PRANAYAMA (With demo video) Life Span Enhancer.- Meaning, Purpose & Types . - 04th.June,2020.

                                                              As per the "Yoga Sutras" or "Yoga Pradipikas", the related standard text books , there are Eight ANGAS : Yama , Niyama , Asana , Pranayama , Pratyahara , Dharana , Dhyana  & Samadhi.

All great YOGIs born on this Land - Sri Sri Ramthakur (my spiritual Guru) , Sri Sri Baba Loeknath Brahmachari , Sri Sri Trailanga Swami , Paramahansa Yogananda , Sri Sri Lahiri Mahashaye , Swami Vivekananda and many more with such prodigious personality, who with their reverberating  divine energy had and are still keeping this human live in motion towards being a seeker , all such great YOGIs gave a great emphasis on practice of  PRANAYAMA in this Kaliyuga for good general health ,mental calmness and ultimately attaining that BLISSFUL state.

 yada yadacarati sresthastattadevetaro janah |

 sa yatpramanam kurute lokastadanuvartate ||

                                                                     

(The Bhagavad Gita 3:21)

Translation : Whichever and however a great personality conducts himself , common men do also ;

whatever he accepts as authority that and that alone certainly the entire world will follow.

The word PRANAYAMA comprises of two words : PRANA + YAMA .

PRANA indicates Life Energy consisting of oxygen , various digestive energies or digestive fire and the Vayu that helps us to excrete (there are many more energies but basically Prana has been divided into 4 parts - Prana , Upana , Udana & Samana). Prana does not mean only the air we breath ( Swasa ), as we cannot directly touch the other energies , except by our SWASA , so we call this activity  PRANAYAMA , or else it would have been named  SWASAYAMA.

 YAMA means rules & regulations.

So, we can confer that PRANAYAMA means -  the rules  and regulations related to manipulation and controlling our breathing rhythm / process / technique  for improved functioning of our various Energies. It would be enough for us to just understand that PRANAYAMA basically means breathing in more OXYGEN in to our LUNGS , or increase our LUNG capacity. 

Longevity of Life is measured by Breaths Per Minute:  Normally the way we breath is just surface breathing , the Yogic way is much different. In surface breathing , that we all do, average respiratory rate of an adult is between 12 - 20 breaths per minute . Where as among mammals, a whale which has the most efficient respiratory system they normally hold breath for 80-90 minutes , the beaked whale can hold for 2 hours . The average life span of a human is 79 years , whereas the average life span of a whale is 90 years , some bowhead whales have lived even more than 200 years. 

In Yogic way of breathing , the breaths per minutes are reduced to an average  of 6-10, thus some of the Yogis could increase their life span to 150  years and much more , as per their need.

As per the yogic anatomy physiology , there are 3 main Nadis , like a TRISHULA formation - Ida , Pingala & Shushumna . Though its said there are 108 Nadis, which is a metaphor.. The Ida nadi starts from the right side of the skull , runs through the left side of the body, where as the Pingala nadi starts from the left side of our skull and runs through the right side of the body , After starting from the skull they cross over  at a point  ( Chakra ) just at the centre  between our both eyebrows, known as AJNA  and both these nadis  meet at a point (Chakra) between the anal outlet and the genital organ , known as Muladhara. Running in between these 2 Nadis is the 3rd Nadi known as Sushumna nadi ( spinal cord ) , through which the energy is intended to flow from Muladhara to the top most Chakra, known as Sahasrara. Our right nostril regulates flow of air (Swasa) through the Pingala Nadi & the left nostril regulates air flow through the Ida nadi.

A balanced  use of air flow through the Ida & Pingala Nadis determines our general health  issues, whereas Sushumna is related to spirituality ( Kundalini ). PRANAYAMA is all about how to balance Ida & Pingala by manipulating the breathing process and ultimately activate the Sushumna Nadi.

There are many types of  PRANAYAMA , of which the basic ones are : 

1) Kumbhaka  ; 2) Anulom vilom ; 3) Kapalabhati ; 4) Bhastrika; 5) Nadi Suddhi; 6) Bhairava Pranayama . In other types of Pranayamas its just about adjusting the rhythm .

Of the above , at least if you could do the - Kumbhaka  and / or Anulom vilom correctly every day, to start with Kumbhaka or simple deep breathing 5-8 times and then Anulom vilom for 10 minutes , then within few months you will find a great difference in our general health, will feel lighter , have sound sleep, immunity system will improve & thus counter any infections in a better way, our emotions and thoughts gets controlled and get a feeling of calmness in our mind. As the nadis are put in a proper symmetry the whole body will function in a better way. Of the 5 elements that our body is made of , Air- Vayu is just 6% but plays a very vital role (Water - Jal =72% ; Earth- Prithvi =12%; Fire- Agni=4% & Space- Akash =6%). Please note that during performing of any PRANAYAMA, always keep your Palm/Palms facing upwards as this facilitates flow of more Air into our Lungs.

 Would like to mention that other than my late Father, the two persons who inspired me into Yoga & Meditation were :  Sri Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudeva - Mystic & a Yogi  &  Sri Madhukarnath ji ,disciple of Sri Sri Maheshwarnath Babaji, who was a direct disciple of Sri Sri Maha Avatar Babaji.

In my next blog , will deal briefly with Meditation , as it would be unjust on my part not to introduce you a little about MEDITATION , specially after this particular blog. 

There after my blogs will be about Physical Fitness  (with demo videos) : Workout at home , How to develop muscles after 50 or 55 years of age , how to reduce body fat, How to enhance body strength & stamina , diets and many more such interesting topics.

Please click on the link below to view the video where myself  has demonstrated in short, few of the PRANAYAMAs just for your understanding (use a head phone for sound clearity) 👇:

https://youtu.be/cTMYr3DyX3M