Wonders of Pranayam
No one can't help admiring the simplicity of the techniques for practicing the different PRANAYAM (controlled breathing) which His Holiness Swami Ram Dev Ji Maharaj has evolved and has been teaching to the common mass in India.
One finds the methods taught by His Holiness Swamiji very simple for any lay person to pick up and follow. It is the simplicity in the technique that is making Pranayam a part of life to' common man. Pranayam were there in Text Books for long time but, no one from the common mass in India did have access to it for the techniques for practicing them were very complex. There were also some words of caution attached to such instructions, as "any deviation from the practicing techniques would cause immense harm to a person". This gave birth to an idea that Pranayam should never be attempted to be practiced individually and should only be practiced in the guidance and vigil of a trained Yog teacher Guru. Such rigid rules, complexity in practicing techniques and above all the caution that, any deviation in the practicing techniques would cause immense harm to the person, took Pranayam far away from common mass and was finally lost and buried. No one dared to practice such an art which would cause harm to them if there is even a slightest of deviation in the technique.
His Holiness Swamiji has done a tremendous job in breaking this concept of fear in common mass about the harm caused by Pranayam. His Holiness has devised very simple techniques for practicing the Pranayam which are very easily picked up by any common man just by watching the T.V. His Holiness Swami Ji has also assured the common mass that Pranayam can never cause harm to any person attempting to practice individually. His Holiness Swamiji has exhumed the Indian ancestral science of Pranayam from the grave of darkness, fear and monopoly of a few and presented it in its simplest from for the welfare of the mankind. His Holiness Swamiji has removed the veil of darkness and the mystery of Pranayam is unfolding itself to the common mass in India. People have suffered a lot from various diseases and some had also embraced death although this magic science of Pranayam existed in India confined only to some Text Books in techniques best known to their authors. They ever targeted the welfare of common mass.
The Pranayam as taught by His Holiness Swami Ramdevji Maharaj consists of the following seven breathing exercises in sequence.
7. Pranav Pranayam -- Concentration on Breathing (Meditation)
In addition, His Holiness also advises Agnisaar after Kapal Bhati Pranayam to all particularly those who are incapable of performing Bahaya Pranayam because of several reasons including poor health.
HOW PRANAYAM(CONTROLLED BREATHING) WORKS?
Pran is the creation of Brahma (God), the supreme being. The inherent quality of Pran is "Motion". This quality of Pran is felt. and experienced in Vayu (Air), which is always in motion. The Human body is composed of five elements
1. Akasha (space of vacuity)
2. Vayu (air)
3. Agni (fire)
4. Jala (water) and
5. Prithvi (earth).
From amongst these five elements, Vayu or Air is said to be the essential element, which keeps the body alive and maintains it. This air, when inspired in the body by the process of breathing is called Pran. Pran enters the body through nostrils. Respiration maintains life and is the basis of Pranyam.
According to Yogdarshan. It has been said that when you sit in one of the convenient posture (Asan) and regulate the act of respiration, it is Pranayam. The act of inhaling air in the body so as to reach the lungs, is called inspiration and the act of throwing the air out of the body, is called expiration. When we inhale, it is not only the air or oxygen that enters our body, but alongwith the air also enters a divine energy which keeps the body alive. Doing pranayam does not mean only taking the air in the body (inhalation) and throwing it out (exhalation), but alongwith oxygen, we also take in our body the Vital Energy. This Vital Energy permeates the entire universe and what we inhale and exhale is the fragment of it.
As Manu Maharaj- the law giver of the Aryans is of the opinion that pranayam clears the body and mind as the fire cleans dross elements contained in the gold when heated. Physiology teaches us that the oxygen (Pran) we breathe fills our lungs, spreads in the entire body (internal and external including neurons, veins and arbitraries) providing it with essential food, energy, oxygen and gentle massage. Not only that the veins collect the dross elements form the body, take them to heart and then to the lungs, which throws the useless material like carbon-dioxide and other fatal toxins out of the body through the act of exhalation.
Through pranayam and Meditation we attain a transcendental state of consciousness where the mind has no thoughts or impressions. In that state, our neuro-enodrine system becomes limbic-hypothalamsu, pituitary, adrenal axis becomes strong and precise. As a result our stress hormones- ACTH, cortisol and prolactin and adrenaline and noradrenaline go down. And good hormones like beta endorphines and enkaphalins, etc., go up. As a result stress-related diseases like htn, D.M, obesity and heart disease, etc., start reversing.
So are the cases of diabetes, asthma, bronchitis, leucoderma, depression, parkinson, insomnia, migraine, thyroid, arthritis, cervical spodalities, hepatitis, chronic renal failure, cancer, cirrhosis of liver, gas, constipation, acidity etc.
Spiritually speaking, with the support of respiration that the mind peers into the inner world and enables the Sadhak (Practitioner) to experience divinity. It is with the objective that saints and sages of ancient times formulated different methods of Pranayam. The question that arises is what is the spiritual benefit that can be derived from practice of Pranayam.that on acquiring proficiency in the pranyam, Chitta becomes free from ignorance, mind is covered by radiant light of knowledge of ultimate reality.
Swamiji has exhumed the Indian ancestral science of Pranayam from the grave of darkness, fear and monopoly of a few and presented it in its simplest form for the welfare of the mankind. Swamiji has devised a sequential practise of the 7 Pranayams with allotted time periods for each which has become very well known. Millions have benefited from this simple package of breathe-control exercises. Across strata from business establishments to government organisations, schools, colleges, judiciary, legislature etc. people have taken to pranayam under Swamiji’ s tutelage. It has become common place to see pranayam being practised at parks & gardens all over the country morning and evening.
The complete Pranyama package also includes