Paranyog

What is Pranyog ?

Pranyog, is the science of breath control. Pranayam and Pranyog comes from the following words: 

Pran- "life force" or "Vital Force

Yama - "discipline" or "control"

Ayama - "expansion", "non-restraint", or "extension"

Yog-     " to unite "

Thus, Pranyog  means "breathing techniques" or "breath control". By which lots of pran(oxygen)enters in to the every single cell of the body and at the same time lots of toxins(Carbon Dioxide)leaves the body.

 Breathing is important for two reasons. It is the only means to supply our bodies and its various organs with the supply of oxygen which is vital for our survival. The second function of breathing is that it is one means to get rid of waste products and toxins from the body.

 Why the Oxygen So Vital ?

Oxygen is the most vital nutrient for our bodies. It is essential for the integrity of the brain, nerves, glands and internal organs. We can do without food for weeks and without water for days, but without oxygen, we will die within a few minutes. If the brain does not get proper supply of this essential nutrient, it will result in the degradation of all vital organs in the body.

The brain requires more oxygen than any other organ. If it doesn't get enough, the result is mental sluggishness, negative thoughts and depression and, eventually, vision and hearing decline. Old people and those whose arteries are clogged often become senile and vague because oxygen to the brain is reduced. They get irritated very quickly.

Poor oxygen supply affects all parts of the body. The oxygen supply is reduced to all parts of the body as we get older due to poor lifestyle. Many people need reading glasses and suffer hearing decline in old age.

When an acute circulation blockage deprives the heart of oxygen, a heart attack is the result. If this occurs to the brain, the result is a stroke.

For a long time, lack of oxygen has been considered a major cause of cancer. Even as far back as 1947, work done in Germany showed that when oxygen was withdrawn, normal body cells could turn into cancer cells.

“Cancer cannot grow in a high Oxygen environment… the prime cause of cancer is the replacement of the respiration of oxygen in normal cells by fermentation of sugar …”

Similar research has been done with heart disease. It showed that lack of oxygen is a major cause of heart disease, stroke and cancer. The work done at Baylor University in the USA has shown that you can reverse arterial disease in monkeys by infusing oxygen into the diseased arteries.

Thus, oxygen is very critical to our well-being, and any effort to increase the supply of oxygen to our body and especially to the brain will pay rich dividends. Indian Yogis realized the vital importance of an adequate oxygen supply thousands of years ago. They developed and perfected various breathing techniques. These breathing exercises are particularly important for people who have sedentary jobs and spend most of the day in offices. Their brains are oxygen starved and their bodies are just ‘getting by’. They feel tired, nervous and irritable and are not very productive. On top of that, they sleep badly at night, so they get a bad start to the next day continuing the cycle. This situation also lowers their immune system, making them susceptible to catching colds, flu and other ‘bugs’.

One of the major secrets of vitality and rejuvenation is a purified blood stream. The quickest and most effective way to purify the blood stream is by taking in extra supplies of oxygen from the air we breathe. The breathing exercises described in here are the most effective methods ever devised for saturating the blood with extra oxygen.

Oxygen bums up the waste products, toxins in the body, as well as recharging the body's batteries. In fact, most of our energy requirements come not from food but from the air we breathe.

By purifying the blood stream, every part of the body benefits, as well as the mind. Your complexion will become clearer and brighter and wrinkles will begin to fade away. In short, rejuvenation will start to occur.

Scientists have discovered that the chemical basis of energy production in the body is a chemical called Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). If something goes wrong with the production of ATP, the result is lowered vitality, disease and premature ageing.

Scientists have also discovered that oxygen is critical for the production of ATP; in fact, it is its most vital component.

Pranyog.......... permits us to tap into this vital nutrient.

We know how to breathe. It is something that occurs to us naturally, automatically, spontaneously. We are breathing even when we are not aware of it. So it seems foolish to think that one can be told how to breathe. Yet, one's breathing becomes modified and restricted in various ways, not just momentarily, but habitually. We develop unhealthy habits without being aware of it. We tend to assume positions that diminish lung capacities and take shortened breaths. We also live in social environment that is not good for the health of our respiratory system.

 It is fact that mental tensions produce restricted breathing.

A normally sedentary person, when confronted with a perplexing problem, tends to lean forward, draw his arms together, and bend his head down. All these body postures results in reduced lung capacity. The more intense the concentration, the more tense the muscles become. The muscles in the arms, neck and chest contract. The muscles that move the thorax and control inhalation and muscular tenseness clamp down and restrict the exhalation. The breaths become shorter and shorter. After an extended period of intense focusing, the whole system seems to be frozen in a certain posture.

We become fatigued from the decreased circulation of the blood and from the decreased availability of oxygen for the blood because we have almost stopped breathing. As our duties, responsibilities and their attendant problems become more demanding; we develop habits of forgetting to breathe.

What's Wrong With The Way We Breathe?

Most of the times our breathing is too shallow and too quick. We are not taking in sufficient oxygen and we are not eliminating sufficient carbon dioxide. , As a result, our bodies are oxygen starved, and a toxic build-up occurs. Every cell in the body requires oxygen and our level of vitality is just a product of the health of all the cells in our different systems..

Shallow breathing does not exercise the lungs enough, so they lose some of their function, causing a further reduction in vitality.

Animals which breathe slowly live the longest; the elephant is a good example.

We need to breathe more slowly and deeply. Quick shallow breathing results in oxygen starvation which leads to reduced vitality, premature ageing, poor immune system and a myriad of other factors.

There are several reasons for this. The major reasons are:

1. We are in a hurry most of the time. Our movements and breathing follow this pattern.
2. The increasing stress of modern living makes us breathe more quickly and less deeply.
3. We get too emotional too easily. We get excited easily, angry easily, and most of the rest of the time we suffer from anxiety due to worry. These negative emotional states affect the rate of breathing, causing it to be fast and shallow.
4. Modern technology and automation reduces our need for physical activity. There is less need to breathe deeply, so we develop the shallow breathing habit.
5. We are working indoors more and more. This increases our exposure to pollution. As a result, the body instinctively inhales less air to protect itself from pollution. The body just takes in enough air to tick over.

As we go through life, these bad breathing habits we picked up become part of our life. Unless we do something to reverse these habits, we can suffer permanent problems. The good news..... is that these are reversible.

The bad news...... is that we seldom recognize and accept that our behaviour needs to be changed.

Reduced vitality, since oxygen is essential for the production of energy in the body.

1. Increased disease. Our resistance to disease is reduced, since oxygen is essential for healthy cells. This means we catch more colds and develop other ailments more easily. Lack of sufficient oxygen to the cells is a major contributing factor in cancer, heart disease and strokes.

With our 'normal' sedentary way of living, we only use about one tenth of our total lung capacity. This is sufficient to survive and just tick over, but not sufficient for a high vitality level, long life and high resistance to disease.

The ancient yogis knew the importance of correct breathing and developed techniques not only to increase health and life span, but also to attain superconscious states.

The Medical Viewpoint on Shallow Breathing.

Modem science agrees with the ancient Indian yogi on the subject of shallow breathing. An editorial in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine suggested that fast, shallow breathing can cause fatigue, sleep disorders, anxiety, stomach upsets, heart burn, gas, muscle cramps, dizziness, visual problems, chest pain and heart palpitations.

Scientists have also found that a lot of people who believe they have heart disease are really suffering from improper breathing.

The first rule for correct breathing is that we should breathe through the nose. This may seem obvious, but many people breathe principally through the mouth. Mouth breathing can adversely affect the development of the thyroid gland. It can retard the mental development of children.

The nose has various defense mechanisms to prevent impurities and excessively cold air entering the body. At the entrance to the nose, a screen of hairs traps dust, tiny insects and other particles that may injure the lungs if you breathe through the mouth. After the entrance of the nose, there is a long winding passage lined with mucus membranes, where excessively cool air is warmed and very fine dust particles that escaped the hair screen are caught. Next, in the inner nose are glands which fight off any bacilli which have slipped through the other defences. The inner nose also contains the olfactory organ-our sense of smell. This detects any poisonous gases around that may injure our health.

The Indian yogi believes that the olfactory organ has another function: the absorption of prana(Life Force) from the air. If you breathe through the mouth all the time, as many people do, you are cheating yourself of all this free energy (prana). The yogis say this is a major factor in lowered resistance to disease and impairs the functioning of your vital glands and nervous system. Add to this the fact that pathogens can enter the lungs via mouth breathing, and you can see that it's impossible to be healthy. It is easy to break the habit of breathing through the mouth. Just keep your mouth closed and you will automatically breathe through your nose!

We will now summarize the benefits of deep breathing. Deep breathing produces the following benefits:

1. Improvement in the quality of the blood due to its increased oxygenation in the lungs. This aids in the elimination of toxins from the system.
2. Increase in the digestion and assimilation of food. The digestive organs such as the stomach receive more oxygen, and hence operates more efficiently. The digestion is further enhanced by the fact that the food is oxygenated more.
3. Improvement in the health of the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, nerve centres and nerves. This is due again to the increased oxygenation and hence nourishment of the nervous system. This improves the health of the whole body, since the nervous system communicates to all parts of the body.
4. Rejuvenation of the glands, especially the pituitary and pineal glands. The brain has a special affinity for oxygen, requiring three times more oxygen than does the rest of the body. This has far-reaching effects on our well being.
5. Rejuvenation of the skin. The skin becomes smoother and a reduction of facial wrinkles occurs.
6. The movements of the diaphragm during the deep breathing exercise massage the abdominal organs - the stomach, small intestine, liver and pancreas. The upper movement of the diaphragm also massages the heart. This stimulates the blood circulation in these organs.
7. The lungs become healthy and powerful, a good insurance against respiratory problems.
8. Deep, slow, yog breathing reduces the work load for the heart. The result is a more efficient, stronger heart that operates better and lasts longer. It also means reduced blood pressure and less heart disease. 
   The yog breathing exercises reduce the work load on the heart in two ways. Firstly, deep breathing leads to more efficient lungs, which means more oxygen is brought into contact with blood sent to the lungs by the heart. So, the heart doesn't have to work as hard to deliver oxygen to the tissues. Secondly, deep breathing leads to a greater pressure differential in the lungs, which leads to an increase in the circulation, thus help the heart to rest.
9. Deep, slow breathing assists in weight control. If you are overweight, the extra oxygen burns up the excess fat more efficiently. If you are underweight, the extra oxygen feeds the starving tissues and glands. In other words, yog tends to produce the ideal weight for you.
10. Relaxation of the mind and body. Slow, deep, rhythmic breathing causes a reflex stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system, which results in a reduction in the heart rate and relaxation of the muscles. These two factors cause a reflex relaxation of the mind, since the mind and body are very interdependent. In addition, oxygenation of the brain tends to normalize brain function, reducing excessive anxiety levels.

In normal respiration the air is taken in through the nostrils without any special effort, sound or exaggerated movement of the nose or chest. In short, it is done unconsciously. We are not even aware of air travelling through our nostrils, down the nasal and oral parts of the pharynx, of its reaching the larynx and then the trachea and the lungs. In general, most of us are unaware of how the breathing process works.

The science of complete breath involves the entire respiratory system and not only includes the portions of the lungs used. The complete breath is not just deep breathing; it is the deepest possible breathing. Not only does one raise his shoulders, collarbone and ribs, as in high breathing, and also extend his abdomen and lower his diaphragm, as in low breathing, but he does both as much as is needed to expand his lungs to their fullest capacity.

The pranyog complete breath is the basic technique of all the different types of yog breathing, and therefore should be mastered before we learn the specific breathing exercises. It brings the whole lung capacity into play and is the basis of the eight specific breathing exercises.

Swami Ramdev's Pranayama Package

 Swami Ramdevji Maharaj is first, in the world health history, to use freely available Pran (Oxygen) as a medicine and in turn remains successful in treating thousands of grief stricken persons suffering from lethal diseases like Diabetes, H.B.P., Angina, Blockages in Arteries, Obesity, Asthma, Bronchitis, Leucoderma, Depression, Parkinson, Insomnia, - Migraine, Thyroid, Arthritis, Cervical Spondalities,Hepatitis, Chronic Renal Failure, Cancer, Cirrhosis of Liver, Gas, Constipation, Acidity etc. which are still a challenge in modern medical science. Swami Ramdev advises Pranayama Package [combination of Eight Pranayama  Seven Asana, Seven Mudra, Seven Suksham Vayaam (light exercises), Acupressure  and naural nutrient for vibrant, healthy and holistic life. 

Eight Pranyog which transforms lives.

1. Bhastrika Pranayam.
2. Kapal Bhati Pranayam
   
3. Bahaya Paranayam
   
4. Anulom Vilom Parayam
   
5. Ujai Paranayam
   
6. Bhramri Paranayam
   
7. Udgeeth Parayam
   
8. Parnav (Concentration on Breathing Meditation)

1. Bhastrika Pranyog

Sit in a comfortable Asana. Breathe in through both the nostrils slowly, till the lungs are full and diaphragm is stretched. Then breathe out slowly also.Depending upon the capacity and health of an individual, this Pranayama can be done in three variable speeds viz. slow speed, moderate speed and at high speed. Individuals with weak lungs and heart should do this at a slow speed. This Pranayama should be done for 2 to 5 minutes.

Determination (Vow) at the time of performing Bhastrika: 
While inhaling in the process of doing Bhastrika make a vow and focus in your mind as if all the divine powers, purity, peace and joy, all that is good in the universe around you is entering inside your body and that you are getting filled with the divine powers. Pranayama done with this kind of vow in mind imparts a special benefit to the individual. 
 
Benefits: 
Diseases like cold, cough, allergy, asthma, respiratory diseases of all kinds, are cured. Lungs become strong and due to the heart and head getting adequate quantity of pure and fresh air, health is improved.

2. Kapalbhati Pranyog

Kapal in Sanskrit means FOREHEAD, and Bhati in Sanskrit means SHINING. Practicing Kapalbhati on regular basis leads to shining face with inner radiance. Kapalbhati is highly energizing abdominal breathing exercise.  
 
What we do in Kapalbhati Pranayama ? 
 
In Kapalabhati we do quick exhalation and natural inhalation. Normally exhalation takes one fourth of the time of inhalation. Quick exhalation and natural inhalation follow each other. 

 
How to do Kapalbhati Pranayama. 
 
Step 1) Sit in comfortable crossed leg position with Back straight. Hands resting on knees in  gyana mudra. Face to be relaxed.  
 
Step 2) Inhale deeply through both nostril, expanding abdomen and exhale with the forceful contraction of abdominal muscles. (Pull the abdomen in by quickly contracting the abdominal muscles and exhale through the nose). The air is pushed out of lungs by contraction of the diaphragm.  
 
Step 3) After exhalation again inhalation but inhalation should not involve any effort. To inhale just relax and the lungs will automatically expand and filled with air.  
 
One can begin with 15 respiration. After completing 15 quick exhalation and natural inhalation , inhale and exhale deeply. This is one round.One can start the practice of Kapalbhati pranayama with 3 such rounds for practice. 

This Pranayama should easily be done for five minutes. In short, breathe in normally and breathe out forcefully, so as to influence the organs of the abdominal area. Persons suffering from acute and chronic diseases must practice if for 15 minutes or more as per the capability. 
 

Determination (Vow) at the time of performing Kapal-Bhati 
While doing this Pranayama think that while exhaling you are throwing all the diseases out of your body. Individuals with mental aberrations like anger, greed, self-ego attachment etc. should develop a feeling of throwing out all the negative and injurious elements along with the air exhaled. In this way the feeling of getting rid of diseases while exhaling imparts a special benefit to the individual. 
 
Duration:  
Do this Pranayama at the start for a period of three minutes and gradually increase it to five minutes. Initially, if you feel tired in between, take rest for a while and resume. After practice of about two months, you will be able to perform this Pranayama for five minutes at a stretch without any fatigue. This is the total duration for which it should be done. In the beginning, you may feel a little pain in the back or abdomen. But this will disappear after some practice. So do not give up 
Benefits:

• Face become Lustrous and attractive.
• Diseases like asthma, respiratory troubles, allergies, sinus, etc. are cured.
• Diseases of heart, lungs and brain get cured.
• Obesity, diabetes, flatulence, constipation, acidity and diseases pertaining to kidneys and prostate glands etc. are cured.
• If done regularly for five minutes daily, it relieves constipation, Blood sugar becomes normal and weight in the abdominal region reduces considerably. Blockages in the arteries are also cleared.
• Peace and stability of mind are achieved. No negative thoughts occur. Troubles like depression are cured.
• Organs in the abdominal cavity viz. stomach, pancreas, liver, spleen, intestine, prostrate and kidney function more efficiently and develop immunity towards diseases. This is the best exercise; benefits accrued by this cannot be obtained by several other asanas. It strengthens the intestines and improves digestion.

3. Anulom Velom Pranayam.

Method to close the nostrils:
To be done by closing the nostrils one after another, close the right nostril by the right hand thumb, and likewise close the left nostril by the 2nd and 3rd fingers fingers keep the palm of the hand in front just above the Nose.

Method:
Prana breathed in through left nostril represents energy of the moon, which symbolizes peace, and has a cooling effect. Hence for purification of Nadis, beginning of this Pranayama has to be made by the left nostril. Close the right side nostril with the right hand thumb. Inhale slowly through the left nostril till the lungs are filled. Then close the left nostril with the second and third fingers. Open the right nostril and exhale through it. Repeat this exercise slowly in the beginning, and with practice, increase the speed. When you are able to practice this exercise for a long time, inhale with as much force as is possible for you, then exhale also forcefully. This practice of inhalation and exhalation alternatively through the right and left nostril, as indicated above with force, should be done for 3 minutes. If you feel tired, rest for sometimes and resume. Regular practice will enable you to do this Pranayama for 10 minutes. After some practice being established, this Pranayama should be done for 5 to 10 minutes daily, depending upon one’s capacity. However, in summer season it should be done for duration starting from 3 minutes and up to a maximum of 5 minutes. If you practice this Pranayama for five minutes regularly on a daily basis, the coiled energy called Kundalini Shakti lying in the Muladhar Chakra begins to awaken.This is known as Kundalini Jagran..

Determination(Vow) at the time of performing Anulom-Viloma
Pranayama:
 
While performing this Pranayama there develops a feeling in mind that as a result of friction and churning of breath in Ida and Pingala Nadis, there is awakening in Susumna Nadi. A divine light is rising upwards from the eight Chakra to the Sahsrar Chakra.
 
There is a feeling that the whole body is being enlightened by a divine light. Imagine a divine light on the outside and the inside of the body. Imagine that the supreme power is showering divine energy and divine knowledge, that the supreme power is filling you with divine energy. Try to get the initiation of the divine energy by yourself. A Guru(teacher) just inspires you for the divine energy and links the student to divine feelings. Actually the divine energy is showered by the supreme power himself. Anulom-Viloma Pranayama done with these kinds of divine feelings gives better results and benefits to the individual in all the spheres viz. physically, mentally and spiritually. A divine light will appear from the Muladhara - Chakra on its own and there will be Kundalini Jagran, you will feel the rise within yourself and you will be blessed with the initiation of the divine energy in yourself.
 
Benefits:

    * Regular practice of this Pranayama has the capacity of cleansing all your innumerable Nadis, which makes the body healthy lustrous and strong.
      
      
      All kinds of diseases occurring due to the disturbance of ‘Vata Dosha’ like rheumatism, gout, diseases pertaining to urinary and reproductive organs are cured. Besides, regular practice of this Pranayama also cures diseases like cold, cataract, sinus, etc. which have reached a chronic stage. The three Doshas of Vata, Pitta, Kapha regularise themselves and assume proper proportions.
    * Blockages in the arteries of the heart are removed and the arteries become clean, making the circulation unimpeded. If this Pranayama is practiced for 3 or 4 months regularly, 30 to 40% of blockages in the arteries are dissolved and removed, preventing the phenomenon of heart attack.
    * Pathogenic cholesterol, triglycerides, H.D.L. and L.D.L. also get controlled, making the arterial channels clear for effective and unimpeded flow of blood in the heart.
    * Negative thinking is replaced by positive approach to life. It increases enthusiasm and spirit, the Sadhak becomes fearless and feels blissful.

In short, this Pranayama has the effect of cleansing the body, and the mind and cures almost all the diseases from which the Sadhaka has been suffering. If this Pranayama is practiced for 250 to 500 times a day, Kundalini Shakti turns its face upward and begin to rise above through the susumna Nadi. It means that the phenomenon known as Kundalini Jagran begins.

4. Brahmari Pranayam.

Breathe in till your lungs are full of air. Close your ears with both the thumbs and eyes with the middle fingers of your hands on respective sides with little pressure. Press forehead with both the index fingers lightly. Close both the eyes. Then press eyes and nose bridge from the sides with the remaining fingers. Concentrate your mind on Agya Chakra (between eye-brows) . Close your mouth. Begin slowly exhaling, making humming sound of a bee, while reciting “OM” mentally. Repeat the exercise 11 to 21 times according to your capacity.
 
Deatermination (Vow) at the time of performing Bhramari Pranayama:
 
This Pranayama should be done with the thought that your individual consciousness merges with the divine cosmic consciousness. Your mind should be full of the thought that divine bliss is descending on you, that deep divine wisdom fills your entire being. Exercising this Pranayama with such thought will endow you with divine light and you will be able to meditate effortlessly. 
 
Benefits:
 
With the practice of this Pranayama the mind becomes steady. It is beneficial in conditions like mental tension, agitation, high blood pressure, heart disease etc. It is also useful for meditation.  
 

5. Bahya Pranayama.

Technique: Swami Ramdev Maharaj defines the three locks in this manner: 
Contracting the abdomen and drawing it in all the way to the back (abdominal contents float up into the lower chest) is called "Uddiyana bandha." 
Bringing the chin to the pit of the throat is called "Jalandhar Bandha."  
Contracting and pulling up the region below the navel (pelvic and pubic area) and sustaining the hold is called "Mulabandha."  
Begin with exhaling rapidly and completely, hold the breath, apply chin lock (Jalandhar bandha) by lowering the chin and join it with the pit of the throat. Apply abdominal lock (Uddiyana bandha) by bending forward a little and press hands on the knees for leverage. Contract the abdomen and draw it in all the way to the back. Apply root lock (mula bandha) by pulling up the pelvis and hold it up there.  
Still holding the breath and the three locks in place, bend forward slightly and pull the abdominal organs as far up as you can, straighten the trunk, holding it as long as you comfortably can. When you are ready to release, bend again, release the abdominal lock and the abdominal organs (while raising the chin to exhale.) and raising the chin inhale.  

Duration/repetitions: Beginners should perform Bahya Pranayama 3 to 5 times. Advanced practitioners can do 11 repetitions. However, in the winter, advance practitioners can do up to 21 repetitions.

Benefits: Good for hernia, stomach ailments, uterus prolapse and all urinary and prostate problems. Channels the energy of the root lock

Caution: People with hypertension and heart problem should avoid performing Bahya Pranayama.

6. Ujjai Pranayam