If You Do Not Do pranayam Now, You Will Hate Yourself Later

Pranayam 

Breathing is a natural process which sustains human life, and yet there are many things about breathing that people remain oblivious about. Learning the correct way to breath may be not on the list of priorities for most people, as it comes naturally to all forms of life. Nevertheless,You can live a healthy lifestyle by adopting Pranayam in your daily life. The ability to master your breathing by a few techniques has shown numerous health benefits which affects both mind and body. 

What is Pranayama?

Pranayama is the fourth limb of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga. Yoga is an ancient Indian holistic practice, brought down by sages who realized these techniques of regulating the breath by controlling inhalation and exhalation. A culmination of two words “prana” which means life and “ayama” which are a set of practices which enforce this energy. The quantity and quality of prana and the way it flows through the nadis* (inner channels) and chakras (subtle energy centres) determines strongly influences one’s state of mind. If the prana level is high and its flow is continuous, smooth and steady, the mind remains calm, positive and enthusiastic. Unfortunately, for the average person who doesn’t pay enough attention to his breathing, may be partially or fully blocked. As a result, adding anxiety, fear and a host of other negative emotions, which this individual finds hard to comprehend.

Two powerful pranayama techniques to try at home.

Remember to never strain your breath, always respect your capacity and perform all techniques without being out of your comfort zone. The procedures below are meant for beginners and for that reason it is not suggested any retention of breath after inhalations like, in general, is classically practiced.

1.     Anulom-Vilom Pranayama: in this technique we breathe deeply, using individual nostrils.

Procedure : Close the index finger and the middle finger of your right hand. Now, close your right nostril with your thumb and slowly exhale from the left nostril.After exhaling, slowly inhale through the same nostril. Keep your breath in for 2 seconds. Then close your left nostril with your ring finger and exhale through the right nostril. Now, inhale from the right one, hold it for 2 seconds and exhale from the left one closing your right nostril with the right thumb. You can repeat this process for 2-5 minutes, trying to lengthen the breath but staying always within your capacity and comfort.

Advantages of Anulom-Vilom:

·         Enhances memory power

·         Keeps heart diseases at bay

·         Improves eyesight

·         Regulates blood pressure

·         Purifies blood by blocking the passage of carbon dioxide into the arteries.

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2.    Ujjayi Pranayama: in this technique the sound of your breathing should be that of like a humming bee.

Procedure: Close your ears with your thumbs place your index fingers on the temple and close your eyes with the other three fingers. Slowly inhale through your nose and hold it for a few seconds. keeping your mouth closed, slowly exhale by making a humming sound. The sound is achieved by partially contracting the glottis. You can repeat it for 5 minutes or as long as it is comfortable.

Advantages of Ujjayi :

·         Relieves stress, anxiety and heaviness

·         Prevents or cures throat diseases

·         Improves voice tone, making it melodious

·         Effective in streamlining the vocal production processes

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Contraindications: Pranayama is good for mind, body and soul and should be inculcated into our daily lives. However some people should avoid these breathing exercises if they suffer from the following physical conditions.

●        Women during pregnancy and menstruation

●        People suffering from Cardiac and Pulmonary disorders

●        Patients of Hernia and  Hypertension

●        People who have undergone a surgery in the recent past

Modern medical treatments can be expensive and time consuming. Pranayama proposes an easy and cost effective way to prevent diseases; helping you to be healthy and stay relaxed after hard days work. These exercises will help you make the most of your mind, body and soul. Though you are welcome to gently try it out by yourself we suggest having proper guidance by a teacher since pranayama is delicate and powerful. It’s a real surprise that these simple practices have remained anonymous to many. And like everything in Yoga, it just goes to prove that you don't need to be rich to live a healthy lifestyle.