PRANAYAMA

Pranayama

This is a compound word - Prana + Ayama - which means regulation or canalization of life energy or cosmic energy.

Our Rishis(sages) found that we hardly utilized 25 percent of our lung capacity due to improper breathing habit and as a result suffer from respiratory problems such as wheezing, asthma, sinusitis and dust allergy.

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  Pranayama is a legacy left by our rishis and the following are the benefits:
  Helps in utilizing the lung capacity fully thereby insulating us from all respiratory hazards such as wheezing, sinusitis, and asthma without a need for medication.
  Rejuvenates all the internal organs of the human body.
  Extends the life span by cutting down the breathing rate per minute.
  Brings better body and mind co-ordination.
  Helps in controlling the mind.
  Reduces the ego.
  Creates distaste for undesirable habits like smoking, alcoholism etc.

Classification of Pranayama

Vibhaga or Sectional Pranayama
This consists of Kanista, Madhyama and Jyesta Pranayama and helps to rejuvenate the coarser parts of the human organs.

Mudra Pranayama
This comprises Chin Mudra, Chinmaya Mudra, Adi Mudra, Meru Danda and Poorna Mudra Pranayama. These help to rejuvenate the subtler parts of the human organs.
1. Chin Mudra
2. Chinmaya Mudra
3. Adi Mudra
4. Meru Danda
5. Poorna Mudra

Variations in Pranayama
It is possible to practice the Mudra Pranayama a little differently and use it as first aid for one-sided headaches, earache, toothache, dragging pain down the hips, lower back pain, spondylitis, and backache and prevent paralytic strokes and heart attacks.

For this, one has to use the appropriate mudra on the side that one has a problem and bypass the other side by placing the palm facing upward. This should be practiced till the pain disappears.

Dynamic Pranayama
Bastrika and Mahat Pranayama help in flushing out all toxins from the body and according to Adi Shankara, the regular practice of the three Bandhas or locks will ensure perfect health.

The Bhandhas are:
a. Udhyana (navel) Bandhab. Jalandhar (neck) Bandhac. Mooladhara (anus) Bandha

Using Sound to Heal
The loud and clear repetition of particular sounds, used by yogis for hundreds of years, has healing value.

'OM' - pronounced o-o-o, u-u-u, m-m-m - vibrates through the spine to vitalise the whole body. The sound 'OM' not only helps in rejuvenating the whole body, it also very effectively prepares one for meditation.

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  Special Mudras
  In yogic thinking, our body is made up of five elements - fire, air, ether, earth and water. Each of our five fingers represents one of these elements.
  The thumb represents fire.
  The index finger represents air.
  The middle finger represents ether or space.
  The ring finger represents earth.
  The little finger represents water.

It is believed that whenever there is an imbalance - an imbalance occurs when one element is more active or less active - it creates the disharmony in our system that brings sickness.

The ten mudras - Prana, Jnana, Bayau, Prithvi, Surya, Varun, Linga, Shunya, Apana Vayu and Apana can be practiced by all for general health and life-threatening illnesses.

An exercise to increase the blood flow to the brain and stimulate the endocrine glands for enhancing the cognitive function is also taught in the AGY program. This exercise is to be practiced every day for two to three minutes.