I am still a practising student of Yoga and feel unfit to speak some of these things but for the sake of completion I am posting this.
Yoga is, according to Patanjali, "ChittoVritti Nirodhah", meaning cessation of mind modifications - mental tossing. But one can not control the mind, if one has not mastered control over his body! So this is very important that one has control over body as well, and for that a healthy body is very essential.
Once someone has learnt to control his mind, he masters control over his involuntary and autonomous metabolic functions! But before that, one has to learn to control his voluntary system!
Imagine, you can command yourself to sleep, to excrete, to urinate, to pass gas, to lower Blood Pressure, to get rid of your headaches and migraines! Why it is important to pass gas, excrete and urinate at will - atleast to some effect! Any waste product should not be retained for long in the body as it acts like toxins to the body, causing harmful effects.
In fact modern medicine and science is slowly realizing that the ancients wisdom of Yoga has direct medical benefits based on scientific principles. But not all is yet realized by them, as Yoga was a lost science till Dr. Sivananda revived it and made it famous throughout the world 60 years back! Still I feel that not many people have yet realized its powers, including so called many Yogis. This is because there is so much you can do and learn based on your personal experimentation!
One can cure diseases like Insomnia, Apnea, Blood Pressure and even some immune disorders, as I have cured all of them to most extent- though I suffered the Sleep Disorders for last 35 years, Immune Disorder for last 11 years, and Blood Pressure hitting 215/115 and not coming in control with 3 medications! Most of the diseases are present in the body because the natural cycle and the balance of the microcosm system in the body has gone awry. This can happen because of the imbalance in environment we live in, improper balanced food we eat, too little or too much sleep, emotional instability, mental stress and agitation, spiritual disconnect and lack of adequate exercise.
So the eight steps are for some very important reasons, are spelled out by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutra. Without a character and an ethical and moral framework, one can not achieve the maximum benefits of Yoga.
1. Yama - Restraints
a. Ahimsa - Non Violence and Non Injury at Physical, Mental, Emotional level. Hear nothing Negative, say nothing Negative, and speak nothing Negative. Negative energy inside and outside is as harmful as sitting in a radioactive room! Yes it is easier said than done, but one must always strive! I am guilty of it and not feel justified in mentioning it. But over years, I see this makes you a better person, more calmer, more at peace and more happier and contended.
b. Satya - Truth-full-ness, Non Telling of Lies - Science has shown that the brain has to work harder when one lies! You burn your fuel and pollute your system twice than what is required!!Yes the modern society is not conducive to this value system and encourages you to lie. So try to find your balance!
c. Brahmacharya - Chastity, Sublimation of the Sexual Energy. Like Hunger, Thirst, Mind Oscillations, one has a tough time controlling sensual desires, specially when a provocation happens at sensory levels. The idea here is to keep this to minimal and not be crazy, possessive or carried in sway about it.
d. Asteya - Non Stealing, Non Covetousness, Lack of Jealousy. We do not want out conscience to be haunting us - that is if you have a conscience! Some of us may have a conscience surrounded and built on false values, result in all justifications!!
e. Aparigraha - Non accepting of gifts or bribes in exchange of expected favour or services to be returned. Basically this reduces anxiety and expectations - like one doing one's duty without the ego of "I", without attachment to the outcome and having expectations, and as a service to the Divine.
2. Niyama - Observations
a. Saucha - Purity Internal and External, which is part of body hygiene, environmental cleanness and lack of pollution, and purity of mind.
b. Santosha - Contentment. If we are not contended, we are unhappy and angry, which is not good for the body and mind. We get tied to a very narrow perspective and forget that all that is here, good or bad, shall also pass! There is nothing permanent and at end everyone dies here and leaves! That is why identification with the Soul or First Principle, and not with Body, Mind, Intellect and Ego helps, and one sees the Eternity in the Self. Please see my posting on Atom and Atma.
c. Tapas - Austerity. We should not ask a lot for ourselves from the environment and others. If everyone says, "I want more and more", we can see the limited resources of the nature being challenged and destroyed, and conflicts arising. Man is the biggest beast who has killed most of the animals on the planet and ruining the planet earth for his selfish gains. It looks like we are on an inevitable collision course with the inevitable - that I am afraid is going to be unthinkable and indigestible for most of us - as we are ruled by the same power hungry people and nations, who want "more and more".
d. Swaadhyaa - Self Study on Scriptural Knowledge. This does include books of knowledge in any field that benefits mankind, the Nature and the Self.
e. Ishwara-Pra-Ni-Dhaana - Surrender to the Divine. In Gita it says that when one is equipoise in heat and cold, in happiness and sorrow, among foes and friends, and in fortunes and misfortunes is a realized person. This comes when one stops identifying with the Body, Mind, Intellect and Ego and identifies himself with the Divine Principle - the Self or the Brahman. Become like "a leaf in the wind" or "a fish in the universal aquarium", where it does not matter where you are, as you always part and parcel of the Divine Principle in whatever form you are!! Please see my posting on Atom and Atma.
3. Pranayama
Control of Vital Life Energy through different breathing exercises mentioned in Yoga. This is a field by itself and one will learn new things as one practices this over time. The Anatomy Of Metabolic Respiration, The Anatomy Of Mechnical Respiration, and Kapal Bhati Steps And Its Medical Benefits.
4. Aasana
Different postures and locks which create pressure points, stretch and massage different parts of the body. Pressure points help stimulate nervous plexus centers, or chakras and also has a "squeezing effect" on different parts of the body in disposing waste deposits, speeding up excretion of gastric juices, harmones, and neuro transmitters. Stretching helps blood rush in and increasing blood flow, hence improving cellular metabolism and also exercising the cardio-vascular and the respiration system. Please see my post on Anatomy Of Metabolic Respiration.
5. Pratyahara - Withdrawl
This is for the spiritual seekers who want to experience the Essential Truth - The First Principle, that goes by many names, The Divinity, God, Brahman, Shiva, etc. What it means is that one has to evolute by involution as part of his evolutionary growth, by involution of his mind from the sensory world to the inner world of the soul. In order to conquest the Senses, Body, Mind, Intellect and Ego and feel eternally Peaceful, Happy and Blissfull, one needs to withdraw till one masters control over Mind, and then can still operate in the Material World. It is also called Uparatii.
6. Dharana - Concentration
This is single minded focus on any material, mental, emotional or spiritual object. It could be Sound, Picture, Smell, Some Positive Thought, Longing for Lord or Soul, Mantra, AUM, or any spiritual object of admiration, like Cross, Star of David, etc. In Tantra, Yantra, Tantra, Mantra, and Mandala are employed.
Breathing plays a very important part in this step. Sometimes the intensity of the mind is so strong in positive direction of achieving this goal, that it automatically happens. Sometimes, one has to use Pranayama to control the mind, and transcend the mind. It is very rare and difficult to transcend the mind without breath control unless one has such a wonderful longing and desire of the object of focus that it happens by itself.
All creative efforts, like Painters, Singers, Dancers, Thinkers, Scientists, Philosophers get this moment unconsciously in their "Ah" moment. Among the spiritual seekers, this is called the Rapture moment, where one experiences
7. Dhyana - Meditation
This is a very advance stage where one has transcended the mind, has perfect control over it, is beyond sorrow and happiness, is equipoise among friends and foes, takes success and failures, pleasant and unpleasant with same positive attitude. He is in constant remembrance of the First Principle - The Lord, and it need not be with eyes closed, though very difficult.
One can do open eye meditation by looking at presence of the same First Principle in all the forms and shapes, and animate or inanimate. Some people, can tune in to their breath, and feel the breath come in and go - and do a silent chant mentally saying "So Ham" - "I Am That", the First Principle. Note that when you breath in, the sound "So" is naturally made, and when you breath out, the sound "Ham" is naturally made.
People who have reached the Kevla Kumbha stage, which itself has many degrees of advancement, they can constantly retain and hold their breath - it does not mean that they are not taking oxygen, but they are taking minimally that comes in contact with the nostrils, without the diaphragm, chest, collar, throat or nostrils doing any inhalation or exhalation. In a very advance stage, one may just sense the subtle current of the air, like a whirl-pool of inward and outward motions, more like circulatory ones, at the tip of the nose, or in middle of the nose or in the upper nose, near the third eye. Some practitioners may develop some flap which would open and close when a "molecule" of air is allowed to flow in beyond in their meditation.
8. Samadhi
This is for the Spiritual Seekers who believe in the constant and repeating cycle of Death and Dirth and want to get liberation from this cycle. This is called "Moksha".
This seems to be Vikalpa and Nirvikalpa Samadhi. The earlier one is with the thought and the later one is without the thought. Vikalpa Samadhi is also called Sahita Samadhi - or added Samadhi.
This stage is all text book knowledge to me and I do not know anything about this stage.
While the sequence of the steps are important, it does not mean that one has to get a 100% mastery in one step and then go the next step.
There is nothing like a "black" and "white" demarcation, and this journey is iterative and running along many parallel tracks.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Saturday, November 3, 2007
The Magic Bullet Breathing Exercise - Kapal Bhati - Steps And Its Medical Benefits
Whatever is transcribed here is based on personal analysis and research, and not endorsed or found in any standard texts. So buyer of this information is subject to Caveat Emptor and I hold no liability to anyone claiming to have been misled by the information published herewith. Please do not copy this information without prior written permission.
Kapal Bhati is one of the most powerful Pranayamas. Till I get time to demonstrate it, please check some video by Ramdev or by someone in Youtube.
Still I would note down the steps to do this Pranayama.
1. Sit in Padmaasan, Sukha, Siddha or Vajra Aasan - cross-leg-ed or Lotus Posture and make sure your back is as straight as possible. There should be no forward looking curvature of the spine and the stomach should be free to move without any obstruction. Vajra Aasan is the best as it keeps the spin straight and backwards, and keeps the stomach loose from any constraints.
2. Do not use any chest, neck or nose muscles to do the breathing. This would be difficult in beginning but try to make a conscious effort. Over time this would become a second nature with practice.
3. Try to expand your stomach/belly slowly as much as you can and see the air rush in slowly. This would be the inhalation part. In Kapalbhati this is suppose to happen when one focuses on contraction, which is for exhalation.
4. Then contract your stomach/belly slowly as much as you can and see the air rush out slowly. This would be the exhalation part.
5. Over the time, try to increase the pace between the expansion and the contraction of the stomach/belly. This is difficult in the beginning but over the time this would become easy.
6. Please make sure that the contraction is done in a sudden jerk and the expansion is done slightly slowly. Exhalations should be relatively faster and Contractions should be relatively slower. Later the combination of the pace of the expansion and the contraction can be varied with practice.
7. Some people would find the contracting of tummy/stomach first easier, and then expanding it loose. So they can throw the air out and contract their stomach/belly first and then relax or expanding the stomach/belly muscles to let the air in, and repeat this cycle. Others would find the expansion of the stomach first easier, and that would be the ideal way to start, as mentioned in steps 3 and 4. In a continuous cycle of breathing in and out, it does not matter which comes first, breathing in with the contraction of stomach or breathing out with the tightening of stomach.
8. Make sure you do not raise your collar bones or move your spine go forward and backward in this process of the exhalation and the inhalation.
9. Do 25 in rapid cycle, then hold air as long as you can - with or without nostrils closed with right hand thumb and index finger - as part of Antariya Kumbha, and close your eyes and focus on your stomach. Slowly raise this cycle to 50 rounds and then to 100 rounds, and later on to 500 rounds. Later after some years, one may be able to continuously do 1000 rounds in one cycle and then hold his breath for longer time. Without closing nostrils, it is easier to hold breath for longer time but their is more benefit of holding breath with the nostrils closed.
Do Not:
1. Wait for 1 hour after food before doing Kapal-bhati - at least not very hard but may try slowly and see if there is any burning or painful sensation in the upper digestive tract.
2. If there is any heart or chest pain, please do not do this. Heart, Brain Trauma, and Hernia Patients should be very careful and pay special attention when doing this exercise.
3. Patients with digestive disorders should be careful and make sure they they do not hurt themselves.
4. Pregnant women should NOT do Kapal-bhati.
5. Menstruating women should consult their doctor before doing this, specially in early days of heavy bleeding as one may loose a lot of blood. They can try doing this as later part of their period, and it should help get rid of dead tissues and cleanup the uterus.
6. If you had a recent surgery please do NOT do this exercise.
7. If you are taking any medication that you think affects your breathing, respiration, blood circulation, metabolism, kidneys, liver, spleen, gall-bladder, cardio-vascular and nervous system, please consult your doctor.
8. People with Pulmonary, Middle and Inner Ear, Vertigo, Dizziness, and Eye/Retina/Glucoma issues should be careful.
Most of the time it is my opinion that individuals are fine if they listen to your body and notice any first sign of warning or protest from the body, before continuing in the path of doing anything that you think may hurt you. You are your best judge.
Medical Benefits:
1. Loose belly and make the stomach flat and taut.
2. Food is digested fast as gastric juices are mixed well with the food - like cooking - and assisting Peristalsis of organs in the digestive track.
3. Feces is passed fast.
4. Flatulence is cleared.
5. Urination happens fast.
6. Internal organs like Liver, Kidneys, Spleen and Gallbladder are massaged - helping stimulation of the organs as well as cleansing of toxic.
7. Increased Oxygen Level which helps increased energy levels and metabolism rate.
8. Fat and Cholesterol is burnt faster because of increased metabolism.
9. Increased Osmotic Pressure acts like a blast cleansing process, where toxins in blood are burnt.
10. Skin is cleared up of toxic and one can feel that skin is oozing out some gases - like the feeling in perspiration but with more intensity.
11. Some people may feel that their body is electrified and going through involuntary jerks. Later they can direct these jerks consciously with their thoughts with practice.
12. Helps in singing as one's capacity to hold and blow air improves - helping in maintaining a pitch and not needing as many pauses to take breath. Wondered how Shankar Mahadevan does a breath-less singing?
13. Because of "storage" effect, blood is more richer in oxygen, and one can hold one's breath for longer time, which helps swimming.
14. Respiratory Tract infections, like Cough, Cold, Bronchitis, Influenza and Tuberculosis get treated as the stress cycle of intense oxygenation and intense oxygen deprivation kills bacterial and viral infections. One can get rid of cold and infection, but land up with lost voice for a day!
14. Skin starts glowing and becomes clearer, smooth and shiny. Their is a radiance on the face which is what meant by the word "Kapal Bhati", the Face-Shine literally.
15. When one does Kapalbhati very fast, one can come to a resonance frequency of the stomach and the alimentary canals tract that suddenly the stomach will collapse on itself and one will not be able to exert any more pressure or force on the stomach muscles for those seconds, just like when an earthquake comes, the earth becomes a wave of liquid or powder particles, and it can not bear any thing solid, which causes so much of structural damage, besides shearing and swaying forces. So all the dirt and fat accumulation inside the linings of the alimentary canal would be cleaned up. The next day when one passes the stool, one would notice something "liquid fat" droplets. The same principle is used for cleaning surfaces, de-greasing, de-painting, and dentists use Ultrasound scalpel to clean teeth and at the same time create pressured water spray.
Also, see my article on Hyperberic Oxygen Therapy (coming soon) and based on this finding, apparently some newer benefits that I can think of are:
a. Stem Cells count goes up in the bone marrow.
b. Healing becomes faster
c. Bacterial and viral infections are cured
d. Newer blood vessels are formed, specially around the damaged areas in the brain and other parts of the body.
e. Stress does also leads to damages in the brain tissue, besides other complications, and research has found that by increasing ATP (Adenosine Tri Phosphate) metabolism, important for aerobic energy production, the damages can be prevented. Since oxygen is an important part of the equation, increased levels of Oxygen delivery alleviates the harm. Please see my posting on Stress (Stress And Yoga Mmeditation Can Help It and the video referenced there.
Over a period of time, one would find that one has developed a lot of Muscle control over Abdominal Muscles and also between the Eyes and inside the Nostrils and Thoriac Passage. Some may call it "awake-ning"of "local Chakaras" but whatever it may be called, it helps one accelerate the excretion of feaces faster and voluntarily. One can literally churn the Alimentary canal with different Pectoral Muscles Combinations. It is my observation, that after one thinks that one is done with the business of ablution, there is 40% more matter left to be excreted sometimes! This is why Pranayama is also called a Kriya or Cleansing Exercise.
In another form of Pranayama, it is my observation, that one can literally vaporize ones solid waste into voluntary flatulence discharges. Perhaps this is one of the reasons, that some of the Yogis bodies have not decomposed very rapidly in comparison to other normal people - and hence busting the myth of "divine" intervention.
Kapal Bhati is one of the most powerful Pranayamas. Till I get time to demonstrate it, please check some video by Ramdev or by someone in Youtube.
Still I would note down the steps to do this Pranayama.
1. Sit in Padmaasan, Sukha, Siddha or Vajra Aasan - cross-leg-ed or Lotus Posture and make sure your back is as straight as possible. There should be no forward looking curvature of the spine and the stomach should be free to move without any obstruction. Vajra Aasan is the best as it keeps the spin straight and backwards, and keeps the stomach loose from any constraints.
2. Do not use any chest, neck or nose muscles to do the breathing. This would be difficult in beginning but try to make a conscious effort. Over time this would become a second nature with practice.
3. Try to expand your stomach/belly slowly as much as you can and see the air rush in slowly. This would be the inhalation part. In Kapalbhati this is suppose to happen when one focuses on contraction, which is for exhalation.
4. Then contract your stomach/belly slowly as much as you can and see the air rush out slowly. This would be the exhalation part.
5. Over the time, try to increase the pace between the expansion and the contraction of the stomach/belly. This is difficult in the beginning but over the time this would become easy.
6. Please make sure that the contraction is done in a sudden jerk and the expansion is done slightly slowly. Exhalations should be relatively faster and Contractions should be relatively slower. Later the combination of the pace of the expansion and the contraction can be varied with practice.
7. Some people would find the contracting of tummy/stomach first easier, and then expanding it loose. So they can throw the air out and contract their stomach/belly first and then relax or expanding the stomach/belly muscles to let the air in, and repeat this cycle. Others would find the expansion of the stomach first easier, and that would be the ideal way to start, as mentioned in steps 3 and 4. In a continuous cycle of breathing in and out, it does not matter which comes first, breathing in with the contraction of stomach or breathing out with the tightening of stomach.
8. Make sure you do not raise your collar bones or move your spine go forward and backward in this process of the exhalation and the inhalation.
9. Do 25 in rapid cycle, then hold air as long as you can - with or without nostrils closed with right hand thumb and index finger - as part of Antariya Kumbha, and close your eyes and focus on your stomach. Slowly raise this cycle to 50 rounds and then to 100 rounds, and later on to 500 rounds. Later after some years, one may be able to continuously do 1000 rounds in one cycle and then hold his breath for longer time. Without closing nostrils, it is easier to hold breath for longer time but their is more benefit of holding breath with the nostrils closed.
Do Not:
1. Wait for 1 hour after food before doing Kapal-bhati - at least not very hard but may try slowly and see if there is any burning or painful sensation in the upper digestive tract.
2. If there is any heart or chest pain, please do not do this. Heart, Brain Trauma, and Hernia Patients should be very careful and pay special attention when doing this exercise.
3. Patients with digestive disorders should be careful and make sure they they do not hurt themselves.
4. Pregnant women should NOT do Kapal-bhati.
5. Menstruating women should consult their doctor before doing this, specially in early days of heavy bleeding as one may loose a lot of blood. They can try doing this as later part of their period, and it should help get rid of dead tissues and cleanup the uterus.
6. If you had a recent surgery please do NOT do this exercise.
7. If you are taking any medication that you think affects your breathing, respiration, blood circulation, metabolism, kidneys, liver, spleen, gall-bladder, cardio-vascular and nervous system, please consult your doctor.
8. People with Pulmonary, Middle and Inner Ear, Vertigo, Dizziness, and Eye/Retina/Glucoma issues should be careful.
Most of the time it is my opinion that individuals are fine if they listen to your body and notice any first sign of warning or protest from the body, before continuing in the path of doing anything that you think may hurt you. You are your best judge.
Medical Benefits:
1. Loose belly and make the stomach flat and taut.
2. Food is digested fast as gastric juices are mixed well with the food - like cooking - and assisting Peristalsis of organs in the digestive track.
3. Feces is passed fast.
4. Flatulence is cleared.
5. Urination happens fast.
6. Internal organs like Liver, Kidneys, Spleen and Gallbladder are massaged - helping stimulation of the organs as well as cleansing of toxic.
7. Increased Oxygen Level which helps increased energy levels and metabolism rate.
8. Fat and Cholesterol is burnt faster because of increased metabolism.
9. Increased Osmotic Pressure acts like a blast cleansing process, where toxins in blood are burnt.
10. Skin is cleared up of toxic and one can feel that skin is oozing out some gases - like the feeling in perspiration but with more intensity.
11. Some people may feel that their body is electrified and going through involuntary jerks. Later they can direct these jerks consciously with their thoughts with practice.
12. Helps in singing as one's capacity to hold and blow air improves - helping in maintaining a pitch and not needing as many pauses to take breath. Wondered how Shankar Mahadevan does a breath-less singing?
13. Because of "storage" effect, blood is more richer in oxygen, and one can hold one's breath for longer time, which helps swimming.
14. Respiratory Tract infections, like Cough, Cold, Bronchitis, Influenza and Tuberculosis get treated as the stress cycle of intense oxygenation and intense oxygen deprivation kills bacterial and viral infections. One can get rid of cold and infection, but land up with lost voice for a day!
14. Skin starts glowing and becomes clearer, smooth and shiny. Their is a radiance on the face which is what meant by the word "Kapal Bhati", the Face-Shine literally.
15. When one does Kapalbhati very fast, one can come to a resonance frequency of the stomach and the alimentary canals tract that suddenly the stomach will collapse on itself and one will not be able to exert any more pressure or force on the stomach muscles for those seconds, just like when an earthquake comes, the earth becomes a wave of liquid or powder particles, and it can not bear any thing solid, which causes so much of structural damage, besides shearing and swaying forces. So all the dirt and fat accumulation inside the linings of the alimentary canal would be cleaned up. The next day when one passes the stool, one would notice something "liquid fat" droplets. The same principle is used for cleaning surfaces, de-greasing, de-painting, and dentists use Ultrasound scalpel to clean teeth and at the same time create pressured water spray.
Also, see my article on Hyperberic Oxygen Therapy (coming soon) and based on this finding, apparently some newer benefits that I can think of are:
a. Stem Cells count goes up in the bone marrow.
b. Healing becomes faster
c. Bacterial and viral infections are cured
d. Newer blood vessels are formed, specially around the damaged areas in the brain and other parts of the body.
e. Stress does also leads to damages in the brain tissue, besides other complications, and research has found that by increasing ATP (Adenosine Tri Phosphate) metabolism, important for aerobic energy production, the damages can be prevented. Since oxygen is an important part of the equation, increased levels of Oxygen delivery alleviates the harm. Please see my posting on Stress (Stress And Yoga Mmeditation Can Help It and the video referenced there.
Over a period of time, one would find that one has developed a lot of Muscle control over Abdominal Muscles and also between the Eyes and inside the Nostrils and Thoriac Passage. Some may call it "awake-ning"of "local Chakaras" but whatever it may be called, it helps one accelerate the excretion of feaces faster and voluntarily. One can literally churn the Alimentary canal with different Pectoral Muscles Combinations. It is my observation, that after one thinks that one is done with the business of ablution, there is 40% more matter left to be excreted sometimes! This is why Pranayama is also called a Kriya or Cleansing Exercise.
In another form of Pranayama, it is my observation, that one can literally vaporize ones solid waste into voluntary flatulence discharges. Perhaps this is one of the reasons, that some of the Yogis bodies have not decomposed very rapidly in comparison to other normal people - and hence busting the myth of "divine" intervention.
The Anatomy of Mechanical Respiration
The breathing in and breathing out is what is called here Mechanical Respiration. As human nature is, we take this as granted and do not give much thought to it but is one of the most wonderful systems not well understood by most of the people.
Lets see how does the breathing happen. From nostrils, the air gets filtered by hair and passes into upper nasal pharynx cavity to larynx mouth cavity to wind pipe to trachea to bronchial tree on each side to alveolar sacks. On its way it passes the vocal chords, thyroid glands and ventilates sinus cavity above nose. The respiratory system is part of thoracic cavity and separates from abdominal cavity by diaphragm, which is attached to lungs. and plays an important role in breathing.
So how does the Oxygen rich air flow in? The Boyle's Law states that PxV=RT, which means if we increase the volume of lungs, pressure will reduce inside lungs and air will be sucked by itself from outside.
Nature has provided following levers, in order from maximum leverage to minimal leverage, to do the breathing:
a. Diaphragm - when it moves down, or when stomach is expanded, air rushes in. Only babies use this and one can see their bellies going up and down when they are sleeping. But as they start to walk, this habit is lost. It is used very minimally when doing things strenuous.
b. Intercostal Muscles - lungs are attached to the rib cage via these muscles and by expanding chest, the air flows in.
c. Interclavicle Muscles - muscles attached to the collar bones and lungs which can be exercised when lifting one's shoulder, though very subtle movement of air happens, and one may not sense it if not made sensitized to air flows in the respiratory system.
d. Thoracic Muscles - by contracting and expanding, near vocal areas, one can also breath and is used in strenuous exercises.
e. Nasal Muscles - by contracting and expanding muscles in the nose, one can also breath, though people may not have much control unless these muscles are developed.
It is clear that we hardly exercise all muscles to maximize breathing or do anything consciously to use some of the muscles. To maximize metabolism, one can employ all knobs and to minimize metabolism, one can only use the nostril, at least theoretically! Once metabolism is in control, heart, mind, brain, etc., are all in control!
Please note in the thoracic cavity, there is a thymus gland, which is part of the lymphatic system, and connected via the largest lymphatic vessels called thoracic duct, complemented by right lymphatic duct. Breathing plays an important part in controlling the flow of lymphocytes from Thymus and plays a crucial role in Immune System. Thymus controls the production of T-Cells which play an important part of the immune system.
The lymphatic system has three interrelated functions: (1) removal of excess fluids from body tissues, (2) absorption of fatty acids and subsequent transport of fat, as chyle, to the circulatory system and, (3) production of immune cells such as lymphocytes (e.g. antibody producing plasma cells like T-Cells and B-Cells) and monocytes.
Breathing has 4 parts: (1) Inhalation - Purnika, (2) Inner Retention - Antriya Kumbhka, (3) Exhalation - Rachika, and (4) External Retention - Bahriya Kumbhka.
Permutation and combination of the four parts of the breathing components, along usage of different muscles in the respiratory system, and passage locks developed during the course of Yoga training, and Aasanas make an important part of Pranayama.
As discussed earlier, the systematic and conscious control of breathing can be used to control the mind and the metabolism of the body. It is rigorously can be used in Meditation and control of Mind.
The ultimate in Pranayama and Kumbhaka is called Kevala Kumbha, where one suspends the mechanical breathing in and out, with helps of mechanical, aasan and pressure locks, but only sustaining himself with natural ventilation and exchange of oxygen in nostrils. There are many degrees of it, depending on mental state, posture, place and time. This can be used to transcend Mind and is the goal of Raja Yoga.
Over the years of Yoga practice, one develops control of locks to aid in this process. Please be advised, do not try this without guidance as death and damage can result. A lot of magic powers have been mentioned by texts on this aspect, but I do not know about them, except of some calming, healing and meditative powers. Even if one has mastered this, please make sure that you allow your body to recover after doing this Kumbha, before doing any activity, like walking or getting up, as you may faint or pass out.
In Geeta in Chapter 6, On Meditation, and other chapters too, it is mentioned that one should do Metitation by suspending the Apnaa and Pranaa and the interpretations given by most of the famous translators is true and subject to their personal experiences - and in one journey one may experience all of them. References: (1) Kevala Kumbha and (2) Dr. Sivananda on Kevala Kumbha. Apnaa is the downward movement of the Life Forces and Pranaa is the upward movement of the Life Forces - and the two are having a grosser representation in the Inhalation and Exhalation Process.
Geeta says:
Apane juhvati pranam pranepanam tathapare; Pranapanagatee ruddhva pranayamaparayanah (Gita, Ch. IV-29.). Others offer Prana (outgoing breath) in Apana (incoming breath) and Apana in Prana, restraining the passage of Prana and Apana, absorbed in Pranayama. Pranayama is a precious Yajna (sacrifice). Some practise the kind of Pranayama called Puraka (filling in). Some practise the kind of Pranayama called Rechaka (emptying). Some are engaged in the practice of Pranayama called Kumbhaka, by impeding the outward passage of air, through the nostrils and the mouth, and by impeding the inward passage of the air, in the opposite direction. Reference: Geeta on Kevala Kumbha - Translation by Dr. Sivananda.
Lets see how does the breathing happen. From nostrils, the air gets filtered by hair and passes into upper nasal pharynx cavity to larynx mouth cavity to wind pipe to trachea to bronchial tree on each side to alveolar sacks. On its way it passes the vocal chords, thyroid glands and ventilates sinus cavity above nose. The respiratory system is part of thoracic cavity and separates from abdominal cavity by diaphragm, which is attached to lungs. and plays an important role in breathing.
So how does the Oxygen rich air flow in? The Boyle's Law states that PxV=RT, which means if we increase the volume of lungs, pressure will reduce inside lungs and air will be sucked by itself from outside.
Nature has provided following levers, in order from maximum leverage to minimal leverage, to do the breathing:
a. Diaphragm - when it moves down, or when stomach is expanded, air rushes in. Only babies use this and one can see their bellies going up and down when they are sleeping. But as they start to walk, this habit is lost. It is used very minimally when doing things strenuous.
b. Intercostal Muscles - lungs are attached to the rib cage via these muscles and by expanding chest, the air flows in.
c. Interclavicle Muscles - muscles attached to the collar bones and lungs which can be exercised when lifting one's shoulder, though very subtle movement of air happens, and one may not sense it if not made sensitized to air flows in the respiratory system.
d. Thoracic Muscles - by contracting and expanding, near vocal areas, one can also breath and is used in strenuous exercises.
e. Nasal Muscles - by contracting and expanding muscles in the nose, one can also breath, though people may not have much control unless these muscles are developed.
It is clear that we hardly exercise all muscles to maximize breathing or do anything consciously to use some of the muscles. To maximize metabolism, one can employ all knobs and to minimize metabolism, one can only use the nostril, at least theoretically! Once metabolism is in control, heart, mind, brain, etc., are all in control!
Please note in the thoracic cavity, there is a thymus gland, which is part of the lymphatic system, and connected via the largest lymphatic vessels called thoracic duct, complemented by right lymphatic duct. Breathing plays an important part in controlling the flow of lymphocytes from Thymus and plays a crucial role in Immune System. Thymus controls the production of T-Cells which play an important part of the immune system.
The lymphatic system has three interrelated functions: (1) removal of excess fluids from body tissues, (2) absorption of fatty acids and subsequent transport of fat, as chyle, to the circulatory system and, (3) production of immune cells such as lymphocytes (e.g. antibody producing plasma cells like T-Cells and B-Cells) and monocytes.
Breathing has 4 parts: (1) Inhalation - Purnika, (2) Inner Retention - Antriya Kumbhka, (3) Exhalation - Rachika, and (4) External Retention - Bahriya Kumbhka.
Permutation and combination of the four parts of the breathing components, along usage of different muscles in the respiratory system, and passage locks developed during the course of Yoga training, and Aasanas make an important part of Pranayama.
As discussed earlier, the systematic and conscious control of breathing can be used to control the mind and the metabolism of the body. It is rigorously can be used in Meditation and control of Mind.
The ultimate in Pranayama and Kumbhaka is called Kevala Kumbha, where one suspends the mechanical breathing in and out, with helps of mechanical, aasan and pressure locks, but only sustaining himself with natural ventilation and exchange of oxygen in nostrils. There are many degrees of it, depending on mental state, posture, place and time. This can be used to transcend Mind and is the goal of Raja Yoga.
Over the years of Yoga practice, one develops control of locks to aid in this process. Please be advised, do not try this without guidance as death and damage can result. A lot of magic powers have been mentioned by texts on this aspect, but I do not know about them, except of some calming, healing and meditative powers. Even if one has mastered this, please make sure that you allow your body to recover after doing this Kumbha, before doing any activity, like walking or getting up, as you may faint or pass out.
In Geeta in Chapter 6, On Meditation, and other chapters too, it is mentioned that one should do Metitation by suspending the Apnaa and Pranaa and the interpretations given by most of the famous translators is true and subject to their personal experiences - and in one journey one may experience all of them. References: (1) Kevala Kumbha and (2) Dr. Sivananda on Kevala Kumbha. Apnaa is the downward movement of the Life Forces and Pranaa is the upward movement of the Life Forces - and the two are having a grosser representation in the Inhalation and Exhalation Process.
Geeta says:
Apane juhvati pranam pranepanam tathapare; Pranapanagatee ruddhva pranayamaparayanah (Gita, Ch. IV-29.). Others offer Prana (outgoing breath) in Apana (incoming breath) and Apana in Prana, restraining the passage of Prana and Apana, absorbed in Pranayama. Pranayama is a precious Yajna (sacrifice). Some practise the kind of Pranayama called Puraka (filling in). Some practise the kind of Pranayama called Rechaka (emptying). Some are engaged in the practice of Pranayama called Kumbhaka, by impeding the outward passage of air, through the nostrils and the mouth, and by impeding the inward passage of the air, in the opposite direction. Reference: Geeta on Kevala Kumbha - Translation by Dr. Sivananda.
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