Sunday 23 July 2017

What is Pranayama?

Why study with Rishikesh Yog Van? 


Rishikesh Yog Van conducts 200 hrs Yoga TTC in Rishikesh , one week yoga course in Rishikesh India and asana course in Rishikesh. We do not only provide a practical work for a moment we provide a real teaching of yogic science and spiritual sadhana which is a need for everyone to walk on the journey of life with simplicity yet stable and connected with the true self. 

So Join us to explore a real practice of yoga sadhana and learn how to apply in your daily life, Let this energy flow within you inside you and let the true harmony rule.

Please read the complete article.
Please like and share it.

Introduction to Pranayama:

Pranayama is generally defined as breath control. The word Pranayama is included of two words: Prana plus ayama. Prana means ‘Vital energy’ or ‘life force’ which exists in all things, whether animate or inanimate. Prana is more subtle than air or oxygen we breathe. Therefore, Pranayama should not be considered as only breathing exercises to get extra oxygen into the lungs.




As I have said “Prana” is the vital energy and “Ayama” is to rest and to regulate. Pranayama means to rest in pranic energy and to regulate pranic energy. Also, Pranayama means extension or expansion of the dimension of the prana. Through the practice of Pranayama, one can gain mastery over pranic energy. The prana is not only breath but is also a subtle energy through which one can have mastery over the physical, subtle, astral and casual bodies. Through the practice of Pranayama, one can ultimately be transformed from a man or woman into a God or Goddess. Gheranda Maharshi says in the scriptures called “Gheranda Samhita” that one has to practice Pranayama continuously and only then will there be results. Pranayama utilizes breathing to influence the flow of prana in the nadis or energy channels of the Pranayama Kosha or energy body.

Pranayama is an important part of Raja Yoga. By the regular practice of Pranayama one develops Antarmouna (inner silence) sadhana. Through the practice of Pranayama, yogis can make efforts to concentrate the mind in order to awaken siddhis (yogic mystical powers). So that Pranayama is an important sadhana in advanced techniques of yoga such as prana yoga, Ashtanga yoga, Raja Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Laya Yoga, Kriya Yoga, Dharana Yoga, Dhyana  Yoga, Samadhi Yoga, Tantra Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Chakra Yoga and Swara Yoga. Without regulating the pranic energy one cannot live perfectly. This energy helps in our day to day life.  However the right teachings about pranic energy have been lost today, in present time people are more focused on physical strength and fitness. The whole world is suffering with various kinds of diseases. Do you know why? Have you thought about it? Why are we suffering with even small things in this material world? Why do we have different problems in our daily life? The answer is that we are not aware of our pranic force which makes us live, we are more focused on our physical body fitness to make our self more attractive towards others but the reality is different which we study in yogic science. We do not understand the pranic energy and its functions and what is called Pranayama.

Pranayama is a technique that helps to preserve our pranic energy. Through the balance of pranic energy, one can attain complete balance of body and mind.  Do you know that all problems and diseases start from mind and body? One can be sure that through Pranayama one can have balance in the pranic energy. Then through the pranic energy one can completely prevent all diseases from the root level. Today the whole world needs Pranayama-sadhana for daily life.

 Please note This:

Pranayama begins with oxygen and ends with carbon dioxide, both are the gross form of air. The subtle form of air which called prana is the inhalation and exhalation of the breath through the nostrils.  In Raja Yoga, without the practice of Pranayama it is very difficult to attain Pratyahara (withdrawl of the sense organs from the objects), and without Pratyahara, there is no Dharana (Concentration of the mind). Without Dharana, one cannot get Dhyana (meditation) to a higher level. Without Dhyana, one cannot attain to the state of Samadhi ( The Supreme consciousness). So Pranayama is the foundation of Raja Yoga, and therefore it becomes a very important Sadhana(spiritual practice) for all the Sadhakas and it is needed for today to understand about Pranayama, its psychology and philosophy behind it.

Four aspects of Pranayama:
In the Pranayama practices, there are four important aspects of breathing which are utilized in practice. They are as follows:
  1. Pooraka (Inhalation)
  2.  Rechaka(Exhalation)
  3. Antar Kumbhaka( Internal breath retention)
  4. Bahir Kumbhaka( external breath retention)

These four important aspects are utilized in various techniques of breathing exercises(Pranayama). There is another mode of Pranayama which is called Kevala Kumbhaka or spontaneous breath retention. This is an advanced stage of Pranayama which occurs during high states of meditation. During this state, the lungs stop their activity and the respiration stops. At this time the veil which prevents one from seeing the subtle aspect of existence is lifted and a higher vision of reality is attained. The most important  part of Pranayama is actually Kumbhaka or breath retention. However, in order to perform kumbhaka successfully, there must be a gradual development of control over the function of respiration. Therefore, in the Pranayama practices, more importance is given to inhalation and exalation at the beginning in order to strengthen the lungs and balance the nervous and pranic systems in preparation for the practice of kumbhaka.


The pranic body:
According to yogic physiology, the human system is made of five bodies or sheaths. These five sheaths are known as:

  1. Annamaya Kosha ( The food or material body)
  2. Manomaya Kosha ( The mental body)
  3. Pranamaya Kosha (The energy body)
  4. Vijnanamaya Kosha(The psychic or higher mental body)
  5. Anandamaya Kosha ( The transcendental or bliss body).

2 comments: