrate on the main organ or gland (with your eyes closed)
Be regular - aim to do the routine six times a week.

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What Asanas Will Do For You

There are three very essential prerequisites for vitality and rejuvenation: a healthy central nervous system (brain and spine), healthy glands and healthy internal organs.

Healthy Central Nervous System (Brain and Spine)

Nerves from the brain and spine go to every tissue in the body and therefore the health of every tissue in the body depends upon the health of the brain and spine.

The headstand causes an increase in circulation to the brain, which stimulates the brain's nerve cells. This results in increased vitality and improved brain function (intelligence and memory).

Since the nerves from the spine go to all the organs and glands of the body, a healthy spine obviously plays an important role in vitality and rejuvenation. In fact, the spine is more critical to our well-being than the brain, since the brain is well protected by the cranium or skull bone. Where the spinal nerves leave the spine and pass through the intervertebral foramina is a very vulnerable area. If a vertebra is slightly out of place, it may cause the nerve to be ‘pinched' in the intervertebral foramina. The spinal nerves do not have protection against mechanical insults as the brain does.

The ancient yogis fully understood the vulnerability of the spine and the tendency for slight spinal misalignments to occur. They also knew that if the spine was kept flexible by yoga asanas there would be much less chance of spinal misalignments. Some of the asanas will even correct some minor misalignments.

If you do nothing to improve your spine's flexibility as you get older, your spine will deteriorate further and the spinal nerves will be increasingly impinged upon. This will lead to further deterioration of your organs and glands, until eventually their actual structure becomes diseased. We call this organic disease. At this stage, not only is their function impaired, but their cells are actually dying. If the condition is too advanced, it is irreversible. It's at this stage that many people go to doctors and are told that they have, for example, cancer of some particular organ. The cancer has not appeared overnight; in reality it has been developing for many years.

Healthy Endocrine Glands

The most important are the pituitary, pineal, thyroid, adrenal, pancreas and sex glands. The pituitary and pineal glands are situated in the brain, the thyroid is in the neck area, the adrenals and pancreas in the solar plexus area and the sex glands in the pelvic region.

The function of these glands is to secrete powerful hormones which control your growth, weight and size. They also determine your metabolism, vitality, sexual vigor and emotional state.

Since the pituitary and pineal glands are situated in the brain, the headstand has a powerful effect on them.

Thyroid gland problems are very common and often go undiagnosed until the symptoms are very obvious. The shoulder stand is specific for the thyroid gland and will prevent and help cure thyroid gland problems.

The hormones secreted by the sex glands are important not only for sexual virility but also for sparkling eyes, smooth skin and a warm personality. The reverse posture stimulates the sex glands and therefore the production of the sex hormones.

The adrenal glands produce a variety of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisone that are important in controlling your stress and immunity. The twist posture is a powerful stimulant to the adrenal glands, causing them to release extra energy to boost your vitality level.

The correct functioning of the pancreas is vital to our health. The pancreas, secretes two hormones, called insulin and glucogen, which help to balance the body's sugar level. If the pancreas is not working properly, diabetes may develop. Diabetes is a serious disease, since complications such as blindness, heart attacks or strokes may occur. To help prevent diabetes, it is recommended that you follow the nutritional principles outlined here, especially by avoiding concentrated sugar foods.

Healthy Internal Organs

As well as having a dramatic effect on the brain, spine and glands, most asanas also benefit the internal organs by massaging and stimulating them. These results in healthier internal organs that will function better and last longer.

As an example, the stomach lift raises the diaphragm, which massages the heart from below. This strengthens the heart muscle, resulting in better circulation and less chance of heart disease.

Healthy Digestive System

Even if we eat the most nourishing food, it still has to be digested and assimilated properly and the toxins have to be eliminated efficiently. As we get older the digestive system functions with gradually reducing efficiency. The asanas result in an improved blood and nerve supply to the digestive and eliminative systems, which in time will get them functioning at peak efficiency.

The stomach lift massages the digestive organs, as well as contracting and stretching them.

Healthy Joints

The stretching of the joints in asanas causes the secretion of a lubricant called synovial fluid. This is released into the joints and keeps them supple, as well as removing waste products. The result is to reduce stiffness, which will prevent arthritis or improve it if you already have the condition.

Healthy Skin

Stretching of the skin during the asanas causes stimulation of the skin cells. This results in firmer, healthier skin which won't sag or wrinkle.

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Yoga Postures

Introduction

Yoga Sutra defines asana as that which is comfortable and easy, as well as firm. It is a dynamic position, in which the practitioner is perfectly poised between activity and non-activity, being doing and "being done by" the posture. A corresponding mental balance exists between movement and stillness. Yoga teaches that each posture reflects a mental attitude, whether that attitude be one of surrender, as in a forward bending asana, or the strengthening of the will, through backward bending postures, or the creation of a physical prayer or meditation with the body, as in the practice of padmasana (lotus posture). A posture or asana can be used for rejuvenating specific organs and glands as well as the spine.

There are about eighty-four asanas commonly used by yogis. We can, however, get sufficient benefits from a dozen of them. We will only present some of the more important ones here. If you what to learn more, there are many excellent books available that goes deeper into these asanas.

Origin Of Asana Names

Many of the asanas have animal names, such as the fish posture and the cobra posture. This is because yogis devised their asanas partly by observing how animal instincts work in the wild. When animals are sick they would only eat certain herbs and grasses. Similarly, they would stretch and contract muscles in various postures instinctively.

Yogis also observed how animals relaxed. Cats, especially, are experts in relaxation. On awakening from sleep, they instinctively stretch, arch the spine in both directions and then relax.

Asanas are also based on a sound knowledge of human anatomy and physiology. Yogis knew that placing the body in certain positions would stimulate specific nerves, organs and glands. For example, the shoulder-stand posture causes the blood to be directed by gravity to the thyroid gland, and the tucking in of the chin causes a gently squeezing action on the gland. These two actions have a profound effect on the thyroid gland.

How The Asanas Work

The asanas are based on five principles.

The use of gravity. The inverted postures such as the headstand, shoulder stand and the reverse posture take advantage of gravity to increase the flow of blood to the desired part of the body; in the headstand to the brain, in the shoulder stand to the thyroid gland and in the reverse posture to the gonads (sex glands)
Organ massage. The position of the asana causes a squeezing action on a specific organ or gland, resulting in the stimulation of that part of the body.
Stretching muscles and ligaments. This causes an increase in blood supply to the muscles and ligaments as well as relaxing them. It also takes pressure off nerves in the area.
This stretching is involved in all the asanas, since it has such a beneficial effect on the body.

Deep breathing. While holding the yoga posture we breathe slowly and deeply, moving the abdomen only (abdominal or low breathing). This increases the oxygen and prana supply to the target organ or gland, thereby enhancing the effect of the asana.
Concentration. As well as breathing slowly and deeply, we also focus our attention on the target organ or gland. This brings the mind into play, and greatly increases the circulation and prana supply to the organ or gland.
This concentration has the second benefit of increasing your general powers of concentration through regular practice. This benefits every aspect of your life. Your mind is less distracted and swayed by external events and you are therefore calmer and worry less. You will be able to solve day-to-day problems better and have more success in whatever activity you undertake.

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Bhramari (Nasal snoring)

Bhramari differs from the usual mouth snoring in that the lips are closed and vibrations of the soft palate are caused entirely by nasal airflow. Practice mouth snoring first in order to develop some voluntary control over the palate vibration process. Nasal snoring is more difficult. Approach control attempts gradually. The soft palate must be lifted toward the top of the pharynx sufficiently to produced flutter which may be very hard to control. The sound produced is commonly described as being like the buzzing of a bee. Although, in bhramari, one breathes both in and out through both nostrils and produces a snoring, buzzing or humming sound in both directions, expect somewhat different sounds from inhaling, which has a higher pitch, than from exhaling, which has a lower pitch. Bhramari is customarily described as involving rapid inhalation producing a high humming sound like that of a male bee and slow exhalation producing a low humming sound like that of a female bee.

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Kapalabhati (Cleaning Breath)

Kapalabhati is a breathing technique used specifically for cleansing. If we have a lot of mucus in the air passages or feel tension and blockages in the chest it is often helpful to breathe quickly. In this practice we deliberately breathe faster, and at the same time use only abdominal (that is, diaphragmatic) breathing, not chest breathing. In kapalabhati the breath is short, rapid, and strong. We use the lungs as a pump, creating so much pressure as they expel the air that all the rubbish is cleared from the air passages, from the lungs up through the nostrils. Kapala means "skull," and bhati means "that which brings lightness." Kapalabhati is a good thing to do when we feel heavy or foggy in the head. If we have problems with the sinuses or feel numb around the eyes, kapalabhati can help to clear this area as well.

The kapalabhati and bhastrika breathing techniques share the same general principle, namely that we clear the nasal passages with the force of the breath. As mentioned under bhastrika, we must be very careful with these techniques because there is a danger of creating tension in the breath. We may also become dizzy when we breathe rapidly; for this reason we always conclude the practice of kapalabhati with some slow breaths. It is important not to breathe rapidly too many times, but after a few rapid breaths take several slow ones in which we emphasize the long exhalation.

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Bhastrika (Bellows)

Bhastika consists primarily in forced rapid deep breathing which serves as a basis for many varieties of exercises, all of which may be described by the same name. Although air is forced both in and out, emphasis is placed upon expulsion or explosion of air. A series of such explosions, each following the other in quick succession without pause, either full or empty, may be called "a round." Beginners should limit a round to about five explosions, though the number may be increased to ten, or to any number needed to obtain the desired effect. The desired effects range from increased ventilation, increased blood circulation, increased clearing of nasal passages and increased thinking capacity to overwhelming pacification of all mental disturbances. Please be warned against generating such powerful explosions that the lung tissues will be injured and against extending a series so long as to become dizzy. Comfort, not reckless excess, should guide your motives and manner in doing this exercise.

Although you can breath through your mouth or both mouth and nose, traditionally breathing is limited to either both nostrils or one nostril. The breath-stroke in the rapid succession of breaths may or may not be very deep, but it is customary to finish or follow a round by the deepest possible inhalation and exhalation. A series of normal breaths should occur before undertaking a second round. A deepest possible inhalation and exhalation may, and perhaps should, introduce each round. Some nasal hissing can be expected; avoid unpleasant sound and fluttering of nasal skin surfaces. Although you can stand if you wish, proper performance of this technique is done in a seated position allowing maximum relaxation of abdominal muscles and easy diaphragmatic breathing. Variations include using a full pause after each round, partial glottis closures and alternation of nostrils.

You should exercise caution against the temptation to go to excess in initial bellows experiments. If you have a tendency to push the limit, lie down when doing this exercise if there is any danger of losing consciousness and falling to the floor. Forced breathing produce relaxation and revitalization. Excess may induce dizziness, drowsiness and diminution of consciousness. No harm can come from hyperventilation so long as you are in bed. If you happen to lose consciousness your breathing pattern tend to rectify itself and return to normalcy. Excessive ventilation results in lightheartedness, giddiness or a feeling of floating in the air.

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The Cleansing Breath:

The Cleansing Breath, as its name indicates, cleans and ventilates the lungs; it also tones up the entire system. You should do the Cleansing Breath at the end of other yoga exercises or just before the final relaxation exercises.

To do the Cleansing Breath, stand straight with feet close together and arms hanging loosely at the sides. Take a deep breath, hold it for a little while, then purse your lips as if you were going to whistle. Now start exhaling forcefully, little by little, but do not blow the air out as if you were blowing out a candle, and do not puff out the cheeks. They should be hollowed.

These successive and forceful exhalations will feel almost like slight coughs which expel the air until the lungs are completely empty. The effort of the exhalation should be felt in the chest and in the back.

Rest for a little while, then repeat. After a week you may repeat this routine several times a day.

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Sitali (Tongue hissing)

Sitali refers to the sound caused when air is drawn in through the protruding tongue folded into a tube. During inhalation, curl up both edges of the tongue so that it forms a kind of tube. Breathe in through this tube. During inhalation the air passes over the moist tongue, cooling down and refreshing the throat. In order to be sure that the tongue remains moist, roll it back as far as possible against the palate. Do this during the entire exhalation so that the next breath is just as refreshing as the first. The resulting tongue position may appear more like the lower portion of a bird's beak than a tube, but variable opening or closing of the tube-like passage in the folded tongue, in cooperation with faster or slower inhalation, makes possible variations in loudness and softness and smoothness of the reversed hissing sound. Again, a cooling effect may be noted and, indeed, sought through this and the foregoing technique whenever needed. The tongue is drawn back into the mouth and the lips are closed at the end of inhalation. We can breathe out either through the throat or alternately through the nostrils.

Sitkari (Teeth hissing)

Sitkari pertains to the sound made by drawing air in through the front teeth-either tightly closed or slightly opened-with the tongue tip regulating the air pressure and sound. This technique pertains only to inhaling, except that exhaling normally takes place through both nostrils, after a usual full pause. The sides of the tongue is pressed against the teeth, lining the sides of the mouth, if they are closed tightly, or expanding between the upper and lower; sets, if the jaw is opened slightly. The sound, a kind of reversed hissing, like that made when one suddenly touches ice or a hot object or feels a draft of hot or frigid air, should be regulated so as to be smooth and to sound pleasant. The experience has been described as "sipping air." This technique usually cools the mouth and may have both a cooling and a relaxing effect upon the whole body. Lips should close at the end of inhalation, preparatory to holding the full pause with chin lock. Closure of the lips ends the hissing sound, si, with a "sip."

Ujjayi (The "loud breathing")

This consists in drawing air in through both nostrils with the glottis held partially closed. Ujjayi translates as "what clears the throat and masters the chest area." This partial closure of the glottis produces a sound like that heard in sobbing, except that it is continuous and unbroken. The sound should have a low but uniform pitch and be pleasant to hear. Friction of air in the nose should be avoided; consequently no nasal sounds will be heard. A prolonged full pause should begin, without any jerking, as soon as inhalation has been completed. Closure of glottis, use of chin lock and closure of both nostrils are standard. Prolong the pause as long as possible; but it should be terminated and exhalation commenced smoothly and slowly. When properly performed, exhalation proceeds slowly and steadily through the left nostril with the glottis partially closed as in inhalation. One may begin to exhale with release of air pressure by lifting the finger from his left nostril, loosening his chin lock and then partially opening his glottis. Exhalation should be complete.

Ujjayi breathing has many variations. For example, we can breathe in through the throat, then completely close one nostril and breathe out through the other nostril, which is only partly closed. This technique is called an anuloma ujjayi. In a pranayama technique called viloma ujjayi, we breathe in through the nostril and breathe out through the throat. This technique is used to lengthen the inhalation. In ujjayi pranayama it is important to follow this rule: when we regulate the breath through the nostril, we never breathe through the throat at the same time.

Although the total length of time required for a single cycle of breathing will vary with different persons, certain ratios of the periods needed for inhaling, pausing and exhaling are recommended. The period occupied by exhaling should be about twice as long as that occupied by inhaling. Practice inhaling and exhaling without a full pause. Then, when you feel ready, hold your breathing for a pause which is comfortable. With continued practice, this pause can be extended to a duration which is double that of the inhalation or equal to that of the exhalation. Advanced practitioners of yoga hold their pauses to four times the duration of inhalation and double the duration of exhalation.

Go To: Rhythmic Breathing

Surya-Bhedana (Right-nostril breathing)

This refers to an exercise in which one inhales through the right nostril and exhales through the left, holding the inhaled breath as long as possible before exhaling. Although one may eventually develop an ability to do this without using the fingers to close either nostril, beginners, at least, should expect to use their fingers. You may close your nostrils in any way you choose to; but the traditional technique has become standardized as follows. After pressing the index and middle fingers of the right hand against the palm of that hand, use the thumb to close the right nostril and the ring and little fingers to close the left nostril. Left-handed persons may reverse this procedure. When both nostrils are open, the fingers rest on the bridge of the nose.

Nadi Sodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing)

If you don't do anything else, this is a simple yoga breathing exercise that can be done virtually anywhere, anyplace. You will be glad you did. It is simply dynamic!

The name alternate nostril breathing is due to the fact that we alternate between the two nostrils when we do the breathing. Yogis believe that this exercise will clean and rejuvenate your vital channels of energy, thus the name nadi sodhana (purification of nadis or channels).

With this exercise, we breathe through only one nostril at a time. The logic behind this exercise is that normal breathing does alternate from one nostril to the other at various times during the day. In a healthy person the breath will alternate between nostrils about every two hours. Because most of us are not in optimum health, this time period varies considerably between people and further reduces our vitality. According to the yogis, when the breath continues to flow in one nostril for more than two hours, as it does with most of us, it will have an adverse effect on our health. If the right nostril is involved, the result is mental and nervous disturbance. If the left nostril is involved, the result is chronic fatigue and reduced brain function. The longer the flow of breath in one nostril, the more serious the illness will be.

Benefits


The exercise produces optimum function to both sides of the brain: that is optimum creativity and optimum logical verbal activity. This also creates a more balanced person, since both halves of the brain are functioning property.
The yogis consider this to be the best technique to calm the mind and the nervous system.
The Scientific Confirmation of Alternate Nostril Breathing
Medical science has recently discovered the nasal cycle, something that was known by the yogis thousands of years ago. Scientists have recently found that we don't breathe equally with both nostrils, that one nostril is much easier to breathe through than the other at any particular time and that this alternates about every three hours. The yogis claim that the natural period is every two hours, but we must remember these studies were done on people who do not have an optimum health level.

Scientists also discovered that the nasal cycle corresponds with brain function. The electrical activity of the brain was found to be greater on the side opposite the less congested nostril. The right side of the brain controls creative activity, while the left side controls logical verbal activity. The research showed that when the left nostril was less obstructed, the right side of the brain was predominant. Test subjects were indeed found to do better on creative tests. Similarly when the right nostril was less obstructed the left side of the brain was predominant. Test subjects did better on verbal skills.

Medical science has not quite caught up with the ancient yogis yet. The yogis went one step further. They observed that a lot of disease was due to the nasal cycle being disturbed; that is, if a person breathed for too long through one nostril. To prevent and correct this condition, they developed the alternate nostril breathing technique. This clears any blockage to air flow in the nostrils and reestablishes the natural nasal cycle. For example, the yogis have known for a long time that prolonged breathing through the left nostril only (over a period of years) will produce asthma. They also know that this so-called incurable disease can be easily eliminated by teaching the patient to breathe through the right nostril until the asthma is cured, and then to prevent it recurring by doing the alternate nostril breathing technique. The yogis also believe that diabetes is caused to a large extent by breathing mainly through the right nostril.

Technique



Close the right nostril with your right thumb and inhale through the left nostril. Do this to the count of four seconds.
Immediately close the left nostril with your right ring finger and little finger, and at the same time remove your thumb from the right nostril, and exhale through this nostril. Do this to the count of eight seconds. This completes a half round.
Inhale through the right nostril to the count of four seconds. Close the right nostril with your right thumb and exhale through the left nostril to the count of eight seconds. This completes one full round.
Start by doing three rounds, adding one per week until you are doing seven rounds.

Alternate nostril breathing should not be practiced if you have a cold or if your nasal passages are blocked in any way. Forced breathing through the nose may lead to complications. In pranayama it is important to follow this rule: under no circumstances should anything be forced. If you use the nostrils for breath control they must be unobstructed. If they are not, you must practice throat breathing.

Deep Breath

Deep breathing can be accomplished sitting down in a meditative posture such as lotus posture, sitting down on a chair with your spine straight or standing up with your spine held straight. If you haven't done so, read the section on learning to breath correctly.

First check your posture. The spine should be straight, the head erect, hands on knees, mouth closed. Now concentrate on the pharyngeal space at the back wall of your mouth and, slightly contracting its muscles, begin to draw in the air through that space as if you were using a suction pump. Do it slowly and steadily, letting the pumping sound be clearly heard. Don't use the nostrils; remember that they remain inactive during the entire respiration process. When inhaling let your ribs expand sideways like an accordion-beginning with the lower ones, of course. Remember the chest and shoulders should remain motionless. The entire inhalation should be done gently and effortlessly. When it has been completed pause for a second or two, holding the breath. Then slowly begin breathing out. The exhalation is usually not as passive as the inhalation. You use a slight, a very slight, pressure to push the air out-although it feels as though you pressed it against the throat like a hydraulic press. The upper ribs are now contracted first, the nostrils remain inactive and the chest and shoulders motionless. At the end of the exhalation, pull in the stomach a little so as to push out all the air.

Congratulations! You have just taken your first deep breath.

Do not try to take too full a breath at once. Start by breathing to the count of four. Then hold the breath, counting to two, and start slowly exhaling, again to the count of four. Breathing in and out to an equal number of beats is called rhythmic breathing. You allow four beats to fill your lungs, two to retain the breath, and four to breathe out. The respiration should be timed in such a way that at the end of the four beats you have completed the exhalation. Don't just stop at the end of the count when there is still air to be expelled. You should adjust your breathing to the timing. Repeat, but do not take more than 5 or 6 deep breaths at one time during the first week. You shouldn't do more even if you are enjoying it.

Be careful not to overdo the breathing, especially inhalation, as this may lead to unpleasant results such as dizziness, nausea, headaches, even fainting spells due to hyperventilation caused by a sudden, excessive intake of oxygen. By practicing complete breathing, you will be able to enlarge the lung capacity so that, after practice, you can inhale more air than you did before. But this increased capacity should come gradually rather than by force. By repeating such a complete breathing too often or too rapidly in succession, you may absorb too much oxygen and become dizzy. You may continue to employ all of the muscles and all portions of the lungs in breathing without expanding the lungs to their maximum extent each time you inhale.

Proper yogic breathing employs all of the muscles and all or most of the lungs. But the extent of expansion and the rate of breathing may be progressively reduced to suit the body's needs for oxygen consumption under the conditions of exercise or rest which prevail. As your cycle of breathing involves an increasingly larger lung area, your respiration may be decreased correspondingly while the amount of oxygen available for use remains the same-or even increases. Slower, deeper breathing not only stimulates the lungs into healthier action, and brings more of the body muscles into play, but it has the effect of calming the nerves. Although other factors must be taken into consideration, the slower your respiration rate the calmer you feel. You can deliberately reduce this rate for beneficial effect. However, you can maintain this only if you breathe more deeply.

A complete breath involves the following steps:


Inhale slowly until your lungs are filled to capacity. Some recommend that you begin with abdominal breathing, gradually move into middle breathing, and finish filling the lungs with high breathing.
A pause, short or long, should occur at the end of inhalation. This, too, should not be forced at first, though deliberate experiments with extending this pause play an important part in successful yogic practice.
Exhale, also slowly, smoothly and completely. Again, some recommend beginning exhalation with high breathing, proceeding gradually to middle breathing, and ending with abdominal breathing and use of abdominal muscles to expel all air from the lungs.
Another pause, short or long, should occur at the end of exhalation. This too should not be forced at first, though this pause may prove to be even more significant than the first as a stage in which to seek and find a kind of spiritual quiescence that can be most powerful in its relaxing effects.

breathing technology

Breathing is important for two reasons. It is the only means to supply our bodies and its various organs with the supply of oxygen which is vital for our survival. The second function of breathing is that it is one means to get rid of waste products and toxins from the body.

Why Is Oxygen So Vital?

Oxygen is the most vital nutrient for our bodies. It is essential for the integrity of the brain, nerves, glands and internal organs. We can do without food for weeks and without water for days, but without oxygen, we will die within a few minutes. If the brain does not gets proper supply of this essential nutrient, it will result in the degradation of all vital organs in the body.

The brain requires more oxygen than any other organ. If it doesn't get enough, the result is mental sluggishness, negative thoughts and depression and, eventually, vision and hearing decline. Old people and those whose arteries are clogged often become senile and vague because oxygen to the brain is reduced. They get irritated very quickly.

Poor oxygen supply affects all parts of the body. The oxygen supply is reduced to all parts of the body as we get older due to poor lifestyle. Many people need reading glasses and suffer hearing decline in old age.

When an acute circulation blockage deprives the heart of oxygen, a heart attack is the result. If this occurs to the brain, the result is a stroke.

For a long time, lack of oxygen has been considered a major cause of cancer. Even as far back as 1947, work done in Germany showed that when oxygen was withdrawn, normal body cells could turn into cancer cells.

Similar research has been done with heart disease. It showed that lack of oxygen is a major cause of heart disease, stroke and cancer. The work done at Baylor University in the USA has shown that you can reverse arterial disease in monkeys by infusing oxygen into the diseased arteries.

Thus, oxygen is very critical to our well-being, and any effort to increase the supply of oxygen to our body and especially to the brain will pay rich dividends. Yogis realized the vital importance of an adequate oxygen supply thousands of years ago. They developed and perfected various breathing techniques. These breathing exercises are particularly important for people who have sedentary jobs and spend most of the day in offices. Their brains are oxygen starved and their bodies are just ‘getting by’. They feel tired, nervous and irritable and are not very productive. On top of that, they sleep badly at night, so they get a bad start to the next day continuing the cycle. This situation also lowers their immune system, making them susceptible to catching colds, flu and other ‘bugs’.

Oxygen Purifies the Blood Stream

One of the major secrets of vitality and rejuvenation is a purified blood stream. The quickest and most effective way to purify the blood stream is by taking in extra supplies of oxygen from the air we breathe. The breathing exercises described in here are the most effective methods ever devised for saturating the blood with extra oxygen.

Oxygen bums up the waste products (toxins) in the body, as well as recharging the body's batteries (the solar plexus). In fact, most of our energy requirements come not from food but from the air we breathe.

By purifying the blood stream, every part of the body benefits, as well as the mind. Your complexion will become clearer and brighter and wrinkles will begin to fade away. In short, rejuvenation will start to occur.

Medical Science Verifies Oxygen's Importance

Scientists have discovered that the chemical basis of energy production in the body is a chemical called Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). If something goes wrong with the production of ATP, the result is lowered vitality, disease and premature ageing.

Scientists have also discovered that oxygen is critical for the production of ATP; in fact, it is its most vital component.

Yoga permits us to tap into this vital nutrient.

Importance of Healthy Breathing

We know how to breathe. It is something that occurs to us automatically, spontaneously, naturally. We are breathing even when we are not aware of it. So it seems foolish to think that one can be told how to breathe. Yet, one's breathing becomes modified and restricted in various ways, not just momentarily, but habitually. We develop unhealthy habits without being aware of it. We tend to assume positions (slouched positions) that diminishes lung capacities and take shortened breaths. We also live in social conditions that is not good for the health of our respiratory system.

As discussed above, scientists have known for a long time that there exists a strong connection between respiration and mental states. Improper breathing produces diminished mental ability. The corollary is true also. It is known that mental tensions produce restricted breathing.

A normally sedentary person, when confronted with a perplexing problem, tends to lean forward, draw his arms together, and bend his head down. All these body postures results in reduced lung capacity. The more intense the concentration, the more tense the muscles become. The muscles in the arms, neck and chest contract. The muscles that move the thorax and control inhalation and muscular tenseness clamp down and restrict the exhalation. The breaths become shorter and shorter. After an extended period of intense focusing, the whole system seems to be frozen in a certain posture.

We become fatigued from the decreased circulation of the blood and from the decreased availability of oxygen for the blood because we have almost stopped breathing. As our duties, responsibilities and their attendant problems become more demanding, we develop habits of forgetting to breathe.

Try an experiment suggested by Swami Vishnudevananda. Focus attention upon the ticks of a clock placed at a distance of about twelve feet. If you get distracted, try concentrating harder until you experience the ticking with undivided attention. If you fail at first, you should try again and again until you succeed in keeping the ticking clearly in mind for at least a few seconds. What happened? The majority of persons who took part in this experiment reported that they have completely suspended the breath. The others, who had less concentration, reported that they experienced very slow breathing. This experiment shows clearly that where there is concentration of the mind, the breathing becomes very slow or even get suspended temporarily.

What's Wrong With The Way We Breathe?

Our breathing is too shallow and too quick. We are not taking in sufficient oxygen and we are not eliminating sufficient carbon dioxide. , As a result, our bodies are oxygen starved, and a toxic build-up occurs. Every cell in the body requires oxygen and our level of vitality is just a product of the health of all the cells.

Shallow breathing does not exercise the lungs enough, so they lose some of their function, causing a further reduction in vitality.

Animals which breathe slowly live the longest; the elephant is a good example.

We need to breathe more slowly and deeply. Quick shallow breathing results in oxygen starvation which leads to reduced vitality, premature ageing, poor immune system and a myriad of other factors.

Why Is Our Breath Fast and Shallow?

There are several reasons for this. The major reasons are:

We are in a hurry most of the time. Our movements and breathing follow this pattern.
The increasing stress of modern living makes us breathe more quickly and less deeply.
We get too emotional too easily. We get excited easily, angry easily, and most of the rest of the time we suffer from anxiety due to worry. These negative emotional states affect the rate of breathing, causing it to be fast and shallow.
Modern technology and automation reduces our need for physical activity. There is less need to breathe deeply, so we develop the shallow breathing habit.
We are working indoors more and more. This increases our exposure to pollution. As a result, the body instinctively inhales less air to protect itself from pollution. The body just takes in enough air to tick over.
As we go through life, these bad breathing habits we picked up become part of our life. Unless we do something to reverse these habits, we can suffer permanent problems. The good news is that these are reversible. The bad news is that before we can change these habits, we should recognize and accept that our behavior needs to be changed. This means that we see for ourselves the benefits of good breathing techniques.

Certainly, yoga is not the only way to cope up with the stress and the resultant drop in oxygen supply to the brain brought on by the constricted breathing. A smoke, a coffee break, a trip to the restroom or a good laugh may all result in some readjustment of constricted breathing patterns. These can be thought of as "mini-yogas". We can benefit by taking or seeking more smokes, breaks, trips or jokes. But for those whose occupations continue to be highly stressful, something more will be needed. Deep breathing exercises and stretching of muscles, especially those primarily concerned with controlling inhaling and exhaling, should be sought. Participation in active sports also will be useful. Going for a walk is very good. For those experiencing restricted breathing at night, morning exercises should be actively pursued.

The Effects of Shallow Breathing

Reduced vitality, since oxygen is essential for the production of energy in the body.
Increased disease. Our resistance to disease is reduced, since oxygen is essential for healthy cells. This means we catch more colds and develop other ailments more easily. Lack of sufficient oxygen to the cells is a major contributing factor in cancer, heart disease and strokes.
With our 'normal' sedentary way of living, we only use about one tenth of our total lung capacity. This is sufficient to survive and just tick over, but not sufficient for a high vitality level, long life and high resistance to disease.

The ancient yogis knew the importance of correct breathing and developed techniques not only to increase health and life span, but also to attain superconscious states.

The Medical Viewpoint on Fast, Shallow Breathing

Modem science agrees with the ancient yogis on the subject of shallow breathing. An editorial in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine suggested that fast, shallow breathing can cause fatigue, sleep disorders, anxiety, stomach upsets, heart bum, gas, muscle cramps, dizziness, visual problems, chest pain and heart palpitations.

Scientists have also found that a lot of people who believe they have heart disease are really suffering from improper breathing.

Importance of Breathing Through The Nose

The first rule for correct breathing is that we should breathe through the nose. This may seem obvious, but many people breathe principally through the mouth. Mouth breathing can adversely affect the development of the thyroid gland. It can retard the mental development of children.

The nose has various defense mechanisms to prevent impurities and excessively cold air entering the body. At the entrance to the nose, a screen of hairs traps dust, tiny insects and other particles that may injure the lungs if you breathe through the mouth. After the entrance of the nose, there is a long winding passage lined with mucus membranes, where excessively cool air is warmed and very fine dust particles that escaped the hair screen are caught. Next, in the inner nose are glands which fight off any bacilli which have slipped through the other defenses. The inner nose also contains the olfactory organ-our sense of smell. This detects any poisonous gases around that may injure our health.

The yogis believe that the olfactory organ has another function: the absorption of prana from the air. If you breathe through the mouth all the time, as many people do, you are cheating yourself of all this free energy (prana). The yogis say this is a major factor in lowered resistance to disease and impairs the functioning of your vital glands and nervous system. Add to this the fact that pathogens can enter the lungs via mouth breathing, and you can see that it's impossible to be healthy, not to mention vital, if you breathe through the mouth.

It is easy to break the habit of breathing through the mouth. Just keep your mouth closed and you will automatically breathe through your nose!

Summary: Benefits of Deep Breathing

We will now summarize the benefits of deep breathing. Deep breathing produces the following benefits:

Improvement in the quality of the blood due to its increased oxygenation in the lungs. This aids in the elimination of toxins from the system.
Increase in the digestion and assimilation of food. The digestive organs such as the stomach receive more oxygen, and hence operates more efficiently. The digestion is further enhanced by the fact that the food is oxygenated more.
Improvement in the health of the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, nerve centers and nerves. This is due again to the increased oxygenation and hence nourishment of the nervous system. This improves the health of the whole body, since the nervous system communicates to all parts of the body.
Rejuvenation of the glands, especially the pituitary and pineal glands. The brain has a special affinity for oxygen, requiring three times more oxygen than does the rest of the body. This has far-reaching effects on our well being.
Rejuvenation of the skin. The skin becomes smoother and a reduction of facial wrinkles occurs.
The movements of the diaphragm during the deep breathing exercise massage the abdominal organs - the stomach, small intestine, liver and pancreas. The upper movement of the diaphragm also massages the heart. This stimulates the blood circulation in these organs.
The lungs become healthy and powerful, a good insurance against respiratory problems.
Deep, slow, yoga breathing reduces the work load for the heart. The result is a more efficient, stronger heart that operates better and lasts longer. It also mean reduced blood pressure and less heart disease.
The yoga breathing exercises reduce the work load on the heart in two ways. Firstly, deep breathing leads to more efficient lungs, which means more oxygen is brought into contact with blood sent to the lungs by the heart. So, the heart doesn't have to work as hard to deliver oxygen to the tissues. Secondly, deep breathing leads to a greater pressure differential in the lungs, which leads to an increase in the circulation, thus resting the heart a little.
Deep, slow breathing assists in weight control. If you are overweight, the extra oxygen burns up the excess fat more efficiently. If you are underweight, the extra oxygen feeds the starving tissues and glands. In other words, yoga tends to produce the ideal weight for you.
Relaxation of the mind and body. Slow, deep, rhythmic breathing causes a reflex stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system, which results in a reduction in the heart rate and relaxation of the muscles. These two factors cause a reflex relaxation of the mind, since the mind and body are very interdependent. In addition, oxygenation of the brain tends to normalize brain function, reducing excessive anxiety levels.
The breathing exercises cause an increase in the elasticity of the lungs and rib cage. This creates an increased breathing capacity all day, not just during the actual exercise period. This means all the above benefits also occur all day.

Diet Cure For Common Ailments


Alcoholism

Alcoholism is a chronic disorder, in which a person is unable to refrain from frequent and excessive consumption of alcohol for physical or psychological reasons. The World Health Organization has listed alcoholism as one of the three most deadly killer diseases of the 20th century. Alcoholism is also a very serious social problem. It often brings poverty and a certain amount of crime and frequently results in marital unhappiness and broken homes. It also leads to numerous traffic and accidents.

Alcohol is not a product found in nature. It results from decomposition and as such belongs to a family of poisons. Ethyl alcohol, the main intoxicating ingredient in wine, beer and distilled liquor is a toxic drug which depresses the brain and nervous system. Alcohol cannot be called a food for it enters the alimentary canal and is not changed or digested in any way. It is quickly absorbed in the blood stream and then travels to every part of the body, adversely affecting vital organs like the brain and liver. About 90 per cent of the alcohol is slowly oxidized in the liver and the remaining 10 per cent is eliminated by breathing and through urination. An average peg of whisky, 12 ounces of beer or 5 ounces of wine take one full hour to be oxidised in the liver

Symptoms

According to W.H.O., " Alcoholics are those excessive drinkers whose dependence on alcohol has attained such a degree that it shows a noticeable mental disturbance or interference with their bodily or mental health, their interpersonal relations and their smooth social and economic functions, or who show the prodromal signs of such development."

Alcoholics have a puffy face with bloodshot eyes, hoarse voice and rapid pulse. They are suspicious, irritable and over-emotional. Vomiting, delirium, impaired judgement and disturbed sleep are some of the common symptoms.

The chronic alcoholic, who would rather drink than eat, fails to get enough vitamins. The few vitamins acquired by him are drained out his system in the process of burning the alcohol in his body. Vitamin deficiency can lead to delirium tremens, convulsins, neuritis, disorders of the eyes and impaired memory. Excessive drinking often causes premature graying of hair due to vitamin deficiency. Chronic alcoholism results in a depletion of minerals in the body, particularly magnesium, which produces symptoms like tremor of the hands, feet and tongue, convulsions, mental clouding and sweating.

Alcohol tends to be habit-forming. The more you have, the more you want. The more you drink, the less you eat. Soon the body is out of gear, because it has been getting an unsuitable and inadequate type of fuel. Excessive drinking imposes a strain on the liver. It gradually destroys its functions and often causes cirrhosis of the liver. It leads to disorders of the stomach and bowels. It can cause brain damage as brain cells are often affected by it. Alcohol also affects the heart which becomes weak and flabby.

Causes

Alcoholism results from excessive drinking. Sometimes a person sinks comparatively rapidly into alcoholism and at other times, years may pass before a person becomes a full-fledged alcoholic. A person generally takes to drinking as a means to enliven social life, to overcome anxiety or to induce sleep. He becomes an alcoholic if he gets dependent on alcohol physically and psychologically. He resorts to heavy drinking because of his inability to deal with the stress and strain of life.

Dietary Considerations

The chronic alcoholic must first of all make a firm resolve to stop drinking. He should abstain from alcohol all at once for the habit cannot be got rid of in gradual stages. The most effective way to treat alcoholism is to build the body’s nutritional integrity so as to prevent the craving for stimulants like drinks. The patient should be put on a cleansing juice fast for at least 10 days in the beginning. During this period, he should have the juice of an orange every two hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The juice may be diluted with warm water, if desired. Nothing else should be taken as otherwise the value of the fast would be entirely lost. Alternatively, vegetable juices may be taken. Each day while fasting, bowels should be cleansed of poisonous matter thrown off by the self-cleansing process set up by the body. This can be achieved by a warm water enema.

During the juice fast, the patient will usually feel no craving for alcohol. This will give a good 10-days start towards breaking the drinking habit and will help remove not only the physical but also the psychological dependence. After the initial fast on juices, the optimum diet of vital nutrients is essential. Such a diet should consist of whole grain cereals, nuts, seeds and sprouts, fresh fruits and vegetables. The breakfast may consist of fresh fruits and milk. Steamed vegetables, whole wheat chappatis and butter-milk may be taken for lunch. The dinner may comprise a good sized raw salad and sprouts.

It is advisable that in the beginning of the treatment, the patient is given a suitable substitute to relieve the craving for alcohol if and when such a craving occurs. The best substitute drink is a glass of fresh fruit juice, sweetened with honey, if desired. In the alternative, wholesome candy may be taken. The patient should always have easily available juices, candy or other snacks to be taken between meals if he feels a craving for a stimulant. All refined foods such as sugar, white rice, macaroni products and white flour and meat should be avoided. The patient should eat several small meals a day in preference to two or three large ones and avoid strong condiments such as pepper, mustard and chilli. He should not smoke as this will only increase his desire for alcohol.

Dr. Roger J. Williams, a world renowed researcher on alcoholism from the nutritional point of view, states that if the alcoholic is supplied with certain nutrients missing from his body, the craving can be halted and even reversed. He has worked out a specific nutritional supplement containing the nutrients necessary for an alcoholic, which is as under :

Vitamins Minerals
Vitamin A : 20,000 I.U. Calcium : 300 mg
Vitamin C : 200 mg. Phosphate : 250 mg.
Vitamin D : 1,000 I.U. Magnesium : 100 mg.
B vitamins Copper 1 mg.
Thiamine : 4 mg. Iodine : 0.1 mg.
Riboflavin : 4 mg. Iron : 10 mg.
Pyridoxin : 6 mg. Manganese : 1 mg.
Niacinamide : 40 mg. Zinc : 5 mg.
Pantothenate : 40 mg.
B - 12 : 10 mg.
Choline : 200 mg.
Insitol : 200 mg.
Vitamin E : 200 mg.


In addition to proper nutrition, plenty of rest and outdoor exercise are necessary. The healthy condition of the appetite center, which controls the craving for alcohol is improved by exercise.