Curative Yoga

Basic Breathing (Pranayama)

Yogic breathing or pranayaam revitalises the body steadies the emotion and creats great clarity of the mind. Yoga breathing exercises are performed sitting down with the spine neck and head in a straight line in the lotus pose.

Kalpabhati is a kriyas of purification besides being a pranayama. The forced exhalation rids the lower lungs of the stale air making way for a fresh intake of oxygen rich air in cleansing the entire respiratory system. This is a wonderfully invigorating exercise to begin your pranayam. By increasing the amount of oxygen in the body its effect is to clear the mind and improve concentration.

Kapalbhati

Benefits

1. Effective for cardiovascular problems.
2. To clear the mind and improve the concentration

Description of the asana

1. Sit in ardha padmasana (lotus )--But if you have knee ache,sit on a bench or chair.Keep the feet crossed on a rug or a carpet.
2. Take two normal breaths.
3. Inhale, Now exhale, pulling in your abdomen and inhale, relaxing your abdomen.
4. Repeat 20 times, keeping a steady rhythm and emphasising the exhalation each time.
5. Inhale fully and hold your breathe as long as you can.
6. Slowly exhale.

Anuloma Viloma

In this alternate nostril breathing exercise, you inhale through one nostril, retain the breath, then exhale through the other nostril in a ratio of 2:8:4. If you are really healthy, you the will breathe predominantly through the Ida nostril for about one hour and fifty minutes, then through the other nostril. But in many people this natural rhythm is disturbed. Anuloma Viloma restores an equal flow, balancing the flow of prana in the body.

Description of the asana

1. Close your right nostril with your thumb and keeping it closed breathe in through the left nostril counting up to four.
2. Hold your breath and count to sixteen while opening the right nostril and closing your left with your third finger.
3. Breathe out slowly through the right nostril to a counterfiet.
4. Repeat the exercise but breathe in through the right nostril and out through the left.

Brahmari

It's a kind of meditation which improves concentration memory and confidence. This extended exhalation makes it a very beneficial exercise for pregnant women, in preparation for labour. Sometimes known as the humming breath, Brahmari also gives a sweet clear voice and is highly recommended for singers.

Description of the asana

To practise Brahmari

1. You partially close the glottis as you inhale through both nostrils, making a snoring sound
2. Then exhale slowly, humming like a bee.
3. The inhalation clears and vibrates the throat area.
4. Humming while you breathe out, enables you to spin out the breath and make a longer exhalation.
5. You should repeat Brahmari five to ten times.