Pranayam is based on the ancient knowledge of yogis in India who knew that active nostril changes at regular intervals...

Pranayam is based on the ancient knowledge of yogis in India who knew that active nostril changes at regular intervals (approximately one and a half hours) during the day and that for a short period both nostrils come into play all this and much more. They also were aware knew the intimate connection between breath and mind. For example, in anger breathing changes too becoming rapid and disturbed. And because the mind is very subtle, impossible to grasp, yogis figured out how to use this connection between the breath and the mind. By controlling the breath one is able to influence the mind. The term pranayama is constituted by two words: Prana and Ayama. We know that Prana is the vital force which pervades the whole cosmos. It is more subtle than air and can be defined as the energy essence that is within everything in the universe. It is the principle of development and sustenance both of the nervous and cellular tissues of the body and the mind. Thus Pranayama aims at bringing the involuntary functions of the respiratory mechanism within control of a human being making him healthy, balanced and active. The entire process of Pranayama takes around 45 minutes and this duration can be increased up to two hours. The ideal time for its practice is morning. After taking bath one should wear loose clothes and sit straight keeping the neck and head absolutely straight. The process of Pranayama includes: 1. Bhastrika: Take deep breathes and fill the lungs with air and then exhale. Take deep breath but do not fill the air in the stomach. Air should be filled up to the diaphragm. Inhale deeply and exhale completely so that the lungs become free of air. Do not stop the breath. This is one step. Repeat in this manner several times. However, the patients of high blood pressure and heart patients should do it slowly. During this breathing exercise, imagine that you are throwing all the disorders present in your body. The mind is becoming pure and pious. Practice pranayam from three to five minutes. 2. Kapalbhati: Do not pay attention on inhaling and exhaling. Breathe in normally and let the air go inside and then exhale. Exhale the air filled in the stomach. Make the process fast and repeat it ten to

15 times. Imagine that the diseases and mental thoughts are being overcome. 3. Bahya pranayam: Keep the hands on the knees; bend the chin and try to touch the upper portion of the chest and the chest should be stretched. The stomach muscles should be pulled inside.The muscles of groin area should also be pulled inside. Then breathe out completely like Kapalbhati. Imagine that the disorders are going out of the body while breathing out. The time taken for each repetition is 15 seconds and this should be done for at least three minutes. 4. Anulom-Vilom: Close the right nostril with the right thumb and breathe in from left nostril. Then close the left nostril with the little finger and ring finger and breathe out from right nostril. Breathe in and breathe out completely and deeply. Imagine that the divine energy is coming inside you and the disorders present in the body are going out of the body. Begin from five minutes and increase the duration up to 15 minutes. 5. Brahmari: Take a deep breathe. Press the inside edges of the eyes with the middle fingers and breathe in with the sound of a honeybee. Breathe out and chant Omkar. Breathe out and then breathe in and repeat the process with Omkar sound. Repeat this pranayam 11 times and increase it up to 21 times. Breathe in and breathe out and imagine that the divine energy is entering into the body. 6. Udgeet: In this pranayam one has to concentrate on inhaling and exhaling and try to concentrate the mind. Breathe normally and chant Aum. The breathing should be so simple that the sound of breath should not be heard and even cotton kept in front of the nose should not move. Chant Aum andvisualize it while practicing this pranayam. 7. Meditative pose: Concentrate the mind on inhaling and exhaling and think of god. God has created our eyebrows, eyes, nose, ears, lips, heart etc. in Aum shape.Imagine the presence of god in every particle and meditate. Deeper the experience, deeper the physical, mental and spiritual energy.Pranayam overcomes the physical disorders, gives good health and the devotee proceeds on the path of spirituality. In conclusion I would like to notice that before in starting Pranayama the first thing to learn is sectional breathing. Since we all breathe through three parts of the chest upper, middle and lower as well as the abdomen we have to first learn how to breathe through each part individually before we can breathe through all of them. For this one can follow these instructions: 1) Sit in any comfortable pose and then lift both arms up and bend them backwards at the elbow to touch your back below the shoulder blades. Now take a few deep breaths through the upper chest. You can feel this part working in this posture. 2) Now place your hands on your side chest, just under the nipple. Take a few deep breaths through the middle chest.

3) Now place your hands on the sides lower chest where the rib cage ends. Take a few deep breaths through the lower chest. 4) Place one hand on the navel. Take a few deep abdominal breaths. 5) Now try to take a "tidal breath" involving inhalation and exhalation through all these parts. One should practice the above for a few days and then proceed to "nadi-shodhana" or purification of the nadis which is a preliminary process to pranayam, recommended by Shri Sankaracharya over a thousand years ago.