Pranayama (प्राणायामः)

Pranayama (Samskrit: प्राणायामः) is one of the eight elements in Ashtanga Yoga propounded by Maharshi Patanjali. It is the fourth step in the eightfold path of Yoga that culminates in Samadhi. Panayama is preceeded by Yamas, Niyamas, Asanas and is followed by Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. The article explores the meaning, types, objectives and benefits of Pranayama practice.

परिचयः ॥ Introduction

Prana means ‘energy’ and Ayama is ‘to regulate’. Pranayama essentially refers to the practice by which one can regulate the vital energy. Pranayama helps in making breathing slow and rhythmic. And when the breath slows down, the mind also becomes calmer. Therefore, Pranayama as a practice uses breath to soothe the fluctuations of ‘chitta’ or the active thinking mind.

प्राणायामस्य प्रयोजनानि ॥ Benefits of Pranayama

• It improves blood circulation
• It relaxes the body and mind
• It improves concentration skills
• It releases anxiety
• It expands the lungs and improves lung capacity
• It increases respiratory stamina
• It relaxes chest muscles
• It raises energy levels

It causes over-all improvement in lung functions. It is even speculated that Pranayama influences the functional status of the autonomic nervous system through a neural reflex mechanism in the superior nasal meatus. More importantly, Pranayama helps develop the capacity and fitness for holding focus in the matter of practicing dharanas. Because mind and Prana are mutually agitative; mind's agitation agitates Prana while Prana's agitation agitates the mind. Thus, stabilizing the Prana facilitates mind's ability to concentrate.

प्राणायामस्य प्रकाराः ॥ Types of Pranayama

There are basically four types of Pranayama viz.

1. Vitalizing Pranayama like Kapalabhati
2. Balancing Pranayama like Nadi Shuddhi
3. Cooling Pranayama like Chandra Anuloma Viloma
4. Laya or Silencing Pranayama like Bhramari

Vitalizing Pranayama

Kapalabhati is one of the vitalizing pranayamas. 'Kapalabhati' literally means 'shining forehead' in Samskrit. It is made up of two words viz. Kapala meaning skull where skull includes all the organs under the skull too and bhati meaning shining or illuminating. It is called so because the process influences the organs under the skull especially, the brain and the small brain in a good manner. The process of Kapalabhati involves exhaling with full force by squaring the stomach inwards after deep inspiration. This act throws the abdominal gas out with a jerk. Thus, it removes carbon-dioxide from the body and makes one feel fresh, oxygenated and vitalized.

Kapalabhati is an important part of Shatkarma or Shatkriya, the yogic system of body cleansing techniques. The speciality of Kapalabhati is that it cleanses both the body and the mind using just the breath. It is highly useful for mind detoxification and purification. Another interesting factor is that Kapalabhati reverses the normal course of breathing making expiration an active process and inspiration a passive process. This is believed to induce the reverse flow of nerve impulses to and from the brain facilitating the stimulation and awakening of the centers.

Balancing Pranayama

Also known as alternative nostril breathing, Nadi Shuddhi Pranayama is a balancing pranayama. It is derived from two Sanskrit terms viz. Nadi meaning channel and Shuddhi meaning cleansing or purifying. So, Nadi Shuddhi refers to cleansing of subtle channels through which vital life-force energy (Prana) travels in the body.

The process of Nadi Shuddhi or Nadi Shodhana involves closing the right nostril with the right hand’s thumb, inhaling fresh air through the left nostril (puraka) and holding the breath for some time (kumbhaka), followed by exhalation through right nostril (rechaka) while closing the left nostril with the right hand’s index finger and then reversing the process. During the process, breathing is kept slow and rhythmic.

This practice balances the flow of breath through both the right and left nostrils. The benefits of this Pranayama include,

• Deep breathing that enriches blood with oxygen.
• Strengthening of the respiratory system and balancing of the nervous system.
• Help in relieving nervousness and headaches.

Cooling Pranayama

Left nostril breathing exercise is also known as Chandra Nadi Shuddhi Pranayama or Chandra Anuloma Viloma Pranayama which means a heat dispelling or cooling liberating practice. It starts with closing the right nostril with the thumb of the right hand followed by exhalation through the left nostril and inhaling slowly through the same nostril.

It is an example of cooling Pranayama where both inhalation and exhalation is done through left nostril adopting Nasika Mudra. The benefits of this Pranayama are as follows:

• It helps in cooling down the body
• It is beneficial for anxiety and mental tension
• It will help to calm down the mind

However, it is not advisable to practice this Pranayama in winter.

Laya or Silencing Pranayama

Bhramari is a Laya or Silencing Pranayama. It helps to reduce stress and anger and brings calmness and silence within. The term Bhramari is derived from the Samskrit word Bhramara which means a 'black humming bee'. In this Pranayama, the practitioner makes makes a sound at exhalation that resembles the buzzing sound of a black bee.Hence, the name.

The Hathayoga Pradipika explains Bhramari Pranayama as a procedure in which one breathes in quickly, making a reverberating sound like the male black bee and exhales slowly while softly making the sound of the female black bee. And this sound vibration can effectively be felt at the jaws, throat and face. Elaborating on the procedure of Bhramari Pranayama it is said,

The Purvakrama involves sitting in any comfortable Sukhasana positio with an erect spine and stable mind and relaxing the body. It is advised to the eyes closed throughout the practice to cut off external inputs of sound and sight to internalize the consciousness. The Pradhanakarma involves the practice of Puraka and Rechaka. It should be practised with Shanmukhi mudra. Meaning, the ears shoud be closed with the thumb, index finger should be placed on the forehead, middle fingers on the eyes, ring fingers on the nostrils and little fingers above the lips. The process includes slow and deep inhalation through both nostrils while listening to the sound of the breath followed by Kumbhaka with mouth closed. Then Rechaka (exhalation) should be done gently, making a pleasant, slow-pitch humming sound like a Bumblebee. Finally, as part of Pashcatkarma, normal Puraka and Rechaka for relaxation is performed.

which brings calmness and silencing of mind.

Benefits

• It helps to reduce anger.

• It helps in improving concentration and memory.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5755957/

It has been reported that Bhr.P practice is effective for correcting the hormonal imbalance conditions and other disorders like hypertension, anxiety, and depression.

file:///C:/Users/kanak/Downloads/JETIR1908924.pdf

It is a method of harmonizing the mind and directing awareness inwards.

The vibration of the humming sound creates a soothing effect on the mind and nervous system. Bhramari Pranayam is one of the type of Pranayam which relieves stress and helps in alleviating anger, anxiety and insomnia, increasing the healing capacity of the body.

Bhramari Pranayama is very effective in instantly calming your mind down. It is one of the best breathing exercises to release the mind of agitation, frustration or anxiety and get rid of anger.

Bhramari Pranayam is different from other Pranayamas in the fact that in this Pranayama acoustic vibration is produced by humming sound along with Yogic body posture. The acoustic vibration might be playing key role in producing effect of Bhramari Pranayam by vibrating brain and whole head.7 Bhramari causes the whole brain to vibrate. Vibration of the cerebral cortex sends impulses to the hypothalamus which has the capacity to control the pituitary gland.4

Bhramari Pranayama is very effective in instantly calming mind down. B. K. S. Iyengar mentioned that Bhramari Pranayama relieves stress and alleviating anger, anxiety and insomnia, and reducing blood pressure.10

Bhramari Pranayama has a effect on physical, psychological and intellectual health. In physical health it helps in improvement in functions of hypothalamus, pituitary gland and parasympathetic nervous system. Parasympathetic nervous system is linked with a peaceful and composed status of body and mind. Regular practice of it, helps in overcoming negative emotions. Bhramari Pranayama can act as a beneficial agent to achieve the state of total health.

Bhramari Pranayam has an influential role in controlling negative emotions such as anger, anxiety, stress, fear. It has good results in improving insomnia. It has also capacity in improving and strengthening voice quality. With the help of Scientific evidences conclusion has drawn that Bhramari Pranayam can be beneficial in the prevention and cure of diseases.https://rfppl.co.in/subscription/upload_pdf/Amrutha%20Kalyani_5231.pdf

Bhramari Pranayama involves production of a reverberating sound mimicking the sound of the honey bee during the rechaka (exhalation). The vibrations produced during the procedure are believed to have various good effects on different systems of the body.

Bhramari is a Sanskrit word which is derived from Bhramar the black Indian bumble bee. It describes the characteristic humming sound which is produced while exhaling in this breathing exercise. Bhramari helps to reduce stress and anxiety, expand joy and relaxes both body and mind. Moreover, the exhalation clears and vibrates the throat.[9]

http://www.iamj.in/posts/2020/images/upload/3913_3918.pdf

Vibrations produced due to humming sound of Bhramari Pranayam affects directly on the hypothalamus of the brain, causing a resonance in mind which relieves stress and produces calmness and happiness in the whole body. Thus, Bhramari Pranayam helps to improve our mental health.

daily practice of Bhramari Pranayama produces acoustic vibrations, and this vibration could have a significant impact on brain tissues.

Sequence of Steps in Pranayama Practice

• Mastery over the Asana is a prerequisite for not just Pranayama but also all the subsequent angas like Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.
• Pranayama should become as relaxed and easeful as the posture itself.
• Thus relaxed and eased, the Shvasa (in-breath) and Prashvasa (out-breath) would flow smoothly and not with the more common uncontrolled rhythms.
• When the smooth rhythmic flow of inhalation and exhalation has been accomplished, then retension may be practised.
• Initially, Puraka (in-breath), rechaka (out-breath) and Kumbhaka (retention) together constitute Pranayama.

The Yoga Sutra states,

बाह्याभ्यन्तरस्तम्भवृत्तिः देशकालसंख्याभिः परिदृष्टो दीर्घसूक्ष्मः ॥५०॥

Meaning that Pranayama is threefold and the term 'vrtti' in the sutra applies to all the three sub-divisions of Pranayama viz. Bahya-vrtti, Abhyantara-vrtti and Stambha-vrtti ie. operative externally, internally and in the way of suspension otherwise known as Rechaka, Puraka and Kumbhaka.

• At a more advanced stage, retention alone becomes Pranayama.

Vyasa, commentator on the Yoga Sutras explains the transition from the threefold Pranayama to the state of retension as Pranayama with the help of an analogy. He says,

यथा तप्ते न्यस्तमुपले जलं सर्वतः सङ्कोचमापद्यते, तथा द्वयोर्युगपद्भवत्यभाव इति ।

Meaning: As the water dropped on a heated rock shrinks from all directions, the breath activity also 'shrinks' simultaneously ie. there is simultaneous cessation of movement from both the exterior and interior direction. And this cessation of movement leads to suspension or retension.

Furthermore, this kumbhaka is mentioned to be of two kinds. Namely,

1. Sahita or Mishra
2. Shuddha or Kevala

While both refer to cessation of movement, in the former the cessation is preceeded by either exhalation or inhalation. That is the difference between the two. It is suggested that one whose practise is not advanced enough should practise Sahita form until the energy channels are purified. Because only when the impurities have been eliminated, does Kevala become possible.

one should practice Kumbhaka regularly and while doing so, the Sahita form should be practised until the Kevala is mastered.

OBJECTIVES

After studying this lesson, you will be able to :

• explain the terms Asana and Pranayama;

• list the types of Asana and Pranayama;

• describe the objectives and benefits of Asana and Pranayama;

and

• adopt the correct procedure for undertaking Asana and Pranayama.

Refer:

https://www.academia.edu/12631093/Effect_of_Bhastrika_and_Kapalbhati_Pranayama_on_Selected_Physiological_Variables_of_Sports_Men

https://www.dlshq.org/download2/pranayama.pdf