Ancient yoga and meditation - Anju Nagpal

Introduction: - Ancient yoga is a powerful technique that plays a vital role in everyone’s life to keep our mind calm and teaches us how to lead a life full of peacefulness. Such yogic practice brings the mind substantially to the condition of calm where you can experience the fullness of realization and consciousness. The real intent of yoga is to preserve control of our respiratory process in which we learn to focus on the heart center. In this process, you become acquainted with the real wisdom of the collective energies and the different types of intelligence that will appear in you. 

The mind is the principal source that is indeed responsible for every individual action. Hence it gets influenced instantly by outside activities and movements. So, as the very procedure of yoga, we have to return to our inward and soak up the experience of complete vigilance. We can manage our minds' extraneous and useless ideas if we practice yoga tantra and meditation in daily life. This is the method by which we immerse ourselves in the universe's consciousness. 

Now it is time to present the method, how you can apply it in your life and obtain abundant benefits. Pranayama is a primary source is used to execute it. Pranayama is used to control our breathing system. The term “Parana” - where it is used for Pranic energy or breathing and the other word “Yama” is used for control. By controlling the breath and Pranic energy, one can obtain a healthy body and mind. In the practice of yoga of Patanjali, it is formed in different sutras by carrying them properly one can experience a higher state of consciousness.

Importance of yoga and meditation in daily life

Yoga and meditation for overall well being

Yoga and meditation for stress management

Yoga and meditation for good mental health

Yoga and meditation for reducing the anxiety

Yoga and meditation for weight loss

Yoga for mental peace and concentration

Yoga boosts the immune system

Yoga increases energy levels

Yoga and meditation help to improve relationships.

Yoga increases body awareness

Importance of yoga and meditation in daily life

Yoga and meditation for overall well being

Yoga is a centuries-old discipline that began in India thousands of years ago. It creates a relationship between an individual's mind and body, allowing them to stay connected to a larger sense of togetherness and the cosmos. Yoga is the "hidden key" to reaching comprehensive well-being because it can help us to return a state of natural serenity, rest, and harmony in our minds, spirits, and bodies. It is still a highly appropriate and helpful practice for treating a wide spectrum of health concerns, including physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual issues. 

Yoga and meditation for stress management 

Several studies have shown that incorporating a small amount of yoga into one's daily practice might help alleviate stress and anxiety. Yoga is considered a good stress-relieving resource since it promotes positive energy, physical well-being, tranquility, and the development of consciousness about each area of fitness. 

Stress-Relieving Yoga Techniques 

Pranayama (controlled breathing)

Meditation 

Visualization 

Stretching yoga postures 

They are all utilized to strengthen the bond between the mind, body, and soul. It has tremendous benefits in every aspect of our lives, whether it is used to reduce stress, improve physical health or maintain mental and spiritual wellness.

 Advantages for Improving Body Health 

Reduced levels of anxiety and stress

Keep the blood pressure under control

Spirituality and mental health nursing

Improves heart health

Increase concentration and memory power

Good quality night's sleep

Ensure overall well-being

Improve strength and stamina

Strong Immunity and respiratory competency

Balanced Metabolism

Relieve muscle tension from stress

Detoxification process

Slow down the aging process

Yoga and meditation for good mental health 

Our mental health suffers from a variety of factors, including stigma, a lack of understanding, confidence, and self-esteem. It is important to address poor mental health as soon as possible because untreated symptoms can lead to poorer clinical outcomes. The study looked into the benefits of meditation, yoga, and positive thinking about depression, anxiety, and stress. They are an extremely effective tool for dealing with stress and anxiety, increasing productivity, and improving overall mental health.

Yoga is considered a system of activities that include postures, pranayama, asana, breathing exercises, chanting mantra, meditation, disciplined lifestyle and routine, visualization, and the development of one's belief system and self-esteem. These elements play an important role in putting an individual in a relaxed state and slowing down the breathing process, which helps to soothe our nervous system. 

This is not the end of the benefits of yoga and meditation. Several studies have discovered that yoga and meditation have an enormous impact on fatigue in a variety of health conditions, including severe diseases such as cancer and mental disorders. The majority of the research described the beneficial effects of yoga for healthy people as well as individuals with cancer, multiple sclerosis, dialysis, chronic pancreatitis, fibromyalgia, and asthma.

Yoga and meditation for weight loss 

Yoga and meditation is a fantastic tool for losing weight since yoga asana and posture reshape our bodies and meditation helps us to keep ourselves aware of choosing good foods to eat and become more cognizant of a healthy living style. Meditation can be an effective part of our weight loss strategy. It can help us make long-term adjustments to our eating habits, cognitive patterns. Deep breathing is the most widely used strategy in both, and it can increase the quality breathing volume while also providing more oxygen to burn fat. Consistent practice can assist us in losing weight effectively.

Yoga for mental peace and concentration

Yoga pranayama and meditation are ancient and most effective methods for improving focus and bringing serenity to the mind. It has been examined that less focus and restless mind are the core causes of lower workplace productivity. Where there are numerous asana and pranayama available in yoga, by executing them regularly, we can attain better concentration at work and achieve our intended objective more quickly. To promote attention and serenity, there is a list of basic pranayama exercises listed below.

Pranayama

Deep breathing

Alternate nostril breathing

Bhramari (Bee breathing)

Bhastrika pranayama

Kapal Bhati (Skull shining breathing)

 

Yoga boosts immune system 

Incorporating yoga into our daily lives is an excellent approach to establishing and maintaining a robust immune system. Several studies have found that practicing certain yoga asanas daily can help boost the immune system. The stronger the immune system helps us to stay healthy – mentally as well as physically, it provides the strength to our body's survival mechanism that is capable of killing all types of diseases and viruses. 

How Does it help to strengthen the immune system? 

Yoga improves the functioning of the respiratory system, allowing for a better movement of cold air in the body.

Yoga and meditation can help us become more aware of how our bodies work and how to deal with them effectively.

Yoga improves the digestive system, which aids in immunity.

Yoga activates the lymphatic system, which contributes to the detoxification of the body. 

Yoga poses to boost the immune system 

Vinyasa Adho

Mukha Svanasana

Balasana

Bhujangasana

Dhanurasana

Setu Bhandasana

Ardha Chakrasana

Ustrasana

Viparika Karani

Salamba Sirasana

Kapalbhati  Pranayama 

Yoga increases energy levels 

We may have heard about the numerous benefits of yoga and pranayama up to this point, but did you know that it also helps to keep us energetic throughout the day? There are a variety of yoga asanas and pranayama that increase the energy level in the human body. Before knowing about asana we should need to understand the logic, how it contributes to increasing the energy within the body. We all get involved in a long hour work schedule every day due to numerous work responsibilities and activities. Because of overworking sometimes, we might experience, mental stress, lack of sleep, low energy, and insufficient prana in the body. To avoid such situations, we must begin to pay attention to ourselves and listen to our bodies. Yoga poses are the most cost-effective way to provide profound peace and power to the body. 

Virbhadrasana

Utkatasana

Setu Bandhasana

Shalabhasana

Makara Adho Mukha Svanasana

Nadi Shodhan Pranayama 

Yoga and meditation help to improve relationships 

Yoga has several hidden benefits that can only be demonstrated by practitioners, how it affects many aspects of our lives. Yoga encourages a positive attitude toward every single action and activity in our lives, which plays an important part in promoting our development in every sphere. When it comes to relationships, there is no such thing as an ideal relationship. We simply need to put up our best efforts to maintain relationships. A positive attitude is the best way to strengthen a relationship, and it can be fascinated by daily yoga and meditation. 

How it aids in the improvement of relationships 

Yoga and meditation increase the compassion and acceptance facet 

Consistent yoga and meditation practice, cultivate a very powerful aspect inside us that teaches us to maintain compassion and acceptance within ourselves. Having such skills, teaches us how to react to situations that are not in our favor. Despite countless omissions on the part of others, we learn the importance of always being courteous to everyone. 

Yoga offers mental peace and relaxation 

We all confront daily multiple challenges at work, and at home, we often experience severe mental issues such as worry, stress, tension, and despair. Various types of pranayamas and deep breathing exercises help us to maintain a calm and relaxed mental state. It boosts our energies in such a way that we discover within our mind how to handle mental situations and get things done more successfully, resulting in significant overall benefits. 

Yoga increase body awareness 

Yoga's original meaning is "completeness," which means that it brings together all of our systems related to our body, mind, and soul and helps us recognize their true existence. The ultimate purpose of yoga and meditation is to transform all difficulties and mental health issues into a healthy condition of mind, physic and develop human consciousness.  It is beneficial for individuals to gain direct experience of their true potential and capabilities.

TYPES OF PRANAYAMAS

Dirga Pranayama or Deep Breathing Perform in Three Parts 

This pranayama is the best way to control the breath and an easier method to practice meditation. In this breathing exercise, breath is used to take in three parts- In the first part, inhalation starts from the belly, in the second part gets passed through into the ribcage, and finally in the third part reached the upper chest area. 

Benefits

It has proven by regular practicing it, it provides the best result for the body, mind, and soul. It soothes the mind, develops the concentration level, and helps to reduce anxiety.

Nadi Sodhana Pranayama or Alternate Nostril Breathing

Nadi Sodhana is the technique is widely known as Alternate breathing in which we used to take the breath from one nostril and exhale it from another one, here one cycle is completed. After completing the cycle it must be repeated 8 to 10 times.

Benefits 

Nadi Sodhana's pranayama results confirmed that it is the best stress buster and helps to increase the awareness of the mind.

Shitali Pranayama or Cooling Breath

In Shitali Pranayama is practicing it to regulate breathing in a cooling and refreshing form. It has cooling effects on our body and mind in which breath inhales from the mouth with folding tongue and hold the breath for a few seconds along with the practice of chin lock and then exhales from the way of nostrils. 

Benefits

As it already considered that it gives refreshing effects on both body and mind. Where there it depletes the level of anxiety and restlessness.

Ujjayi Pranayama or Ocean Breath

This is another approach of breathing in this pranayama breath is used to take by mouth alike, we try to fog up a mirror. Then close the mouth and then begin to breathe through the nose. This complete cycle regenerates the sound of ocean waves, This is the reason it is also known as ocean breath. 

Benefits

Ujjayi Pranayama has some incredible effects on our mind while performing it regularly an individual can attain sound mental health and become more conscious and focused related to each activity of your entire day. 

Bhramari Pranayama or “Humming Bee Breath” 

It recreates the sound of humming bee that is why it is named “Humming bee breath”. In this pranayama, a person has to sit in a lotus posture along with the back and neck straight. Upon the closed eyes, we need to press them with the help of the first two fingers, and in the same way, we have to close our ears too by placing thumbs on them. Now start the process of inhaling and exhaling. The completion of one breath is considered as one cycle. Continue this cycle for 5-10 minutes.

Benefits  

It is trusted that Bhramari pranayama has resulted to calm the mind and body naturally. It improves concentration, memory and is also a better way to release stress.

Bhastrika Pranayama or ‘Bellows Breath 

Bhastrika pranayama has also another name Bellow breath because while performing it, it executes like one is trying to bellow the fire. In this exercise first, we need to erect our posture and sit in a Padmasana (lotus) position after that let your eyes close and begin to inhale deeply then exhale the breath with complete force. Repeat this process 10 times, then try to hold your breath for a while and start again inhaling and exhaling deeply. Now here it has finished one cycle after finishing one cycle continued it 5 times. 

Benefits

It has been proven in different researches that it is a useful practice to stay away from anxiety and stress.

Kapalbhati Pranayama or Breath of Fire

This is one sort of pranayama that not only helps you out to warm up your body but is also beneficial for all abdominal issues. To perform this you need to sit in a Padmasana (lotus) position. The technique involves a straightforward, natural inhalation, but exhalation should be performed by putting full force into it. It can be done at medium to high speed, in beginning it is targeted to 60-70 cycles per minute and slowly you can shift your target to 90-100 cycles per minute if you find it comfortable. 

Benefits

It is believed that this pranayama is the best aid for the whole digestive tract and produces excellent results for the skin as well. It gives a natural glow to the skin and helps to reduce weight.

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