Bhagavad Gita
Pranayama is mentioned in verse 4.29 of the Bhagavat Gita.
Quotes
Prana is a subtle invisible force. It is the life-force that pervades the body. It is the factor that connects the body and the mind, because it is connected on one side with the body and on the other side with the mind. It is the connecting link between the body and the mind. The body and the mind have no direct connection. They are connected through Prana only and this Prana is different from the breathing you have in your physical body.
– Swami Chidananda Saraswati
Shilpa Shetty - Pranayam Breathing (Shilpa's Yoga) - The funniest videos clips are here
Yoga works primarily with the energy in the body, through the science of pranayama, or energy-control. Prana means also ‘breath.’ Yoga teaches how, through breath-control, to still the mind and attain higher states of awareness. The higher teachings of yoga take one beyond techniques, and show the yogi, or yoga practitioner, how to direct his concentration in such a way as not only to harmonize human with divine consciousness, but to merge his consciousness in the Infinite.
– Paramahansa Yogananda
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
Pranayama is the fourth 'limb' of the eight limbs of Raja Yoga mentioned in verse 2.29 in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.Patanjali discusses his specific approach to pranayama in verses 2.49 through 2.51, and devotes verses 2.52 and 2.53 to explaining the benefits of the practice.Patanjali refers to pranayama as the control of life force that comes as a result of practicing the various breathing techniques, rather than the numerous breathing exercises themselves.
Many yoga teachers advise that pranayama should be part of an overall practice that includes the other limbs of Patanjali's Raja Yoga teachings, especially Yama, Niyama, and Asana.
Types Of Pranayamas And Their Videos
Also see How to Do Pranayama On Wikihow
http://www.wikihow.com/Do-Pranayam
Bhastrika Pranayam
http://knowyoga.org/tiki-index.php?page=Bhastrika+Pranayam
Kapal Bhati Pranayam
http://knowyoga.org/tiki-index.php?page=Kapal+Bhati+Pranayam
Baharya Pranayam
http://knowyoga.org/tiki-index.php?page=Baharya+Pranayam
Anulom Vilom Pranayam
http://knowyoga.org/tiki-index.php?page=Anulom+Vilom+Pranayam
Bhramri Pranayam
http://knowyoga.org/tiki-index.php?page=Bhramri+Pranayam
Udgeeth Pranayam
http://knowyoga.org/tiki-index.php?page=Udgeeth+Pranayam
Ujjayi Pranayam
http://knowyoga.org/tiki-index.php?page=Ujjayi+Pranayam
Nauli Kriya
http://knowyoga.org/tiki-index.php?page=Nauli+Kriya
Medical claims(From Wikipedia)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pranayama
Several researchers have reported that pranayama techniques are beneficial in treating a range of stress related disorders,improving autonomic functions,relieving symptoms of asthma, and reducing signs of oxidative stress. Practitioners report that the practice of pranayama develops a steady mind, strong will-power, and sound judgement, and also claim that sustained pranayama practice extends life and enhances perception.
Associated Research Papers
Autonomic responses to breath holding and its variations following pranayama.
Bhargava R, Gogate MG, Mascarenhas JF.
Department of Physiology, Goa Medical College, Bombolim.
Autonomic responses to breath holding were studied in twenty healthy young men. Breath was held at different phases of respiration and parameters recorded were Breath holding time, heart rate systolic and diastolic blood pressure and galvanic skin resistance (GSR). After taking initial recordings all the subjects practised Nadi-Shodhana Pranayama for a period of 4 weeks. At the end of 4 weeks same parameters were again recorded and the results compared. Baseline heart rate and blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) showed a rendency to decrease and both these autonomic parameters were significantly decreased at breaking point after pranayamic breathing. Although the GSR was recorded in all subjects the observations made were not conclusive. Thus pranayama breathing exercises appear to alter autonomic responses to breath holding probably by increasing vagal tone and decreasing sympathetic discharges.
Further Reading : http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3215678
Role of Pranayama in Rehabilitation of COPD patients - a Randomized
Controlled Study
S K Katiyar, Shailesh Bihari
Dept. of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases Dr. Murari Lai Chest Hospital
G.S.V.M. Medical College, Kanpur
The present study has demonstrated that in patients
with sign.ficant COPD if specially trained for Yogic
breathing called pranayama, show deceastruted
improvement of lung functjon parameters, health-related quality of life, and decreased dyspnea
improvement in the exercise tolerance, symptoms in daily activities
score, their usual activity and reduction on the impact of disease on their lives.
Further Reading : http://medind.nic.in/iac/t06/i2/iact06i2p98.pdf
Effect of Nadi Shodhan Pranayama on Forced Vital Capacity
Rachna Sirohi ,Dr. Pranav Pandya
Yoga Department
Dev Sanskriti University
Shantikunj, Haridwar.
The results conclusively prove that Nadi Shodhan Pranayama increases the vital lung capacity of the individuals. ‘t’ value is significant at 0.01 level of confidence
Further Reading : http://www.dsvv.org/publications/Nadi%20Shodhan%20Pranayama.pdf
Effect of two breathing exercises (Buteyko and pranayama) in asthma: a randomised controlled trial
S Cooper, J Oborne, S Newton, V Harrison, J Thompson Coon, S Lewis, A TattersfieldLink :http://thorax.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/58/8/674
1 comments:
Nice posting. Do you know about this edition of the Gita?
http://www.YogaVidya.com/gita.html
Post a Comment