Pranayama: Use the power of your breath to stay healthy

By Akshar Nath

Pranayama is ‘the science of breath’ or ‘techniques (ayam) of breath (pran)’. This Sanskrit word also has a broader meaning, that is, “expansion, manifestation of energy”. According to some eastern Indian writings, the universe comes from akasha (ether, space) through the energy of prana. Akasha is the infinite, raw material of the universe. Prana is the infinite, raw energy of the universe.

Even though prana is a term loosely used to cover all energies, ancient manuals of yoga speak of 10 pranas, five major and five minor ones.


The five major pranas are udana, prana, samana, apana and vyana. By controlling the prana, one can access and influence all the other pranas, which explains the universal usage of this word for representing all the pranas.

• Udana rules the upper part of the body from the larynx up, and governs use of special senses beyond the five senses

• Prana rules between the larynx and the heart, governing speech, breath and the respiratory system

• Samana rules between the heart and the navel, governing all metabolic activity in the act of digestion

• Apana rules below the navel and governs the kidneys, colon, rectum, bladder and genitals

• Vyana permeates the entire body and governs relaxation and contraction of all muscles, voluntary or involuntary. It also governs the joints and their movements

One of the aims of yogic breathing or pranayama, is to regulate the unequal flow of breath through the nostrils, bringing balance between them, and having both nostrils equalised in the flow of breath. The left nostril is the Ida and the right is Pingala, pranayama opens up the blocked Sushumna (centre) Nadi. Equalising the flow of breath in the left and right nostrils brings health, balance and harmony to the mind and body. Prana flows throughout the pathways of our nervous system as well as through these nadis defined as energetic pathways.

Nadis means channels or vehicles, they are astral tubes made up of astral matter that carry pranic currents. They are not nerves and can be seen by the astral eyes only. Some texts describe 72,000 nadis in the body, other texts mention as many as 3,50,000 of them. Of these, 14 are considered important, but only six of them are most vital. These are Ida, Pingala, Sushumna, Brahmani, Chitrana and Vijnana.

Even though nadis can be likened to the nervous system, they cannot be detected through dissection. They are part of the energy body, which supports the physical body. The physical body is built around the energy system of the nadis. The nerves belong to the physical body and the nadis belong to the subtle body.

SPIRITUAL BENEFITS
The techniques of pranayama are designed to bring the central nadi, the Sushumna, into primary function, rather than the Ida or Pingala dominating the functions of prana flow. With activation of the Sushumna as the primary flow for prana, the yogi experiences freedom from the human condition, and joy.

By opening up flow of the Sushumna, the yogi raises the Kundalini, the sleeping serpent, from the root chakra or Mooladhara. This kundalini energy which is very powerful, passes through and blows open each chakra.

The resulting states of consciousness, represented by the thousand petalled lotus, the crown chakra at the top of the head, is considered the highest state a person can reach in the human form. It is union with cosmic consciousness, beyond time and space, and is also called Shakti. The person merges his individual self, soul, or atman, with the cosmic soul, or Brahman.

BENEFITS
According to yoga, disease is the result of imbalance and blockage in the flow of prana. Psychologists have discovered that there is a connection between personality types and breathing patterns. The yogi believes that by changing the pattern of breathing, one can transform the personality.

When the mind is disturbed, the breath is disturbed and vice-versa. By making the breath deep, even and smooth, the mind relaxes and thus the personality changes or the physical disease go away.

Pranayama techniques come with varied health benefits and there are specific breathing techniques for specific ailments or requirements. For example, healing kidney stones with Kapalbhati), easing diabetes with Anulom Vilom and increase of stamina and dynamic strength with Dwikhand Pranayam.

EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING
When a person is relaxed and happy, diaphragmatic breathing is a natural result. When people are angry or fearful, their breathing becomes shallow.

This is a result of thoracic or clavicular breathing, that is, using the intercostal muscles to inhale air into the chest rather than filling the lungs with the help of the diaphragm. This is done unconsciously stopping the breathing process altogether. This can happen whether these emotions are conscious or unconscious.

The breath plays a crucial role in whether one’s disposition is a calm or anxious one. Breathing techniques such as Udgeet Pranayam, Brahmari Pranayam and Bhastrika can help ease and calm the mind.

(The writer is the Chairman of Akshar Yoga)

NOTE: While every woman irrespective of her age can perform all these asanas, women with fluctuating blood pressure or those under medical surveillance are not advised to do these.