Category: Pranayama

How to Cure – Hay Fever

This disease is characterised by red streaming eyes, profusely flowing nose and shattering sneezes. Mostly the people with sensitive nasal lining catch it by inhaling pollen of grass, dust etc.

This disease must persist so long as the nasal lining is not made strong enough to be proof against the irritation caused by pollen of grass and dust etc.

The patient should begin with ‘Kapala-bhati Pranayma‘. He should practise it for one week. It will give good exercise to his nasal muscles and air passages. Then after one week Jala-neti only with luke warm water should be done for three days. The Jala-neti should also be followed by Kapala-bhati Prarayama which will blow off the remaining water particles from his nose. After the third day he should begin sutra-neti. A daily practice of it for a few weeks will make him immune to attack of hay fever.

How to Cure – Catarrh

If the cold is not got cured by means of ‘neti’ and due to carelessness of diet and neglect of proper hygiene it is let to persist longer than its normal course these conditions, which have been beautifully summed up in the books of Ayurveda, result*:-

सर्व एव प्रतिश्याया नरस्याप्रतिकारिण:।
दुष्टतां यान्ति कालेन तदा साध्या भवन्ति च।
मूर्च्छन्ति कृमयश्चात्र श्वेता: स्त्रिग्धास्तथाSणव:॥

i.e. The colds of that person who does not take precautions to cure them become chronic and incurable. At the place (of inflammation) there multiply germs which are minute white and glossy.

The condition of chronic discharge from the nose is called catarrh. It also sets up various secondary complaints, even to causing disease in the bones of the nose, the forehead and the cheeks with a constant pain and heaviness in them. This disease has a harmful effect on the whole system, and the catarrh victim cannot be a healthy person.

Such a condition has been regarded almost incurable by medical men. But by Yogic methods this is easily curable. The treatment will take from a fortnight to one month according to the severity of the attack and the duration of the disease.

The patient should regularly practise sutra neti followed by jala neti with saltish lukewarm water. He should also do the ‘Kapala Bhati Pranayama‘ for five minutes daily after the ‘neti’. The ‘Kapalabhati’ should be done in the evening before going to bed. The process of ‘Kapala Bhati’ is as follows:-

Kapala-Bhati Pranayama
Breathe in and breathe out through the nose as rapidly as you can. It should produce sound like the bellows of a black smith. Take ten twelve breaths at a stretch and then stop for a few seconds to do it again. Continue this process for five minutes. According to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika also this practice destroys phlegm:

भस्त्रावल्लोहकारस्य रेचपूरी ससंभ्रमौ ।
कपालभातिर्विख्याता कफदोषविशोषणी ॥ (II-35)

i.e. Perform ‘Rechaka’ (breathing out) and ‘Puraka’ (breathing in ) rapidly like the bellows of a black-smith. This is called ‘Kapala-Bhati’, and it destroys the disease of the phlegm.

During the course of treatment, light meals only at fixed intervals are prescribed. Fruit and vegetables are beneficial, butter and milk should be taken in very limited quantities only. Any thing that causes phlegm should be avoided.

*Yoga Ratnakar नासारोगनिदान verses 28, 29

Kewali Pranayama

This Pranayama is especially to attain an advanced stage and for practicing twenty-four hours a day. A mantra ‘Hamsa’ or ‘Soham’ which means ‘that is me’ is practiced in it. The mind is a power of the soul indeed and to dissolve it in the same (soul) is actually the union of Shiva (supreme soul) and Shakti (energy). When wavering of the mind stops, then, it drowns in the soul and Kewali Pranayama is done to achieve this purpose.

 

While breathing in, one should have such a feeling as it contains a divine light and imagine the mantra ‘Ham’; and while breathing out, it should be imagined as the flow of glowing prana is mixing into a vast divine light and a sound of ‘sa’ is heard within.

 

In this way, recitation of the mantra ‘Hamsa’ should go on with the natural breathing process without any extra effort, and the divine self should be visualized within and outside in the integrated form. The ‘Hamsa’ mantra is called the ‘Ajapa’ mantra or ‘Ajapa Gayatri’ mantra because its recitation goes on constantly by itself with the respiration process.

 

This Pranayama affects the Kundalini Shakti also. When breath goes in, it should be felt that light is going through center of the forehead (bhrikuti) and spine to the Mooladhar Chakra. Then it comes out through the same way as a divinely bright breath from the spine and bhrikuti (center of forehead) mixing into a vast divine animated form.

 

Sadhaka of Kewali Pranayama starts visualizing the soul faster. With the dissolving of Prana into the divine element the setting in of mind in the same is natural. Because “yatra prana liyate tatra mana liyate” that is the mind goes where the pranas go.

 

With this practice, the mind and the brain remain in tranquility, enhances life because the speed of pranas lengthens and becomes subtle, which relaxes heart and lungs.

 

Initially, this should be practiced both the times in morning and evening while sitting in any posture. After a long practice, one attains the skill and its recitation goes on itself even while working. It is recited twenty one thousand six hundred (21600) times in a day and night.

Bhramari kumbhaka Pranayama

At night when there is complete silence, do puraka, clsoe the ears, hold breath comfortably (kumbhaka) and hear the word or music (naad), which echoes within. Concentrate mind on that music, whatever words come up, try to concentrate in their rhythm whole-heartedly. The words of the music keep changing slowly. Sometimes music of a cricket, and sometimes that of a bumblebee, bell, drum, clouds etc is experienced. After a regular practice, the music can be heard by keeping the ears open also and the sadhaka’s mind remains in it by itself.

Bhastrika Pranayama

Sit in Padm Asana, breathe in and out for ten to fifteen times, in quick successions from both the nostrils like the bellows of a blacksmith, and take a long breath and hold it comfortably. Then exhale and do the same again. This way it should be done three times. This Pranayama awakens the Kundalini and cures diseases caused by cough, bile and air. This Pranayama can be fully attained by a disciple who has reached a divine stage and who is deekshit (initiated) by the Guru, or only with the blessings of a Yogi Guru.