Patanjali Yogpeeth
Canada
Pranayama
14. Pranayam – Controlled Breathing
Prana is life force. Without prana there is no life. Prana has divine intelligence.
It is provided by God. Prana is called Qui in Chinese and Ki in Japanese.
Pranayam is based on the concept that breath is the source of life in the human body and when it is controlled, it makes the body disease free and prepares the mind for a higher awareness leading to Meditation. Thus, when an individual attains this meditating state
he finds the door to his Inner Soul or Sukshma Sharira.
It is only by practicing Yog everyday that the seven Nerve Centers (chakras) are properly activated in our body. Three main nadis - Ida, Pingala and Sushumna – connect these chakras to the brain. By Asanas we remove the distortions and disabilities of the physical body and bring it into discipline. However, pranayama preceptibly influences the subtle and physical bodies more than asanas.
Pranayama appears as a systematic exercise of respiration. If done regularly pranayama makes the lungs stronger, improves blood circulation, makes the person healthier and increases longevity. Pranayama has the capacity of freeing the mind from untruthfulness, ignorance and all other painful and unpleasant experiences of the body and mind. When the mind becomes clean it becomes possible to concentrate and progress further.
15. Basic Pranayama
1. Bhasrika Pranayama
2. Kapala-bhati Pranayama
3. Bahya Pranayama
4. Anulom-Viloma Pranayama
5. Bhramari Pranayama
6. Omkar Japa
7. Nadi Shodhan Pranayama
16.
Posture – Sit in a comfortable position either on the floor or on a chair. Close your eyes to increase concentration. Do not strain yourself. Breath into your lungs from the diaphragm upwards and do not perform abdominal breathing.
Mudras - are the developed form of Yog Asans. The five fingers in our hand represent the five elements, such as, Thumb - Fire, Index Finger - Air, Middle Finger - Space/Ether, Ring Finger - Earth, and Little Finger - Water. These five elements control the internal glands, body parts, and their functions. The body remains healthy, if the five elements are in balance. Mudras generate powers to provide all around development of mind and body. Some Prominent Mudras are: Gyan Mudra, Apana Mudra, Vayu Mudra, Apana Vayu Mudra, Surya Mudra, Varuna Mudra, Adi Mudra, and Linga Mudra.