Pranayama

PRAANAAYAAMAPRAANAAYAAMACLASSCLASS

By Aravinda K.,

BE, MS (Engg), MTechSamskrtha Kovida, Geetha Kovida

WHAT I AM NOW IS GOD’S GIFT TO ME.

WHAT I WILL BECOME IS MY GIFT TO GOD.

- Swami Chinmayananda

PRAANAAYAAMAPRAANAAYAAMA

• Our breathing rate has direct relationship with our emotions and on general health.

• The practice of praanaayaama increases the breathing volume and hence reduces the breathing rate.

• Slower the breathing rate, better is the lifespan, as indicated below –

CREATURE BREATHING RATE LIFESPAN (breaths/minute) (years)

Mouse 120 3Rabbit / Pigeon 40 8 Dog / Monkey 30 15

Sheep 25 25Horse 20 40Human being 15 80Elephant / Whale 12 120Serpent 8 130Tortoise 6 150Turtle 4 250

• There are about 300 million alveoli in the two adult lungs.

• These provide a surface area of around 1700 sq. ft. (one side of a tennis court)

• Together, the lungs contain 2,400 kilometers of airways approximately.

• An average adult body will contain approximately 5 liters of blood.

HUMAN LUNGS

• The human heart pumps about 70 ml of blood per beat of heart.

• If 72 beats occur per minute, then about 5 liters of blood is pumped per minute.

• About 7,200 liters of blood is pumped per day. This adds up to 26,28,000 liters of blood per year.

• About 18,40,86,000 liters of blood gets pumped, by a life span of 70 years.

LUNGS & HEART

WHAT ARE THE METHODS IN WHICHTHE LIVING ONES BREATHE?

BIO-CHEMISTRYBIO-CHEMISTRYThe chemical reaction happening within our body to yield energy, produced by the combined effect of food intake and breathing, is:

C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O + 686 kcal.

The energy that is produced in the gross form is measured in calories. The subtle form of energy, called as “Praana”, is immeasurable.

Total volume of human lungs is about 5 litres, out of which only about ½ litre of air is inhaled during normal breathing. In that inhaled air, Oxygen’s amount is only 21%. Exhaled air contains 16% Oxygen.

PRAANAAYAAMA contd…PRAANAAYAAMA contd…• Many methods of praanaayaama are

described in the scriptures, and by the great yogis. Some of them are:

Mahathyoga, Savithri, Nadi-shuddhi (adhama, madhyama, uththma), Bandhathraya, Panchasahitha, Kapalabhathi, Kaki, Naga, Gayathri, Ekadasha kriya, Soham kriya, Mahamudra, Mahabandha, Mahavedha, Nadi-shodhana, Mandala pranayama, Agnisara kriya, Swasthashwasa kriya, so on -

PRAANAAYAAMA contd…PRAANAAYAAMA contd…

• The shloka in Hatayoga-pradeepika :

Sooryabhedanam ujjaayee

sheethkaaree sheethalee thathaa |

Bhasthrika bhraamaree moorchaa

plaavinee ithi ashta kumbhakaaha ||

• Dead air in the nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi & bronchioles decreases gradually from 95% to 50%. Alveolic air increases gradually from 5% upto 50%.

EASEFUL BODY AND PEACEFUL MIND WILL BE USEFUL

PREPARATIONPREPARATION• Methods of expanding the breathing

capacity (slow, deep, long) –

• Forced control - Shashasana, Vyaghrasana, Makarasana, Salamba Makarasana

• Conscious control - circumscribing using the hands: on stomach, on chest, upper chest (palms on the back), and throat region (hands raised above the head)

PREPARATION contd…PREPARATION contd…• Remote control - Chinmudra,

Chinmayamudra, Adimudra, Merumudra

(Udarashwasa, Urashwasa, Greevashwasa, KanThashwasa)

• Complete control - Brahmamudra, later placing left palm on stomach and right palm on chest with thumbs upward, and breathing fully

• Cleansing - Mukha dhauthi, Greevamudra, Vyaghra kriya

SUCCESS TRILOGYSUCCESS TRILOGY

ATTITUDE SKILL

KNOWLEDGE

Self control is the best control

ATTITUDE SKILL KNOWLEDGE

SELF BODY MIND

LEARN PRACTISE DEDUCE

NOSTRIL LEFT RIGHT

Naadi’s name Ida Pingala

Another name Chandra Soorya

Effect on body Coolness Warmth

Brain’s side Right side Left side

Mind’s control Subconscious Conscious

Governance Emotions Thoughts

Faculty Intuition Intellect

Gaining Devotion Knowledge

Induction Rest Activity

Factor Qualitative Quantitave

TWO NOSTRILS

PRACTICEPRACTICE• Mahathyoga : start with 6:6 ratio, and

increase upto 16:16 gradually

• Savithri : start with 6:3:6:3 ratio, and increase upto 16:8:16:8 gradually

• Nadi shuddhi : use Nasikamudra and start from left nostril; initially perform nadi-shodhana kriya; start with 4:16:8:0 and increase the ratio as per your capacity

PRACTICE contd…PRACTICE contd…

• Bandhathraya : Ashwinimudra, Mayuramudra and Shwanamudra;

- Moola, jalandhara and uddyana bandhas;

- Practice with 4:16:0:8 ratio, with Dronamudra

• Panchasahitha : 4:16:8:4 – for lungs, 4:4:16:8 – for liver, 8:4:4:16 – for digestive organs, 16:8:4:4 – for kidneys, 4:16:8:0 – for heart

PRACTICE contd…PRACTICE contd…

• Kapalabhathi (fast breathing, with pressure exerted on rechaka)

• Kaki (pooraka through nose, rechaka through mouth with sound)

• Naga (very slow rechaka with visualizing of out-breath through skin)

Sl. No.

Breathing pattern

Benefits of the breathing practice

1 2 : 1 : 2 : 1 Increases the respiratory rates

2 4 : 2 : 4 : 2 Protects against heart attacks

3 6 : 3 : 6 : 3 Helps control the emotions

4 8 : 4 : 8 : 4 Increases the metabolism

5 10 : 5 : 10 : 5 Strengthens the body

6 12 : 6 : 12 : 6 Awakens the mind

7 14 : 7 : 14 : 7 Calms the senses

8 16 : 8 : 16 : 8 Rejuvenates

Varieties of Saavithri Praanaayaama

PRACTISING TIPSPRACTISING TIPS

• Practice of yoga should be done preferably in the early morning with empty stomach, clean body, loose clothing and at a silent place.

• Never practice on bare ground; use a carpet or thick cloth beneath.

• Don’t apply excessive force while practicing; let it be within the limits of your body and mind.

PRACTISING TIPS contd…PRACTISING TIPS contd…• Don’t practice during unhealthy conditions; don’t

practice the ratioed breathing exercises when the weather is cold; practice the other ones, such as Nadishodhana kriya, Kapalabhathi & Kaki.

• Ladies should not practice yogic exercises during menstruation period.

• Pranayama practice should be started initially with a smaller ratio; the final capacity should be built up slowly and steadily.

THINKTHINKBEST HAPPINESS – BEING USEFUL BEST REMEDY – OPTIMISMBEST SATISFACTION – DUTY DONE BEST SENSATION – PEACE OF MINDBEST TEACHERS – CHILDREN BEST DOCTORS – DR.DIET & DR.QUIET

GREATEST POWER – FAITH GREATEST MYSTERY – DEATH

MOST DANGEROUS PEOPLE – LIARS MOST NECESSARY PEOPLE – PARENTS

WORST DEFEAT – TO LOSE HEART WORST ERROR – TO GIVE UPWORST FAULT – BAD TEMPER

EASIEST JOB – FINDING FAULTS FASTEST ROAD – THE RIGHT WAYNICEST THING OF ALL – LOVE ALL ROOT OF ALL MISFORTUNES –

EGOISM

REAL NECESSITY – COMMUNICATION PURPOSE OF LIFE – TO REALIZE SELF

WINNER LOSERADJUSTS THE SELF TO THE WORLD

EXPECTS THE WORLD TO ADJUST TO SELF

DISCUSSES IDEAS & EVENTS DISCUSSES EVENTS & PEOPLEINTERESTED MAINLY IN THE SELF’S WORK

INTERESTED MAINLY IN OTHERS’ WORKS

LEARNS EVEN BY AN ANT DOES NOT LEARN EVEN BY ELEPHANT

RESPECTS THE SYSTEM ABUSES THE SYSTEMSIMPLE LIVING & HIGH THINKING COMPLEX LIVING & LOW

THINKINGSOLVES OLD PROBLEMS CREATES NEW PROBLEMSSUCCEEDS WITH PLAN FAILS WITH EXCUSESTHOUGHTS, SPEECH & ACTION MATCH EACH OTHER

THOUGHTS, SPEECH & ACTION DO NOT MATCH EACH OTHER

FINISHES ALL THE JOBS UNDERTAKEN

LEAVES MANY JOBS UNFINISHED

UTILIZES TIME, MONEY & ENERGY WASTES THEM ALL!

KNOW GODKNOW PEACE

NO GODNO PEACE